I watched this British cult favorite well after midnight recently, having not seen it for decades, and it remains positively creepy. In fact, upon it's original release, DEVIL DOLL was given an 'X' rating, due to sexual content woven into the horror plot. All around a very strange film, atmospherically photographed in glorious black and white, and best left that way. Color would not have done it justice.
Director Lindsay Shonteff also served as producer, behind some other camp flicks in his career, bringing out a rather an intense performance in Bryant Haliday as the Great Vorelli. Vorelli is basically a ventriloquist gone mad, and with an equally sinister dummy called Hugo, who apparently contains the soul of another performer and can even walk. Yes, I agree with the last reviewer, one of the more unsettling screenplays concerning ventriloquist's dummys. The plot more than likely inspired by the other British chiller, DEAD OF NIGHT (1945) -- but even better. The latter film was comprised of vignettes, while this production runs rampant with a single perverse idea. It may also have taken a few notes from the TWILIGHT ZONE tv series, which had a few select tales concerning ill-fated ventriloquists.
Vorelli is attracted to the extremely beautiful Marianne, played by Yvonne Romain. Immediately, you begin to think it will lead to a intense relationship, however as the story begins to twist and turn, Vorelli is also blindsided by her wealth. That said, there's Hugo to contend with and other female victims, perhaps the first screen stalker to be made of wood?
Popular actor William Sylvestor balances the offbeat relationship, playing Mark, Marianne's true boyfriend and the investigator of the dark procedings. Sylvestor is best known for the role of Dr. Floyd in 2001: A Space Odyssey. Romain, in a few years, would gain notoriety opposite Elvis in DOUBLE TROUBLE.
Shonteff is to be credited for having presided over the most incredible ending of any camp 60s feature, one you will not too soon forget.
Thanks much to MOVIES Net for showing this thriller late at night, where it belongs, guaranteed nightmare material. Long running at 80 minutes. Always on remastered dvd for completists and well worth adding to your macabre collection.
Director Lindsay Shonteff also served as producer, behind some other camp flicks in his career, bringing out a rather an intense performance in Bryant Haliday as the Great Vorelli. Vorelli is basically a ventriloquist gone mad, and with an equally sinister dummy called Hugo, who apparently contains the soul of another performer and can even walk. Yes, I agree with the last reviewer, one of the more unsettling screenplays concerning ventriloquist's dummys. The plot more than likely inspired by the other British chiller, DEAD OF NIGHT (1945) -- but even better. The latter film was comprised of vignettes, while this production runs rampant with a single perverse idea. It may also have taken a few notes from the TWILIGHT ZONE tv series, which had a few select tales concerning ill-fated ventriloquists.
Vorelli is attracted to the extremely beautiful Marianne, played by Yvonne Romain. Immediately, you begin to think it will lead to a intense relationship, however as the story begins to twist and turn, Vorelli is also blindsided by her wealth. That said, there's Hugo to contend with and other female victims, perhaps the first screen stalker to be made of wood?
Popular actor William Sylvestor balances the offbeat relationship, playing Mark, Marianne's true boyfriend and the investigator of the dark procedings. Sylvestor is best known for the role of Dr. Floyd in 2001: A Space Odyssey. Romain, in a few years, would gain notoriety opposite Elvis in DOUBLE TROUBLE.
Shonteff is to be credited for having presided over the most incredible ending of any camp 60s feature, one you will not too soon forget.
Thanks much to MOVIES Net for showing this thriller late at night, where it belongs, guaranteed nightmare material. Long running at 80 minutes. Always on remastered dvd for completists and well worth adding to your macabre collection.
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