(1970)
Dir - Gordon Hessler
Overall: MEH
Released the same year as The House the Dripped Blood and the second pairing of Vincent Price with director Gordon Hessler, Scream and Scream Again was Amicus Productions' version of a hip, contemporary-set sci-fi thriller. The horror tinged title is not the only misleading aspect as the three icons in the genre who receive top billing, (Price, Christopher Lee, and Peter Cushing respectfully together in one film for the very first time), collectively have the least amount of screen time out of anyone present. Not only that, but besides one brief moment near the end, they also share no scenes together. Foiled expectations out of the way, what is left is an impressively confusing presentation. For almost the entire film's duration, the plotting is so unapologetically obtuse that by the time it explains everything, (or tries to), in one gigantic expository dialog dump, there is still an alarming number of questions in place of answers. While repeated viewings may make sense of a few more things, the drawn-out pacing and dated, unsuspenseful music also hinder the whole. Too impenetrable to truly recommend, its complexity is somewhat admirable at least.
(1972)
Dir - Robert Fuest
Overall: GOOD
It says a lot that a movie with an almost insultingly lazy, hole-ridden script following up an unarguable masterpiece within its genre can still get by on its stylish charm, violence, and of course Vincent Price in top, camp-fueled form. While The Abominable Dr. Phibes wrapped up with an open-ended enough finale, it still unmistakably comes off that its sequel Dr. Phibes Rises Again rather concocted a premise out of the ether. Wouldn't Phibes had mentioned something in the first film about sleeping for three years to go find the river of life in Egypt when the stars aligned? In any event, things cruise along at a near-laughable rate and the storyline barely takes a breath to explain how Phibes' fancy bed right under his demolished house managed to go undiscovered, how he still has gallons of disposable income, a fully equipped, electricity-laced hide-out in a presumably unexplored cave in a different part of the world, elaborate murder contraptions at his disposal at all times, a beautiful assistant who just materializes to life after being burned to death in the last movie, and a police force who proclaims "he always comes back" when in fact this is actually the very first time that he has come back. All of the goofy ideas mesh well enough with the intended humor and Price's expertly tongue-in-cheek performance. Even if it is a mess compared to its predecessor, it is a damn fun mess to be sure.
(1975)
Dir - Jorn H. Winther
Overall: GREAT
Given the chance to promote his first solo album Welcome to My Nightmare after the Alice Cooper band officially folded, good ole Vincent Furnier indulged his love of theatrics and horror movies with the television special Alice Cooper: The Nightmare. Originally broadcast on ABC on April 25th, 1975, (a month and some change after the album was released), it is essentially a series of promotional music videos for every song off said record, plus "The Ballad of Dwight Fry", thankfully so. The "Steven" and "The Awakening" segments are probably the creepiest while "Some Folks" and "Department of Youth" are the most kitsch-friendly. Also, Vincent Price is in it, expanding his role as the "Black Widow" guy on the album as the Spirit of the Nightmare here. Cooper's eventual wife Sheryl is spottable too as a dancer in a few sequences, namely as the title character in "Cold Ethyl". All parties involved seem to be having a splendid time, Cooper and Price playing off of each other in such a hammy, fun way that it is a shame they did not work together on any further spook show projects. Considering that WTMN is the strongest solo Alice album, there is not a weak moment present musically. The overall production is excellently staged though as a camp-fueled, macabre variety hour.
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