The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971)

Blending sublime dark humor, wonderful set designs, a quirky plot and one hell of a fun performance from Vincent Price, it’s no doubt why this one is a perennial fan favorite. Price plays Dr. Anton Phibes, a brilliant organist intent on revenge against the medical team he blames for causing his wife’s death during surgery. Phibes himself is believed to be dead as well, as his car crashed during his frantic race to be with his wife as she lay dying on the operating table. The fiery crash results in Phibes being horribly burned and, of course, quite insane and thirsty for revenge. Along with his lovely mute assistant Vulnavia (the fetching Virginia North), Phibes plots his revenge from his isolated mansion intending to inflict on the team of doctors ten biblical curses, such as the curse of hail, curse of locust, curse of blood, etc. This results in some truly inventive murder sequences that are just as darkly humorous to see enacted, as well as Phibe’s reaction to each successful kill. Price inserts some very subtle nuisances to his performance that add much to the character, from the way he inspects a boiling vat of cabbages to his peculiar way of drinking a glass of champagne, it’s simply terrific stuff to watch. Director Robert Fuest blends the films camp appeal with an underlying dose of black humor, and the scenes of a bumbling Scotland Yard trying to catch Phibes are fairly humorous to watch. “Phibes” is also a rather nice visual feast for the eyes, as the color scheme (particularly of Phibes hidden lair) is very colorful and vibrant throughout, and set design is top notch. All in all it’s terrific fun, and one of Vincent Prices’s all time best performances.