Quick Reviews: 7 Faces of Dr. Lao

So this hasn't...well, aged well.  In spite of this, it won an Oscar, so let me cover it like it's a Classic Film with no conditions...

The titular Dr. Lao comes to a Western Town with his Circus.

It's a shame that no Asian Actors were around in 1964, right?

There's barely a Plot- some Trump-like guy wants to sell the Town- so let me just focus on what won this Film an Honorary Oscar.

Tony Randall plays multiple Characters here, including this Soothsayer...

Merlin (taking time away from making magic powder for Santa Claus in the 5th Dimension)...

...and this 'Sea Monster' (among others).

Well, they SAY he plays this creature, but it's a mix of puppet and Claymation, so...I guess Ray Harryhausen was a prolific Actor too.

He also plays Pan, who seduces a School Teacher by turning into the visage of her would-be Boyfriend.  So now a 2nd person is playing Pan, eh Tony?

Seriously though, this Film was made FOR ALL AGES even though Pan was going to straight up bone that lady if nobody walked in!

The main Plot is undone by use of Stock Footage (from another George Pal Film about Atlantis) and magic.

For one last Scene though, the Koi Fish turns into Nessie when it is out of water.  Just go with it!

Lao leaves and everyone is better...I guess.  The End.

What an odd Film.  The basic premise is kind of interesting.  There's obviously a lot of racial stuff to unpack with it.  If you can get put that aside, the Plot kind of starts and stops quite often.  Here's all of the Plot set-up in the first 20 minutes.  Now we're going to just hang out at Dr. Lao's Circus and progress pretty much none of it.  More Plot!  Now look at more Circus stuff.  Hey, it's me Plot again!  They could have blended this together a lot more smoothly.  Some stuff with the titular 'faces' are important for Characters, but could easily be used to move the Story forward.  Likewise, you could have paced the Circus stuff out more evenly.  In the end, this is a spectacle for silly make-up effects and a gimmick that is pretty unnecessary.  Is it impressive that you made Randall up in 6 different looks?  Sure.  Did you need to do it?  No.  Oh well, enjoy your Oscar.  Speaking of Randall, he does show up as himself in a Cameo, but they had to give him a (modified) lady's wig to look like himself!

A bizarre little Film that is a great showcase for make-up effects.  When it comes to everything else, not so much.