} Crítica Retrô: A Mulher do Doutor Phibes / Doctor Phibes’ Wife

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Sunday, July 3, 2022

A Mulher do Doutor Phibes / Doctor Phibes’ Wife

 

Dr Phibes é um homem que preza a família. E, como ele não tem filhos, sua família se resume à sua devotada esposa, Victoria Regina Phibes. Mas nós nunca a conhecemos com vida nos filmes estrelando Dr Phibes. No entanto, é ela o catalisador para a trama do primeiro filme desta, podemos dizer, “pequena franquia”: é a morte dela que faz com que Anton Phibes busque vingança.

Dr Phibes is a family-oriented man. And, since he has no children, his whole family is comprised of his devoted wife, Victoria Regina Phibes. But we never met her alive in the movies starring Dr Phibes. However, she is the catalyst for the plot of the first movie of this, could we say, “little franchise”: it’s her death that makes Anton Phibes seek revenge.

O Abominável Dr Phibes” (1971) começa com uma figura sinistra, coberta por uma capa, tocando um órgão – quase como o “Fantasma da Ópera” de Lon Chaney. A figura é o Dr Anton Phibes (Vincent Price), um homem que já matou alguns médicos. Às vezes ele usa animais, como ratos e morcegos e outras pragas, e enquanto ele comete o crime sua assistente Vulnavia (Virrginia North) toca violino. Mas ele cometeu um terrível erro no último assassinato, pois deixou cair um colar na cena do crime.

The Abominable Dr Phibes” (1971) starts with a sinister, cloaked figure playing an organ – almost like Lon Chaney’s “Phantom of the Opera”. The figure is Dr Anton Phibes (Vincent Price), a man that has been going around killing physicians. Sometimes he uses animals, like rats and bats and other plagues, and while he commits the crime, his assistant Vulnavia (Virginia North) plays the violin nearby. But he made a huge mistake in his latest killing, as he left his necklace in the crime scene.

Todas as vítimas têm algo em comum, além da profissão: todos foram, em um momento ou outro de suas vidas, próximos do Dr Vesalius (Joseph Cotten). E todos eles se juntaram para tratar a esposa do Dr Phibes, que acabou morrendo na mesa de cirurgia. Não vai demorar até que o inspetor Harry Trout (Peter Jeffrey) resolva este quebra-cabeça.

All the victims have one thing in common, besides the profession: they all have been, in some point of their lives, associated with Dr Vesalius (Joseph Cotten). And they all came together to take care of Dr Phibes’ wife, who ended up dying during surgery. It won’t be long until Inspector Harry Trout (Peter Jeffrey) puts all the pieces together.

O final de “O Abominável Dr Phibes” – completo com uma versão de “Over the Rainbow” – não é a última vez em que veremos o assassino. “A Volta do Dr Phibes” (1972) começa três anos após os eventos do primeiro filme, quando o Dr Phibes volta à vida graças à luz da lua e sai de sua casa em busca de um papiro que pode levá-lo a desvendar os segredos da ressurreição e da vida eterna.

The ending of “The Abominable Dr Phibes” – complete with a rendition of “Over the Rainbow”- is not the last time we see Phibes. “Dr Phibes Rises Again” (1972) begins three years after the events of the first film, when Dr Phibes is brought back to life by the moonlight and comes out of his house looking for a papyrus that can lead him to the secrets of resurrection and eternal life.

O grande problema agora é que o papiro está nas mãos de Darrus Biederbeck (Robert Quarry), um arqueólogo que promete dar ao joalheiro Harry Ambrose (Hugh Griffith, que interpretou um rabino no primeiro filme) todo o ouro que ele encontrar no local que o papiro indicar. Quando o Dr Phibes volta a matar para roubar o papiro, o inspetor Harry Trout volta à cena.

The main issue now is that the papyrus is currently with Darrus Biederbeck (Robert Quarry), an archaeologist who promises to give jewel maker Harry Ambrose (Hugh Griffith, who played the role of a Rabbi in the first movie) all the gold he might find in the place the papyrus indicates. After Dr Phibes kills once again to steal the papyrus, Inspector Harry Trout gets back to the scene.

Novamente em posse do papiro, Dr Phibes sobe num navio junto com uma nova Vulnavia (Valli Kemp), Biederbeck, Ambrose e a namorada de Biederbeck, Diana (Fiona Lewis). O destino deles é o Egito, onde procurarão o rio da vida.

