Love Hurts

If you're like me (and God help you if you are), you hate Valentine's Day. You see it as a "holiday" conjured up by commercial crones, stewing over what to do between the "real" holidays (Christmas/New Year) and....May 2-4? Don't despair, though, you're not alone. For every Across the Universe, there is one Leaving Las Vegas; Love Story? Bah - try Love Liza; and if Paris, Je T'aime is your idea of a bad trip, check out Hated, the disturbing, awesome GG Allin doc, in all its poo-flinging, blood-letting glory.

As a build up to anti-Valentine's day, we (well, most likely just me - please guys, help me here, I'm drowning) will be posting about a series of films that explore, well.....the DARKER side of love.

Take 1: The Abominable Dr. Phibes
Question: is there a better tagline than: "Love means never having to say "You're ugly"?
Answer: No; no there isn't.

Obsession, deformity, psychedelic visuals and score, graveyard humour, inventive kills based on the biblical plagues, Vincent Price at his campy best and an uncredited Caroline Munro (hubba-hubba)....this one's pretty much got it all.....not only is it one of my favourite films of all time, it has one of the best trailers too.....behold:

Are...you...ready...for Dr. Phibes? Hmmmm....?