Laura Antonelli
Prominent Istrians
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1966 -
 Le spie vengono dal semifreddo (Italy), a.k.a.
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Mario Bava (director), Louis M. Heyward, Robert Kaufman (I) and James H. Nicholson (writers); Samuel Z. Arkoff, Louis M. Heyward, Fulvio Lucisano, and James H. Nicholson (producers); with Vincent Price, Fabian, Franco Franchi, Ciccio Ingrassia, Francesco Mulé, Ennio Antonelli, and Louis M. Heyward (uncredited) [sci-fi; comedy]. This sexy, stylish and campy sequel to Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine (1965) is directed by Italian horror maestro Mario Bava. It is set in the USA in the 1960s and contains nothing offensive. The diabolical and mad doctor (Vincent Price) and his lovely robots are back, but this time the girls are programmed to blow up key NATO officers. Fabian is the agent who must stop Goldfoot from triggering World War III. Doctor Goldfoot is now backed by Red China which is financing his efforts to marry the robots to the United State's top generals. He drops his bombs (blond women) into the laps of the generals, quickly disarming them. *** Mario Bava finally managed to get his hands on Vincent Price for this one. However, the evil bastard who also managed to saddle him with Franco, Ciccio AND Fabian deserves to be flayed alive. Dr. Goldfoot (Price) attempts to gain riches by creating female explosive robots which are detonated while in the clasp of important politicians and military men, but the the idiotic trio appear and ruin the fun. I know that this has a lot of detractors - I seem to remember it appearing in a 'Worst Films Ever Made...' type book some years back - but I actually found it hugely enjoyable. There's something about these manic italian comedies that plugs directly into the province of surrealism, especially if they are as well handled and vivacious as this one. Like the best of the Carry On films it abandons any vestiges of reality at the first possible moment and adopts an anything goes attitude. The general weirdness is exaggerated by some extremely and deliberately crude acting. Franco and Ciccio gurn in their usual relentless fashion, and when they don't play a joke for too long it can be very funny. There is one nice moment when they attempt to hide amongst the legion of robo-women in a predictable but gratifyingly stupid way. The head honcho in the ham stakes here, though, is Vincent Price. My god, the guy looks as though he was having fun! This was the one of the first in a trail of films that took him away from the gothic tragedy of Corman's Poe adaptions into an area which I personally find much more appetising ; the consciously hokey horror film. In no way is this one of Bava's best but, like FIVE DOLLS FOR AN AUGUST MOON (which I am unashamed to admit that I actually enjoy watching more than any of his other works) his basic lack of interest in the plot has a beneficial effect. It allows him to indulge in his eccentricities at the complete expense of narrative. If taken on it's own merits, then, SPIE VENGONO DAL SEMIFREDDO is a riotious mess, and there's nothing wrong with that. Just don't watch it expecting a wry and witty comedy. If you do it'll probably appear on your 'Worst Films Ever Made...' list. *** Scienziato folle, alleato dei cinesi, vuole sganciare sul Cremlino ordigni nucleari nascosti in manichini di belle ragazze. L'FBI incarica due portieri d'albergo di neutralizzarlo. Uno dei più vispi Franchi & Ingrassia, una ghiotta parodia del cinema di spionaggio, ben governata dal mestiere di M. Bava. *** Clairement un des plus grands nanars de l'histoire du cinéma, il s'agit de la suite du premier "Dr Golfoot" produit par l'AIP et réalisé par Norman Taurog. Ici, dans ce scénario imposé à Bava, l'humour n'est même plus au ras des pâquerettes, il côtoie les taupes, et je dis ça sans méchanceté vu que du coup c'est encore plus drôle, moquerie à tous les étages. Mais ne vous y trompez pas, Bava réussi quand même à produire (en scope avec ça) une mise en scène non seulement propre mais inventive, de plus on est heureux de retrouver Vincent Price, toujours bon, même dans les pires navets, ici il se régale, couine à loisir, bref, du grand psychotronique. J'oubliai, c'est une parodie de films d'espionnage, et c'est plein de minettes en bikini (ce qui en soit est déjà une raison suffisante pour y consacrer 1h25 de son temps), et parmi les minettes en question, une débutante nommée Laura Antonelli. Par contre, et surtout par mesure d'hygiène, je ne dirai rien sur les deux pénibles qui se prennent pour Laurel et Hardy mais qui restent tout juste au niveau de fans très moyens d'Aldo Maccione. Heureux abonnés, ne ratez pas ça! Pour les autres, sachez que le film est dispo depuis bien longtemps en vidéo NTSC. Sources:
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This page compliments of Marisa Ciceran Created: Friday, March 22,
2002; Last Updated: Saturday, March 01, 2008
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