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Long before Eddie Murphy started doing multi-character films(Coming To America, The Klumps, etc), Tony Randall got the ball rolling in this fun fantasy film about an inscrutable Chinese entertainer who is out to teach a small turn of the century (that would 1800-1900s) western town a valuable lesson. Dr Lao arrives in the small western town of Abalone for basically the purpose of putting on a circus. This proves to be a cover as the people of Abalone are besieged by a ruthless land baron, Clint Stark, who wants to buy up all the land in town. Stark is opposed by newspaper editor Ed Cunningham. While the people are trying to decide, they are treated to Dr Lao's bizarre circus. The circus features many strange exhibits & acts among which are Merlin the Magician (who is very aged & forgetful), the seductive Pan, Medusa, a huge snake, the Abominable Snowman & future teller Apollonius of Tyana as well as a glorified catfish Dr Lao claims is the Loch Ness Monster. Some of the towns people are taught lessons about themselves, some not very flattering, by these performers while it will take the grand finale to really show the people their fate. The film offers a variety of twists & turns to keep you guessing what the final outcome will be & just what Dr Lao is up to. As the title suggests, Tony Randall plays 7 of these characters from Dr Lao himself to the Snowman, Merlin, Medusa, Apollonius & Pan as well as the voice of the serpent. I said "The 8 Faces of Tony Randall" because he also makes an appearance as himself as a spectator in the grandstand. Star power is deceptive in this film as the only other actors whose names you would recognize are Arthur O'Connell who plays Stark & a brunette Barbara Eden as widowed librarian Angela Benedict, BUT, those who are familiar with old westerns of the 50s & 60s will be in for a treat as there are numerous familiar faces amongst the inhabitants of Abalone. The special effects are dated but were nominated for an Oscar in their time. Some of the outfits are not very good, but makeup effects are solid, done by Academy Award winning makeup artist William Tuttle who received an honorary award for this picture. This film was also nominated for a Hugo Award. This is a very fun film that the whole family can enjoy! Randall was brilliant in this film & did a very good job in all his roles. I highly recommend it, but remember that though they were Oscar worthy in their time, the special effects are dismal by today's standards.Read full review
I have loved this movie for years. Tony Randall, who in older movies is the traditional best friend of the hero, here has his own tour de force and he is amazing. He plays at least seven characters, and his Dr. Lao is a little bit of a racial stereotype, but I don't find it offensive because Dr. Lao is not really a little old Chinese man, this is just the form he takes to accomplish his goal of changing the town and the people in it. The wild west setting is unusual for this type of movie, and Barbara Eden is luscious as the buttoned-up librarian who secretly smolders. The character parts are all solid and the acting is first rate. I would recommend this movie especially for families because both adults and children would find enjoy watching it and there is no offensive content, unless Barbara Eden sweating and unbuttoning the top button of her blouse counts as sexually suggestive. I LOVE THIS MOVIE!Read full review
Always wanted my own DVD copy of this movie. I looked all over online and this was the best deal. Cheapest price with good quality, used with no scratches.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
While this movie is a tour de force for the acting abilities of Tony Randall, it could be more interesting if it was re-made with today's special effects and sensibilities under the title of the original book, The Circus of Dr. Lao. This film implies that all the characters in Dr. Lao's circus were actually Dr. Lao whereas the book has them all different. There are flashes of the original book in this film though and is certainly a reason why I'd recommend it. The appendices in the original book are a hoot and would certainly be interesting on a DVD. A memorable movie on it's own and can be enjoyed by children and adults of all ages.
Wonderful old Fantasy film, nice clean copy, also has a documentary about Special Effects & makeup.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
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