Miss January: Well what shall I do with the costume? Matt Helm: Drop it in the ashtray.

 

Hey pallies, likes searchin' for  more 'n more Dino-treasure a la Matt Helm on the ol' world wide web, likes we felt so so deeply delightedly Dino-directed to a blog pad tagged "CMH" - "Classic Movie Hub" where we happened 'pon a perfect post awesomely accentin' some of our most most beloved Dino's coolly classic quotations from Helmer numero duo, "Murders' Row."  

Likes it is likes fantastic fun to sit back and groove on our King of Cool's powerfully potent patter as Matt Helm aka Jim Peters in what we have always always considered the bestest of the best of the quartet of Helmers... none other then "Murders' Row" with the loviest of lovely lady Miss Ann-Margret. Enjoys our Dino makin' funny and likes we are wonderin' which of these Dino-isms is your fav dudes?!?!?!  Likes we have tagged this here Dino-gram with our fav...Miss January: Well what shall I do with the costume?   Matt Helm: Drop it in the ashtray.

And pallies, likes as we were searchin' this "Class Movie Hub" we discovered that it is a veritable groovy goldmine of Dino-treasures to be mined and shared with all youse Dino-philes...so likes stay tuned for mucho more Dino-delights!  ilovedinomartin gives our hats off to the pallies at "CMH" for sharin' so so much Dino-pleasure in one location on the ol' world wide web.  To checks today's Dino-quotations out in their original source, likes simply clicks on the tag of this Dino-report.

Matt Helm aka Jim Peters: [after a bomb has blown up near a picture of Frank Sinatra] Sorry Frank.

 

Matt Helm aka Jim Peters: [as Matt Helm and Suzie are being shot at by French cops] That's the French for you. They don't think any girl is innocent.

 

Matt Helm aka Jim Peters: [having dispatched of Ironhead] I hate a guy that wears jewelry.

 

Matt Helm aka Jim Peters: [to Ironhead] "Crazy fraternity ring. What? Phi Beta Ripper or something?"

 

Matt Helm aka Jim Peters: [under arrest by the French police] Now, wait just a doggone minute. I have some rights, too. I'm an American citizen.

Police Capt. Deveraux: We will play the Star-Spangled Banner while you are in the electric chair.

Matt Helm aka Jim Peters: Ahhhh - then I have to stand up!

 

Matt Helm aka Jim Peters: Just remember, Suzie, nobody dies for nothing. Not me, not your father, nobody.

Matt Helm aka Jim Peters: This is dancing?

Suzie Solaris: It's called a discotheque. You want to try?

Matt Helm aka Jim Peters: Well, I don't disc...

 

Matt Helm: [Suzie is kissing his face all over] Easy, I get a little ticklish west of the Mississippi.

 

Matt Helm: What a way to finish. For a guy that drank booze all his life to end up like a milkshake.

Miss January: Well what shall I do with the costume?

Matt Helm: Drop it in the ashtray.

  

Billy Orcutt: I demand an explanation. What is the meaning of this nocturnal assignation?

Matt Helm aka Jim Peters: Is he rehearsing for a play?

 

Suzie Solaris: [as they're being picked up by helicopter, Suzie pulls down Matt's pants to reveal his shorts] Polka dot shorts?

Matt Helm aka Jim Peters: It's the only way to fly.

 

Dean Martin

Suzie Solaris: He's yawing!

Matt Helm: I don't feel so good myself.

 

Slaygirl: We're here if you need us.

Matt Helm aka Jim Peters: I got the wife with me!

 

 

Danny G's Sunday Serenade with Dino: "Go Go Go Go"

 Hey there, ol' pals o' mine! 

How's thins? 

Hopefully all is well, my friends. 

Life's up's & down's can be dizzyin'! Believes me...I know! Haha!! 

Let's concentrate on the Up's. 

Obviously there's a HUGE Up this week! 

Yes, mi amici...the return of our fearless leader & guru of all thins' Dean Martin...Dino Martin Peters!!! 

I thinks I went into shock when I seen his post, Monday! Hahaha!!! 

It was TRULY the highlight of my week. 

Anyways, without gettin' TOO serious at our Fun & Silly little Dino-blog...I just wanted to give youse an official "Welcome back, Pal!" It's GREAT to read your Dino-postins' & feel your energy for spreadin' the Dino-message. Truly inpirin', my friend. The blog needs you & missed you. Welcome back. 

