Joe Solomon released Devil Doll in Phoenix, Arizona on 26 August 1964. He released it widely the following month. The producers must have had trouble getting distribution elsewhere because it didn’t show up in the UK until the following year.
Like many people, I discovered Devil Doll via MST3K. But I was annoyed at the crew and wanted them gone. As they all know, you can mock the greatest film ever made. The show mocked many good films. And Devil Doll was probably the best.
Critics dismissed the film at the time of its release. But since then, its reputation has grown. Michael Weldon wrote, “Aside from a Dead of Night segment, this is the best ventriloquist’s dummy film.” Even Leonard Maltin has praised it, which makes you wonder. But no! It really is good.
My hot take: The worst time to judge a film is when it is first released. It selects for commodity over art. And it makes watching the film on its own terms far more difficult.
I don’t have a lot to say. It’s a great film. But there is no one especially notable in the production except for co-screenwriter Ronald Kinnoch, who produced and co-wrote Village of the Damned. And you will recognize William Sylvester from 2001: A Space Odyssey. (He worked primarily in TV.)
Here’s a free copy of Devil Doll via Archive:
Devil Doll (1964) poster via Wikipedia under Fair Use.
