My favorite Price horror film is, hands down, "Theater of Blood". The theater where I worked as an usher, held it over for three solid weeks. Every night, I delighted in the reactions of the audience to every scene. And, no matter how graphic the scene (Merridew forced to eat his "babies"), everyone was solidly behind Lionheart and probably thought about their own revenge scenarios against bosses, ex-lovers, and the rest ("I'll kill you when I am ready. Next week, next month, perhaps next year!") The fact that Price was having such obvious fun in playing the part just made you root for him all the more. God Bless You, Vincent, for all of the joy you brought us.
Price's range was endless. Let's not forget he could even convince the audience without being on camera. He is, without a doubt, the star performer in Disney's The Great Mouse Detective as the evil Ratigan.
And he had memorable performances in film noir - LAURA, LEAVE HER TO HEAVEN, SHOCK, THE WEB, WHILE THE CITY SLEEPS. Our daughters know him as the narrator of Michael Jackson's Thriller. Now THAT is range. :)
Vincent Price is one of the Unholy Three of the greatest post-war horror genre superstars alongside Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. He also links to the original horror classic stars after receiving his baptism in the original Tower of London. Such great films - all the Poe films by Corman he starred in are all beautiful classics, Houses of Wax and Haunted Hill and Witchfinder and Tingler and definitely the two Phibes movies and perhaps best of all the superlative Theatre of Blood. Vinny was quite simply superb 👍
i like, how you said, "post war". right away, i thought of lugosi and karloff. here's a ? for you. of, all the "horror classics" actors, which 4, would go on your "classic horror" mount rushmore ? who do you leave out ? besides, price and karloff, i got to think about the other 2 spots.....
Thanks and you raise a good question as to who we can identify as most prominent among the great horror stars. I think we can include Lon Chaney Snr because he really is the grandaddy of iconic horror stars. And Lugosi of course - can't leave him out! And then there's Conrad Veidt and Peter Lorre... and countless others once you start recalling the likes of Lionel Atwill etc. Plenty others deserving of mention I'm sure. Too many to say perhaps but my own personal favourites remain Chaney, Lugosi, Karloff, Price, Cushing & Lee 👍
@@lallancashire2201 really...you just ruined my day, got a lot to think about...lol-only kidding. how, could i forget, lon chaney. and, lorre, too. i can see, lorre on the list, but for me, i have stronger points for the others.
I love Vincent Price since my earliest childhood, I am 66 now. He was a great actor and a very nice person. So sad he had so many health issues in his later years, but he lived his life to the fullest, and his fans loved and love him dearly. R.I.P.
Phibes appears to have been such a hit that there was a 3rd movie intended, as well as a planned series of novels. It's a pity, as he could have been a sort of horror anti-hero in a hell of a franchise.
I love the Phibes movies and found I liked the second film better than the first because I loved that we got to root for this tragic character. I also would have loved to have not only seen a third film to see if he was able to bring Victoria back but how she would have reacted to the whole two films.
I'm 71 years old and grew up on a diet of Vincent Prince films because my parents were fans. The peers of his generation were outstandingly impressive, but there was something different and something special about Vincent Price. He was totally unique. Thank you for this video. It's good to see Mr Price is still recognised.
See also Shock, where he gives a complete performance as a psychiatrist attempting to neutralize the only witness to his accidental killing of his wife.
I love Dr. Phibes and Theater of Blood, both of which have horrific deaths that are fun to watch. One interesting point of fact was Vincent Price hosted the series called "Mystery" which showcased British mysteries and thrillers. When he left the series he recommended Diana Rigg to be his replacement, she was his co-star in Theater of Blood where she played his devoted daughter.
Ah, THAT'S who she was! Mystery was my first exposure to the Jeremy Brett version of Sherlock Holmes from Granada Television (still the purest adaptations of Arthur Conan Doyle's original stories ever filmed) and I vividly recall Price up there for those. Given that I got to know Rigg later through watching old episodes of The Avengers (and of course, Theater Of Blood), I'm surprised I never made the connection.
