If 'The vampire doll' is any indication, Toho 70s horror is a lot like 70s Hammer horror. Stylized atmospheric music, both repetitive and a little over the top, sparingly punctuates a soundtrack otherwise left quiet and unembellished. Minor mystery and unease slowly build while more jarring moments - some as simply innocuous as birds scattering - are littered throughout.
I admire the set and costume design, and the makeup, careful lighting, and minor effects used especially in the visual presentation of the curious business of the plot. Speaking of which, though - the screenplay is rather thin. There is definite plot here, but there's just not a great deal to it, and any sense of tension or suspense is minimal. Character writing is similarly lacking. I think the cast is just fine, embodying their roles with as much strength of personality as they can, but it's not like they have a whole lot to work with.
Almost no element of the feature is anything more than merely suitable in its execution. That doesn't mean 'The vampire doll' is bad, but one has to be prepared to accept the ham-handedness for what it is. That includes a deluge of revelations - nearly the entirety of the story - within the last 10 minutes or so of the movie. I'll say this, though: The climax actually is done quite well, making swell if unrefined use of visual and practical effects and editing. True of the supernatural aspect of the movie in general, but particularly here, one can see how unpolished flicks of decades past informed more contemporary Japanese horror cinema about malevolent entities.
It's not especially gripping, the writing is questionable, and the end result leaves a bit to be desired; this is no essential classic. But if you can appreciate the picture on its level, it just manages to keep us engaged enough to enjoy the modest value. Don't go out of your way to find 'The vampire doll,' but it's an okay watch if you stumble across it.
I admire the set and costume design, and the makeup, careful lighting, and minor effects used especially in the visual presentation of the curious business of the plot. Speaking of which, though - the screenplay is rather thin. There is definite plot here, but there's just not a great deal to it, and any sense of tension or suspense is minimal. Character writing is similarly lacking. I think the cast is just fine, embodying their roles with as much strength of personality as they can, but it's not like they have a whole lot to work with.
Almost no element of the feature is anything more than merely suitable in its execution. That doesn't mean 'The vampire doll' is bad, but one has to be prepared to accept the ham-handedness for what it is. That includes a deluge of revelations - nearly the entirety of the story - within the last 10 minutes or so of the movie. I'll say this, though: The climax actually is done quite well, making swell if unrefined use of visual and practical effects and editing. True of the supernatural aspect of the movie in general, but particularly here, one can see how unpolished flicks of decades past informed more contemporary Japanese horror cinema about malevolent entities.
It's not especially gripping, the writing is questionable, and the end result leaves a bit to be desired; this is no essential classic. But if you can appreciate the picture on its level, it just manages to keep us engaged enough to enjoy the modest value. Don't go out of your way to find 'The vampire doll,' but it's an okay watch if you stumble across it.