THE
CURIOUS DR. HUMPP (1967/1970)Director: Emilio Vieyra
Something Weird Video/Image Entertainment
THE
CURIOUS DR. HUMPP (1967/1970)This Brazilian sex/horror film is indescribable to say the least! Shot in 1967 and released there as LA VENGANZA DEL SEXO, a few years later it was brought to the U.S. and juiced up with some softcore sex scenes filmed in New York.
The plot involves a doctor who is behind some bizarre sexual behavior experiments. He has a Frankenstein monster-esque creature (a tall guy in a stagnant, wide-eyed rubber monster mask that has a flashing light on the forehead) who captures victims by smothering their mouths with ether. This monster also falls in love with a beautiful (and I mean beautiful) raven-haired stripper that he kidnapped, and he expresses this by giving her flowers and serenading her by strumming a box-shaped guitar in the courtyard!
Meanwhile, a reporter is able to trace the crimes to the mad doc's headquarters (not too bright, Dr. Humpp calls up every pharmacy in town searching for unusual prescriptions and literally gives himself away). The reporter is captured by an army of "failed experiments" (actors in expressionless rubber masks and matching sweaters), thrown into shorty pajamas, and forced to have intercourse with exotic Brazilian babes (I pity this guy). Dr. Humpp actually takes his orders from a screaming, pulsating brain in a test tube jar, and it is discovered that the fluid he drains from his sex boosted victims prevents him from turning into an ugly monster (don't worry, he does!).
The added American sex scenes convert a sexy tease of an imported horror film into something more along the lines of old school softcore porn. Ingeniously blended in, the new scenes include a pair of lesbians, a quartet of dope smoking hippies, and a blond masturbator, all who end up captured and brought to Humpp's house of sexual shenanigans. The American distributor also padded out some tame love scenes from the original Brazilian cut by editing in nude body doubles.
The added smut is enticing enough, but it kind of slows down the rest of the plot (luckily, it doesn't go on too long). Monster film fans should get a kick out of what can be described as a cross between a 30s serial and an early 60s Mexican horror film (which in turn were inspired by 40s American horror films), with an added dose of sex and skin and ridiculous dubbed dialog (any film that has someone referring to a character named "Dr. Humpp" with a straight face has got to inspire a chuckle).
Something Weird and Image have done wonders with this truly bizarre and obscure flick, making it a Special Edition. The quality on this black and white film is superb with crisp black and white detail and the mono sound is fine. The source material is also in great shape. Director Frank Henenlotter (BASKET CASE, FRANKENHOOKER) was responsible for re-discovering DR. HUMPP when it was released on his "Sexy Shockers" line of SW video tapes, and he pens the informative, scholarly liner notes that embody the disc's fold-out cover.
There are some great extras here. Included is the original Brazilian title sequence that has the film's opening moments without the added American credits over the proceedings. The original credit sequence is animated, so it's really nice to be able to see it. There is also a gallery of exploitation art, a trailer for DR. HUMPP, a trailer and two TV spots for the director's THE DEADLY ORGAN (where is this film?), and three archival shorts (one which includes a nude girl graphically getting it on with a cardboard Halloween skeleton--I kid you not!). (George R. Reis)