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7.6/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 7.6/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. The Mad Doctor remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
You should absolutely watch The Mad Doctor if you have any interest in how dark early animation was willing to get. It’s not for the faint of heart, or for parents who want their kids to sleep soundly tonight.
It’s a bizarre, frantic, and honestly kind of terrifying little short. You watch it and realize that back in 1933, they weren't just trying to make you giggle; they were trying to give you the creeps.
Mickey arrives at this castle during a thunderstorm, which is a classic trope, but the way he has to navigate past skeletons and ghosts is surprisingly grim. There's a moment where he gets stuck to a wall by a magnet, and the way his little body flattens out looks almost painful. It's weirdly tactile for something drawn on paper.
The Mad Doctor himself is a piece of work. He’s got that manic, wide-eyed energy that feels like he hasn't slept in a decade. He’s planning to swap Pluto’s brain with a chicken's. Why? The movie doesn't care, and honestly, neither do I. It’s just disturbing enough to work.
The animation style reminded me a bit of the frantic pacing in The Waif, where everything just feels like it's spiraling out of control. It’s not smooth, and it’s not polished, but that’s exactly why it sticks in your head.
I found myself wondering if this influenced later horror tropes more than I’d like to admit. It’s a bit like watching Queen of the Northwoods if it were stripped of all the dignity and replaced with rubber-hose physics and high-stakes dog kidnapping.
Is it a masterpiece? Probably not. Is it a strange, dark slice of history that you can't look away from? Definitely. 🐭🦴