The Dungeon Song - RESTORED

Trimmed due to a macabre verse, here is the partially restored "Dungeon Song" from Stanley Kramer's bizarre and wonderful cult classic "The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T" Featuring Alan Aric, Tommy Rettig, Peter Lind Hayes and Hans Conried as Dr. Terwilliker.

LYRICS:

First floor dungeon:
Assorted simple tortures -

Molten lead,
chopping blocks and
hot boiling oil

Second floor dungeon:
Jewelry department -

Leg chains,
ankle chains,
wrist chains,
neck chains,
thumbscrews and
nooses of the very finest rope.

Third floor dungeon:
Household appliances -

Spike beds,
electric chairs,
gas chambers,
roasting pots and
scalping devices

Basement dungeon:

Everybody out!

[jacksonsay]

What I love about this song is that the tortures get increasingly terrific, but when they get to the basement, the operator simply says "Everybody out, " leaving the horrors to the imagination.

[aliceheatherlogan]

I can remember being absolutely terrified yet mesmirised by this whole movie as a child

[incorrigibl]

I thought this movie was a fever dream I had as a child. I had no idea it was a real movie until I googled it quite recently. The dungeon scene probably scared me the most... I have no idea why this movie is so unnerving, especially for it to be labelled as a Dr Seuss film!

[markcharron]

Hans Conried just staring off completely unphased by the torture chamber descriptions and still demanding they go lower and lower ... just nails this scene.

[chookiechooks]

Many years from when I saw this as a kid, and that dude still scares the heck out of me. The executioner's hat, the baleful eyes, the heavily heaving bare, greased chest, the implication of sadism - he'd be terrifying in any context - and here he is in a kid's movie! But I guess that's the thing about a good kid's movie - it communicates on different levels to children, and adults. Kids might not understand fully, but they get it on another level.
The 50s were not as innocent as they are now believed to be. Children grew up on tales of the Great Depression, the Great War and its horrors like the Holocaust, and themselves lived under a constant threat of nuclear annihilation in the Cold War.
Watching as an adult, I was enraptured by the offbeat set design and art direction - Seussian but also drawing from Hieronymous Bosch and the surreal imagery of Dali, and amazed by the implicit themes, like sociopathy, bondage and slavery, mass control, homosexuality, lust, which made their way into a kid's film. Then again, traditional children's stories like fairy tales often have a dark side, a bleak insight into social history. I love this crazy film.

[Bargerland]

Whenever I got separated from my mother at a department, I would try my best to 'not' look lost. I was sure this is where all the lost children ended up!

[mariojorgeR]

I watched the movie "The 5, 000 Fingers of Dr. T" as a child. I was blown away by the work and have never forgotten it. A lot to review these scenes.

[oldpcgamemusic]

This scarred me for life as a 6 year old and watching this now, nothing's changed... I've scrolled down here for safety :D

[lyndonbrock]

Why can't I stop watching this. I'm glad I found this cleaned version. I just find it fascinating.

[alanfoster]

"Second floor dungeon...jewelry department". I mean, that's brilliant writing, and not for kids.

[Nackles]

That's a very well-done integration of the creepy verse into the video. Thumbs up, even if the actual song is one of the creepiest things ever.

[samuelpotter]

This caused me so many nightmares as a kid. My music teacher In elementary school showed us this movie and it was just as horrifying as it is now

[fredblonder]

Notice how the elevator is lurching as if it’s gone off its rails, and everyone is tossed around. Everyone EXCEPT Dr. Terwilliker.

[shoesoffbootson]

Focusing on that dude's face during the 3rd verse was sadistic genius.

[sidhetaerie]

My very favorite scene.  This explains why I sometimes have nightmares about elevators.   I saw this as a child and this scene could creep anybody out.  Frightening and funny and beautifully sung.   Thank you so much for finding the missing verse!

[lakeleymagnolia]

Believe it or not the dungeon song and the dude controlling the elevator has crossed my mind for decades. I always got a kick out of the description of each floor. I may sound a little macabre, but I loved every minute of it. And still do. Cheers!

[Suddenlyits]

What a shame that this film was shorn of so much priceless footage, all of which is now considered lost.
"Dr.T" is such an underrated masterpiece. I dont think audiences knew what to make of it. It was too bizzare, surrealistic for most of the adult audiences and far frightening to disturbing to appeal to kids. I give the studios credit for being brave enough to produce sometning this origonal and bizzare.

[WobblesandBean]

Me: "Well I don't see why everyone was so scared of this scene, I think it's kinda cute and fu-"
<gets to 1:40>
"...Oh."

[cbradfordgorby]

This was my favorite song and scene - so great to hear it entirely .

[ConsoleCleric]

One of the biggest Hollywood flops in history, The 5000 Fingers of Dr. T (1952) was intended for kids.  Most of the critics in the premiere walked out after 15 minutes.  Personally, my favorite scene is this one involving the dungeon elevator man.  The lyrics to the songs were written by Dr. Seuss, himself.  However, I think he got carried away with this scene.