Theatre of Blood (1973)

A Shakespearean actor takes poetic revenge on the critics who denied him recognition.

Director:

Douglas Hickox

Writers:

Anthony Greville-Bell (screenplay), Stanley Mann (idea),

Stars:

Vincent Price, Diana Rigg, Ian Hendry

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Vincent Price	...	Edward Kendal Sheridan Lionheart
Diana Rigg	...	Edwina Lionheart
Ian Hendry	...	Peregrine Devlin
Harry Andrews	...	Trevor Dickman
Coral Browne	...	Miss Chloe Moon
Robert Coote	...	Oliver Larding
Jack Hawkins	...	Solomon Psaltery
Michael Hordern	...	George William Maxwell
Arthur Lowe	...	Horace Sprout
Robert Morley	...	Meredith Merridew
Dennis Price	...	Hector Snipe
Milo O'Shea	...	Inspector Boot
Eric Sykes	...	Sergeant Dogge
Madeline Smith	...	Rosemary
Diana Dors	...	Maisie Psaltery

Storyline

Edward Lionheart (Vincent Price) stars as an actor overlooked for a critics' acting award, despite producing a season of Shakespeare plays. After confronting the Critics' Circle, an attempted suicidal dive into the Thames results in Lionheart being rescued by your typical paraffin/meths/turps swigging tramps. Lionheart then (presumed dead) exacts his grizzly, and quite amusing revenge on the critics who denied him his finest hour.

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Plot Keywords:

critic | actor | revenge | police | theater | 

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Taglines:

Vincent Price has reserved a seat for you in the "theatre of blood."

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Genres:

Comedy | Horror

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Certificate:

R

Details

Official Sites:

MGM Studios [United States]

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 April 1973 (USA)

Also Known As:

Much Ado About Murder

Filming Locations:

Kensal Green Cemetery, Harrow Road, Kensal Green, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Harbour Productions Limited, Cineman Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White (title sequence) Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to Price biographer Iaian McAsh, six gallons of Kensington Blood (stage blood) was used during production.

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Goofs

When Peregrine Devlin arrives at the fencing school you see him attach a cable to the back of his fencing kit (which would signal a hit with a buzzer), yet when the other fencer reveals himself to be Edward Lionheart and they start fencing the cable is no longer attached to Devlin's back.

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Quotes

Edward Lionheart: I always admired you as a critic, Snipe. Your clever use of analogy and metaphor, plus you always strived to be complimentary. But not always complimentary.
Hector Snipe: Critics make mistakes, Lionheart. We're only human.
Edward Lionheart: An opinion I find myself incapable of sharing.

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Connections

Featured in Nightmare Theatre's Late Night Chill-o-Rama Horror Show Vol. 1 (1996)

User Reviews

Masterful shocker!

THEATER OF BLOOD

Aspect ratio: 1.66:1

Sound format: Mono

Vincent Price hams it up with gusto as the Shakespearean actor driven to attempt suicide by the mocking cat-calls of an unsympathetic Critics' Circle in Douglas Hickox' masterful horror film. Taking revenge on his detractors using methods outlined in the Great Bard's timeless plays, Price cuts a bloody swath through these self-centered buffoons, keeping a clueless police force at arm's length as the bodies pile up in grisly fashion. Playful in a morbid kind of way, the film refuses to compromise the brutality of Shakespeare's work, and the killings themselves are often deeply unpleasant, but while the succession of murderous set-pieces may remind viewers of a similar narrative structure in the ultra-popular "Dr. Phibes" series, "Theater" is distinguished by its literary aspirations and by the obvious relish with which an all-star cast attacks the fruity dialogue and gruesome/hilarious plot developments. Memorable music score by Michael J. Lewis, too.