Devil Doll
Devil Doll
| 01 September 1964 (USA)
Devil Doll Trailers

An evil hyponotist/ventriloquist plots to gain an heiress' millions.

Reviews
Matcollis This Movie Can Only Be Described With One Word.
Colibel Terrible acting, screenplay and direction.
Intcatinfo A Masterpiece!
Kamila Bell This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.
MartinHafer DEVIL DOLL is a British horror film from 1964 and should not be confused with the exceptional film, THE DEVIL DOLL which starred Lionel Barrymore in 1936. Both films are worth seeing but their plots have nothing whatsoever to do with each other.When I went to rate this film, I was shocked that it had a score of only 2.9--indicating it is a "stinker" of a film. However, having just watched the film I can assure you that despite a relatively low budget, it was exciting throughout and is one of the better horror films of the 1960s. Sure, the doll (a ventriloquist's dummy to be exact) did look a bit cheesy, but amazing special effects in horror films are only a recent invention--moviegoers could easily be expected to suspend disbelief and just enjoy the film like I did.The film is about an evil hypnotist/ventriloquist named 'The Great Vorelli' and menacingly played by Bryant Haliday. Not only does he have an amazing act where his dummy appears to be able to walk and talk on its own, but he's also a great stage hypnotist. However, people do not realize that his doll is actually possessed AND his hypnotic powers are far stronger--such that he's able to control people. When he meets a rich and sexy lady, he's able to get her to fall in love with him and agree to marry him. Her fiancé is naturally NOT pleased with this and suspects Vorelli's powers are far more diabolical in nature. He's right about this but no one suspects he actually plans on killing the beautiful woman after he marries her, so I assume Vorelli is either crazy or gay.The film excels at creating a creepy and menacing atmosphere throughout and fortunately, the film also manages to end very well--with this evil jerk getting a taste of his own medicine. All in all, a very good film and I still have no idea why it's scored so low.PS--Unfortunately, you cannot use hypnosis to do any of the evil things Vorelli does in the film. It's a pity, really, as I am trained in hypnosis and would love to use it for evil (or at least to make my boss come to work naked). If only it were possible....
right left If You are into horror this movie is "definitely" worth a watch. There are of course some minor things to take into consideration like ... well, the acting, the dialog, budget, story, and almost everything technical. BUT, but really, that's not why you should watch this "gem" or "hidden gold treasure". You should check this movie out because there is something about the "feel" of this movie that is what "horror" movies are all about. The movie also does not shy away from the sex or what's allowed of it back then, and of course the "Devil Doll" is as creepy as evil dolls get. The filmmakers may not have got everything right, but they definitely nailed the coffin shut with a genuine feel of horror.
HAWKEYE While watching this film you often have the feeling that this was supposed to be a longer, more fleshed out film. Vorelli re-gluing his beard back on is never really explained, among a few other open-ended events.The one thing that can be said is that this film is genuinely creepy at several points throughout. Watching it late at night in the dark when everyone else is asleep will lead to looks over one's shoulder! The fight scene at the end between Vorelli and Hugo is actually nightmare inducing! If you have the chance, do see it! Oh, how I long for the actually SCARY films of days gone by! Hey Hollywood take note... CGI doesn't scare anyone! A film like this one will definitely give you the heebies and the jeebies! If you want to see a creepy movie, get a hold of this one!
Greg Eichelberger Movie is an Associated Film Dist. Corp. release of a Galaworld Ldfilm-Gordon Films production, directed by Lindsey Shonteff, and tells the story of a ventriloquist who is outwitted by his dummy. This plot has been done better many times before including the "Twilight Zone's" version, "The Dummy," The Great Gabbo (1929)," and "Michael Redgrave's segment in the chilling, "Dead Of Night" from 1949. You know it's going to be bad, though, because picture takes place in England, and the headliner is the pale, gaunt, pock-mocked loser from "The Projected Man," Bryant Haliday, the poor man's Anthony Cardoza. Also on the menu is the pudgy, laconic William Sylvester, who has appeared "Riding With Death" and "Gorgo," as well as "2001: A Space Odyssey." Haliday plays "The Great Vorelli," a ventriloquist with a tacky beard and a dummy named Hugo that can perform amazing routines, such as walk towards the audience and eat ham. The act basically consists of Vorelli berating the dummy and arguing with it like a second-grader (saying things like "The sawdust in your stomach will explode," and "You're ugly."). Vorelli then ingratiates himself into a rich family with an above-average-looking daughter (for Britain), Marianne (Yvonne Romain). He hypnotizes her to fall in love with him, which makes her "boyfriend," reporter Sylvester, pout like a little baby. Here's my gripe with that. It seems in a lot of these films, the hero is someone who doesn't deserve it. Like the reporter is "Teenagers From Outer Space," among others. They get the girl with no effort, while the villain, or alien, in some cases, in much more interesting. Here, Vorelli is homely, deeply disturbed and psychotic, but he's light years more intriguing than the dullard Sylvester - which makes me wonder what a normal-looking woman would see in him in the first place. And as much pawing and groping as Vorelli does to his assistant, the brief make out scene between Sylvester and Romain is nauseating beyond description. Anyway, Sylvester, with the help of several pug-ugly Brits, discovers that Hugo is embodied with the spirit of a murder victim from Berlin. However, Sylvester's obsession with Hugo borders on the perverted and makes you want to slap him around, especially during the scene where he sneaks in a room to fondle it. A lame fight at the end (not unlike the one that concludes "Santa Claus Conquers The Martians"), however, causes Hugo to become "alive" and take Vorelli's place, while the audience is left feeling sad and empty, not unlike Vorelli's sex life or Hugo's cranium.