With this week’s release of historical drama Wakolda, we take a look at the evilest doctors of the cinema screen.
Physicians, GPs, physiatrists, dentists: all MDS with the occupation to help…or kill as the case may be. Doctors are prominent figures in society and have become prominent figures of the silver screen as well. They have varied from heroic to the downright deadly and we take a look at our top 5 that have terrified audiences over the years.
Argentine drama Wakolda examines the true story of Nazi physician and war criminal Josef Mengele, who became infamous for his horrific experiments on his Jewish prisoners, children and pregnant women. The film takes place after Mengele has fled to South America where he resides at the hotel of an Argentine family. First coming off as intelligent and charismatic, the family are unaware of the man they are allowing into their home.
To celebrate the UK release of Wakolda, in cinemas Friday 8th August, we take a look at our favourite 5 evil doctors in film.
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) Dir. Robert Wiene
‘I must know everything. I must penetrate the heart of his secret!’
The cult classic silent horror film The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is rightly concerned by many as the pinnacle of German Expressionist cinema. Its stylistic techniques and abstract setting introduced audiences to something that they had never seen before; not to mention a spooky and sadistic narrative.
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari follows the peculiar life of Dr. Caligari who has hypnotised a young man, Cesare, claiming to a young couple that he can predict the future. Dr. Caligari awakens Cesare from his death-like hypnosis and claims that he will die before dawn. After a man in the neighbourhood is killed, the finger is pointed at Cesare, who is still believed to be under the power of Dr. Caligari.
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is considered to be a landmark film in the horror and silent film genre. The film has influenced many artists and filmmakers over the years and even spawned a sequel and remake; both of which were universally panned. Dr. Caligari remains a profound and terrifying doctor that film world has ever seen.
Frankenstein (1931) Dir. James Whale
‘It’s alive!’
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein has spawned many adaptations over the years, but its greatest interpretation to date has to be the 1931 version, directed by James Whale. This image of Frankenstein’s monster has become an iconographic element of cinema for the past eight decades and remains as prominent now as it did during its initial release.
Colin Clive stars as Dr. Henry Frankenstein, a young Swiss scientist who, alongside his assistant, attempt to piece together human body parts as a way to bring back the dead. Frankenstein has been working long and hard to create human life through electrical procedures and his wish finally comes true. What starts off as a revolutionary experiment soon takes a drastic turn when his monster (portrayed by horror icon Boris Karloff) causes havoc across the town.
Dr. Henry Frankenstein is one of cinema’s first notable doctors and is the ultimate mad scientist. Although some may not consider him necessarily evil, he doesn’t exactly fit the description of Dr. Zhivago.