Argoman the Fantastic Superman

source: Argoman the Fantastic Superman

Trailer—Come rubare la corona d'Inghilterra

Come rubare la corona d'Inghilterra

While nowadays there's been a big boom in super hero movies, it's a little known fact that it's not the first. During the 60s there were a ton of them, most trying to cash in on the Batman show although they did have their own sense of style. Argoman is different in the fact that it lacks the style, because of this it just becomes like the campiness of the 60s Batman. Which IS a good thing by the way, but it doesn't seem as original as stuff like Danger Diabolik. Also, most of the movie is pretty slow, with Argoman trying to find out where Jennabell is by standing around and talking to people! However, the last act in the base makes up for it. Overall, while it's not as stylish as some other 60s super hero movies and is pretty slow at times, it has most of the other traits of a good movie down. Food acting, good effects, a catchy theme song, and a robot! Check it out!

I've known it on and off for a long while, and even have a copy. It might be a minority opinion, but I think most of the "campiness" was deliberate (as it is in countless stories of this kind). The scenes with the hero, the villainess, the "Bond girl" characters, almost all have that way about them. That's one reason (though I said this about another movie like this) that the ending surprises me just a little. The hero deals pretty ruthlessly with the villainess, then takes the big important things she stole, and steals them for himself! Whether deliberately "campy" or accidentally so, that's a little surprising for a light adventure story. About my only objection to it is kind of a big one, though. I think it should've been either a "tongue-in-cheek" super hero story, or a tongue-in-cheek "Bond movie spoof", but not both (even though that's the main idea of it). But "tongue-in-cheek" (as opposed to just plain bad) it pretty definitely is.

This movie seemed to be taking itself seriously while winking at the same time. A big dig on the superhero shows and films that were all the rage at the time. It had every cliché. The rich man's hideaway. The gadgets. The ladies. The police and governments friends and/or connections. It still seems fun. The costume was a bit weird. The red ski mask didn't exactly look like it belonged on a hero. And while the name 'Argoman' sounds cool, it doesn't make a lot of sense really. I won't even attempt to explain the plot. See it for yourself. It's out there on video, (I know, I have it. An American copy.) but only the patient will find it.

This movie is a philosophy of life: "live and take what you really want". A CAMP classic of maximum proportions, which ruled the world in the late sixties, conquering all the known B-movies markets. Sir REGINALD HOOVER/ARGOMAN is the greatest, coolest and meanest super-hero/anti-hero ever been. Period. I'm actually proud to be Italian, and I'm wondering WHEN and HOW and WHERE Argoman the fantastic superman will strike again. Thanks, Sergio Grieco! Bottom line: ROGER BROWNE kicks ass! 11 out of 10.