Continuing the "Creepy Moments" series for this month we move on to Doctor X from 1932, directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Lionel Atwill, Fay Wray and Lee Tracy, none of whom are in this scene (but Preston Foster is). And yes, it's a scene not a moment. Furthermore, it's not very creepy with all the electronic gizmos and gadgets pulsating throughout the scene probably removing any sense of creepiness to the modern eye but I don't care because I love the movie, the whole damn ridiculous thing, and the scene. And if you've never seen Doctor X and would like to see it fresh DO NOT WATCH THIS SCENE. This scene is in fact the spoiler of the movie where the Moon Killer's real identity is finally revealed. Otherwise please do watch this entertaining and goofy scene in which the Moon Killer disguises himself before the kill by applying mounds of goopy synthetic flesh to his face (which is kind of funny because immediately following this scene he reveals who he is without hesitation to the other characters who have been trying to solve his identity).
43 comments:
This is a weird movie.
Have you ever seen it? The experiments Doctor X devises to discover the killer are beyond ridiculous! Within minutes after he is assigned the task he has an entire stage set up in his lab, complete with spotlights, curtains and fully made up wax figures of the victims so the scenes can be re-enacted. How he does this is never explained of course.
Yeah, I've seen it. I like it, too, but mostly in a kind of bemused, pulp-fan kind of way. It's just so terribly bizarre. It's like somebody from the studio was at a yard sale, and they bought a bag of ideas for a nickle, and then made a movie out of it.
It's like somebody from the studio was at a yard sale, and they bought a bag of ideas for a nickle, and then made a movie out of it.
That's the best description of it I've ever heard.
A suggestion for your October series: Dwain Esper's Maniac (1934).
Let's give Preston Foster a big hand for his impersonation of Lon Chaney.
What I didn't understand is why he didn't simply stick his fingers into a light socket. That's always worked for me.
thanks Flickhead, I'll give it a look. I've never seen it.
Let's give Preston Foster a big hand...
Insert rimshot here.
I've heard of Maniac, but I've never seen it. It's supposed to be absolutely fucking bonkers.
I've heard it's maniacal.
No, that's something else.
Found it. Going to watch it now and maybe put up a scene later this week.
I like this movie unreservedly and am disgusted by Bill's galloping condescension. [Spits.]
But I'm really falling for that banner, Greg! You sure are ushering in some good stuff this Halloween, mark my words!
Bill often condescends while galloping. I usually only condescend while cantering.
You were mean first, Arbogast.
You forgot to spit.
Ptui!
The creepy thing about the scene is the way the guy mutters "synthetic flesh!" as he goes about his work. It tells you the man's not right. And speaking of not right, I have seen Maniac, and for once there is truth in advertising.
Yes, he says it twice too just for good measure. I actually find the first part creepy where he's looking at the moon and feels himself losing control.
The experiments Doctor X devises to discover the killer are beyond ridiculous! Within minutes after he is assigned the task he has an entire stage set up in his lab, complete with spotlights, curtains and fully made up wax figures of the victims so the scenes can be re-enacted. How he does this is never explained of course.
And haven't we improved on that in the 70 years since? Why look at any horror movie today... so much more logical and re-al-istic.
Oh calm yourself, I'm just saying it all in fun. Seriously, the whole creation of the wax figures is done so quickly. The whole re-enactment scenes are put in place almost immediately after he volunteers to investigate his staff leading one to ask, "Does he have a collection of wax figures he keeps just in case?"
No, I'm still p.o.-ed at Bill. I'm going over to his blog and I'm going to read some of his posts aloud in a dum-dee-dum-dee-dum stupid voice just to get even.
There's gonna be a rumble!
[Enters laughing]
Haw, haw... you should hear how dumb Bill sounds when he says...
Schalken doesn't even realize this has happened until much later in the story, and, in fact, Schalken is at best a supporting player here, existing mainly to paint the picture with which Le Fanu opens his story.
