The Doctor and the Devils (1985)

Grave robbers supply a doctor with bodies to test on.

Director:

Freddie Francis

Writers:

Dylan Thomas (earlier screenplay), Ronald Harwood

Stars:

Timothy Dalton, Jonathan Pryce, Twiggy

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Timothy Dalton	...	Doctor Thomas Rock
Jonathan Pryce	...	Robert Fallon
Twiggy	...	Jennie Bailey
Julian Sands	...	Dr. Murray
Stephen Rea	...	Timothy Broom
Phyllis Logan	...	Elizabeth Rock
Lewis Fiander	...	Dr. Thornton
Beryl Reid	...	Mrs. Flynn
T.P. McKenna	...	O'Connor
Patrick Stewart	...	Prof. Macklin
Siân Phillips	...	Annabella Rock
Phil Davis	...	Billy Bedlam (as Philip Davis)
Philip Jackson	...	Andrew Merry-Lees
Danny Schiller	...	Praying Howard
Bruce Green	...	Mole

Storyline

In the Nineteenth Century, the renowned professor of anatomy Dr. Thomas Rock gives classes to neophyte medicine students in the local university. Dr. Rock uses his assistant Dr. Murray to buy corpses for his experiments from body snatchers paying a little fortune for the cadavers. When the alcoholic scum Robert Fallon and Timothy Broom overhear the conversation of grave-robbers about Dr. Rock, they decide to supply fresher corpses that worth more to the doctor, killing the poor inhabitants. Dr. Murray has unrequited feelings for the cockney whore Jennie Bailey that usually hangs around with the also prostitute Alice. When Dr. Murray discovers that Fallon has just sold the corpse of Alice, he seeks out the worthless Fallon and Broom to stop them from murdering Jennie. Will he arrive in time o save Jennie?

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Plot Keywords:

corpse | doctor | grave robber | lecture | scientist | 

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Genres:

Horror | Drama

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 October 1985 (USA)

Also Known As:

O Médico e os Monstros

Filming Locations:

Lee International Studios, Shepperton, Surrey, England, UK

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$22,559, 6 October 1985, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$147,070

Company Credits

Production Co:

Brooksfilms,Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Freddie Jones was offered a cameo role.

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Goofs

The song Jennie sings in the tavern ("Whisper and I Shall Hear") was not written until 1891, while the Burke and Hare murders on which the film is based took place in 1828.

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Quotes

Doctor Thomas Rock: I set myself up as a God over death.

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Connections

Version of The Body Snatcher (1945)

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Soundtracks

WHISPER AND I SHALL HEAR
(1891)
Sung by Twiggy
Music by M. Piccolomini
Words by Georgeanne Hubi-Newcombe (as C. Hubi Newcombe)

User Reviews

Doctor And The Devils

Nice retelling of the Burke and Hare murder case, which was about 2 low- life lads in the early part of the 19th century selling off bodies to an all too eager Doctor Of Anatomy. They started off grave robbing, but realized they could get more money if they had fresher bodies.... Actually, this seems more of a remake of the excellent "The Flesh And The Fiends " movie from 1960.., They've made the right move by trimming the plot and getting rid of some characters, perhaps they put more of a cliff hanger ending in there, but that's OK. Of course, Timothy Dalton is no Peter Cushing, but we'll let that slide. Actually contains a great cast for it's time.