Now...'nough with all that "adult" stuff! 

Let's get to the Fun & Silly thins', we all love! 

Dino-jams! 

I mentioned on a comment the other day...how I heard 'nother Dino-tune bein' used for a new TV commercial. A video game, "Candy Crush". 

The very wise "higher ups" no doubt knew the perfecto & catchy little jam to promote the fun fun vibe of their product..."Go Go Go Go". 

Yup! 

Couldn't help but boast to my kiddies how even after our great pal, Dino, has been gone for over a quarter century...his music is STILL bein' chosen to titillate the masses! Haha!! 

Hey, pallies o' mine...this speaks VOLUMES 'bout the spreadin' of the Dino-message. 

With so so many new, young, trendy Pop-artists out there today...Dean friggin' Martin is STILL a "Go to" fella...to grab the youth's attention! 

Yes, mi amici...the Dino-vibe is burnin' like a flame! 

Cool Cool feelin' too...knowin' that we is also doin' our part to keep Dean's spirit alive & thrivin'...just by bein' here...at our Dino-blog. 

So thanks for your help pallies! 

Truly a blessin' to me, my friends. 

OK. Are youse ready for this week's Dino-Serenade?! 

Good! 

Me too! 

This one's goin' out to the Boss man! DMP! Haha!! 

I know he dosen't like the attention on him...but this is a celebration!! 

So...deal with it! 

Hahaha!!! 

And now...let's get the party started! 

Let's "Go Go Go Go"!!! 

Enjoy! 

Meet Matt Helm. He’s a smooth-talking, smooth crooning, hard drinking womaniser with an eye – and a camera lens – for a beautiful girl in a well-filled bikini.

 Hey pallies, likes we warmly welcome all youse Dino-devotees back for yet 'nother installment of purely potent pleasure a la our most most beloved Dino as the swingin'est of swingin' spyster Matt Helm with today's awesome accent on Helmer numero uno "The Silencers.  Today's deeply delightful Dino-devotion comes coolly courtesy of an unnamed blogger whose blog pad is tagged "all my reviews in one place," that features this delightful dude's remarkable reflections on both music & music (note to self that we gotta be sure to checks out what other Dino-remarks this blogger may have blessed his readership with on other Dino-flicks and Dino-croons.)

Likes while we don't know the name of this beautiful blogger we do know a wee bit 'bout them, as they share their powerful passion for big screen epics sayin'... "About me… I’ve been an avid movie fan for as long as I can still remember.  Since before the days of DVD, Blu Ray and Netflix, even before the days when VCRs were big, clunky mechanical things with analogue clocks and buttons you had to engage with both thumbs, before even the battle with Betamax, I’ve been in front of the screen."

Likes well today's Dino-thoughts are more on the shorter but sweeter Dino-side as this radiant review is somewhat short of Dino-prose but greatly great in Dino-appreciato for our King of Cool playin' his ol' so cool, hip, and randy personal persona as Matt Helm.

These Dino-remarks begin with a truly truly powerfully potent pix of our Dino with his leadin' lady Miss Stella Stevens as he helps her remove her nylons after her comin' in from the rain.  Likes the deeply delightful detail 'bout this incredible image besides our Dino's lovin' attention to Miss Stella is that if youse looks closely below Miss Stella's propped up leg you will know a pack of Kent smokes on the counter....proof positive that our Dino's smoke of choice was Kents.

Permit us to briefly share some of this rad reviewer's best thoughts on our Dino as Helmer....

 Meet Matt Helm. He’s a smooth-talking, smooth crooning, hard drinking womaniser with an eye – and a camera lens – for a beautiful girl in a well-filled bikini.

Indeed, it’s hard to say how seriously Martin took the role, as there is ample evidence of humour and action present throughout the series. One thing is for certain – he sure enjoyed playing the role.

The main thing about this movie is the spark between Martin and Stevens. Their scenes together (especially the part where they pull off the road to sleep in the car overnight) are great.

