Dr. Phibes Rises Again (4 Stars)

What is it about Vincent Price that's so imposing? Is it his face? Is it is voice? Or is it his physical presence? What ever it is, in this film he's terrifying, even more horrific than in the first Dr. Phibes film.

I vaguely remember seeing Vincent Price in different horror films on television when I was a child, but in recent years I've hardly watched any of his films. He made more than a hundred films from 1938 to 1995. Amazon Prime includes five of these films, Netflix includes zero. It never ceases to amaze me how bad Netflix is when I really want to watch something.

I'm also fascinated by Valli Kemp, who plays Dr. Phibes' assistant Vulnavia. I first saw this film on television at a friend's house many years ago, probably 1976. I missed the first few minutes, so I didn't know what the film was called. The scenes with Vulnavia stuck in my mind for 30 years. Valli Kemp's face was imprinted on my mind for 30 years until I finally rediscovered the film. Can you understand that? When I see these words in front of me as I type them it sounds crazy. Maybe I really am crazy. Or maybe Valli Kemp's face is so beautiful that she mesmerised me.

She only made four films in her acting career, and this was her biggest role. Here are some thoughts about the film that she wrote on her official web site:


I had just joined an agency called Berylle Seaton, and I heard through the grapevine they were casting for a comedy horror film in Elstree.

I thought the part was perfect for me. I only had £10 to my name at the time, and I had no idea how I was going to get home from the studios after the casting, but I went anyway, sat there among 200 or more girls, and I waited my turn.

I was the last one in to meet the director, Bob Fuest, and the producer, Albert Fennel. They said nothing as I approached, just stared at me, and then they asked me to do an ethereal dance. They still said nothing, then told me to go downstairs to the restaurant and wait for them.

I sat there very worried as to how I would get home, etc. A waiter came over to me and gave me the phone. It was my agent saying I had the part and a ten year contract! The director and producer were looking at me from around the corner, smiling. I had a great lunch and was sent home in a limo to get fitted for the wonderful clothes in the film, which has now become a cult movie. I still get fan mail from wonderful people all over the world.

On the first day I was very nervous about meeting Vincent Price, as I am really shy. I was sitting in the makeup chair having my hair done, when this very tall elegant man almost glided in, a huge smile on his lovely face, looking at me. He said, "So you are Valli, Vulmavia are you? You are very beautiful, my dear, but I bet your boobs fall down to your  feet, ha ha", to which I jumped up and pretended to smack him. It broke the ice, and we became firm friends after that.

Making the film was like having a family. We all got on really well. Bob Fuest, the director, was very charming and a genius, a talent way before his time. All of the actors were very nice, it was a pleasure to do.

I was almost playing myself, as I am very quiet and love mystery. Vincent was like a father to me, always keeping an eye out for me, sending me food by taxi to my flat to make sure I was eating.

He also found out that I was an artist and asked me to bring some paintings to work to show him, as he was an acclaimed art critic. He loved them and arranged an exhibition for me, where I sold 30 paintings in two hours! I was very happy about that and continued painting as well as acting and modelling. He was a very funny man and always had me in stitches. We were supposed to make nine more films, but the owner of American International Films died, so it was no more. A shame.


Nine more Dr. Phibes films? It's not just a shame that they were never made, it's a tragedy.

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