"Nine killed you! Nine shall die! Nine eternities in DOOM!"

That infamous quote, uttered by the amazing Vincent Price, is one of my favorite horror lines of all time. It sums up perfectly the character of Anton Phibes: vengeful, dramatic, flamboyant, and not a little psychotic. In fact, when we last saw our buddy Dr. Phibes in The Abominable Dr. Phibes, he was cutting a poetically violent swath through the medical staff of England, killing off those who he believed murdered his beloved wife on the operating table. He visited upon them the plagues of Egypt before committing himself to a gruesome death of embalming himself alive, lying next to his dead wife. Of course, you can't keep a good man down, and MGM brought Dr. Phibes back from his state of death for a follow up film that, despite its higher production values and lofty goals, doesn't quite have the same spark as the original.

After a cheesily narrated capsule review of the first film, we're shown the embalming process reversing itself, on cue from the moon no less. Blood pumped back into his veins, Phibes rises up from the dead, looking no worse for his time spent in oblivion. Summoning his old friend Vulnavia to his side (also doing pretty well despite the acid facial she got at the end of the first film. However, a then-pregnant Virginia North was replaced by Miss Australia 1970, Valli Kemp) for more scheming. Phibes, prior to his bloodbath in the first film, had found a papyrus detailing the location of the River of Life in Egypt. Unfortunately, during his extended nap, someone ransacked his house and stole the map, and it wound up in the possession of Biederbeck (Richard Quarry) who wants its eternal life-granting powers for himself. Phibes finds Biederbeck's home, murders his manservant (with a spike through the ear...nasty) and steals the papyrus back. Phibes sails to Egypt (on a boat captained by none other than Peter Cushing) with Biederbeck hot on his trail. Once the two reach Egypt, it quickly becomes another artsy murder fest, with Dr. Phibes cutting down all who stand in his way with his usual brand of peculiar slaughter.

Unfortunately, as with most sequels, the movie fails to deliver the same punch as the original. It's strange, because all of the components seem to be in place: the over-the-top thematic murders (this time with a loose Egyptian theme in lieu of the Biblical plagues), all the major players (including a few victims from the first movie in new roles), the bumbling of Inspector Trout (or Carp, or Bass), the gorgeous art-deco set design, and the usual phenomenal screen presence of Mr. Price. Unfortunately, it doesn't quite add up. The killings are lacking this time around, with some of the devices being almost TOO ridiculous without the witty payoff (like the first film's crushing frog mask, or the amazingly eerie blood draining). Not only that, but Phibes seems to just be killing randomly this time. Before, he was systematic in his slaughter, thus premeditation made his gruesome devices more plausible. It's difficult to believe that one a boat trip, he'd remember to back a giant golden scorpion, or a collapsing box to crush victims in. Phibes seems less the vengeful widower and more like a hammy serial killer. Plus, how in the HELL did he get a flesh-rending sandstorm to erupt from a car? It's overly silly without the sardonic wink that Price's revenge movies thrive on. Not that the movie is all bad. Price, as usual, delivers a grand performance with theatrical flourishes and over-the-top flamboyance that makes him a pleasure to watch. Dr. Phibes is a true gentleman in spite of his handicaps, pouring fine food and drink into the hole in the back of his neck, dancing gracefully with Vulnavia, or waxing poetic to his wife. Sets are as gorgeous as ever, with the added variety of Egyptian tombs mixed in with the art-deco sensibilities. Even the ending, with Vincent singing "Somewhere Over The Rainbow," is surreal yet satisfying.

Picture quality is mostly great, with well saturated colors and deep blacks. There are a few instances of rampant print damage and scratches, but it holds up well. A few scenes were extremely dark, and had very poor contrast, which were jarring, but not horrible. Audio is a mono mix with your pick of three languages and all three are pleasantly clear, but very flat. Extras...well, you get a trailer!

Dr. Phibes Rises Again isn't a bad movie, per se. It just can't live up to the great pedigree it has. Had The original Abominable Dr. Phibes not been released, it would've fared much better. As it stands, it's a sequel, nothing more and nothing less.