Surprisingly incoherent and boring

Good start, but then it gets ruined

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

Blistering performances.

Much like many evenings before, I felt the lacking of a great feature film to engage my prefrontal cortex. And since my go-to tends to be horror and horror only, I decided to change things up a little bit with a Horror/Comedy. Usually I try to stay away from this rather ambiguous mix of genres, but since I've got a weak spot for 70's horror, I gave it a shot. And boy, am I glad I did.From the very beginning there is something about the setting of the scene and the tension clouding up the room in its own silent way that reminded me of "The Holy Mountain", by the great Alejandro Jodorowsky. A somewhat strange comparison you might think, but it doesn't strike me as strange at all; maybe it was a favorable way for directors to approach the arts in the 70's. Whatever the common denominator might be, the opening scene presented, in my opinion, an undertone of similar vibes as that of "The Holy Mountain"; which is a good thing, of course. Overall, the film isn't all that scary, I must say. But that doesn't take away the fact that it is a great film. And also I wonder how scary a horror/comedy can get without it being a straight up horror film. Anyhow, even if it doesn't make my hair stand up on end it is still a great horror story. The film is an impeccable mix of the two genres; it's predominantly horror, with the occasional (and well placed) joke making an entrance when you least expect it.The comic elements sneak up from behind and grab you by surprise. At times, the jokes enter on such uninvited note that it really catches you off guard and make you burst into laughter. It is really my type of humor - black comedy. Compared to today's black comedy, it might appear somewhat modest, naturally; although how modest it might seem today, I'm sure that it was all but in the 70's. Overall, "The Abominable Dr. Phibes" is a film worth your while. If you enjoy a solid 1970's horror flick and at the same time don't mind the occasional laughter, you can't go wrong with this one. Even if you tend to avoid horror/comedy films, like me, I recommend that you give this one a go - it's timeless.

Classic horror film starring Vincent Price as a man seeking revenge on the doctors he holds responsible for his beloved wife's death. One after another, he stalks and kills each man in a manner patterned after the ten biblical plagues of Egypt. It's a wonderfully inventive and darkly comic film that arguably stands as the high point of the AIP horror stable (certainly the best of their '70s output). Well-directed with a clever script, beautiful sets, and a great cast that includes Price in one of his best roles, the great Joseph Cotten as one of the would-be victims, Virginia North as the lovely Vulnavia, and Peter Jeffrey as the police inspector who gets many of the film's funniest moments. It's a must-see for fans of Price or fans of the many fine horror films released by American International back in the day.

A very fun dramedy tongue-in-cheek horror. Quite a bit of comedy to keep you entertained and enough horror keep you interested. Classic Vincent Price fun.Dr. Phibes is out for revenge. Nine doctors that Phibes blames for his wife's death and ruined his life. Dr. Phibes is a doctor, scientist, organist, and biblical scholar -- all of which will play a part in helping him get his revenge biblical plague style.Extremely colourful film visually... quite elaborate sets and costuming. Great casting and an enjoyable story. Mad fun.Great afternoon cinema that would be great as a double feature with the follow-up film Dr. Phibes Rises Again (1972).8/10

This Film was one of the most intriguing and interesting I have watched in years. I first encountered this movie one slow afternoon, with nothing else to watch. I was hooked about 1 minute into the film, It was that good, and whatever flaws it may have are vastly overshadowed by the positives.I believe that the first thing worth noting is how the film looks, and it looks stunning in all of its eccentric marriage of 1920's Art-Deco and early 70's vibe. This might sound odd on this review, but trust me it looks beautiful (in an odd but compelling way) and only makes this film stand out from the pack of its contemporaries and even films today. Truly marvelous. The story is sublime, and very original for its time. Of course, the idea of a man getting revenge on those who failed him may be a cliché today in many horror style movies (Err, the entire SAW series), but Phibes arguably was the birth of such an idea made over 30 years before the first SAW movie. Unlike in SAW, Phibes actually has clear motives from the get-go, and his reason for revenge is truly touching actually(His Wife died on the operating table and he blames it on the surgeons). I won't give the whole movie away, but I will mention that the methods of revenge are some of the best parts of the movie, using inspiration from the Old Testament to carry out some of the most creative kills ever. The movie's ace card is undeniably the acting/dialogue. The role of Dr. Phibes is played by none other than the one and only Vincent Price, and his performance here (even though all of his dialogue was pre- recorded) proves just how irreplaceable the man truly was. Price went from campy, and actually rather humorous, to warm and sentimental, to ice-cold murderer sometimes in the same scene, handled with aplomb by the master. The facial expressions he pulls of sync perfectly with the solid dialogue pre-recorded (check out the scene where Phibes gives his first lamentation to his dead wife,- "Nine Eternities in Doom!" couldn't have been pulled off better by ANY other actor!. While Price is the greatest acting force here, Terry Thomas and Peter Jeffrey also have likable characters and do solid acting efforts as well. Even Joseph Cotten was not nearly as bad as everyone else says he was. Virginia North as Vulnavia may not have much to do and her character is unexplained, but she sure does look good, and same with Caroline Munro as Victoria Phibes who has even less to do (lie in a coffin), but is easily one of the most stunning actresses in the history of film. The film is not without its flaws though,as sometimes the humor can get too silly for its own good, the pacing can occasionally slow, the sometimes shoddy SFX, and fact that some of the deaths are so OTT they are hard to believe.None of this though affects Phibes' shining credentials. This film cannot really be pigeonholed. It is officially known as a horror film. It is not a horror, but it does contain some genuinely horrific scenes.Sometiems it is called a comedy, though it is not really a comedy, though it does contain truly funny moments. It is even considered a romance movie by some, but i believe it is not a romance either, even though the pain that Phibes feels for his wife comes off as shockingly authentic, and translates well to the attentive viewer. The ending in particular is actually one of the most poignant and emotional in any film. The fact is, Phibes combines the best things about different types of genres, and largely it succeeds. I suggest to anyone sick of the mostly hackneyed garbage that is modern horror movies, to check out this little gem immediately. Better yet, anyone who loves film should see this at least once. You won't be disappointed.