tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771197806762484552011-06-07T20:41:15.865-10:00Armandohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00435281238176722479noreply@blogger.comBlogger751100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-86671949420796000312008-11-23T17:49:00.001-10:002008-11-23T17:51:26.261-10:00

Right off the bat, I’ll say that I really enjoyed Quantum Of Solace. Following up Casino Royale was always going to be a big ask, and the film-makers have fallen short and presented us with a very flawed film. However, the film still has some truly great new Bondian moments, as well as providing a few reminders of the films of the past.Minor spoilers ahead:The film opens half an hour after the

Davidnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-85603482702760057902008-11-23T17:43:00.001-10:002008-11-23T17:45:21.222-10:00

The World Is Not Enough is not just the title of this movie, it is also the motto appearing on the coat of arms of the Bond family. From Ian Fleming’s On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (Glidrose Productions Ltd):Griffon Or broke in excitedly, ‘And this charming motto of the line, “The World is not Enough”. You do not wish to have the right to it?’ “It is an excellent motto which I shall certainly

Davidnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-15752349822113153962008-10-14T17:36:00.003-10:002008-10-14T17:41:40.039-10:00

Most reports on the various English language versions of this film that are currently available on the grey market are that they are severely truncated (The Tiger Likes Fresh Meat seems to be missing twenty minutes, and Code Name: Tiger is missing about twelve minutes). This heavy handed editing has apparently rendered the story almost incomprehensible. With that in mind, I have gone to the

Davidnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-11082201671868913432008-09-28T11:32:00.000-10:002008-09-28T14:07:03.490-10:00

Year: 1966Directed by Andre HunebelleJean Marais, Louis De Funes, Mylene Demongeot, Jacques Dynam, Christian Toma, Michel DuplaixMusic by Michel MagneThe man with the blue head is back! Fantomas Strikes Back is the second film in Andre Hunebelle's 1960's revival of the Fantomas character. The film is more comedic than it's predessesor, and Louis De Funes pulls out all the stops as he mugs his way

Davidnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-32378036463271787492008-09-24T00:23:00.001-10:002008-09-25T11:44:52.947-10:00

Year: 1972Producer: Armando NovelliDirector: Fernando Di LeoStarring: Mario Adorf, Henry Silva, Woody Strode, Adolfo Celi, Luciana Paluzzi, Sylva Koscina, Franco Fabrizi, Cyril CusackCimematography: Franco VillaMusic: Armando TrovaioliOriginal Title: La Mala OrdinaAKA: Manhunt In Milan, The Italian Connection, Hired To Kill, Black Kingpin, HitmenThe last couple of posts have looked at the career

Davidnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-13698570780280805082008-08-23T09:18:00.001-10:002008-08-24T17:25:55.882-10:00

Release Year: 1964Country: EnglandStarring: Dirk Bogarde, Sylva Koscina, Robert Morley, Leo McKern, Roger Delgado, John LeMesurier, Richard Pasco, Eric Pohlmann, Richard Vernon, Amanda Grinling, Noel Harrison, Derek NimmoDirector: Ralph ThomasScreenplay: Lukas Heller; Based on the novel Night of Wenceslas by Lionel DavidsonArt Director: Syd CainMusic: Angelo LavagninoProducer: Betty E.

Davidnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-29686003413352181642008-08-23T07:04:00.002-10:002008-08-23T07:06:58.902-10:00

I hadn't heard much that was good about The Black Falcon, the general consensus seeming to be that it paled in comparison to most of the other 1960s spy efforts turned out by Hong Kong's Shaw Brothers studio. Given that, I was surprised to find that it was actually one of the most solidly plotted and engaging of the lot. I was even more surprised to discover that it was a close remake of Sergio

Toddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15890338576052689861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-51204023309320143752008-08-04T00:15:00.000-10:002008-08-05T09:14:19.825-10:00

Release Year: 1965Country: Italy/France/SpainStarring: Horst Buchholz, Sylva Koscina, Klaus Kinski, Gustavo Re, Alvaro De Luna, Perrette Pradier, Mario Adorf, Barta Barri, Jorge RigaudDirector: Antonio Isasi-IsasmendiScreenplay: Luis Jose Comeron, Antonio Isasi-Isasmendi, Jorge Illa, Music: Georges GarvarentzOriginal Title: Estanbul 65That Man From Istanbul is one of the most accessible and

Davidnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-47589593071325593152008-07-14T00:55:00.001-10:002008-07-14T00:57:08.166-10:00

Year: 1967Directed by Henry LevinDean Martin, Senta Berger, Janice Rule, James Gregory, Albert Salmi, Beverly Adams, The SlaygirlsMusic by Hugo MontenegroBased loosely on the novel by Donald HamiltonAlong with James Bond and Derek Flint, Matt Helm is one of the cinematic world’s best known super-spies. As portrayed by Dean Martin, Helm was an inebriated womaniser who consistently saved the world

Davidnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-60203283641436186562008-07-05T15:01:00.001-10:002008-07-05T15:02:57.886-10:00

