Danger: Diabolik

Leon Hunt

Summary

Danger: Diabolik (1968) was adapted from a comic that has been a social phenomenon in Italy for over fifty years, featuring a masked master criminal—part Fantômas, part James Bond—and his elegant companion Eva Kant. The film partially reinvents the character as a countercultural prankster, subverting public officials and the national economy, and places him in a luxurious and futuristic underground hideout and Eva in a series of unforgettable outfits. A commercial disappointment on its original release, Danger: Diabolik's reputation has grown along with that of its director, Mario Bava, the quintessential cult auteur, while the pop-art glamour of its costumes and sets have caught the imagination of such people as Roman Coppola and the Beastie Boys.This study examines its status as a comic-book movie, including its relation both to the original fumetto and to its sister-film, Barbarella. It traces its production and initial reception in Italy, France, the U.S., and the UK, and its cult afterlife as both a pop-art classic and campy "bad film" featured in the final episode of Mystery Science Theatre 3000.

Available since: 02/20/2018.

The Arts

Other books that might interest you

Open Book Theater Management -...

Rafe Beckley

In the world of Fringe (or Off-Off Broadway) theater, a strong debate has been raging for years -when you're producing a low/no-budget production, how on earth can you make it happen and still treat everyone involved in an open, honest and ethical manner?Where do you stand with profit-share productions when you can't afford to pay Union minimums? Open Book Theater Management, along with its free online resources of instructional budget spreadsheets, is the first book ever to show you exactly how to mount a theater production without losing either your integrity or your shirt. It is aimed at actors, directors and producers in the early stages of their careers; drama schools; and further and higher education establishments. The methodologies outlined in the book are transferable across all countries in which arts funding is difficult to secure. The time for going to the Establishment with the begging bowl is over. There need be no more excuses. The author will even show you how to start your own theater company for only a tenner...

Show book

2Pac vs Biggie - An Illustrated...

Jeff Weiss, Evan McGarvey

Hip hop icons and rap innovators, the Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur continue to influence, define, and change the genre years after their deaths. Despite the controversies surrounding the murders of Tupac and Biggie, ultimately it’s their art that remains their biggest legacy. The music of Biggie Smalls and 2Pac has inspired the likes of Jay-Z, Kanye, Eminem, Dr. Dre, Lil Wayne, Rick Ross and more. The legacies of Tupac Shakur and Christopher Wallace—a.k.a. The Notorious B.I.G. —live on. So does their rivalry, one of the greatest in music history. In 2pac vs. Biggie, hip hop experts Jeff Weiss and Evan McGarvey take an entirely new approach to investigation of that rivalry. Rather than focus on the countless conspiracy theories, they study the artist as artists, dissecting the lyrics of their hits (“California Love,” “All Eyez on Me,” “Changes” for 2pac, “Mo Money Mo Problems,” “Hypnotize,” “Big Poppa” for Biggie) and lesser-known works, performance and rhythmic styles, aesthetic appearances and what those meant, rises to power, and of course, their lives after death. The feud between 2pac and Biggie is broken down and looked at from all new angles, bringing to light little-known and surprising sides to each rapper’s persona and inner world. Illustrated throughout with photographs, memorabilia, and artwork inspired by Tupac and Biggie, and with insert “versus” pages dissecting topics such as each artist’s presence in movies, critical reception, and literary influences, this book is a must-have for all rap and hip hop fans.

Show book

Unlikely Angel - The Songs of...

Lydia R. Hamessley, Steve...

Dolly Parton's success as a performer and pop culture phenomenon has overshadowed her achievements as a songwriter. But she sees herself as a songwriter first, and with good reason. Parton's compositions like "I Will Always Love You" and "Jolene" have become American standards with an impact far beyond country music.Lydia R. Hamessley's expert analysis and Parton's characteristically straightforward input inform this comprehensive look at the process, influences, and themes that have shaped the superstar's songwriting artistry. Hamessley reveals how Parton's loving, hardscrabble childhood in the Smoky Mountains provided the musical language, rhythms, and memories of old-time music that resonate in so many of her songs. Hamessley further provides an understanding of how Parton combines her cultural and musical heritage with an artisan's sense of craft and design to compose eloquent, painfully honest, and gripping songs about women's lives, poverty, heartbreak, inspiration, and love.Filled with insights on hit songs and less familiar gems, Unlikely Angel covers the full arc of Dolly Parton's career and offers an unprecedented look at the creative force behind the image.

Show book

Legend of a Musical City - The...

Max Graf

A personal history of the world capital of classical music, written by the renowned Viennese musicologist and author of Composer and Critic.   Max Graf shares his recollections of life with Anton Bruckner, Gustav Mahler, Johannes Brahms, Richard Strauss, Arnold Schoenberg, and other immortals of the music world. The influential musicologist, critic, and composer enjoyed intimate friendships with these men, who made musical history in his home city of Vienna.   Bringing to life some of the most iconic figures in music, as well as the city of Vienna itself, Graf recounts a charming, personal, and highly educational story of Austria’s musical legacy. “Max Graf is not only an eminent historian and teacher, but a very adept writer; as a critic, he has shown keen judgment and objectivity.” —Richard Strauss

Show book

ArcHive Tapes The: Cybermen

David Banks

David Banks portrayed the Cyber Leader in BBC TV sci-fi series Doctor Who and wrote the best-selling book Doctor Who –Cybermen, illustrated by veteran sci-fi artist Andrew Skilleter. The ArcHive Tapes: Cybermen is a audio book based on that book, the hypothesised history of the cyber race, written and narrated by the Cyber Leader himself. This is gripping re-telling of the origins and history of the Cybermen, is fully dramatised with vivid effects and original music.

Show book

Classic Rock & Rock Radio...

Various Authors

This fascinating audio program includes actual radio commercials from the 1960s for the following bands: Canned Heat, Janis Joplin, H.P. Lovecraft, The Byrds, The Doors, Steppenwolf, Jethro Tull, Ravi Shankar, Bob Seger System

Show book