Doctor Faustus (1967) User Reviews (38)

An Ambitious Undertaking

[bkoganbing · 5/10 · 3 July 2007]

It was an ambitious undertaking for Richard Burton, to film Christopher Marlowe's classic Dr. Faustus with an untried amateur cast. I'd say he got a mixed bag of results.

Well, they weren't all that amateur, they were the members of the Oxford Dramatic Society and quite a number of them went on to have substantial careers in film and theater. Fans of the Doctor Who series will recognize Ian Marter who played Harry Sullivan during the Tom Baker reign as the Doctor, he's probably the most well known of the cast.

Of course there's Elizabeth Taylor who plays the brief part of Helen of Troy who in legend is ultimate in feminine beauty. She has no dialog, but she makes her presence known.

Faustus, a man who devotes his entire life to the pursuit of knowledge and somehow feels he's left a lot out of his life. Piety and service to God ain't cutting it any more. He makes a deal with Lucifer himself and even gets one of the fallen angels, Mephistopheles to act as a personal servant and conveyor of Faustus's wishes to the Prince of Darkness.

Of course he gets what he wants, but there's a day of reckoning and Faustus just simply doesn't want to cough up the soul. What do you expect from a guy who constantly refers to himself in the third person? Faustus is rather full of himself.

From what little research I did, Richard Burton made a concerted effort in this film to perform it close to Marlowe's own vision. There seems to be a few versions of this out there and it's all open to speculation.

It was an ambitious undertaking, not entirely successful, but not a total failure either. And Elizabeth Taylor looks pretty good in it.

DOCTOR FAUSTUS (Richard Burton and Nevill Coghill, 1967) **1/2

[Bunuel1976 · 6/10 · 24 July 2007]

Cerebral and altogether too-literal transcript of Christopher Marlowe’s venerable play – the end result is opulent yet claustrophobic, not to mention dull.

Burton the producer/director certainly made inspired choices for his collaborators – production designer John De Cuir, cinematographer Gabor Pogany, composer Mario Nascimbene. Burton the actor, then, is riveting as always (particularly the monologue towards the end) – but real-life spouse Elizabeth Taylor is simply ludicrous as Faustus’ object of desire (in various disguises including Helen of Troy)! The remaining cast is largely made up of Oxford University drama students (the University itself, of which Burton was a former graduate, partly financed the film!): of these, only Andreas Teuber’s bald-headed, monk-clad Mephistopheles manages a striking performance.

The “Mondo Digital” review had likened this to the cult horror films made by Hammer, Roger Corman and Mario Bava: judging by the campy Papal sequence (with a host of fey clergymen on whom Faustus plays childish pranks) and an equally tacky conjuring act before a medieval court, I’d say that Burton and Coghill probably drew more on the decadent work of Federico Fellini or Pier Paolo Pasolini than anything else! Anyway, the experimental nature of the film extends to the baffling over-use of a pointless ‘foggy’ effect; its depiction of lust, however, emerges as traditionally naïve – with frolicking satyrs in a garden setting and decorous female nudity (including Taylor herself for one very brief moment).

Ulimately, DOCTOR FAUSTUS is to be considered an interesting failure – a personal tour-de-force for Burton but which, perhaps, needed a steadier hand…say, Joseph Losey (with whom the two stars would soon work on BOOM! [1968], curiously enough, a similar and equally maligned blend of fantasy and theatricality).

The known story of a scholar who sells his soul to the devil and very well played by Richard Burton

[ma-cortes · 6/10 · 21 November 2019]

Here the most distinguished star of the screen at the time in a brilliant characterization as the legendary Faustus who sold his soul to Mephistopheles for a woman . The film's opening prologue states : "A tragic legend written down in the sixteenth century wherein a learned scientist honoured with the laurels of his university, sold his soul to the devil for still greater knowledge and power in the unknown". It deals with Faustus (Richard Burton , being his first, ending and only ever financed and directed) , a scientific at the University of Wittenberg where he earns his doctorate degree . His insatiable and stubborn appetite for knowledge and power using witchery leads him to conjure Mephistopheles out of inferno . As Faustus sells his soul to devil in exchange for youth and love of Helen of Troy (Elizabeth Taylor who shows up entirely painted in silver body-paint and having no lines of dialogue at all) and as Alexander's paramour . Faust signs the pact in his own blood and in writing , then Mephistopheles (Andreas Teuber) reveals the works of the devil to Faustus.

