Diabolik (1968)

Director:

Mario Bava

Writers:

Adriano Baracco (story)
Mario Bava (screenplay)

Release Date:

May 1968 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Thriller

Tagline:

Out for all he can take, seduce, or get away with...

Plot:

Fey super-thief Diabolik runs around stealing jewels, gold, murdering innocent people, and being a nuisance to the government of a generic European country.

Plot Keywords:

B Movie | Anti Hero | Very Little Dialogue | Campy | Cult Favorite

Cast

John Phillip Law	...	Diabolik
Marisa Mell	...	Eva Kant
Michel Piccoli	...	Inspector Ginko
Adolfo Celi	...	Ralph Valmont
Claudio Gora	...	Police Chief
Mario Donen	...	Sergeant Danek
Renzo Palmer	...	Minister's Assistant
Caterina Boratto	...	Lady Clark
Lucia Modugno	...	Prostitute
Annie Gorassini	...	Rose
Carlo Croccolo	...	Lorry Driver
Lidia Biondi	...	Policewoman (as Lidia Biondi C.S.C.)
Andrea Bosic	...	Bank Manager
Federico Boido	...	Valmont's Henchman
Tiberio Mitri	...	Valmont's Henchman

Also Known As:

Danger: Diabolik (USA)
Danger: Diabolik! (France)

Runtime:

France:105 min

Country:

Italy | France

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Singapore:PG | Australia:M (2007) | Finland:K-16 | USA:M (original rating) | USA:PG-13 (1992) | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Dino De Laurentiis Cinematografica Studios, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

Dino de Laurentiis Cinematografica

Trivia:

Featured in the final episode of "Mystery Science Theater 3000" (1988).

Goofs:

Factual errors: When the head villain is throwing his dead accomplices out of the place through a hatch, there are no troubles with cabin pressure. A minute later, when a gun is fired and makes a small hole in the plane, a vacuum starts. Furthermore the hole is fixed with a piece of chewing gum...

Quotes:

Prostitute: Sure I do, who could forget what she looked like? The way she was decked out in red she looked like a mini cardinal. She had good legs. Want me to describe her? Well, look at that! That's a funny looking thing! What is it? Hey, I'm talking to you, what is it?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Jûbei ninpûchô (1993)

Possibly the hero of James Bond, Matt Helm, and Flint.

Long, long before there was Austin Powers, there was Diabolik, brought to us as only Italian schlockmaster Mario Bava could bring him.

And it was good.

Think BATMAN (1966) bent a little. Okay, bent a lot.

Remember how bad John Phillip Law was in The Love Machine? As Diabolik he's every bit as awful ---it's PERFECT! Throw in Adolfo Celi, and Michel Piccoli and can `International Man of Mystery' be far behind?

The cherry on top is one of the best (original) musical scores--right up there with Thunder Road.

And it was very good.

Action, fun, farce and quirky (defined).

Always the highest recommendation from me.