The FrightFest Guide to Mad Doctor Movies By Dr. John Llewellyn Probert – Book Review
Following the success of the previous six editions: The FrightFest Guide to Exploitation Movies, Monster Movies, Ghost Movies, Werewolf Movies, Grindhouse Movies, and Vampire Movies, this is the latest in a series of wide appeal books for both the curious spectator and the cult connoisseur.
Ever since the dawn of cinema, filmmakers have been depicting on screen the potential outcomes of medical madness and science gone sick. Now join surgeon, author, film critic and not-at-all-mad Doctor (at least according to him) John Llewellyn Probert as he takes a detailed look at the history of one of the most enduring archetypes in cinema, with an introductory overview of the genre followed by reviews of over 200 key mad doctor movies.
In addition to critical appraisal, the author’s own medical background allows him to provide a unique insight into just how well the filmmakers have done their homework. And who better to provide a foreword then notorious director Tom Six, who shocked filmgoers across the globe with his 100% medically accurate Human Centipede, and its sequels.
THE FRIGHTFEST GUIDE TO MAD DOCTORS makes for a delightfully glossy and colourful book, crammed with anecdotes, corrections of medical procedures performed in some of the movies detailed within and a detailed knowledge of the genre evident and permeating throughout. I could have done without nearly forty pages of introduction, it’s a bit like sitting through endless trailers before the main feature at the cinema, and I just wanted to stuck in to the film titles that are detailed and critiqued by our author.
From the start though, and even during the endless introduction section, I was learning. Who knew that THE HUMAN CENTIPEDE director Tom Six was instrumental in subjecting the world to the early 00’s TV phenomenon that was BIG BROTHER, and that his signature movie/trilogy was correct in marketing itself as being a 100% medically accurate?
Sometimes the text can become a bit samey and, in part, that’s due to the fact that many mad doctor movies have similar plot devices – there’s more movies than you’d expect that had disfiguration come about as a result of a conveniently to-hand container of acid – however our author knows his subject and there’s plenty here that’s familiar to genre fans and other film titles that might have slipped their attention, and in some cases, deservedly so too.
The FrightFest exclusive hardcover will be on sale for just £25, and people not attending the festival, which takes place Thurs 24 August – Mon 28 August, won’t miss out as they have the option to pre-order the book from www.fabpress.com – pre-ordered books will ship the first week of September.
The Paperback publication date is 24 October 2023.
Hardcover ISBN: 9781913051310. Trade Paperback ISBN: 9781913051327