The Sinful Dwarf

The reigning king of so-called “dwarfploitation cinema”, the exploitative film genre filled with dwarves, midgets, elves, leprechauns, and other assorted “little people”. On a storytelling level, not much happens in “The Sinful Dwarf” – the plot is bare-bones with little imagination. Still, what makes the film worthy of being seen (I mean by fans of roughies, obviously) is the seamy, filthy atmosphere that permeates the entire movie. Using simple but effective touches, Vidal Raski’s direction manages to convey a constant sense of unease, as well as a marked feeling of tangible and diffuse horror that never recedes.

The dirty cinematography with its gritty, marcescent tones is a big help here, as is the convincing performance of Danish dwarf actor Torben Bille who doesn’t hold back on the spine-chillingly diabolical expressions (Clara Keller’s deep, nuanced performance as a former cabaret starlet with a disfigured face and a warped mind is likewise unforgettable).

Beyond that, the plentiful full-frontal female nudity and fairly extreme sex scenes bear mentioning – there are even versions out there with additional hard-core scenes. As unbelievable as it may sound, the ending closely resembles that of 1989’s “Batman”. I wonder if Tim Burton liked it?