Manetti

In this second part of the Diabolik trilogy we mostly follow Diabolik’s enemy, inspector Ginko. Early in the film Ginko manages to find Diabolik’s hide-out, but that does not mean that Diabolik has been beaten.

In the first part, Diabolik found himself a partner. Eva Kant is now his lover and ally. Or is she?

In another James Bond type neo-noir, we follow the hunt for Diabolik and Diabolik’s attempts to recover his earlier spoils.

The Manetti brothers had to find another actor to play Diabolik. Kant and Ginko are played by the same actors as in the first part.

According to the website of the International Film Festival Rotterdam, the creators of the graphic novel never more gave the rights to make films based on the comic since the classic Bava movie from 1968 because Brava betrayed the spirit of the novel.

Over half a century later the Manetti brothers got an agreement to make movies again as long as they stuck the original atmosphere.

Where Bava used bright colors, the Manetti brothers have created more of a “noir” atmosphere or perhaps even “giallo”. Slightly flat colors, 1950’ies looking. The only element that reminds of the graphic novel original is that the knives that Diabolik throws fly pictured in the middle of the screen.

Diabolik is a bit of a James Bond type guy with gadgets and cars, but he is more of an anti-hero. He is a master thief continuously hunted by inspector Ginko.

The first out of three parts is amusing, more Bond-like than Bava’s version.