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| Review Summary |
A elderly Chinese gentleman turns up in the sleepy Western town of Abalone, Arizona during the Depression and puts up posters to advertise the imminent arrival of his circus. Sights no one has ever seen are promised, and boy does Dr. Lao's little circus deliver! Characters from mythology, dreams, and nightmares -- from a dragon to a medusa -- turn up, and the citizens see themselves mirrored in and critiqued by the creatures. Gradually it becomes apparent that the strange, thousand-year-old mage is locked in a struggle for the town with businessman Clint Stark (O'Connell), who wants to buy up all the property and make a killing off the coming railroad. Special effects are decent for 1964, and though the story is not too subtle (it's based on a Charles G. Finney novel), it still makes a memorable unsung masterpiece. Peter Sellers was understandably director George Pal's first choice for the lead, but Tony Randall does an excellent job as Lao, Merlin, Pan, the Abominable Snowman, Medusa, a Giant Serpent, and Apollonius of Tyre (plus a member of the circus audience in the second show).
David Loftus, Resident Scholar
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Movie
Actual chase scenes or violence - 10%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzle - 40%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 50%
**Fantasy or Science Fiction?**
- fantasy story on present day Earth
Mental/Magical powers focus
Yes
Inner Struggle
Yes
Plotlet:
- search for identity/new understanding
- coping with special powers/seeking enlightenment
Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- mage/magician
Age:
- long lived adults
Has special powers?
Yes
Magical/mental powers of main character:
- can read emotions
- can change shapes
- fire/lightning/weather cntrl
- clairvoyant
- can cast many different spells
Eccentric:
Yes
- eccentric
Hair color?
- white/grey
Body type
- very skinny (man)
Ethnicity/Nationality
- Chinese
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor?
- Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence
- Very much smarter than other characters
Physique
- average physique
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 40's-50's
Profession/status:
- business executive
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- 40%
Body type
- average (man)
Ethnicity
- White
Intelligence
- Average Intelligence
Physical condition
- average physique
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
Setting
Earth setting:
- 20th Century (1900-1950)
Takes place on Earth?
Yes
Small town?
Yes
Style
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
Any profanity?
- None
Kinds of F/X
- Things that change shape/morph
Is this movie based on a
- book
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