Theater of Blood
|
List Price: Our Price: $11.96 You Save: $3.02 (20%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $3.63 (click here) Category: DVD See more DVD releases |
|---|
Canada
Movie Reviews of Theater of Blood
Movie Review: Nice Combination of Wit and Gore
Summary: 4 Stars
Edward Lionheart is a Shakespearean actor who has more ham than talent. His plays have been savaged by the London critics, who now have denied him a great acting honor. He shows them the error of their ways.
Vincent Price plays Lionheart in one of his most effective and slightly campiest roles. I say slightly campy because Price actually does an effective job of showing Lionheart in a sympathetic manner, and his reading of Shakespeare (when he's not doing it as Lionheart on the stage) is good. Diana Rigg as Lionheart's daughter, Edwina, is as psychotically effective as Price.
Lionheart sets out to prove his critics wrong by dispatching them in ways drawn from Shakespeare's plays. Among the methods, one is set up to kill his wife in a jealous rage and then is taken off (Othello). One is upended in a butt of wine (Richard III). One has a pound of flesh removed (The Merchant of Venice). One is stabbed and hacked to death in a crowd (Julius Caesar). And the funniest (and slightly sickest) is reserved for Meredith Merridew (Robert Morley), who at first finds great pleasure in his two poodles that he loves dearly (Titus Andronicus). For those who enjoyed this scene, I highly recommend Julie Taymor's Titus with Anthony Hopkins.
Among the actors playing the critics, in addition to Morley, are some of Britain's finest: Dennis Price, Jack Hawkins, Harry Andrews, Michael Hordern, and several others.
Price is known now, I suppose, as a hammy horror specialist. He made a lot of money and enjoyed himself immensely doing it. But the guy could be a good actor. I thought he was very effective as Shelby Carpenter in Laura. Occasionally on late night cable you can see a Samuel Fuller movie called The Baron Of Arizona. Price is excellent in it.
I think Theater of Blood is a first-rate movie, but it's best enjoyed if you have a passing knowledge of Shakespeare's plays. Cliffs Notes always did it for me. The movie is camp, witty, literate and gory. Nice combination.
The DVD transfer is very good.
Movie Review: Et Tu, Vincent?!
Summary: 4 Stars
This is probably one of his weirdest films. Price plays Edward Lionheart, a 2nd rate actor who plots his revenge on the critics who snubbed him by killing them with ideas based on Shakespeare's plays. The 1st is killed like Julius Caesar, another from the Merchant of Venice (I know no one dies in the original but Lionheart makes a few changes), another is fed his children(actually his dogs) from Titus Adronicus, another is stabbed and dragged like Hector in Troilus and Cressida, etc. You get the picture. At the end, Lionheart and his dutiful daughter (Diana Rigg) are killed as the theatre burns down.Price is wonderful is playing a terrible actor who thinks he is the best Shakespearean actor of the time. He is melodramatic, over-acting to the point of hamming, and in general Price gives a terrific performance. In his soliloquys, though, Price shines as he speaks the parts from the various plays with passion, clarity and intensity.
Probably the mosy enjoyable scene is the fencing duel, a la ROmero and Juliet, with one of the critics. The swordplay is great but the physical prowess displayed by Price is hilarious as he swings from a rope and bounces on a trampoline.
The film is filled with well-known British actors. I wonder how the director persuaded so many great actors to take part in a low budget slasher film. Rigg plays the dutiful daughter with intensity and dedication.
I really enjoyed this film.
Movie Review: Looking for stylish, high camp, British black humour...
Summary: 4 Stars
...then perhaps this is your cup of tea!A puckish exercise in style over substance, some of the best British character actors of the early seventies attack their roles with alacrity! ("Ham" served as dessert?)
Vincent Price is in top form as the villainous Edwin Lionhart, Shakespearean thespian wrongly presumed deceased. Former "Avenger" Diana Rigg decks out in a number of amusing disguises as Lionhart's daughter Edwina, ranging from male drag to blonde ingenue. An original "Avenger" (way back in the beginning of the series, when Patrick MacNee was his sidekick), Ian Hendry (as head of The Critics' Circle) keeps things emotionally well grounded. The remaining cast are suitably quirky self-absorbed cardboard characters, ripe for bumping off with temerity in manners inspired by scenes from The Bard himself!
All the players here dig in with relish, as one might expect from anyone who ever received hash notices in theatrical reviews. All the guilty parties concerned appear to have had a fun time while making this bit of camp horror fluff. The story is remarkably similar "The Abominable Dr Phibes".
After this movie, Diana Rigg compiled a book of nasty theatrical criticism entitled "No Turn Unstoned." Vincent Price and Coral Brown met during the making of this film, and afterwards they wed.
Movie Review: Deliciously macabre and twisted....
Summary: 4 Stars
I am a HUGE fan of horror, and Vincent Price is one of my favorite actors, so how can you go wrong with such a sadistic film? Its absolutely perfect for Price, he's flawless. But I will say, as much as I love horror, I had a HARD time watching this, though in a good way.Being the masochist I am, I sat through the whole film. It was enjoyable, especially for Prices over-the-top super-campy performance. What made it hard to watch, was the deaths. I was empathizing with the victims to much boviously because everytime someone died had a large knot in my stomache. And I can't even think of one death which happens in a kitchen without getting sad... :(
This movie just has some of the most twisted death scenes I've ever scene. Diana Rigg was very good as Vincent's daughter as well. I rather wanted to shoot her, she was that convincing. :D
Anyways, I really, really reccomend 'Theater of Blood' to fans of horror, black comedy, or Vincent Price, even better yet if you're a fan of ALL THREE, like me.! :D
God Bless & *enjoy* ~Amy
Movie Review: Bard to The Bone
Summary: 4 Stars
Vincent Price in his finest role - it's as simple as that.Not only does it feature a fantastic ensemble cast, but it also allows Vincent to showcase his trademark theatrical approach to Shakespere.
Viewers may not realise Vincent Price was a Hollywood heart-throb years before Roger Corman came calling and Poe came tapping, as if someone gently rapping, rapping at Vincent's trailer door.
Vincent has a roaringly good time playing Edward Lionheart correcting 'critical miscalculations' by a bunch of snobbish theatre critics.
With enough references to the Bard you could shake-a-spear at, Theatre of Blood is pure educational, entertaining escapism.
Lets hope the proposed re-make remains not to be.
The actual DVD is a bit of a disappointment though.
It's widescreen, but not anamorphic and looks a little rough around the edges. The sound has the occasional crackle to it and the only extra is the theatrical trailer.
Lets hope they release a special edition of this magnificent movie...."Ah to dream"..