I remember him being interviewed on a talk show, he said one of his favourite things was to go to the cinema to watch his own films, he would sit behind people and at the end of the film he would lean forward and say in that trademark voice 'Did you enjoy that', he said their reaction was priceless, a giant of an actor and sadly missed
To me there are 3 actors who always class up whatever movie or TV show they're in: Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing and Vincent Price. I'd watch them sitting around waiting for their clothes to dry. The conversation would be amazing.
Lee had an extraordinary presence. Cushing REALLY classed up any movie he was in. Price combined presence with class. Lee was the fiercer one, physically, Cushing had the most class, Price the wider range.
@xhagast - love Price but "range" is not the word I'd use to describe his chops. Always felt Price was essentially the same character in nearly everything I've ever seen him in. Cushing & Karloff had range.
@@xhagast - I'm certainly no James Lipton but whether he's menacing, sarcastic, or silly, Price always came off like a slight variation on the same guy to me. Again, I like him; especially the Corman/Poe films. Al Pacino's approach to role diversity reminds me of Price, except that Price was entertaining.
Both Price and Cushing were the definite horror actors. Classy, versatile, GREAT actors that could play anything, and with a great sense of humour. My two main horror icons.
Great idea for a list, here mine: 10. The Invisible Man Returns 9. The Tingler 8. The Last Man on Earth 7. The Abominable Dr. Phibes 6. The Masque of the Red Death 5. Madhouse 4. House of Usher 3. House of Wax 2. House of Haunted Hill 1. The Witchfinder General
I was in a law school class, in the building next to the cemetery where Edgar Allan Poe is buried, when the professor suddenly said, "Vincent Price is in the graveyard!" And he was. Not everybody can say actually saw Vincent Price in a graveyard.
I would ask if you knew why he was in the graveyard, but when it comes to Vincent Price, being in a graveyard just makes sense for him lol. Perhaps he was simply paying tribute to the great author who provided the vehicle for many of his greatest films.
I had the privilege to see Vincent Price do a one-man show , Diversions and Delights. at Ford's Theater in Washington, DC. He portrayed Oscar Wilde giving a lecture post-Reading gaol. Great show. It's available on RU-vid.
Vincent Price was one of my many childhood heroes, and we all love his elegant ghoulishness, he was also a person gifted with a wonderful sense of humor and excellent comedic timing. There's an odd old little known film Price starred in called "Champagne for Caesar" ( a jibe at T.V. game shows) Where he played a media mogul/ T.V. exec named Burnbridge Waters who was completely bat-scat crazy! And we can't forget the many animation voices he did. (Zig-Zag from "The Thief and the Cobbler" and Rattigan from Disney's " The Great Mouse Detective" for example.) To put it simply, Vincent was wonderful!
Glad you brought that one up so I wouldn't repeat the film. Champagne was a totally delightful film, and Vincent's role was hilarious. The whole world was required to stand still while he came up with another amazing thought.
I do think Dragonwyck might have been worthy of mention. While not strictly horror, it has strong gothic elements, and Price's character is both charismatic and sinister, something of a precursor to his Prince Prospero.
@@danthsmith Against type in that he was playing a serious character instead of his usual silly characters-normally he'd play a guy like Hopkins the same as he played Ratigan 🐁 But sorry if I used the wrong phrase
Excellent job in putting this list together. Vincent Price was certainly a character unto himself and no matter what film he did, you knew you were going to get that special kind of character he could play so well. I always love to watch "House On Haunted Hill" and "The Pit And The Pendulum" as personal favorites. I also enjoy the lesser known "Madhouse", both for its murder mystery plot and co-star Peter Cushing.
Although not an horror film, I would like to remember here Price's role as Robur in "Master of the World" - a film which also includes Charles Bronson in the cast.
I watched Witchmaster General today, because I saw it on this list. Holy crap, disturbing is right. That movie's damn near tortureporn. I was rooting like hell for the soldier guy. The scene where he comes back to town and finds his wife in the church is powerful.
Thank you for another well written, researched and thoughtful essay. As a lifelong Vincent Price fan, it was music to my ears. I’d like to also add to this appreciation of Price’s horror career his deliciously chilling rap in Michael Jackson’s Thriller. And although it is not part of the genre, I really love one of Price’s last performances as the down on his luck former Russian nobleman in The Whales of August with Bette Davis and Lillian Gish. Your hard work in keeping this channel a Mecca for movie lovers is appreciated.
