GOOD SCI-FI , BUT NOT MY FAVORITE SHRINKING PEOPLE FILM!
Added 10/31/2007
It's hard to believe that I never saw this film as a kid! I never missed the weekly sci-fi/horror films on TV Saturday night and afternoon but , for some reason I never got around to this one. I was in a nostalgic mood this Halloween and wanted to watch some of my old favorites. I decided to watch this film as a starter for my Halloween horror marathon. It is a nice surprise to watch something so old that you have never seen and for the most part this film did not disappoint me. It has good special effects and typical story line but it just wasn't familiar to me and that is why I give it 3 stars. I can understand other reviewer's giving this a higher rating because they grew up with it and it is special to each of them. This is available on DVD on Ultimate Sci-Fi classic collection volume 2. The DVD transfer and print are really nice!
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Very Entertaining
Added 3/20/2006
I enjoyed this movie.
There are some really cool scenes like when Dr. Cyclops puts on his helmet and turns on his cool machine. It gives a really eerie effect.
The actor who plays the doctor is very well cast and must certainly go down as one of the classic villains in horror history.
The down side is it takes what could be a true story (shrinking people) and puts in things that are impossible.
For example Doc Cyclops first dresses his little friends in very simple clothes made out of hankerchiefs.
But somehow in just a few hours they inexplicibly stack up a bunch of books that are bigger than they are to open the door and then create all new cloths for themselves. These aren't just simple clothes either like the girl has a nice blue dress.
Also when they do this it seems like they are actually enjoying themselves like they are having a good time.
But after that it gets more realistic again.
Except for those few things I mentioned above this is a believeable story and could really happen.
Recommended further viewing:
The Manster
The Thing (from another world)
The Four Skulls Of Jonathan Drake
Horror Hotel
The Blob (with Steve McQueen)
The Flesh Eaters
The Indestructible Man
The Brain That Wouldn't Die
Not Of This Earth (original)
The Incredible Shrinking Man
IT ! (The Terror From Beyond Space)
Invasion Of The Saucer Men
The Hideous Sun Demon
The Fly / The Return Of The Fly / The Curse Of The Fly
Jeff Marzano
The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957)
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SURPRISINGLY GOOD EFFECTS FOR THE PERIOD
Added 11/2/2004
There's simply no way you can compare a movie from the 1940's in terms of special effects with todays CGI-laden fare. That said Dr. Cyclops uses eveything it can to create this effective sci-fi thriller.
The story involves "Mad Scientist" Dr. Thorkel (Albert Dekker) who summons three scientists (Thomas Coley, Janice Logan, Charles Halton) to his remote South American laboratory to seek their advice on his secret project. Along the way they are forced to bring muleskinner (Victor Kilian) along.
It turns out that the evil doctor has discovered the secret of miniaturization. To prevent them from cashing in on his discovery Thorkel shrinks the three scientists, the muleskinner and nosey local Pedro (Frank Yaconelli) to miniscule size. The rest of the film chronicles their efforts to escape.
Again...the effects really take the game in this movie...utilizing clever camera tricks, miniatures, and over-sized props, the film really does a great job in showing these shrunken victims and the perils they encounter trying to escape.
This is a thoughtful, interesting, and fun film. Definitely keep more than one eye open when viewing this film!
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Sci-fi classic of the 40's
Added 4/22/2004
This is a classic. If many of its themes are a cliche today, it is only because this film was one of the first to use them. The visual effects still hold up well. Conventional techniques like rear-screen projection were used to maximum effect and are not obvious despite the color photography, still a novelty in 1941. The basic concept of miniaturizing living creatures via exposure to radium is, of course, scientifically naive, but director Ernest Schoedsack did his best to give it a weird plausibility. The directing, acting and editing are all fine. On the other hand, the dialogue is rather weak (my reason for not giving it 5 stars) - one need only to compare it with the dialogue Schoedsack's own "King Kong" of 1933. Albert Dekker, as Dr. Thorkel, has the best lines and the best acting role; the others did well with the material they had. Overall, this is much superior to the movies of the fifties and sixties with similar themes.
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Dr. Cyclops - Classic Stuff
Added 2/8/2004
I really like this movie. A little campy, but good story line, decent special effects... a classic. When will we get a DVD version with added features???
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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