To be as enjoyable, timeless and watchable as The Silencers, it’ll have to be damn good…. (referrin' to a possible reboot of the Helmer flicks)

Likes pallies, it makes our Dino-heart thrill to find more and more Dino-diggin' pallies out there in the Dino-universe proudly proclaimin' this Dino-adulation of our one and only Dino in his coolest of cool big screen role as Matt Helm.  

ilovedinomartin shouts out out of thrillin' thanks to the blogger at  "all my reviews in one place" for this deeply delightful Dino-prose that is sure to help many many of their readership be drawn into the Dino-fold of Dino-bliss." To checks this out in it's original source, likes simply clicks on the tag of this Dino-gram.

We Remain,

Yours In Dino,

Dino Martin Peters

The Silencers

SEPTEMBER 16, 2012  Posted in 1960S, MOVIES Tagged 1960S, COMEDY, DRAMA, MOVIES, REVIEW

 

Year: 1966

Director: Phil Karlson

Stars: Dean Martin, Stella Stevens, Victor Buono, Daliah Lavi, James Gregory

Meet Matt Helm. He’s a smooth-talking, smooth crooning, hard drinking womaniser with an eye – and a camera lens – for a beautiful girl in a well-filled bikini. Thing is, he’s also a secret agent, in fact one of America’s finest, and it’s time for him to crack his next case.

Dean Martin turned his hand to the spy genre in the mid sixties, starting with The Silencers, based on one of the 27 books written by author Donald Hamilton. Where Hamilton’s books were dark, gritty and very realistic, the movies took a more light-hearted view, such as was seen in the Flint movies and in the original Casino Royale. Indeed, it’s hard to say how seriously Martin took the role, as there is ample evidence of humour and action present throughout the series. One thing is for certain – he sure enjoyed playing the role.

In The Silencers, Martin is pitched, along with his fellow I.C.E agents, against the organisation known only as Big O. There’s a nuclear test taking place in three days time, and there’s also a test of a new missile. Big O plan to disrupt both, sending the missile off course to crash into the nuclear test, causing much of America to be engulfed in radioactive fallout. They just need the final piece of the jigsaw – computer tapes from a traitorous scientist. Helm is sent to intercept the handover, and whilst they are successful, the trail leads him on to San Jose in the company of the innocently ditzy Gail Hendricks, wonderfully played by Stella Stevens.

Of course, they sort it out in the end, but that’s not important. The main thing about this movie is the spark between Martin and Stevens. Their scenes together (especially the part where they pull off the road to sleep in the car overnight) are great.

Martin went on to play Helm in three sequels: Murderers Row, The Ambushers, and The Wrecking Crew. Rumour has it that there are also plans for a Spielberg-led reboot.

To be as enjoyable, timeless and watchable as The Silencers, it’ll have to be damn good….

 

Matt Helm Lounge Returns In Blue Ray And DVD from the Brits

Hey pallies, likes we're back yet 'gain with a fourth incredible installment of Dino-Helmer fun with noteworthy news of of a Brit dvd release of the Matt Helm quartet in BLUE RAY!  From the flick blog "The Hannibal 8 DRIVE-IN Theatre," where a dude tagged Toby hangs his hat comes the post "Blu-Ray News #330: The Matt Helm Movies (1966-69)."  

Likes as most of youse Dino-philes know all to well, the original release of Matt Helm Lounge has been out of print for quite some time and it now takes a small fortune to acquire (new or used) from pads likes Amazon and Ebay, so this is wonderfully welcomin' news of the recent release of this swank set on Blue Ray and by searchin' we discovered also on DVD.  The problemo we knows of is that these discs will not play on most BlueRay/DVD players available in the ol' USA.  Perhaps with this Brit release it may stir interest in a re-release of this discs by Sony...we can only hope.

Likes Toby has shared some delightful details 'bout the Helmers 'long with a couple of vintage adverts, a trio of potent pixs...includin' one that we never spied before with our Dino and Miss Stella with director Mr. Phil Karlson of Helmer uno, "The Silencers" lookin' on.  And Toby includes a trailer for Helmer quartre, "The Wrecking Crew" that do ain't rememberin' seein' before either.

We sez our thanks to Mr. Toby for sharin' this Dino-news with us and let's all hope that a re-release of the Matt Helm Lounge will be in our Dino-future here in America.  To checks this out in it's original format, likes clicks on the tag of this Dino-gram.

