CD: Perseverance PRD 004. 40 minutes. Price: $24.95 or $17.00 off their website.

check out website: www.perseverancerecords.com/ and www.groups.yahoo.com/group/houseofphibes


Next to picking up old book novelisations, I like the opportunity to look over motion picture soundtracks, especially of films I've seen and liked which includes practically all those featuring Vincent Price. Even more so, when the music has never been released on vinyl. This album, put together by producer Robin Esterhammer, has managed to bring together the first of the Dr. Phibes films without necessarily resorting to exporting off the film itself, although he confesses a couple small tracks sourced were probably that way. What is important here is that Basil Kirchin himself provided missing pieces of music. The 20 page booklet gives much of the history of the film and behind scenes of company interference. It's a shame Esterhammer didn't include Kirchin's complete suites as well as the insert tracks as there would certainly have been enough space for them.



A few more words about the fabulous booklet. Not only is there much text but there is a fabulous selection of colour photos from the film, mostly of Vincent Price as Anton Phibes in all his guises and a wide selection of movie posters from different countries useful for all you archivists out there. If I was to be critical, I wish they had included a proper character list next to actor list than just in the text.

As to the music. Divorced from the film, its very much background music with some tracks containing some disjoined noises but bearing in mind the beats needed to raise the scares, shouldn't be too surprising. I was hoping to hear more of the music that was used for Phibes' mechanical band but I think that's a reminder that I need to watch the film again.

If you liked the film of 'The Abominable Dr. Phibes' then you have enough reason to pick up this CD. A little nostalgia while waiting for him to rise again.

GF Willmetts