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The Abominable Dr. Phibes

  • 1971
  • PG-13
  • 1h 34m
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
17K
YOUR RATING
Vincent Price and Virginia North in The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971)
Dark ComedyComedyHorror

Doctor, scientist, organist, and biblical scholar Anton Phibes seeks revenge on the nine doctors he considers responsible for the death of his wife.Doctor, scientist, organist, and biblical scholar Anton Phibes seeks revenge on the nine doctors he considers responsible for the death of his wife.Doctor, scientist, organist, and biblical scholar Anton Phibes seeks revenge on the nine doctors he considers responsible for the death of his wife.

  • Director
    • Robert Fuest
  • Writers
    • James Whiton
    • William Goldstein
  • Stars
    • Vincent Price
    • Joseph Cotten
    • Virginia North
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.0/10
    17K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Robert Fuest
    • Writers
      • James Whiton
      • William Goldstein
    • Stars
      • Vincent Price
      • Joseph Cotten
      • Virginia North
    • 175User reviews
    • 147Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 2 nominations total

    Videos1

    The Abominable Dr. Phibes
    Trailer 2:33
    The Abominable Dr. Phibes

    Photos142

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    Top cast41

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    Vincent Price
    Vincent Price
    • Dr. Anton Phibes
    Joseph Cotten
    Joseph Cotten
    • Dr. Vesalius
    Virginia North
    Virginia North
    • Vulnavia
    Terry-Thomas
    Terry-Thomas
    • Dr. Longstreet
    Sean Bury
    Sean Bury
    • Lem Vesalius
    Susan Travers
    Susan Travers
    • Nurse Allen
    David Hutcheson
    • Dr. Hedgepath
    Edward Burnham
    Edward Burnham
    • Dr. Dunwoody
    Alex Scott
    Alex Scott
    • Dr. Hargreaves
    Peter Gilmore
    Peter Gilmore
    • Dr. Kitaj
    Maurice Kaufmann
    Maurice Kaufmann
    • Dr. Whitcombe
    Peter Jeffrey
    Peter Jeffrey
    • Detective Inspector Trout
    Derek Godfrey
    • Crow
    Norman Jones
    Norman Jones
    • Sgt. Tom Schenley
    John Cater
    John Cater
    • Superintendent Waverley
    Alan Zipson
    • 1st Police Official
    Dallas Adams
    • 2nd Police Official
    James Grout
    James Grout
    • Sergeant
    • Director
      • Robert Fuest
    • Writers
      • James Whiton
      • William Goldstein
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Joseph Cotten would grumble on the film's set that he had to remember and deliver lines, while Vincent Price's were all to be post-dubbed. Price responded "Yes, but I still know them, Joe." In fact, Price was well-known in Hollywood for his ability to memorize all of the characters' lines in a given production, not just his own.
    • Goofs
      Virginia North smiles broadly as she dances with Vincent Price. Her face is concealed most of the time, but if you look closely, you can see her face for a moment and she is clearly trying not to laugh at Price's deliberately campy performance.
    • Quotes

      Waverley: A brass unicorn has been catapulted across a London street and impaled an eminent surgeon. Words fail me, gentlemen.

    • Crazy credits
      The film's cast list is divided into five sections: "The Protagonists", "The Girl", "The Victims", "The Law" and "Interested Parties".
    • Alternate versions
      The Spanish-language version of the film features an almost completely different music soundtrack. The French-language version of it also features some subtle differences in the music soundtrack.
    • Connections
      Edited into Dr. Phibes Rises Again (1972)
    • Soundtracks
      What Can I Say Dear After I Say I'm Sorry
      Music by Walter Donaldson (uncredited)

      Courtesy of The Big Three Music Co.

      [Played by the clockwork musicians after Dr. Dunwoody death]

    User reviews175

    Featured review
    10/10

    One of the greatest of the Great

    This is one of Vincent Price's performance, and perhaps even his best (although Theatre of Blood is very close). Where to start...? The clever writing (which was lost in the sequel) revolving around Phibes' method of execution, based on the Biblical plagues of Moses. The grim-faced unstoppability of Phibes. Joseph Cotton in one of his best post-60's roles, here perfectly in character as a god-like doctor (particularly in the final operation sequence).

    There's also the Art Deco set design which many have oohed and ahhed over in here and elsewhere.

    The British cops are a bit too humorous, and there's not really a lot of background here. But the movie is a good example of the "Tales of the Crypt" macabre revenge line, with Phibes' scarred visage standing in for the Ghoul or the Crypt Keeper. Most of the doctors we see (particularly Terry-Thomas) are just the kind of elite arrogant snobs that so often got their one-uppance in such anthologies.

    In any case, I would definitely recommend this movie. It's not really a "horror" movie, but more of a "grotesque serial killer" type flick in the lines of stuff like Se7ven.
    • Gislef
    • Jul 8, 1999
    • Permalink

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    FAQ18

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 18, 1971 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Languages
      • English
      • Hebrew
    • Also known as
      • Dr. Phibes
    • Filming locations
      • Highgate Cemetery, Swain's Lane, Highgate, London, England, UK
    • Production company
      • Amicus Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    • Budget
      • £300,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 34 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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