Million Eyes of Sumuru, The: Extended Version (4K UHD Review)

Reviewed by: Tim Salmons
Review Date: Nov 13, 2024
Format: 4K Ultra HD

Director

Lindsay Shonteff

Release Date(s)

1967 (September 24, 2024)

Studio(s)

Sumuru Films/American International Pictures (Blue Underground)

Film/Program Grade: D+
Video Grade: A
Audio Grade: A-
Extras Grade: A

Review

Independent filmmaker Lindsay Shonteff, who was known primarily for aping the James Bond series, specifically with No. 1 of the Secret Service, as well as the MST3K classic Devil Doll, adapted Sax Rhomer’s The Sins of Sumuru with one of the bigger budgets and most well-known casts he had worked with up until that point in his career. Sax Rohmer’s most prominent literary creation was the character of Fu Manchu, of which many novels and films were based, and the character of Sumuru was sort of a female Fu Manchu, but with a master plan to destroy all men in high-ranking positions and replace them with women. The resulting film, The Million Eyes of Sumuru (or simply Sumuru in its re-release), was surprisingly profitable for its producer, Harry Alan Towers, lampooning the spy genre at a time when its popularity was at its peak.

Two American secret agents, Nick (George Nader) and Tommy (Frankie Avalon), are persuaded by British intelligence, specifically Colonel Baisbrook (Wilfrid Hyde-White), to investigate an underground organization of militarized women, led by the evil Sumuru (Shirley Eaton), who trains her women on a private island while experimenting with diabolical ways to do her adversaries in. Their next target is President Boong (Klaus Kinski), whose Chief of Security has already been taken out. One of Sumuru’s latest agents, Helga (Maria Rohm), is struggling to carry out her deadly assignment, having a change of heart about what she’s doing. Meanwhile, Nick and Tommy are constantly being followed by Sumuru’s troops, who soon come gunning for them.

In all honesty, the running time of The Million Eyes of Sumuru doesn’t make an enormous difference as the film’s humor and overall aesthetic are there no matter what. The additional material in the extended version is simply scene extensions rather than full blown deleted scenes, though it does allow some scenes to make a little more sense. As for a critique of the film, it’s not one that’s necessarily begging for it, especially when it’s already a spoof, with much of the humor built in. One’s tolerance for constant snark and one liners from the two male leads may grown thin after a while, but there are also random meta moments, such as Frankie Avalon openly admitting that he may or may not be in the wrong film, wondering if it’s time to sing or not.

What holds The Million Eyes of Sumuru together at times are its beautiful locations and costumes, despite being shot primarily at Shaw Brothers studios. It’s not a great film, but it’s entertaining in bursts. The comedy tends to fall flat, even with the winks at the audience, which are mostly subtle, but the humor comes from a time when it was funny to imagine a group of strong women trying to take over the world. These days I say let them have it, but the open sexism on display is something you have to contextualize if you’re going to get through it. For instance, Nick makes out with one of Sumuru’s henchwomen, only to punch her and knock her out immediately afterwards... never mind Helga having to completely disrobe in order to prove that she’s not carrying any weapons. It’s tongue-in-cheek spy humor, of course, but not without fault.

The Million Eyes of Sumuru was shot by cinematographer John Von Kotze on 35mm Technicolor film using the Techniscope process and anamorphic lenses, finished photochemically, and presented in the aspect ratio of 2.35:1. Blue Underground debuts the extended version film, which contains 10 additional minutes of footage, on Ultra HD with a new 4K restoration of the “long-lost (and recently found) uncut original camera negative,” presented wtih the aspect ratio of 2.40:1, graded for High Dynamic Range in HDR10 and Dolby Vision, and presented on a dual-layered BD-66 disc. The onscreen title for this version is Sax Rohmer’s The Million Eyes of Sumuru. It’s a sharp, organic presentation with an excellent grain structure, aside from optical transitions which take a dip in quality. Bitrates sit between 75 to 85Mbps most of the time, often spiking or dipping when there’s more or less detail on screen to take advantage of, meaning very dark or very bright scenes. It also offers beautiful color reproduction, which the HDR grades boost mightily, improving contrast and deepening blacks, while also supplying the various hues on costumes and sets added dimension. It’s a clean and stable presentation, aside from some minor speckling and an occasional scratch, but it’s solid through and through.

Audio is included in English mono DTS-HD Master Audio with optional subtitles in English SDH, French, and Spanish. It’s a clean single-channel source with ample support for dialogue, sound effects, and score. There are no issues with hiss or distortion, but there is a very minor dropout at 31:29 during a scene change, which or may not be built into the original soundtrack. Otherwise, it’s a pleasant and supportive track.

The 4K Ultra HD of The Million Eyes of Sumuru sits in a black Amaray case alongside a 1080p Blu-ray of the film sourced from the same restoration, and a reversible insert featuring new artwork on one side and the original US theatrical poster artwork on the reverse. Everything is housed in an embossed slipcover featuring the new artwork. The following extras are included in HD:

DISC ONE: UHD

NEW Audio Commentary with David Del Valle and Dan Marino
NEW Audio Commentary with Nathaniel Thompson and Troy Howarth
Theatrical Trailer (2:34)

DISC TWO: BD

NEW Audio Commentary with David Del Valle and Dan Marino
NEW Audio Commentary with Nathaniel Thompson and Troy Howarth
NEW England’s Unknown Exploitation Film Eccentric: The Schlock-Cinema Legacy of Lindsay Shonteff (100:40)
Theatrical Trailer (2:34)
Poster & Still Gallery (54 in all)
NEW RiffTrax Edition (71:26)

Aside from the shorter version of the film, all of the materials from previous DVD and Blu-ray releases have been included. Newly-added are two excellent audio commentaries, one with film historians David Del Valle and Dan Marino, and the other with Nathaniel Thompson and Troy Howarth. The former is a generalized critique and exploration of the film, with good humor thrown in, and the other delves more into the cast and crew, as well as the history of the film. One of the centerpieces of the extras is a mammoth, 100-minute documentary England’s Unknown Exploitation Film Eccentric: The Schlock-Cinema Legacy of Lindsay Shonteff. Directed by Naomi Holwill, this piece speaks to a number of film historians and Shonteff collaborators, as well as his son, about the breadth of his career. Next is the theatrical trailer and a Poster & Still Gallery featuring 54 images of posters, promotional materials, lobby cards, black and white production stills, home video covers, and the original novel’s cover. Last is a RiffTrax Edition of the shorter version with the usual suspects of Mike Nelson, Bill Corbett, and Kevin Murphy.

The Million Eyes of Sumuru would be semi-sequelized a couple of years later with The Girl from Rio, this time directed by Jess Franco, but depending upon where you saw the film in the world, it may or may not have called Shirley Eaton’s character Sumuru, despite the plot being pretty much identical. Regardless, Blue Underground’s treatment of both films on 4K UHD is outstanding with a dynamite-looking presentation and excellent bonus materials to delve into. These aren’t necessarily films that come highly recommended, but their 4K presentations do.

- Tim Salmons

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