This classy story by Columbia Pictures concerns the scientist Faust who sells his soul to the devil in order to have a long life as well as the woman he loves . This is a stagy -but visually impressive- and stilted rendition , there outstanding the baroque settings by John DeCuir , the weird musical score by Mario Nascimbene and the colorful cinematography by Gábor Pogány . The movie is deemed to be an official shot record of a 1966 stage production of "Doctor Faustus" that Richard Burton had played in which had been staged and directed by Nevill Coghill with support players from the Oxford University Dramatic Society . Based on the play by playwright Christopher Marlowe who also wrote "Edward II" , "Jew of Malta" , and "Tamburlaine" . Starred by Andreas Teuber and by marriage Elizabeth Taylor/Richard Burton , though Actress Elizabeth Taylor's acting is completely mute , as her characterization being entirely silent . Being the sixth of eleven films that Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton performed in together , these are the following ones : Cleopatra , The Sandpiper , Anne of the thousand days , The Comedians , Boom , Under milk wood , and the latter of which was : Hammersmith is out . Richard Burton gives a nice acting as Faustus who employing necromancy bargains away his soul to Lucifer in exchange for living 24 years during which Mephistopheles will be his servant . Burton is magnificent , his performance swells to fit the screen and Elizabeth Taylor looking beautiful and desirable . See it for Burton's brilliant performance and Taylor's looks . Richard Burton was a notorious and prestigious actor with a long career until his early death at 58 . He starred a lot of of movies as in his native country , U.K. , as in the US ; as he played films in Hollywood : My cousin Rachel , The Robe , Alexander the Great , The rains of Ranchipur , Bitter victory , and he is back England where shoots Look Back in Anger , Hamlet , A midsummer night's dream . And superproductions as The Longest day , Cleopatra , VIPs , Zulu , When the eagles dare . And , subsequently , he plays all kinds of genres as drama , Spy , historical , Wartime , Thriller , such as : The night of the Iguana , Ice Palace , The spy who came in from the Cold , Staircase , The assassination of Trotsky , Massacre in Rome , The Klansman , Exorcist II : the heretic , Absolution , The Medusa Touch , Circle of two , Klansman , Tristan and Isolda and his last one : Nineteen Eight-Four . After the 1966 stage production of "Doctor Faustus", star Richard Burton did not show up on stage again for about a decade until he portrayed on Broadway a psychiatrist in Equus in which he followed playing the same character in the Equus (1977) film version directed by Sidney Lumet.

This Doctor Faustus was well produced by Richard McWhorter , being one of five collaborations of actor Richard Burton and producer Richard McWhorter, most of them were period costumer pictures . The films include Becket (1964), The taming of the shrewd (1967) , Anna of the thousand days (1969) and The spy who came in from the Cold (1965) .The film's co-writer and co-director Nevill Coghill was Merton Professor of English at Oxford University at the time that the film was developed , made and released . The picture was professional but strangely directed Richard Burton and Nevill Coghill , being he first, final and only ever cinema movie directed by both authors .

Other flicks about Faust legend -usually based on Gothe's poem titled ¨Faust¨- are as follows : the classic example of Germanic expressionist titled ¨Faust¨ 1926 German silent by F.W. Murnau with Emil Jannings ; ¨Hammersmith¨1972 by Peter Ustinov also starred by Richard Burton , Elizabeth Taylor ; ¨Doctor Faustus¨ 1982 with Jon Finch , Hanns Zischler and even a Comedy retelling ¨Bedazzled¨ 1968 by Stanley Donen with Dudley Moore , Peter Cook , Rachel Welch and another terror version : ¨Faust : love of the damned¨ by Brian Yuzna with Andrew Divoff , Jeffrey Combs , Mark Frost .

A movie to cherish...

[patrick.hunter · 17 October 2001]

Thank God, Richard Burton did this film. A man who was unjustly considered a sell-out, he did this first on stage and then for film with all profits of both productions going to Oxford. Yes, it's cheaply designed and theatrical, with an distracting music score...but when else will you see a film of Marlowe's play with an actor as great playing the part?

I realize the film has its shortcomings, but its virtues are also plainly evident. Those who dismiss it a just a bad film strike me as a bunch of gluttonous clods or anti-intellectual pismires. It's a movie to cherish.

