FILM · 1972 · UK
Dr. Phibes Rises Again
27 archived facts 4 topics 1 source Last reviewed Oct 2026
All facts (27)
- #001
Valli Kemp was cast as Vulnavia in the film because Virginia North was pregnant.
- #002
Vulnavia was originally intended to be a new character, but the studio insisted on keeping her name. This explains why the character returns despite having been killed in the previous film, The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971).
- #003
Peter Cushing was originally cast in the role played by Joseph Cotten in the previous film, The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971), but withdrew because of his ailing wife's health. He managed to make a cameo in this film, working for a single day (the film was shot in December 1971).
- #004
Many of the characters in the film are named after famous jazz bandleaders.
- #005
At one stage of the film's production, American International Pictures planned to have Count Yorga from Count Yorga, Vampire (1970) serve as Dr. Phibes's adversary. The plan was dropped, but Robert Quarry, who played Count Yorga, appears in this film.
- #006
In addition to Vincent Price, five actors from the previous film appear in this one: three in the same roles (Peter Jeffrey, John Cater and Caroline Munro) and two in different roles (Hugh Griffith and Terry-Thomas). Four of the six mechanical musicians also returned, though since no performer was credited in either film, it is impossible to know whether any of the returning ones were among them.
- #007
The film's desert scenes were shot in Spain.
- #008
Because of disputes among the producers, the scenes featuring Beryl Reid and Terry-Thomas were cut from the film's original release. Vincent Price had to be called back to shoot additional scenes and record extra dialogue to cover the gaps this created in the plot. This is why Phibes speaks so many lines while not attached to his voice device.
- #009
If something feels missing from the film, there may be two reasons for it. First, the screenplay was written by two people who did not collaborate, each producing a separate draft that was later more or less merged into a single draft. Another reason for the film's faltering quality is that American International Pictures cut 10 minutes.
- #010
Phibes originally had less dialogue in the film. New lines were added after many scripted sequences were cut for budgetary reasons.
- #011
It actually makes sense for Vulnavia to be played by a different actress, since the original's face was destroyed and she died. It can be assumed that Phibes created a new assistant and gave her the same name.
- #012
Terry-Thomas shot the film's most prominent cameo in a single day.
- #013
The ship portraying the Empress of Quebec was the Holland America Lines' s. S. Statendam in its original livery. The ship was later scrapped in 2004 at Alang, India.
- #014
The pyramid at the end of the film was originally intended to consist of trap-filled levels and to be filled with boiling oil. This was changed for budgetary reasons.
- #015
Caroline Munro and Milton Reid were to appear in the 1977 James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me (1977).
- #016
Shavers was originally to be impaled by a golden eagle rather than a unicorn.
- #017
The Scottish Fusiliers were originally planned to have an on-screen role in the film.
- #018
To promote the film, AIP had Vincent Price choose a date for Miss X (Janit Baldwin) on the series The Dating Game (1965).
- #019
Valli Kemp received an "introducing" credit on the film.
- #020
Valli Kemp was Miss Australia in the 1970 Miss World competition. Clips of her participation in the pageant can be seen on YouTube.
- #021
John Thaw has no dialogue during his brief appearance in the film.
- #022
In the film's original screenplay, Beiderbeck's first name was Jonathan. Diana Trowbridge (Fiona Lewis) explained that his first name was Darius.
- #023
Milton Reid and Peter Cushing had appeared together 10 years earlier in Hammer's horror film "Captain Clegg" (also known as "Night Creatures").
- #024
Frankie Howerd was wanted for this film.
- #025
Peter Jeffrey and John Thaw later appeared together in an episode of Thaw's future TV series The Sweeney.
- #026
Both Dr. Phibes films are included in Kino Lorber's Blu-ray double feature.
- #027
In Brazil, the film was titled A Câmara De Horrores do Abominável Dr. Phibes (The Horror Chamber of the Abominable Dr. Phibes).
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