The Abominable Dr Phibes (1971)
The Abominable Dr Phibes stars Vincent Price as a living
corpse, seeking revenge on the nine medics who were in attendance
when his wife died in surgery.
He concocts his revenge based on the ten biblical plagues of
ancient Egypt (from the Old Testament). Terry Thomas is one of the
victims, all of whom die from some bizarre use of rats, bees,
bats, boils etc.
So we see a nurse having her head covered in liquefied Brussels
sprouts, and killer locusts set upon her; a doctor attacked by
rabid rats in his aeroplane, another doctor attacked by vampire
bats, and Dr. Whitcombe (Maurice Kaufman) speared to a door by the
brass horn of a unicorn.
Assisting Price in his endeavours is the silent Vulnavia
(Virginia North). Scotland Yard’s long suffering Inspector Trout
(Peter Jeffrey), and his eager assistant Crow (Derek Godfrey)
investigate the puzzling murders.
The Dr Phibes makeup (by Trevor Crole-Ress) is outstanding in
depicting without revulsion the look of a living corpse covered in
scars (who also speaks through a cord extended from his throat and
eats through a tube!).
Loaded with comedic gore, The Abominable Dr Phibes has
been described as an "anachronistic period horror musical
camp fantasy".
Due to the films success, a sequel, Dr. Phibes Rises Again
was released the following year.
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