Year: 1989Directed by Donald CrombieSimon Dutton, Ed Devereaux, Rebecca Gilling, Richard Roxburgh, Nikki Coghill Max Cullen, Anthony Wong, Ernie DingoMusic by Peter Best (Title theme by Serge Franklin)Based on characters created by Leslie CharterisAs an Australian, I am particularly parochial about local productions. I like a good story where I recognise the landmarks and the settings in which

Davidnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-30266998540293034202008-07-05T12:31:00.002-10:002008-07-05T12:34:42.583-10:00

Year: 1989Directed by Dennis BerrySimon Dutton, John Astin, Camille Naud, Sabine Naud, Patricia BarzykMusic by Serge Franklin (with additional music by Tony Britten)Based on characters created by Leslie CharterisUmbrella Entertainment have finally released the 1989 The Saint series on DVD. Now this series isn’t particularly good, unsure of whether it’s a comedy, or a gritty crime series.

Davidnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-71285893911295465532008-07-05T12:27:00.001-10:002008-07-05T12:29:35.465-10:00

Year: 1939Directed by John Paddy CarstairsGeorge Sanders, Sally Gray, David Burns, Gordon McLeod, Athen Seyler, Henry Oscar, Ralph Truman, Ballard Berkeley, John AbbottMusic by Marr MackieBased on the short story, ‘The Million Pound Day’ by Leslie CharterisIn some ways, The Saint In London is one of The Saint’s most espionage based stories, but to tell you why and how would ruin some of the

Davidnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-36343585204844766202008-07-01T20:43:00.002-10:002008-07-01T20:46:40.655-10:00

Year: 1968Directed by Ralph ThomasRod Taylor, Christopher Plummer, Lilli Palmer, Carmilla Sparv, Leo McKern, Daliah Lavi, Derren Nesbitt, Clive Revill, Bud Tingwell, Burt KwoukMusic by Georges DelerueBased on the Novel By Jon ClearyThe book, The High Commissioner, by Jon Cleary, and the film The High Commissioner are two very different beasts. Cleary’s book is more of a police story than a spy

Davidnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-80926169611805692462008-06-11T10:40:00.002-10:002008-06-11T10:52:45.122-10:00

Year: 1965Directed by Val GuestDavid Niven, Francoise Dorleac, John Le Mesurier, Cyril Cusack, Eric Pohlmann, Nigel DavenportMusic by Mario Nascimbene Based on the novel by James LeasorMany years ago, I read one of James Leasor’s Jason Love Adventures. It was Passport To Suspense, and had the hero battling neo-Nazis in South America. It was a rattling good read and I have always intended to read

Davidnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-30440871822787100182008-05-31T00:01:00.002-10:002008-05-31T12:35:37.025-10:00

Mission ImpossibleYear: 1970Directed by Paul KrasnyPeter Graves, Leonard Nimoy, Greg Morris, Peter Lupus, Lee Meriwether, Stephen McNally, Ramon Bieri, William WintersoleMusic by Lalo SchifrinBy the fourth season of Mission Impossible, the IMF team had quite a shakeup. Martin Landau and his wife, Barbara Bain had left the series, and in came Leonard Nimmoy (I am an actor, not Spock), as master

Davidnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-33371074546508572772008-05-30T21:14:00.002-10:002008-05-30T21:46:19.181-10:00

Mission ImpossibleYear: 1966Directed by Charles R. RondeauSteven Hill, Barbara Bain, Greg Morris, Peter Lupus, Martin Landau, Nico Mindaros, Nehemiah Persoff, Vincent Van LynnMusic by Gerald FriedMission Impossible Theme by Lalo SchifrinOdds On Evil is one of the most popular episodes from season one for spy fans because the story closely resembles Ian Fleming’s novel Casino Royale. But rather

Davidnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-53492751354469763132008-05-25T21:15:00.002-10:002008-05-25T21:20:24.235-10:00

Year: 1998Directed by Jeremiah ChechikRalph Feinnes, Sean Connery, Uma Thurman, Jim Broadbent, Eddie IzzardMusic by Joel McNeely‘Avengers Theme’ by Laurie JohnsonSong ‘Hurricane’ performed by Grace JonesYou know I loved the original Avengers TV series – c’mon, we all do!. It is with a heavy heart that I report that The Avengers movie is a major disappointment. All the ingredients are there for

Davidnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-15970482535801566482008-05-21T21:33:00.003-10:002008-05-21T21:43:20.151-10:00

Year: 1966Directed by Mario BavaVincent Price, Fabian, Franco Franchi, Ciccio Ingrassia, Francesco Mulé, Laura Antonelli, Movana Tahi, George WangMusic by Les BaxterProgrammed For Love And DestructionNow this one is really hard to explain. In fact I needed it explained to me a few times before I really got it. Firstly in the United States, in 1965 there was a film called Dr. Goldfoot and The

Davidnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-64083287987347426092008-05-20T11:08:00.003-10:002008-05-20T11:19:48.794-10:00

