Dr. Phibes Rises Again
From Free net encyclopedia
Dr. Phibes Rises Again (1972) was the second Dr. Phibes movie, a sequel to The Abominable Dr. Phibes. It was directed by Robert Fuest, and starred Vincent Price as Dr. Anton Phibes.
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 (in this film pronounced Vul-nave-e-a), still intent upon awakening his dead wife Victoria. The thieves of Phibes' scrolls suffer an attrition problem as Inspectors Trout and Waverly chase him across the world. The party is led by Beiderbeck, played by Robert Quarry, best known for playing Count Yorga. Although he looks young, he is several hundred years old and wants to find the river of life in order to stay alive and be with his lover Diana forever. Phibes is joined once again by Vulnavia, although she has a different appearance (Virgina North was pregnant at the time, so Valli Kemp was cast.) The film implies that Vulnavia is a supernatural force. Also in the film Phibes speaks more often, and also has many internal dialogues. In some cases this was in order to explain events after scripted sequences were cut. Some saw it as devaluing Phibes' character and annoying, while others felt it reflected the obsessive side of the character (he spends a great deal of time talking about Victoria.)
The murders in this film all have an Egyptian theme to them, for example one character is sand-blasted to death. Other deaths include someone being stung to death by scorpions, being eaten by an eagle (in the original script impaled by a gold eagle in the same way a doctor in The Abominable Dr. Phibes was impaled by a golden unicorn) and having a golden snake piercing someone's skull. By the end of the film, Beiderbeck sacrifices his life in order to save Diana. The film ends with Phibes riding a raft down the river of life with Victoria in tow, while singing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow". It is left ambiguous whether Victoria is resurrected or not, although a picture inside the DVD shows her in the raft with her eyes open and smiling at the camera.
The film was rushed into production after the success of the first film. The script, penned by Fuest, suffered due to budget restraints, as well as studio meddling (it was them who forced Vulnavia to return, Phibes was originally to have a new assistant, as well as many plot points getting cut out, leaving some viewers confused.) It wasn't helped that Vincent Price and Robert Quarry didn't get along well behind the scenes. Some other actors from the original film, such as Terry Thomas appeared in different roles. People also praised the interaction between Waverly and Trout in this film (e.g. "Do you know where we are sir?" "I don't think, I know." "I don't think you know either sir.").
Opinion on this film is divided, some see it as abysmal, others good but not as good as the original and others think it is superior.
Proposed sequels
This was to be followed by a third Dr. Phibes movie, The Brides of Phibes or Phibes Resurrectus. It would have had Phibes protecting his secret of eternal life from a group of Nazis, who he would kill off one by one. His wife would also be brought back to life.
A sequence which exists in several proposed sequels had the Clockwork wizards, Phibes band, attacking people. Many scripts had Victoria being resurrected, and showed her as a very kind, loving soul that Anton is very gentle around. But one had her as a vicious control freak who was worse then he was.
Price also talked in an interview of a script called "Dr. Phibes in the holy land", which he enjoyed, but American International weren't interested in producing it.
One script, penned by the people who wrote the original Phibes screenplay, had Phibes facing a group of Satanists lead by Dr. Vesalius' now adult son. Some of the deaths were incredibly elaborate; a hoover device which sucked out people's organs and someone being covered in butter and fed to a lobster. The film ended with Vesalius thrown into an acid pit, Vulnavia committing suicide, and Victoria coming back to life only to be killed again; and ended with Phibes taking his own life. It ended with the words "Keep on trucking" appearing on a large screen. The screenplay, much like the initial draft of the Phibes script, is generally devoid of humour and is more vicious, which is why it was probably passed over.
Another plan for a sequel was The Seven Fates of Dr. Phibes in this, Phibes resurrects Victoria, and the two then search for seven small statues that will fulfil their ultimate plan, with assistance from Vulnavia (who is described as looking different, suggesting another actress would play the part.). Sections of the film take place in Athens, and there is even a labyrinth at one point. To obtain these statues, they kill people in styles based on Greek mythology (a trojan horse, cyclops, cerberus, minotaur etc.)
Trout and Waverly appear again, though at one point Trout leaves the police, but, rejoins. There is the usual banter between them ("When in Crete, do as the cretins do." "I thought you already did sir.")
The film reveals Vulnavia's identity (she is the Greek Goddess Athena) and also features footage of Phibes before his accident. There is again a Satanic character, who like Beiderbeck and Vesalius, is in many ways Phibes' equal but he concedes defeat and lets Phibes kill him, crying, "It is better to rule in hell then serve in heaven." People suggested for the role were Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing or Donald Pleasence.
The film would have ended with Phibes getting his own face and voice back. Then he, Victoria and Athena ascending into Heaven via a flying organ, which would once more play Somewhere Over the Rainbow. Waverly, shocked exclaims, "This isn't possible, and if I'm wrong, may God strike me down." He is then struck by a bolt of lightning, while Phibes' laugh echoes.
A treatment of this film still exists, and Vincent Price gave it his approval, but his declining health, among other factors prevented it from being made.
Tagline: Flesh crawls! Blood curdles! Phibes lives!