Dr. Phibes Rises Again (1972)

As I move into day two of my attempt at Vincent Price week, I wanted to finish off the Dr. Phibes series with Dr. Phibes Rises Again. The sequel to the Price classic The Abominable Dr. Phibes, has always been an enjoyable film to watch and definitely part of any Price Collection.

Plot/ 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 Pharaoh’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.

In a clear attempt to rake in some cash on the heals of one of Price’s best performances, AIP (American International Pictures seemed to rush into this flick. As with the first, Price definitely seems to be at home as Dr. Phibes, although this performance lacks the depth of the original. The same can be said for the murders, as they lack the creativity of the ones in the first movie, with no obvious planning behind them. Like the first the script features some bizarre moments, and there is some very interesting scenery and art. In all, this is a decent sequel, one that was really doomed from the start trying to live up to the first film. By itself, this movie really makes for an entertaining afternoon of movie watching, even better if you pair it with the classic,

The Abominable Dr. Phibes.

Stay Tuned, tomorrow, Theatre of Blood…