Verdict
Summary
Big on garish goofiness, comic book-styled shading and scripting, but very light on action and sexiness (although the girls are gorgeous and often clad only in bikinis), The Million Eyes of Sumuru is a bit of a spoof on the burgeoning spy genre, which had been going through a major movement thanks to the 007 movies of the ’60s. This one is purely a tease with nary a fight scene in sight, although the compound invasion by the Asian army at the climax does have some ocean side explosions. Blue Underground’s premium release is up to their usual high standards.
Plot:
Two swinging CIA agents infiltrate a cult of women intent on world domination.
Review:
There’s a new terrorist threat operating out of East Asia: a cult of gorgeous women brainwashed by Sumuru (Shirley Eaton, previously in Goldfinger, later in this movie’s sequel The Girl From Rio) is systematically killing key operatives and agents in the higher-ups of government … and the one thing that they all have in common is that they’re men! Sumuru’s army is a man-hating cult (the first time we see them in action is when one woman has a guy in a chokehold with her knees, and Sumuru gives the order for her to snap his neck), and they need to be stopped before they become too powerful. Her Majesty’s Government calls in a favor and has the CIA send a couple of good-looking secret agents Tommy Carter (Frankie Avalon) and Nick West (George Nader) to come on over to see if they can succeed where all other agents have failed. West gets captured, teased, and tortured by Sumuru’s girls, but he hands Sumuru the ultimate insult when she gives him the option to make love to her, and he basically throws it in her face by saying “he’s had better in high school.” Oh, boy, ladies and gents: Sumuru won’t take that lying down, no siree bob! Just before West is eliminated, one of Sumuru’s girls turns coat, saves him, and he has just enough time to reunite with Carter who has rallied the troops to lay siege to Sumuru’s compound and go to war!
Big on garish goofiness, comic book-styled shading and scripting, but very light on action and sexiness (although the girls are gorgeous and often clad only in bikinis), The Million Eyes of Sumuru is a bit of a spoof on the burgeoning spy genre, which had been going through a major movement thanks to the 007 movies of the ’60s. This one is purely a tease with nary a fight scene in sight, although the compound invasion by the Asian army at the climax does have some ocean side explosions. Eaton’s performance flares up here and there with close-ups of her beautiful eyes when she becomes enraged or turned on, and both Avalon and Nader (especially Avalon) deliver goofy, eager performances that almost place them in a different sort of picture altogether. Fans of lighthearted espionage films should get a kick out of this, but I think The Girl From Rio is the more entertaining picture of the pair. Watch for Klaus Kinski in a small role here. From director Lindsay Shonteff.
Blue Underground has just released a premium “extended edition” 4K Ultra HD / Blu-ray combo pack of The Million Eyes of Sumuru, and it sparkles in the new presentation. Special features are aplenty and include several new audio commentaries and a feature-length documentary, as well as some other supplements.
Bonus Materials
- Ultra HD Blu-ray (2160p) and HD Blu-ray (1080p) Widescreen 2.40:1 feature presentations
- Audio: 1.0 DTS-HD MA (English)
- Subtitles: English SDH, Francais, Espanol
- NEW! Audio Commentary #1 with Film Historians David Del Valle and Dan Marino
- NEW! Audio Commentary #2 with Film Historians Nathaniel Thompson and Troy Howarth
- NEW! England’s Unknown Exploitation Film Eccentric: The Schlock-Cinema Legacy of Lindsay Shonteff – A new feature-length documentary directed by Naomi Holwill (101 Mins.)
- Theatrical Trailer
- Poster & Still Gallery
- NEW! RiffTrax Edition – THE MILLION EYES OF SUMURU Riffed by Mike Nelson, Bill Corbett & Kevin Murphy (71 Mins.)