Burton's Passion Project

[richardchatten · 2/10 · 25 July 2023]

Richard Burton plainly had demons to exorcise when he took time off from glumly trudging through some of the worst films of the sixties & seventies to keep his good lady wife Liz in fur coats and jewels to join forces with Nevill Coghill to perform this little-seen act of philanthropy on behalf of the Oxford University Dramatic Society to bring to the screen this time-honoured saga of a man who sold his soul to the Devil in order to gaze upon the beauty of Helen of Troy (aptly played by Miss Taylor herself).

The gothic tone is established from the outset by beginning with an enormous closeup of a skull, the prominently displayed name of Taylor probably did very little for it's marquee value but thankfully the role is completely wordless so thankfully for once we don't have to hear that awful voice; although we do hear that raucous laugh.

A credible work, both in front of and behind the camera, for Richard Burton!

[talisencrw · 7/10 · 22 August 2016]

Though by its very nature it's quite stagey, the bizarre psychedelic effects downright intrinsic of the period add to the charm of this intriguing work. Even crap films such as 'Exorcist II: The Heretic' can't be dismissed because of Richard Burton's outstanding persona. Elizabeth Taylor's appearance can't be considered sheer waste because her beauty and je ne sais pas make this tale of someone willing to give up his very soul for the woman he loves completely believable. In the director's chair for once as well, even though he is helped, he does a resolutely credible job, nothing to be embarrassed about. Definitely worth one's time for the adventurous cinephiles out there.

Faustus & Mephistopheles Make A Devil-Of-A-Deal

[strong-122-478885 · 4/10 · 17 July 2014]

The up-side to 1967's Doctor Faustus was that throughout the entire course of the film Elizabeth Taylor didn't utter one, single word. Whew! What a relief that was!

In Doctor Faustus, Elizabeth Taylor was strictly there as eye-candy, just an over made-up piece of very pretty decoration. That's all.

But, then, on the down-side of Doctor Faustus, actor Richard Burton, that loud, bellowing alcoholic, never shuts his trap for even 5 seconds. Sheesh! You can bet that Burton's incessant yattering all but made up for Taylor's ludicrous silence.

I won't tell you why Taylor never talked throughout the entire course of the film. All I'll say is that she played the character of "Helen of Troy" and that apparently had something to do with it. (You go figure)

In some ways Doctor Faustus was an interesting enough production. There were certainly plenty of fascinating and bizarre set designs. And the make-up effects were quite impressive. But, all in all, Doctor Faustus was a film that completely lacked any soul, which, is sort of ironic when you consider that its story was all about a man who actually sold his soul to the devil.

Set in 16th Century Germany, Doctor Faustus, a brilliant scholar at Wittenberg University, employs the magic of necromancy to conjure up the evil Mephistopheles from the absolute depths of Hell. Through the assistance of this wicked spirit, Faustus bargains away his soul to Lucifer in exchange for 24 years of youth, invincibility, and unlimited power at his complete disposal.

Faustus willingly signs this pact (with its exclusive "no-escape" clause) using his own blood and, soon enough, Mephistopheles reveals to him the works of the Devil, otherwise known as "The 7 Deadly Sins".

I think that you really need to be a completely devoted, die-hard "Taylor & Burton" fan to actually appreciate Doctor Faustus any more than I did.

Rowdy religious folly, filled with belligerent poetry and swirling color...

[moonspinner55 · 6/10 · 10 November 2008]

Richard Burton co-produced, co-directed, and stars in this adaptation of Christopher Marlowe's play "The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus", concerning an aged 16th century German scholar who conjures up Mephistopheles, servant to Lucifer. Despite a warring of conscience in which saints and demons both attempt to sway Faustus to their side, the conflicted doctor signs his soul over to the Devil in exchange for lust and power, quickly discovering the black magic not living up to its promise. Marlowe's poetry, like subterranean Shakespeare, seems to flow naturally from Burton, and the combination of soliloquy and performance is a lively one. The art direction, production design, and cinematography are all first-rate, with pop-art colors insanely, imaginatively blended together like bewitched Jell-O powder. Elizabeth Taylor's intermittent (and mostly silent) entrances and exits as Helen of Troy probably do the picture more harm than good, but Burton is in fine form (after an unsure start) and Andreas Teuber cuts a striking figure as the Devil's Aid. The film has the same late-'60s, hallucinogenic quality of the other-worldly "Barbarella" (and no wonder: both pictures were made in Rome under the auspices of movie mogul Dino de Laurentiis). You can't take your eyes off "Doctor Faustus"--and, for fear of missing anything, you wouldn't want to. **1/2 from ****

