Phibes Eyes Revenge

MGM channel had a double feature today of Price's classic Phibes films in the early 70s during his run of British horror before he gradually took breaks from cinematic features.

 "The Abdominal Dr. Phibes" (1971) gave Price yet another memorable character for his impressive rogue's gallery, and this catalogue of horror triumphs is thick and heavy. What a career. I could see why this character is championed as one of his very best, some of my peers even placing it at or quite near the top.

 Though Price doesn't ever talk with his lips, a mic hooked to his neck, releases his voice through a phonograph so we still get to hear him...not to hear him at all would have been very ill-conceived. 

But his presence alone, behind a makeup that looks prosthetic and might even remind you of "House of Wax" when you see him reveal his true face to Joseph Cotten at the very end...Cotten must save his son from a surgical trap with acid gradually pouring through a curving tube machine that might recall one of Jigsaw's traps, as Price gives him a scare as to what might happen if he fails. 

You see a lot of traps (such as a machine that freezes a victim into a human popsicle, a gold uniformed head impaling a victim into a wall, a frog-head mask fastening a victim's head through a mechanical vice, and blood drained slowly into multiple bottles through an IV) and released creatures, such as rodents, bats, and locusts on a select group of doctors associated with the unfortunate death of Phibes' wife (Caroline Munro, only seen in full (dead) body at the end, her portrait shown throughout as Price mourns her demise while lamenting through the keys of his bellowing organ).

The sheer personality of the set design of Phibes' abode, including the mannequin band he winds up, with the mute assistant, very classy and refined, elegant and beauty pristine (despite helping him murder like seven people!), is so eye-popping and colorfully off the wall; this in and of itself leaps off the screen. And so the violence just works off that same design, as does Price's reveal at the end...the grisly face that is masked by fake nose, ear, hair and other pieces. This whole film works off embracing the bizarre, hugging it affectionately. The poor police can't keep people safe, Cotten frustratingly awaits what might happen to him, while Price cleverly exploits the weaknesses of those unable to halt his onslaught. Gleefully fun. 4/5