MovieChat Forums > The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971) Discussion > Most Disturbing Death in the Film...

Most Disturbing Death in the Film...

posted 14 years ago by Harold_Robbins
16 replies | jump to latest

The murders are creative, if fairly gruesome, based as they are on the Ten Plagues, but since we really don’t get to know the victims very well we’re not dismayed when they’re dispatched (in fact, more often than not we're ghoulishly amused), with one exception: To me the most disturbing death in the film was that of Dr. Longstreet, played by Terry-Thomas. Terry-Thomas was an immensely likable actor capable of establishing an enjoyable character with only a few lines of dialog and moments of screen-time, and he accomplishes this most effectively as Dr. Longstreet, whose blood is literally drained from his body while he’s conscious and aware of what is happening to him – really a horrible concept! For me his character’s death seems somehow more real - and much more disturbing in method and execution - than the others.

"In my case, self-absorption is completely justified."

[–] Roddenhyzer 14 years ago

I agree, because I assume that, as you said, Doc Longstreet remained conscious throughout a large portion of the ordeal, whereas the other victims usually died fairly quickly. The frog mask death would have been a pretty terrible thing to endure, too, though.

[–] JaneDough42 14 years ago

I had to laugh when just before the doctor put the frog mask on he said "I'm a psychiatrist actually, a head shrinker"

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[–] GeorgeObliqueStrokeXR40 13 years ago

I've always wondered exactly why a psychiatrist would be a member of Victoria Regina Phibes' surgical team?

It makes no sense at all, and I am guessing the line about being a "head shrinker" was just a bit too precious to dispense with.

[–] darryl-tahirali 11 years ago

I've always wondered exactly why a psychiatrist would be a member of Victoria Regina Phibes' surgical team? - GeorgeObliqueStrokeXR40

Darn you. That never occurred to me until you mentioned it, but you're right--a psychiatrist is an unlikely member of the surgical team.

And, like you, I suspect that he was made a psychiatrist precisely for the "head-shrinker" gag. Considering that the scene is fairly short, and we don't learn anything about the character, perhaps the production team figured few would stop to connect the dots.

Some back-story speculation: 1) Considering that the team was assembled ad hoc and in great dispatch, perhaps he was in the neighborhood and, having had medical training to become a psychiatrist, could have been useful in some capacity. 2) He may have been interning during his medical training, although I have no idea whether someone planning to ultimately specialize in psychiatry would be a surgical intern. 3) Perhaps he was, or planned to be, a surgeon but decided to become a psychiatrist.

I'm just inventing scenarios to explain the logical lapse, though. Good catch.

------------------
"Man becomes the food of the divinity he worships." - Chris Stevens

[–] VValkyrie 8 years ago

Maybe Mrs Phibes needed a psych consult before her surgery for clearance and to appease her insurance company.

[–] bok602 13 years ago

Dr. Longstreet's death was also the most annoying and easily preventable of the lot because if you will notice, all he had was two little strips of cloth holding him to the chair. His hands and legs were essentially free and he was not gagged or otherwise restrained.

Yet when he realises his life is in danger, all he does is fidgit in the chair and grimace a bit.

For crying out loud -why didn't he just cry out loud?

If his landlady could hear somebody playing "a violin or a cello or something" and then "a car door banging" at half past two in the morning, surely somebody would have heard him if he even attempted to call for help.

HUGE plot hole that has always annoyed me.

"If you don't know the answer -change the question."

[–] g-of-warks2-1 13 years ago

Think that what happened to the nurse was most disturbing. Although she would have been mercifully unaware of it.

[–] mam13143 13 years ago

I agree with bok602 - always wondered why he didn't fight more or call out to his housekeeper too. And Terry-thomas is always likeable -- and maybe that is why the producers bring him back as a different character in the sequel.

[–] Culburn (3638) 7 years ago

He's obviously in immediate shock, literally petrified. (We) know what is happening, but, he's completely catatonic from the get-go.

Out of ordinary for [civilized man] can be extraordinary.

[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] ElectricWarlock 10 years ago

For me, the death of the nurse was the most disturbing.

[–] sprendlinger 8 years ago

Hello ElectricWarlock,
the nurse's death was indeed a very special one... but I always wondered whether that method to kill someone really could have worked. All right, she was sleeping (or unconscious, I don't remember that exactly) but wouldn't she wake up when the locusts started to gnaw on her face? I don't remember the complete details of the scene; but I think before the locusts were let in, wasn't there some sticky liquid (honey?) dripping on the nurse's face, through a tube which was lead through the ceiling downwards? So, I could imagine that it weren't the locusts that killled her; I should think she suffocated in her sleep when the sticky mass blocked her nostrils and mouth. (That would also explain why she didn't wake up and even if she did, why nobody could have hear her screaming for help!)
Extraordinary way to die, that's for sure. ;-)
Kind regards
sprendlinger

[–] Cranmer (139) 6 years ago

Just before the nurse goes to bed, the detective suggests that she takes a sleeping pill - perhaps she didn't wake up when she got the Brussels sprout 'facial' because she was in a drugged sleep.

[–] greenbudgie 9 years ago

I agree that the death of Dr Longstreet is the most disturbing. The 8 pints of blood in separate bottles. And Vulnavia suitably playing 'Close Your Eyes.'

[–] samoanjoes (58599) 7 years ago

Sure, but they didn't need to show every death. We knew where it was going.

[–] CoriSCapnSkip (2755) a month ago

To me his death seemed less real as he just sat there and didn't resist when he had to know they were up to something bad.