DOCTOR X (1932)

• Director: Michael Curtiz
• Cast: Lionel Atwill, Fay Wray, Lee Tracy
• Film: 77mins | USA | Subtitles + Intermission
• Event: 20:45 – 23:10 [18+]

“A PRESCRIPTION FOR FRIGHT!”

An eminent scientist aims to solve a recent series of grisly murders by re-creating the crimes in his lab.

Cult film night BAR TRASH continues with CELLULOID JAM, an unofficial celebration of 50 years of THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW (1975).

Referenced in ROCKY HORROR’s lusciously lip-synched opening number — ‘Science Fiction/Double Feature’ (mouthed by Patricia Quinn and sung by Richard O’Brien) — DOCTOR X (1932) is not often screened but pretty much always misunderstood given O’Brien’s mischievous lyric, “Doctor X will build a creature”.

DOCTOR X isn’t a creature feature exactly…, more a murder-mystery about an eminent scientist attempting to solve a recent series of grisly murders by recreating them in his research lab filled with all the dials, gizmos, bubbling beakers, and crackling electrostatic charges essential to the horror genre. A pre-Code classic made before Hollywood started to censor itself, DOCTOR X delights in the devilish details, as the serial killer is revealed to be eating the victims…

DOCTOR X was shot in glorious two-colour Technicolor (restored here, and looking incredible!) and features Lionel Atwill (SON OF FRANKENSTEIN) as Doctor Xavier, the sublime Fay Wray (before she got romanced by a giant ape in KING KONG) as daughter, Joanne, and Lee Tracy (THE BEST MAN) as a wisecracking journalist trying to piece the whole story together. From renowned director Michael Curtiz (CASABLANCA, MILDRED PIERCE), DOCTOR X is a deliriously demented slice of sensationalist cinema.

Polite notice: We are showing DOCTOR X with subtitles from the best available digital source. 

// Part of BAR TRASH: CELLULOID JAM, a fan-powered celebration of THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW. Hosted by queer film fanatic Token Homo (creator of BAR TRASH and QUEER HORROR NIGHTS), all films screen with an introduction, intermission, and subtitles/captions (where possible!). Tickets from £3.50. Adults 18+ only. Follow @tokenhomo on Instagram for news and updates. //