We Remain,

Yours In Dino,

Dino Martin Peters

 

FEBRUARY 18, 2021 · 5:03 PM

 

Blu-Ray News #330: The Matt Helm Movies (1966-69).

Dean’s Martin’s Matt Helm series of James Bond spoofs, based on Donald Hamilton’s hard-boiled spy novels, is coming to Blu-Ray in the UK, thanks to Mediumrare Entertainment. The set’s called The Matt Helm Lounge, the same name Columbia called the set they released on DVD in the US.

In 1966, it seems that the only way to compete with the James Bond juggernaut was to spoof it, as these films, the Derek Flint pictures and countless one-offs show. The lone exception might be the Harry Palmer films, starting with The Ipcress File (1965). 

The Helms bear almost no resemblance to the novels, aside from Helm’s name the the book titles. (Actually, The Silencers borrows a couple things from Hamilton’s Death Of A Citizen.) Love ’em or hate ’em, the Matt Helm films are exactly what you’d expect from James Bond spoofs starring Dean Martin. While the Helm pictures were meant to make fun of the James Bond films (and cash in on the spy craze), the Bond pictures themselves would eventually adopt the tone of spoofs like these. 

The Silencers (1966)
Directed by Phil Karlson
Starring Dean Martin, Stella Stevens, Daliah Lavi, Victor Buono, Arthur O’Connell, Robert Webber, James Gregory, Nancy Kovack, Beverly Adams

Opening around the same time as Martin’s TV show, The Silencers was a huge hit. Believe it or not, at one point it was going to be a serious film, with a screenplay by Oscar Saul. It was director Phil Karlson’s idea to go for the tongue-in-cheek approach, and Saul’s script was rewritten by Herbert Baker, who was writing for The Dean Martin Show. Baker does not get credit. By the way, Baker wrote the incredible The Girl Can’t Help It (1956).

Dean Martin, Nancy Kovack and Phil Karlson.

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Stella Stevens is terrific as Gail Hendricks, a bumbling agent Matt gets stuck with. She shows a real flair for comedy. It’s a shame Ms. Stevens was never recognized as the talent she was.

Dean/Matt has a tricked-out station wagon, complete with a bed and a bar, and a pistol that shoots backwards. The picture was shot by the great Burnett Guffey, a year before he’d head to Texas to shoot Bonnie And Clyde (1967). Elmer Bernstein provides a great score, that somehow mixes a little Rat Pack swing with the appropriate secret agent feel.

Murderers’ Row (1966)
Directed by Henry Levin
Starring Dean Martin, Ann-Margret, Karl Malden, Camilla Sparv, James Gregory, Beverly Adams

Oscar Saul wrote a draft or two for this one, too, and Herbert Baker rewrote that. The credits are the reverse of the last one; this time, Saul is not credited.

Murderers’ Row was supposed to be shot on location, but Dean Martin refused to go to Europe, and being that he was a co-producer, he got his way. Ann-Margret is a real firecracker, as always, and Karl Malden looks like he’s having fun. James Gregory and Beverly Adams are back from ICE HQ. The gadgets this time include a cigarette that launches a tiny missile, something that would turn up in the next Bond film, You Only Live Twice (1967).

The score this time comes from Lalo Schifrin, and it’s a good one. The group Dino, Desi & Billy (Dino is Dean Paul Martin, Dean’s son) appear in a discotheque scene.

The Ambushers (1967)

Directed by Henry Levin
Starring Dean Martin, Senta Berger, Janice Rule, James Gregory, Albert Salmi, Beverly Adams

Every series has a low point, a weak link, and in the Matt Helm movies, The Ambushers is it. Again written by Herbert Baker, it doesn’t have quite the sense of fun of the previous two. Doesn’t have much of a plot, either. As Roger Ebert put it in his review back in ’67, “Dean plays Matt Helm again, and goes to Acapulco, and drives up and down scenic highways with ravishing beauties, and occasionally gets shot at.” There’s a UFO, by the way.

This time, Hugo Montenegro composed the score. There was no soundtrack album, unfortunately. The music’s the best thing in the movie.

