IMDb > The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971)
The Abominable Dr. Phibes
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The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971) More at IMDbPro »

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The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971) -- A doctor, scientist, organist, and biblical scholar, Dr. Anton Phibes, seeks revenge on the nine doctors he considers responsible for his wife's death.

Overview

User Rating:
7.0/10   3,992 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 56% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Robert Fuest
Writers:
James Whiton (writer) &
William Goldstein (writer)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Abominable Dr. Phibes on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
18 May 1971 (USA) more
Genre:
Comedy | Horror | Music | Mystery more
Tagline:
Revenge Is The Best Medicine. more
Plot:
A doctor, scientist, organist, and biblical scholar, Dr. Anton Phibes, seeks revenge on the nine doctors he considers responsible for his wife's death. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
1 win more
NewsDesk:
(8 articles)
Nobody Shows Any Old Horror Movies In NYC - Except All Of These:
 (From Icons of Fright. 5 October 2009, 2:22 PM, PDT)

Greatest Scream Queens
 (From SoundOnSight. 1 September 2009, 12:00 PM, PDT)

User Comments:
Vincent Price was born to play this role! Camp, surreal, with lots of black humour, this is one of the most entertaining movies I've ever seen. more (93 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Vincent Price ... Dr. Anton Phibes
Joseph Cotten ... Dr. Vesalius
Virginia North ... Vulnavia
Terry-Thomas ... Dr. Longstreet
Sean Bury ... Lem Vesalius
Susan Travers ... Nurse Allen
David Hutcheson ... Dr. Hedgepath
Edward Burnham ... Dr. Dunwoody
Alex Scott ... Dr. Hargreaves
Peter Gilmore ... Dr. Kitaj
Maurice Kaufmann ... Dr. Whitcombe
Peter Jeffrey ... Inspector Trout
Derek Godfrey ... Crow
Norman Jones ... Sgt. Schenley
John Cater ... Waverley
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
Dr. Phibes (USA) (promotional title)
The Curse of Dr. Phibes
more
MPAA:
Rated PG-13 for some horror violence/gore.
Runtime:
94 min
Country:
UK | USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono
Certification:
UK:X (original rating) | Australia:M (DVD rating) | Finland:K-18 | Norway:16 (1972) | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:GP (original rating) | USA:PG-13 (re-release) | West Germany:16

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Vulnavia was originally meant to be another clockwork device, who simply looked more human. more
Goofs:
Continuity: After Dr. Longstreet's death, his maid tells the inspector that she heard someone playing the violin at half past two in the morning, but the scene in which Dr. Phibe's assistant was seen playing the violin appeared to be filmed in broad daylight. more
Quotes:
Waverley: A brass unicorn has been catapulted across a London street and impaled an eminent surgeon. Words fail me, gentlemen. more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in The Fog (1980) more
Soundtrack:
The Darktown Strutters' Ball more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
18 out of 18 people found the following comment useful.
Vincent Price was born to play this role! Camp, surreal, with lots of black humour, this is one of the most entertaining movies I've ever seen., 10 November 2003
Author: Infofreak from Perth, Australia

Vincent Price bashers accuse him of being a ham. Now Price was capable of restrained performances, just have a look at 'Witchfinder General', but sometimes his hilarious over the top style perfectly suited the material. This is definitely the case with 'The Abominable Dr. Phibes', which could well be his most entertaining movie. The film was directed by Robert Fuest, who had previously been a writer and art director for 'The Avengers', and it shares a similar camp sensibility, with lots of black humour and some deliciously surreal touches. Price was born to play this role! Later there was a sequel (good), and an attempt to recreate the approach with 'Theatre Of Blood' ( for me, a bit of a disappointment), but the original Phibes is easily the best. Price is supported by a strong cast, including Joesph Cotton (who made 'Baron Blood' with Mario Bava around this period), Terry-Thomas, and Peter Jeffrey ('If...'). Cult fans will also get a kick when they see who plays Phibes wife (uncredited): Caroline Munro ('Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter', 'Maniac', 'Faceless'). 'The Abominable Dr. Phibes' is one of the most entertaining movies I've ever seen. If you haven't seen it before then you are in for a real treat!

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
PHIBES series and sequel info sidterror
I'm all for a remake. Chimera-5
Two Movies That Pay Homage to Vincent Price browncis
Vulnavia: Mute and/or Hypnotized? browncis
The Final Installment escalera-2
INSPECTOR PRETORIOUS phibesfilms
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