Year: 1984Directed by Irvin KershnerSean Connery, Kim Bassinger, Max Von Sydow, Barbara Carrera, Bernie Casey, Rowan Atkinson, Edward Fox as M, Alec McCowen as Algernon (Q Branch).Music by Michel LegrandTitle Song performed by Lani HallJames Bond is back! Never Say Never Again has a long tortuous production history which in itself could fill a book, and in fact has done so. For the definitive

Davidnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-27488849119744398112008-05-19T11:26:00.003-10:002008-05-19T11:33:30.014-10:00

Year: 1974Directed by Guy HamiltonRoger Moore, Christopher Lee, Britt Ekland, Maud Adams, Hervé Villechaise, Demond Llewelyn, Bernard LeeMusic by John BarryTitle song performed by LuluBased loosely on the novel by Ian FlemingThe Man With The Golden Gun is the most psychedelic of the Bond series or at least tries to be. The villains lair, which is revealed in the opening sequence, and features in

Davidnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-67912227396597831632008-05-16T12:23:00.002-10:002008-05-16T12:32:10.445-10:00

Year: 2006Directed by Martin CampbellDaniel Craig, Eva Green, Mads Mikkelsen, Jefferey Wright, Caterina Murino, Judi Dench as ‘M’Music by David ArnoldTitle Song performed by Chris CornellBased on the novel by Ian FlemingThis is the first official (EON Productions) version of Casino Royale, and it is the twenty-first film in the series. Before I launch into my review, I’ll state my opinion for Die

Davidnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-55033647540878523182008-05-15T10:18:00.002-10:002008-05-15T10:30:10.986-10:00

Year: 2002Directed by Lee TamahoriPierce Brosnan, Halle Berry, Toby Stephens, Rosamund Pike, Rick Yune, Judi Dench as M, John Cleese as Q, and Samantha Bond as Moneypenny, Colin Salmon as Robinson.Music by David ArnoldTitle Song by MadonnaBased on characters created by Ian FlemingIs Die Another Day the worst Bond film ever made? In a word, YES! That’s not to say it doesn’t have any good moments,

Davidnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-37702110681342694002008-05-14T11:35:00.002-10:002008-05-14T11:45:20.467-10:00

Year: 1987Directed by John GlenTimothy Dalton, Maryam d’Abo, Joe Don Baker, Art Malik, John Rhys-Davies, Jeroen Krabbé, Desmond Llewelyn, Robert Brown, Caroline BlissMusic by John BarryTitle song performed by a-haBased on a short story by Ian FlemingI must sound like a parrot when I say ‘this Bond film had a troubled production history’. I start each Bond review with that sentence. It seems that

Davidnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-31791312674675181962008-05-13T10:25:00.002-10:002008-05-13T10:42:53.139-10:00

Year: 1985Directed by John GlenRoger Moore, Christopher Walken, Tanya Roberts, Patrick MacNee, Robert Brown, Lois MaxwellMusic by John BarryTitle song performed by Duran DuranA View To A Kill was the fourteenth official James Bond movie, and the seventh (and last) film to feature Roger Moore as agent 007. Quite frankly, Moore was too old for the role by this time. He knew it and the producers

Davidnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-89630978263997431872008-05-12T20:15:00.003-10:002008-05-12T20:18:28.681-10:00

Directed by John GlenRoger Moore, Maud Adams, Louis Jordan, Kabir Bedi, Kristina Wayborn, Steven Berkoff, Vijay Amritraj, Robert Brown as M, Desmond Llewelyn as Q, and Lois Maxwell as MonneypennyMusic by John Barry‘All Time High’ performed by Rita Coolidge Based on a short story by Ian FlemingChristmas 1983 was a tense time for Bond fans. Octopussy was released starring Roger Moore as Agent 007,

Davidnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-38812967905226136792008-05-09T00:02:00.002-10:002008-05-12T20:13:53.867-10:00

Year: 1979Directed by Lewis GilbertRoger Moore, Richard Kiel, Lois Chiles, Michael Lonsdale, Corrine Clery, Geoffrey Keen, Walter Gotell, Bernard Lee as M, Desmond Llewellyn as Q, and Lois Maxwell as MoneypennyMusic by John BarryTitle song performed by Shirley BasseyVery loosely based on the novel by Ian Fleming Moonraker gets a lot of crap heaped upon it for being the worst Bond film. But in all

Davidnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-6771232631648219672008-05-08T00:17:00.003-10:002008-05-12T20:10:20.075-10:00

Year: 1977Directed by Lewis GilbertRoger Moore, Curt Jurgens, Barabara Bach, Richard Kiel, Caroline Munro, Bernard Lee, Walter Gotell, Desmond Llewelyn, Geoffrey KeenMusic by Marvin HamlischTitle Song, “Nobody Does It Better”, performed by Carly SimonThe Spy Who Loved Me is the first James Bond film I saw at the movies. In the town where I grew up we didn’t have a cinema, it was an old fashioned

Davidnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-42666478761137054112008-05-07T00:11:00.002-10:002008-05-12T20:31:26.688-10:00

