This and Wax Museum were Warner's two colour horror films of the early 30s. Both were made by Michael Curtiz, both used the latest "two-strip" version of Technicolor, both had Ray Rennahan's marvellous imaginative, expressionist style of cinematography but whereas Wax Museum is good, Doctor X is bad - very, very bad.
It has an absolutely preposterous story with absurd, unlikeable caricatures instead of characters which makes it totally impossible for anyone to be able to engage with. The acting style is similar to what you'd have to endure watching a school play but worst of all it stars Lee Tracy. Of all the actors from the 1930s, Lee Tracy has to be the most annoying - simply seeing his inane grin starts my teeth grinding. He is the only person in the whole history of cinema whom I cannot stand (Apologies to any of his decedents - nothing personal, he's just not my cup of tea). The rest of the cast demonstrate just how terrible their acting skills are as well. These range from the worst over-acting I have seen in my life to appearing to be frozen with fear when confronted by a movie camera - is it some sort of wild animal that might attack them if they show any movement? And just to make it worse, Fay Wray is the lading lady. Is this why Lee Tracy is there? He's the only person who could actually make her look like she could act.
Lee Tracy is probably there because this film is so utterly humourless some bright spark thought adding his unique chirpy, fun (for that read, loathsome and irritating) personality. This policy results in making a dull and humourless story a dull and humourless and annoying story. The style of clearly copying the earlier horror films being made up the road at Universal especially Dracula. There's the same eerie shadows, the tilted camera angles peering behind angular sets and long silent pauses between scenes to build up the tension but just when you're expecting something scary to happen in walks Lee Tracy. Whereas in Wax Museum made the following year, the two-strip Technicolor is fantastic and really enhances the film, in this one it sort of detracts. It looks like a debilitating green gas has pervaded the whole set which might explain why the acting is so bad?
It has an absolutely preposterous story with absurd, unlikeable caricatures instead of characters which makes it totally impossible for anyone to be able to engage with. The acting style is similar to what you'd have to endure watching a school play but worst of all it stars Lee Tracy. Of all the actors from the 1930s, Lee Tracy has to be the most annoying - simply seeing his inane grin starts my teeth grinding. He is the only person in the whole history of cinema whom I cannot stand (Apologies to any of his decedents - nothing personal, he's just not my cup of tea). The rest of the cast demonstrate just how terrible their acting skills are as well. These range from the worst over-acting I have seen in my life to appearing to be frozen with fear when confronted by a movie camera - is it some sort of wild animal that might attack them if they show any movement? And just to make it worse, Fay Wray is the lading lady. Is this why Lee Tracy is there? He's the only person who could actually make her look like she could act.
Lee Tracy is probably there because this film is so utterly humourless some bright spark thought adding his unique chirpy, fun (for that read, loathsome and irritating) personality. This policy results in making a dull and humourless story a dull and humourless and annoying story. The style of clearly copying the earlier horror films being made up the road at Universal especially Dracula. There's the same eerie shadows, the tilted camera angles peering behind angular sets and long silent pauses between scenes to build up the tension but just when you're expecting something scary to happen in walks Lee Tracy. Whereas in Wax Museum made the following year, the two-strip Technicolor is fantastic and really enhances the film, in this one it sort of detracts. It looks like a debilitating green gas has pervaded the whole set which might explain why the acting is so bad?