THE
DOLL SQUAD (1973)Director: Ted V. Mikels
Image Entertainment
THE
DOLL SQUAD (1973)Kitsch cult director Ted V. Mikels put the monsters to rest for a while (from titles like ASTRO ZOMBIES, CORPSE GRINDERS and BLOOD ORGY OF THE SHE DEVILS) and turned his attentions on this action/adventure potboiler, a Bond-esque espionage thriller with a feminist slant. When the government is threatened by a madman blowing up U.S. space shuttle rockets, it's up to an elite squad of beautiful but aggressive and deadly woman to stop him.
The squad is lead by Sabrina, played by the mature-looking but enticing redhead Francine York. She recruits a pack of girls that include Mikels regular Sherri Vernon, blond Leigh Christian (the siren in BEYOND ATLANTIS) and Tura Satana, that amazing Indian/Japanese wonder from FASTER PUSSY CAT, KILL KILL! and ASTRO ZOMBIES. Tura is seen as a Las Vegas-type stripper who retires her tasseled pasties in order to fight crime. Anthony Eisley (DRACULA VS. FRANKENSTEN) is the CIA agent that hires the girls, and Michael Ansara is the casually dressed mastermind criminal planning to take over the world with plague-ridden rats!
It's PG-rated, but there's lots of blood (mostly the graphic gunshots to Ansara's army of idiot thugs), and the girls model low cut attire, skimpy bikinis, and "Emma Peel" catsuits when they perform some shabby martial arts. Lots of people and other objects explode via a laughable, cartoonish optical effect, but some scenic camera work make this seem bigger budgeted than most of Mikels' films. This 70s time capsule piece is probably his most fun and watchable effort, and it's the closest Mikels has ever come to doing a popcorn movie in the arousing style of Jack Hill.
Image's DVD of THE DOLL SQUAD has been released under the "Cult Cinema Collection" banner, thus far exclusive to Mikels' films. Preparing a brand-new transfer made from the original negative, the film looks fantastic. Letterboxed in its original 1.77:1 aspect ratio (and 16x9 enhanced) the image is crisp and the colors are bold. The materials are in very clean shape, so the transfer is free of any consequential blemishes (only mildly in cases where the film turns to stock footage). The mono sound is as clear as can be expected.
There's a full running commentary by Mikels himself, and although he seems to say more about this film than he did on previous DVDs, he still doesn't elaborate on particular items of interest. He mentions stuff like filming in Zsa Zsa Gabor's house, and a visit on the set from Barbara Eden (married to Ansara at the time), but doesn't give details on these and other curtailed anecdotes. Also absent from the commentary is any mention of the obvious similarities to "Charlie's Angels," (which he often claimed ripped him off--hell, York's character is called Sabrina), and a supposed lawsuit he had pending against Aaron Spelling. But if Mikels was at all bitter in the past, it certainly doesn't show now, as he's as cheerful and good-spirited as can be, and really proud of the film.
Other extras include "Tura
Satana's Doll Squad Memories," where the actress does a mini (8-minute)
commentary over various scenes from the film. She discusses suggesting York
for the lead role, as well as her experiences on location. There's also trailers
for DOLL SQUAD and other Mikels titles available on DVD through Image, as well
as a filmography of the grandiose director.
(George R. Reis)