Don't forget Welcome to My Nightmare by Alice Cooper Vincent did the voice-over narration and I believe traveled with Cooper for the stage show just for that part.
Those men were so talented in multiple dimensions. It’s always nice to hear more about VP. He was supposed to be kind & bright as well as the rest of the package. Legit legend. All the Hammer Humans.
What I like about you Robyn is unlike your competitors is you really do have an amazing passion for film. Not just effects and box office. Thanks for that. Never stop
When I was in middle school honors English, our teacher would assign books or stories that included Poe and Shakespeare. The sometimes arduous task of reading the antiquated language of several of the works was rewarded by allowing the class to watch a film adaptation. This is the first time I saw Vincent Price and I was instantly a fan of his. I may have forgotten most of what I learned in that class, however I never lost the love of reading that it gifted me, but I still remember Vincent Price in Roger Corman's Poe films. To this day they're still among my favorites. RIP Vincent Price, you were a gentleman and a scholar. He was not simply a great actor but he seemed to be a genuinely wonderful human. I am such a fan of his that I named my first Son Vincent.
Theater Of Blood is by far my favourite, and one of my favourite films of all time. I also enjoy the Tales Of Terror anthology film. But a special shout-out, for me, goes to the Kenny Everett film Bloodbath At The House Of Death where Price plays a bad guy and his death scene includes him whining about missing out on all the fun.
I'm a huge Price fan.I had the pleasure of briefly meeting him back in 1981 when he came to speak at my JR high school.He spoke about his life and career and the importance of art.I was struck by how tall he was when he graciously greeted students after his appearance.What an incredible man!After all these years,I think 'Masque of the Red' death might be my favorite but I love all his films.'Dragonwycke' is another lesser known fave with Gene Teirney.
It always amazes me how an actor or actress can be deceased for many years, but just put on one of their films and their they are, young and talking and walking, almost if they were alive again. To me, Being in a movie is as close to physical immortality as someone can get.
That's a great tribute. I think his best talent is exemplified in the tv movie An Evening of Edgar Allan Poe where he does Poe at his most faithful i.e. narrated at the first person.
A true showcase for his stage chops if you look at it, that one. He also gives extremely different performances for each segment. Best of all, you can find it here on RU-vid.
Despite Matheson's issues with how his script was treated, Last Man On Earth remains the most faithful adaptation of I Am Legend to this day. I once heard someone on RU-vid say the novel was a metaphor for getting older, which make Price's involvement make even more sense when you account for Robin's notion of Price being a kid's idea of an adult.
Vincent is the star of my 3 favorite horror movies, Theater of Blood and both Phibes films! One of the best voices in entertainment, his audio show "The Price of Fear" is so great! Last Man on Earth is my favorite of the "I am Legend" based movies!
The first film I saw Vincent Price in was Edward Scissorhands, his last role. I knew who he was, but for some reason they never showed his films on tv in my country. We had Hammer films galore, with Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee on tv quite often, but no Price. Why, I don't know. Even now, I've not seen half the films on this list.
I was luckily present, selling books, for a talk Mr. Price had at my college, years ago, and he and I had a lovely conversation after. I don't know that I've ever met such a delightful and 'gentlemanly' individual. A very great actor, chef, artist, and genuinely nice man. :)
I'll never forget Vincent Price's performance in "House on Haunted Hill", a movie which they showed weekly on Million Dollar Movie when I was a kid. My two sisters and I would watch it in the dark, on top of a quilt. Whenever something scary happened on screen, we would hide beneath the quilt till the screaming stopped. Hail to thee, Vincent Price! King of Horror, along with Christopher Lee, my favorite Dracula. As long as your films survive, you will live forever.
Sir, I enjoyed this but I would be left empty if I (or someone else) would not point out that his radio performance - especially as the Saint (which you can find for free on most if not all old radio drama websites). His portrayal of the sleuth added his charm and wit. There I am fulfilled. Thank you again for your channel.
He even brought dignity to the Batman TV. series as egghead One of the few villains that narrowed down who Batman really was, I enjoyed his work on Mystery and was gratified to see that after his passing Dame Diana Riggs from Theater of Blood took over the seat.
I saw no mention of “Cry of the Banshee”-that movie was really frightening. I am in my 60’s and can still remember how scared I was when I first watched it. Still gives me shivers-the howl of the creature….😮
I still remember watching Dr Phibes as a child. It gave me nightmares for years, but for as much as it scared me, it fascinated me. I will always cherish these movies
I know I've said this several times, I love your short comedy reviews but you also have a talent for these respectful reviews. Your recent coverage of Corman and Price has felt like an education for me. I always associated Corman with schlock but he has also created some admirable movies as well as played a wider role in the filmmaking industry. I also associated Price with being a novelty actor which sort of disrespects the talent he had. He's not the only actor to be his own brand, but clearly many directors wanted Vincent Price to embody himself rather than embodying a character. Nicely made but also heart-warming video giving him the respect he deserves.
Sort of like Yogi Berra's voice over in "Paradise by the dashboard lights" we have VP's voice over in "Thriller". Ice cream on top of MJ's apple pie...making great even greater
Thanks for including that Muppet Show clip! That was arguably my favorite episode as a kid, especially because of the incredibly spooky rendition of "You've Got A Friend" with all his monster pals. Ironically, I wouldn't hear the original version of that song until years later, and I would be deeply disappointed by the lack of organ. Somebody needs to put Vincent Price and Uncle Deadly singing "You've Got A Friend" on a Halloween playlist.
While Mathison didn't like The Last Man on Earth, I'm sure he would agree it was closer to his Vision/Book than The Omega Man, one of the few Heston movies I didn't like, and the Crummy I Am Legend. I watched Madhouse at the drive-in and the opening scene when he kisses his bride only to receive a shock had me hooked, That film and Dr Phibes remain my favorite Vincent perfomances, well worth the err ahh Price.
Was talking about horror movies once with younger people and I told them, you can have your Freddie, Jason and Michael, I'll take Dr. Anton Phibes over them anytime.
I loved this, and yes, I do agree with your top three. I first saw Vincent Price in 'The Long Night' a Noir Thriller about love rivals, and then in 'Dragonwyck', and 'Laura', but I liked his performances in horror films the best, particularly the Roger Corman 'Poe' films.
If you haven't seen it yet, I'd also recommend 1946's Shock, which casts him as a psychiatrist using escalating methods on his traumatized patient to cover up his murder of his wife.
@@johnathonhaney8291 I have seen it once many years ago about 45 to 50, but I need to see it again as I don't remember it well. Thank you for the suggestion, it's appreciated.
I love so many of his films, but Comedy of Terrors is probably my favorite. And Witchfinder General/Conqueror Worm is a terrific double-feature with Cromwell (1970).
Edward Scissorhands was Vincent Price's last feature film. Price was Tim Burton's childhood hero and he was able to fulfill his lifelong wish of making a movie with him. It was a fairly small role but it was the film that introduced me to his work and I'd guess that's true for many others as well.
Quick story. I met Vincent Price and unintentionally scared him. It was 2 am in a parking garage in LAX. I was waiting for my ride when I spotted Price walking through the garage. He had two heavy bags so I said, “Good evening, Mr. Price, can I help you with your bags?” He glanced at me with a look of fear and quickly trotted away from me. Must have thought I was going to mug him. 😂
The first time I saw The Tingler on TV, the station actually had a parental advisory, which was repeated before the segment where the mute wife was terrorized.
Masque of the Red Death and House of Wax have generally been my two favorites, but in terms of achievement and uncompromising artistry I think Witchfinder General is easily his greatest film. You are correct about this. I have Phibes and Theater of Blood as a virtual tie; they're almost the same movie for me; I might lean by a hair to Phibes, but it's all a parlor game. An interesting American gothic movie that is often overlooked is the 1940 film, House of Seven Gables, with Price. Worth a look at any rate. 1946's Dragonwyck is also very good, a kind of retread of Rebecca and Gaslight with tons of atmosphere. The greatest movie he was ever in is probably Laura (1944) but that is not horror or strictly a Price vehicle, and that's what we're talking about here.
What an amazing actor. I remember watching the Dr. Phibes movies late at night with my Dad - still my fav Price films. I loved his sense of humor and his friendship with Peter Cushing. His voice - so iconic and recognizable - and his delightful sense of humor. Love him. Particularly love The House of the Long Shadows - so many greats in that! Thank you for this!!
