Undescribable Perfection

Powerful

For all the hype it got I was expecting a lot more!

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

I hated this when I saw it as a kid. But in my maturity [I've been through Firbank, I've been through Ludlam and Busch, and I'm here] I get it and like it. Why NOT give the Liberace of horror the high camp vehicle he really deserves, squish the horrific elements off to one side and give us a pageant of decadent poses, literate witticisms and rude winks? I'm glad they made this film and I find myself wishing that Ken Russell had either had access to production values this good or had given enough of a damn to have worked for them. As for the abbreviated kill count, I found it refreshing. I was glad that it lacked the sickening gore and sadism of "The Abominable Dr. Phibes" and "Theatre of Blood," and as good as those films are, I don't particularly want to see them again because I don't want to see THAT again. I really am getting old.It's been said that the entertainer Frank Sidebottom must have gotten the idea for his John Held Jr. style costume head from Dr. Phibes' Clockwork Wizards, and watching this I'm not so sure--Sidebottom's head was way creepier, maybe because unlike the Wizards he actually was supposed to be human.

Three years after his last rampage, Dr. Anton Phibes is resurrected and seeks a map to Egypt that will give his wife life again, and discovering the truth about the mystical map alerts an old group of nemesis of his resurrection who race to Egypt to stop the madman's plans.It isn't the out-and-out classic the first one was, but this is still a great film regardless. Just as in the first one, one of the finest points is the overall feeling present as this is still a nice, campy ride. Seeing Price return to the role is a great deal of fun and the amount of screen time the film gives him causes that. We have a lot of great moments that just prove to be a collection of camp strung together because Phibes is now out and about in the world where his threat is greater. No longer stuck basing the deaths off the ten plagues of Ancient Egypt, he can let his imagination run wild, and this lets in some pretty ingenious set-pieces as he is now no longer bound by the confines of London anymore to spread his vision. That this is a road movie allows for greater and more elaborate deaths, which is a great advantage as instead of guessing when Phibes would attack here it's a where and with what, and that gives the film a little extra suspense. The film also has a great sense of set-design, and there are some wonderful sets here. The initial Egyptian design is one of the best, and it looks suitably forgotten in the ruins, and the final location sets are just simply breath-taking to behold. It certainly ends the film on a positive note that few other films in this particular style don't often do. This also goes along with the rather strong finale, where the action is quite fun and thrilling within the catacombs of the pyramid and really lets us side with him during this section of the film when it's needed the most. These here really hold it up as there isn't much really much wrong here. The biggest issue here is that the opening flashback to the original wasn't one of the best ways of getting a movie started. It spoils too much of the first film and didn't really do much to bring new information to light. The narrator was the final straw for the scene as it just completely ruined the mood of the scene. It's one of the few times that a film opens on a downward note. Just as in the first one, the fact that Phibes still talks with the voice-box is a disappointment. Even though it doesn't make sense to change it as it wouldn't really fit well with the movie, the fact that it's still here is a hurdle to overcome for Price fans. There is also something different in the campiness in this one over the first one that doesn't make it as fun. It's an indefinable quality, but it is there. It's still a fun, campy movie, but not like the first one.Today's Rating/PG-13: Violence.

In this dull, less-than-scary, and, totally predictable, little horror film from 1972, the ever-effeminate Vincent Price, once again, lisps and minces his way through yet another one of his roles as some insufferably sadistic, little movie-villain.Tongue-in-cheek performance, or not - I have to admit that I, for one, find Vincent Price to be way-way too gay to be at all convincing as the sinister, little culprit that he liked to make himself out to be. And, besides that, I think he was way too old for his roles, as well.Anyways - As the story goes - After spending a decade in suspended-animation, Dr. Phibes awakens (with absolutely no muscle atrophy, whatsoever) and heads to the tombs of the Pharaohs in Egypt with his beautiful aide and the perfectly preserved corpse of his long dead wife.It's here that Phibes attempts to resurrect his dearly beloved.In the meantime he goes on a predictable, little killing spree, murdering people, left, right, and center, in the most cleverly thought out ways imaginable.Ho-Hum.

I love "The Abominable Dr Phibes", it is clever, entertaining and well made. This sequel is a decent one, but it just lacks the creativity and the sophistication of the first film. I think this is to do with the weak script(well mostly), the sometimes static plotting and the fact that Terry Thomas and Peter Cushing are pretty much wasted in their roles. Also while he was tolerable at best Robert Quarry seemed a little bland. These aside, it is slickly directed and paced, and while the sets and scenery aren't as grand or as lavish here, they still look lovely. Well, it's Egyptian scenery, Egyptian scenery always looks gorgeous. The music has a very grand and haunting touch in this sequel, and it is not every day we hear Vincent Price singing Over the Rainbow. The murders aren't as well timed as they were in the original, but most do still send some chills, Shavers being pecked to death by a bird was a real nail biter. The performances in general were not bad at all, Valli Kemp looks lovely as Vulnavia, she doesn't quite have the allure of Virginia North but plays her well. Peter Jeffrey is amusing as Inspector Trout, but once again the acting honours go to Vincent Price who has perfect timing and relishes his role quite evidently as Dr Phibes. Overall, inferior to the brilliant first film, but a decent sequel that I did enjoy despite the flaws. 7/10 Bethany Cox