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Reviews
L'invincibile Superman (1968)
Italian Santo fights robotized athletes
It's a shame when reviewers, like the other one reviewing this film here, can't provide you with anything but weak metaphors and banal banter.
Superargo is an ex-wrestler. He quit the sport in the first film, Superargo vs. Diabolicus, after accidentally killing an opponent. In this sequel, Superargo has altered his mask some but still keeps the bulletproof red tights.
He's also taken up studies in Eastern mysticism, with the aid of his new sidekick, Kamir (Aldo Sambrell who later went on to star in many Spaghetti Westerns and had the main role opposite Burt Reynolds in 'Navajo Joe' two years prior).
There had been a rash of crimes involving major athletes being accosted and kidnapped.Usually by a group of 'faceless giants.' The giants aren't faceless, just have stockings over their faces. And they aren't giants either. Actually most are shorter than Superargo.
The government calls Superargo in to find out who operates the robotic men and stop them. Things go awry and it plays out much like a spy film. In fact, the superhero genre in Italy in the late 60's was a direct descendant of the spy genre which petered out about '67 or '68 itself. See also The Fantastic Argoman and the previous Superargo film.
There are hokey bits of comic book indulgence, but as a film collector and fan, I enjoy Superargo and the Faceless Giants. I recommend seeing it, even if it's just once on late-night television.
Many find the movie boring, and while some parts do tend to drag on, such as the chase through the woods, it isn't nearly as bad as, say, everything Jerry Bruckheimer has made.
The Curse of the Living Corpse (1964)
Not Great But Worth A Look
While this film is by no means a thriller on par with anything Mario Bava directed or anything Edmond O'Brien starred in, it still is a pretty decent watch. The acting is overdone, the comic relief (if one can call it that) is so pitiful that I was seriously hoping the Constable (the "funny" character) was the next beheaded.
THe story surrounds a New England family of status and money. Their abusive and controlling father dies, leaving an inheritance for each member of the family provided they fulfill the stipulations of the will. Upon the first reading of the will, we learn that everyone has already violated the terms, wow. Way to cut out a lot of story. The murders are pretty predictable and leave little tension. The killings each pertain to said victims' fear (drowning, fire, etc) and are admittedly pretty graphic for 1963/1964. The beheading, the drowning scene, etc are very violent and there is no sparing the gore. That isn't to say that it looks completely realistic, but nonetheless at the time it must've caused quite a stir.
The murderer is allegedly the dead father returned from the grave to revenge his disobedient family. I won't spill the beans but you can probably guess the twist about a half and hour into the film.
Roy Scheider makes his screen debut and chews the scenery with vigor.
At the end of the film the explanations don't really justify the "how" and if you've scene the film, and know the character I'm talking about, his "disability" wouldn't have allowed him to do what he did.
Through and through there are points of interest, it's not complete fodder but I wish the police men had been cut from the film. They made the viewing less pleasurable for me. It's not complete fodder and OK for a double feature (as it's released with Horror of Party Beach) when you just want a bit of "fun" and non-introspective entertainment,
Kommissar X - In den Klauen des goldenen Drachen (1966)
Somewhat Goofy, but very entertaining
I happen to like the Kommissar X series from the '60s and '70s. Tony Kendall does a good job as the relaxed agent Kommissar X with his friend Captain Harris of the New York Police Department. This particular film features a scientist who has had a laser stolen by a villain known as the Golden Claw and his team of mercenaries is headed up by a group pf gun- toting, whip cracking women. While this doesn't have the budget of the Bond films, it certainly has enough charm. Yes it could have probably fit right in with the other spy films on MST3K but then again just basing your review of a film on the MST'd version is kind of missing the point (since those films were edited by MST writers). I got my copy through Sinister Cinema, I don't know where else you'd catch it.