I have been a fan of Vincent Price sense I first sat through House on Haunted Hill and have been a big fan. Truly he is one of the horror icons that whether he meant to or not has left his mark in the industry. Price pass either right before I was born or right after, but decades later after his passing his films are still loved and enjoyed by so many. Something I think would have warmed his heart.
As usual an excellent presentation. I was amazed at the picture quality of these old masterpieces. I think I shall watch one tonight. Thanks, Robin and crew.
There is 1 horror performance you left out, one lost for decades but recently restored, and a personal favorite. That of The Phantom at Disneyland Paris' Phantom Manor They had him take the place of the ghost host from the original with a new character focused on horror evoking the phantom of the opera and other truly gothic tales, he recorded in both english and french for the role However, due to what was considered at the time a poor french performance and changing requirements by france requiring a majority of rides to be in french, vincent price was excised from the ride, even though they could not excise his spirit, for his laugh remained. But now, the original Phantom has returned, with vincent price's original narration, in both languages, fully restored in all its glory
As far as his work in TV is concerned, I was during my early childhood introduced to Price via his voiceovers to characters he played in Rankin-Bass holiday specials and 13 Ghosts of Scooby Doo (as, appropriately, Vincent VanGhoul). And he has had memorable supporting roles in non-horror films of the 50's alongside other legends, such as The Las Vegas Story (opposite Victor Mature and Jane Russell), The Three Musketeers (opposite Gene Kelly and Angela Lansbury) and The Ten Commandments (opposite Charlton Heston and Yul Brynner). It really is a testament to his versatility.
My favorite Price roll has always been Simon Templer, on the radio version of The Saint. I grew up listening to Old Time Radio with my dad and granddad. The Saint was a favorite show because of Vincent Price. I always enjoyed his work, even if the movie was terrible and instantly forgettable. I enjoy your work, have for a few years now. Keep it up.
There’s been talk for years about turning Theater of Blood into a Broadway musical and I fully support that. That film is so deliciously hilarious and songs I think would make that bigger and broader
I grew up watching Vincent Price. Sadly, he passed away when I was a little kid so I never got the chance to meet him. However, my uncle, in his last years, lived with a quiet elderly woman who was actually a cousin to Price. And I was able to meet his daughter, Victoria, at a convention in 2017. She had a collection of personal family photos of him just being a totally awesome dad and she had a wonderful conversation with my wife and myself.
If this was a just world Price would have received an Oscan nomination for Theatre of Blood. Back then an Oscar meant something. Not the woke mess the Oscars are today.
Thanks to "Theatre of Blood", I can't go for a haircut without thinking, "Hello. I'm Butch... Dishy, dishy hair." I also can't believe "This Is Your Dish" hasn't been made into a real TV show. Minus the dog murdering, of course.
I simply loved Tales of Terror, The Raven and Comedy of Terrors and believe these to be the best campy, fun filled horror films. The Abominable Dr. Phibes is probably his very best complete horror film. But as a child, I'd watch any of his films. Little known, Price also was in the 10 Commandments.
Price was so associated with Horror, that when "Phantom Manor" opened in Disneyland Paris, he did the English Narration. Even though that was only briefly, his laugh could still be heard as the Phantom. Fortunately, during a recent renovation to the attraction, his narration was restored. He said he enjoyed voicing "Irontail" in Rankin Bass's "Here Comes Peter Cottontail", because at the time it was made, it was the only performance he was doing at the time, which was age appropriate to his young daughter Victoria.
I actually have a playbill from Angel Street with Price from 8 December 1941, the day following the attack on Pearl Harbor. Angel Street was originally known as Gas Light and was adapted into the George Cukor film with Ingrid Bergman.
I have loved Vincent Price movies since I was little. I still love Vincent Price. Thank you for making and sharing this video. I'm hoping I see something in this list that I've never watched.
Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing were his only peers performing horror films at the same level. As a child I loved being terrorized by both sides of the pond. As an adult I realize what talented men these were. Gifted men. During this era Barbara Steele was remarkable as well.
One of my favorite actors of the 20th century. This list actually had a few films mentioned that I haven't seen and may have to track down. Thank you. Always good to hear that sonorous voice of his again.
