There are two mad scientists at Miskatonic University, and that is one too many. First, there is Dr. Carl Hill, a member of the faculty, who is motivated by lust, fame, and power. Not unsurprisingly for a man driven by such strong passions, the principal goal of his research is the location of the will in the brain.
The other mad scientist is Herbert West, a medical student. West is dedicated to the truth, and cares nothing about women or fame. The principal goal of his research is reanimation, bringing dead people back to life, for which he has a reagent. West is so cold and devoid of sympathy that he is indifferent to the pain he causes when he reanimates the dead, supposing himself to be doing them a favor.
West is openly contemptuous of Hill, whose intellect he regards as inferior to his own. Hill finds out about West's reagent and tries to coerce West into letting Hill get credit for it. While Hill's back is turned, West chops his head off. Then he reanimates the separated head and body. The body knocks West out and then picks up the head and bowl it is in, which is filled with reagent. All this leads to a final struggle between these two mad scientists, with Hill in control of reanimated corpses from the morgue. The movie is replete with hilarious horror and gore, including Hill's body holding Hill's head so that it can violate the Dean's daughter.
It is unfortunate that the director's cut resulted in many deleted scenes that should have been left in. First of all, these include scenes that make it clear that Hill has mesmeric powers. It is fitting that the man whose research focuses on the location of the will in the brain should have the power to control the will of others. More importantly, it helps us understand why Hill has so much influence over Dean Halsey; we understand how he can control his own body with his severed head; and we understand how he can control the corpses he has reanimated. Without these scenes of mesmerism, we don't fully understand how he can do these things.
Second, several of the deleted scenes further develop West's character. Both in his physical appearance and his manner, he reminds me of Dean Stockwell's portrayal of Judd in "Compulsion." Judd, of course, was that movie's version of Leopold in the notorious Loeb and Leopold case, in which two psychopathic geniuses decide to commit the perfect crime in order to prove they are Nietzschean supermen. Without seeing the deleted scenes, I might not have made that connection.
Third, there is a great scene where West is discussing with Dan, his roommate, what they are going to do about Dr. Hill. West seems to be bothered in some way, and he lurches to the bathroom. When Dan goes to see what West is doing, he finds him with a syringe of reagent, about to mainline himself. West assures him it is just a weak solution, just enough to keep the brain sharp, so he won't have to sleep. Dan helps his shoot up, after which West is all pumped up and ready to go.
The director said he deleted these scenes because he felt that they slowed down the pacing, and that is a shame. The scenes are included in the second disk of the DVD, and it is worth making the effort to watch them. Not every deleted scene should have been kept in, of course. The dream sequence, in particular, does not belong in the movie, and its deletion was appropriate.
It is still a great movie, but with some of those deleted scenes left in, it would have been greater still.
The other mad scientist is Herbert West, a medical student. West is dedicated to the truth, and cares nothing about women or fame. The principal goal of his research is reanimation, bringing dead people back to life, for which he has a reagent. West is so cold and devoid of sympathy that he is indifferent to the pain he causes when he reanimates the dead, supposing himself to be doing them a favor.
West is openly contemptuous of Hill, whose intellect he regards as inferior to his own. Hill finds out about West's reagent and tries to coerce West into letting Hill get credit for it. While Hill's back is turned, West chops his head off. Then he reanimates the separated head and body. The body knocks West out and then picks up the head and bowl it is in, which is filled with reagent. All this leads to a final struggle between these two mad scientists, with Hill in control of reanimated corpses from the morgue. The movie is replete with hilarious horror and gore, including Hill's body holding Hill's head so that it can violate the Dean's daughter.
It is unfortunate that the director's cut resulted in many deleted scenes that should have been left in. First of all, these include scenes that make it clear that Hill has mesmeric powers. It is fitting that the man whose research focuses on the location of the will in the brain should have the power to control the will of others. More importantly, it helps us understand why Hill has so much influence over Dean Halsey; we understand how he can control his own body with his severed head; and we understand how he can control the corpses he has reanimated. Without these scenes of mesmerism, we don't fully understand how he can do these things.
Second, several of the deleted scenes further develop West's character. Both in his physical appearance and his manner, he reminds me of Dean Stockwell's portrayal of Judd in "Compulsion." Judd, of course, was that movie's version of Leopold in the notorious Loeb and Leopold case, in which two psychopathic geniuses decide to commit the perfect crime in order to prove they are Nietzschean supermen. Without seeing the deleted scenes, I might not have made that connection.
Third, there is a great scene where West is discussing with Dan, his roommate, what they are going to do about Dr. Hill. West seems to be bothered in some way, and he lurches to the bathroom. When Dan goes to see what West is doing, he finds him with a syringe of reagent, about to mainline himself. West assures him it is just a weak solution, just enough to keep the brain sharp, so he won't have to sleep. Dan helps his shoot up, after which West is all pumped up and ready to go.
The director said he deleted these scenes because he felt that they slowed down the pacing, and that is a shame. The scenes are included in the second disk of the DVD, and it is worth making the effort to watch them. Not every deleted scene should have been kept in, of course. The dream sequence, in particular, does not belong in the movie, and its deletion was appropriate.
It is still a great movie, but with some of those deleted scenes left in, it would have been greater still.