Dune (1984)

I never read the books and have no intention of it, but with any film based on a novel, it either stands on its own or bores you with reverence to the original work. Oddly enough, Dune does both: in the incomprehensible theatrical release directed by David Lynch, and an extended remix intended to sort out Lynch’s mess directed by Alan Smithee (an industry pseudonym used by Lynch to protest tampering with the film). Either way, Dune was six years in the making and plucked Lynch from #1 cult director status to total sellout cocksucking whorebag.
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Barberella (1968)

Although based on the French sex comic of the same name, Barberella is part of a significant genre of film where an ignorant American plops into decadent and politically corrupt Europe, and amidst much destruction and upheval saves them from themselves. That the naive American is both a ridiculed bumpkin and enduringly heroic is probably a theme Europeans have chewed over without answer. And it would do the Americans some good to understand.
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Flash Gordon (1980)

Another in the genre of Stupid American saves Europe from Itself, although this time (unlike Barberella) the cast is in on the joke. All except for producer Dino DeLaurentiis who was paying for a serious epic. Poor Dino, there was no way director Mike Hodges was going to turn in a reverent swashbuckler on the level of StarWars. The British director had such a low opinion of the Italians he actually named Princess Aura’s hapless pet “Fellini”, and tossed the script aside allowing actors to improvise new lines, even changing the end so Ming would be “buggered at his own wedding” — humor only the British could appreciate. Never knowing what sets the designers would build or how impractical the costumes would be, Hodges showed up to the studio and shot whatever he wanted. Meanwhile, the Italian crew didn’t speak enough English to report back that the film was headed in a very different direction from DeLaurentiis’ vision.

Ironicly, far from sabotaging the film, Hodges and the willing cast improvised a sparkling tribute to Saturday morning serials that captures the giddy pleasure of watching a “bad” film, set against the spectacular art deco sets and exotic costumes of designer Danilo Donati. Flash Gordon is everything it should be and more! A highly watchable movie, unlike Dino’s overly reverent borefest Dune.
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Danger: Diabolik (1968)

director Mario Bava
producer Dino De Laurentis
music Ennio Morricone
starring John Phillip Law, Marisa Mell

Sexy supercriminal Diabolik pulls off impossible heists and confounds the police with the help of his gorgeous girlfriend Eva and a fleet of Jaguar e-types.
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