7/10
Delightful and colorful Euro-spy movie with two charming starring , John Phillip Law and Marisa Mell
8 March 2022
Nice and enjoyable moviel dealing with popular hero from famous comic books starred by two good-looking stars , the tall John Phillip Law and beauty Marisa Mell . In a nameless European nation , Inspector Ginco (Michel Piccoli) takes every precaution to ensure that a $1,000,000 shipment of money reaches a local bank . Despite having decoy armored trucks , the real one containing the money is sidetracked to a marina where a superthief Diabolik , (John Phillip Law) , the world's deadliest and most dazzlingly robber , evades the law while performing his criminal antics , as the eludes the police by disguising , changing cars , hot pursuits , and masking himself . At the beginning he robs a whole truck by lifting up by an electric magnet and dropping it into the water , where he dives in and takes the loot . Along the way , Diabolik uses his extraordinary powers to foil mobsters (Adolfo Celi) and steal billions from the government . As the anti-hero of the film , Diabolik must face off botcher law enforcements and seeking vengeance against mafiosi . In a long pursuit , he's helped by his pal and lover Eva Kant (Marisa Mell) who drives Diabolik back to his hideout and their living quarters are a mod of very expensive designs bought with their ill gotten loot .He robs from the rich to give to the girls !. Meet Diabolik. Slick. Suave. Gentle. Brutal. Wild. Out for all he can take, seduce, or get away with...

Agreeable and brilliant rendition , not taking any situation seriously ; being based on famous strip-cartoon thriller title "Diabolik", one of the longest running - and most successful - Italian comic strips , known as "fumetti" by Angela Giussani and Luciana Giussani . This very campy picture contains thrills , action , phantasmagoria , psychedelia , pop art , tongue-in-cheek , absurd situations , and being competently developed . Fantastic production design and art design influenced by the original comic books and James Bond movies , showing splendidly the breathtaking settings at a remote cave in a mountain side which has miles of underground passageways and bizarre corridors . The main and support cast -with everyone having fun- are frankly good . John Phillip Law is fine in the title character , the masked career thief known only as Diabolik , who eludes his official pursuers with his mistress and partner-in-crime . Bombshell Marisa Mell as gorgeous colleague is ideal actress to her role , she shines and expands her beauty and extreme sexuality . The best of the interpretations results to be Adolfo Celi as a cunning villain who cruelly murders his victims , including some thrilling moments when dropping from plane . Furthermore , ordinary Italian actors from the Sixties and Seventies such as : Claudio Gora , Andrea Bosic , Rick Boyd , Caterina Boratto , Carlo Croccolo , Renzo Palmer . And special appearance of notorious French actor Michael Piccoli and the British Terry Thomas though is really wasted.

Lively and catching original music score in Seventies style by Ennio Morricone , including a catching leitmotif . Gliimmer as well as glamorous cinematography by cameraman Antonio Rinaldi and Maria Bava himself , as usual. The motion picture was decently directed by Mario Bava , he's father of director Lamberto Bava who in Diabolik works as a director assistant and he subsequently directed some movies under pseudonym John Old Jr . Director Bava was originally compelled to release movies under pseudonym John Old . The picture titled Diabolik (Italy) Danger: Diabolik! (France) Goldstrike! (World-wide, English title) or Danger: Diabolik (New Zealand, English title) was well directed by Mario Bava in his usual style . Bava uses his ordinary visual tricks, sustaining interest enough, with a twisted and well-designed script , while the two attractive protagonists steal the show. Bava was an expert on terror movies such as : I vampiri, Black Sunday, The Whip and the Body, The girl who knew too much, Black Sabbath, Planet of Vampires, Kill baby kill, Hatchet for the honeymoon, 5 dolls for an August Moon, Torture of chamber of baron blood, Lisa and the Devil, Shock. Though Bava also made other genre as Peplum : Hercules in the haunted world, sex comedy : Four times that night, Viking movie : Knives of the avenger and Oriental fantasy : The wonders of Aladdin. The picture will appeal to thriller genre buffs. Rating 6.5/10.
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