The Big Doll House (1971)

Sid steals the show, 26 June 2005

A WIP film with Pam Grier and Sid Haig with Jack Hill directing – what could go wrong? The Big Doll House is not as over-the-top as it might have been. In fact, a lot of what happens is fairly tame for a WIP. The torture scenes aren't as graphic as you might expect. The fight scenes aren't as brutal as you would hope for. And some of the acting is terrible. Pam Grier may be one of my favorite actresses of all time, but it's easy to see that this was one of her first movies. There's a big difference between Pam Grier in The Big Doll House and Pam Grier in Jackie Brown.

So why rate it a 6/10 and not lower. Regardless of its problems and shortcomings, it's still an enjoyable movie. There's a lot of really fun 70s cheese on display. And Sid Haig is magnificent. Every scene he's in is a highlight of the movie. Watching Sid run through the woods in his tighty-whitey's had me laughing out loud.

6/10