The Doll Squad is a 1973 low-budget Z-grade action film by Feature-Faire that was later re-released under the title Seduce and Destroy.[1] Directed, edited, co-written and co-produced by Ted V. Mikels, it features Francine York, Michael Ansara, John Carter, Anthony Eisley, Leigh Christian and Tura Satana.[2][3] Mikels claimed he filmed it for a total cost of $256,000.
| The Doll Squad | |
|---|---|
 Original film poster | |
| Directed by | Ted V. Mikels |
| Screenplay by | Jack Richesin Pam Eddy Ted V. Mikels |
| Produced by | Ted V. Mikels Paul Burkett |
| Starring | Michael Ansara Francine York Anthony Eisley John Carter Tura Satana |
| Cinematography | Anthony Salinas |
| Edited by | Ted V. Mikels |
| Music by | Nicholas Carras |
| Distributed by | Feature-Faire Productions |
Release date |
|
Running time | 101 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Plot
editCIA operative Connolly assigns Sabrina, the leader of a group of five shapely female operatives individually selected by a computer. Code named the Doll Squad, they thwart the efforts of a madman who formerly worked alongside Sabrina as a fellow CIA agent who has become an entrepreneur to overthrow world governments. His plan is to release rats infected with bubonic plague.[4]
Cast
edit- Michael Ansara as Eamon O'Reilly
- Francine York as Sabrina Kincaid
- Anthony Eisley as Victor Connelly
- John Carter as Senator Stockwell
- Tura Satana as Lavelle Sumara
- Lisa Todd as Maria
- Rafael Campos as Rafael
- Lillian Garrett as Nancy Malone
- William Bagdad as Joseph
- Herb Robins as Munson
- Curt Matson as Captain Curran
- Christopher Augustine
- Bertil Unger as Mr. Cahaymen
- Gustaf Unger as Dr. Cahaymen
- Richard Reed
- William Bonano
- Judith McConnell as Elizabeth White
- Jean London as Kim Duval
- Sherri Vernon as Cat
Production
editMikels said the script was brought to him by Pam Eddy and Jack Richesin: "It was three kind of naughty girls of the night getting together to take vengeance against somebody that did something to them. It evolved deeper and deeper, I did two or three re-writes on it, and finally the wife of Joseph Robertson did the final draft". Mikels said that Mary Martin and Sissy Spacek came in for parts but the roles had already been cast: "I'm very pleased with everybody I had in it though. That turned out to be a forerunner of female power films".[5]
Time Inc. contributor Ed White notes that the visuals for the action sequences near the end of the film are unusually dark. This part of the film was shot in a single night. The multiple submachine guns used by the actresses in this sequence were really a single weapon that was on temporarily loan to the director.[6]
Reception
editDVD reviewer and Rolling Stone contributor Doug Pratt called it "an enjoyable action romp". He adds, "the girls kick some serious butt and they look terrific in their hot black jumpsuits. Who can resist?"[7] Film critic Michael Adams said the film is "so slow in parts I think it should be called The Dull Squad", but "it picks up at the end". He rated it a solid 37/100.[8] Nonetheless, it has become something of a cult film for fans of actress Francine York.[9]
Influence
editThis film may have been the inspiration for the Charlie's Angels television series.[4] Aaron Spelling, who later produced the television series, and at the time was executive producer of Mod Squad, was invited to the premiere of this film,[10] and the lead member of the squad was named Sabrina, just as in Charlie's Angels.[9] Quentin Tarantino said the women in the film have a similar look to his Deadly Viper Assassination Squad in his film Kill Bill.[11]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Tucker, Ed (2004), "The Ted V. Mikels Interview", Crazed Fanboy Presents..., retrieved 2011-10-22
- ^ Beldin, Fred. "The Doll Squad (1973)". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2013-02-08. Retrieved 2011-03-09.
- ^ Staff (2004). The Scarecrow Movie Guide. Seattle: Sasquatch Books. p. 385. ISBN 1-57061-415-6.
- ^ a b Lisanti, Tom; Paul, Louis (2002). Film fatales: women in espionage films and television, 1962-1973. McFarland. p. 316. ISBN 0-7864-1194-5.
- ^ Ashmun, Dale (2000). "Ted V Mikels". Psychotronic Video. No. 32. p. 43.
- ^ White, Ed (November 10, 2000), Astro Zombies and Corpse Grinders, Time Inc., archived from the original on December 16, 2003, retrieved 2011-08-23
- ^ Pratt, Douglas (2004), Doug Pratt's DVD: Movies, Television, Music, Art, Adult, and More!, vol. 1, UNET 2 Corporation, pp. 350–351, ISBN 1-932916-00-8
- ^ Adams, Michael (2010). Showgirls, Teen Wolves, and Astro Zombies: A Film Critic's Year-Long Quest to Find the Worst Movie Ever Made. HarperCollins. p. 236. ISBN 978-0-06-180629-2.
- ^ a b Lisanti, Tom (2001). Fantasy femmes of sixties cinema: interviews with 20 actresses from biker, beach, and Elvis movies. McFarland. p. 103. ISBN 0-7864-0868-5.
- ^ Paul, Louis (2007). Tales from the cult film trenches: interviews with 36 actors from horror, science fiction and exploitation cinema. McFarland. p. 203. ISBN 978-0-7864-2994-3.
- ^ Machiyama, Tomohiro (August 28, 2003), "Quentin Tarantino reveals almost everything that inspired Kill Bill in... The Japattack Interview", Film, The Jap Attack, archived from the original on September 16, 2011, retrieved 2011-10-22