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Theater of Blood (1973)

R | | Comedy, Drama, Horror | 5 April 1973 (USA)
Theater of Blood Poster
A Shakespearean actor takes poetic revenge on the critics who denied him recognition.

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2 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
... Edward Lionheart
... Edwina Lionheart
... Peregrine Devlin
... Trevor Dickman
... Chloe Moon
... Oliver Larding
... Solomon Psaltery
... George Maxwell
... Horace Sprout
... Meredith Merridew
... Hector Snipe
... Inspector Boot
... Sergeant Dogge
... Rosemary
... Maisie Psaltery
See full cast »
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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. Written by Paul Batey

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

critic | actor | revenge | police | theater critic | See All (54) »

Taglines:

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

Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Horror

Certificate:

R | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site

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Release Date:

5 April 1973 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Theater of Blood  »

Filming Locations:

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Company Credits

Production Co:

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Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Color:

(title sequence)|

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Lionheart's tomb is an actual monument in Kensal Green Cemetery, London. It belongs to the Sievier family, and shows the sculpted figures of a seated man, one hand placed on the head a woman kneeling in adoration, while the other holds the Bible, its pages opened to a passage in the Book of Luke. This monument was altered for the film by plaster masks of Price and Rigg substituting for the statue's real ones, the Bible became a volume of Shakespeare and there is a suitable engraving at the front with Lionheart's name and dates. See more »

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. See more »

Quotes

[first lines]
George Maxwell: That damn editor's cut the best part of my review!
Mrs. Maxwell: So I noticed, dear. You ought to have a chat with him.
George Maxwell: My most provocative comment, too, where I said the leading lady attacked her role with both hands and strangled it to death.
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Connections

Referenced in Tremors: The Sounds of Silence (2003) See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How did Florence King describe this film (a favorite of hers)?
See more »

User Reviews

 
Very creative death scenes, gory and funny - and absolutely beautifully acted by Vincent Price
17 July 2014 | by – See all my reviews

* Some mild spoilers ahead *

Vincent Price, the star of countless B-Movies from the fifties to the seventies, in his perhaps best role ever. This movie is wicked fun; a failed Shakespeare-actor brutally settles the score with all his critics - but they all meet their demise by having to "act" a part in the plays of the great bard. Very creative death scenes, gory and funny - and absolutely beautifully acted by Price and an ensemble of many greats of British cinema and theatre.

Funny enough, there are many parallels between Price's own career and his character's (maybe that's exactly why the director chose him for this part), for Price also failed to get the recognition he deserved until very late in his life and felt unfairly treated by critics. Although many of his films are now regarded as classics, for the most part of his life his films and his (indeed rather Shakespearian) approach to his roles was often ridiculed. Around the time of this film though, critics started to take Price seriously (probably out of fear, LOL).

But this film is also interesting for another reason: despite the obvious black comedy it looks almost like a blueprint for a certain category of horror films to come, and films like 'Seven' and 'Saw' owe perhaps a little debt to 'Theatre of Blood'. Highly recommended. 8 stars out of 10.

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