Dr. Lazarus

Dr. Lazarus

Production country: 
ra
Year: 
Duration: 
52'
Edition: 
1993
Format: 
film/video

DR. LAZARUS is a rather crazy project - in terms of its content as well as the production concept and target. The final version is planned as a television series in sixteen one- hour installments along with a concurrently-produced feature film.
The sto ry 1872: yellow fever epidemic in Buenos Aires. At the same time Dr. Poison is working on a hormone that will guarantee immortality. He is sponsored by a group of big landowners belonging to the "Lodge of Eternal Return". Their aim is world supremacy - for the rest of all time. Dr. Poison is successful. He injects his new serum into his new-born son, who is delivered by Caesarian section just before yellow fever carries off the doctor's wife. This baby is DR. LAZARUS, whom
we encounter in the year 1995. He is immortal - but doomed to eternally endure the torments of the epidemic he inherited from his mother. Only one thing can release him from his sufferings: an antidote based on the genetic material of the descendants of the blood and sperm donors who originally contributed to the immortality hormone. A journey through Latin-American society begins... Sci-fi horror on the face of things, but in reality a critical - and humorous - survey of modern Latin America.
The video A compilation of scenes in the opus, shot in advance before financial backing was secured. Thus, the video is like a vast ellipse that only vaguely suggests the conclusive direction of the project. Although its form
is very cinematic (shot on S I6 mm), various digital effects were applied via post-production in D-2.
The p o int DR. LAZARUS is worlds apart from the common run of television serials. This may be one reason why many celebrated theatre, film and TV actors, as well as professional studios and production firms, provided their services cost-free for the making of the pilot video. The cast includes Oscar nominee Susû Pecorara (known from films with Carlos Saura) and some of the most popular Argentinian comic actors such as Norman Briski, Jorge Luz, Mario Sdnchez etc. The project has been praised by the press, initial financing commitments have been made in Argentina, and co-production possibilities are being examined in Chile.

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