Monday, August 1, 2022

NIGHT GALLERY / "The Doll" - 1971

Here's a great episode from NIGHT GALLERY,  It's all about a British Army Colonel who has to go up against his niece's evil doll. It stars John Williams as Colonel Masters, Shani Wailis as Miss Danton, Henry Silva as Pandit Chola and Jewel Blanch as the Colonel's niece, Monica.

Colonel Masters has retired from the British Army and ends his tour in India. His niece Monica has a hideous doll sent from India that she thinks was sent by her uncle.

But, the Colonel; assured them that he did not send it. He's repulsed by the doll and gets another one for Monica, a friendly looking one.

One night, the Colonel and Miss Danton find Monica crying, saying that the doll from India was being mean, and...

It tore the Hell out of the new doll!!

Then they look up to see the evil doll with a creepy smile on its face!

The Colonel is resting in the study when a mysterious figure appears after just walking into the house. His name is Pandit, he's the one that sent the doll, an undying doll that has a mission, kill the Colonel! He accuses the Colonel of being the one who sent an order for his radical brother to be put to death by firing squad. The Colonel tells Pandit that he would do it again, and, if possible, he would have  Pandit put to death too, because of his radical views! We also find out that the Colonel is very familiar with the mystical side of India.

The Colonel decides to put an end to the doll's evilness, but finds it sitting at the top of the stairs!, smiling! Creepy, legs with no feet!

Anyway, the thing attacks the Colonel, who gets a bad wound on his arm.

In the study, the Colonel has Miss Danton bring the damned doll down to him.

The doll ends up in the fireplace.

Miss Danton asks the Colonel if he wants a doctor, but he says that he'll be dead before the doctor arrived, apparently he's been poisoned.

He has one last request for Miss Danton, he has a letter to be mailed ta a friend in India, and it says that it has happened, he'll know what to do...

Pandit is in his room (in India) when a currier brings in a box addressed to him. It's a present from the deceased Colonel Masters.

Curious, Pandit takes a peek at the contents inside...

Pandit is frightened by what he sees in the box.

It's a doll of the Colonel, and the sight fills Pandit with terror!

Time for some ironic revenge, it's your turn now, Pandit. This is a really good episode, the acting is superb, the sets are great,, the dolls are creepy, what more could you want?!

4 comments:

  1. "The Doll" is the scariest thing I ever saw in my life! The Martian in WAR OF THE WORLDS drove me to hide behind the yellow chair, but that was nothing compared to "The Doll."

    I must admit that Guillermo del Toro was even more scared by it than I: "I would go into complete paroxysms of terror. The only time I literally, literally peed my pants in fear. I did! I’m not talking figuratively! I released the bladder! It was a ‘Night Gallery’ episode called ‘The Doll’ that was based on the Algernon Blackwood short story."

    Anyway I'm now trying to produce an Algernon Blackwood inspired feature, if it ever gets off the ground!

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  2. @Edward...you are not alone!

    I was 10 when this came out & covered my eyes.
    It's the Doll's eyes & teeth that have the most impact.
    A lot of scenes were edited out for syndication.
    Here are some of the original scenes,
    when the Doll sits up by itself is creepy even now:

    https://zoppy.blogspot.com/2019/09/this-thing-scared-of-out-me-as-kid.html

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  3. Even if I didn't like it in general, it's hard to keep away from anything with Henry Silva.

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  4. This scary doll came before Chucky was even made

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