Danger: Diabolik

source: Danger: Diabolik

The MST3K Version is much better as you don't even have to make fun of it yourself. Although their version is HEAVILY edited down to make room for skits. This causes the plot to be a bit jumpy. Is this thing dubbed, It's hard to tell.... I think as an 'action' movie it rates down there with "Mitchell" or maybe "final Justice". The "Hero" of this film is quite a nasty dude. Perhaps he's faithful to the Italian comic but his disregard for human life is off-putting. A better case can be made that Ginko is the Hero. At least he's got some measure of class. "whooping........................cranes"

This movie has instantly become one of my very favorite Mario Bava features. Think James Bond, as a suave master thief, filmed in a psychedelic, occasionally campy, comic book style. (Diabolik was a comic first.) Add to that some fun humor and very fitting themes by the legendary Ennio Morricone, and you have one cool, little cult flick! The cheap DVD comes with some great extras, like a pleasant and informative commentary by star John Phillip Law and Bava expert Time Lucas. The short featurette was very good too, going over just how well Bava captured the comic book stylings in the film. Recommended purchase! By the way, Diabolik's mask and laugh---perfect.

This movie really brought a tear to my eye. Not because I found it moving or emotional, however. It was because this movie was so bad and because I was watching it on the final episode of MST3K. While this movie wasn't quite as bad as "Space Mutiny" or "Laserblast," it was still goofy and badly done enough to be skewered on MST3K. Made for a fine end to one of the greatest TV shows ever. I'm sure the people who made "Danger: Diabolik" were hoping to make a piece of entertainment history when they made this movie. They did, but I'm sure this wasn't what they had in mind!

Considered to be the finest adaption of a comic book to date, Danger:Diabolik is to my my knowledge Bava's biggest budgeted film and looks it. The cast headed by John Philip Law as the suave super thief Diabolik and Marisa Mell as his beautiful girlfriend/accomplice Eva Kent do a superb job. There's also some strong supporting performances by Michel Piccoli as Diabolik's nemesis Inspector Ginko and Adolfo Celi as the degenerate crime lord Ralph Valmont here as well. On the technical side of things, Bava does his usual masterful job of directing. Pace is kept lively and never falters. The musical score was written by Ennio Morricone and is one of the best. I highly recommend this film.

Diabolik is about an infamous thief who goes around stealing things so that he can impress his girlfriend. (Can you say gold digger?) Diabolik somehow manages to steal a necklace with the world's most perfect emeralds on it, and then steal the world's largest bar of gold. He gets tossed into a vat of molten gold, with very little protection on him, and somehow survives! That I couldn't swallow. Perhaps if he had a more Robin Hood type attitude, I could have sympathized with him. Diabolik reminds me of one of those guys in school who has everything and doesn't care about anyone but himself and his trophy girlfriend. I really wanted to see him smacked around a bit. His girlfriend reminded me of the stuck-up gold digging cheerleaders in school who would do mean things to people just because they could get away with it because they were who they were. I think this French-Italian project was trying to cash in on the James Bond hysteria of the late 1960's. It sure seems that way. Only see this if you have to.

Unbelievable! The majority of comment-authors here on this site haven't got the slightest clue how far the brilliance of this film reaches...Here you have one of the coolest, most ingenious productions ever, and they're calling it "awful" and an ideal climax for the Mystery Science Theater?!? Aren't there any people left who appreciate sweet pop art? Or a healthy dose of delightful kitsch? Danger: Diabolik is a cult masterpiece and part of the greatest achievements of the brilliant director Mario Bava (or God, like I tend to call him). Bava easily is one of the most diverse directors who ever lived and delivered horror classics, solid thrillers, old-fashioned westerns and ... Danger Diabolik! A film that can't possibly be categorized entirely. Pivot figures are a young, vital couple of criminal masterminds. They steal from innocent people as well as from dangerous maffiosi, while killing innocent bystanders. Our funky couple single-handedly takes away billions that belong to the government, and then cheerfully retire in their underground lair in order to make love on top of a pile of money! It comes this far that the police cooperates with the entire gangster-network in order to finally arrest them...but our hero always is multiple steps ahead of them. Danger Diabolik introduces more kinky gadgets than 20 James Bond films ever could and the amount of creativity in just endless. The used scenery and experimental cinemathograpy mark this film with an undeniable cult-status that even impressed Mike Myers! Just compare this film with the Austin Powers trilogy!! Add to this a dazzling soundtrack and a ravishing siren (Marisa Mell) and you've got yourself an intolerably misunderstood cinema milestone. If you're a tiny bit open-minded and/or a bit less prejudiced on non-American films, you just HAVE TO see Danger: Diabolik.

