The Doll Squad - Francine York

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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r

(aka "Seduce and Destroy" )

directed by Ted V. Mikels
USA 1973

An anonymous party demands the microfilm plans of anti-ballistic missiles from Senator Stockwell (John Carter, TV’s BARNABY JONES) or face dire consequences. When a rocket explodes upon lift-off, he realizes that the threat is real and contacts CIA agent Victor Connelly (Anthony Eisley, DRACULA VS FRANKENSTEIN) who consults supercomputer BERTHA which recommends that this is a job for THE DOLL SQUAD. Connelly contacts Sabrina Kincaid (Francine York, WILD ONE ON WHEELS) who rounds up the old gang: stripper Lavelle (Tura Satana, ASTRO ZOMBIES), psychiatrist Liz (Judy McConnell, TV’s SANTA BARBARA), librarian Sharon (Leigh Christian, BEYOND ATLANTIS), and Olympic swimmer Cat (Sherri Vernon, TEN VIOLENT WOMEN). When Sabrina recognizes the voice of extortionist as that of supposedly dead CIA agent Eamon O’Reilly (Michael Ansara, IT’S ALIVE) - whose profile diagnoses him as having “occasional impotence stemming from an Oedipal complex" - the squad head to San Lorenzo to seek out his secret fortress. Their island contact Kim (Jean London) puts them on the right track, but they do not realize that Eamon has replaced her with his "occasional" lover Maria (Lisa Todd, THE DEVIL’S RAIN) and that their benevolent guide Rafael (Rafael Campos, SLUMBER PARTY 57) may be leading them straight into Eamon's clutches.

Predating CHARLIE'S ANGELS by three years - Mikels reportedly tried to sue Aaron Spelling - THE DOLL SQUAD is bargain basement cheap thrills that are unintentionally laughable more than not but still charming in the earnestness of Mikels' direction and performances (it ends up being too charming to be just "so bad it's good"). The scope is fairly elaborate for a low budget action film, and it's just as well that not all of THE DOLL SQUAD are adept at evading capture because the scenario is cluttered with characters (including twins). The special effects include some impressive and grisly bullet squibs, but even more entertaining the uproariously laughable opticals for explosives, fires, and gunfire courtesy of Van der Veer Photo Effects (whose oeuvre includes STAR TREK and THE OUTER LIMITS as well as big budget films like THE SWARM and SUPERMAN).

Eric Cotenas

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Theatrical Release: 19 September 1973 (USA)

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DVD Review: 88 Films (The Ted V. Mikels Collection) - Region 0 - PAL

Big thanks to Eric Cotenas for the Review!

DVD Box Cover		CLICK to order from:
Distribution	88 Films Region 0 - PAL
Runtime	1:31:09
Video	1.78:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 7.81 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate
Audio	English Dolby Digital 2.0 mono
Subtitles	none
Features	Release Information: Studio: 88 Films Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.78:1 Edition Details: • Audio Commentary by director Ted V. Mikels • Making of 'The Doll Squad' - audio interview with Tura Satana (7:58) • Theatrical Trailer (3:08) • 88 Films Trailer Park: • - 'The Corpse Grinders' • - 'Two Moon Junction' • - 'Blood Orgy of the She Devils' • - 'Hideous!' • - 'Girl in Gold Boots' • - Robot Wars • - Dollman • - Castle Freak • - Slice & Dice DVD Release Date: 17 March 2014 Amaray Chapters 8

Comments

Previously released in the UK in a fullscreen transfer by MIA (presumably using the video master for the 90's VHS release), THE DOLL SQUAD has been issued by 88 Films in an anamorphic widescreen transfer (albeit one converted from an NTSC source with the corresponding running time). The film is photographed on the cheap with colorful costumes (and opticals) but sometimes muddy night exteriors and some darker interiors. The Dolby Digital 2.0 mono track fares better.

Director Ted V. Mikels provides a solo audio commentary with a lot of play-by-play with plenty of silent passages but the director does demonstrate an obvious affection for his cast (particularly Francine York and Tura Satana) and collaborators. He also recalls that Ansara's lair was a home owned by Zsa Zsa Gabor at the time, and has a few anecdotes about the cast not really related to the film shoot itself. The late Tura Satana appears here in an audio interview over scenes from the film. The film's theatrical trailer is included along with nine other 88 Films releases (including the concurrent release of Mikels' THE CORPSE GRINDERS and the forthcoming BLOOD ORGY OF THE SHE DEVILS and GIRL IN GOLD BOOTS).

Stateside, THE DOLL SQUAD has been released three times: first by Image Entertainment (B00005OCL0), and then reissued by Alpha Video (B000MV9O5Y) - both featuring the same anamorphic transfer and commentary as the UK disc - and then as a Blu-ray double-bill with MISSION: KILLFAST (B00DQBPVDQ) from Vinegar Syndrome (with a newer director's commentary track).

- Eric Cotenas

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