6.9 | / 10 |
Users | 4.5 | |
Reviewer | 2.5 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
Ted Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, wrote and helped design this eccentric fantasy about a young boy named Bart who, like most young boys, doesn't enjoy his piano lessons with the mean-spirited Dr. Terwilliker. He figures his time would be better spent playing baseball with his friends or helping his grown-up buddy Arthur Zabladowski, a plumber. One night, while fast asleep, Bart has a long and remarkable dream in which he's trapped in the kingdom of the fearsome Dr. T, who has enslaved hundreds of little boys, forcing them to practice on the world's largest piano until they drop. With the help of a friendly plumber, Bart plans a revolt that will topple Dr. T's evil empire once and for all.
Starring: Hans Conried, Tommy Rettig, George Chakiris, Alan Aric, Kim CharneyMusical | 100% |
Romance | 27% |
Family | Insignificant |
Fantasy | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.34:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.37:1
English: Dolby Digital 2.0 (448 kbps)
None
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (C untested)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 2.5 | |
Extras | 0.0 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
Most everyone has a "scarred for life" moment. Just as kids say the darndest things, parents make kids do the darndest things, usually with good intentions but sometimes to the detriment of their outlook on, or participation in, life, or at least a little sliver of it. Forced to dress in an embarrassing way, forced into participating in a disliked activity, or force-fed peas (ahem), childhood is defined by life-changing events, with that one negative experience that always stands out and carries on through for the rest of one's years. For little Bart Collins (Tommy Rettig), the protagonist of The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T, it was playing the piano, over and over, his little fingers figuratively beat over his head with it until his mind turned to mush and he could not even find refuge in the dream world, living out a nightmare of his, his mother's, and his piano teacher's own making. Note to parents: if a kid really, truly, deeply hates something that's not necessary to their well-being, don't make them do it, particularly if it involves a creepy, overzealous piano instructor. Or peas. Yuck.
"This is dumb!"
The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T features a rather stable and, for the most part, enjoyable 1080p transfer. The movie is presented in its native 4x3 aspect ratio, which places vertical "black bars" on either side of the 1.78:1 display. The image is largely attractive and filmic, with a moderately spiky, but even, grain field in tow. Details are fairly good, revealing the crudeness and relative cheapness of the dream world sets while accentuating basic textures on costumes, clothes, and random odds-and-ends seen in the Collins household. Colors aren't punchy, but they're well balanced, whether T's purple and black robe, yellow and blue henchmen costumes, or other colorful details throughout T's dream world institute. A hint of bleeding is evident, but it's never troublesome. Black levels and flesh tones appear fine. Sporadic pops and scratches appear, though never to the transfer's detriment. Overall, not a bad release from Mill Creek.
The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T features a nuts-and-bolts and aged Dolby Digital 2.0 soundtrack. Music never stretches; the two-channel track pushes score and song alike to the center, never allowing it to breathe or find enough space to shine. Clarity is lacking too. Notes are tight and scratchy. The lack of range and definition, and simply the material's aging elements, don't allow for much excitement. A few support effects squeeze in, like a growling dog, but the effect is likewise crunchy and poorly defined. Dialogue is at least clear and adequately detailed and, like the music, pushed to the center. Unlike the music, this is where the listener wants it to be.
This Blu-ray release of The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T contains no supplemental content. The top menu offers only a "Play Movie" button.
Word has it that Dr. Seuss all but disavowed The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T. He would never work on another screenplay again. The movie isn't really that bad. It's creative if not a bit limited. Its imagery matches up with its themes very well, through certainly there's an overflow of creepy henchmen and other weird sights (and sounds) that leave the movie a little worse off for their inclusion. But it's a good illustrative example of the way children become emotionally scarred. In a weird way, it's a movie every parent should watch. Mill Creek's Blu-ray is disappointingly, but unsurprisingly, featureless; a commentary with a childhood psychologist and a Seuss historian would have been most welcome. Video quality is fine and audio gets the job done, at least given the release's budget nature. Recommended.
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