The Asphyx, Another Stupid Mad Scientist Idea

Immortal life! Yep, just put some mad scientist on it.  What he'll come up with will be a real winner.  Always works out so well.  Yep...this will work out just fine.  What could go wrong? Hence, our film today, 1972's "The Asphyx," directed by Peter Newbrook.

Sir Hugo Cunningham (Robert Stephens) is our mad scientist.  As our film begins he brings his new fiancé to his spacious estate to meet his children.  Anna (Fiona Walker) is very attractive and sweet and does not yet know she has gotten involved with a mad scientist.  This guy has a laboratory downstairs, next to the family crypt. Anna makes a great impression on Hugo's lovely daughter Christina (Jane Lapotaire) and her fiancé Giles (Robert Powell). Also, a great impression on Hugo's son Clive (Ralph Arliss). Okay, Hugo is into photography and believes he can photograph the soul if the picture is snapped at the moment just before death. He is going to get the opportunity to fine tune this theory.  Okay, the happy family goes boating and Hugo stays ashore filming it. Horrible accidents occur and Hugo captures the deaths of Clive and Anna.  So sad.

Now Hugo is experimenting on moving pictures, this film is set in 1875. He has captured more than just the soul. He has captured some force that moves into the body just as death occurs. Idea!  A good one! Hardly.  Hugo believes if he can trap that entity from arriving at the body, the person will not die. Even better.  If he captures that entity and locks it away forever, the person will never die and have immortality. Yeah...this will go so well.  Why wouldn't it? The results are Hugo was right...he can indeed do this. Like all mad scientist breakthroughs, unintended consequences will ruin the day.  Just ask Victor Frankenstein. Now the results are gruesome and not at all happy.

Is immortality really something we should desire (at least on this side of eternity)? Once grasping immortality, does that change investment and courtship habits?  Look around you right now, do you really want anyone near you to be around forever?  This is a thought provoking horror film that becomes more gruesome than you could imagine.  See "The Asphyx," and be ready for some deep discussions.