Miss Muerte

I wouldn't really class myself as a fan, but Jess Franco has still become my most-watched director, eclipsing the likes of Argento and Hitchcock. This is the forty-first film I have seen by the prolific Spaniard, and it's actually one of his better efforts, a demented piece of nonsense that proves that good old Jess could make a fun movie when he put his mind to it.

Antonio Jiménez Escribano plays the titular doctor, Dr. Zimmer (Z for short), who turns up at a medical congress to reveal that he has discovered a way to control evil. When he declares that he would like to test his process on a human subject, he is treated with disgust and disdain, causing him to drop dead of a heart attack. Understandably upset, Zimmer's daughter Irma (Mabel Karr) plots revenge...

This one is full of '60s cheeze: an escaped criminal turned into an obedient slave; Irma performing a facial skin graft on herself that leaves no scars; a sexy mind-controlled cabaret artist with poison fingernails; and, best of all, a mad scientist laboratory featuring a glass operating table with spider-like robotic arms (why? Because it looks cool!). Memorable sequences include the cruel killing of a pretty hitchhiker, a great fist fight down a long tunnel, and a victim stalked through a fog-shrouded town -- with impressive location work and excellent black and white cinematography throughout.

This is one of the best, creepiest and most stylish from the Godfather of Eurosleaze. "The Diabolical Dr. Z" is a semi-sequel to the classic "The Horrible Dr. Orlof" (1961). Dr. Zimmer, who calls himself a disciple of Dr. Dr. Orlof, dabbles in mind control with the help of a weird spiderlike metal contraption which injects electric needles into victims brains. After other doctors laugh at him and his experiments, he suffers a stroke but before he dies his daughter promises to continue the experiment. She visits a nightclub where an exotic dancer, Miss Muerte, perform a "show". Miss Muerte then becomes a zombie-like killermachine for Dr. Zimmer's daughter and goes after the doctors who ridiculed him. The film is loaded with sinister atmosphere, beautifully shot - a masterpiece of the macabre!

A more apt title for the movie might be The Daughter of the Diabolical Doctor Z. Dr. Z doesn't make it through the first 15 minutes of the movie before he dies of a heart attack. His daughter (also a doctor) blames those who scoffed at her father's ideas for his death. Continuing with her father's work, she vows revenge. Using his mind control procedures, she creates two "slaves" to carry out her plan.

I have dubbed this movie "My New Favorite Franco", just beating out Venus in Furs for the title. Where many of his movies seem to lose their way, The Diabolical Doctor Z has a straight forward plot and takes the time necessary to build atmosphere. Too often Franco's films seem rushed or go in so many directions that nothing seems to make much sense.

The choice made by the daughter of the beautiful performance artist, Miss Death, as a "weapon" for her revenge is interesting. Much like a spider, Miss Death first seduces her prey before using her long nails that have been dipped in poison to kill. Miss Death's spider web nightclub dance is a must see.

This is the second Franco film that I've seen that reminded me in some way of Franju's Eyes Without a Face. While the influence on the other Franco film, The Awful Dr. Orloff, is obvious, here it is much more subtle. The face surgery scene is eerily reminiscent of Franju's face surgery scene.

Probably a good starting point to explore your Franco. This is a well written and smoothly running yarn of obsession and revenge, with handsome and solid cast, hypnotic soundtrack and first class camera work. There's the ethereal Estella Blain, a beauty who is changed into a killing machine, with powers to mesmerize men. Knowing that in real life she ended her life with a shotgun adds to the morbid fascination of seeing her. The scene of her seducing one of her victims on a train, in sudden silence and almost complete darkness as the train enters a tunnel, is so weirdly beautiful that one is compelled to watch it several times. My second viewing of this film was in a rather tired company, and I witnessed a drunkard - well, an intoxicated young gentlemen - wake up from his slumber just because of the dreamlike soundtrack and becoming glued to the screen. These are the moments that make film the greatest of art forms. Otherwise I'm not a great fan of Mr Franco. A man who directs about 200 films can't hit a bullseye every time. But this time he really has. A piece de resistance for every eurotrash lover. How lucky you are if you haven't seen this film yet and are planning a viewing!

The Diabolical Dr. Z (1966)

*** (out of 4)

Dr. Zimmer (Escribano), a student of the one and only Dr. Orloff, is at home when an escaped convict arrives at his doorstep. The doctor does an experiment on him, which should make him famous but when he takes it to a board of doctors they basically shun him and put him down. This causes his death so his daughter Irma (Karr) swears to seek vengeance for her father.

I've seen the majority of the films by Jess Franco and I will gladly admit that I prefer his sleazier pictures from the early 1970s. I've always respected these early B&W films but I also admit that I prefer the less stylish pictures that mixed in the nudity and sleaze. I will also admit that I prefer SHE KILLED IN ECSTASY, which was the remake of this film and the one that featured Soledad Miranda. With that said, I think it's safe and honest to say that THE DIABOLICAL DR. Z is the director's best looking film.

There's no question that this here is the most stylish film that Franco ever directed and it also features the greatest cinematography. I was really amazed to see how beautiful this film looks but it really does seem as if each shot was storyboarded. All of the camera movements look very professional and it seems as if hours were spent setting up each shot. You may be wandering what the big deal is but if you're familiar with Franco then you know that a large portion of his movies seem to have been shot very cheaply and very quick without too much thought put into the framing.

The film does benefit from its beautiful look but there are also some very good performances here. Mabel Karr steals the film as the avenging daughter who will stop at nothing to make sure her father gets revenge. Estella Blain is wonderful in her bit as Miss Death, a stage performer who the daughter kidnaps and forces into this murder spree. Franco regular Howard Vernon has a brief part as does the director himself who plays a police inspector.

THE DIABOLICAL DR. Z isn't what I'd consider a masterpiece as there are plenty of flaws to be found in it. At the same time there's no doubt that it's a visually dazzling picture and one that even Franco haters can respect.