Countdown to Halloween Day 2 – House of 1,000 Dolls (1967)

Countdown to Halloween – Day 2: House of 1,000 Dolls (1967)
Cast:        Vincent Price as Felix Manderville
Martha Hyer as Rebecca
George Nader as Stephen Armstrong
Ann Smyrner as Marie Armstrong
Wolfgang Kieling as Inspector Emil

Written by Harry Alan Towers, Maria del Carmen & Martinez Roman
Directed by Jeremy Summers & Hans Billian

Release Date: November 8, 1967

Plot: When his friend is murdered while looking for his lost girlfriend in Tangiers, Stephen Armstrong gets wrapped up in a white slavery ring. He receives some help from a mysterious magician that may or may not play a bigger role in the slave trade.

Richard’s Review: The opening sequence gives the impression you are about to watch a late 60s Euro spy flick but that soon derails into a rather generic thriller with some scenes of naked women and slavery thrown in for a little excitement. Now, I had seen this one before but it seemed to come across a little more entertaining than the first time I watched it, more than a decade ago now. Vincent Price is the bright spot of an otherwise forgettable film as a man who appears to be in over his head in a white slavery ring. Or is he is the mastermind of it all? You’ll get the answers but only after the film goes on a little too long and takes numerous side treks. As for the music, the opening and closing themes should have been reversed as the lighthearted pop tune by Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers seems very out of place considering the deaths we just witness on screen. I’d probably watch this one again but it will be awhile.

Karla’s Thoughts: While Vincent Price was good as usual, the rest of the acting in this film is atrocious. The writing was equally as bad as characters come across as so stupid. For example, Armstrong knows that Tangiers is a dangerous place yet has no problem sending his wife off with complete strangers. I actually liked the premise of the story but it needed better writing and a better cast. I don’t see myself going back to rewatch this one any time soon.

Trivia:

• The film had the working title of Sax Rohmer’s House of Dolls and Terence Fisher was originally slated to direct the film in Dublin. However, due to Fisher’s illness, the film eventually went to another director and was filmed in Spain.
• Vincent Price and Martha Hyer were unaware that the film contained adult scenes as those were usually done after they left the set for the day to visit the Prado in Spain.
• Harry Alan Towers also wrote all five Fu Manchu films starring Christopher Lee in the 1960s, as well as Count Dracula (1970), which was directed by Jess Franco and also starred Lee.
• Martha Hyer appeared in Riders to the Stars (1954) and First Men in the Moon (1964).
• George Nader starred in the cult classic Robot Monster (1953), The Great Space Adventure (1963) and Beyond Atlantis (1973).
• Ann Smyrner also starred in Reptilicus (1961) and Journey to the Seventh Planet (1962).
• Wolfgang Kieling also starred in Alfred Hitchcock’s Torn Curtain (1966).

Availability: Available on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber.