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[[File:7FacesOfDrLao_7178.jpg|frame]]
'''''[[Seven Faces of Dr. Lao|7 Faces of Dr. Lao]]''''' is a 1964 fantasy film from [[Metro Goldwyn Mayer|MGM]], [[Film of the Book|based on]] the 1935 novel ''[[The Circus of Doctor Lao]]'' by Charles G. Finney, directed by George Pal, and starring Barbara Eden, Arthur O'Connell, John Ericson, Kevin Tate, and Tony Randall in a ''tour de force'' [[Double Vision|performance]] as the eponymous Chinese showman, the [[Bigfoot, Sasquatch, and Yeti|Abominable Snowman]], [[Blind Seer|Apollonius of Tyana]], the [[Reptiles Are Abhorrent|Giant Serpent]], [[Classical Mythology|Medusa]], [[King Arthur|Merlin the Magician]], [[Classical Mythology|Pan]], and [[Previous Player Character Cameo|an unmade-up, anonymous, and silent member]] of his own audience.
== Synopsis ==
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The film greatly altered the plot and softened the mordant tone of [[The Circus of Doctor Lao|the original novel]], opting rather for a sense of whimsy and wonder, reflected in the score by Leigh Harline, best known for scoring [[Disney]]'s ''[[Snow White
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* [[All Myths Are True]]
* [[The Barnum]]: Oddly enough, not so much the showman Lao as Stark.
* [[Bigfoot, Sasquatch, and Yeti]]: The Abominable Snowman.
* [[Blind Seer]]: Apollonius of Tyana.
* [[Blithe Spirit]]: Dr. Lao, who opens the eyes of the people of Abalone.
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* [[Cassandra Truth]]: As Apollonius of Tyana says, "You see, it is my curse to tell the absolute truth." Neither do his hearers seem to act on what he tells them.
* [[Circus of Fear]]: Many of the exhibits, and particularly "The Fall of the City," are distinctly disturbing.
* [[Crappy Carnival]]: The outward appearance of Lao's circus, which seems much [[Bigger
* [[Defrosting Ice Queen]]: Angela, again.
* [[Double Take]]: Cunningham when he sees that Angela is suddenly lusting after him (thanks to Pan).
* [[Double Vision]]: [[Lampshade Hanging|Lampshaded]] by the film when the heads of Dr. Lao's various ''personæ'' all sprout at once from from the neck of the Loch Ness monster.
* [[Eccentric Townsfolk]]: The townsfolk of Abalone, to be exact.
* [[Everything's Louder
* [[Fake Nationality]]: The Chinese Lao (not to mention the Turkish Apollonius, British Merlin, Greek Pan and Medusa, and Nepalese Snowman) are all played by European-American Randall. No wonder his accent (''See'' [[Ooh, Me Accent's Slipping]], ''below'') "comes and goes."
** It's implied that Lao is a near-immortal [[Every Man]] who can shapeshift and gendershift as the role requires to teach much-needed Aesops.
* [[Flying Dutchman]]: Dr. Lao seems fated to [[Walking the Earth|travel from place to place]] to save people from their own folly.
* [[Getting Crap Past the Radar]]: "Stoned again, eh?"
* [[Grumpy Bear]]: In his youth, Stark was a [[Wide
* [[Henpecked Husband]]: Mr. Lindquist; happily, his wife appears to take Dr. Lao's lesson to heart.
* [[Hey, It's That Guy!]]: Besides [[The Odd Couple|Tony Randall]] as Dr. Lao and [[I
* [[Hot Librarian]]: Angela
* [[Hobbes Was Right]] / [[Rousseau Was Right]]: The central debate of the story. Stark champions the former, while Lao argues persuasively for the latter.
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* [[Silly Rabbit, Idealism Is for Kids]]: Stark, to Cunningham.
* [[Stock Ness Monster]]: Dr. Lao keeps the Loch Ness Monster in a fishbowl. As long as it's in the fishbowl, it stays tiny. Don't let it out.
* [[Surrounded
* [[Taken for Granite]]: Despite warnings, the shrewish Mrs. Lindquist looks at the Gorgon head-on. She gets stoned.
* [[Talking Animal]]: The Giant Serpent, which looks and sounds remarkably like Stark. (Especially remarkable when one considers it was voiced by Randall, not O'Connell.)
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