Dr. Phibes Deserves His Place in the Hall of Fame
When the idea of horror icons in film are brought up, it's easy to rattle off a bunch of names that now seem so commonplace in the horror world. Jason, Freddy, Leatherface, Pinhead, and the list can go on and on. From older icons to new ones, there definitely is a large pool to pick from. But there is one name that I think needs to be put right up in the mix with all the rest. A name I don't see often enough brought up when the discussion finds its way to the territory of classic horror villains. Dr. Phibes.
First, let's get right into the source material. There are two movies with the character of Dr. Phibes, both times played by the legend Vincent Price. Yes, THE Vincent Price. A horror hall of famer by his own right, but these movies again just don't seem to get the spotlight like they should. Both films are directed by Robert Fuest, who is also infamous for The Devil's Rain as well. The first film, The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971) is a true horror classic with a perfect balance of brutality and black humor. The story, set in England in the 20’s, follows Dr. Anton Phibes, a brilliant concert organist, and theologist, of course. He is involved in a terrible car crash after trying to rush home after hearing his wife had died during surgery. Believed dead, Dr. Phibes returns and heads out to seek vengeance on all the doctors and nurses involved in his wife's failed surgery.
The second film is Dr. Phibes Rises Again (1972) which again stars Price as Dr. Phibes, but the plot here gets even more crazy and shifts to Egypt as Dr. Phibes pursues a River of Life in hopes of resurrecting his wife. He finds that since the first film, his mansion has been demolished and his secret papyrus containing the secret location of the river has been stolen by Darius Beiderbeck, a centuries old man staying young off of a special elixir that he is running out of. Sounds crazy right? Oh it is, but it's just such a fun movie and Price leads us on the journey of Dr. Phibes, who becomes an almost anti-hero by this point.
Now I know this isn't enough to justify why this character and these movies are so good. so let's analyze it further. Dr. Phibes himself is such an interesting character. Throughout the films, we see two different phases of Phibes. The visage of Vincent Price is actually a costume Phibes wears, as when we see him sans costume, he is a gray disfigured creature. Now due to his injuries, and this little bit is such a unique part of the character, he cannot move his mouth to speak. So through the film, Vincent Price acts without speaking. His faces and gestures make the character stand out. But, now get this, Vincent Price has tons of dialogue. How? Dr. Phibes using a talking device attached the back of his neck. So we have Vincent Price conveying with facial expressions the dialogue that he himself recorded. How cool is that? It gives Phibes his moments of pure evil badass with a touch of humor that only Price can deliver. We can't talk about Phibes without mentioning his mute and beautiful assistant, Vulnavia (played by Virginia North in the first film, and Valli Kemp in the second). Her character is an added extension of Phibes, as her presence means Phibes evil plans are afoot. The dynamic between the two once again adds to the originality of the character.
So, now we've established why Dr. Phibes as a character is great, but how are his kills as a horror villain? Here's where it gets even better. If you happen to be a fan of the Saw series and Tobin Bell as Jigsaw, you might see some parallels here. In the films, Phibes kills most of his victims with elaborate and sometimes borderline ridiculous traps. Such original kills, like frog masks that slowly constrict, impalement via bronze unicorns, and a giant screw press in the Egyptian desert, every kill is a sight to behold. The first film has kills following the pattern of the Ten Plagues from the Bible, and we get some unique interpretations of them as well.
What else can be said about these films? Well, more actually. There are some really awesome little features that follow through both films. Did I mention that Dr. Phibes has his own clockwork band that performs through the films? Dr. Phibes Clockwork Wizards. Yeah, that's their name. Playing jazz and hits from the roaring twenties, their part in the films add not only some levity and music but add more depth to the Phibes character. Music was his life, and is still a part of it, even after death. We also have the bumbling Scotland Yard police detective, Inspector Trout (played by Peter Jeffery). Trout is the real comic relief in both films, as despite his best efforts, he cannot catch Phibes nor stop any of the killings. His quick wit and one liners around the kills keep the film's balance of horror and humor throughout.
In conclusion, what I really want for you to do is go out and find these movies and watch them, back to back if you can. What you're going to find is that you watched a story play out that keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole time. A beautifully original story, a captivating performance by Vincent Price, and kills you have never thought of or seen before will be more than enough to convince you that Dr. Phibes is a true horror icon.
