The 5000 Fingers of Dr. T

Glad It's Available

Fans of this cult classic, like me, are gratified that the soundtrack, including unused material, is now on CD. I am sheepish to point out the flaws with this CD, since Cherry Red Records has probably lost money on this very narrow niche product. However, I listened to the CD and watched the DVD back to back, and I have to say the CD sound quality is not very good. It sounds like a recording from an old copy of the film. The sound on the DVD is much better, since I presume it was recorded from the original film and sound track. The Dressing Song alone is worth the price of the CD. September 7, 2008

A special CD

If you're a fan of the movie, you'll like this CD. The other review says it all, but I'll add that there appears to be absolutely no bass in the recordings...I assume they were that way in the original movie. June 30, 2008

5000 Cheers for Dr T

I never thought it possible that this soundtrack would ever be available on CD...after all, the movie's debut in 1953 was hardly auspicious. The vinyl recording of the songs was more a formality than a record anybody actually wanted. I wanted it, though. I wanted it in the 1970s when I first discovered the movie on television. I also discovered that the movie only aired once a year and I was hungry for a record that I could enjoy the rest of the year. This, of course, was before the VHS tape or DVD disc gave us 24/7 viewing privileges.

When the VHS tape of the movie came out in the early 1990s I didn't long for the soundtrack any longer since I had the entire movie at my fingertips, and it was no longer available in any event.

Kudos to E Records of the UK for bothering. I appreciate very much that they gambled on such an arcane product. Other than myself I know scant people who will buy this costly CD. There is nothing special about the first half of it...songs from the movie are pretty generally standardized here, except for the opening track which was cut in the film but kept intact here.

Extra special kudos to E for releasing the bonus tracks which are a real treat to diehard groupies of the movie like myself. The songs are the real meat of the score but were, alas, cut from the film. It is frustrating that these great songs did not survive except, just to cite one instance, "One Moment Ago," as underscoring. There is nothing remastered here either. It is a simple transfer to CD from the original masters, something I would have appreciated greatly in the 1970s. But this is a product on the market whose availability flabbergasts me now!

Let it suffice to say that this CD is a collector's item for diehard fans of the the much-under-rated film and is not at all marketable for the general buying public. Fans of the composer Frederich Hollander (or Dr Seuss) might also feel it is worth investing in, but no one else will -- not even fans who just simple appreciate the movie withoug worshipping it.

I am so very grateful to E Records, though -- I can't imagine what possessed them to take the financial gamble here. They also took the gamble on another arcane soundtrack I love ("Pufnstuf" soundtrack, 1970)! Whatever possessed them, thank you!

I welcome all fans of the movie (and the upcoming stage musical version, which also has an awesome score) to write me...I'd love to have a coterie of Dr T fans as friends.

Jay - e mail: sondfan@gmail.com

December 7, 2007

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