Review(s): DVD Matt Helm Lounge (The Silencers/ Murderers Row/The Ambushers/The Wrecking Crew)
NOW THAT'S COOL, BABY!!!
I admit to having a great affinity for Dean Martin. To me he was the essence of cool in the 1960's. Considering he was 49 years old when he did the first Matt Helm movie, The Silencers, that's really saying a lot about his popularity and influence back during that period. I Just loved watching these films on TV as a kid. My brother always preferred the Bond films, but even as a youngster I appreciated the humor and charm that martin brought to his role as Super Spy Matt Helm. The plots of the four films are almost secondary to Martin's scenery chewing, and that's just how I like it.
In "The Silencers" Helm, an agent for ICE (Intelligence and Counter Espionage) is out to stop the usual baddies The Big O from detonating a nuclear bomb and starting world war III. The gorgeous Stella Stevens is along for the ride as is dancer Cyd Charisse. Victor Buono best know as Batman villian King Tut, plays a Chinese baddie!
"Murderer's Row" is the second Matt Helm film and this time Karl Malden plays the villian role as Julian Wall who has kidnapped a scientist with the intention of using his new device to blow up Washington D.C. This time Dean is joined by the lovely Ann-Margaret who plays the scientist's daughter, Suzie.
"The Ambushers" is up next and there's a lot of debate on if this film is better or worse than Murderer's Row. I rate them this one a bit below the previous one due to there being no real top name female co-star this time. An experimental U.s. space ship has been stolen and it's up to Matt to get it back...in-between drinking and lusting after the ladies!
The "Wrecking Crew" is the last Matt Helm film and I think one of the best. It contains a bevy of 1960's beauties including Gilligan's Island's Tina Louise, along with Elke Sommer, and the late Sharon Tate. As usual the plot of Helm trying to recover a fortune in stolen gold, is secondary to the hi-jinks of martin's character. Bruce lee choreographed the fight scenes.
Anyone who goes into the Matt Helm films trying to take them seriously is in for trouble. These were pure, tongue-in-cheek spoofs of spy films and a vehicle for Dino to romp with a lot of beautiful women. Expect anything more and you will be disappointed. But if you love Dean's 60's cool then this is a great set to have.
Swingin' Sixties Party
It wasn't until 1971's DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER that the James Bond films decided to cut loose and have some fun, but Dean Martin had already started the Sixties spy party four times with the Matt Helm series. The OUR MAN FLINT movies (2 of them) with James Coburn seemed hipper, partly because of Coburn's serious convinction as he went through the spy motions, but Dino's spoofs mixed the spy film with the party atmosphere of a Rat Pack show and the casual cool comedy of his TV show.
The films go from best (first) to worst (last)--but who's squawling, baby?
One of my favorite moments happens in MURDERER'S ROW, when Dean wanders into an apartment, plays a record (where he sings "I'm Not the Marryin' Kind"), and helps himself to the bar--until a dead girl falls out of a refrigerator. Not a big deal, but there was something incredibly hip about it.
And another review points out the purely Sixties moment when Dean, driving a wood-paneled station wagon, pushes a button to pop out a fully-stocked bar--while he's driving!
The only part of these films that rises to the level of the Bond films--hear me out--is the ladies.
Stella Stevens, already a stunning Playboy model and the incredibly sexy actress who appeared in THE NUTTY PROFESSOR, THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE, and a couple of other Dino flicks, SHOULD have been a Bond girl. Daliah Lavi and Beverly Adams (as Lovey Kravezit). Ann Margaret and Senta Berger. Wow.
In the least film of all, THE WRECKING CREW, you have Elke Sommer, Tina Louise, Nancy Kwan, and Sharon Tate.
A Sixties Babe-a-thon Hall of Fame right there.
If you're brand new to these films, you'll probably be a little disappointed: they're really not that good. You'll either be mystified as Dino pulls a bag out of his trunk and builds a helicopter out of it in WRECKING CREW--or you'll laugh out loud.
But for pure Swingin' Sixties nostalgia, put on one of these DVDs, shake or stir your martini, and take a trip back to the crazy, hip universe of the super-spy Austin Powers wishes he was.
Good trashy spy fun
Dean Martin's Matt Helm was a superspy who never let a good case get in the way of a drink, smoke or lady. My favorite moment in the films is when he's in his superspy car (a stationwagon) and he has a secret bar so he can drink and drive. Where else can you see a character get boozed up on the road and not have to pay the price.
This boxset was supposed to come out on August 2, and then Sony did something weird. Hopefully this will be out at the end of August so I can put it in the collection next to Our Man Flint, Danger Diabolik and Modesty Blaise.
Related DVD's Matt Helm Lounge (The Silencers/ Murderers Row/The Ambushers/The Wrecking Crew)
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