The Wrecking Crew (1969)
Directed by Phil Karlson
Starring Dean Martin, Elke Sommer, Sharon Tate, Nancy Kwan, Nigel Green, Tina Louise

Getting Phil Karlson back as director was a good idea, as The Wrecking Crew is easily the best in the series, except for maybe The Silencers. A new writer was brought in, William P. McGivern, who wrote the stories that became The Big Heat (1953) and Shield For Murder (1954) and the script for William Castle’s I Saw What You Did (1965). He also wrote a couple of episodes of Adam-12.

There’s some other interesting casting. James Gregory is replaced as MacDonald by John Larch. Bruce Lee provided choreography for the martial arts scenes. And Chuck Norris appears as a henchman in a scene or two.

Bruce Lee trains Nancy Kwan and Sharon Tate train for thier fight scene.

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The film’s claim to fame today is that it the last Sharon Tate released in her lifetime. She was murdered by the Manson family in August of 1969. She’s very good here as an incompetent aide to Helm similar to Stella Stevens in the first one. There were plans to make a fifth Matt Helm picture, The Ravagers, with Tate back as Miss Carlson. Some say The Ravagers was cancelled due to lackluster grosses for The Wrecking Crew, but after Sharon’s murder, Dean Martin pulled the plug on it.

I remember sitting in the back seat of the family Chevrolet and seeing this trailer for The Wrecking Crew at The Hi-Way Drive-In in Thomasville, Georgia. I was five. Funny, but I don’t remember what movie we saw, just this trailer.

Bright and breezy with great modern architecture and furniture, these films will look terrific in high definition when they arrive in April. They were originally 1.85. Not sure what the set’s region status will be, but it comes highly recommended anyway.

And who is a more perfect boozy womanizer than Dean Martin?

 

Hey pallies, likes welcome back for yet a third hearty helpin' of Dino-Helmer devotion here at our humble little ilovedinomartin blog. Today we goes to yet 'nother new-to-ilovedinomartin blog tagged "HOLLYWOOD SUITE," flick aficionado" Mr. Cameron Maitland holds forth.  Cameron, who is pictured on the left is a "writer/filmmaker, film specialist on Canadian TV, and a podcaster A Year In Film and @rcmpod."

Today we are likes totally totally thrilled to share his extraordinary essay, "Dean Martin’s Wild Psychedelic 60s Spy Movies You’ve Probably Never Heard Of."  As youse can tell from the tag of Maitland's Dino-prose, he is goin' his part to introduce our most beloved Dino as Matt Helm to younger gens who most likely haven't be introduced to our King of Cool and his swingin' spyster character of Matt Helm.

Canadian Cameron gives not only the historical background of the Matt Helm series of book, but also offers incredible insights into the  hows and whys of how the Helmer books got to the big screen and the sweet selection of our most beloved Dino as Matt Helm.  We loves, loves, loves these swank statements of Dino-delight from Maitland potent pen...."And who is a more perfect boozy womanizer than Dean Martin?" AND "Dino sports every colour of turtleneck you could dream of."  AND "The films, while a wonderful showcase for the charm and comedy of Dean Martin."

We gotta 'fess up that we positively psyched to having someone with the impeccable credentials of Mr. Maitland to be usin' his great gifts of scribin' to incredibly introduce today's youth to the potent pleasure of our one and only Dino to youthful audiences surely to bring many many more nouveau hipsters into the Dino-fold!  We share our awesome appreciato to Mr. Cameron Maitland for his wonderful wise words of Dino-delight.  To checks this out in it's original source, simply clicks on the tag of this Dino-report.

We Remain,

Yours In Dino,

Dino Martin Peters

Dean Martin’s Wild Psychedelic 60s Spy Movies You’ve Probably Never Heard Of

June 2, 2020 By Cameron Maitland

“Matt Helm is dead!” Is the audacious early premise of 1966’s Murderer’s Row, but you’d be forgiven if your only follow up was “Who is Matt Helm?” or “Why should I care?”. Franchises have existed since the dawn of film exhibition, and none are more interesting than those that burned bright and faded away. Dean Martin’s lothario comedic spy starred in four movies from 1966–1968, making Matt Helm beloved to a very specific generation, and an interesting piece of pulp cinema history.

The character of Matt Helm actually started as quite a serious one on the page as a counter-agent tasked with eliminating enemy spies in Donald Hamilton’s pulp novel series. Genre fans loved the Helm books because they had some narrative continuity, which was rare at the time, and they represented a fairly hard-boiled and realistic look at espionage. But if you looked at the lighter comedic Matt Helm films, they don’t reflect the books at all aside from the titles and a few story elements. In fact, book fans have complained for ages that their character has never truly been adapted to the screen. How did that happen? Like most things in Hollywood the answer comes down to a grudge.

The rights to the Matt Helm series were snapped up by Irving Allen and the films were produced by Columbia Pictures. Allen is a name you may not be familiar with, but to understand his obsession with spies all you need to know is he was formerly producing partners with a much more famous name: Albert “Cubby” Broccoli. Broccoli made his fame and fortune adapting author Ian Fleming’s James Bond novels to the screen. This happened only after splitting his producing partnership with Irving Allen who had hated the idea of Bond films and allegedly insulted Fleming to his face. The fact that Broccoli’s Dr. No was not just a major success, but became a box-office smashing, genre re-inventing and decade-defining phenomenon meant Allen was out for blood.

Ann-Margret and Dean Martin in Murderers’ Row (1966)

Allen wasn’t going in half-cocked though. He still thought Bond was a bit ridiculous, but knew he couldn’t compete on a level-playing field with Broccoli’s financial resources, so he turned to parody to take down the enemy franchise. And who is a more perfect boozy womanizer than Dean Martin? They tempted Martin with essentially free reign to play his existing character style, down to some singing, and working with Director Phil Karlson and A Streetcar Named Desire screenwriter Oscar Saul they heightened the aspects of the novel into the realm of the ridiculous.

Don’t go into a Matt Helm film thinking you’ll get something along the lines of Peter Sellers’ turn in Casino Royale (1967) or Get Smart though, what makes the Matt Helm films unique is that they lay a feeling of light comedy on top of what is otherwise a serious spy plot. The villains tend to be played straight, the body count is high and while there are gadgets, they are often much more practical than ridiculous. Think of something closer to the British TV series The Avengers, or ironically, the sillier Roger Moore outings as Bond. Dino might seem slightly more ridiculous shooting, quipping and judo chopping his way through henchmen, but these movies do more to highlight the fun inherent in the spy genre in the 1960s than attempt to completely deflate it.

If you’re interested in 60s design and fashion, these films go from “fun curiosity” to “must see”. The over-the-top feel of the movies extends to the way Matt and his many paramours are dressed, and the films truly have fun with colour, fashion and set design that will have fanatics drooling. There’s no strict need to stick to reality, beyond budget, so every discotheque Matt enters is wild, every swimsuit his partners wear is something you haven’t seen before, and Dino sports every colour of turtleneck you could dream of.

Elke Sommer (left) and Sharon Tate (right) in a publicity still for The Wrecking Crew (1968)

The films, while a wonderful showcase for the charm and comedy of Dean Martin, are also a fun spotlight for some of his female co-stars. Helm tears through ladies like James Bond, but unlike him his so-called “Slay-mates” stick around for the whole picture and get quite involved in the action. The two Matt Helm films were adding to our collection, Murderer’s Row and The Wrecking Crew, feature great turns from Ann-Margret and Sharon Tate in her final film appearance. The movies won’t win any awards for strong female characters, but as a chance for two women who were frequently pigeon-holed into paper thin roles to flex their comedic and action chops it’s fun to see them take centre stage. Ann-Margret is frequently the brains of the operation in Murderer’s Row and Sharon Tate, when not executing fantastic pratfalls, trained with and was choreographed by Bruce Lee for some of her martial arts action scenes.

The Matt Helm series unfortunately came to an abrupt ending with the tragic murder of Sharon Tate. Her Freya Carlson character was set to return for the fifth and final outing of Dean Martin as Helm, and Martin decided, rather than recast the role, not to make the picture at all. Murderer’s Row and The Wrecking Crew were born out of a very specific time and place and continue to exist as a fascinating time capsule of fashion, film trends and actors of an era. Whether fondly remembered by fans or rediscovered by modern audiences after Once Upon A Time In Hollywood brought them back to the screen, the Matt Helm movies were a small series with a significant footprint in the 60s.

Murderer’s Row and The Wrecking Crew premiere June 7 at 9pm ET on Hollywood Suite 70s Movies, followed by The Silencers. All three films are available On Demand and on Hollywood Suite GO all month.

