Line #9 Film/SevenFacesOfDrLao


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3	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/7FacesOfDrLao_7178.jpg]]
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5	->'''Dr. Lao:''' Every time you watch a rainbow and feel wonder in your heart, you are part of the Circus of Dr. Lao.
6	->'''Mike:''' I don't understand.
7	->'''Dr. Lao:''' Neither do I!
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9	''7 Faces of Dr. Lao'' is a 1964 fantasy film from {{Creator/MGM}}, [[FilmOfTheBook based on]] the 1935 novel ''Literature/TheCircusOfDoctorLao'' by Charles G. Finney, directed by Creator/GeorgePal, and starring Creator/BarbaraEden, Arthur O'Connell, John Ericson, Kevin Tate, and Creator/TonyRandall in a ''tour de force'' [[DoubleVision performance]] as the eponymous Chinese showman, the [[BigfootSasquatchAndYeti Abominable Snowman]], [[BlindSeer Apollonius of Tyana]], the Giant Serpent, [[Myth/ClassicalMythology Medusa]], [[Myth/{{Merlin}} Merlin the Magician]], [[Myth/ClassicalMythology Pan]], and [[PreviousPlayerCharacterCameo an unmade-up, anonymous, and silent member]] of his own audience.
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11	The film greatly altered the plot and softened the mordant tone of the original novel, opting rather for a sense of whimsy and wonder, reflected in the score by Leigh Harline, best known for scoring Creator/{{Disney}}'s ''WesternAnimation/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs'' and ''WesternAnimation/{{Pinocchio}}''. Unfortunately, despite an extraordinary performance by Randall and some (though not all) of the other cast (Kevin Tate as Mike is a stand-out), and the admirable visual effects -- for which SFX artist Jim Danforth received an UsefulNotes/AcademyAward nomination and makeup artist William Tuttle an Honorary [[UsefulNotes/AcademyAward Oscar]] -- the film has something of the feel of a made-for-TV movie, exacerbated by the use of stock footage from ''Atlantis, the Lost Continent'' and ''Film/{{The Time Machine\|1960}}'', with unconvincing interspersed shots of the cast in ancient costume. It did not do well when it came out, but as the years have gone by, it has come into its own, and is now widely regarded as a fantasy classic.
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13	----
14	!!Tropes:
15	* AdaptationalWimp: In the original novella, Apollonius is both the Circus's seer and [[HypercompetentSidekick powerful]] magician, and isn't blind. Here he gets divided in two, with "Apollonius" being the blind seer and "Merlin" being the fumbling magician.
16	%%* AllMythsAreTrue
17	* TheBarnum: Oddly enough, not so much the showman Lao as Stark.
18	* BigfootSasquatchAndYeti: The Abominable Snowman.
19	* BiggerOnTheInside: The circus tent is rather modestly sized when viewed from without, but those who step inside find that it contains many large exhibit rooms as well as an arena with enough seating for the entire population of the town.
20	* BlindSeer: Apollonius of Tyana is blind and is employed by the circus of Dr. Lao as a fortune teller who, as he explains, is cursed "to tell the absolute truth".
21	* BlitheSpirit: Dr. Lao, who opens the eyes of the people of Abalone.
22	* {{Bookends}}: The film begins with Dr. Lao on his donkey climbing up a mountain on his way to his destination and ends with him going down that same mountain.
23	* BrokenBird: Angela Benedict, still mourning the death of her husband.
24	* CassandraTruth: As Apollonius of Tyana says, "You see, it is my curse to tell the absolute truth." Neither do his hearers seem to act on what he tells them. For example, he tells the haughty and self-absorbed Mrs. Cassan that her land will never produce oil, she will never re-marry or even have another man in her life, and her remaining years will be so devoid of meaning that when she dies, she might as well never have lived for all the good or ill she will have done. Far from treating this as a warning to become a better person and thus enrich her own life and the lives of those around her, she lies to Angela that Apollonius predicted that she will become rich and marry Stark.
25	* CircusBrat: Mike wants to be this, but Dr. Lao helps him decide to stay in his town.
26	* CircusOfFear: Many of the exhibits, and particularly "The Fall of the City," are distinctly disturbing.
27	* CircusOfMagic: On the other hand, many of those same exhibits have some strange whimsy and wonder.
28	* CrappyCarnival: The outward appearance of Lao's circus, which seems much BiggerOnTheInside.
29	* CryLaughing: Mike sounds like he's about to burst into tears as he juggles the wooden balls Dr. Lao left behind.
