Screened as part of NZIFF 2005

The 5000 Fingers of Dr T 1953

Directed by Roy Rowland

Conceived, written and designed by the legendary Dr Seuss, The 5000 Fingers of Dr T is a true cult classic and one of the strangest, most memorable musical films for children ever made. Ages 6+

USA In English
89 minutes 35mm

Director

Screenplay

Allan Scott, Dr Seuss. Based on a story by Dr Seuss

Photography

Frank Planer

Editor

Al Clark
,
Harry W. Gerstad

Music

Frederick Hollander
,
Hans J. Salter

With

Peter Lind Hayes
,
Mary Healy
,
Hans Conried
,
Tommy Rettig

Elsewhere

Conceived, written and designed by the legendary Dr Seuss, The 5000 Fingers of Dr T is a true cult classic and one of the strangest, most memorable musical films for children ever made. Bart Collins has only one enemy, his piano-mad music teacher Dr Terwilliker. Young Bart falls asleep and is transported to a mysterious and surreally Seussical musical castle and a fate worse than piano practice. Dr T has hypnotized Bart’s mother and is scheming to enslave 500 boys and force their 5000 ‘happy fingers’ to play forever in unison on the grandest grand piano ever built. It's up to Bart and his plumber friend, Mr August Zabladowski, to rescue the boys, and stop this insanity. With tongue-twisting rhymes, singable tunes, ravishing production design in brilliant Technicolor, and a fabulously foppish villain, this is a perfect family film, meaning there’s plenty to keep the adults amused too. Fans of The Simpsons will recognise that it is no coincidence that their hero is another Bart and that his sworn enemy is one Sideshow Bob Terwilliger! Ages 6+