There’s A Sedalia Connection To One Of The Strangest Movies Ever

Before we start, if you already knew this, you're amazing. I did not. Admittedly, I tried my darndest in college to do some old fashioned Blockbuster renting and tried to find every old movie I could to watch and learn about. But I had never heard of this movie.  Ever.  It's called The Seven Faces of Dr. Lao.

Here's the trailer.

That just looks insane, doesn't it? It seems like one of those movies you used to watch on Friday nights when nothing else was on.  I haven't seen it, maybe I should one of these days.  And I like Tony Randall, might be worth a watch.  Even if it is a little cringey with somewhat casual racism. Maybe I can look past it and just focus on the fantasy?

So anyway, I looked it up to see if I could find it either on a streaming service or maybe on a dvd (Netflix still does dvd's after all), and I came across it's Wikipedia page.  Typical stuff about the plot, production, the movie poster, what you'd expect.   I look at the notes on the side and see it's based on a book called  The Circus of Dr Lao.

Of course I click, because I want to see if the movie laid on something extra than the book or if the plot was different.  I'm reading over it, and it occurs to me that something is familiar.  What, I don't know.  But something, something seems familiar.  I clicked on the name of author....Charles G. Finney.  He was born in Sedalia!

So I probably HAVE heard his name or someone must have told me about the book at some point in my life, I just don't remember who or what.  But it doesn't surprise me that someone born in Sedalia came up with a crazy plot like that.  I get that we're a little weird, but with it comes creativity, right? Right.

Have you ever seen The Seven Faces of Dr Lao, or have you ever read the book?

Laoingly yours,
Behka