Dr. Phibes Rises Again

Dr. Anton Phibes, having already exacted revenge on the doctors he held responsible for his wife’s death, returns in this 1972 British comedy horror sequel. Directed and co-written by Robert Fuest, the film follows Phibes as he seeks eternal life in Egypt, where he pursues a centuries-old man who possesses the ancient secrets he needs. Vincent Price reprises his role as the titular character, joined by a cast including Robert Quarry, Valli Kemp, Peter Jeffrey, Fiona Lewis, Hugh Griffith, Peter Cushing, Beryl Reid, Terry-Thomas, and Caroline Munro.

Three years after the events of the first film, Phibes awakens from suspended animation during a rare planetary alignment. He prepares to transport his wife Victoria’s body to the River of Life in Egypt, which promises immortality for them both. However, his ancient papyrus map has been stolen by Darius Biederbeck, a man who has lived for centuries by regularly using a special elixir. Having translated the papyrus, Biederbeck seeks the river for himself and his lover Diana. Phibes and his silent assistant Vulnavia reclaim the papyrus from Biederbeck’s house, killing his manservant, and then board a ship to Egypt. Biederbeck follows on the same vessel with Diana and his assistant Ambrose. When Ambrose discovers Victoria’s body in the hold, Phibes kills him, stuffs the corpse in a giant bottle, and throws it overboard. Inspector Trout finds the bottle washed ashore near Southampton, and with Superintendent Waverley, he deduces Phibes is involved after questioning a shipping agent about the loading of an organ, a clockwork band, and Vulnavia.

Trout and Waverley pursue Phibes to Egypt, catching up to Biederbeck’s archaeological party near the mountain hiding the temple that contains the River of Life. Inside the temple, Phibes hides Victoria’s body in a secret compartment of an empty sarcophagus and locates the silver key that opens the gates to the river. He begins killing Biederbeck’s men one by one, using a giant screw press and a giant fan to simulate a windstorm. Biederbeck’s team breaks into the temple and takes both the sarcophagus and the key, but Phibes retrieves the sarcophagus. Unmoved by the murders, Biederbeck sends Diana and Professor Hackett back to England. Hackett is lured from his truck by Phibes’ clockwork men and is sandblasted to death when he returns.