Even for a Jess Franco film, this had always been difficult to obtain for a less than exorbitant price. Strangely, now I've managed to get hold of it, it seems to have become a lot more easily available. Anyway, who cares about that?
This is one of Franco's few 'Orloff' films not to feature the terrific Howard Vernon. Right from the beginning of the prolific Spanish director's career, Vernon had become - and would continue to be - a regular, beginning with the titular role in Franco's first big success, 'The Awful Dr Orlof' released eleven years before this. During this time, a lot had changed with Jess's films - they were now in colour, for a start, but had become much more eccentric, more personal and a lot more perverse.
'The Sinister Eyes of Dr Orloff' represents a restrained step back from all that, to a large extent. Possibly Franco was once more hoping for a more commercial outing here. Another element that separates this from many other such films from this time is dialogue. Whereas in the past, huge swathes of running time would pass with barely a single word. Here, the characters don't stop talking! The chatty discourse makes the experience of watching this seem longer than its modest 70 minutes, and the story is typically thin.
But there is, as usual, much to enjoy in this Franco project. His familiar camera zooms are evident, but only occasionally. The performances are very good, and William Berger makes a solid and menacing Orloff - although he doesn't really seem to have any connection with any other version of the character; he is simply an evil doctor. Monserrat Prous, who would make such an impression the same year in 'Sinner: The Secret Diary of a Nymphomaniac' for the same director, is effective as disabled Melissa.
I enjoyed this. It was worth tracking down. If you like Jess Franco films, I think this will appeal, although the slow-burning story will not win over any converts. My score is 7 out of 10.