The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971)

7.0PG-1394 min

1971 film by Robert Fuest

The Abominable Dr. Phibes is a 1971 British comedy horror film directed by Robert Fuest, and written by James N. Whiton and William Goldstein. It stars Vincent Price in the title role, Dr. Anton Phibes, who blames his wife's death on the medical team that attended to her surgery four years earlier, and sets out to exact vengeance on each one. He is inspired in his murder spree by the Ten Plagues of Egypt from the Old Testament. The film co-stars Joseph Cotten, Hugh Griffith, Terry-Thomas, Virginia North, with an uncredited Caroline Munro appearing as Phibes's wife.

The film was produced by the UK branch of American International Pictures, and was released by MGM-EMI Distributors in April 1971. While it initially received mostly positive reviews from critics, it has since gone on to garner a significant cult following, with critics singling out Price's performance, the film's dark humour, and its Art Deco production design. A 2015 Time Out London poll ranked the film in the Top 100 Horror Films of All Time.

The film was followed by a direct sequel, Dr. Phibes Rises Again, released the following year.

Plot summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

FAQ

What is The Abominable Dr. Phibes about?
The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971) — Doctors are being murdered in bizarre manners - bats, bees, a killer frog mask, etc. - which represent the nine Biblical plagues of Egypt. The crimes are orchestrated by an organ-playing, demented madman (from his home base, replete with a clockwork orchestra and help from a beau
Is The Abominable Dr. Phibes based on a true story?
See the production background and source material details on the official Wikipedia article.
Is The Abominable Dr. Phibes scary?
Content rating: PG-13. See the reviews tab for parental guidance and tone notes.
What is The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971) about? Plot, synopsis and ending explained — Screencodex