Here's a treat for fans of Diana Rigg - her rarely seen outing in Minikillers. The
quality isn’t great but then the version officially released on the bonus DVD disc of The Avengers Complete 50th Anniversary Collection isn’t
much better. Minikillers was filmed on
the Costa Brava on what looks like a home video camera and follows Diana through
four seven minute episodes where she is caught up in a ridiculous Avengersesque
plot involving remote control toy dolls that spray lethal liquid into the eyes
of their victims, carry bombs in E-Type Jags, and conceal shipments of heroin. In each episode
she manages to fight a group of baddies led by a shady geezer with a
moustache and a Telly Savalas lookalike. There’s no dialogue just a funky jazz soundtrack
which breaks from Avengers background music into freeform jazz into snatches of
Laurel and Hardy. I’ve no idea where Minikillers
was broadcast (if at all) or why she worked on such a low budget project (if she went for a holiday she was unlucky with the cloudy weather) but Diana is
obviously still playing her part as Emma Peel and looks absolutely stunning in
a series of bikinis and miniskirts (including the one above) which is reason enough to watch it.
And for more of the same (in much better quality), check this other short film, The Golden Key.
And for more of the same (in much better quality), check this other short film, The Golden Key.
I love these mini-movies. Heres some info:
ReplyDeleteThese were shown in Spain in the 60's.
The idea behind these films was that during the late 60s it was still common that people
remained sitting in their cars at the filling station, waiting for their fuel, having
their oil or tyre pressure checked etc. So the idea was to "entertain" them by showing
short (4-5min) films- which explains why there is no dialogue.
Diana Rigg got involved through a friend of a friend and flew to Germany and Spain to shoot the two sets of mini-films.
Hugh
Thanks a lot for the info, an interesting concept. I would've had a very well maintained car in those days if this was the entertainment on offer.
ReplyDelete