Review of The Karate Killers (1967) by Barnaby E — 27 Mar 2010
A guilty pleasure film for me, which I'll often return to (thinking that this time I'll probably hate it, and then just revelling in the lunacy and hilarity of it all). This is only technically a movie, as it's - in actuality - a few episodes of 'The Man From U.
N.C.L.E.' stitched together (a practice that was used for a few series to entice the European market into liking the series itself) and you can often see the joins. But, this is an over-the-top, charming, goofy, mad and inspired story about a scientist who has created a formula, on accident, to turn sea-water into gold and then dies before he can give U.
N.C.L.E. the secrets of his experiment. So, therein lies the chase between the 007-inspired antics of Napoleon Solo (Robert Vaughn, all suave and debanoir) and Iilya Kuryakin (David McCallum playing Russian, with a slight Scots brogue, blonde hair and blue eyes) and many agents of their nemesis organisation, T.
H.R.U.S.H. (who can't be got rid of with natural yoghurt). It's silly and joyful to watch, with some famous actors popping up in ludicrous cameos. And it has a brilliant song to start the whole thing ('Come On Down To My Boat' by Every Mother's Son).
It's fluffy silly spy stuff born out of the '60s obsession with espionage and fear. But, I love it.
This review of The Karate Killers (1967) was written by Barnaby E on 27 Mar 2010.
The Karate Killers has generally received mixed reviews.
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