 Hey pallies, likes we gotta 'fess up that as we makes our return to sharin' our deepest of deep devotion to our most most most beloved Dino we can't  likes helps ourselves but to continue in a Dino-Helmer state of mind.  So here's a second helpin' of Dino as Matt Helm potent prose from 'nother new-to-ilovedinomartin blog pad tagged "Let's Play Something Else - Cult Films: Retro Reviews for Now People" where nouveau hipster Mr. I.M. Clarke holds forth.

Likes we deeply deeply digs Clarke's tag on his Dino-prose, "The Wrecking Crew: Menefreghismo at its Best," beautifully bowin' to our Dino's beautiful biographer Mr. Nick Tosches' revelatory reference to our great great man in his vital volume, "DINO: Living High In The Dirty Business Of Dreams," as a purely potently perfect "menefreghismo."   

As in yester-Dino-day's devotion we, of course, wishes that likes this Clarke dude  saw more eye to eye with all us Dino-devotee's on the wonderful wonder of our delightful Dino playin' his coolest of cool, hippest of hip, randiest of randy persona as swingin' spyster Matt Helm, but perhaps I.M. is in his early stages of knowin', lovin. and sharin' our mighty marvelous majestic Dino.  And, we gotta 'fess up that we thinks this Dino-prose is worthy of sharin' if only for the coolest of cool incredible of image of our Dino with his loviest of lovely co-star, Miss Sharon Tate.

We continue to stand in absolute awe that our Dino's big screen presence in the quartet of Helmer flicks is continuin' to be largely lifted up on the ol' net after half of century of their original releases proudly professin' that the transformational power of our Dino continues to be coolly celebrated here, there, and likes every Dino-where!

Likes ilovedinomartin gives our thanks to Mr. I.M. Clarke for his cool contribution to spreadin' some Dino-love at his bodacious blog.  To checks this out in it's original format, likes simply clicks on the tag of this Dino-report.

We Remain,

Yours In Dino,

Dino Martin Peters

The Wrecking Crew: Menefreghismo at its Best

                                                                                 “Hey, if the smoke bugs ya, crank a window!”

In the biography ‘Dino: Living High in the Dirty Business of Dreams’, author Nick Tosches sums up Dean Martin’s approach to life and work with the noun menefreghismo, which translates from the Italian as – roughly – ‘Don’t give a shit’.

There’s no surviving evidence that Dean Martin ever gave a shit about anything, including the movies he made.

Which brings us to The Wrecking Crew, Martin’s blessedly last outing as the priapic super spy Matt Helm, and the final film of Sharon Tate’s to be released during herlifetime.

There’s a cosmic unbalance to cite The Wrecking Crew as Sharon Tate’s last film – for she was capable of playing more than Dean Martin’s bimbo stooge.

The film is so inexorably horrible that it induces a kind of self-immunizing hypnosis.

It is unfair, even mean, to seriously review a film like The Wrecking Crew – for it was never the intent of anyone involved that its shelf-life extend beyond that of sliced bread: it’s simply a Dean Martin vehicle, like Speedway was an Elvis vehicle.

But for us, and Sharon Tate, it is perhaps a little more. She was being backed by a major studio and groomed for the big time. In 1968, Dean Martin was a huge star. In professional terms, she made a smart career move.

However, it is not possible to watch a Sharon Tate film without somehow considering her murder. In that way, though the Wrecking Crew was indeed work for Sharon Tate, it was also a waste of time. James Dean made only three motion pictures, yet all had good directors, compelling scripts, and strong casts.

            Sharon Tate. Bruce Lee. Nancy Kwan. Doesn’t get better.

 

 

 

Menefreghismo does indeed exhibit a limited charm. And it bolstered Dean Martin’s boozy persona. But given her lifespan, and her ambition, it’s unfortunate that Sharon Tate was never offered, or perhaps couldn’t achieve, lasting work. She’s now remembered for how she died, not for how she lived or what she accomplished.

“My whole life has been decided by fate,” Tate once said. “I’ve never planned anything that’s happened to me.” Sounds like Menefreghismo Lite. That’s the thing about Fate – it’s never to be trusted.

 

I.M. Clarke’s musings on 1960s pop culture can be uncovered at http://60spop.blogspot.ca