Mario Bava may be best known for the horror films he directed, but he wasn't limited to just one genre. He dabbled in science-fiction, westerns, comedies, and peplums. That brings us to this, his "spy" film. And what a film it is! If you didn't know that Bava directed Danger Diabolik and you caught parts of it, you would immediately notice his style all over the film. Innovative camera work, impeccable lighting, wonderful mat paintings, and terrific set design are all highlights that have Bava's fingerprints all over them. It's a visually stunning movie from start to finish. It's a real pleasure to watch each scene just to see what Bava will come up with next. As for the story and the character Diabolik, for lack of an intelligent review, I'll simply say that it's one of the "coolest" films I've ever seen. Diabolik is the ultimate criminal. His underground lair is as good as anything you'll see in a Bond film. As is his girl, Eva Kant. She's the perfect compliment to Diabolik, a woman who can keep up with him. Their his and hers white and black Jaguars are the epitome of style. As I said, it's all just so "cool". My only real complaint is with some of the acting. John Phillip Law may consider himself a leading man on the order of Steve McQueen (at least that's the impression I was left with after listening to the commentary), but he's got a long way to go. The best I can say is that as an actor he's adequate at best. The rest of the cast is first rate. Terry Thomas is always fun - never more so than here as the government official who has to deal with the result of Diabolik's crimes. Marisa Mell is a joy to watch as Eva. And Bond veteran Adolfo Celi is good in the role of the competing master criminal. The other supporting cast is just as good. In the end, if you're a fan of 60s spy films, Danger Diabolik should please. But, if you're a fan of Bava, Danger Diabolik should become a real favorite.

What's the matter with you people? Doesn't anyone enjoy a good, fun, cheesy Italian spy flick anymore? These are the same people who don't like Godzilla films because they can't get over the low-budget special effect and the "silliness", and who can't tolerate anything different than mega-budget hollywood blockbusters, and that just breaks my heart. I kind of enjoyed seeing it on MST3K, but I was dissappointed that they included it in the same league as the truly awful (but no les enjoyable) Hobgoblins and Space Mutiny. This is one of the great 60s films as far as i'm concerned. What really sets the films apart is stylish cinematography and direction by the great, sadly underappreciated Mario Bava, also responsible for great films like Black Sabbath, Planet of the Vampires, Bay of Blood, Lisa and the Devil, and the gritty, cynical Rabid Dogs, which was a real surprise after Diabolik. (Even if you hated Diabolik, you owe it to yourself to track down a copy of Rabid Dogs). Also noteworthy is the psychedelica-tinged score by the great Ennio Morricone, my favorite film composer.

One of the worst movies I've ever seen, and that takes some doing. Rather fitting that this would be the final clunker lampooned on MST3000. The final episode was hastily put together after Mike and the Bots found out they'd been cancelled, and "Diabolik" must have been their revenge. John Phillip Law, beefcake actor who found work for himself during the late 60's over in Europe, plays a master criminal - at least the producer wants us to think that. Diabolik robs an armored car, steals an emerald necklace, and is always one step ahead of the police. He lives in a sorta bat cave underground bunker with all sorts of gadgets with his bimbo girlfriend. Adolfo Celi ("Thunderball") plays a gangster who tries to hand Diabolik over to the police to gain favors for himself. Terry Thomas shows up for a few minutes so he can laugh for the camera - really, that was his contribution to the plot. Other than that, I didn't recognize anyone in the film. Clumsy Italian film that tries to blend James Bond with Batman and the psychedelic craze of the 60's. Terrible soundtrack adds to the general confusion. A film to watch when your satellite of love is about to crash into earth.