Year: 1973Directed by Guy HamiltonRoger Moore, Jane Seymour, David Hedison, Gloria Hendry, Yaphet Kotto, Clifton James, Julius W. Harris, Geoffrey Holder, Earl Jolly Brown, Madeline Smith, Bernard Lee as M, and Lois Maxwell as MoneypennyMusic by George MartinTitle song by Paul McCartney and WingsBased loosely on the novel by Ian FlemingAfter the failure of George Lazenby to win over the public in

Davidnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-53699103252699602022008-05-06T00:45:00.001-10:002008-05-12T20:41:41.081-10:00

Year: 1971Directed by Guy HamiltonSean Connery, Jill St John, Charles Gray, Lana Wood, Desmond Llewelyn as Q, Bernard Lee as M, and Lois Maxwell as MoneypennyMusic by John BarryTitle song performed by Shirley Bassey.Very loosely based on a novel by Ian Fleming.Diamonds Are Forever is the seventh film in the EON James Bond series. As with most Bond movies, the pre-production of Diamonds Are

Davidnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-79410577350682964972008-05-05T00:05:00.002-10:002008-05-12T20:45:42.017-10:00

Year: 1964Directed by Guy HamiltonSean Connery, Honor Blackman, Gert Frobe, Shirley Eaton, Tania Mallet, Harold Sakata, Cec Linder, Bernard Lee, Desmond Llewelyn Lois Maxwell, Nadja Regin, Margaret NolanMusic by John BarryTheme song performed by Shirley BasseyBased on the novel by Ian FlemingMany people consider this the best Bond film of them all. Maybe it is. It certainly is the film that set

Davidnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-26803820221887122732008-05-04T23:43:00.005-10:002008-05-12T20:48:29.974-10:00

Year: 1962Directed by Terence YoungSean Connery, Ursula Andress, Jack Lord, Anthony Dawson, John Kitzmiller, Eunice Gayson, Zena Marshall, Bernard Lee, Lois MaxwellMusic by Monty NormanJames Bond theme played by John BarryBased on the novel by Ian FlemingI don’t think I am giving too much away when I say that I am a child of the seventies and eighties. The first Bond film I saw was The Spy Who

Davidnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-89795254631798429022008-05-01T21:45:00.002-10:002008-05-01T21:54:51.494-10:00

Directed by Richard BrooksSean Connery, Katherine Ross, George Grizzard, Robert Conrad, Hardy Kruger, John Saxon, Henry Silva, Leslie Nielson, Robert Webber, Dean Stockweel, Jennifer Jason LeighMusic by Artie KaneBased on the novel, The Better Angels by Charles McCarryWhen Wrong Is Right was first released in the cinemas in Australia it was released as The Man With The Deadly Lens, obviously to

Davidnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-34452756792639311942008-04-30T11:33:00.000-10:002008-04-30T11:36:04.538-10:00

Directed by Alvin RakoffRoger Moore, Claudie Lange, Martha Hyer, Alexis Kanner, Derek Francis, Dudley Sutton, Bernard LeeMusic by Stanley BlackSong, ‘I’ll Find My Love’, performed by John RowlesSong, ‘Westminster Bridge’, performed by Lois LaneDon’t be fooled by the poster on the left. Crossplot is not a Saint film despite the logo above Roger Moore’s name. This is simply to cash in on Moore’s

Davidnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-49808621891573353862008-04-28T02:21:00.002-10:002008-04-28T02:29:54.380-10:00

Directed by Henry LevinDean Martin, Karl Malden, Anne Margaret, Camilla Sparv, James Gregory, Beverly AdamsMusic by Lalo SchifrinBased on the novel by Donald HamiltonHere’s a quick one. I don’t think too much needs to be said about the Dean Martin Matt Helm films. You either love ‘em or hate ‘em. Fans of Donald Hamilton’s book series generally hate them. And critically they get panned too. But

Davidnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-58656111376466504362008-04-26T12:19:00.001-10:002008-04-26T12:21:46.427-10:00

Directed by Silvio AmadioCyd Charisse, Hugh O'Brian, Mario Feliciani, Alberto Closas, Juliette Mayniel, Philippe Lemaire, Gina RovereMusic by Armando Trovajoli Assassination In Rome is a solid enough thriller, but it is far from outstanding. What it does have going for it, is that European travelogue feel that so many sixties films possessed. As you’ve probably guessed from the title, the story

Davidnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-11613601631444350892008-04-24T14:34:00.002-10:002008-04-24T14:39:17.837-10:00

Directed by Leslie H. MartinsonAnthony Franciosa, Raquel Welch, Ronald Fraser, Clive Revill, Greta Chi, Richard Briers, Tom AdamsMusic by John DankworthBased on a novel by Larry ForrestThe film opens with a stylish title sequence, courtesy of Maurice Binder (Binder did the title sequences to many of the Bond films, as well as Charade, Arabesque and many other films). Fathom Harvill (Raquel Welch)

Davidnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-2572528625625253242008-04-23T10:09:00.002-10:002008-04-23T10:21:36.929-10:00

