A rare excursion into horror for First National (later Warner Bros.), DOCTOR X became one of the great "lost" films after its initial release and developed a reputation as a masterpiece of early talkie horror during the 30 years it went unseen. When a black-and-white print of this
two-color Technicolor landmark was finally discovered, however, some found the film a disappointment. Now that enough time has passed and viewers can forget all those long-cherished expectations, the film proves to be a delightful product of its period.
The story is set in a spooky old mansion atop the cliffs at Blackstone Shoals on Long Island. Atwill plays the sinister Dr. Xavier, who runs the research laboratory where most of the action takes place. It seems that a member of his staff has discovered a synthetic flesh substitute which imbues
its wearer with abnormal powers and this transformed monster has been strangling people during full moons. Much of the film involves a recreation of the murders designed to expose the killer, but all does not go quite as planned.
Talented studio craftsman Curtiz (CASABLANCA) shapes the material well, showing particular flair in his semi-expressionistic handling of the haunted house trappings of the story. If he doesn't have quite the flair for grotesquerie or black humor of James Whale, he does use the wisecracking of
Tracy and the glowering of Atwill to good effect. Atwill especially shines when called upon to casually discuss topics from cannibalism to depravity. Several scenes, from the unexpected animation of a skeleton to the recreation of the final murder, where the killer puts in an unexpected guest
appearance, are genuinely eerie. Fay Wray, as Dr. Xavier's daughter, also gets to scream as only she can.
Finally, the two-color Technicolor techniques (involving the processing of two negatives rather than the three which became standard after 1935) are extremely effective. The rather slack and hokey 1939 film, THE RETURN OF DOCTOR X, is not a sequel, but it does contain Humphrey Bogart's only horror
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