Once again with the papyrus, Dr Phibes boards a ship together with a new Vulnavia (Valli Kemp), Biederbeck, Ambrose and Biederbeck’s girlfriend Diana (Fiona Lewis). Their destination is Egypt, to find the river of life.

A atriz por trás do retrato de Victoria é Caroline Munro, mais conhecida atualmente por ter interpretado Naomi em “007: o Espião que me Amava” (1977). Pelas datas, Victoria morreu aos 28 anos, enquanto Caroline tinha apenas 22 quando o primeiro filme estreou. Ela não foi creditada em nenhum dos dois filmes porque, segundo o IMDb, ela tinha um contrato com a Hammer Films, estúdio onde fez seus maiores sucessos.

The actress behind Victoria’s picture is Caroline Munro, better known today for playing Naomi in “007: The Spy who Loved Me” (1977). By the dates, Victoria died at 28, while Caroline was only 22 when the first film was released. She wasn’t credited in either of the films because, per IMDb, she was under contract to Hammer Films, studio where she made her biggest successes. 

Esta não é a primeira vez em que um filme com Vincent Price tem um retrato de mulher em destaque: outra vez em que isso acontece é, obviamente, com o retrato de Laura Hunt em “Laura” (1944). Neste filme noir, o detetive Mark McPherson (Dana Andrews) fica obcecado pelo retrato de Laura, mostrando a mesma afeição que levaria o Dr Phibes a matar muitas pessoas após fazer esta promessa ao retrato da falecida esposa.

This is not the first time a Vincent Price movie has a picture of a woman playing a major role: another time it happens is, of course, with Laura Hunt’s picture in “Laura” (1944). In this film noir, detective Mark McPherson (Dana Andrews) becomes infatuated with Laura’s picture, showing the same affection that would lead Dr Phibes to kill many people after promising to do so to his late wife’s picture.

Os filmes são ambientados na década de 1920 – algo que não podemos perceber pelas roupas, mas sim pelos carros e alguns objetos como telefones. Um terceiro filme com Dr Phibes foi planejado, mas nunca realizado, pois Vincent Price tinha outros projetos e o estúdio que fez os dois filmes, American International Pictures, também mudou de estilo em suas produções.

The films are set in the 1920s – something we can’t say by looking at the clothes, but by looking at the cars and some objects like the phones. A third movie featuring Dr Phibes was planned, but never made, as Vincent Price had other projects and the studio that made the two movies, American International Pictures, also shifted ways with their production.

Dr Phibes é um gênio do mal. Ele conseguiu reconstruir seu rosto desfigurado e achou um jeito de continuar falando mesmo depois de um terrível acidente. Ele viajou quilômetros e fez muitas vítimas, em dois filmes de horror que também têm humor. E no final torcemos por ele, afinal, tudo o que Dr Phibes fez foi por amor.

Dr Phibes is an evil mastermind. He managed to reconstruct his disfigured face and find a way to keep on speaking even after a terrible incident. He traveled many miles and made many victims, in two horror films that are also pretty humorous. And in the end we root for him, after all, everything Dr Phibes did, he did for love.

This is my contribution to the Other Than a Bond Girl blogathon, hosted by Gill and Gabriela at Realweegiemidget Reviews and Pale Writer.

5 comments:

  1. A lovely tribute to this role and this film. I still have to watch both of these movies, and loved reading this article - what a shame Ms Munro didn't get the credit she deserved then, but lovely you have given it to her now. Thanks for joining.

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  2. I think you already know The Abominable Dr. Phibes is my favourite Vincent Price movie! I think Caroline Munro was perfectly cast as Victoria Phibes, even if we only see her in pictures and, well, dead. Caroline's beauty made her perfect as Dr. Phibes's lost love! I really do wish she appeared in flashbacks, as I know she would have given a great performance.

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  3. Nice review! I've also seen both 'The Abominable Dr. Phibes' and 'Dr. Phibes Rises Again'. Personally, I think the sequel is slightly better than its predecessor. If you're interested, I'll provide links to my reviews of both films!

    https://18cinemalane.com/2021/03/01/take-3-the-abominable-dr-phibes-review/

    https://18cinemalane.com/2022/06/20/take-3-dr-phibes-rises-again-review-420-425-and-430-follower-thank-you/

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  4. Great review! Love the Dr. Phibes movies! Frankly, I had forgotten that Munro plays Mrs. Phibes!

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  5. I've never heard of these, but they seem fun! Dr. Phibes looks like a bad penny but in a good way. :-)

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