Dr. Phibes Rises Again!
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Movie Reviews of Dr. Phibes Rises Again!
Movie Review: In De-Nile of Death
Summary: 4 Stars
This movie is true to formula for the most successful sequels: it's exactly the same, but completely different.Egyptologist Dr. Beiderbeck has stolen a uniquely rare map from the ruins of the late Dr. Anton Phibes' palatial estate, with which he intends to locate the waterway of Osiris in Egypt's Valley of the Kings and obtain the elixir of eternal life. The undead Dr. Phibes revives by a mechanism of his own brilliant devise, and with the assistance of his beautiful mute servant, Vulnavia, follows the unlucky Dr. Beiderbeck's party to the land of the pyramids, for a little murder and mayhem - Phibes is sorely ticked, needing the elixir himself for the resurrection of his beloved dead wife, Regina, and doesn't take kindly to amateur interlopers interfering with his plans.
The production is cheaper than its predecessor, but no less enjoyable. The sets and props are obviously less expensive, the colors more washed-out. The first film is more straightforward in its horror, where the sequel is generally more campy in its gruesome killings. Phibes abandons any particular pattern to his slayings, but sticks for the most part to a sort of "local color" motif - hawks, scorpions, sandstorms and the like. As in the original, Phibes comes off as an effective anti-hero because his adversary is a tyrannical cad, and his victims are almost all greedy, treacherous flunkies of Beiderbeck's - aside from which, he shows some nobility in seeking eternal life not for himself, but for his dearly departed beloved.
The cast is good. Robert Quarry is the venal Beiderbeck, with the lovely Fiona Lewis as his spoiled but oddly kind of likeable girlfriend. Hugh Griffith and Terry Thomas return, in different cameo roles, and Caroline Munro is back as Phibes' ultimately passive love-interest. The very Olivia Newton John-ish Valli Kemp replaces Virginia North as Vulnavia - North was pregnant at the time the movie was in production - but, if anything, is more beautiful, though not quite as sophisticatedly elegant.
Maybe not better the second time around, but at least as good, and well worth watching.
Movie Review: Not As Good As The Original, But Still Great!
Summary: 4 Stars
Vincent Price returns as deranged Dr. Anton Phibes, but unfortunately the original writers don't return with him. Director Robert Fuest is back, this time Writing AND Directing, but the result isn't nearly as clever as the original was.That said, this movie is STILL head and shoulders above most other movies of this type.
After a brief recap of the first film, we're up and rolling: Phibes is back, and is seeking the Egyptian River of Life, to revive his deceased wife (Played, sort of, by the lovely Carolyn Munro), and grant them both eternal life. The competition is Biederbeck, who is seeking the River for reasons of his own. The two engage in some entertaining one-upmanship, and Phibes dispatches his opponents with his usual creative flair. Price is GREAT in the lead role; he's obviously having a ball. Just check out the scene where he chokes on a fish bone....
Robert Quarry is a good foil, and Fiona Lewis is lovely as his put-upon Fiancee. Valli Kemp assumes the role of the Dr.'s silent assistant, Vulnavia, and she fills her part quite nicely, luring one unsuspecting doof to a stinging death.
Price fans will love this movie!
Movie Review: Not the original ending.
Summary: 4 Stars
This DVD does not have the original music that ended the film. They removed it and put a track of Price singing "Over the Rainbow".(The song used at the end of the first film.)It even says on the back of the DVD(in the trivia section)how Price recorded OTR for the end of the film but the filmmakers decided not to use it. Well it seems that the distributors of this DVD decided to put it into the movie. That's a shame because the music that was originally used really fit the ending of the film. The 4 star rating is for the original film, not this flawed version.Movie Review: Excellent sequel to "The Abominable Dr. Phibes"
Summary: 4 Stars
Vincent Price returns as Dr. Anton Phibes is this competent sequel, which has Phibes traveling to Egypt to get an elixer that will bring his deceased wife back to life. Phibe's antagonist Biederbeck (Robert Quarry) is also in search of the miracle drug. Phibes proceeds the eliminate the competition by picking off Biederbeck's crew with a grisly relish. Lots of fun that does justice to the original.Movie Review: An excellant sequel!
Summary: 4 Stars
This is Vincent Price at his best. Though not quite as good as "The Abominable Dr. Phibes", this a very good sequel. A Vincent Price collection would be incomplete without it.