30	* DefrostingIceQueen: Angela, after her encounter with Pan and his pipes.
31	* DisappearedDad: Mike's dad passed away, but he's not too sad about it.
32	* DoubleTake: Cunningham when he sees that Angela is suddenly lusting after him (thanks to Pan).
33	* DoubleVision: [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] by the film when the heads of Dr. Lao's various ''personæ'' all sprout at once from from the neck of the Loch Ness monster.
34	* EccentricTownsfolk: The townsfolk of Abalone, to be exact.
35	* ElectiveBrokenLanguage: Dr. Lao casually switches back and forth between AsianSpeekeeEngrish and perfect English.
36	-->'''Edward Cunningham:''' Hey! How come you speak perfect English all of a sudden?\
37	'''Doctor Lao:''' Oh, it comes and goes. Whatever dialect the mood requires.\
38	'''Cunningham:''' Oh, it just comes and goes?\
39	'''Lao:''' Whassamatta you? Allatime asking silly questions! Wise guy!
40	* EverythingsLouderWithBagpipes: The soundtrack begins to skirl with these when the Loch Ness monster is released from its fish-bowl and balloons into an eight-headed [[SeaMonster dragon-fish-thing]].
41	* ExtremelyShortTimespan: The story takes place within the span of three days, with Lao's circus staying for two nights.
42	* FaunsAndSatyrs: Pan, the God of Joy.
43	* FingerSnapLighter: Although it takes a couple of tries when it's windy.
44	* FlyingDutchman: Dr. Lao seems fated to [[WalkingTheEarth travel from place to place]] to save people from their own folly.
45	* GorgeousGorgon: Medusa, despite her snaky hair, is quite attractive.
46	* HenpeckedHusband: Mr. Lindquist; happily, his wife appears to take Dr. Lao's lesson to heart.
47	* HobbesWasRight: Stark champions this, while Lao argues persuasively that RousseauWasRight.
48	* HotLibrarian: Angela, though her profession doesn't figure much in the plotline.
49	* HumansAreBastards: Stark and most of the townsfolk seem to revel in most sins—greed, vanity, anger—and it's up to Dr. Lao, with the help of Mike, Angela, and Cunningham to remind the town [[RousseauWasRight they can be better than that.]]
50	* HumansAreUgly: The Giant Serpent tells Stark this.
51	-->'''Giant Serpent:''' You even have to hang rags on yourself to protect your weak skin. You have to hang things in front of your eyes in order to see. ''[Starts to guffaw.]'' Look at yourself!\
52	'''Stark:''' I'll admit I'm not perfect, but...\
53	'''Giant Serpent:''' You can say that again, kiddo! You're just about the most imperfect creature I've ever seen... and I've seen some lulus!
54	* InterchangeableAsianCultures: As emphasized thus:
55	-->'''Fat Cowboy:''' ... Looks like a ''Jap'' to me.\
56	'''Toothless Cowboy:''' Naaaw. He's Chinese.\
57	'''Fat Cowboy:''' How do you know?\
58	'''Toothless Cowboy:''' 'Cause I ain't stupid!
59	* IntrepidReporter: Crusading Editor Ed Cunningham.
60	* IWasQuiteALooker: Mrs. Cassan, in her youth, was a beauty who had no trouble attracting men.
61	* {{Koan}}: As in this dialogue:
62	-->'''Dr. Lao:''' Do you know what wisdom is?\
63	'''Mike:''' No, sir.\
64	'''Dr. Lao:''' Wise answer.
65	* LighterAndSofter: Much lighter than the book, which is quite cynical (among other things, there's no equivalent to Mike or Cunningham; Angela's book equivalent is just a repressed young woman who [[ReallyGetsAround becomes quite the party girl]] after meeting Pan).
66	* MagicalFlautist: Pan and his pipes.
67	* MoodWhiplash: After Lao gives a beautiful and insightful speech about life being a circus, Mike tearfully replies that he doesn't understand. Lao shouts, "Neither do I!" before the two start dancing joyfully.
68	* MythicalMotifs: Many of the characters are figures of mythology.
69	* NietzscheWannabe: Stark, who tells Cunningham, "There's no such thing as the dignity of man. Man is a base, pathetic, vulgar animal."
70	* NoMoreForMe: To keep the audience from getting TakenForGranite, Dr. Lao sets up a mirror so they can see Medusa's reflection instead of looking at her directly. A drunk man, on first seeing Medusa's reflection, puts the stopper back in his bottle. Later, when the shrewish Mrs. Lindquist looks at her head-on and is turned to stone, the drunkard tosses the bottle away before fleeing with the rest of the crowd.