Richard Burton Goes to The Devil

[wes-connors · 2/10 · 3 January 2010]

In medieval garb, scholarly Richard Burton (as Doctor Faustus) sells his soul to Lucifer (David McIntosh) in exchange for knowledge denied ordinary mortal men, visitations with a beautifully mute Elizabeth Taylor (with a body double), and Satanic servant Andreas Teuber (as Mephistopheles). ...and, other things, as needed. The deal with the devil is guaranteed to keep Mr. Burton successful and satisfied for twenty-four years. But, he is not happy. In fact, Burton seems to immediately know he's made a terrible mistake.

Tick tock, tick tock. After some interminable moments, Burton fully realizes the error of his ways. He exclaims, "The stars move still, time runs, the clock will strike, the devil will come!"

"And, Faustus must be damned!" Burton begs for forgiveness, alongside his life-sized crucifix.

"See where Christ's blood streams in the firmament! One drop would save my soul!"

Will God lift him up, or pull him down?

This must have been THE film to inspire the critical disdain foisted upon Elisabeth Taylor and Richard Burton for the remainder of their artistic partnership (for better and for worse). And, it truly is "Bloody Awful!" The movie looks like somebody gave "film student" Burton the assignment to shoot Christopher Marlow's "Doctor Faustus" for his final, with an itemized list of materials to employ. He was to allowed use his classmates, professors, wife, and a cat in the play. He should have claimed he was allergic to cats.

Possibly, this film would "Pass" on a kindly professor's scale, but it isn't worthy as a mainstream movie, which is how it seems to have been promoted. As product from two stars who were both listed in the 1967 Quigley Poll of "Top 10 Box Office Stars" (Taylor at #2, Burton at #9), it probably puzzled ticket purchasers. And, it's not the idea or material that sinks this production, it's the rampant and garish shoddiness. Yet, you can see Burton's love for the material, and Mr. Teuber is very good in his supporting role.

** Doctor Faustus (10/10/67) Richard Burton, Nevill Coghill ~ Richard Burton, Andreas Teuber, Elizabeth Taylor, Ian Marter

A typical Richard Burton movie...

[Vigilante-407 · 6/10 · 29 June 2001]

One thing about Richard Burton...the movies he makes are never mediocre. They are either very good or very bad.

I'm not sure on which end that Doctor Faustus falls. It wasn't exactly what I expected...Burton's adaptation of Christopher Marlowe's play on the legend of Faust. The sets and much of the cinematography is masterful...the problem is the script, which is done completely in Old English and in virtual iambic pentameter, which makes it very hard for the average person to understand.

Way too wild and bizarre!

[lil_princess_08 · 3/10 · 9 October 2005]

The movie was one I watched because I was doing some project on it and found the movie at the library. So when I checked it out, I hoped to find a stunning movie about a man and his immortal love. Instead, I was distracted by wild images and scene changes. The plot line was choppy, and was not easy to follow. The end was disappointing. Overall, I rate this movie a three out of ten. It's just not worth it. The actors were good, but even the famous actors and actresses did not make this move a success. Although, I must admit, some of the most famous quotes did come from this movie--"Sweet Helen, make me immortal with a kiss!" I overestimated how much I would like this film. A nice history lesson but no movie in my opinion.

Back To The Classic

[skallisjr · 8/10 · 7 November 2005]

Shortly after I picked up a copy of Marlowe's play, I spotted the film in a video store. Having read the play first, I wondered how the film would portray it.

It did pretty well. The film apparently wasn't a high-budget item, but it conveyed the essence of the play. And, as important, it used the basic Marlowe play. That adds a touch that a more "modernized" film wouldn't have. In that, it shares a legacy found in many Shakespearean films.

The Faust story is well enough known so that there are no plot twist surprises. It may not be for everyone, but it's worth a view. Richard Burton makes a fairly believable Faust.

