‘Wanted dead or alive…’
Living Doll is a 1990 horror film about a shy morgue worker who falls in love with a young woman who is then accidentally killed. But he doesn’t let that stop his obsession.
Directed by George Dugdale and Peter Litten (Slaughter High) from a screenplay by Dugdale, Mark Ezra and [uncredited] Bob Greenberg based on a story by Paul Hart-Wilden. Produced by Dick Randall (Slaughter High; Pieces; Crocodile) and executive produced by Frank Green.
The Spectacular Film Productions movie stars Mark Jax, Katie Orgill, Gary Martin, Freddie Earlle, Marcel Grant, Eartha Kitt, Alison Jenkins, Heather Robbins, Sean Aita, David Taylor, Tanya Lee, Ted Maynard and Jane Rawlins.
Plot:
Medical student Howard (Mark Jax) is a troubled young man. He is in love with the beautiful Christine (Katie Orgill), the young woman who sells flowers at the hospital where he works. Unfortunately for Howard, she barely acknowledges his existence
Then, one night, the body of an accident victim is brought into the morgue. To his horror, Howard discovers it is the body of Christine… Unable to believe that she is dead, Howard takes the body back to his apartment. Suddenly Christine starts to talk, asking Howard to take revenge on all the people who caused her death…
Reviews:
” …this is a freaky, freaky character study of insanity […] The make-up effects are top-notch, which may ruin things for the more squeamish viewers out there. If you’re squeamish and watching a movie about a man falling in love with a corpse, you have issues though.” Mondo Bizarro
” …while the film might have benefited from pushing things a little bit further than it does, there’s still enough weirdness in here to make things work, even if they could have been better. The pacing of the film isn’t so hot. It takes a while to get moving and to ‘get to the good parts’ so to speak, but the atmosphere is thick enough and at times vile enough to keep the film from ever getting dull.” Rock! Shock! Pop!
“The fact though that none of the ensemble characters are particularly likeable actually adds to the enjoyment of the movie as it clearly removes any hope of a mainstream audience and firmly places the film in the category of being for exploitation fans only – a positive in my book every time.” SGM
“There’s the seed of an idea here, but this necrophiliac romance never germinates, let alone flowers. Sensitively handled, as in Dominique Deruddere’s Crazy Love, it might have smelled quite sweet; instead, it gives off the sickening whiff of unimaginative exploitation.” Time Out
“There is no Nekromantik sickness here and the gore is minimal but the ending climaxes with a couple of strange twists.” The Worldwide Celluloid Massacre
Release:
Mondo Macabro released Living Doll on DVD on July 26, 2005, with the following extras:
Anamorphic 16X9 transfer
Interview With Lead Actor Mark Jax
Interview With Writer Paul Hart-Wilden
Bonus Documentary: Making Of A Horror Film
Bonus Featurette: David McGillivray’s Diary
Bonus Short: Horrorshow
Original Trailer
Huge Gallery Of Rare Stills And Posters
Mondo Macabro Previews
Buy Mondo Macabro DVD from Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk
Trailer:
Cast and characters:
Mark Jax … Howard; Katie Orgill … Christine/Dead Christine; Gary Martin … Jess; Freddie Earlle … Ed; Marcel Grant … Steve; Eartha Kitt … Mrs Swartz; Alison Jenkins … Girl in Bar; Heather Robbins … Transvestite; Sean Aita … Night Shift Worker; David Taylor … Priest; Tanya Lee … Nurse Lorraine; Ted Maynard … Pathologist; Jane Rawlins … Pearl; Mandy Curzon … First Girlfriend; Alanna Lane … Second Girlfriend; Nicola Turner … Dead Christine
Country of origin:
UK
Filming locations:
London, England
New York, New York (exterior shots taken over a weekend)
Technical specs:
1 hour 35 minutes
Stereo
Aspect ratio: 1.85: 1
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