Dr. Cyclops

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Dr. Cyclops

1940

1h 15m

Sci-Fi

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Popcornmeter

79%

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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.

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Variety Staff

Variety

03/26/2009

Story and direction both fail to catch and hold interest.

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B.R. Crisler

New York Times

03/25/2006

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.

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Tom Milne

Time Out

01/26/2006

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.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

01/27/2022

2.5/4

Albert Dekker delivers a chilling performance.

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Kieron Moore

Starburst

08/25/2017

5/10

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.

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Alan Jones

Radio Times

10/19/2016

3/5

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.

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Noel L

22h

Now I know where the idea of "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" came from

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georgan g

09/19/2022

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!

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06/20/2022

The best 01 hour: and 15 minutes ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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09/20/2020

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

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03/27/2019

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.

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05/06/2015

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.

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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

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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

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