Theater of Blood (1973) ****

[Scott]

Just viewed THEATER OF BLOOD starring Vincent Price and Diana Rigg (from the avengers tv series). If you like THE ADOMIDABLE MR. PHIBES then you will like this THEATER OF BLOOD even more. It was much like PHIBES in many ways including the detective trying to find the Vincent Price's character only it was much better done and the film had a Shakespherean spin on the disturbed Price character that was more interesting than Phibes. The scenes are so methodically done with the deaths acted out within a play of sorts.

[BoyScoutKevin]

I'll have to agree with Scott again. If someone likes "Dr. Phibes," then they should like this one. Which is why this is not one of my favorite Price films. It does have a number of compensatory features, though. Diana Rigg for one. Another is that the critics are played alphabetically by Harry Andrews, Coral Browne, Robert Coote, Jack Hawkins, Ian Hendry, Michael Hordern, Arthur Lowe, Robert Morley, and Dennis Price. (Coral Browne would--of course--become Mrs. Price number three.) And for the more literary minded, each death of a critic is based on a different Shakespearian play. For example, Jack Hawkins death is based on Shakespeare's "Othello." Earlier on this bulletin board, there was a discussion of "meanness" in movies. I had forgotten about this movie. While each of the deaths are gruesome, Morley's
death is probably the meanness. Price bakes Morley's two toy poodles into a pie, then force feeds them to Morley, until Morley chokes to death. Enjoy

[Flangepart]

Yep, thats the one. Every actor has to of had that dream, offing his/her critics. And to do it with such style......Works for me.

[Trilobite]

This is the first horror movie I ever saw on the big screen. And still one of my favourites! I laughed, I winced, I was moved.