Danger: Diabolik (1968): Masters of Cinema

Many aspects of silent film can be found throughout the history of cinema even if the silent era finished almost 100 years ago in Hollywood. Co-director of South West Silents and Film Noir UK James Harrison explores a film which bridges the silent era with modern action films thanks to a new release by Eureka Entertainment's Masters of Cinema. Plus, you get a chance to win a copy.

I had always thought I had never seen Mario Bava’s 1968 shiny crime caper Danger: Diabolik and then I realised, even from the outset; yes, I have actually seen it before. But in a far more compact 5 minute version. Bava’s film is the backbone of the Beastie Boys’ 1998 ‘Body Movin’’ music video which I always thought was great fun (I actually had a copy of the Beastie Boys Video Anthology) and here I was reliving it all over again; but this time it was going to be one hundred minutes instead.

Danger: Diabolik is a film of the sixties and even from the very start, you can tell. The film begins with a heist sequence with plenty of action and music all set on the Italian coast; even the Italian port where the heist takes place even looks clean and glamorous. The film then ups the ante when it comes to the title sequence; a title sequence so simple but incredibly impacting. And this entire orgy of colour and music, (music by Ennio Morricone) climaxes when Diabolik returning to his lair and has a shower. And all of this is within the first ten minutes.

Armed with a latex suit, a fleet of Jaguar E-Types, the biggest rotating bed I have ever seen and with the beautiful Marisa Mell standing by his side, Diabolik (played by John Phillip Law) is a hero who’s only passion from the outset is money, making love and humiliating anyone who stands in his way; particularly anyone of high authority. From there, the film shows how an anti-hero can be broken down when they begin to lose everything.

And who is Diabolik more than just a continuation of antiheros of the cinematic past anyway. There is a direct line of Marcel Allain and Pierre Souvestre’s Fantômas here, later adapted to the screen by Louis Feuillade. And even Feuillade’s Les Vampires (1915-1916) and Judex (1916) serials could be found here. These are characters who terrified their worlds; while Diabolik seems to only worry those in power.

And given his recent escapades (the film’s opening heist and a humiliating minister’s press conference afterwards), the police, the politicians and even the other criminals of Italy have had enough of Diabolik. So it is up to gangster boss Ralph Valmont to get rid of Diabolik once and for all; “It takes a thief to catch a thief” after all. What happens next is a number of sequences with Diabolik being tested by both the authorities and criminals alike.

A situation which very much reminded one of the situation of Peter Lorre’s child killer in Fritz Lang’s M (1931). But let’s not forget, Diabolik, is no monster like Lorre’s character.

Gangster boss Valmont is played by Adolfo Celi best remembered internationally for his portrayal as Emilio Largo in Thunderball (1965) alongside Sean Connery’s James Bond. And this isn’t just the only element that is connected to the cinematic world of Bond. There is a considerable amount of Bond clichés that can be found within Danger: Diabolik; from standard subject and themes, vehicles, a yellow underwater minisub looks like it was taken straight out of the battle sequences of Thunderball as well as a secret trap door in a plane (it’s an airship in 1985’s A View to a Kill); it is quite incredible how much of Bond’s world can be found here.

There are wide variety of set pieces which are so wonderfully set up with wide brush strokes of colour (classic Bava) that you can almost forget that the action is taking place at all, even if the early 1960s action can come over a bit naff now. But there are also minor moments of pure genius from Bava and the team as well. A small moment involving stop motion animation to illustrate the police force cracking down on crime on the streets of an unnamed Italian city is just wonderful.

But there is much more here. The film also screams out 1966’s Adam West Batman TV series as well as every other rip off James Bond film going including Agent 077: Mission Bloody Mary (1965), Super Seven Calling Cairo (1965), O.K. Connery (1967) many of which were produced and filmed in Italy anyway.

So, everything comes around in the end; just like sitting on Diabolik outrageous rotating bed. Or maybe it’s a sofa? Maybe there are questions best left unanswered. But Diabolik is a perfect example of the bridge between silent film crime action films (Fantômas) and the future of crime action (James Bond, Batman).

Just like Eureka’s Masters of Cinema recent retro crime releases triumphs (Fantomas Returns!, Mabuse Lives!), the Danger: Diabolik 4K UHD + Blu-ray release is armed with plenty of extras including historian Leon Hunt discussing the origins of Diabolik, Rachel Nesbit on Italian cinema and anti-establishment pop culture. A host of audio commentaries (three in fact) with a single commentary with Tim Lucas, then another with Lucas and Diabolik himself John Phillip Law (which is very funny) as well as a third with Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson, all of which are excellent. Even the Beastie Boys music video for ‘Body Movin’ makes an appearance (with an audio commentary by Adam Yauch from the 2000 Beastie Boys Video Anthology Criterion release).

But the prize extra for me is the chance to watch Danger: Diabolik with either the English audio or the Italian audio; both of which are fascinating to hear. Especially during the scenes involving the man himself, Terry Thomas; oh yes, I forgot to mention Thomas, who makes some brief appearances throughout and is very memorable.

To conclude then, Danger: Diabolik is a sexy action-packed piece of sunshine and you won’t regret getting this new release!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0a6gxrN194

Danger: Diabolik is title number #349 in Eureka's The Masters of Cinema series and is available via the label's website.

Thanks to the Eureka team we have a brand new copy Danger: Diabolik (1968) up for grabs; just send us your answer to the question below via our contact page by midnight on Friday 17th April to be in with a chance. Good Luck!

Question: Thunderball (1965), starring Danger: Diabolik's Adolfo Celi is directed by which British film director?