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22 of 23 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This is a rare and disturbingly entertaining film that is absolutely like nothing else. The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T. is a musical fantasy written by Theodore Geisel Suess also known as Dr. Seuss. Salvador Dali had a hand in the production design and his work contributes to the eerie beauty of this bizzarre piece of cinematic obscurity.
Made in the shadow of World War II this story focuses on a little boy (Timmy from the Lassie show) and his single mother as they try to navigate through a deceptively simple universe. The performance by Hans Conried (veteran British stage actor and cartoon voice of Snidely Whiplash) as Dr. T, the evil, scheming piano teacher who dominates the boy's life, is unforgettable.
Dr. Seuss not only wrote the story but all the music for this film. There are some songs in this movie that should be as well remembered and loved as anything from Sound of Music or Wizard of Oz but are instead completely forgotten - or perhaps never known at all. One of the best songs, called "Because We're Kids" was recorded by John Coltrane and (if I'm not mistaken) Bill Evans.
If you are a lover of a) Post War Cinema, b) Obscure Films, c) Musicals, d) Dr. Seuss, or e) Any or all of the above - CHECK THIS MOVIE OUT! There is nothing like it anywhere. You WILL be entertained (and slightly unsettled). My jazz piano teacher turned me on to this film years ago and it is one of those dicoveries in life that make you wonder what other marvels are languishing in obscurity just awaiting a curious mind.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:DVD
I first discovered this film when I was around 5 and 11 years later it's still the best and most original film I've ever seen. Amazing and often very surreal, I guarantee you will have seen nothing like it. I've watched it countless times and yet never get bored. Watch this film...you won't regret it.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
This film focuses on a young boy, Bart (Tommy Rettig), who's forced to practise the piano. He realises that his mother (Mary Healy) must be under the spell of his evil piano teacher, Dr. Terwilliker (Hans Conried), as there's no other reason for her to make him practise. He falls asleep as he plays and, in his dream, realises the full extent of Dr. T's evil plan.
In his dream, he's taken to Dr. Terwilliker's musical academy - but this academy is only for pianists. Violinists, flautists, etc., are all imprisoned in the dungeon. So Bart sets out to save his mother, and himself, with the aid of the plumber, Mr. Zabladowski (Peter Lind Hayes).
Aside from the whole fantasy aspect of the film, this is a musical, with a whole stack of lovely melodies ("Dream Stuff"), bizarre but hilarious songs ("Do-Me-Do Duds" and "Hypnotic Duel" - where Dr. T. and Mr. Zabladowski fight it out), and even a ballet ("Dungeon Ballet", featuring the entire orchestra who are locked up in the dungeons - how else would musicians pass their time?).
The film is a lot of fun to watch - Hans Conried must have had a ball as the well-dressed Dr. T. It's rather tongue-in-cheek as opposed to a straight musical, so if you like a film that makes you smile, as well as leaving you humming some of the songs, this is a good one.
In his dream, he's taken to Dr. Terwilliker's musical academy - but this academy is only for pianists. Violinists, flautists, etc., are all imprisoned in the dungeon. So Bart sets out to save his mother, and himself, with the aid of the plumber, Mr. Zabladowski (Peter Lind Hayes).
Aside from the whole fantasy aspect of the film, this is a musical, with a whole stack of lovely melodies ("Dream Stuff"), bizarre but hilarious songs ("Do-Me-Do Duds" and "Hypnotic Duel" - where Dr. T. and Mr. Zabladowski fight it out), and even a ballet ("Dungeon Ballet", featuring the entire orchestra who are locked up in the dungeons - how else would musicians pass their time?).
The film is a lot of fun to watch - Hans Conried must have had a ball as the well-dressed Dr. T. It's rather tongue-in-cheek as opposed to a straight musical, so if you like a film that makes you smile, as well as leaving you humming some of the songs, this is a good one.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
1.0 out of 5 stars
Title in English (Region2) but actual DVD is in Spanish
I was hoping to send this classic movie to my brother in England. The title was in English and I did not click on the cover nor scroll down past the annotation which was also in... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Nancy C. Oldfield
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gerhart from Potsdam, Germany
Thank you for the quick shipment of the DVD, I'm glad to have had the opportunity to see this wonderful movie again; I saw it in the 1960's six times in my movie theatre in Vienna,... Read more
Published 18 months ago by Gerhart Czepe
1.0 out of 5 stars
Bad
The film is a dream sequence by Tommy (Bartholomew Collins) and takes place in a castle ruled by his piano teacher, Dr T (Hans Conried) who is intending to put on a piano... Read more
Published on 7 July 2009 by Alex da Silva
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