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i SPY EUROSPY: Le monocle rit jaune

Le monocle rit jaune

Director: Georges Lautner

Year 1964

Le monocle rit jaune, AKA The Monocle, is a beautifully filmed and exceptionally silly Eurospy production, which makes outstanding use of its picturesque locations and stark photography. Delving deep into farcical territory and relishing every minute of it, this unusual espionage outing doesn't shy away from the more outlandish elements of the genre, yet embraces it with open arms. Centralized over its eccentric main character and the wacky antics that he gets himself into, The Monocle is without a doubt an exceedingly unique spy entry, one that allows the fun to take over the proceedings and never let go.

It appears that a gang of Asian terrorists have mounted a destructive campaign against world factions who are conducting nuclear research and it is up to French agent Major Theobald Dromard, AKA The Monocle, to bring the bad guys to justice. Flying into Hong Kong, it is up to Dromard, his trusty side kick Poussin, and a handful of unlikely allies, to stop the terrorists and keep safe an American nuclear aircraft carrier that just so happens to be coming into port. With time quickly running out and no trails to follow, can Dromard track down the culprits amidst this clashing of cultures?

Paul Meurisse takes on the role of Theobald Dromard, the unorthodox secret agent who always seems to come out on top. This is the third time that Meurisse has donned the role and I must say that it seems at this point that he really owns the character. I've unfortunately never had the chance to see his previous efforts with the role, but from what I've witnessed in The Monocle, I've made it a priority to hunt down the other two films. His interpretation of a secret agent is as loopy as they come, and it is in this parody infused approach that makes his performance so enjoyable. His actions, smart quips, and running commentary are wildly off the wall and most often entirely off the subject. He even has his own unique way of firing his gun, which proves hilariously to be one hundred percent effective in even the most improbable situations. Meurisse's contributions to the film and the character are among the productions most valuable and effective assets, and it is one that is never left untapped.

Aside from Dromard, the film is also brimming with other interesting and unusual characters. Robert Dalban plays the trusty assistant Poussin, who's hardened looks and drab personality make for a contrasting presence against Dromard's more light heartened nature. Olivier Despax also contributes to the film as Frederic, the young associate who's itching for a piece of the action. As for the feminine touch of the film, the bragging rights go to the legendary horror queen Barbara Steele who portrays the lovely and mysterious Valerie. To my knowledge this is the only spy feature that Steele has been involved in, and I must say it was a nice and unexpected surprise, for the genre suits her. Rounding out the rest of the cast is an assortment of wacky characters that come and go like the wind, but always leave a lasting impression on the overall outlandish nature of the film.

The locations of Hong Kong and Macao are expertly lensed by director Georges Lautner, who also happened to film the first two Monocle entries starring Paul Meurisse. His eye for beautiful imagery is put to the test, as we are given some breathtaking views of this exotic and magical land. Each and every frame is composed with unbridled care, giving a stark contrast against the carefree nature of the film and its characters. The stand out locations of the movie have got to be the harbor scenes, the bustling streets of Hong Kong, and the rundown chapel on top of a hill where Dromard has a most exciting shoot out. In all of these instances the black and white photography shines, making for a fun film that is easy on the eyes and picturesquely perfect.

As for the wacky antics of the film, the moments are aplenty. Dromard's shooting skills for starters are a trip, as he takes on multiple bad guys with ease, even going as far as to taking out two henchmen with one bullet. The guy is a wonder! There is also a completely unforgettable sequence that shows Dromard and friends being attacked by a group of Hong Kong gangsters and a restaurant, who proceed to pull off a dance number in slow motion like they just jumped straight out of West Side Story. It's unbelievably random and completely out of place, but the strangeness of the moment is just so remarkably hypnotizing that it simply feels right. There are a number of instances in the film that capture this kind of magically obscure wonder, and for that alone I highly recommend it. It is a film that is hard to categorize, because it straddles such an odd line between action/espionage and comedy, but it is an unusual concoction that is so unbelievably watchable.

Le monocle rit jaune is a sensationally fun flick that essentially predates the typical Eurospy movie, yet seems to be the stepping stone for what the genre would eventually become in its later years. Entertaining, lighthearted, and full of surprising action, The Monocle is without a doubt a wacky sort of film, one that wears its heart on its sleeve and never apologizes for it. From its beautiful photography and its classic black and white imagery, it's not easy to dismiss the production's visionary prowess.

Paul Meurisse gives an outstanding performance as the comical secret agent Theobald Dromard and his eccentric mannerisms and essential screen presence is a valued asset to the movie's lasting appeal. The same can be said for Robert Dalban, Barbara Steele, and the rest of the cast, as they all bring in outstandingly succinct performances that cater to their various strengths. Essentially it is the film's incessant nature to go against the grain and never tread familiar ground that really makes it such an enjoyable ride. There is always something that happens in the story that spins you for a loop, making you question what will happen next. It is the spontaneous personality of the movie that really makes it a special gem, and it is an aspect of the production that is wholly embraced by its film crew. Unique and unbridled to the last, The Monocle is a film that engages the viewer in multiple ways, yet it always is focused on putting on one hell of an entertaining show. Le monocle rit jaune is.....

Will you guys stop talking! Some people are trying to watch the movie!

Looks like someone is ready to get their Barbara Steele autograph.

How about no smoking in my car A-hole.

No one was impressed with his ceramic pottery making skills.

It's raining men! Hallelujah it's raining men!

Weeeeeeee!!!!!

That's right! You woo the shit out of her Dromard!

You chumps got a staring problem?

Paul Meurisse looks like he just stepped off the set of a biblical epic.

How dare you read such smut in front of Barbara Steele!

The name's Dromard.... Theobald Dromard.

And so the dance battle begins.... I shit you not!

I think I forgot to turn off the oven.

She totally pulls off the Jambi look.

Reservoir Dogs eat your heart out!

This show is hilarious! See! This guy likes it!

Don't mess with Mr. Peanut and his posse.

I'm turning Chinese, I think I'm turning Chinese... I really think so!

i SPY EUROSPY: Agent Z55 Mission Hong Kong

Agent Z55: Mission Hong Kong

Director: Roberto Bianchi Montero

Year 1965

Agent Z55: Mission Hong Kong, AKA Desperate Mission, is an entertaining Eurospy flick that benefits from its cocky and hot-tempered lead, and the brutal moments in which come into light during the later third of the film. With a standard premise, an unusually calm and eccentric villain, and an imposing muscle-bound enforcer, this spy movie has a great deal to be appreciative of. Lensed in the familiar Eurospy style and steep in lore of its espionage brethren, Mission Hong Kong is an enjoyable entry in the Eurospy canon and one that will put a smile across your face more then a few times, especially if you like bad guys who keep armadillos as a pets. Say what!?!?!

The film begins with the extraction of a prominent nuclear scientist named Prof. Larsen, from a Chinese prison, by the hands of a clan of judo experts and by the planning of Agent Z51. Unfortunately, before Larsen can be transported back to America, Z51 is murdered, leaving the plans for Larsen's ultimate escape to fall to ruins. Hearing the news of Z51's death, the US Secret Service enlists their top man to the case, Robert Manning, AKA Agent Z55. Landing in Hong Kong, Manning must locate the now hidden Prof. Larsen while dishing out a sweet plate of revenge for his fellow fallen agent, but things aren't as easy as they first appear to be. For one thing there is a suspicious pair of locals, Su Ling and the gargantuan To-go, who have an unusual interest in Manning's presence in Hong Kong. There's also the simple fact that Prof. Larsen could be hidden anywhere and Manning has little to nothing to go on. What's a secret agent to do?

German Cobos takes on the role of Robert Manning, the headstrong agent who knows all the tricks in the book. This is my first Cobos Eurospy and I have to say that he did a good job as the lead in this film. I'm only aware of one other spy movie that he was in, Blueprint for a Massacre, so I'll be hunting that one down soon. In Mission Hong Kong, Cobos' Robert Manning is a cocky and confident agent who almost comes off as an asshole most of the time, if it wasn't for his witty smart remarks and playful manner. Like most Eurospy heroes, Agent Z55 has a tendency to get into some action packed scenarios and Cobos does a wonderful job in delivering the fast-paced goods and keeping in step with the genre. His character even has the tendency to go a little overboard while duking it out, as will come painfully clear after Manning burns the face of one of his combatants and sends him crying to his death. What a badass! All in all, I'm impressed with my first introduction to German Cobos and I look forward to seeing more of his work in the future.

As for the rest of the crazy bunch that inhabit this motion picture, Yoko Tani takes on the role of Su Ling. At first her character is a mystery, as Manning has no idea if she is friend or foe, but eventually she comes to side with Z55 and his mission, revealing that she was just a victim of circumstance. On the other side of the coin is Milton Reid who plays the role of To-go, a muscle-bound strongman who couldn't be anymore different from Su Ling if he tried. While Su Ling is small, timid and forced to be a part of a nefarious organization, To-go is a beast of a man and willfully participates in the organizations affairs. Reid fits this villainous mold to perfection and takes every opportunity he can in being a thorn in Manning's side. He's an intimidating presence and his facial features are just icing on the already memorable cinematic cake. The leader of this rag-tag group of characters is a man by the name of Barrow, played by Gianni Rizzo. While many Bond-type villains are given a pet to impose fear into their agents, Barrow is instead given one of the most peculiar of animal sidekicks in the form of an armadillo. I shit you not! The dastardly bastard has an armadillo as a pet. Be that as it may, I have to say that unfortunately for Rizzo, this is probably the most memorable thing about his character.

With any grand Eurospy film, you have stupendous locations and visuals to back that up and with Mission Hong Kong you get that with the abundance of all the picturesque landscapes that Hong Kong has to offer. From the bustling atmosphere of the city to the maze-like wooden structures floating on the harbor, the film has a nice diversity with its locations and uses them to great effect. Though the tradition for most Eurospy flicks is to showcase a great array of international vistas, Z55 is content with just basing its espionage-filled antics in Hong Kong and for this film it works. The mission on display is a much more subtle version then we are used to in this genre and it makes sense to scale back the global aspects of the production to fit the scenario. Still, director Roberto Bianchi Montero makes adequate use of his sprawling locales, giving the production a much more broader feel then it has any right to have.

As for the action of Mission Hong Kong, they haven't forgot it, in fact there is a great deal of interesting set-pieces to be witnessed in this humble production. Manning finds himself battling it out in some rather impressive locations, which give way to a great deal of visually alluring moments that make for an impressionable battleground. For instance Agent Z55 has a shootout in a movie theater where he battles thugs behind a projection screen, he has a hair-raising close call at a construction site at night, and an even more enthralling man to man brawl with To-go in a tanker where Manning shows his more savage and resourceful side. All in all, it's safe to say that as the movie moves along, Agent Z55 becomes more and more brutal and violent, which is always a plus in my book.

Agent Z55: Mission Hong Kong is a respectable Eurospy entry that may not be the most robust of the genre, but it still maintains all of the factors that make us love these kind of flicks. From the get go, we are presented a espionage-filled world that is sparse with globetrotting aspects, but what is kept intact is the formula which has spawned a plethora of like-minded genre films that know exactly what the fans want from this type of entry. Agent Z55 beds the ladies, beats the baddies, and saves the day, just as it should be, and director Roberto Bianchi Montero does an excellent job in making it all an enjoyable affair.

When it comes to German Cobos' performance as the super spy Robert Manning, he really gives it his all and throws himself in to the role. The fights are frantic and physical, the shootouts are ruthless and succinct, and the flirtatious interactions are a plenty. Mission Hong Kong also benefits from a commendable supporting cast of characters like Yoko Tani's Su Ling, Milton Reid's To-go, and the blandly depicted, but strangely hypnotic, armadillo lover Barrow, played by Gianni Rizzo. Combine all of these various elements together and you have yourself Agent Z55: Mission Hong Kong, an interesting Eurospy effort that has all of the things that we crave; action, adventure, and babes. This is one mission that's.....

Pay attention to the road asshole!

Umm... How do I put this? There's a dead hooker in my room.

Peek a boo Manning. I see you!

Look at me when I'm talking to you, you bald FREAK!

Hello there sexy lady.

Staring contest.... GO!

Hold it right there mister.

I'll be using you tonight.

Check out the rack on that hose hound.

Manning's gas problem made for an awkward moment.

I outta pop you right in the mouth!

Come here and give me a big hug!

Once again Manning's gas ruins the day.

How about we heat this motherfucker up?

Is that weird little man still watching us?

Knock it off you two and learn to share.

i SPY EUROSPY: Agent 3S3 Massacre in the Sun

Agent 3S3: Massacre in the Sun
Director: Sergio Sollima
Year 1966
 
Agent 3S3: Massacre in the Sun, AKA Hunter From the Unknown, is an average yet obscure Eurospy entry that is kept interesting by its varied and diverse cast of actors and its tendency to stage some entertaining action sequences with engagingly strange situations. Carried by the capable actions of its star George Ardisson, the film makes for a fun but unusual viewing experience. With its beautiful locations, intriguing gadgets, and stunning female cast, Massacre in the Sun may not be the best of the genre, but it’s still a thrilling entry that will put a smile on your face.
 
The film follows Agent 3S3 as he is assigned to travel to the city of San Felipe, a small Caribbean island, in order to search for a missing fellow spy, Agent 3S4. Agent 3S4’s recent disappearance has something to do with a mad scientist who is experimenting with some form of lethal gas, under the watchful eye of a dictator and a nefarious organization. Hot on the heels of 3S3 is a slew of secret agents all representing their countries and their nation’s best interests, and each one of them has a plethora of tricks and disguises up their sleeve in order to complete their individual missions. Like a powder keg ready to burst, the island of San Felipe is about to erupt as all of these warring factions prepare to clash in a cacophony of explosions and gunfire. Who will be left standing! Who cares?!?! This shit is FUN!

George Ardisson takes on the role of Agent 3S3, otherwise known as Walter Ross, a highly capable spy who often finds himself in hot water. Ardisson shines in the role and although he isn’t as debonair as some of his more notable Eurospy agent peers, he always puts on a splendid show and manages to entertain to no end. In Massacre in the Sun, George has ample opportunities to showcase his athletic abilities as well as that sly and dry banter that he’s known for, resulting in a performance that truly ups the fun factor of the picture to respectable levels. With this being my second foray into the spy world of George Ardisson, with my first being Countdown to Doomsday, I can safely say that I’m looking forward to hunting down his other two efforts Passport to Hell and Operation Counterspy.
 
Along for the ride are a handful of wacky characters that help fill out the weird espionage-filled world of Massacre in the Sun. Frank Wolff plays the role of Ivan Tereczkov, a Russian agent who clashes with Ardisson’s Agent Ross a number of times over the course of the film. Wolff does a great job with the role, often injecting a great deal of mischievous nature into his character which gives way to all sorts of trouble for 3S3 when he begins to play mind games with our clueless hero. I've always enjoyed Frank's screen presence and he's a favorite of mine in the Giallo film Death Walks on High Heels. Another arduous miscreant that manages to be a thorn in the side of Agent Ross is the villainous Signora Barrientos, played by the fiery Luz Marquez, who can’t help but fall for the charismatic spy even though he threatens to topple her organization and ruin her plans. Luz is both sexy and fierce in this film and her inclusion is a definite plus in my book. Last but definitely not the least of 3S3’s antagonists is the masochistic Radek, played by Michel Lemoine. With a hot temper and penchant for violence, Radek makes for one perfectly diabolical villain for Ross to go toe to toe with and Lemoine is devilishly good in the role.

Aside from the multitude of bad guys in the story, Agent 3S3 also finds a few friendly faces amidst the mayhem, the most beautiful of them being the stunning Greek actress Evi Marandi, who takes on the role of UK agent Melissa. Looking absolutely breathtaking as the femme fatale, Evi definitely increases the amount of intrigue in the film whenever she appears on screen, and it also doesn’t hurt that her character takes on an interesting duel role within the story. Another standout ally of Agent 3S3 is the unlikely General Siqueiros, played by the bombastic Fernando Sancho. His character is rather unusual, because at first we are introduced to him as being the main villain of the piece but after some deliberation we come to find that he is weary of the organization that is behind the experimentation of lethal gas and is looking to jump sides for the time being. This character turn is not the only attention-grabbing thing about the General, because in entertaining Bond-villain style, Siqueiros has a secret hideaway filled with beautiful women who inhabit a multi-themed palace full of physical and visual delights. Luz lives it up as the diabolical dictator with a sudden change of heart, and his verbose performance must be seen to be believed.
 
With a robust cast such as this, you would imagine that a great deal of crazy antics would cultivate from the mixture of such zany performers, and you’d be right. Within the runtime of this film we see Agent 3S3 electrocuted in a swimming pool, perform one hell of a spanking on a sexy and naughty villainous, take on a dojo filled with stick-wielding fighters, gun down an entire army while sporting some nifty night vision goggles, and pretty much save the day whenever the time comes for it. Now don’t get me wrong, while all of these things are fantastic and totally align with the outlandish nature of Eurospy films, there are a few glaring hiccups in the formula. For instance, you won’t really know what’s going on for the majority of the film. While some might see this as a huge hindrance to the validity of the movie, the inclusion of all of these wacky moments and characters allow me to overlook the vagueness of the plot and just sit back and bask in the absurdity of it all. Plus, George Ardisson is just so enjoyable as Agent 3S3 that you can forgive the film’s missteps and just watch the man do his thing. It may not be logically sound, but this Eurospy is a hell of a good time.

Agent 3S3: Massacre in the Sun is an obscure gem of the genre, which may not win any awards for being the most concise and coherent spy yarn, it still manages to pull out the goods in its quest to entertain and thrill. George Ardisson brings an air of respect to the film and his portrayal as the titular agent is eye-catching and especially thorough. The same can be said for Evi Marandi as the sexy undercover agent, who often steals each scene she’s in with her alluring beauty.
 
On top of that, the performances across the board by the rest of the cast bring about an air of strangeness that just seems to permeate the narrative in the most fascinating of ways. From the many character twists that crop up within the film’s runtime, to the abundance of action moments, to the over the top nature of everyone on board, the film has a habit of grabbing your attention and introducing you to the next madcap set of sequences before literally pulling the rug out from under you in the most unsuspecting of ways. With a narrative flow that just doesn’t quite conform to a logical structure and a cast of characters that more than make up for that lax of presentation, Agent 3S3: Massacre in the Sun is truly a unique beast. Even with its shortcomings, the film is an entertaining ride that I’m looking forward to tackling again when I need that overwhelming fix of the absurd. This movie is…..

First one to spit on a pedestrian's head gets a free lunch on the loser.

Why don't you get up and I'll show you just how well I handle a stick.

Looks like George and his invisible date are having a blast.

Give me that mustache or I'll stick ya!

HOLY SHIT!

Good.... Bad.... I'm the hombre with the gun.

I know you're stupidly looking at the back of my head again Carl!

Looks like George likes the hands on approach to acting. You little pervert!

Shit! Weeeeeeeee!

How many times do I have to tell you. Stop stepping in dog shit!

Look at my mustache when I'm talking to you bro.

Evi's got something up her sexy sleeve.

So what do you think of my oversized gun?

This chicks got the POWER!

Please stop fiddling with that you old bat!

What the hell is going on?!?!?!

Scuba Steve finally snaps!

We're about to do it, so could you please turn the channel?

See ya later assholes!