Dr. Tarr's Torture Dungeon
- Css Darth-Sheol
- Feb 2, 2015
- 3 min read
When I saw the intro to Dr. Tarr's Torture Dungeon (AKA “The Mansion of Madness)” and learned it was based on Edgar Allan Poe's work I wanted to hold out hope that it could be a good movie. Looking back I can't help but wonder why since I can't immediately remember having actually ever seen a Poe movie that was any good (not unless you count the “Raven” segment of the first “Treehouse of Horror” episode from The Simpsons).
In this story Gaston is a reporter writing an article about the peculiar treatments used at a sanatorium. When he arrives at the asylum the director begins showing him all of the curiosities contained therein. Gaston soon learns that the whole place has been overtaken by the inmates (the lunatics have truly taken over this asylum – cue Fun Boy 3). Now trapped in the loony bin, Gaston and a few others must find a way to escape the walls built to keep lunatics inside.
The title is slightly odd since Dr. Tarr is only briefly mentioned and has no real bearing on the story. I guess his name was easier for use in a title than the “head” of the asylum whose name I won't attempt to spell.
The acting isn't bad I suppose which is probably the main reason this doesn't become completely unbearable. It's just such a strange movie with so little story to tell. Roughly the first half of the movie, if not more, is Gaston being shown all the human oddities such as a man who thinks he's a chicken and people that think they are various historical figures. It's more like a sideshow tour than a story. The last half is a struggle for control of the institution between the incarcerated innocent victims and the insane escapees. It's a very strange mix of comical and disturbing elements.
I thought they missed out on a few potentially good story elements. Most notably is a woman who is part of Gaston’s group as he travels to the asylum. She is only along for the ride, and as she is leaving she is captured by the lunatics and raped. She is the cousin (if I remember right) of another guy that is captured (also a member of Gaston’s travel party but not staying for the sanatorium tour). He's initially worried about her health (the reason they had to leave Gaston rather than venture into the asylum with him), but after the rape we hear nothing more about her. I don't recall hearing a single mention of her nor seeing her ever again. That bugged me since I can't imagine a concerned cousin suddenly being disinterested that a member of his family is being held captive. Plus, if we're going to going to have this conflict set up it should be carried the distance.
I admit it's entirely possible that in the weak execution of the plot I missed something subtle related to the conclusion of the woman and her cousin. It's also possible I saw an edited version that cut something that was in the original. Whatever the case, I reached the end unsatisfied.
I thought the sanatorium tour was interesting just without much plot development which causes the pace to drag. I could forgive this to some extent if the later conflicts were good enough to be interesting which they aren’t.
MORALITY:
There are a number of nude scenes, mostly but not only women. One of these is the rape scene. There are a number of others that feature partial or obscured nudity. There are some sexual moments along with that.
There isn't as much violence as you might think with “torture dungeon” in the title, although people do get attacked sometimes with lethal consequences.
There isn't all that much in the way of strong language, either.
SPIRITUALITY:
In this setting insanity is more or less equated with evil. That's not true to life, but I guess this is supposed to be a “horror” movie so it's more or less expected.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
It's far from a great movie, but I have to say that most of it wasn't boring even if it could be too slow in the story development. Despite all its insanity and stretching out of a small story it intrigued me and bothered me even as it sometimes amused me.
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