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Dr. Cyclops

Play trailer Poster for Dr. Cyclops Released Apr 12, 1940 1h 15m Sci-Fi Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
79% Tomatometer 14 Reviews 56% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
To assist with his work due to his failing eyesight, renowned biologist Dr. Alexander Thorkel (Albert Dekker) invites two prominent scientists and a mineralogist to his hidden Amazon jungle laboratory. Thorkel remains evasive about the nature of his experiments, and after the team evaluates his bacteria slides, he orders them away. When they refuse, Thorkel and his servant trick them into a chamber where Thorkel shrinks them down to microscopic size, and they escape to the terrifying jungle.

Critics Reviews

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Variety Staff Variety Story and direction both fail to catch and hold interest. Mar 26, 2009 Full Review B.R. Crisler New York Times Dr. Cyclops is the best bad picture of the year, an epic of silliness, and, more than that, a triumph of the process screen and the department of trick effects all combined very tastefully with Technicolor. Mar 25, 2006 Full Review Tom Milne Time Out An engaging fantasy with brilliantly executed (though mostly rather unimaginative) special effects which look back to The Devil Doll and forward to The Incredible Shrinking Man. Jan 26, 2006 Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Albert Dekker delivers a chilling performance. Rated: 2.5/4 Jan 27, 2022 Full Review Kieron Moore Starburst The story and characterisation is where this movie falls apart, even given the fact that you know from the start it's going to be schlocky. Rated: 5/10 Aug 25, 2017 Full Review Alan Jones Radio Times The standard plot now looks hackneyed, and the cueball-headed Dekker is stereotypically crazy. However, the impressive array of oversize props make this a lot of fun to watch. Rated: 3/5 Oct 19, 2016 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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georgan g Made in 1940, the special effects are loads of fun. The mad scientist is well acted. This old movie is much better that I expected! Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member The best 01 hour: and 15 minutes ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/11/23 Full Review Audience Member Childhood memory was a menacing Dekker, not so much now. The special effects and set design are still amazing. Novice actors in the supporting hurts Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/23/23 Full Review Audience Member A mad scientist working in the South American jungle miniaturizes his colleagues when he feels his megalomania is threatened. Director: Ernest B. Schoedsack ,Schoedsack and O'Brien launched their most ambitious project to date: the matchless fantasy classic King Kong (1933) ( also with Wray). This film must have had a above average budget as it was filmed Color: Color (Technicolor) good for 1940 schlock sfi-fi . It all looks so familiar now, but by placing the film in its historical perspective--novel special effects, Technicolor, and the directorial pull of Schoedsack--one can understand its sensational attraction at its time. Beautifully crafted trash that should appeal to all lovers of sci-fi, horror and cult cinema. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/14/23 Full Review Audience Member It's not Shrinking Man, but the colorful atmosphere and story-parallels make this a fun watch. Effects are decent, the props are neat, and there some good elements of suspense. The story is a little weak and there are some dumb moments. Otherwise, it's a fulfilling film. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/02/23 Full Review Audience Member I'm surprised the audience rating is not higher. Considering that this is a WWII-era film, the effects and the story telling were first rate. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/24/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Dr. Cyclops

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Cast & Crew

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Ernest B. Schoedsack

Director

Albert Dekker

Dr. Alexander Thorkel

Janice Logan

Dr. Mary Robinson

Thomas Coley

Bill Stockton

Charles Halton

Dr. Bulfinch

Victor Kilian

Steve Baker

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Dr. Cyclops

Dr. Cyclops (1940) Dr. Cyclops (1940) Dr. Cyclops (1940) Dr. Cyclops (1940) Dr. Cyclops (1940) Dr. Cyclops (1940) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis To assist with his work due to his failing eyesight, renowned biologist Dr. Alexander Thorkel (Albert Dekker) invites two prominent scientists and a mineralogist to his hidden Amazon jungle laboratory. Thorkel remains evasive about the nature of his experiments, and after the team evaluates his bacteria slides, he orders them away. When they refuse, Thorkel and his servant trick them into a chamber where Thorkel shrinks them down to microscopic size, and they escape to the terrifying jungle.
Director
Ernest B. Schoedsack
Producer
Dale Van Every
Screenwriter
Tom Kilpatrick
Distributor
Paramount Pictures
Production Co
Paramount Pictures
Genre
Sci-Fi
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Apr 12, 1940, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 5, 2016
Runtime
1h 15m