Highly under rated

[twigs17 · 7/10 · 24 May 2007]

I saw this movie donkeys years ago, and was captured by it. In my book Richard Burton can do no wrong, and this is no exception. E Taylor added a nice bit of fluff as Fausts love interest, (how ironic). The movie was very deep and thought provoking, I would highly recommend it to any one with literary appreciation. I appreciated the fact that it was done in black and white, it just added to the Gothic nature of the movie. I found the special effects also quite appropriate, (the worms in the skull, etc). This is indeed a classic movie, and I will make every effort to add it to my collection. In the mean time I would invite anyone who loves a good classic drama to hunt out this fine, old film

Wretchedly overacted, pretentious and boring...

[Doylenf · 3/10 · 10 November 2008]

RICHARD BURTON gets to tear the scenery to pieces as DOCTOR FAUSTUS, directing himself into a frenzy of stylized theatrical acting as though he didn't know the camera would magnify his every over-sized movement.

Fortunately, ELIZABETH TAYLOR is only allowed to parade her beauteous face before the close-up cameras without uttering a word. Only toward the end does she have to shriek like a mad woman as Faustus loses his soul to hell.

But Burton's histrionics are on display and I doubt whether Charles Laughton or Peter Ustinov ever indulged in such extravagant overacting. His performance is a spectacle in itself.

And unfortunately, the other cast members are almost mute by comparison, none of them exhibiting anything more than amateurish acting.

The sometimes imaginative staging is pretty to look at, but none of it manages to stir up more than a modicum of interest. It's all done up in garish Technicolor with sets that look as though the low budget was put to efficient use.

Summing up: In my humble opinion, a weird sort of bomb, totally lacking any sort of entertainment value.

Moody Masterpiece

[mermatt · 17 September 2000]

Marlow's play about the man who sold his soul to the devil for 27 years of pleasure is not the most cheerful of topics. But the horror element is well-played in this classy production with Burton as the title character and Liz Taylor as Helen of Troy, the "face that launched a thousand ships."

Mario Nascimbene's spooky score gives an appropriately dark mood to this great masterpiece of a story.

OH, MY!

[gridoon · 3/10 · 20 July 2001]

Richard Burton's wildly misconceived, overly stylized variation on the Faust legend completely misses the essence of the myth; it's somewhere buried under the loads of bizarre images and incomprehensible soliloquies. The result is an abomination (and a curio!). (*1/2)

Not For Everyone

[Tweetienator · 7/10 · 13 December 2021]

Without doubt, Doctor Faustus is not a movie for everyone (so no wonder that the movie failed at the box office), but if you like (over)dramatization, fine visuals and are interested in the legend or tale of Dr. Faustus, I would give this one a try. The movie got its flaws (for example in the last part the movie does lose too much of its momentum) but is for sure a relief and break from all those legions of conventional movies made every day and served to us in a constant stream of mind numbing blabla. Richard Burton plays the good Doctor intense (Vincent Price would have been also a great choice for this version of Dr. Faustus) and in the verve and gusto of a theater play, the scenes are dreamlike and sometimes grotesque and got a fine cinematography, and some of the scenes are really excellent ones. To sum it up: this is a good one for the right audience.

Dick Sells His Soul For Liz:

[robertguttman · 3/10 · 2 January 2012]

I'll never forget the review of this particular movie that I read in the N.Y. Times many years ago: "Ye Gods and little fishes, break out the gin for this one!" Now that I've finally gotten a chance to see it, I know exactly what they meant.

I suppose the production of this film was intended to answer a question on the minds of many film-goers and gossip-column readers in the late 1960s; namely, what can the most famous and notorious couple in pictures possibly do to top "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?". The answer: "Doctor Faustus". In this film Richard Burton barters away his immortal soul to Lucifer for a roll in the hay with Elizabeth Taylor. Top that for an ego trip!

Admittedly, this film also includes a great deal of plummy Elizabethan language, and plenty of lurid, pseudo-psychedelic special effects. However, most of the movie consists of Dick spouting reams of incomprehensible gibberish (in both Latin and English) in that incomparable voice of his, and drooling, literally, over Liz.

Liz actually had the much easier role in this movie. She wasn't required to recite a single line of dialog. All she had to do was simply stand there and BE, the effect of which was to seemingly mesmerize every male actor in sight. Come on, what actress wouldn't give anything for a role like that? And for the piece de resistance, at the end of the movie Liz, laughing maniacally, gets to drag Dick, kicking and screaming, down to Hell for his well-deserved reward. What wife wouldn't have a ball playing a scene like that with her husband? By that point in the movie, anyone who isn't rolling in the isles with laughter simply has no sense of humor!

