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Surprisingly incoherent and boring

Just what I expected

Highly Overrated But Still Good

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

I can't see it as anything other than a success. A film that's all style, with a flashy couple that steals things because — hey, why not? — and battles the mob and the police because — hey, why not? I've seen reports that De Laurentiis had budgeted $3 million for this and Bava came in so low, he was offered the chance to do a sequel (this kinda conflicts with other reports that Dino was unhappy with the returns). Bava didn't want to work with Dino again, even when offered the chance to work on King Kong.Just watch a few minutes of the film and you'll realize there has never been anything before or since like it. It's probably my favorite comic book movie ever — the closest a movie will ever get to simulating the reading experience without slavishly copying panels ala Sin City.Read more at bandsaboutmovies.com/2017/07/12/danger-diabolik-1968

"Danger Diabolik" is lot of comic-book hokum definitely NOT for the younger set. A stylish, kaleidoscopic mixture of ridiculous characters, garish sets, inventive action and one-dimensional acting, it's the ultimate guilty pleasure - 'high kitsch', ladled on with a trowel, as the gift that keeps on giving with each subsequent viewing. A psychedelic trip into the amoral sixties, it features John Phillip Law as master criminal Diabolik, a kind of James Bond-gone-rogue who must have anything he wants, any and all costs be damned!For some, the moral and ethical consequences of the mayhem may be troubling. That I can fully understand as I'm not exactly grabbed by them myself. But counter- balancing those concerns, what really carries this silly flight-of-fantasy is the same thing that carried the "Batman" television series - it's overall tongue-in-cheek sense of the ridiculous. The violence may be a little more realistic, Diabolik and his partner-in-crime Eva Kant (Marisa Mell) more likable than the The Joker, Catwoman, The Penguin or Bloefeld from the early Bond films, but the means by which they achieve their ends are little different. It's just that director Mario Bava has managed to have us almost (in spite of ourselves) rooting for them.Backed by a magnificently appropriate score by Ennio Morricone, "Danger Diabolik" is fast paced entertainment of the most supercilious kind, a ton of fun that everyone plays straight-from-the-shoulder. I couldn't have enjoyed it more!

This baby is funny, but only in a "so-bad-it's-good" way. What were they going for here? Was it camp? Was it supposed to be serious? I'm lost for an answer. One thing's for sure, you should never point your machine gun at your girlfriend, as Diabolik does in this film. Pointing a gun at your woman is really bad policy. Firstly, because it's not very nice. Secondly, because she might have a gun of her own and kill you.I've never seen the comics that this movie was based on, and I'm sure that would have helped me understand it better. Seen on its own merits though, this movie sucks. I loved and laughed at it, but it was nasty laughter. The kind of laughter I'm sure a movie director is not looking for.Why is this movie available in discount bins? For one thing, it's not Goldfinger. It's also not Police Squad. I'm not sure what it is, but it's pretty funny on a silly scale. What is it? Why was it made? I don't know. It heads way off into oblivion in the last 30 minutes too. Let's all go nuts. That must be an Italian thing. And speaking of Italians, why are they making movies in English? And I'm not talking English English, I'm talking American English. Did they think we were going to buy into this? Diabolik is kinda funny, in a drunken sort of way, but you won't want to watch it twice.

If I had to choose one personal favorite director, it would probably be the Italian genius Mario Bava since the man simply created such a wide variety of brilliant films. Bava was doubtlessly most at home in the Horror genre, his fantastic oeuvre including several masterpieces that range among the greatest and most ingenious Horror films ever made. With masterpieces such as "La Maschera Del Demonio" ("Black Sunday"/"The Mask of Satan", 1960, above all others), "I Tre Volti Della Paura" ("Black Sabbath"/"The Three Faces of Fear", 1963), "La Frusta E Il Corpo" ("The Whip and The Body", 1963) or "Operazione Paura" ("Kill Baby... Kill!", 1966), Bava is the supreme master of Gothic Horror. With "La Raggazza Che Sappeva Troppo" ("The Girl Who Knew Too Much", 1963) and "Sei Donne Per L'Assassino" ("Blood and Black Lace", 1964), he single-handedly created Horror's most intriguing sub-genre, the wonderful Italian Giallo, and with the milestone "Reazione a Catena" ("A Bay of Blood", 1971), he paved the way for another sub-genre, the Slasher-film. And even when directing non-Horror films, Bava surpassed anything else, as his gritty 1974 Crime/Thriller masterpiece "Cani Arrabbiati" ("Rabid Dogs", which is one of his greatest works) proves."Diabolik" (aka. "Danger: Diabolik") of 1968 is yet something completely different, a highly humorous, stylish and absolutely awesome adaptation of the popular Italian comic book of the same name, which is the first and most significant (though comparatively very harmless) of the so-called 'fumetti neri' ('Black Comics'). The eponymous super-criminal Diabolik (played by John Philip Law) lives in a funky and luxurious hideout with his sexy girlfriend/partner in crime Eva (Marissa Mell), stealing anything of value, and mocking authorities. After the government re-instates the death penalty due to Diabolik's crimes, the sleazy underworld kingpin Ralph Valmont (Adolfo Celi, who is best known as James Bond villain Emilio Largo in "Thunderball") promises to catch Diabolik in exchange for immunity for himself and his henchmen...The film bears many resemblances to the early Bond films with Sean Connery, Diabolik being a sort of criminal James Bond. However, the style is a lot funkier, the visual style of the film pretty much epitomizes the style of the late sixties. Another great aspect of "Diabolik" is that it is so wonderfully amoral - Diabolik and Eva stop at nothing in order to steal valuable goods (which they entirely keep for themselves), killing police officers and even blowing up a train and the ministry of finance building. John Philip Law is great as the eponymous anti-hero and Austrian cult actress Marissa Mell is absolutely stunning as his companion Eva. Marissa Mell truly was one of the most ravishing ladies in European cult-cinema; sadly, she died of cancer at only 53. Adolfo Celi has a sleazy villain role that obviously seems somewhat similar to that in "Thunderball". Other notable cast members include Michel Piccoli as the Police Inspector, and Therry-Thomas as the Minister, who is exaggerated in a slapstick-manner. The film's wonderful score was composed by none other than the magnificent Ennio Morricone.Though not one of Bava's most essential masterpieces, "Diabolik" is about as stylish and outrageously entertaining as cinema gets, and simply MUST be seen by anyone ever remotely interested in cult-cinema. A wonderful film from start to finish. Mario Bava, We Worship Thee!