Théâtre de sang

source: Theater of Blood

Theatre of Blood

A Tour de Force for Vincent Price in Theatre of Blood! Price plays a gothic Shakespearean actor who begins to slay all of the critics responsible for not giving him the best actor honours for the year. Price kills each in the style and spirit of a Shakespeare play. Each is killed with a generous dose of witty, dark black humour. The whole cast is superb as is the writing. A special treat is the performance of Robert Morley as a motherly critic forced to eat his doggies(babies) baked in a pie ala Titus Andronicus. A must see for Price fans.

This role was the perfect vehicle for Vincent Price. He was truly one of the greatest actors of American cinema. For some reason, he never got the credit due him and he labored in B-horror movies. This is one of them, but it calls for a masterful performance by its lead. When Price, who only does Shakespeare's plays, is not given an acting award, he decides to do away with himself by drowning. He does not succeed and decides the next best thing would be to start killing all the movie critics. He does this with Panache, using scenes from Shakespeare as the vehicle for doing these guys in. Of course, Price is utterly nuts, but what actor would you rather see as an insane killer than Vincent Price. It is indeed a bloodbath, but it is charming and funny as Price mugs for the camera, enjoying every moment.

Really good fun and surely one of Vincent Price's best films. It's also a super showcase for the Brits of the time, notably Eric Sykes, Robert Morley, Diana Dors and of course the lovely Diane Rigg, excellent in multiple roles.. Surprisingly gory, the films skips happily along despite it's predictable nature, getting in many exciting shots of an already much changed London. Is that Archer's flat they use for the Critics Circle meeting? Fantastic Thames view and the balcony affording Price the opportunity to recite his most effective soliloquy before plunging to what is assumed is his death. Marvellous, gleeful, over the top fun.

It is so obvious that this authentic masterpiece has blood lines with THE AVENGERS series and also Robert Fuest's atmosphere, especially his two DR PHIBES movies. And if I speak of THE AVENGERS TV show, that's not because of the presence of Diana Rigg, no folks; You have here the same scheme as in DR PHIBES movies, every one has noticed. And I am not surprised that Bob Fuest was inspired to direct this one. But if you permit, I would like to add something, Robert Morley played five years later in Ted Kotcheff's WHO IS KILLING THE GREAT CHIEFS OF EUROPE? speaking of the nearly same scheme, but instead of stage atmosphere, or medical and surgery one - Dr PHIBES - it is question of gastronomy and restaurants, chiefs and gourmets, a film where is it question of awards and Guild for the king of the eating table. And no one will be surprised to have Robert Morley in such a atmosphere. Where he plays a close character. Just enjoy this one!!!

Vincent Price is at his extravagant best in this splendidly black comedy in which some complacent critics receive a cunning come-uppance from the dreadful actor who they drove to suicide. Some brilliantly staged imaginative deaths are the icing on the cake, making this a bit like a very camp "Friday The 13th". But who wouldn't rather watch Vincent at his best than boring old Jason ?

There's a lot of commentary on this film here; however, I want to draw attention to the use of dream structure in this movie. People that appeared normal to the victims at first are suddenly balding, idiotic savages. A man looks to a policeman for aid and the audience suddenly notices that his face is not entirely real. The experiences of the victim of Lionheart (Price's character in this movie) each resemble a dream suddenly turned nightmare. It was a very effective device for a horror movie.