"Dr. Phibes Rises Again" (1972) is an unnecessary and lackluster sequel. Phibes returns with the intention of taking his beloved wife's corpse to Egypt where the waters of life will resurrect her and provide both of them with eternal life. He has some competition this time in cold archeologist Darius Biederbeck (Robert Quarry) who has obtained a necessary piece of papyrus stolen from Phibes' home. More inventive murders are committed by Phibes, with the help of Vulnavia. The same police inspectors from the first movie are on Phibes' trail, and everything culminates inside an Egyptian mountain where Biederbeck and Phibes try to outwit one another.
This sequel is diverting, but lacks the magic and inventiveness of the first movie. Everyone here seems to be going through the motions rather than embracing the film. Vulnavia inexplicably returns, this time in the form of Valli Kemp who doesn't posess the glamour, presence, or same degree of beauty as Virginia North. The murders involve complicated means of delivery like in the predessessor, but seem less well thought out. Even Price, as Phibes seems to have a diminished role in this film.
It's not a complete waste of time, but doesn't shine anywhere as brightly as the film that spawned it.
1 comment:
I didn't get to see this for two years after I saw the original. I'm sure you can guess how deeply let down I was when I finally did.
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