The 13 victims of Dr. Desmond

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Movie
German title The 13 victims of Dr. Desmond
Original title The Hypnotic Eye
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1960
length 77 minutes
Age rating FSK 16
Rod
Director George Blair
script Gitta Woodfield , William Read Woodfield
production Charles B. Bloch
music Marlin Skiles
camera Archie R. Dalzell
cut William Austin
occupation

The 13 victims of Dr. Desmond (Original title: The Hypnotic Eye ) is an American film from 1960 with Jacques Bergerac . The film opened in American cinemas on February 27, 1960. From September 8, 1961, the film was shown in West German cinemas.

action

When Mrs. Tomson tried to wash her hair, she accidentally used the hotplate with an open flame instead of the sink and burned her face. The ambulance can save the young girl, the police officer Dave Kennedy cannot explain the mix-up, especially since it is already the third case of such accidental self-mutilation within a few days. He doesn't believe in a coincidence or accident. The police psychiatrist Dr. Philip Hecht advises Kennedy that some people do such strange things under hypnosis . Then Kennedy and his fiancée Marcia and her girlfriend Dodie visit the performance of the hypnotist Desmond, who is currently in town. Desmond impressively demonstrates the power of hypnosis on stage by making volunteers from the audience sweat, freeze or bark like a dog on command. In another trick, Dodie is brought onto the stage and made to float.

When Dodie wanted to bleach her hair the next day, she burned her face when she massaged the undiluted sulfuric acid on her face instead of her hair. Like the other victims, Dodie cannot explain the incident either. Kennedy asks Marcia to visit the hypnosis show again. After Desmond asked her to take the stage and hypnotized her, she is sure that she has found the culprit in the artist. She reports to Kennedy and Dr. Hecht of the events on the stage and the unconscious request of Desmond to meet him at midnight in the changing room. Desmond performs hypnosis with an electric light, a kind of artificial eye in the palm of his hand. Based on the assumption that Dodie was instructed to do something similar, Marcia decides to do so under the supervision of the two men. In the changing room, Marcia discovers the mysterious eye and falls under its spell again. When Desmond leaves the dressing room with Marcia, Justine, the magician's assistant, watches and follows them.

After dinner together and a visit to a bar, Desmond accompanies Marcia to her apartment. His advances are interrupted by Justine, who sends Desmond away and puts Marcia under hypnosis. The attempt to scald the girl in the hot shower is only prevented by Kennedy's arrival. Justine, who pretends to be Marcias' old friend, does not let him get rid of him, so she gets into the apartment and is amazed at Marcias reactions. Marcia cannot remember meeting Desmond, nor does she deny ever being hypnotized. When Kennedy notices that Justine has fled in the meantime, he too is aware of the hypnotist's guilt. The next day, Kennedy and Hecht question the previous three victims that the mutilated ladies deny knowing Desmond or Justine, and deny that they were ever hypnotized. However, Kennedy finds a balloon on the last victim, like the one Desmond used in his show for group hypnosis.

Kennedy and Hecht drive to the demonstration of the hypnotist who is currently hypnotizing the audience. Among the visitors they also discover Marcia. Desmond also tries to hypnotize Kennedy and Hecht, which fails due to Marcia's warning about the magical eye. Justine kidnaps Marcia from the audience while Desmond fights Kennedy. When Kennedy gains the upper hand, Hecht holds the hypnotist in check with the revolver. Kennedy follows the two women onto the lighted balcony of the theater. Justine tears the mask off her face, revealing a mutilated face, which was the reason for the attacks. When Desmond uses the moment of confusion to take Hecht by surprise, Kennedy shoots him. Justine throws herself to death. Marcia, now awakened from the trance by the death of the two, is saved from falling from the heights by Kennedy. The film ends with Dr. Hecht addressed the theater and film audiences with a warning not to be hypnotized for fun

reception

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