Review of The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T. (1953) by Andy B — 20 Apr 2010

It was one unemployed morning a few weeks ago, I awoke with nothing to do, I had had my toast and watched Frasier as usual but I was then left with very few prospects for entertaining things to do with the many hours left in the long and winding day. Then suddenly I heard the in the background the familiar ramblings of Channel 4's regular Geordie voice over bloke and for once he had something nothing to do with Big Brother and instead something interesting to say, and that was the title of the morning film to follow the adverts. [b]The 5,000 Fingers Of Dr T[/b], now who wouldn't be drawn in by a title like that, even better than that the opening credits revealed the film to based on a book by none other than the genius that was Dr Seuss.

The films main character was the little lad from Lassie and its his mission to foil the mad plan of his piano teacher Dr Terwilliker to enslave 500 young boys to play his giant piano 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Working for Dr T in his piano institute/prison are various umoopa loompa style hench men, in the dungeons a few what can only be described as gimp like stooges, and best of all possible the greatest ever henchman, far better than Jaws or OddJob from the Bond films, I can't remember if they had a name but they were a pair of roller blading twins conjoined by a single 10 foot beard.

This film was appeared disturbing to me as its basically about a slightly foreign man attempting to imprison 500 young boys for his own entertainment. And I am not generally someone who is disturbed easily but consider the fact it was made in 1953, that makes the film as old as my mother which let me tell you is resonably old.

I don't know if this film has been released on dvd or vhs but if it has find it and watch it as believe me you need this in your life.