Her lips suck forth my soul. Just see where it flies.

[sol-kay · 7/10 · 30 November 2009]

***SPOILERS*** A bit hard to follow due to the outdated Elizabethan English in it's screenplay but a joy to watch in Rchard Burton's over the top acting Doctor Faustus is without a doubt the most interesting Burton/Taylor collaboration even suppressing their Academy Award winning soap opera "Who' Afraid of Virginia Wolf" the year before.

Wise old Doctor Faustus, Richard Burton, has seen and done it all in the world of academics reaching the very heights of success by being named #1 at the prestigious center of learning the famed Wittengerg University in 16th century Germany. Dabbling in the black arts that could very well have him burnt at the stake for being a witch or warlock by the church the old Doc want's to find out if in fact the Devil who's called Lucifer in the movie, played by Oxford student David McIntosh, is really fact or fiction. Using his knowledge of the occult from a number of forbidden books, by the church, that he secretly obtained Doc. Faustus conjures up Lucifer's right hand man and #1 messenger Mephistophelese, Andreas Teuber, in order to make a deal with him.

Faustus Wants Mephistophelese's boss Lucifer make it possible for him to obtain knowledge that he can't get in library or collage books. For all that Faustus is more then willing to sell his soul to the Devil to get it. With Faustus signing away his soul-in blood-to Lucifer he's then given powers to go back and forth in time and do anything he wants, by being invisible, to insult and humiliate those in power without fear of reprisals. As an extra bonus Fasutus has Mephistophelese become his personal gofer or guide to do anything his ask asks no question asked even make a complete fool of himself! The punch-line in all this shenanigans on Fasutus' part is that after a scant 24 years he'll be forced to go down under, to where the sun don't shine, to spend the rest of eternity shoveling coal and God knows what else for his now lord and master Lucifer.

Richard Burton really has the run of the place in him not only staring but directing and producing the movie by having all the great lines and acts in it. Letting his hair down Burton as Doc. Faustus does a number of really hilarious wind-breaking or flatulent as well as pie trowing scenes-at the expense of the Pope and Collage of Cardinals no less-that had me, by laughing non-stop, almost go into asthmatic shock! I doubt that even the three stooges Soupy Sales or the Ritz Brothers could top Burton's outrageous antics in the film and he's not even a comedian!

We also get to see Burton's gorgeous wife Elizeabth Taylor who looked like she dropped some 20 to 30 pounds, from what she looked like in her previous films, for the part-or parts- she played in "Doctor Faustus" one of them being Helen of Troy. Even though she never uttered a single word Mrs. Taylor/Burton stole every scene she was in just by being in them with her revealing and sexy outfits. One of which she was dressed up to look like the Eiffel Tower with metallic or silver paint covering her entire body except for her heavenly lavender eyes.

the very unsurprising ending has the old Doc Faustus descend down to, for use of a better word, the Hot Corner-and it ain't 3rd base- together with his guide Mephistophelese to meet the big man himself Ol' Lucifer and give up his eternal soul for all the fun he provided Faustus over the last 24 years. With nothing but fire and brimstone to look forward to as well as never again seeing and making love to the eye popping beautiful Helen of Troy, whom he fell in love with, Doc Fatstus begins to wonder if, selling his soul to the Devil, was really all that worth it!

Yes I with my Girl Friend saw this in 1968

[research-seven-144-377528 · 2/10 · 26 July 2023]

Have just finished watching this stagey film for the second time in 2023 and it now seems even worse than we remember. We went to see it along with others as we admired Burton and thought it would be interesting and well done,it was neither that,then or now. We thought it was a major film,it was advertised as such at the time of its release.

Yes Burton has a fine voice and Taylor looks good and it reminded us of them and the past.

Please do not be tempted to watch it. It is poorly directed dark,wordy, badly acted,except for the devils help mate who does well. Let me not mention the sets,the suposed music often repeated.

