Richard Burton stars in the title role and directed the horror film “Doctor Faustus.” This story of a man who sells his soul to the devil was adapted from Christopher Marlowe’s 1588 play “The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus.” The screenplay was penned by Nevill Coghill.
The movie is basically a “permanent record” of a stage production that Burton starred in at Oxford University in 1966. It is dry and tedious with sluggish writing, cardboard performances, and a “downer” of a musical score by Mario Nascimbene. The supporting cast includes Andreas Teuber, Richard Carwardine, Patrick Barwise, Richard Durden, and Ian Marter.
The 93-minute film was a huge flop at the box office for producer Richard Burton, Nassau Films, Oxford University Screen Productions, Venfilms, and Columbia Pictures. Even Elizabeth Taylor’s appearance as Helen of Troy (silent except for an evil cackle) and filming in Technicolor could not help “Doctor Faustus” from going to the devil.
Doctor Faustus (1967)
cinema
My Review
Richard Burton stars in the title role and directed the horror film “Doctor Faustus.” This story of a man who sells his soul to the devil was adapted from Christopher Marlowe’s 1588 play “The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus.” The screenplay was penned by Nevill Coghill.
The movie is basically a “permanent record” of a stage production that Burton starred in at Oxford University in 1966. It is dry and tedious with sluggish writing, cardboard performances, and a “downer” of a musical score by Mario Nascimbene. The supporting cast includes Andreas Teuber, Richard Carwardine, Patrick Barwise, Richard Durden, and Ian Marter.
The 93-minute film was a huge flop at the box office for producer Richard Burton, Nassau Films, Oxford University Screen Productions, Venfilms, and Columbia Pictures. Even Elizabeth Taylor’s appearance as Helen of Troy (silent except for an evil cackle) and filming in Technicolor could not help “Doctor Faustus” from going to the devil.