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The Doctor and the Devils (1985)

The Doctor and the Devils (1985)
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A movie version of the stage play The Doctor and the Devils, written in the 1950s by Welsh poet/playwright Dylan Thomas, had been planned and shelved by several filmmakers before producer Mel Brooks and director Freddie Francis finally brought the project to fruition in 1985. Essentially, the story is the old one about grave robbers Burke and Hare and Scottish surgeon Dr. Robert Knox (which also yielded the 1945 Val Lewton classic The Body Snatcher). Timothy Dalton plays 18th century doctor Thomas Rock, who must rely upon the disreputable Robert Fallon (Jonathan Pryce) and Timothy Broom (Stephen Rea) to provide fresh cadavers for Dr. Rock's teaching hospital. When they can't dig up corpses fast enough to suit Dr. Rock, Fallon and Broom decide to streamline their methods via murder. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Starring:
Timothy Dalton, Jonathan Pryce, (more)
Director(s):
Freddie Francis
Theatrical MPAA Rating:
R
Format(s):
DVD
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Synopsis of The Doctor and the Devils

A movie version of the stage play The Doctor and the Devils, written in the 1950s by Welsh poet/playwright Dylan Thomas, had been planned and shelved by several filmmakers before producer Mel Brooks and director Freddie Francis finally brought the project to fruition in 1985. Essentially, the story is the old one about grave robbers Burke and Hare and Scottish surgeon Dr. Robert Knox (which also yielded the 1945 Val Lewton classic The Body Snatcher). Timothy Dalton plays 18th century doctor Thomas Rock, who must rely upon the disreputable Robert Fallon (Jonathan Pryce) and Timothy Broom (Stephen Rea) to provide fresh cadavers for Dr. Rock's teaching hospital. When they can't dig up corpses fast enough to suit Dr. Rock, Fallon and Broom decide to streamline their methods via murder. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Theatrical Feature Running Time:
92 mins

Complete Cast of The Doctor and the Devils


Director(s):
Freddie Francis
Writer(s):
Ronald Harwood
Producer(s):
Mel Brooks, Jonathan Sanger, Geoffrey Helman
Theatrical MPAA Rating:
R(Adult Situations, Graphic Violence, Nudity, Adult Language, Not For Children)
Categories:
Horror
Warning:  This product is intended for mature audiences only. It may contain violence, sexual content, drug abuse and/or strong language. You must be 17 or older to purchase it. By ordering this item you are certifying that you are at least 17 years of age.

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    Member Reviews
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    Corinne M.

    The site review of this film erroneously states that this was written for the stage when, in fact, it was always a screenplay by Dylan Thomas. The poetic style, as well as the very fine cast, make up for any lack of real chills and thrills. The film has the look of a classic from the late 60s/early 70s and the production values are delicious.

    Yes   |   No

     
    Aaron M.

    As another reviewer pointed out, it's slower and more intellectual than most movies, and that's because it's based on an older style of fiction. With that in mind, it does an excellent job of bring Thomas' tale to life. The story was made into a film decades earlier with Peter Cushing in "The Flesh and the Fiends". Except for the ending, the two films are very similar and both good. The story's focus alternates between moral conflict of the doctor (Cushing's portrayal was more rounded) and the body-suppliers (equally well portrayed in both films). This newer version is solid all the way through, with strong acting by all.

    Yes   |   No

     
    Greg N.

    I felt this movie was tediously slow and not one bit scary. It was painful sitting through the entire thing. not recommended

    Yes   |   No

     
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