Dr. Phibes Rises Again (1972)

The vengeful Doctor rises again, seeking the Scrolls of Life in an attempt to resurrect his deceased wife.

Director: Robert Fuest
Cast: Vincent Price, Robert Quarry, Valli Kemp, Peter Jeffrey, Fiona Lewis, Hugh Griffith, Peter Cushing, Beryl Reid, Terry-Thomas, John Cater, Gerald Sim, Lewis Fiander, John Thaw, Keith Buckley, Milton Reid, Caroline Munro, Gary Owens

IMDb

The moon rises at a predestined angle and awakens the sleeping Dr. Phibes three years later. To his dismay, he finds his house has been demolished and his papyrus scrolls stolen, the scrolls he needs to find the Pharoah's Tomb in Egypt, where the River of Life flows. After identifying the source of the papyrus theft, he packs and leaves for Egypt with his assistant Vulnavia, still intent upon awakening his dead wife Victoria. The parties responsible for the theft of Phibes' scrolls suffer an attrition problem as Inspector Trout chases him across the world.
~ Ed Sutton

DVDVerdict

The first Phibes film managed to balance a fine line between camp humor (of a decidedly dark variety) and horror in a way few have been able to copy. The sequel tends to lean more toward the campy side with ever more over the top methods and elements to the story. That said, the film still works because you are familiar with the players and know what to expect. Where the first film was more of a straightforward story about revenge, this one takes you into mythology, Egyptian lore, and is a story about love and immortality.

Production values are even higher in this sequel, with wonderful set design, costuming, and better special effects than the first. Again, this is partly a silent film filled with monologues from Phibes lamenting his lost love, plotting revenge on those who would thwart his plans, and looking forward to the reunion with Victoria. Fortunately there is quite a bit more dialogue to carry things through this time, with more characters on the opposing side left alive to talk to each other. Vincent Price gets even more of a chance to speak, especially during his confrontation with Biederbeck.

While the same macabre feel permeates this second Phibes effort, helped in large part by the setting inside a Pharaoh's tomb, there is definitely more to laugh at here. The two policemen are largely comic foils who add dry British humor to the proceedings at every turn. Vincent Price goes even farther over the top and Biederbeck becomes almost Shakespearean in his delivery when he pontificates. You might not always be totally comfortable with what you are laughing at, but jaded fans of the horror genre will feel right at home getting a chuckle out of murder.

Over the top this is, often for comic effect, but the results aren't always what you'd hope for. To become ever more ingenious and devious, Phibes reaches the level of ludicrous in his plans. There are holes in the story big enough to drive through to allow Phibes to come up with some huge gadget to kill someone else in a bigger, weirder way than before. He must have brought one huge generator to Egypt to power everything in his lair and have enough current left over to power these machines. Huge objects made of gold play a part in the killings and sit around for anyone to pick up, but no one seems particularly interested in them since the plot dictates they fight each other instead.

Monsters at Play

"Nine killed you! Nine shall die! Nine eternities in DOOM!"

That infamous quote, uttered by the amazing Vincent Price, is one of my favorite horror lines of all time. It sums up perfectly the character of Anton Phibes: vengeful, dramatic, flamboyant, and not a little psychotic. In fact, when we last saw our buddy Dr. Phibes in The Abominable Dr. Phibes, he was cutting a poetically violent swath through the medical staff of England, killing off those who he believed murdered his beloved wife on the operating table. He visited upon them the plagues of Egypt before committing himself to a gruesome death of embalming himself alive, lying next to his dead wife. Of course, you can't keep a good man down, and MGM brought Dr. Phibes back from his state of death for a follow up film that, despite its higher production values and lofty goals, doesn't quite have the same spark as the original.

After a cheesily narrated capsule review of the first film, we're shown the embalming process reversing itself, on cue from the moon no less. Blood pumped back into his veins, Phibes rises up from the dead, looking no worse for his time spent in oblivion. Summoning his old friend Vulnavia to his side (also doing pretty well despite the acid facial she got at the end of the first film. However, a then-pregnant Virginia North was replaced by Miss Australia 1970, Valli Kemp) for more scheming. Phibes, prior to his bloodbath in the first film, had found a papyrus detailing the location of the River of Life in Egypt. Unfortunately, during his extended nap, someone ransacked his house and stole the map, and it wound up in the possession of Biederbeck (Richard Quarry) who wants its eternal life-granting powers for himself. Phibes finds Biederbeck's home, murders his manservant (with a spike through the ear…nasty) and steals the papyrus back. Phibes sails to Egypt (on a boat captained by none other than Peter Cushing) with Biederbeck hot on his trail. Once the two reach Egypt, it quickly becomes another artsy murder fest, with Dr. Phibes cutting down all who stand in his way with his usual brand of peculiar slaughter.

Unfortunately, as with most sequels, the movie fails to deliver the same punch as the original. It's strange, because all of the components seem to be in place: the over-the-top thematic murders (this time with a loose Egyptian theme in lieu of the Biblical plagues), all the major players (including a few victims from the first movie in new roles), the bumbling of Inspector Trout (or Carp, or Bass), the gorgeous art-deco set design, and the usual phenomenal screen presence of Mr. Price. Unfortunately, it doesn't quite add up. The killings are lacking this time around, with some of the devices being almost TOO ridiculous without the witty payoff (like the first film's crushing frog mask, or the amazingly eerie blood draining). Not only that, but Phibes seems to just be killing randomly this time. Before, he was systematic in his slaughter, thus premeditation made his gruesome devices more plausible. It's difficult to believe that one a boat trip, he'd remember to back a giant golden scorpion, or a collapsing box to crush victims in. Phibes seems less the vengeful widower and more like a hammy serial killer. Plus, how in the HELL did he get a flesh-rending sandstorm to erupt from a car? It's overly silly without the sardonic wink that Price's revenge movies thrive on. Not that the movie is all bad. Price, as usual, delivers a grand performance with theatrical flourishes and over-the-top flamboyance that makes him a pleasure to watch. Dr. Phibes is a true gentleman in spite of his handicaps, pouring fine food and drink into the hole in the back of his neck, dancing gracefully with Vulnavia, or waxing poetic to his wife. Sets are as gorgeous as ever, with the added variety of Egyptian tombs mixed in with the art-deco sensibilities. Even the ending, with Vincent singing "Somewhere Over The Rainbow," is surreal yet satisfying.

Picture quality is mostly great, with well saturated colors and deep blacks. There are a few instances of rampant print damage and scratches, but it holds up well. A few scenes were extremely dark, and had very poor contrast, which were jarring, but not horrible. Audio is a mono mix with your pick of three languages and all three are pleasantly clear, but very flat. Extras…well, you get a trailer!

Dr. Phibes Rises Again isn't a bad movie, per se. It just can't live up to the great pedigree it has. Had The original Abominable Dr. Phibes not been released, it would've fared much better. As it stands, it's a sequel, nothing more and nothing less.
~ Carl Lyon

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