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Things You Never Knew About Super Argo (1968)

by Mr. Lobo


*   The original title of the film is Il Re dei criminali, which is Italian for "Captain America".
 
*   A Spanish-Italian co-production the film was dubbed and distributed worldwide by Pasta La Vista Studios.
 
*   This film is a sequel to the film Superargo Vs. Dialogue (1966).
 
*   The groovy acid trip-like psychedelic opening credits were blamed when families all all over Italy started lapsing into seizures - however an investigation revealed that all were actually heart attacks due to too much cholesterol.
 
*   Composer Berto Pisano (Bernie Powell) put out a hit single of the main title track called "Argo Au Go-Go!"
 
*   Guy Madison (Guido Manacotti) is Professor Wendland in this film, and not Guy Williams (Geechi Guilliamo) or Guy Lombardo (Guchi Lasagna) as he is sometimes miscredited.
 
*   In SuperArgo, wrestling fans are treated to some rare moves like the flopkick, the crotchlock and the half-nelson Reilly. All of these were banned in 1981 by homophobic officials.
 
*   The action in Superargo begins in and ends in the ring.
 
*   Besides his primary powers a like, super strength, levitation, and telekinesis, SuperArgo also has "fast coagulating blood" that allows him to accelerate the healing process. This due to the fact that SuperArgo's blood is 64% Bolognese.
 
*   SuperArgo fights a never-ending battle for truth, justice, and The Appian way.
 
*   Argo learns more about the mad professor's psychological state by visiting Italy's "Asylum for the Criminally Insane," which happens to be located about a half-mile from "The Prison for Criminals".
 
*   The Professor's plans for turning athletes into mindless zombies was put into action in real life by promoter Don King.
 
*   The Zombie-Robots confuse Super Argo by moving extra slow.
 
*   Professor Wendland's Zombie-Robots are controlled by "the machine that goes ping," later used in the film Monty Python's The Meaning of Life.
 
*   Claire (Luisa Baratto, also known as Louise Boring), the kidnapped wrestler's sister, escapes the lumbering pantyhose-faced cyborgs in brown suede jogging suits and massive metal headgear by actually walking away from them, rather than just standing there.
 
*   The original title of this film was "SuperArgo and The Slow Pantyhose-Faced Giants".
 
*   In Italy any person who is over five feet eleven inches tall is medically considered a giant.
 
*   Interpol may have been stumped by incidents of missing athletes but they probably just didn't care.
 
*   In Italy, Spain, Mexico and Minnesota costumed wrestlers are appointed to assist the Government.
 
*   SuperArgo (Giovanni Cianfriglia, also known as Ken Wood) originally retired from the ring after realizing that telekinesis, levitation and super-strength probably gave him an unfair advantage.
 
*   Superargo continues to wear his mask and red tights on the case because they brought him luck in the ring. He also carries a rabbit's foot, a fluffy teddy, a blankee, a fifth of bourbon, and a copy of "Dianetics."
 
*   A giraffe can clean its ears with its 21-inch tongue!
 
*   SuperArgo tries to impress the Commissioner by breaking a vase with his mind. When that doesn't work, he breaks wind.
 
*   Although Chef Boyardee is listed in the credits as Police Chief Meatsauce, all his scenes were in fact cut from the film as released.
 
*   Professor Wendland and his zombie-robots, when outlining their plans for destroying SuperArgo and his spiritual sidekick Kamir, refer to them for the first time as the "DiGiorno Duo".
 
*   There are obvious stunt doubles for Argo and Kamir riding the ArgoVespa.
 
*   A Zombie-Robot clubbed SuperArgo with a spiked medieval mace after director Paolo Bianchini (Paul Mawell) found thought a the battleaxe originally planned to use would be too cumbersome, antiquated and just plain ridiculous.
 
*   Superargo kills one of the Faceless Giants and brings it to scientists, who examine it - and discover to their horror that they are no longer human but... Pachinko machines in human shells!
 
*   Professor Wendland hypnotizes Claire into believing she's in a good movie. (I know, I used that joke in Devil Doll.)
 
*   The Zombie-Robots kidnap the decoy Superargo, and the real Superargo follows them in his sporty little ArgoRomero and eventually allows himself to be captured - but conspiracy theorists suggest that it was the decoy that escaped Professor Wendland's lair... and the real Superargo is still trapped, or worse.
 
*   Originally planned as the pilot film for the campy "Superargo" TV series, the movie was instead produced between the show's first and second seasons. The producers took advantage of the larger budget to have a number of new Argo-gadgets constructed, such as the ArgoGondola.
 
*   The Batman-type comic sound effects that were done in Italy were cut from this version because American audiences might be confused by "POWA!", "BAMA!" , "SOCKA!", and "A' BIFFA!"
 
