7 Faces of Dr Lao (1964)

Tony Randall hits a grand slam in this surprisingly charming George Pal fantasy film. Dr Lao is a crafty old Chinese doctor who sets up a circus in the Old West town of Abalone. Through his circus he helps many of the town's citizens to see life from a different perspective. The film is sometimes heavy-handed, but often touching. It's worth watching for Randall's performance(s) alone. George Pal manages to reign in his self-indulgence for special effects somewhat and lets the characters take the stage. The makeup effects are wonderful, including Tony Randall's Asian makeup. One of the most distinct things about this movie, though, is the musical score which perfectly combines Asian-sounding styles with the sounds of the Old West. Great fantasy film for the whole family.

9/10

Power, The (1968)

George Pal produced this ambitious science fiction thriller starring George Hamilton and Michael Rennie. The film starts off strong, but unfortunately it becomes very muddy. The film is a sci-fi who-dunnit as the scientists are gradually murdered off by one of their own who happens to be telekinetically-endowed, but the film bites off more than it can chew. The mid-section sags horribly, with many scenes being confusing or redundant. The ending is both confusing and dissatisfying. Conceptually, the film is excellent, and the acting is good. The musical score is oddly invasive with use of a zither throughout. What starts as a distinct musical decision soon becomes annoying as the same theme is repeated often. For 1968, the special effects are well-done but sometimes out of place or random. George Pal tends to err on the side of self-indulgence, and The Power is no exception.

5/10