71	* NotSoDifferentRemark: The Giant Serpent makes one to Stark.
72	-->'''Stark:''' Well, whoever you are and however you work, you interest me.\
73	'''Giant Serpent:''' You know why? Because we look alike and have much in common. For one thing... our suspicion.
74	* NotThatKindOfDoctor: As Lao tells Mike, "My specialty is wisdom."
75	* OohMeAccentsSlipping: [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]]; Cunningham notes that Dr. Lao suddenly switches from a [[AsianSpeekeeEngrish heavy, stereotypical Chinese accent]] to perfect English. Dr. Lao replies, "Oh, it comes and goes. Whatever dialect the mood requires."
76	* PleaseDontLeaveMe: Mike chases after Dr. Lao at the end of the film, begging for Lao to come back. Instead, all he finds are some juggling balls.
77	* PoliticallyIncorrectVillain: Stark's mooks demonstrate how stupid and rotten they are by harassing the local [[strike:Indian]] Native American, George C. George (Eddie Little Sky).
78	* PublicDomainSoundtrack: ''Music/ToccataAndFugueInDMinor'' plays during the volcanic eruption in "The Fall of the City".
79	* ReallySevenHundredYearsOld: Actually, seven thousand, three hundred, and twenty-two, next October.
80	* RomancingTheWidow: Angela is still grieving the loss of her husband, and doesn't notice (or doesn't want to notice) the interest Cunningham has for her.
81	* RuleOfSymbolism: Mike first shows off his "juggling" when he tries to join the circus. When Dr. Lao leaves, Mike finds three balls on the ground and starts juggling, symbolizing his growth.
82	* SarcasmMode: "Oh, it just comes and goes?"
83	* ShoutOut: Dr. Lao refers to his "yellow jackass" as the "[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Golden_Ass Golden Ass of Apuleius]]."
84	* SillyRabbitCynicismIsForLosers: Apollonius to Stark.
85	* SillyRabbitIdealismIsForKids: Stark, to Cunningham.
86	* SmallReferencePools: Averted big time by one of the three instrument-playing toys on top of the Abominable Snowman's barrel organ. The first two toys are of a clown and a white dog. The third one is a [[WesternAnimation/TheFlintstones Fred Flintstone]] toy!
87	* StockNessMonster: Dr. Lao keeps the Loch Ness Monster in a fishbowl. As long as it's in the fishbowl, it stays tiny. Don't let it out.
88	* SurroundedByIdiots: Stark has a pair of cowboy mooks; he orders one to read a newspaper article, starting at the third paragraph. "Third ''what''?"
89	* TakenForGranite: Despite warnings, Mrs. Lindquist looks at Medusa head-on. She gets [[VisualPun stoned]]. Thankfully, Merlin reverses the process.
90	* TalkingAnimal: The Giant Serpent, which looks and sounds remarkably like Stark. (Especially remarkable when one considers it was voiced by Randall, not O'Connell.)
91	* WalkingTheEarth: Dr. Lao.
92	* WaterTriggeredChange: Dr. Lao presents a fish in a bowl. Whenever a fish goes out, it transforms into a terrifying sea monster. A cowboy shoots the bowl and the fish turns into a sea monster. Then the monster gets soaked in water, resulting in it turning back into a fish.
93	* WiseSerpent: Amongst the exhibits wealthy rancher Clinton Stark visits in the [[CircusOfMagic Circus of Dr. Lao]] is the tent of the Giant Serpent, who not only looks like him but also proves to be quite wise. When Clinton tries to dismiss its criticism of him by declaring it's just a beast in a cage, the snake mocks Clinton by pointing out that this also applies to himself, with his greed and cowardice being its own sort of "cage", too. This experience proves fundamental in helping Stark re-evaluate his views on life and humanity.
94	* TheWorldIsJustAwesome: The biggest lesson Dr. Lao teaches us.
95	-->'''Dr. Lao''': Mike, the whole world is a circus if you look at it the right way. Every time you pick up a handful of dust, and see not the dust, but a mystery, a marvel, there in your hand, every time you stop and think, "I'm alive, and being alive is fantastic!" ''Every time such a thing happens, Mike, you are part of the Circus of Dr. Lao.''
96	* {{Yellowface}}: But then, Lao can wear whatever face suits his fancy.

Context Film / SevenFacesOfDrLao