The film stars Mabel Karr as Irma Zimmer, a surgeon who creates a machine that turns people into zombified slaves.

[5] The film's opening credits state that it is based on "a novel by David Khune" which is an alter-ego for director Jesús Franco.

[6] Franco would later re-use elements from the plot of The Diabolical Dr. Z in his later films including The Blood of Fu Manchu (1968) and She Killed in Ecstasy (1971).

"[8][9] The Diabolical Dr. Z was released as Miss Muerte in Spain, and had its Spanish premiere at Mallorca at Palacio Avenida on March 11, 1966.

[13] In the United States, it received the same title and was set for distribution for television and theatrical release by SGS Productions of New York.

[14] A Blu-ray release was issued by Kino International in 2018, with Budd Wilkins of Slant Magazine noting that it surpassed the "already visually impressive" DVD from Mondo Macabro.