Plot: Gilles (Paul Naschy) is an ex convict looking to start over, but that’s not a simple task with a criminal record. He has been hitchhiking in the countryside, hoping to land some work, with minimal results. But his luck changes when he is picked up by Claude (Diana Lorys), who lives on a large estate and is willing to offer Gilles not only a ride, but a job at her home. So Gilles will work as the estate’s handyman, doing whatever odd jobs need done around the place. Claude herself is a beautiful woman with a mangled hand, so she wears a prosthetic. In addition to her, the estate is home to her two sisters, the wheelchair bound Ivette and the amorous, but unstable Nicole (Eva Leon). As he gets acquainted with his new surroundings, he gets to know the sisters and battles horrific visions from his past. When a killer begins to stalk the area, Gilles seems to be the main suspect, but he is innocent or just picking up where he left off?

Entertainment Value: The resume of Paul Naschy is a lengthy one, but Blue Eyes of the Broken Doll is one of the true highlights. A thriller with strong giallo vibes, this one is well crafted and a lot of fun to watch. The story finds Naschy as an ex con who is at the center of an investigation into a serial killer, while he also engages the affections of rival sisters. If you’re still not sold on this movie, Paul Naschy also has a scene where he chops firewood shirtless, glistening with sweat. Now you’re on board, right? As I said, this has a giallo texture at times, so it is more of a thriller than a straight up horror movie, but genre fans will still find a lot to like here. The pace is right on, ample suspense, and of course, the blood flows often. Naschy has yet another interesting character to play and performs well, bolstered by his costars who also have quirky, colorful characters to bring to the table. The police side of the narrative is the weakest element, but the other parts more than compensate. Add in the usual Naschy oddball moments and you have a fun, effective picture. I’d recommend this to fans of Naschy, giallo/thrillers, horror movies, and Eurotrash cinema. Especially if you’re a devoted Naschy enthusiast, this is one you have to own.

A few topless scenes to go around, including an outlandish scene where Eva Leon shows off her breasts to an uncomfortable physician. Such an odd sequence and adds to the wackiness of her character, to be sure. The blood hits often, though I have to mention my distaste for the scene with the pig being harmed. Aside from that, we have some wild moments including multiple eye removals. Throats slashed, eyes plucked out, maggots infesting eye sockets, it all leads to plentiful bright red gushes. None of it looks at all believable of course, but that’s part of the fun. I love the gelatinous eyeballs, so those moments are the highlight for me. The dialogue is fine and mostly well written, but things rarely produce memorable lines. Naschy’s banter with the sisters has some bright spots, however. As usual, the presence of Naschy alone is enough to add some crazy to the mix, but otherwise, this one never feels that out of control. The abundance of blood is a little surprising, as well as how the whole ordeal wraps up. So not super crazy, but it has some moments.

Nudity: 1/10

Blood: 4/10

Dialogue: 1/10

Overall Insanity: 2/10

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