I saw this on Channel 2 KWGN back in the day, and it was in a two hour time slot. that means, for this 81 minute movie, that there were a ton of commercial interruptions. it seemed like the movie lasted forever. I didn't care for it much even then.
however, watching it uninterrupted is a different story. many people say this is both Mario Bava and Vincent Price's worst movie ever. I doubt that, as it's pretty innocuous fun. Price carries the movie, no doubt, and Fabian isn't bad either.
it's when the two dubbed Italian comedians, Franco and Ciccio show up that the movie usually slows down. the slapstick they do is occasionally funny, but when they speak... well, it's obvious half the cast is dubbed. this causes interesting interactions between characters, as I am not sure they know what each other was saying and/or how to react to it.
it's a pretty movie, lots of outside shots in Italy and the women are gorgeous. I've seen far more boring Bava "horror" movies.
2 comments:
I think I've told this story before, but the first time I watched this movie was also on a local station during a two hour time slot. Except someone in the control room was either not paying attention or alternately was paying VERY close attention. Why? Because they mysteriously stopped running commercials during the film. It ended over 20 minutes early!
My long-standing theory was been that they just wanted to make the movie be over.
Supposedly, the Italian cut is better, but really, people always say that. Not the worst, but surely there are funnier spy movies.
I didn't think it was nearly as bad as reviewers have stated. but I also think Bava is rather overrated.
and without Price, this movie would have been dreadful.
I wonder what happened on your station though.
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