... I mean, the way I imitate Bill, all dumb-like, haw haw!
Come on, Arbo, stop it! I'm already crying!
Okay. [Chuckles quietly.] Okay.
I'm going to watch a movie you love tonight, and I'm going to hate it!
Arbo's stupid voice: the most feared weapon on the internet.
That should be my "stupid" voice. And Bill, you best stay away from Scudda Hoo, Scudda Hay!
And Bill, you best stay away from Scudda Hoo, Scudda Hay!...
More like Scudda Poo, Scudda Gay!!
I wanna Synthetic Flesh Maker!:o(
Sany Claus??
GOOP sold Seperately!
Ha ha, fake out. Totally don't care about Scudda Hoo, Scudda Hay.
You don't know who you're dealing with, do you, Bill?
[Laughs maniacally.]
I really appreciate time and work you and tom pass to kraft your blog
Be realist, if the world can die to preserve what is important for each other (for ourself in individual view) streets and compagnies are dead from long time ago
Anon, thanks but Tom is responsible for most of the content on the Charlie Parker site, here it's just me.
To swing this thread back to non-sardonic matters (which is difficult, of course) Dr. X is interesting to me in how it uses ridiculously unlikely pseudo-science to define both the title character and the villain. The machinations to which they resort are overcomplicated, theatrical and don't really make any sense (how would coating an empty rubber hand with synthetic flesh make it stronger?) ... but that madness (or "lunacy" as Dr. Rowitz so aptly put it) is key to understanding these modern men who struggle with the specter of an atavistic urge towards cannibalism. The movie is a fascinating struggle between the modern (embodied by Lee Tracy and Fay Wray) and the primal. This and Mystery of the Wax Museum are such intriguing psychological portraits that use the horror genre not as a mere vehicle to tell a story but as a key towards deciphering the complicated/compromised mind of the modern man - his obsessions, his neuroses, his fears - early into the 20th Century.
The ridiculous pseudo-science is a key attraction of horror/sci-fi throughout the decades but especially in the thirties through the fifties. In many ways it seems like it would have been easier to craft a screenplay for this type of story back then because no sense of "the audience is too informed" bullshit existed that forces modern screenwriters that try to make things sound like real science but aren't (for instance, Sunshine is based on science ten times more ludicrous than anything in this film which a good science site like Bad Astronomy will tell you). It would have been easier because there is no adherance to science or even the pretense of it.
Writers brainstorming: "How does he make the hand work? Uh... Oh! Stick it in the middle of an electric arc and then... uh... oh, I know - smear a bunch a crap on it. Let's see... um... we'll call it synthetic flesh."
And on you go. Then you're free to concentrate on the broad themes involved, including Dr. Wells himself discussing murdering African villagers to further the cause of humanity through his discoveries leading us to the common themes of Machiavellian progress often latched onto by the great genre writers.
Just saw this last week at the Silent Movie Theatre (thanks to Arbogast's co-programming!). I didn't like it quite as much as Mystery of the Wax Museum the previous week, which I downright loved, but that's mostly due to how freaking annoying the journalist was. As opposed to MOTWM's wise-cracking female reporter (Glenda Farrell), who pretty much made the movie. In light of seeing both so close together, I was also a little awed by how quickly Dr. X got those wax figures made...did he have some help from Ivan Igor (also played by Atwill)?!
I was also a little awed by how quickly Dr. X got those wax figures made...
Dr X puts Madame Tussaud to shame.
Also, and not for nothing, it has been made clear on this blog from time to time that I worship the ground Glenda Farrell walks on so I'm glad you liked her in MOTWM.
did he have some help from Ivan Igor (also played by Atwill)?!
Where there's Atwill, there's a way!
bada-boom!
the lock down scene was reused to good effect in John Carpenter's version of "The Thing". To be helpless while monsters devour....
I love that scene by the way. Donald Moffit's final "Gentlemen when you find the time I'd rather not spend the rest of this winter TIED TO THIS FUCKING COUCH!"
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