Diabolik (1968)

Director:

Mario Bava

Writers:

Angela Giussani (story) and
Luciana Giussani (story) ...

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:

Thief | Gold | Anti Hero | Police Inspector | Heist

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

Colour:

Colour (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Singapore:PG | Australia:M (2007) | UK:12 | 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:

The movie is based on "Diabolik", one of the longest running - and most successful - Italian comic strips. It was created by Angela Giussani and Luciana Giussani, two Milan sisters who built a small and very profitable publishing empire out of the "King of Terror"'s success. In the paper version, "Diabolik" is much more sinister than its cinematic counterpart - he's a criminal fighting evil with evil, often resorting to murder to "punish" the evildoers he meets. The movie was made assuming some knowledge of the comic strip, thus explaining the negative reaction it gets outside Italy.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Diabolik recovers emeralds from the ashes of a cremated body. Emerald, a type of green beryl, fractures and discolors when exposed to even mild flame (thus losing considerable value), and certainly cannot survive the intense heat of a crematorium.

Quotes:

Diabolik: [as he and the bad guy freefall from a plane that has suddenly exploded] I almost forgot. When I stumbled, I attached a magnetic capsule to your plane.
Ralph Valmont: Who cares? Pull the cord!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Jûbei ninpûchô (1993)

Under-rated, over-the-top, and down-right swanky!

I've rented "Danger: Diabolik" three times now, and each time I discover more to enjoy. I recommend setting aside any prejudice that may accompany Mario Bava's name (or John Phillip Law's, for that matter), and viewing it with the same frame of mind as you would for viewing a Connery-era Bond film or either of the "Flints": as stylish period pieces; heavy on action, light on plot logic, and all done with tongue-in-cheek.

Sure, Law's acting skills are slight, but so are Connery's. And Diabolik manages a most unusual thing for a super-dude: he is happily faithful to his mate (played by the ravishing Marisa Mell) for the entire film.

The sets are (with one exception) terrific - at least as good as Bond's or Flint's. The costuming, cinematography and action scenes are top-notch. Ennio Morricone's score is just about the best I've heard in it's genre. There are enough plot twists and clever bits to keep anyone interested.

Give it a try; I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.