Overview

Production co: Ciné-Alliance, Hesperia Films S.A., Spéva Films

►88 min (France) □ August 1966 (Spain)

Library synopsis: [En] When von Zimmer (Escribano) dies from a heart attack after his mind-control research has been rejected, his daughter Irma (Karr) evenges him, using an exotic dancer with long fingernails (Blain) as her murder tool. Franco’s work offers a classical example of how the nightmare side of phallocratic fantasies can produce sick but sometimes effective cinema with beautiful stylized imagery, with women as both the victims and the perpetrators os sadistic aggression. Written by Phil Hardy

Director: Jesus Franco

Cult stars: Estella Blain, Mabel Karr, Howard Vernon, Antonio Jiménez Escribano

Cult relevance index: ₪ 7.4 / 10

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Related videos

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Essential inner links and references

Terror Fantastic [Spain / A. 3 - Nr. 16 - January 1973] (mg)  |  The Aurum Film Encyclopedia – Horror [UK / 1996] (bk)  |  Cine Fantástico y de Terror Español 1900-1983 [Spain / 1999] (bk)  |  Quatermass – Antologia del Cine Fantastico Español [Spain / Nr. 4-5 - Autumn 2002] (bk)  |  Midi – Minuit Fantastique [France / Nr. 9 - July 1964] (mg)  |  Mad Movies [France / Nr. 10 - March 1975] (fz)  |  Mad Movies [France / Nr. 15 - March 1977] (fz)  |  Cine Zine Zone [France / Nr. 99 - June 1996 (I)] (fz)  |  Cine Zine Zone [France / Nr. 110 - 7 November 1997 (II)] (fz)  |  Monster Bis [France / Nr. 82 - Le Fantastique Espagnol] (fz)

Jesus Franco

Dezine [Spain / November 1991] (mg)  |  Amarcord [Italy / A. 2 - Nr. 7 - March-April 1997] (mg)  |   Amarcord [Italy / A. 1 - Nr. 0 - October 1995](mg)  | Horror Pictures Collection [France / 1994] (bk)  |  Jesus Franco [Spain / 2011] (bk)  |  Cine Fantástico y de Terror Español 1900-1983 [Spain / 1999] (bk)  |  Jess Franco Chronicles [Germany / 1999] (bk)  |  Immoral Tales [USA / October 1995] (bk)  |  Bizarre Sinema! – Jesus Franco [Italy / October 1999] (bk)  |  Sex Stars System [France / Nr. 1 - April 1975] (mg)  |  Terror Fantastic [Spain / A. 2 - Nr. 6 - March 1972] (mg)  |  Mad Movies [France / Nr. 10 - March 1975] (fz)  |  Cine Zine Zone [France / Nr. 31 - 19 June 1988] (fz)  |  Vampir [West Germany / Nr. 14 - 1976] (fz)  |  Monster Bis [France / Nr. 82 - Le Fantastique Espagnol] (fz)  |  Monster Bis [France / Nr. 65 - Edgar Wallace] (fz)  |  Monster Bis [France / Nr. 68 - Jesus Franco (II)](fz)  |  Monster Bis [France / Nr. 67 - Jesus Franco (I)] (fz)  |  Monster Bis [France / Nr. 91 - Eurociné] (fz)

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Gallery and video classification

Basic Card

Genre	Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Director	Jesus Franco
Writers	Jean-Claude Carrière, Jesus Franco
Producer	Michel Safra, Serge Silberman
Cast	Alberto Bourbón, Alberto Dalbés, Ana Castor, Antonio Jiménez Escribano, Cris Huerta, Daniel White, Estella Blain, Fernando Montes, Guy Mairesse, Howard Vernon, Jesus Franco, José María Prada, Lucía Prado, Mabel Karr, Marcelo Arroita-Jáuregui
Certification	Spain:18 / France:-12 / USA:Unrated (DVD rating) / West Germany:18
Country	France, Spain
Language	Spanish
Release date	Spain August 1966 (Madrid) | West Germany 9 September 1966 | USA 15 February 1967 | France 13 November 1967 | France 3 April 2009 (Lyon L'Étrange Festival)
Also known as	The Diabolical Dr. Z International (English title) / USA | Dans les griffes du maniaque France | Das Geheimnis des Dr. Z West Germany | Le diabolique docteur Z France | Miss Death (undefined) | Miss Death and Dr. Z in the Grip of the Maniac (undefined) | El diabolico doctor Z Mexico
Box office/business	Spain - Gross: € 30.787,00 (recalculed) | Admissions: 360.990
Production company	Ciné-Alliance, Hesperia Films S.A., Spéva Films
Distribution company	Mercurio Films S.A. (1966) (Spain) (theatrical) | Inter Filmverleih (West Germany) (theatrical) | Mondial Film (France) (theatrical) | U.S. Films (1967) (USA) (theatrical) (dubbed) | Astral Films (1967) (Canada) (theatrical) (dubbed) | Something Weird Video (SWV) (1996) (USA) (VHS) | Something Weird Video (SWV) (1997) (USA) (VHS) (Frank Henenlotter's Sexy Shockers from the Vaults, Vol. 87) (reissue) | Mondo Macabro (2003) (USA) (DVD) | Shocking Videos (USA) (DVD) | Incredibly Strange Filmworks (USA) (DVD)
Runtime	Spain: 86 min | USA: 86 min | France: 88 min
Technical specifications	Sound Mix: Mono | Color: Black and White | Aspect Ratio: 1.66 : 1 | Film negative format (mm/video inches): 35 mm | Cinematographic process: Spherical | Printed film format: 35 mm