Guillermo del Toro Says this Streaming Horror Comedy is “Full of ingenious moments”
One of my favorite things about auteur filmmaker Guillermo del Toro is that he is a champion of cinema in all its various forms. The Crimson Peak director is fond of arthouse fare, hard-hitting dramas, and escapist thrillers. He even occasionally demonstrates a soft spot for exploitation fare. Accordingly, del Toro has recommendations that will resonate with almost every type of movie lover.
A few years back, the visionary filmmaker took to Twitter (don’t call it X) to share his appreciation for a retro horror comedy starring the late, great Vincent Price. His tweet reads: “Film: Theatre of Blood by Douglas Hickox. Quirky, dark, full of ingenious moments, post-Phibes revenge tale. Price is perfect as is the score.”
That’s a very compelling recommendation. And Guillermo del Toro is far from the only fan of this classic horror comedy. As it turns out, the picture is ‘certified fresh’ on Rotten Tomatoes, where it boasts an approval rating of 88%. The site’s critical consensus reads: “Deliciously campy and wonderfully funny, Theater of Blood features Vincent Price at his melodramatic best.”
Where is this Guillermo del Toro-approved chiller available to stream?
If del Toro’s enthusiastic endorsement and the promise of Vincent Price at his very best have you game to seek out this classic horror comedy, you can do so with ease. Theatre of Blood is streaming on Pluto as of the publication of this post. Three cheers for that!
Fun fact: The film was first offered to Robert Fuest (The Abominable Dr. Phibes) before Hickox was tapped to helm. However, the director turned the opportunity down out of fear of being pigeonholed.
The setup for Theatre of Blood goes as follows:
Edward Lionheart (Vincent Price) is incensed that his last season of performances in Shakespearean plays did not win him a prestigious acting award from critics. After an unsuccessful attempt at suicide, Lionheart is rescued by a group of drug-addicted bums. He then sets out to murder all of his critics, each with a different style of death taken from a Shakespeare play. When Lionheart faces head critic Peregrine Devlin (Ian Hendry), he offers Devlin a second chance to bestow the award.
That’s all that we have for you at present, dear reader. Be sure to stay tuned to Dread Central for more exciting recommendations from your favorite visionary creators as we successfully unearth them. If you’re keen to chat more about classic horror or to discuss further why Guillermo del Toro is a global treasure, hit me up on Threads @FunWithHorror.
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