48 Days to Halloween- 1971 The Abominable Dr Phibes

Over the next 100 days, I will present one movie of significances in horror, suspense or thrillers for each year from 1919 to 2018. The next film presented here is the 1971 English horror dark comedy "The Abominable Dr. Phibes" starring Vincent Price, Joseph Cotten, Virginia North and directed by Robert Fuest.

The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971)

Dir- Robert Fuest

Vincent Price takes charge once again in one of his most memorable roles as Dr. Anton Phibes. Dr. Phibes is a horribly disfigured musical genius and biblical scholar, not unlike Erik in Phantom of the Opera, the disfigurement the result of a car crash. His wife was killed by a team of surgeons who he felt let her die. He then avenges the death of his wife by inflicting Old Testament curses on the doctors responsible. The grisly methods used against the surgeons are very ceremonial and all well staged. The style of the movie is spectacular, the setting is the 1920's, and the use of art deco style is prominent, yet a few erroneous anachronisms pop up (Sinatra record?). The campy feel of the movie balances the gore with plenty of humor in a role that many consider being Mr. Prices best work.