LIGHTNING
BOLT (1966)
(aka
OPERACION GOLDMAN)
When
rocket launches are repeatedly sabotaged at Cape Kennedy, superspy Harry
Sennet from the FSIC is called onto the case.
You
know, it's a good thing for the Italian film industry that the whole
superspy/supervillain craze came about when it did; otherwise, what would
they have had to churn out after the sword and sandal craze died down? (Answer:
Spaghetti westerns). In short, this is another Italian Bond ripoff,
with a title LIGHTNING BOLT designed
to make you think of another Bond opus, and if that isn't enough of a
clue, consider that the ad tagline that appears on my copy of the movie
reads "...strikes like a ball of thunder!" Furthermore, the
Italian title itself is designed to make you think of GOLDFINGER,
which is further emphasized by the fact that our main villain is a
short-haired overweight man who reminds you more than a little of Gert
Frobe.
At
the beginning of the movie, we're informed that our hero likes to use
money to accomplish his goals, because he doesn't believe in violence;
considering the number of times he beats up people in this movie, I'd have
to say they really didn't develop that theme very well. All in all, it's
business as usual for this sort of thing; bad dubbing, lots of fistfights,
lots of beautiful women, a few clever moments, and a number of
science-fictional gadgets and concepts (including
the fact that the villain places his foes in suspended animation rather
than killing them outright) are all to be found. What it lacks is
the slickness (and the budget) of the Bond
movies and a hero as charismatic as the ones who have played Bond.
Oddly
enough, though I'm not a particular fan of the Bond movies, somehow I'm a
little taken with these cheap Italian rip-offs. Go figure.
Review
by Dave Sindelar
