Laura Michet's Blog

Watched Danger: Diabolik

We watched the 1968 Mario Bava film Danger: Diabolik a couple nights ago, and I was absolutely stunned. It's got old school James Bond energy... but the hero is a criminal, not a cop, and he's a Wife Guy, and he and his girlfriend are both obsessed with crime for apparently horny reasons. They may even have a heist fetish.

They live together in a kind of Batcave type situation, a giant cave full of sculptural 60s structures which are themselves full of interactive furniture, like a giant spinning bed they bone on while also covered in money. The hero, Diabolik, has no given name-type name, but his girlfriend is named Eva, and they're constantly doing crimes together - she in a series of skimpy dresses, he in a full-on gimp suit.

It's a whole thing. I would put the trailer in this blog post but it actually spoils the entire plot of the movie, so you're better off not watching it.

This movie is hardly feminist, but I was struck by how involved Eva is in Diabolik's crimes and how assertively horny she also seems to be about crime. Both of these criminals are so enthusiastic about crime. I love it. And the crimes are so stupid!!

Anyway, this is a strong recommend from me. It's short, silly, and full of absolutely arresting imagery you won't find anywhere else.

#movies #recommendations