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THE ASPHYX
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| Rated PG
| | Copyright 1973 Glendale Film Productions
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Reviewed by Andrew Borntreger on 3 October 2007
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A Victorian era scientist discovers that mortality is directly linked to ghostly spirits that manifest when something is close to death. He creates a special photographic device to reveal and imprison the otherwise invisible spirits. Every living thing has its own personal Asphyx. Driven by the grief of his son's accidental drowning, the man resolves to thwart death permanently. With his machine, the scientist can capture a person's Asphyx and make them immortal. His first attempt is successful and an immortal guinea pig results.
Unfortunately, luring an ephemeral reaper close enough to be captured requires that the subject be in mortal danger. Creating an "impending death" situation for his daughter causes tragedy. The scientist builds a guillotine to capture his daughter's Asphyx, but the experiment goes wrong and she is beheaded! By the end of the movie, the scientist is a lonely old man, wandering through a world that has passed him by.
There are a lot of nice period sets and the character interaction is the steady, semi-formal type stereotypical of films set near the turn of the century. Plus, the Asphyx looks and sounds ghastly when captured by the scientist's special spotlight. First time viewers should watch the opening sequence again; it does not deliver its full effect unless you have seen the movie at least once.
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| Things I Learned From This Show: | |
|  | In the old days, women's clothing doubled as personal flotation devices.
| | | The Grim Reaper is a variety of moth.
| | | Guinea pigs cause insomnia.
| | | The only downsides to electrocution are that you wet yourself and smell like burnt hair for three days.
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| | | 20 mins - But, it doesn't look like him at all...
| | | 38 mins - Poison pâté!
| | | 54 mins - There are times when you might welcome death. What if you were caught inside of a burning house or accidentally swallowed a quart of wasps?
| | | 83 mins - Maybe you can sew it back on.
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