Countdown to Halloween Day 24 – Theater of Blood (1973)

Countdown to Halloween Day 24 – Theater of Blood (1973)
Cast:        Vincent Price as Edward Lionheart
Diana Rigg as Edwina Lionheart
Ian Hendry as Peregrine Devlin
Harry Andrews as Trevor Dickman
Coral Browne as Chloe Moon
Michael Hordern as George Maxwell
Robert Morley as Meredith Merridew
Diana Dors as Maisie Psaltery
Jack Hawkins as Solomon Psaltery

Screenplay by Anthony Greville-Bell
Directed by Douglas Hickox

Release Date: April 5, 1973

Plot: Actor Edward Lionheart apparently commits suicide after being ridiculed by a group of theater critics. However, he’s very much alive and, with the help of his daughter, begins a series of revenge murders based on the works of William Shakespeare.

Richard’s Review: Clearly inspired by the series of murders seen in The Abominable Dr. Phibes, Theater of Blood comes across as it’s more mean spirited and bloodier cousin. Price is not quite as comical here but much more maniacal in his quest to rid the world of the critics who shamed him by giving a best actor award to a younger and more inexperienced actor. The murders are more gruesome (I’m thinking of you poodle pie) but just as effective. This was a fun flick but not up to the higher standards that Dr. Phibes established.

Karla’s Thoughts: This one is definitely not my favorite as it was way too graphic for me. And no, I didn’t watch the Merridew murder segment. Price was awesome, as usual, as he clearly reminded me of the superior Dr. Phibes. The film also seemed to be an inspiration for Who’s Killing the Great Chefs of Europe?, especially seeing Robert Morley in both films. The police are a little too stupid here and the critics were too. I didn’t hate this one but I doubt I’d rewatch it.

Trivia:

• Douglas Hickox also worked on The Haunted Strangler (1958) with Boris Karloff and The Giant Behemoth (1959).
• Both Vincent Price and Diana Rigg considered this to be one of their favorite movies.
• Vincent Price and Coral Browne met on the set and their romance was encouraged by Diana Rigg despite that fact that Price was married. He would divorce his wife in August 1973 and married Coral in October 1974. They remain married until her death in 1991.
• Ian Hendry played Dr. David Keel in the first season of The Avengers while Diana Rigg played Ms. Emma Peel for 51 episodes between 1965 and 1968.
• Diana Rigg also appeared in a 2013 episode of Doctor Who in addition to being the only Bond girl to marry James in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1968).
• Ian Hendry also starred in Journey to the Far Side of the Sun (1969), Tales from the Crypt (1972) and Captain Kronos – Vampire Hunter (1974).
• Michael Hordern played Jacob Marley in A Christmas Carol (1951) and reprised the role in the animated version in 1971, both alongside Alastair Sim who played Ebenezer Scrooge.
• Robert Morley played in another similar film, Who is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe? (1978).
• Jack Hawkins is well remembered for his starring roles in such classics as Ben-Hur (1959), Lawrence of Arabia (1962) and The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957).
• Diana Dors starred alongside Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee in Nothing But the Night (1973) and was also in From Beyond the Grave (1974). She died in 1984 at the age of 52 of ovarian cancer.
• Charles Gray provided the voice for Solomon Psaltery but he’s better remembered as Ernst Stavro Blofeld in Diamonds Are Forever (1971) opposite Sean Connery’s James Bond.

Availability: Theater of Blood was available on a now out-of-print Blu-ray from Twilight Time but you can still find it for about $30.