They’re not kiddin’ around with this sequel to The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971)—except when they are kidding around. They did this one right. In other words, they pretty much just made the same movie as before, but even more vicious this time. Vincent Price’s Dr. Phibes returns to kill people in nasty ways, sometimes quick, sometimes slow, sometimes with weird Batman/James Bond villain contraptions, sometimes with creepy-crawly things. He still speaks through a blowhole in the back of his neck. Still plays the pipe organ. Still carts around his preserved dead wife (Caroline Munro, with the easiest acting job of 1972). Still works with a gorgeous brunette assistant (young Grace Slick lookalike Valli Kemp, replacing Virginia North from the first one).
He got his revenge on his wife’s medical team in the first film. Where does the enterprising psycho killer go next? To Egypt, obviously. That’s where a fella who knows what’s what can find a secret river where the water gives you eternal life if you keep drinking it. Phibes wants to try it on his dead wife. If that doesn’t work, he’ll just drink it himself and keep pipe organ music alive forever. The same Scotland Yard inspectors from the first movie follow him there to bumble around and get some laughs in between the gore. Price’s only real problem is evil-eyed rich guy Robert Quarry, who ALSO wants to sip a little immortality. Quarry and Price spend most of the movie stealing maps and keys from each other while Price kills off Quarry’s men.
Seems like there’s more than enough magic Egyptian water for both these guys, but neither of them is exactly the sharing type. There’s a life lesson here. Learn to share with others—or somebody might get eaten by scorpions.
Director Robert Fuest also returns and maintains the exact same scary/campy/funny/gross-out spirit of the original.