Medical Malpractice: The Abominable Dr. Phibes + Malignant

Paramount and Stateside Theatres are running a horror double bill on Sunday, October 18, pairing the 1971 classic The Abominable Dr. Phibes with James Wan's 2021 Malignant. The two films are billed together under the title "Medical Malpractice," a nod to the surgical mishaps that drive both plots.

The Abominable Dr. Phibes is a 94-minute color feature starring Vincent Price as a diabolical doctor out for revenge after a team of surgeons botches his wife's operation. He spends the rest of the film unleashing a series of Old Testament atrocities on those he holds responsible. It's directed by Robert Fuest and features Joseph Cotten, Hugh Griffith, Terry-Thomas, and Virginia North, and it's well-remembered for its dazzling Art Deco-era sets. If you're a fan of Price's particular brand of campy, theatrical menace, this is right in his wheelhouse.

Following that is Malignant, a 111-minute horror flick from James Wan, the director behind Saw, The Conjuring, and Insidious. It's written by Akela Cooper, who also wrote M3GAN, and stars Annabelle Wallis, Maddie Hasson, and George Young. Wan describes it as his most unhinged horror film to date, and it's a far cry from the slow-burn tension of The Conjuring—this one leans into the wilder, more shocking side of the genre.

Between the two, you're getting over three hours of horror in one sitting, starting with a 1970s revenge tale and ending with a modern, high-energy shocker. Doors open at 6 PM, The Abominable Dr. Phibes starts at 7 PM, and Malignant follows at 8:50 PM.