Customer Reviews

Drive-in Movie Double Feature (Assassination in Rome / Espionage in Tangiers)

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Espionage in Tangiers (1965)
A key component for a deadly weapon is stolen, and secret agent Mike Murphy (Luis Davila) is sent to Tangiers to recover it. Once there, he is plunged almost immediately into deadly intrigue and murder. The secret device is up for sale, and the resourceful Murphy is off across the Mediterranean to Nice, on the trail of those looking to broker the deal.

Blending action, violence, humor, beautiful women, with some exotic locales, and decent cinematography, Espionage in Tangiers is a fast-paced Europspy adventure, that even with a few over the top elements, holds together well enough, keeping a hard edged bottom line. Murphy is a capable operative, who is almost constantly getting into a scuffle. Unfortunately, the ending in France is extremely lame, and nearly makes the entire journey a waste of time. George Lazenby supposedly made his debut in this film, and his name is listed on the DVD cover art. However, if Lazenby does appear in this version, it must be rather obscure.

Assassination in Rome (1967)
Dick Sherman (Hugh O'Brian) is a newspaperman who gets involved in a search for former girlfriend's (Cyd Charisse) missing husband. Sherman enlists the aid of a police detective friend, and begins to uncover curious circumstances surrounding the disappearance, including connections to a murder, drugs, gambling, and organized crime. The resolution features a twist that few might see coming. Presented in widescreen, this darkish tale is not a `must see', but may be worth a look for mystery fans.

Dark Sky Films has packaged these films with a drive in movie motif, which includes coming attractions movie trailers, food promos, and an intermission between features. Kind of fun, at least the first time around.

Dark Sky Films brings a typical mid-sixties Drive-In experience right into the comfort of your modern day home with an uneven mixture of Euro-Spy and suspense soap opera forays. Up first is Director Gregg Tallas's 'ESPIONAGE IN TANGIERS' aka 'MARC MATO, AGENTE S.077'-1965, a rapid fire euro spy movie which probably was released to cash in on the James Bond craze . Besides having nothing to do with the Agent 077 series starring Ken Clark, it blends a mixture of Sci-Fi and secret agent shenanigans all revolving around a ray gun which disintegrates matter and which its creator is selling to the highest bidder. Agent Mike Murphy played adequately by Luis Davila jumps on the case and goes from one chase/fist fight/torture sequence after another. With the villainy ably acted by Alberto Dalbes who graced many a Spanish horror film and femme fatale Perla Crystal, the film is an entertaining time capsule unfortunately graced with an annoying music score by Benedetto Ghiglia which even shows up when a hotel radio is turned on. After an Intermission of trailers comes Director Silvio Amadio's 'ASSASSINATION IN ROME'-1967 which is a strange mixture of suspense predating the Italian giallo genre introduced by Director Mario Bava a few years before and would come to fruition in 1970 with Director Dario Argento. It comes off as an Hitchcockian ripoff which was prolific in those days. MGM dancer Cyd Charisse in an against type role and TV actor Hugh-wooden as ever- O'Brien lead the parade with Alberto Dalbas once again showing up, after all, this is an Italian/Spanish/French co-production. The plot involves Cyd's missing husband and O'Brien's involvement because he's a reporter and was involved with Cyd in the past. Fellini actress Eleanora Rossi Drago shows up to grace the proceedings but its very slow moving and soapy even after the eventual surprise? ending arrives. Dark Sky includes 6 diverse trailers and each transfer is in its original aspect ratio with pristene transfers. The DVD box, however, lists stars George Lazenby and Erica Blanc as part of the cast in 'ESPIONAGE' but never show up. Erica does show up in the trailer for Director Mario Bava's 'KILL, BABY, KILL'. Recommended for Sixties movie lovers and suspense fans.

It's amazing how films age. "Rome," the "good" movie in this double feature is teeth-grindingly dull while "Tangiers," the cheap 007 knockoff about the death ray, totally delivers. I suppose it's possible that "Rome" had an audience four decades ago, but it's one of those talky, luxurious Euro-escapades with an over-the-hill star or two, lots of sitting around in plazas and on terraces, the obligatory trip to Venice, the women all in those blocky coats with the oversized buttons and the sleeves that stop just after the elbows, etc etc. "Rome" is nigh-unwatchable and hasn't got a trace of action until the very end.
"Tangiers" on the other hand, has almost everything you could want in a cheap Euro spy movie from the 60s. Sports cars racing along seaside mountain roads, that one skinny, gray-haired guy who turns up in many of these things, lots of fights, etc. Not up there with the best, like Operation Kid Brother or Danger! Death Ray!! but if you like stuff like the Commissar X movies, this belongs in your collection.