Theatre of Blood (1973)

Shakespeare's of Fulham!

Theatre of Blood is directed by Douglas Hickox and adapted to screenplay by Anthony Greville-Bell from an idea by Stanley Mann and John Kohn. It stars Vincent Price, Diana Rigg and a whole host of British thespian talent! Music is by Michael J. Lewis and cinematography by Wolfgang Suschitzky.

Edward Kendall Sheridan Lionheart (Price) considered himself a master Shakespearean actor, he also considered all the critics of his time to be harsh and unflattering towards his ability. When he is over looked for a prestigious award he jumps out of a building to his apparent death. Not long after though, all the critics of the London circle so despised by Lionheart start to be killed in ways reminiscent of Shakespeare's plays.

What you have read or heard about Vincent Price the actor is true, he was great. Same with Theatre of Blood, beloved by his fans and correctly held up as a homage to Price by many of his acting peers. The critics, perhaps unsurprisingly, were very mixed about it on release, but time has been very kind to it. It's a darkly comic and macabre tale, often gruesome while letting Price strut his stuff with an elegant pomposity that's as absurd as it is utterly enjoyable. Rigg is also brilliant, while the roll call of actors lining up to be murdered in grizzly fashion don't put a foot wrong. Pick a favourite death? Me, Robert Morley as Meredith Meredew, his death here has haunted me since I first saw the film some 30 odd years ago.

Entertaining, memorable and along side Witchfiner General as essential viewings for anyone interested in the greatness of Vincent Price. 8/10

Vincent Price is delightfully camp and over-the-top in this compendium of tales of revenge. He plays a Shakespearean actor slighted by the critics and denied his due plaudits; so he sets out - with the help of mistress of disguise (?!) Diana Rigg (his daughter) to avenge himself by disposing of each of his antagonists in a fashion prescribed by the bard himself. Robert Morley is great as the poodle-loving ham, and we have some fun appearances from Jack Hawkins, Ian Hendry, Arthur Lowe as the wonderfully named "Horace Sprout" married to Joan Hickson and a cast of the great and the good of late 1960s British comedy cinema. The very nature of the storylines can make the individual vignettes a bit convoluted, and the incompetence of the police stretches the already quite thin plot a little too much, but as an ensemble piece of comedy horror - and although it really isn't at all scary any more, it is still well worth catching up with.

**_Shakespeare-quoting Price hams it up in this horror/thriller black comedy_**

Vincent Price stars as a bitter Shakespearean actor in modern London who is thought to be dead due to suicide. Actually, he's alive-and-not-well and goes after his unrelenting highbrow critics. Diana Rigg plays his understanding daughter while Milo O'Shea is on hand as the inspector.

The score is excellent, even moving, and the first act is quite serious. But then Price's hammy approach and the increasingly unbelievable murder scenarios thrust the movie into black comedy territory. Still, it's just serious enough to (sort of) suspend disbelief and enjoy the ride. It's another take on the basic plot of "The Abominable Dr. Phibes" (1971) and its sequel (1972). It's also reminiscent of "House of Wax" (1953), although I give that one the edge.

The jaw-dropping Madeline Smith is on hand on the female front, but she's unfortunately underused as a decidedly peripheral character. There's Rigg, of course, if you find her attractive. I don't, but she's likable enough.

The movie's colorful like Hammer flicks, albeit with a slightly bigger budget and the corresponding location shooting. Fans of Vincent Price horror and, especially, the three movies noted above should eat this up while others might find it too talky, one-dimensional and overlong.

The movie runs 104 minutes and was shot in London, Brentford & Windsor, England.

GRADE: B-