The
Doctor and the Devils (1985)
Picture: B-
Sound: C+ Extras: C- Film: C
Some were born to see things from behind the lens of the
camera, while others were meant to direct the things in front of the camera,
and this film proves why an amazing cinematographer like Freddie Francis should
perhaps stick to behind the camera. His
director effort on this film, despite it being thin to begin with, hardly has
enough energy to excite anyone, though he is responsible for a series of
well-liked Horror films a few decades ago.
Francis is better known for working closely with David Lynch on such
films as The Elephant Man, Dune, The Straight Story, as
well as other fine films Glory (reviewed on this site), Cape Fear
(the remake by Martin Scorsese), and a handful to notables. The Doctor and the Devils essentially
is said to be the true story of grave robbers who supply a doctor with fresh
bodies, but then the bodies become a bit fresher as murder enters in.
The two thieves, one played by Jonathan Pryce, are
supplying the doctor (Timothy Dalton) for one reason only…money. The doctor pays good money for his cadavers,
which he uses in his classrooms within the medical forum. The story becomes thin when it twists into a
thriller that does not really know which way to turn and before you can say
Mary Shelley you have a film with little way out.
Fox has decided to dig into their vaults for this film,
which most people probably have not heard of, but are lining the film up no
less for another Fall season with Halloween in the midst. From the A/V standpoint the film is less
than impressive. The sound is a
relatively weak 2.0 Dolby Surround mix that pushes those limits with little
success. Think mono with stereo
spillover and then a really thin surround channel on top of that. The result is near catastrophe, as this film
would have been better served in straight-laced stereo.
There are two interesting things though when it comes to
the actual camerawork for this film.
The first is that this film remains one of the few films shot in the
J-D-C scope format and the other is that it had two cinematographers, but
that’s not the interesting part. What
is though is the fact that both Gerry Terpin and Norman Warwick made this film
there last project, despite both having credible careers up until this point
and both died still quite a few years later.
Was this film that much of a catastrophe that both cameramen decided to
quit the business afterwards? Seems too
much of a likeliness especially then the director is a more-famed
cinematographer.
As far as the transfer is concerned it is virtually
plagued with lack of sharpness and a rugged look. The film was meant to look slightly drab, but the transfer does
little justice to interpret the work well.
The 2.35 X 1 anamorphically enhanced picture still has softness and
slight pixelization throughout, plus colors and detail are neither
exceptional.
Extras are slim as the only things added are trailers for
other Fox films and the trailer for this film.
Highly unlikely that this will be a crowd pleaser and even those that
thrive on thriller may find this a dud.
Be warned. Instead check out
Fox’s terrific film From Hell, which shares some attributes with this
film, but goes way above and beyond in every way imaginable.
- Nate Goss
