Theater of Blood
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Movie Reviews of Theater of Blood
Movie Review: Who Knew Shakespeare Wrote Horror films?!
Summary: 3 Stars
THEATER OF BLOOD(1973)---Vincent Price, Diana Rigg, Milo O'Shea, Harry Andrews, Jack Hawkins, Michael Hordern, Robert Morley, Robert Coote, Coral Browne, Ian Hendry, Diana Dors, Dennis Price.
This is one of the series of films released by American International featuring such horror movie icons as Price, Boris Karloff, Peter Lorre, and Basil Rathbone(some other films in the series include: THE ABOMINABLE DR. PHIBES; THE RAVEN; TALES OF TERROR; TWICE-TOLD TALES; DR, PHIBES RISES AGAIN; and THE FOUR SKULLS OF JONATHAN DRAKE). In this movie, Price plays a hammy Shakespearean actor and Diana Rigg plays his devoted daughter. After being panned by a group of leading London drama critics, and being denied their annual Drama Critics Award, Price flips out and confronts the group at their annual get together. After verbally chastising them, he leaps off a balcony and falls into the Thames, apparently killing himself. As it turns out, he survives the fall and is found washed up on the shore by a group of unsavory "street people". Having completely gone insane, Price begins to kill off the critics in a most creative way. With the assistance of his daughter, and the motley crew that found him, he kills each one after the manner of a killing in one of the Shakespearean plays that comprised the repertoire for his final theater season. The first one is stabbed/hacked to death, a la, "Julius Caesar"; another is drowned in a vat of wine, a la, "Richard III"; another is run through with a spear and then dragged by the heels by a brace of horses, a la, "Troilus and Cressida", etc., etc. The killings are depicted in appropriately gory American International fashion. Milo O'Shea plays the Scotland yard detective trying to solve the murders. As bloody as it is, this is just a fun film to watch. Price is at his "over the top, tongue-in-cheek" best, and the unfortunate critics are played by an "A" list of English character actors. Diana Rigg is quite good as Price's daughter, and she is at the height of her physical beauty in this movie(at least by my standards---but then, I've had a "thing" for Rigg since the days of, "The Avengers).
Movie Review: Answering the critics . . .
Summary: 3 Stars
Theater of Blood is an over the top romp that just can't be taken seriously. Horror maestro Vincent Price is Edward Lionheart, a Shakespearean actor who takes his revenge on group of critics that failed to acknowledge his talent, driving him to attempt suicide. Aided by his daughter Edwina (Diana Rigg), and an odd collection of homeless people, Lionheart administers a gruesome version of justice with a profoundly Shakespearean bent. The offending critics are dispatched in a series of creatively wacky and dramatic executions.
The tone is pretentious, and the humor very dark. Price seems to delight in this role. Robert Morely's performance as a poodle aficionado is just precious. Price's duel with Ian Hendry is another highlight. Avoid the release by Alpha Video, as the image quality is extremely poor.
Movie Review: Great film, Lousy transfer
Summary: 3 Stars
A film that deserves it's title! Vincent Price and Diana Rigg are truly outrageous as the merry murderers. The gore element could have been toned down, but an otherwise good film. What lets it down is the awful transfer. MGM has used a decades old laserdisc transfer and it shows. The picture is soft and grainy and full of nicks and scratches. The soundtrack is even worse. Distorted and hard to understand at times, this could have used some cleaning up. MGM should have put some money into remastering this wonderful title for DVD release. ShameMovie Review: Vincent Price and cast have lots of gory fun
Summary: 3 Stars
Over six gallons of stage blood were poured on this tale of a dejected Shakespearean actor (Vincent Price) who vows vengeance on all the critics that dissed his work. Price cleverly stages his executions after scenes in "Cymbaline", "Julius Caesar", and "The Merchant of Venice", among others. Funny, lively, and very bloody; ironically several years later Price would claim to be "appalled" by Friday the 13th. A fan favorite and Price himself loved this one.Movie Review: And you thought blackbirds in a pie were disgusting
Summary: 3 Stars
There's not much of a plot here, but watching Mr. Price's character concoct and carry out all kinds of interesting murders based on classic Shakespeare scenarios is black humor at its finest. There's a good bit of gore and several memorably disgusting images (those poor poodles!), but as none of this is meant to be taken all that seriously, such scenes aren't that hard to take. The DVD offers a nice widescreen image of a good source print.