AKA: The Double Affair Directed by John NewlandRobert Vaughn, Senta Berger, David McCallum, Leo G. CarrolMusic by Morton Stevens‘The Man From UNCLE Theme’ by Jerry GoldsmithThe Spy With My Face is the second Man From U.N.C.L.E. movie. All the movies in the series were cobbled together from episodes of the television series with a small amount of extra footage added to pad them out. This film

Davidnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-70813539517087707992008-04-22T22:06:00.003-10:002008-04-22T01:48:59.602-10:00

Directed by Ian ToyntonSimon Dutton, David Ryall, Gayle Hunnicutt, Jennifer Landor, Joseph Long, Niall Padden, Danny Webb. Frédérique CharbonneauMusic by Serge FranklinBased on characters created by Leslie CharterisThe Brazilian Connection is another of The Saint TV movies, featuring Simon Dutton as Leslie Charteris’ character, Simon Templar. In this film, The Saint comes up against an

Davidnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-58054220477235175362008-04-21T22:02:00.002-10:002008-04-21T09:12:29.685-10:00

Directed by Henry HerbertSimon Dutton, Shane Rimmer, David Ryall, Dinsdale Landen, Malcolm Stoddard, Pamela Sue MartinMusic by Serge FranklinIn 1989, The Saint was revived for six, two hour (90 minutes with ads) tele-movies. Simon Dutton plays the debonair Simon Templar (AKA The Saint), but got lumbered with some clunky scripts. One of the tele-movies, The Brazillian Connection was even written

Davidnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-62177392253255977542008-04-20T21:53:00.002-10:002008-04-20T08:21:16.840-10:00

Directed by Les NormanIan Ogilvy, Anton Rodgers, Mary Tamm, Geoffry Keen, Diane KeenI know that Simon Templar isn't a spy. But you know me - I have to turn everything into a spy film or televison show. Thankfully for me, The Return Of The Saint kindly met me halfway. It has a great many espionage episodes.The blurbs from several episodes on the Umbrella DVD release read like this:The Judas

Davidnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-29043140130056212722008-04-19T21:43:00.003-10:002008-04-19T01:11:23.030-10:00

Directed by Cyril FrankelIan Ogilvy, Gayle Hunnicutt, Stratford Johns, Derren Nesbitt, Joe LynchMusic by John ScottBased on characters created by Leslie CharterisHere’s another Saint movie, serving up another healthy dose of globe trotting and international crime. This time the story concerns a stolen shipment of gold bullion. The Saint And The Brave Goose is a two-part episode from the 1978

Davidnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-2520411309052199362008-04-18T21:34:00.002-10:002008-04-19T01:12:20.139-10:00

Directed by Jim O'ConnollyRoger Moore, Ian Hendry, Rosemary Dexter, Finlay Currie, Fulton Mackay, Aimi MacDonaldMusic by Edwin AstleyAs we make our way through various incarnations of The Saint, we come to possibly the most successful of all actors who have portrayed the character of Simon Templar: Roger Moore. Moore played the title role in The Saint television series from 1962 till 1969. The

Davidnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-66638924047735452352008-04-17T21:28:00.002-10:002008-04-17T21:31:34.080-10:00

Directed by Jack HivelyGeorge Sanders, Wendy Barrie, Paul Guilfoyle, Jonathan Hale, Linda Hayes, Edmond EltonMusic by Roy WebbThe Saint In Palm Springs is a highly entertaining entry in the RKO Saint series. The films opens with an ominous cable message. It reads ‘ARREST SIMON TEMPLAR...ARRIVIVING S.S. MONROVIA...WANTED FOR MURDER’. As Simon Tempar, AKA The Saint (George Sanders) arrives in New

Davidnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-53087382983111616142008-04-14T22:01:00.006-10:002008-05-04T23:49:35.516-10:00

Directed by John Huston, Ken Hughes, Val Guest, Robert Parrish, Joe McGrathDavid Niven, Peter Sellers, Ursula Andress, Daliah Lavi, Orson Welles, Woody Allen, Joanna PettetMusic by Burt BacarachTitle song by Herb Alpert and his Tijuana BrassSong, ‘Look of Love’, sung by Dusty SpringfieldInspired by the novel by Ian Fleming“Casino Royale is either going to be a classic bit of fun or the biggest f*

Davidnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-86139768454889659282008-04-06T00:54:00.002-10:002008-04-06T00:57:30.491-10:00

AKA: OK Connery, Operation Double 007, Secret Agent 00Directed by Alberto De MartinoNeil Connery, Daniela Bianchi, Adolpho Celi, Anthony Dawson, Bernard Lee, Lois MaxwellMusic by Ennio Morricone and Bruno NicolaiSong ‘OK Connery’ performed by Khristy“I’m a surgeon, not a secret agent!”Of all the European spy films made in the sixties to cash in on Bondmania, Operation Kid Brother is probably the

Davidnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-55991283542769693282008-03-28T18:32:00.004-10:002008-04-14T22:15:42.847-10:00

Directed by Woody Allen (and Senkichi Taniguchi)Tatsuya Mihasi, Akiko Wakabayashi, Mie Hama, Tadao Nakamaru, Susumu Kurobe, Woody AllenMusic by The Lovin’ Spoonful“Meet me in the bedroom in five minutes and bring a cattle prod!"What’s Up Tiger Lily? Is a bit hard to explain, but here goes. At the height of the Bond craze in the mid sixties, Woody Allen went and bought himself a Japanese spy film

Davidnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-67234612435092591302008-03-26T21:52:00.004-10:002008-04-14T22:19:16.941-10:00

Directed by Norman PanamaBing Crosby, Bob Hope, Joan Collins, Robert Morley, Walter Gotell, Dorothy LamourCameo appearances by Peter Sellers, David Niven, Dean Martin, Frank SinatraMusic by Robert FarnonSongs by Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van HeusenI’ll confess that I am too young (ha, ha) to have watched and been a fan of Bob Hope and Bing Crosby. And this is the only ‘Road’ movie that I have seen. I

Davidnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-21239156137944846562008-03-24T21:56:00.003-10:002008-03-24T22:03:58.584-10:00

Directed by Kim MillsPatrick Macnee, Honor Blackman, Burt Kwouk, Jennie Linden, Leslie Sands, Gary Watson, Corin Redgrave, Norman ScaceMusic by Johnny DanworthIt is my considered opinion, that so far, Jet Set Cinema (or in this case Television) has not presented enough of The Avengers. It's an oversight that I am going to begin rectifying right now. I know you all want Emma Peel (so do I). But

Davidnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-89149528953402313232008-03-24T00:22:00.004-10:002008-03-24T00:40:15.697-10:00

AKA: Fury In The Orient, Agent 077 Operation Istanbul , Fury In Istanbul, Fury On The Bosphorus, Storm Over The BosphorusDirected by Terrence Hathaway (Sergio Grieco)Ken Clark, Fernando Sancho, Margaret Lee, Philippe Hersent, Franco Ressel, Vitorrio Sanipoli, MikaelaMusic by Piero PiccioniSongs ‘Before It’s Too Late’ and ‘You Wonderful You’ sung by Lydia Macdonald From The Orient With Fury (or

Davidnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-15495621417839484442008-03-22T19:23:00.002-10:002008-03-22T19:30:54.564-10:00

AKA Agent 077 Mission Bloody Mary Operation Blue Lotus Directed by Terrence Hathaway (Sergio Grieco)Ken Clark, Mitsouko, Philippe Hersent, Helga LinéMusic by Angelo Francesco LavagninoMission Bloody Mary is one of the best entries in the Eurospy genre. Ken Clark is Dick Malloy, Agent 077, on the trail of The Black Lotus, an evil organisation who have stolen a nuclear warhead. Sure, the film

Davidnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-25005145742482852292008-03-19T20:27:00.000-10:002008-03-19T20:29:05.724-10:00

Directed by Roman CoppolaJeremy Davies, Angela Lindvall, Élodie Bouchez, Gerard Depardieu, Billy Zane, Jason Swartzman, Giancarlo Giannini, John Phillip Law, Dean StockwellMusic by MellowC.Q. is a curious little film from Roman Coppola (Son of Francis, brother of Sophia). It is set in the final months of 1969 and stars Jeremy Davies as Paul, a film editor on a European sci-fi/secret agent film.

Davidnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-59227280056847991832008-03-11T23:47:00.003-10:002008-03-11T23:52:52.862-10:00

Directed by Brian G. HuttonClint Eastwood, Telly Savalas, Donald Sutherland, Don Rickles, Carroll O’Connor, Gavin MacLeod, Stuart Margolin, Jeff Morris, Harry Dean Stanton, Gene Collins, Perry Lopez, Hal Buckley, Karl-Otto AlbertyMusic by Lalo SchifrinAfter Where Eagles Dare, Clint Eastwood had starred in two flop movies. First there was Paint Your Wagon, which was one of the failures that nearly

Davidnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-31419338994228422222008-03-11T19:39:00.002-10:002008-04-19T01:13:32.021-10:00

Directed by Brian G. HuttonRichard Burton, Clint Eastwood, Mary Ure, Ingrid Pitt, Derren Nesbitt, Patrick Wymark, Michael Hordern, Anton Differing, Robert Beatty, Donald Houston, Peter Barkworth, William Squire, Neil McCarthy, Brook WilliamsMusic by Ron GoodwinBased on the novel by Alistair MacLeanIt is often a fine line between some war films and some spy films, but generally the nature of the

Davidnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-51242213765198405092008-03-10T18:06:00.010-10:002008-03-13T04:15:16.091-10:00

The Mexican film industry's contributions to the 1960s spy craze tend to be on the whimsical side. If they don't feature a masked wrestler in a pivotal role, they tend to be something along the lines of Agente 00 Sexy, in which heroine Amadee Chabot spends a lot of time wearing a Frederick's of Hollywood-style cat costume. Given the overall zany-ness of the field, then, I do not say lightly that

Toddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15890338576052689861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-26938792004554809242008-03-09T07:59:00.012-10:002008-03-10T15:14:44.919-10:00

