7 Faces of Dr. Lao

I saw this at the Willow theater in 1964/65. I was under 10 and it set me back in my seat. It was magical and carried lessons that hold true and always will. Some call it corny but watch it with a mind that can accept wonder and magic and goodness and repentance. Considering the year it was made the special effects are nothing short of magnificent. I think only the outer limits had special effects to match these. And of course at 10 I fell hopelessly in love with Barbara Eden, who wouldn't.

Great movie , not easy to find.

It tells of us all , that we have to all evolve from greed , hate , vanity , of each other to be complete. Then create a shared healthy destiny.Kinda cute.George

As described

This 1964 gem was directed by George Pal, the same director of the SF classic, "The Time Machine" with Rod Taylor. This film stars Tony Randall -- Dr Lao among others. Half of the fun is seeing if you can recognize him with the makeup. If you are quick of eye, you can even see him as one of the townsfolk in the audience watching the show. The story was written by Charles G. Finney in 1934 as "The Circus of Dr. Lao." The script was crafted by Charles Beaumont, a veteran and prolific screenwriter who, among his many credits, wrote many well-received episodes for Rod Serling's series, "Twilight Zone."Besides Tony Randall, there is a pre-"I Dream of Jeannie" Barbara Eden showing some serious acting skills as a young widowed librarian challenged to take a chance on her feelings. This was her third big film, having previously starred in Elvis Presley 1960 film "Rising Star" and in 1961, Irwin Allen's "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea" with Walter Pidgeon, along with then-husband, Michael Ansara. There are a lot of character actors. Arthur O'Connell plays the villain, Noah Beery, Jr., Royal Dano, and others. Some of the stop-motion effects are a bit dated, but the film holds up really well.My brother suggested I watch this years ago and it remains one of my favorites. Pop up some popcorn, grab some family and friends for this gentle fantasy, and enjoy!

This is another one of those films that I would catch bits and pieces of throughout the years; notably the 70s and early 80s, but never saw in its entirety until now. I would always see the Loch Ness monster scene, and other portions here and there, notably the end.Science fiction films typically deal with security issues or law enforcement. Fantasy films often, but not always, deal with allegorical delusional disorder, but sometimes a fantasy is generated to help cure people suffering heartache or other emotional ailments. Doctor Lao is such a person, and applies one fantasy after another to the afflicted of Abalone.When I saw portions of it as a kid I was under the impression that it was a more spiritual film. It isn't really, but in a kind of abstract way it is. For it's not only confronting people with the truth of their desires and honest feelings that they shun from the world and themselves, but also about the betterment of society through being true to heart and true to character. And, to borrow from another Asian themed teleplay, "Let time shape you, Grasshopper"; or let experience mold you into a better person.Tony Randall playing an Asian was probably race-based when the film was first cast, and in spite of portraying moments of a stereotype, he actually does an okay job of showing a man of Chinese extract who has not just magic, but the wisdom to apply it where necessary.My only gripe with this presentation is that the colors are somewhat muted. The film needed to be just a hair brighter, and hopefully if this film sees a 4k scan, we'll be able to see it in its original resolution and color grading as it was first released all those years ago.The stop motion is somewhat dated, but like a Harryhausen film those special effects just add to its charm. I guess all in all I do have a warm spot for this film. It reminds me of my younger days when the world was new and full of wonder and amazement. And how my friends and I tried to mimic the amazing things adults could do, but like the boy in the film who befriends Doctor Lao, how we always fell a few paces short--but not for want of trying.It's an old fashioned medium paced film that doesn't have a lot of rapid edits not a huge score nor flashy CGI, but old fashioned matte and stop motion special effects. If you remember the Harryhausen era with any fondness (and no, Ray Harryhausen was not involved in this film), then scope this film out.Definitely worth a night's viewing.

I first saw this movie while I was in the Army, and when I saw it on LaserDisc, I bought it immediately. This BD is a replacement for that analog format copy, and I have to say the higher quality doesn’t reveal any flaws.Tony Randal plays seven different roles (although it becomes clear they are all Dr. Lao) in this remarkable movie that has been hidden far too long. Of course, much of it is funny (it’s Tony Randal, after all), but the overall theme is fairly serious, about how people see themselves inaccurately.I recommend this movie without reservation. It should be seen far more widely that it has been.

Great old classic, one of Tony Randall best.

Very pleased that the copy I purchased from Rarewaves USA is actually Region Free, so no issues playing it on a UK Region 2 DVD player. It's also presented in wide-screen.Great film that I've been wanting to watch again for decades.For those that have mentioned that they think this film is racist, please know that it isn't.

dvd que je recherchais depuis longtemps ( necessite d'avoir un lecteur toutes zones ) sous titres en francais . VO impeccable. livraiosn hors delai mais excellent contact avec le vendeur.

Received this classic movie on time and in great condition. (I felt lucky that this movie was even available after all these years.) Tony Randall did a masterful job in playing seven different roles in the same movie and the cast did an excellent job in their supporting roles. For the pre-CGI era (1960's), the Ray Harryhausen special effects were excellent. The story line was charming and replete with moral lessons that will never lose their relevancy. Highly recommended.

Great!! My husband loves this movie and was thrilled that I found it for it him. It was just as quirky as I remembered it to be.

Awesome movie!! I first saw this just after it was released, and only once when it was shown on TV. It was truly great to be able to see it again!!