Let's spent the weekend with the Burtons

[smarti21 · 7/10 · 30 November 2008]

This was a film I saw in my youth on late night television. It made quite an impression on me due to the power of Richard Burton's performance. Looking back after viewing the DVD, it seems like something the Burton's would have cooked up over a long holiday weekend. This was a great film for Richard Burton's ego. After all, he's in most of the scenes. Elizabeth Taylor seems strangely out of place as Helen of Troy and the effects of years of alcohol abuse caused her appearance to be seriously frayed at the edges. Still, this is a fun film that get's a watch from me about every five years. I particularly enjoyed Andres Truber's Portrayal of Mephistopheles. He is quite believable as the somewhat penitent fallen angel. The seven deadly sins sequence always gets a hardy laugh from me. The character of Lechery looks like a poofed up drag queen. The ending is quite dramatic and the delivery o the lines by Burton are indeed quite effective.

Why, this is Hell!

[brogmiller · 3/10 · 31 January 2021]

Although Richard Burton and Co., must be applauded for having attempted to bring Marlowe's play to a wider audience, this adaptation is alas a deep disappointment both as film and filmed theatre. A noble effort to be sure but ultimately a noble failure.

Trashed by the critics when first released, time has been kind to this mini-masterpiece.

[Deusvolt · 9/10 · 8 November 2004]

The movie did draw in sizeable audiences in the Philippines although most of those who saw it were disappointed including the critics. I remember one shallow critic lamenting the baring of Elizabeth Taylor in one fleeting scene (rear view). He wished she had done it in her earlier years when she would have been more attractive. I must admit that at my age then of 17, she did look a bit too mature for me. But seeing her again on video with me pushing 50, I found that she looks great.

I not only saw the movie, I acted in our school play albeit in a small role as one of the scholars who spoke with Faustus. Alas! the play did not open as our director resigned after he couldn't pull off the open arena presentation he envisioned. Blocking was such a problem.

Seriously, the cinematic effects achieved by Burton who was both actor and director, deserve kudos considering the technical limitations of special effects at the time (1967). A striking scene was when he and Mephistopheles were walking in the night heavens discussing hell. They didn't look superimposed at all and on the full screen, with the two figures seeming to walk on the bottom of the frame across the blue black firmament among the stars, it gave one a feeling of both wonder and terror of being lost in the heavens. Looking back, it seems that Burton pioneered in achieving a surreal LSD effect which later became quite common.

The lines of Mephistopheles describing the nature of hell is memorable. I quote him freely: "Think you not that I who had experienced the Beatific Presence am not constantly tortured since I have been deprived of it? Hell is where we (the devils) are and where hell is, there we are, for each of us carry our own hell." This would apply to humans and not only to devils.

The Oxford players were great especially the actor who played Mephistopheles who was portrayed sympathetically in that he seemed to regret the Faust's loss of his immortal soul. The devil was shown weeping.

Richard Burton's Satanic curiosity

[Stevieboy666 · 6/10 · 10 April 2023]

"The reward for sin is death." Christopher Marlowe's Sixteenth Century play "The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus" is brought to the big screen by Richard Burton who not only plays Faust but he also co-produced and directed it. His on/off wife, Hollywood goddess Elizabeth Taylor, plays his love interest in the form of Helen of Troy but she was obviously cast to LOOK good, she doesn't utter a single word. Much of the cast consist of Oxford University amateur actors though their performances are generally adequate. Visually the movie is very colourful and has some wonderful Gothic sets, skeletons, maggot ridden corpses, swirling mist, and so on, this would look great restored and on blu-ray. Some have criticised the soundtrack but I found it effective. The film employs 1960's colours and effects to produce a dreamlike/nightmarish look about it, masked characters and female nudity being nice additions. This was a passion project for Burton, he is in every scene and his recital in Elizabethan English does get hard going at times. I would only recommend this to people with an interest in Burton/Taylor or Satanic cinema, if you are just looking for a late night horror movie then give it a miss.

Liz Looks Luscious

[ags123 · 2/10 · 6 November 2015]

Don't ask me about the plot - I couldn't make heads nor tails of it. Rather than trying to decipher what they're saying (a surefire exercise in futility) watch this film only if you're intent on viewing the Burtons' every collaboration. This one competes with "Hammersmith Is Out" and "Boom" as the worst. Sets look recycled from Hammer Studio horror outings. Special effects are primitive and cheesy. Efforts to tie this 16th century gabfest to the swingin' sixties include throwing in some awkward nudity. On the plus side are Richard Burton's mellifluous voice and Elizabeth Taylor's still-beautiful face, captured here prior to the John Warner years, when she let herself go before re-emerging in the 1980s surgically restored to her rightful place as the most beautiful woman ever to grace the silver screen.