MINIKILLERS
Produced
in 1968 this is a series of four short films, each running 8-10
minutes. All of them house an individual tale but integrate into
larger, overall story arch. The series title refers to a ludicrously
bizarre method of murder. The baddies use remotely controlled,
walking baby dolls. When a curious victim opts to pick them up for
closer examination, they spray poison from their eyes. Odder yet is
the fact that they are triggered, not by a radio or infrared control,
but via a stopwatch.
The strangeness continues with another aspect, possibly attributable to it’s International production. The director and screenwriter was a German named Wolfgang von Chmielewski. The movies were shot in a seaside resort in Spain using a largely Spanish cast, but starring a British actress. So to negate language or subtitling issues, the films contain no dialog.
In the main villain roles you have José Nieto and Jack Rocha. That same year José appeared in Paul Naschy’s first werewolf movie and two years later Rocha would be in Jess Franco’s “Count Dracula”. But the main distinction for “Minikillers” was it’s star. Fresh off her run on “The Avengers”, Diana Rigg was coaxed into playing a very ‘Emma Peel’ like character for the series. Bear in mind that at this time, Ms. Rigg was at the very height of her beauty and is almost criminally sexy and gorgeous.
I’m pretty certain that these can be watched on Youtube, should I have incited your interest.
After watching this, a funny thought occurred to me. As a pre-adolescent, I was precocious enough to have a fascination for feminine beauty and the erotic. At this young stage there were 3 actresses that could make me ‘tingle’ beyond those of any other. They were Ann Francis (as Honey West), Stephanie Powers (as April Dancer) and Rigg (as Emma Peel). The common denominator between the three is that they were action heroines. Being “merely” good looking was not enough to satisfy my aesthetics, I wanted a gal who could take charge and kick ass.
The strangeness continues with another aspect, possibly attributable to it’s International production. The director and screenwriter was a German named Wolfgang von Chmielewski. The movies were shot in a seaside resort in Spain using a largely Spanish cast, but starring a British actress. So to negate language or subtitling issues, the films contain no dialog.
In the main villain roles you have José Nieto and Jack Rocha. That same year José appeared in Paul Naschy’s first werewolf movie and two years later Rocha would be in Jess Franco’s “Count Dracula”. But the main distinction for “Minikillers” was it’s star. Fresh off her run on “The Avengers”, Diana Rigg was coaxed into playing a very ‘Emma Peel’ like character for the series. Bear in mind that at this time, Ms. Rigg was at the very height of her beauty and is almost criminally sexy and gorgeous.
I’m pretty certain that these can be watched on Youtube, should I have incited your interest.
After watching this, a funny thought occurred to me. As a pre-adolescent, I was precocious enough to have a fascination for feminine beauty and the erotic. At this young stage there were 3 actresses that could make me ‘tingle’ beyond those of any other. They were Ann Francis (as Honey West), Stephanie Powers (as April Dancer) and Rigg (as Emma Peel). The common denominator between the three is that they were action heroines. Being “merely” good looking was not enough to satisfy my aesthetics, I wanted a gal who could take charge and kick ass.
Mr Patrick Hilger is The Trash Collector. A lifelong connoisseur of Cult Cinema and Pop Culture.
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