If you're at all familiar with Christopher Marlowe's play of the same name, then the story of Doctor Faustus won't take you by too much of a surprise as it's a pretty strict adaptation of that work, right down to the 'Old English' language that the performers speak their lines in. In fact, one has to wonder if Burton knew he'd be committing box office suicide with this production, which he co-directed, by adapting a four hundred and some odd year old play in the literal language in which it was written.

From the opening credits, swirling around a human skull perched atop the titular characters desk, we are pulled into Doctor Faustus' (Richard Burton) world. A wise and scholarly type, Faustus makes a blood pact with the devil in which he trades his immortal soul to him in exchange for the granting of his Earthly desires, namely Helen of Troy (Elizabeth Taylor, who plays the role as a mute).

He's granted twenty-seven years of debauchery on Earth, where he acts out the seven deadly sins, and is granted the power of invisibility among other things. Once those twenty-seven years are up though, the devil comes for his due, after which Faustus is dragged off the Hell to pay off his end of the bargain for all eternity..

Faustus' story is one we've seen numerous times since. Whether adapted as an 'adults only' comic book by David Quinn and Tim Vigil, or a film combining real actors and bizarre stop motion animation by Jan Svankmajer, the tale is a classic one that provides much opportunity for many different reworkings and interpretations. Burton goes straight to the source for his version though, and the film comes through with mixed results.

While it was made with a fairly low budget, the sets (and they are all sets, not locations that we see in this film) look pretty interesting and capture a nice, old fashioned gothic feel with all their candles, books and skulls. The whole affair has a particular and macabre look to it that really works quite well in its favor and brings to mind many of the classic horror movies put out by Hammer and Universal Studios.

The weakness lies in the casting. Not with Burton, who is predictably excellent in his lead role and gives what would appear to be his all in this film, but with the supporting cast and with Elizabeth Taylor. The supporting cast was made up entirely of Oxford Drama student (the school is where Burton himself got his education) and while none of them are cringingly awful they really don't stand a chance when set aside a powerhouse performer of Burton's caliber. Taylor, while plenty easy on the eyes in the film, is really given far too much screen time when you think about it and her large presence in the movie, (which probably looked like a great idea from a business/marketing standpoint) almost cheapens Faustus' desires from something sinister and primal into simply 'wanting to score with the hot chick.'

Video:

Doctor Faustus is presented in its original widescreen aspect ratio of 1.78.1 and is enhanced for anamorphic television sets. While a few scenes are slightly darker than I thought that they should look and there is some mild print damage present throughout, overall this is a pleasing transfer with solid colors and a high level of detail. Flesh tones look good and the transfer is rendered nicely without and compression problems to note.