Written by Robert Scocchi | Updated
If you’re of a certain age, you’re probably familiar with the antics of Ernest P. Worrell, portrayed by the late, great Jim Varney. Before we get the delightfully slapstick titles featuring Ernest in the title role, we first meet him in the endlessly bizarre 1985 entry Dr. Otto and the Mystery of the Gloom Raywhich features the endlessly manic Varney dealing with six different characters, each with a hand growing from their heads. While it’s not the best introduction to Varney’s work, it’s a unique experience for longtime fans who are so distraught it’s hard to look away.
I’ll be the first to admit Dr. Otto and the Mystery of the Gloom Ray meaningless. However, it does an excellent job of showcasing Varney’s raw talent as a comedian, voice artist, and all-around strength of character that fans still love to this day.
A chaotic setup that keeps escalating
Most versions Dr. Otto and the Mystery of the Gloom Ray Jump straight into the action at Dr. Otto’s lair, where he decides to use his mysterious Gloom Beam device to wreak havoc on financial institutions around the world, starting in Cincinnati, Ohio, of all places. However, some VHS releases include a brief prologue in which Ernest P. Worrell finds a device he calls the “Altering Coffin”, setting in motion the events of the film. Depending on which clip you watch, the premise may vary, but it doesn’t change much in the grand scheme of things.
Once Dr. Otto successfully attacks Banks with his gloom ray, he broadcasts a mystery that makes absolutely no sense; A long, rambling poem meant to be pieced together by his sworn enemy, Lance Sterling (Mike R. Mueller). Lance, who was born in the same hospital on the same day as Dr. Otto, is his complete opposite. Raised by a loving family, Lance is an adult Boy Scout who seizes the opportunity to save the day, and by extension the world, from Dr. Otto’s latest bout of chaos.
Ignore the plot and enjoy the characters
The best way to watch Dr. Otto and the Mystery of the Gloom Ray Not as a cohesive film, but as a series of interconnected vignettes. While Lance and his friend Doris Talbert (Jackie Welsh) hunt down Dr. Otto, the cheerful villain uses his shapeshifting coffin to take on various characters such as Rod Hardtack, an Australian soldier, Laughing Jack the pirate, Guy Dandy, a wealthy playboy, and Aunt Nelda, an unhealthy old woman with a creepy bust size, all played by Jim Varney.
As Lance struggles to solve the mystery and battle Otto’s bizarre ego, the plot fades into the background while Varney’s group takes center stage. It’s not the story that attracts attention Dr. Otto and the Mystery of the Gloom Raybut the ridiculous exchanges between the ever-changing lineup of villains Lance, Doris, and Varney.
By the third act, the film becomes a sensory overload of bright colors, irrational energy, and pure camp. You’ll stop trying to follow the puzzle and just start enjoying the chaos that seeps out of the Gloom Beam itself.
A rough but charming prototype
Dr. Otto and the Mystery of the Gloom Ray It is pure camp from start to finish. What it lacks in narrative structure, it makes up for with colorful art pieces, manic energy, and Varney’s complete commitment to the absurdity of John Cherry’s writing and direction. It’s nonsense, but it’s the kind of nonsense that only Jim Varney, infused with enthusiasm and sheer charisma, could pull off.
If you just want to turn your brain off and watch one of comedians’ most versatile actors navigate six bizarre characters without a hint of restraint, Dr. Otto and the Mystery of the Gloom Ray It is streaming for free on Tubi.
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