The Million Eyes of Sumuru
Director – Lindsay Shonteff (Devil Doll)
Starring – Frankie Avalon (Horror House), George Nader (Alfred Hitchcock Presents), and Shirley Eaton (The Blood of Fu Manchu)
Release Date – 1967
Rating – 3.5/5
Tagline “She rules a palace of pleasure…for women”
Most of the time, almost 99% of the time, I get horror films to review from distribution companies and independent filmmakers alike. I love it, I truly do but watching two or three horror flicks a day starts to wear down on a person regardless of how fond of the genre they really are. When I am sent something other than horror I often greet it with optimism and a great break from the everyday blood and gore that I am so used to seeing.
Recently Blue Underground released two Sumuru films on bluray in a double feature. The first of the two films is the 1967 The Million Eyes of Sumuru. Thanks Blue Underground for sending this beautiful release my way!
**Spoiler Alert**The film follows a secret agent who is tasked with infiltrating the evil organization ran by Sumuru (Eaton). Sumuru is an evil woman wants to rid the world of it’s male leaders and replace it with her own female agents.
The agent is soon apprehended by Sumuru where she reveals her evil plan to him. The agent, along with another agent, slowly convert other members of her group to join their cause and are able to topple Sumuru and her evil organization with the local militia.**Spoiler Alert**
I’m not too familiar with the spy films of the late 60s but if they are anything like The Million Eyes of Sumuru then I may be checking them out. I was never a Bond fan but to be completely honest, I never really gave the films a chance. With that being said, I really enjoyed The Million Eyes of Sumuru.
The acting in this one is not that great but it does do it’s job. The cast is enjoyable, for the most part, and Eaton is the star of the show. This story had to be written with Eaton in mind as Sumuru. She was sexy, provocative, and seriously evil. This film would not have been the same without her.
The story for this one is fun but very cheesy and cliched. The film following a secret agent infiltrating a secret organization made up entirely of women was actually pretty fun. Some beautiful women wearing next to nothing playing the bad guy was pretty sexy if you ask me. Sadly, the story does not reach an action packed climax like one would assume considering how the story goes. Instead, we get a small action sequence and then it just ends. Makes me think the film was never properly finished.
Finally, those of you looking for blood and guts clearly did not read any of my review before now. The film has some minor action but no great kills and practical effects we long for. Overall, The Million Eyes of Sumuru is a great late 60s spy film that has a solid story and a decent cast. It holds the time well but does not really deliver on the action. If you are looking for a break from the horror then check this one out!
The Girl from Rio
Director – Jess Franco (Oasis of the Zombies)
Starring – Shirley Eaton (The Million Eyes of Sumuru), Richard Weyler (The Ugly Ones), and George Sanders (The Jungle Book)
Release Date – 1969
Rating – 2.5/5
My little retreat from horror continues as I check out the second half of the Sumuru double feature sent to me for review from Blue Underground. A few nights back I was able to check out the action adventure spy film The Million Eyes of Sumuru. The film was was surprisingly entertaining and really peaked my interest when it comes to spy films from the late 60s.
The second film in the set, Girl From Rio, was directed by Jess Franco who is often hit or miss with me. I was excited to see where this tale would take me considering how it ended and I really enjoy Franco’s style so I was very excited to check it out. Sadly, it was a bit of a let down and did not feel like a Franco film.
**Spoiler Alert**The film follows a secret agent pretending to be a crook with 10 million dollars in his possession. He lands in Rio and is immediately thrust in the middle of a war between a local crime boss and the all female army lead by Sumuru.
Sumuru then makes her move and grabs the secret agent thinking he has the cash where he quickly reveals that he actually does not have the cash. She then uses him for her sinister plans only to come face to face with the war that she brought to her very own doorstep.**Spoiler Alert**
The Million Eyes of Sumuru had a pretty interesting story that honestly kept me watching. Thought it wasn’t nothing groundbreaking it still entertained which is all I ask of any movie. The Girl from Rio gave us more of the same but with nothing new or different. This installment could have been skipped entirely.
The acting in this one is more of what we got in the first Sumuru installment. The cast delivers a solid performance but they are not that memorable and none of the characters stand out. Even Eaton’s performance seems like it was dialed down. She was the most entertaining aspect of the first film and her character seems like it was almost written out.
The story for this one is more of what we got with the first film following a secret agent who infiltrates Sumuru’s all female army to bring them down. Nothing was done to try and set itself apart from the other film. If the film would have tried to give us a different story with a little different bit of a twist then the film would have been fun but it wasn’t.
Finally, this installment has a lot more action than the first film but it is very repetitive and quickly loses it’s momentum. The film really needed to pace out the action sequences and try to give the viewer something different instead of the same thing over and over. Overall, The Girl from Rio is a poor sequel and one of the few misses directed from one of the greats, Jess Franco.
Special Features:
Interviews
Trailer
Poster and Still Gallery
Blu Release – 3.5/5
