IMDb > "Dr. Terrible's House of Horrible" (2001) > Reviews & Ratings - IMDb
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14 out of 14 people found the following review useful:
Sapphic vampirism - the love that dare not spell its name, 11 February 2002
Author: chris.murray3 from Mirfield, West Yorkshire

I am somewhat bemused by the relatively luke warm reaction that this sublime series has received. Yes it is all nonsense but that is the idea. The most common, and most ill informed, criticism is that it is merely parodying old Hammer films. This is true of the first story "Vampire Lovers of Lesbian Lust". As the title unsubtley suggests it is a pastiche on those latter day, early seventies Hammer films, such as The Vampire Lovers and Lust for a Vampire, which mixed vampirism with lesbianism, and briefly stayed Hammer's commercial decline. Other installments have found other targets. And Now the Fearing, the best episode, brilliant takes the mickey out of those sixties/seventies Portmanteau films made by British horror studio Amicus (a series that included Doctor Terror's House of Horror). Scream Satan Scream is a spoof of witchhunting, non Hammer films such as The Witchfinder General and The Mark of the Devil. Hand of Tongs takes its starting point from the Fu Manchu stories though it does share many plot similarities with the 1977 Doctor Who story The Talons of Weng-Chiang. Rather than disguising its roots the series does give nods to its influences. The linking story in And Now the Fearing is set in an office complex known as Amicus House. Scream Satan Scream features a dwarf named Tigon, that being the name of the production company responsible for The Witchfinder General. The opening shot of Hand of Tongs shows a sign reading Talon Street E.14. The Talons of Weng-Chiang featured in Doctor Who's classic fourteenth season. Doctor Terrible was without doubt a televisual highlight from 2001. If you disagree with me all I can say is - "You, Sir, are a big crab!

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5 out of 7 people found the following review useful:
Oh come on, it's TV not real life....., 20 January 2002
Author: propsguy from Toronto

Saying that Dr. Terrible's....etc. is silly and pointless is a bit like saying that Royston Vasey is an odd place, of course it is, it's meant to be. I think that you have to take it at face value and not read too much into it. I always figure that if I laugh at least once in a half hour, it's all good. anything else is gravy, and I laughed way more than once. Cap't Slater was great. Just remember it's TV, it's FREE.

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2 out of 2 people found the following review useful:
Fantastic, 22 September 2006
7/10
Author: mastersmithson from United Kingdom

This show is so funny and well written.

The jokes are so obviously but the audiences don't actually expect them thus resulting in laughter once said, one that would stick with me is 'I kicked her head in...the fire'

This is one of Steve Coogans best bits.

Like many other TV shows however, it has its bad bits, but the hilarity of the show and the plots will let make you forget about that in no time soon!

At least give it a try, it's like one of those things which you need to watch, just to say you have seen a classic piece of comedy, especially because of Coogan in his prime!

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3 out of 4 people found the following review useful:
Not as bad as people make out., 17 December 2002
Author: Robski from United Kingdom

Dr Terribles house of Horrible is a clever pastiche of tacky seventies horror movies. Each episode is introduced by the same character, the bald headed Dr Terrible, and the stories evolve from there. Steve Coogan plays the main character in each one.

Especially memorable is the Fu Manchu spoof and the spoof of the early seventies horror movies, such as Tales from the Crypt, where several characters would tell a tale of doom.

Coogan fans watched expecting Alan Partridge. To fans of horror this will be appreciated.

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1 out of 1 people found the following review useful:
Steve Coogan + Classic Movies = Pure Comedy, 26 December 2011
9/10
Author: aczilla-1 from United States

Steve Coogan is a master of character acting, and I would not disagree with any comparisons made between him and the late Peter Sellers. As a writer, he has a cultured background from which to create comedy, and he does so with style in this movie spoof anthology. If you are like me and grew up watching the classic British horror of Hammer Studios, the European spy stories of Sax Rohmer, and the psychological terror tales of the 1970s from the likes of David Cronenberg, then you will be delighted to see all of those film genres and more showcased here. Coogan's tales gives a stunning visual appreciation to their strengths while he pokes fun at their flaws, and he makes multiple references to the old films and their creators that can be a challenge for movie buffs to catch in one viewing, weaving both highbrow humor and lowbrow innuendo together to create something that stands on even footing with Monty Python and Mel Brooks with its high degree of wit. Vampires, voodoo, megalomaniac super-villains, science gone wrong, nightmares, and devil worship all play a part in this series, and the only thing that keeps me from giving it a perfect ten is that it never lost its pace but only lasted six episodes. Even though ten years have passed since its inception, I would look forward with great anticipation to a second series that gives a good-natured ribbing to these great films.

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1 out of 1 people found the following review useful:
Out-hams the Hammer, 19 April 2005
Author: The-Atlantean (drakhir@gmail.com) from Devon, England

Great stuff. The parodies are spot on, and with a class cast, this makes for a far more subtle vignette than can be seen at first glance. If you are an 'appreciater' of the late 60s, early 70s Hammer films (often with either Mr Lee or Mr Cushing), you should find much in this to enjoy. Of course Steve Coogan hams it up, but why else are you watching it? It's a little telling when you realise that it's no less ridiculous than the films it is sending up, and Dr Terrible is always a source of mirth.

I have not seen all the episodes, but the ones I have often encapsulate a whole sub-genre within the horror theme. There is only the one series, and it is a shame the BBC (once more) didn't have strength of character enough to commission more.

The title tells it all - and the series lives up to it admirably. It's the sort of thing you will like, if you like this sort of thing.

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2 out of 3 people found the following review useful:
Jolly good, 15 May 2007
8/10
Author: Thorsten-Krings from Germany

I quite liked DHHT. I picks up motives from popular horror films and turns them into spoofs. So one has to bear in mind that it's a different concept from Allan Partridge and also a complete different kind of humour. It certainly beats Carry on Screaming. Anyway, the writers really have a very good knowledge of the classic English horror film and portray it very lovingly with a lot of detail. That clearly shows in the quality of the sets, the costumes etc. Although funny it's never disrespectful. The stories are absurd but they work quite well as opposed to being just a series of one liners. That's difficult to achieve with a genre parody. It's also quite comprehensive in taking on all aspects of the horror film. So if you're a Hammer fan you'll enjoy this. If you're looking for "typical" Coogan, forget it. BTW: Honor Blackmann still cuts a nice figure at well over 70.

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2 out of 3 people found the following review useful:
More silliness from Steve Coogan., 9 January 2002
Author: matthew-58 from England

I've only seen the last episode of this series, "Scream Satan Scream!", but I have to say it was rather good. It wasn't laugh out loud funny, but neither was Alan Partridge. In fact, Captain Tobias Slater is one of the best characters I've seen Coogan play. He is a really nasty piece of work. As for Dr Terrible himself (or should that be itself?), it's hard to believe that is Coogan under all that. It would be a shame if there isn't another series of "Dr Terrible", since it would appear to be the best vehicle yet for Coogan's versatility.

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Original Stiff, 4 January 2010
9/10
Author: blindstalkerwxc from Belgium

Great too see something out of the ordinary by steve coogan, and pretty unknown but good cast.

The 6 stories ( i think ) are of equal quality, they are original , more funny than scary , but that makes it the much more enjoyable.

The only thing missing is your fair of nudity that would get you arroused if not stiff enough to see all six episodes in an entire afternoon.

Overall good performances by all the actors, and steve coogan. He does possess that dark aura that not all comedians have .

In conclusion; you could be pleasantly surprised by this horror/sci-fi comedy series.

Have a nice stiff one.

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I'm different I guess, 21 January 2006
Author: Keith-James-Burrows from United States

I know this show wasn't very popular, but I really enjoyed this series. I can see the problems people had with it, but to me they are far outweighed by the good parts.

It was a little uneven but many of the parodies were spot on and there were several hilarious lines that have stuck with me such as the dancer with the murderous voodoo feet saying "It's my feet... they're killing me!"

If you are on the fence about this show, don't watch the first episode. It is easily the weakest. Start with the Sherlock Holmes-ish episode or the aforementioned Voodoo Feet of Death.

Give it a try, this show has many positives and if you enjoy it half as much as I did, it will be worth your time.

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