Miss Leslie’s Dolls — Miss Leslie’s Dolls( DVD/Blu Ray)
Released in 1973 Miss Leslie’s Dolls was the firth & final film directed by Joseph G. Prieto- who in the past had made trashy 60’s exploration & biker flicks like Shanty Tramp, Bikers From Hell, and Fireball. And while Miss Leslie's Dolls certainly has it’s trashy elements - it much more of a woozy & subtle unsettling thriller/horror film, which could have only been made in the 1970’s.
The plot set up is fairly basic & more than a little cliché, but it’s the way it’s presented & executed that really makes the whole thing work. Basically, the story begins with a group of teens, who to me had more than a passing resemblance to Mystery Inc- minus, of course, a certainly Scooby Doo, breaking down in the middle of a graveyard. It’s raining so the group takes shelter in a seemingly abandoned house. Fairly soon Miss Leslie appears- and clearly this is cross-dressing middle age man, with a young female voice dubbed over.
What unfolds is a very woozy, often queasy, and odd psycho-house drama- with strangely staged female mannequins, oddly angled & slurred avant jazz soundtracking, weird & highly stilted dialogue, bed-hopping, a basement cell & skull alter, some blood ‘n’ flesh, crazed axe attacks, and a WTH ending in a graveyard. If I was to compare it to anything atmosphere wise, I’d say Toy Box – the queasy horror/sexploitation cross breed from 1971, but without less sex & flesh on display.
Sadly this is a rather barebones release- with the only extras been an image gallery. It’s a real pity there’s no commentary track or featurette about the film from someone like Stephen Thrower, or David Del Valle- as it would have been great to find out some the background behind this oddity. As seemingly most of the actors in the film did few other films, and Salvador Ugarte- who played the cross-dressing maniac has this one acting credit to his name- added to this, of course, it’s the last film from Joseph G. Prieto, which adds another layer of mystery to the film.
Miss Leslie’s Dolls will certainly appeal to those who enjoy their exploration cinema strange & sleazy- and kudos for Network for uncovering this weird treat. Both the Blu Ray & the DVD are region free, so you’ll be able to check this out where ever you are in the world.