The Diabolical Dr. Z – Eureka Video (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Spain/France, 1966
Director: Jesús Franco
Writers: Jean-Claude Carrière, Jesús Franco
Cast: Estella Blain, Mabel Karr, Howard Vernon, Fernando Montes, Marcelo Arroita Jauregui, Cris Huerta, Antonio Escribano, Guy Mairesse

Release Date: October 20th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 86 Minutes 49 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC
Rating: 15 (UK)
Sound: LPCM Mono French, LPCM Mono English
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region B
Retail Price: £17.99 (UK)

"Before his untimely death, mad scientist Dr Zimmer (Antonio Jiménez Escribano) created a device that would allow him to control human minds. In the aftermath of his passing, his daughter Irma Zimmer (Mabel Karr) takes it upon herself to continue his work—and seek revenge on his behalf. To punish those who discredited and disgraced the late Dr Zimmer, she uses his invention to possess nightclub performer Miss Meurte (Estella Blain), who lures her victims to their deaths at the hands of her razor-sharp, poisoned nails…." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "a 2K restoration by Gaumont Film Company".

The Diabolical Dr. Z comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 44.3 GB

Feature: 25.3 GB

The source is in excellent shape, and the encode is significantly better than Kino Lorber’s 2018 Blu-ray release. Flesh tones look healthy, image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid, and there are no issues with digital noise reduction.

Audio: 4.5/5 (LPCM Mono French), 3.75/5 (LPCM Mono English)

This release comes with two audio options, a LPCM mono mix in French and a LPCM mono mix in English. The French-language track sounds more robust, and the English-language track has some mild background hiss. That said, dialogue always comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and ambient sounds are well represented. The release includes removable English subtitles for the French-language track. Additionally, there is a second removable English subtitle track for French text and one scene in French that appears while watching the English-language track.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 5 seconds, LPCM mono French with non-removable English subtitles), an archival interview with Stéphane du Mesnildot, journalist and author of Jess Franco: Énergies du Fantasme (11 minutes 11 seconds, LPCM stereo French with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with film historian Lucas Balbo (15 minutes 41 seconds, LPCM stereo French with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with screenwriter Jean-Claude Carrière (17 minutes 41 seconds, LPCM stereo French with removable English subtitles), a video essay by film historian Samm Deighan titled Awful, Diabolical, Sadistic Mad Science in Gothic Horror (19 minutes 5 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), a discussion of European gothic horror in the 1960s with Xavier Aldana Reyes, author of Spanish Gothic titled Death on the Continent (25 minutes 45 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary by genre film expert and Video Watchdog founder Tim Lucas, an O-card slipcase (limited to 2,000 copies), and a 16-page booklet (limited to 2,000 copies) with cast & crew information, an essay titled Franco Will See You Now: Celebrating Sixty Years of The Diabolical Dr Z written by Antonio Lázaro-Reboll, and information about the transfer titled Notes on Viewing.

Summary:

Although Jess Franco has dabbled in horror and other genres, his films are most known for their erotic content. He was best known for gothic horror in the early to mid-1960s. When compared to his films from the late 1960s onward, these early forays into Gothic horror exhibit a strikingly different and more conventional style of filmmaking than the direction in which he would later evolve.

Dr. Zimmer, a neurosurgeon and a disciple of Dr. Orloff, has discovered how to eliminate cells that link to violent tendencies. When he’s rejected by the medical community, he dies from a heart attack, and his daughter vows to avenge her father’s death by killing those responsible.

The Diabolical Dr. Z serves as a textbook example of mad scientist revenge horror, infused with elements of gothic horror. The opening setup does an excellent job setting the foundation for what follows, and pacing is not an issue as the narrative very effectively builds momentum to a solid finale. When compared to most Jess Franco films, The Diabolical Dr. Z’s narrative is arguably his most conventional.

All around, the cast are excellent in their roles. The standout performance is Mabel Karr (The Colossus of Rhodes) in the role of Irma, Dr. Zimmer’s daughter. She delivers a convincing portrayal of a character driven by rage. Other performances of note include Estella Blain in the role of Miss Death, a dancer turned into a killer by Irma, and Howard Vernon (The Awful Dr. Orloff) in the role of one of the men who is targeted for death by Irma.

Throughout his career, Jess Franco often reused premises and characters. There are elements from Georges Franju’s Eyes Without a Face and Jess Franco’s two Orloff films in The Diabolical Dr. Z and in return it would find its way into She Killed in Ecstasy. Ultimately, The Diabolical Dr. Z stands out as one of his most notable films, one that even those who typically dislike his work are likely to enjoy.

The Diabolical Dr. Z gets a exceptional release from Eureka Video that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and a wealth of insightful extras. Highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer