Danger: Diabolik (1968)

Billionaire thief Diabolik (John Philip Law) continuously outwits the authorities in an increasingly elaborate series of outlandish heists and getaways.

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I seriously don't understand why this film was selected for the 1999 series finale of Mystery Science Theater 3000. While it may not be "art", it sure as shit isn't Manos: The Hands of Fate. Mario Bava and his crew had no aspirations beyond making a fun comic book movie - and boy were they successful! This film was somehow  able to perfectly integrate the decadent Bond/Batman aesthetics of the day with the anti-authoritarian tendencies of the burgeoning youth movement. Something for the grownups, something for the kids. How was this film not a huge hit? How did it not spawn countless sequels? Well at least we got the Beastie Boys' Body Movin' music video out of the deal. I'll take that any day over this teaser for an upcoming Diabolik TV show on Italian television. Steven Soderbergh seriously needs to postpone his retirement and make a worthy successor to this little masterpiece! You know he could totally do it!