The Diabolical Dr. Z

"Nothing ever stripped your nerves screamingly raw like the diabolical Dr. Z"

1966 1h 26m ES

😐

5.8

MID

★5.8TMDB · 38

HorrorScience Fiction

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A woman seeks to avenge her father's death using a local dancer, with long poisonous fingernails, to do her bidding.

“Nothing ever stripped your nerves screamingly raw like the diabolical Dr. Z”

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Cast

Estella Blain
Nadja / Miss Muerte
Mabel Karr
Irma Zimmer
Fernando Montes
Dr. Phillippe Brighthouse
Howard Vernon
Dr. Vicas
Guy Mairesse
Hans Bergen
Antonio Jiménez Escribano
Dr. Zimmer
Marcelo Arroita-Jáuregui
Dr. Moroni
Cris Huerta
Dr. Kallman

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Jesús Franco
Writers: Jean-Claude Carrière, Jesús Franco
Languages: French, Spanish
Countries: Spain, France

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

86 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

60 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 2 languages: French, Spanish.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: Spain, France.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

CINEMA

Did you know

Part of the "Dr. Orloff Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Jesús Franco, shot by Alejandro Ulloa. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Daniel White. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Marie-Louise Barberot shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Jesús Franco directs. Alejandro Ulloa behind the camera. Daniel White scores. Marie-Louise Barberot cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Spain, France. Dialogue in French, Spanish.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

186 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
260 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Dialogue crosses 2 languages: French, Spanish.
4International production across 2 countries: Spain, France.
5Part of the "Dr. Orloff Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
6Directed by Jesús Franco, shot by Alejandro Ulloa. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
7Original score by Daniel White. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
8Editor Marie-Louise Barberot shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
9Estella Blain and Mabel Karr and Fernando Montes carry the top of the cast.
10Marketing tagline: "Nothing ever stripped your nerves screamingly raw like the diabolical Dr. Z".
11IMDB entry: tt0060701 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
12Only 38 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

The technical file

Cinematography: Alejandro Ulloa
Original score: Daniel White
Editing: Marie-Louise Barberot
Production design: Antonio Cortés
Makeup / hair: Raymond Ferrer
Runtime: 86 min · 1h 26m
Status: Released
Original language: ES
Certification (US): NR
IMDB: The Diabolical Dr. Z (1966)

Part of

Dr. Orloff Collection

The series of films featuring the character of Dr. Orloff

Also by

Jesús Franco

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

Wuchak2025-12-05
★ 7/10
Miss Zimmer manipulates a provocative dancer to avenge her father A Spanish-French production masterminded by Jess Franco, this combines the moody artistic tone of early ’60’s B&W mystery/horror flicks “Night Tide” and “Carnival of Souls” with bits of the Frankenstein story for imaginative Euro horror. There’s also the risqué sideshow element of “The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies,” just not in color. It’s early Franco at the top of his ‘B’ game. On the feminine front there are several beauties: Lucía Prado (Barbara), Mabel Karr (Irma Zimmer) and Estella Blain (Miss Death), amongst a couple peripherals. It runs 1h 27m and was made betwixt the Madrid-based Hesperia Films and the Paris-based Spéva Films and Ciné Alliance. GRADE: B+

Production companies