The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Robert Fuest

Writers:

James Whiton (writer) &
William Goldstein (writer)

Release Date:

18 May 1971 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Horror | Mystery

Tagline:

Revenge Is The Best Medicine.

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.

Plot Keywords:

Doctor | Mute | Frog | Revenge | Organ Player

Awards:

1 win

Cast

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
Alan Zipson	...	1st Police Official
Dallas Adams	...	2nd Police Official
James Grout	...	Sergeant
Alister Williamson	...	1st Policeman
Thomas Heathcote	...	2nd Policeman
Ian Marter	...	3rd Policeman
Julian Grant	...	4th Policeman
Hugh Griffith	...	Rabbi
Aubrey Woods	...	Goldsmith
John Laurie	...	Darrow
Barbara Keogh	...	Mrs. Frawley
Charles Farrell	...	Chauffeur
John Franklyn	...	Graveyard Attendant
Walter Horsbrugh	...	Ross, the Butler
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Paul Frees	...	Singer of 'The Darktown Strutters' Ball' (voice)
Joanna Lumley	...	Laboratory assistant (scenes deleted)
Caroline Munro	...	Victoria Phibes (uncredited)

Directed by
Robert Fuest

Writing credits
James Whiton		(writer) &
William Goldstein		(writer)

Produced by
Samuel Z. Arkoff	....	executive producer
Ronald Dunas	....	producer (as Ronald S. Dunas)
Louis M. Heyward	....	producer
James H. Nicholson	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Basil Kirchin

Cinematography by
Norman Warwick

Film Editing by
Tristam Cones

Casting by
Sally Nicholl

Art Direction by
Bernard Reeves

Makeup Department
Trevor Crole-Rees	....	makeup artist
Bernadette Ibbetson	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Richard F. Dalton	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Frank Ernst	....	assistant director

Art Department
Chris Burke	....	assistant art director
Brian Eatwell	....	set designer
George Gunning	....	construction manager
Rex Hobbs	....	property master

Sound Department
Peter Lennard	....	dubbing editor
A.W. Lumkin	....	recording director
Ken Nightingall	....	sound assistant
Dennis Whitlock	....	sound recordist

Special Effects by
George Blackwell	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Steve Birtles	....	supervisory electrician
Steve Clayton	....	assistant camera
Godfrey A. Godar	....	camera operator (as Godfrey Godar)
John Jay	....	still photographer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Elsa Fennell	....	wardrobe

Music Department
Jack Nathan	....	music associate

Other crew
Gladys Goldsmith	....	continuity

Production Companies

• American International Pictures (AIP)

Distributors

• American International Pictures (AIP) (1971) (USA) (theatrical)
• Anglo-EMI Film Distributors (1971) (UK) (theatrical)
• MGM-EMI (1971) (UK) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1974) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Globo Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Image Entertainment (laserdisc)
• Live Video (video)
• MGM Home Entertainment (Europe) (2003) (UK) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2003) (Germany) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (????) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Orion Home Video (video)
• Roadshow Home Video
• Vestron Video (1983) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Anvil Studios  music recording
• EMI-MGM Elstree Studios  made at

Also Known As:

Dr. Phibes (USA) (promotional title)
The Curse of Dr. Phibes

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some horror violence/gore.

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

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

Filming Locations:

Elstree Film and TV Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

American International Pictures (AIP)

Trivia:

The piece of music Vulnavia plays when Longstreet is being killed is called "Close Your Eyes".

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.

Quotes:

Goldsmith: One of a set.
Inspector Trout: A set? You mean there's more than one of them?
Goldsmith: Of course there's more than one of them, that's why it's a set.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Employee of the Month (2004)

Soundtrack:

A Hundred Years from Today

Dr. Phibes = horror like it should be

There are several actors in cinema that give away terrific performances all the time...No matter what role their cast in, they're always believable and impressive. But then, even beyond that, there are some actors who're just BORN to play certain role!! And that's the theory could be stated by Vincent Price in the Abominable Dr. Phibes. It's impossible to imagine this mad murderer being played by anyone else. Price IS Dr. Phibes and he makes the most of his role here. A truly powerful and fascinating performance that yet has to find its equal. Even if you're not into horror, I would recommend The Abominable Dr. Phibes if it were only for Price...it really is an acting job every self-respected fan of cinema should acknowledge.

But The Abominable Dr. Phibes is much more than just a 'tour-de-force' by Price. It stands as one of the most entertaining and original horror movies ever made. It's an innovating movie in every way you look at it and - like none other - it passed the test of time. The film is over 30 years now and it still looks refreshing and extremely cool. To me personally, the single title also sums up several reasons to proof that horror is the most powerful genre in cinema. First and foremost, it brings together two types of cinema that are hard to amalgamate. Face it, the basic plot of Dr. Phibes is a love-story and a tale about how to deal with the loss of a loved one...Much more than a ravenous psychopath, Dr. Phibes is a hurt romanticist! Secondly - and most teachers will deny this - Dr. Phibes is an educational film!! I guess we've all learned about the Biblical Plagues that overcame the Pharaoh in school, but it'll be much more easy to number and memorize them after you've seen this film. You might even say The Abominable Dr. Phibes is a valuable history lesson. And finally, this movie really proofs to me that horror is the "underdog"-genre in cinema. Do you remember how the plot of Se7en impressed the whole world when it came out in 1995? Both critics and audiences called it innovating, dared and highly original...but were the true horror fans impressed as much? I don't think so because the basic principles the killer in Se7en uses are just a pale tribute to the methods Dr. Anton Phibes employed.

Anyway...I start to sound way too dedicated in my love towards the genre. Basically, what I mean is: The Abominable Dr. Phibes is a perfect horror film and perhaps even one of the most entertaining cinema experiences you'll ever have. Especially when it's your first viewing, Dr. Phibes will be a satisfying purchase. It's a refreshing horror film with adorable British humor and solid acting and directing. The whole thing is just a chain of brilliant sequences. Almost impossible to determinate a few highlights...the entire movie is one HUGE highlight!!