The director Chor Yuen is probably today best known for the sumptuous fantasy wuxia films he crafted while under contract to Hong Kong's Shaw Brothers studio during the seventies and early eighties. Indeed, titles like Killer Clans, The Magic Blade and Clans of Intrigue, marked as they are by Chor's unique ability to meld gauzy, haunted romanticism and state-of-the-art martial arts action within

Toddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15890338576052689861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-59358876685505491532008-03-08T11:49:00.003-10:002008-03-08T11:59:49.300-10:00

Directed by Norman JewisonSteve McQueen, Faye Dunaway, Paul Burke, Jack Weston, Gordon Pinsent, Biff McGuire, Addison Powell, Astrid Heeren, Yaphett KottoMusic by Michel LegrandSteve McQueen is one of the kings of sixties cool, but despite his successes in films like The Magnificent Seven, The Great Escape and The Cincinnati Kid, many people weren’t sure how he’d go dropped into a business suit.

Davidnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-59048381948293396432008-03-06T22:55:00.003-10:002008-03-06T23:00:35.382-10:00

Directed by Georges Combret, Luigi ScattiniRichard Harrison, Hélène Chanel, Giacomo Rossi-Stuart, Dominique Boschero, Bernard Blier Music by Piero UmilianiSongs, ‘I Told Her’ and ‘Mary Lou’ performed by The Bumpers.Ring Around The World is a very good Eurospy production. If you can find a good print, it is well worth checking out. The story goes like this: An unnamed Killer (Jack Stuart /

Davidnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-11922444872333371032008-03-05T10:34:00.000-10:002008-03-05T11:01:20.341-10:00

Late last year, spurred on by a marathon viewing session of The Avengers, I became obsessed with learning more about the many other British spy and adventure series from around the same time. Some of them have been released on DVD in the US, making the exploration rather easy going. But many others were available only in the UK or Australia, and given the soaring power of the American dollar

Armandohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00435281238176722479noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-5126925641733675102008-03-03T21:06:00.003-10:002008-03-03T21:19:24.817-10:00

Directed by Henri VernuilJean-Paul Belmondo, Omar Sharif, Dyan Cannon, Robert Hossein, Renato Salvatori, Nicole CalfanMusic by Ennio Morricone – conducted by Bruno NicolaiBased on the novel by David GoodisThe DVD is available from Xploited CinemaThis Euro-heist caper, set in Greece and directed by Henri Verneuil, is a bit different to most. Rather than building up to the perfect robbery, the film

Davidnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-30633333964664387802008-03-03T16:17:00.004-10:002008-03-03T16:36:01.445-10:00

Interpol 009 has everything you'd want in a 1960s spy movie--except for a memorable villain, a spectacular crime, and audacious action set pieces. On balance that leaves you with attractive stars, lots of nicely photographed scenes shot in glamorous locations, some nice cars, and a lot of fun gadgets. Fortunately, thanks to its amiable tone and sure-handed technical delivery, that's enough to

Toddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15890338576052689861noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-50913195086004316142008-02-26T19:41:00.016-10:002008-03-03T16:32:50.626-10:00

Alfred Hitchcock's original 1935 version of The 39 Steps is one of those films that's so seminal that when watched today it can seem like little more than a parade of hoary old clichés; that is, until you consider that The 39 Steps is where many of those clichés originated. The film lays a foundation that countless espionage thrillers have built upon and continue to build upon to the present day.

Toddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15890338576052689861noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-20589642265324605322008-02-26T00:19:00.004-10:002008-02-28T19:19:05.415-10:00

Directed by André HunebelleJean Marais, Louis De Funes, Mylène Demongeot, Jacques DynamMusic by Michel MagneA few weeks ago Todd wrote a great review for the Temptress of a Thousand Faces. As I read the review, I was amazed at the plot comparisons with Fantomas. It’s no secret that Hong Kong cinema has never been above a bit of ‘creative borrowing’. But as a companion piece, and for your reading

Davidnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-70457714261136801072008-02-25T08:10:00.011-10:002008-04-19T01:15:10.914-10:00

Directed by Sidney J. FurieFrank Sinatra, Derren Nesbitt, Peter Vaughan, Nadia Gray, James FoxMusic by Harry SukmanBased on the novel by Francis CliffordThe Naked Runner is a rather limp follow-up to The Ipcress File by director Sidney J. Furie. The film stars Frank Sinatra as Sam Laker, an American business man who lives in London. Now before you panic and think, this is late sixties, and

Davidnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-71073556890131147942008-02-24T15:30:00.004-10:002008-02-24T17:28:32.663-10:00

Directed by Jack DonohueFrank Sinatra, Virna Lisi, Tony Franciosa, Alf Kjellin, Richard Conte, Errol JohnMusic by Duke EllingtonBased on a novel by Jack Finney (and has a screenplay by Rod Serling)Assault On A Queen is another caper film from Frank Sinatra. And let’s be honest, although we all enjoy Frank’s legacy of cool, in general his caper films weren’t too good. Ocean’s Eleven is almost

Davidnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-87354345355606469822008-02-17T10:55:00.013-10:002008-02-20T05:12:42.675-10:00

