Overview
A madman's revenge unfolds in a symphony of death and dark humor.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Graphic
- campy
- grotesque
- witty
- halloween viewing
- classic horror night
What critics said
Critics broadly praise the film's stylish production design, Vincent Price's campy performance, and unusual fusion of horror with dark humor and genuine pathos.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Each doctor is killed through a theatrical method representing one of the Biblical plagues of Egypt.
Phibes's clockwork orchestra, ornate lair, masks, makeup, and elaborate apparatus create a flamboyant, stage-like world.
Dr. Phibes targets doctors connected to the unsuccessful operation involving his deceased wife.
Vincent Price's Dr. Phibes communicates through expression, ritual, organ music, and an electronic speaking device.
Films like The Abominable Dr. Phibes, and why
Theatre of Blood
camp horror, stylized serial murder, macabre humor, and theatrical villainy
The Masque of the Red Death
gothic horror, elaborate murder methods, dark comedy, and revenge-driven plotting
Theater of Blood
stylized horror comedy, eccentric killer mythology, and flamboyant visual design
Theater of Blood
black comedy, grotesque murders, and heightened British genre filmmaking
Movie Details
- Director
- Robert Fuest
- Release Date
- 1971-04-01
- Runtime
- 95 min
- Rating
- 7.0 / 10 (347)
Cast
- Vincent Price
- Joseph Cotten
- Hugh Griffith
- Terry-Thomas
- Virginia North
- Peter Jeffrey
- Derek Godfrey
- Norman Jones
- John Cater
- Aubrey Woods
Common questions
- What is The Abominable Dr. Phibes about?
- A flamboyant organ-playing widower turns Biblical plague imagery into an ornate campaign of revenge against the doctors he blames for his wife's death.
- What is The Abominable Dr. Phibes like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Abominable Dr. Phibes as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Abominable Dr. Phibes violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in The Abominable Dr. Phibes as graphic.
- What did critics think of The Abominable Dr. Phibes?
- Critics broadly praise the film's stylish production design, Vincent Price's campy performance, and unusual fusion of horror with dark humor and genuine pathos.
- Which films are like The Abominable Dr. Phibes?
- Films with a similar feel include Theatre of Blood, The Masque of the Red Death, Theater of Blood, and Theater of Blood.
- How long is The Abominable Dr. Phibes?
- The Abominable Dr. Phibes runs 95 minutes.
