In the two Dr. Phibes movies, who or what is the strange silent woman who assists him? Character name is given in the credits as Valnavia, although I don’t recall Phibes ever addressing her by name. My impression was that she wasn’t actually a human being at all- she was some sort of magically summoned familiar or golem. Is this correct? Or is she somehow the “ghost” of his dead wife (the ka to use the ancient egyptian).
No, Vulnavia (I like the erotic tinge of that) was not the ghost of Phibe’s wife, Victoria. Her origins are left unexplained. Phibes does address her by name in the second movie, I believe.
I love those movies!
That is all.
And in case you didn’t notice she was played by two different actresses. Virginia North, from The Abominable Dr Phibes, was pregnant when they shot Dr Phibes Rises Again and was replaced by Valli Kemp. So we have Vulnavia, Victoria, Virginia, and Valli.
And of course, Vincent makes V.
Little tidbit: Phibes’ late wife was portrayed by an uncredited Caroline Munro, which certainly explains why he was so pissed off when she died. I certainly would be.
Vulnavia & I’m absolutely sure she was a robot. Didn’t she get splattered with the acid Phibes was going to release on the boy next to whose heart he inserted the key which had to be surgically removed?
That is the most awkward sentence I have written in my entire life.
Of course, she gets rebuilt for the sequel.
Supposedly, Dr Phibes first name of Anton, his talent at the pipe organ & his obsession with building artificial humans were all
references to Anton LaVey.
I refuse to buy the DVD of DR PHIBES RISES AGAIN until VP’s rendition of “Over the Rainbow” is restored. Come on, folks- pay the friggin’ royalties already.
I saw Caroline Munro on a VH-1 “Where are they now? Video Vixens” special last week. She was the reporter in Adam Ant’s “Goody Two-Shoes” and she is still amazingly hot! Btw, “Jenny Calendar” of
BUFFY TVS was a Prince Girl! (“Pearl” of “Diamond and Pearl”)
Umm, Ted, you just gave away the ending to the first movie.
Umm, Michael that movie is thirty freakin years old. Surely the spoiler statute of limitations has passed by now.
BTW - Rosebud is his old sled.
Yeah, but still.
Um, that was the sequel!
I think in a thread dedicated to talking only about one movie, spoilers should be expected. If you aren’t already familiar with the movie, why are you reading the thread? (Sez the guy who has never seen either movie. But I don’t mind spoilers)
Those movies had some of the creepiest deaths ever. I haven’t seen them since I was 14 or so but that bit where the guy is walking through the costume party with the frog mask tightening ever so slowly was more disturbing than 500 disembowlments with machete.
Don’t forget that when Vulnavia appears in the second movie, she doesn’t just “Show up,” she fades into existance, like a de-cloaking starship. It’s possible, however, that the Vulnavia we see in the second movie is actually the ghost of the robotic Vulnavia who was killed in the first movie. (Would that be a Robot Ghost or a Ghost Robot?)
Accidental spoilage apology! No further spoiling included
One argument against Vulnavia being a robot is that she doesn’t resemble Dr. Phibes’ Clockwork Wizards, the robot dance band he winds up after every murder.
One argument against Vulnavia being a robot is that she doesn’t resemble Dr. Phibes’ Clockwork Wizards, the robot dance band he winds up after every murder.
One argument against Vulnavia being a robot is that she doesn’t resemble Dr. Phibes’ Clockwork Wizards, the robot dance band he winds up after every murder.
No, that’s THREE arguments 