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Doctor X

Play trailer Poster for Doctor X 1932,  1h 20m,  Horror Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist 83% 12 Reviews Tomatometer 49% 250+ Ratings Popcornmeter
83% Tomatometer 12 Reviews 49% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
New York City reporter Lee Taylor (Lee Tracy) is doing a piece on a series of grisly, cannibalistic murders that have all been committed under a full moon. Police soon begin to suspect that the murderer works at the lab of Dr. Jerry Xavier (Lionel Atwill), a mysterious Long Island researcher who is doing an investigation of his own. Antsy for an inside story, Taylor breaks into the lab, where he meets and falls in love with Dr. Xavier's daughter Joan (Fay Wray).

Critics Reviews

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David Nusair Reel Film Reviews Oct 6, 2024
2.5/4
...the picture benefits from an agreeably over-the-top final stretch... Go to Full Review
Lee Jutton Film Inquiry May 8, 2021
Doctor X is often more silly than scary-but for classic film lovers, it's a must-see thanks to some groundbreaking Max Factor makeup, gorgeous cinematography, and a performance from one of the most iconic scream queens of all time, Fay Wray. Go to Full Review
Raquel Stecher Out of the Past May 6, 2021
a wonderful mad scientist mystery with plenty spooks, a few laughs and some sex thrown in for good measure Go to Full Review
Ellie Lucas From the Front Row May 4, 2021
3/4
A gruesome little chiller, made even more lurid by the sickly green hues of its early Technicolor. Go to Full Review
Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Apr 23, 2021
3/4
A pre-Code sensibility combined with the eerie look of early two-strip Technicolor add up to a rather grisly chiller. Go to Full Review
Pablo Villaça Cinema em Cena Nov 22, 2006
2/5
O technicolor de duas cores e a influncia clara do expressionismo alemo criam belas imagens e uma boa atmosfera, mas a trama ridcula e o personagem de Tracy irritante e parece ter sado de um cartoon. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Hagrid S Sep 10, 2018 This colorized film is an amazing watch just for the visuals. A surprisingly good amount of effects is used and the pacing isn't too slow. See more
Draco P Aug 21, 2017 Oof. Not a good one, even for the camp value. The premise is interesting enough: a "Moon Killer" is on the loose, murdering and surgically cutting off portions of his victims. This leads police to Dr. Xavier and his assistants, all of whom become suspects, and the laboratories these men use have all the requisite special effects circa 1932. The biggest problem with the film is Lee Tracy, who plays a snooping newspaper reporter who clowns around, makes lame jokes, and repeatedly uses an asinine hand buzzer. The film is quite tedious to sit through, and several scenes seem elongated or 'filler' even for a total run time of 77 minutes. Another issue is that despite the use of darkness, shadows, and ominous faces, there really is no tension. The film is predictable and character motivations are absurd, so that even if you suspend disbelief and accept Dr. Xavier's theory about detecting the killer through an elaborate experiment measuring anatomical reaction, you still end up thinking, man, this is so stupid. At least I did anyway. I'm surprised others find it 'creepy' - even the slathering on of "synthetic flesh" does not produce a reaction of horror, as other great films in this genre will. Silly and annoying right up to that last scene at the end. See more
Hagrid G Aug 7, 2017 Surprisingly enjoyable and beautifully designed early Michael Curtiz comedy-thriller, full of baroque performances and expressionist lighting. Lionel Atwill occasionally seems to stumble over his lines, but that may be a reaction to the nonsense he has to spout. Whatever, for a movie made in 1932 it more than stands up today. See more
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Doctor X

My Rating

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Movie Info

Synopsis New York City reporter Lee Taylor (Lee Tracy) is doing a piece on a series of grisly, cannibalistic murders that have all been committed under a full moon. Police soon begin to suspect that the murderer works at the lab of Dr. Jerry Xavier (Lionel Atwill), a mysterious Long Island researcher who is doing an investigation of his own. Antsy for an inside story, Taylor breaks into the lab, where he meets and falls in love with Dr. Xavier's daughter Joan (Fay Wray).
Director
Michael Curtiz
Screenwriter
Robert Tasker, Earl Baldwin
Distributor
Warner Bros.
Production Co
First National Pictures
Genre
Horror
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Aug 3, 1932, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 1, 2009
Runtime
1h 20m
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