To the very limited extent that the German science fiction series Raumpatrouille Orion (full English title: Space Patrol - The Fantastic Adventures of the Starship Orion) is known in my own United States, it tends to be the victim of a certain unfair association. On those pitifully rare occasions when it's mentioned, it's seldom without being compared unfavorably to Star Trek - and sometimes

Toddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15890338576052689861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-19374770397192731512008-02-13T04:30:00.005-10:002008-02-13T05:00:10.260-10:00

In addition to flying sports cars and a machine that mixes the perfect martini, oneof the accoutrements of worldly masculine adulthood that impressionable young boys weaned on sixties pop culture grew up to expect is the ready availability of pliant female robots. What surprises me about this particular trope is not just how much it turned up in movies, TV shows and dime fiction throughout the

Toddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15890338576052689861noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-1951273174462183232008-02-07T16:17:00.000-10:002008-02-08T10:45:30.360-10:00

Thanks to the release over the past few years of a large portion of the Shaw Brothers catalog on DVD, it should no longer be a secret to anyone who cares that the venerable Hong Kong studio was responsible for far more than the martial arts movies that got imported to the U.S. or horror movies in which people vomit up snakes. Among the more delightful discoveries to come out of this digital

Toddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15890338576052689861noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-78436528783391499032007-12-11T10:20:00.000-10:002008-01-06T15:47:48.855-10:00

Back in the good ol' days when I was in college, a friend of mine showed up one day with a tape of a couple episodes of an old sci-fi series called UFO. He swore it was amazing and that I needed to see it. I was ambivalent after he told me it was from Gerry Anderson, the creator of super-marionette shows like Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlett, which had never appealed to me all that much (

Armandohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00435281238176722479noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-67897886579041242822007-10-25T11:24:00.000-10:002007-10-25T11:44:37.465-10:00

Bulldog Drummond's Revenge"On my record darling, you're justified in expecting battle, murder and sudden death." -- Bulldog DrummondA while back, I watched a slew of old Bulldog Drummond films courtesy of one of those 50-films for $20 cheapo collections. 1937's Bulldog Drummond's Revenge kicks off the collection in grand fashion. I'm familiar with the character, but have only seen him in action

Armandohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00435281238176722479noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-10237083101903766392007-10-13T11:10:00.000-10:002007-10-12T13:15:43.854-10:00

If you ever want to see a scene that perfectly captures a heady air of decadence and mania without going all over the top and Caligula on you, look no further than the scene in Josef von Sternberg's The Shanghai Gesture that introduces us to the opulent gambling parlor operated by the enigmatic Mother Gin Sling (Ona Munson). Centered above the main gambling floor, the shot assumes a bird's eye

Armandohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00435281238176722479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-76338823228356150112007-10-11T10:53:00.000-10:002007-10-10T11:01:43.253-10:00

Eurospy films are like any other continental knock-off of a popular American or British genre. Some are very good and quite lavish, managing to rise above small budgets to deliver a slick looking little thriller full of beautiful women, sets, and locations. Others are threadbare pieces of junk that will bore you to tears. And some are utterly bizarre and incompetent in the most wonderfully

Armandohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00435281238176722479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-11183479317812952652007-10-05T12:42:00.000-10:002007-10-09T12:48:02.690-10:00

"It's bad enough to have a ship that looks like this and a captain who looks like me without having a chief officer who looks like you." -- Captain Alan GaskellWhen the winds roar and the rain whips at the streaked windows of my abode on tumultuous Saturday nights, plunging the world into an inhospitable maelstrom of rumbling thunder and fury that sinks all aspirations of going out for a gay

Armandohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00435281238176722479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-55763923122559208342007-10-03T12:49:00.000-10:002007-10-09T12:57:28.010-10:00

"Mr. Moto is a very difficult fellow to kill." -- Mr. MotoRecently, a commenter brought up a point that, in my review of Macao when I was discussing fake Asian characters in old American movies, I characterize Peter Lorre's Mr. Moto as being an Asian super-sleuth like Charlie Chan when, in fact, Moto is a heroic spy and his films are not mysteries but are, rather, adventures.As penance for my

Armandohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00435281238176722479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-4115207475642053412007-10-02T13:05:00.000-10:002007-10-09T13:09:04.007-10:00

We all have favorite movies. They change from decade to decade or, if you are like me, hour to hour, as some drop off the list and others are added. A select few, however, remain and stand the test of time. A good chunk of my consistent "all-time favorites" come from the era when I was first discovering movies, staying up late at night on Fridays to watch "Memories of Monsters" and catch a

Armandohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00435281238176722479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977119780676248455.post-1200181967407257912007-10-01T13:10:00.000-10:002007-10-12T13:16:20.883-10:00

Macao starring one of our favorite half-asleep actors, Robert Mitchum, is an exceptionally good thriller, not exactly a noir film but a solid old school crime thriller with good pacing, cool characters, and a great twist. Despite the exotic setting, it doesn't bank too heavily on the "shadowy Chinatown" style of filmmaking, and there are no Caucasians in fake eyelids parading about. Actually, no,

Armandohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00435281238176722479noreply@blogger.com0