The Doctor and the Devils
Official Synopsis:
“Based on Dylan Thomas’ original screenplay, this shocking horror-thriller stars Timothy Dalton as Thomas Rock, a brilliant young anatomy professor in 1820s Edinburgh. At first accepting only the cadavers provided him for study – those of a few hanged criminals per year – Rock eventually recruits two grave robbers (Jonathan Pryce and Stephen Rea) to secure a better supply of corpses. Coming to the gory conclusion that they will earn more the “fresher” the corpses, the two begin committing murder and delivering warm bodies to the doctor’s lecture chambers.”
Based on true events, The Doctor and the Devils is a study of morality and the greater good, asking the question: What cost is too great to advance the scientific knowledge of mankind?
We are introduced to our characters and the two vastly different worlds they live in. Fallon (Jonathan Pryce) and Broom (Stephen Rea) are at the bottom of the barrel, literally resorting to drinking the bottom of the glasses that other people leave behind. They’re wretched, filthy, and will do anything for a quick profit. Dr. Rock (Timothy Dalton) is a brilliant doctor of anatomy, leading the field in breakthroughs on how the body is constructed. He lives in a world where his only trouble is the limitations placed upon him by the scientific community. Only allotted a few bodies per year, his craving for knowledge demands that he resorts to alternative methods of acquiring corpses.
After Fallon and Broom notice three well-to-do men in the tavern, they follow them and discover that they are grave robbers that deliver corpses to Dr. Rock and get paid. Only getting half of what they normally would due to the decomposition and poor state of the body, the two quickly realize that many of the poor, sick and suffering people in their neighborhood would make prime candidates for corpses.
The two men flaunt their money and throw it away carelessly, always needing more and more. After the number of fresh bodies becomes exceedingly frequent, associates of Dr. Rock question the methods of which Fallon and Broom go to to acquire such fresh specimens. To Dr. Rock, however, this is of no concern. His quest to expand the realm of scientific and medical knowledge far outweighs any moral implications.
By far, the best thing about this film is the acting. I’ve always been a fan of Timothy Dalton, and am probably in the minority when I think he was a good James Bond. In this film he gives a commanding performance and brings to life Dr. Rock’s passion for knowledge. Jonathan Pryce does equally well as Fallon. Before the release of Brazil, Pryce delivers an amazing performance that has you disgusted with the lengths his character will go to for money. There are also some great performances from Stephen Rea, Julian Sands, and Twiggy. Patrick Stewart has a small role but makes the most of it and steals every scene he is in.
Where this film suffers the most is the lack of connection between the story lines. By themselves, each story line is strong and entertaining. However, there isn’t much that connects them together. There is only one short scene that has the principal characters interacting in which they meet, besides that, they go on with their lives, each group relying on the other. I felt as I was watching two different stories unfold that would randomly jump between each other. That lack of connection between the characters and story hinders the film significantly, and is the difference between a great film and an adequate one.
Video
The Doctor and the Devils is presented in 1080p 2.35:1. At the beginning of the film the transfer has noticeable problems right away. Many of the scenes are dark and blurry, with defects noticed. After the introduction, however, the film cleans up nicely, giving us some good detail and clean images. The problems persist randomly throughout the film, mostly in the darker scenes in the poor parts of town.
Audio
The audio is presented in DTS Master Audio Stereo. There are no noticeable problems with the sound. It gives us a good range throughout and delivers a very good score.
Special Features
Commentary with Author Steve Haberman
New Interview with Executive Producer Mel Brooks, Producer Jonathan Sanger and Randy Auerbach
This interview is short but very entertaining. We get to see a glimpse of Mel Brooks the artist and not the comedian. For those who didn’t know, he has produced many other features, including The Elephant Man, and he explains how he had to create Brooksfilms to avoid putting his name on the picture so people wouldn’t assume it was a comedy.
Theatrical Trailer
The Doctor and the Devils delivers strong performances from great actors. Although a great story, it lacks something cohesive to make it a truly great film.