*   The ArgoGondola was built especially for the film by the Giovanni boat company. In exchange for their cooperation, the producers agreed not to speak of it.
 
*   You cannot levitate out of quicksand.
 
*   The more popular Mexican masked wrestlers of the 50's and 60's, like El Santo and Blue Demon, could probably kick SuperArgo's Asiago.
 
*   Superargo is impossible to find in the woods, like fairies and elves.
 
*   A sacred series of syllables is believed to summon cosmic forces. The mantra recited by the mysterious Kamir just happens to sound like "Help me, Superargo!"
 
*   Wrestling matches often make front page headlines in Europe, since they are booked by Interpol.
 
*   When we first see the Argowagon being pulled from the hangar, the whole catering crew and a huge eight-course Italian spread and with service for 26 is reflected in the glass of the car.
 
*   When Superargo and Kamir drive the Argowagon onto the dock to reach the ArgoGondola, they leave their car facing out to sea - but when they return to the vehicle, the Argowagon is facing back towards land... proving once again that I am in serious need of a hobby.
 
*   When SuperArgo is handing Kamir the shark repellent, the strand of linguini which moves the shark is visible.
 
*   Dr. Wendland traps SuperArgo in an airtight chamber and fills it with poisonous gas. Fortunately, Superago survives because his character was so weakly developed and full of holes that he is lighter than gas.
 
*   Julie Newmar (Guiditta Natala) does not appear in this film because she did not know about it and had signed to do another project. By the time she was informed, she could not get out of the other commitment in time to do this movie.
 
*   The members of the United Nations change into different-sized piles of powdered cheese when they are dehydrated. However, when SuperArgo and Kamir rehydrate them all the powdered cheese is of equal volume.
 
*   Other sequels include Jason and the SuperArgonauts (1969), SuperArgofly (1973), Raiders Of The Lost Argo (1981), Super Argo Brothers: The Movie (1993), SuperArgo Forever (1996), SuperArgo and Robin (1998) and SuperArgo Size Me (2004).
 

I still don't know anything about  Superargo, but I had fun not finding out!

Mr. Lobo, we really need to get you on a Little Rock station man. El Dorado is too far away from me.  Maybe you need to hit up the new station KYPX, it;s part of RTN (I think it means Retro Television Network). They show old 70's and 80's shows all the time, plus retro commercials and a whole lot of paid programming.

We're supposed to be on in Little Rock / Pine Bluff   KJLR 28! Have you tried watching Saturday nights? Maybe you need to bust out your rabbit ears...NOW THAT IS RETRO!

Only slightly depressed,
Mr. Lobo

Didn't even know we had a channel 28. DirecTV isn't carrying it, but I'll give her try on the old antenna and see what happens.

Ahhh...
Double spaced threads by Mr. Lobo.

Thank you!  Much easier to read.



Post Edited (09-13-05 03:24)

Mush is easier to chew as well!

Lol!

I realized I typed "mush" instead of "much"...

Man, channel 28 is one of those low power stations.  I live about ten miles out of their reception area and they're not on cable or satellite.  Looks like they have some cool stuff on there too.

Time to move.

Go to the goodwill and buy and old portable TV...plug it into your cigerette lighter in your car and keep driving towards the station until the picture comes in.

Getting just a bit more depressed,
Mr. Lobo

Hey Lobo....
What efforts are you and your posse taking to get your show more widespread so all of us can watch it?

I'd love to see it here in Iowa.

ASHTHECAT wrote:

> Hey Lobo....
> What efforts are you and your posse taking to get your show
> more widespread so all of us can watch it?
>
> I'd love to see it here in Iowa.

Yeah, but you just be sure to double space that show there, Lobo.

We have a syndicator helping us...The first step was get picked up by small network indy stations.  UATV was the first to bite. This put us on about 30 or more stations so far. This is a non-exclusive agreement. If a station in Iowa wanted the show I could and would make them a deal independent of UATV...or they could become a UATV affiliate and pull it down off the Satellite. If a large cable network picked up the show...and they didn't want exculsivity, I could deal with them, too. The show is viewable online every week as well...at The Movie Crypt, KCTU's website and the Mr. Lobo's Knights website. We have pretty nice DVDs of many of the shows as well. I have a few fans in Iowa--I'd love to be on the air there. The fans are out there everywhere and I feel the more people watching the better.

Your Cinema Insomnia Host,
Mr. Lobo

...................I forgot what I was gonna say.



Post Edited (09-14-05 13:34)

Super Argo - the name conjures images of either another Star Blazers outing, or a movie about a super-cool six-wheeled off-road vehicle.

I was trying to get a reference to the Gamalons in there but I just couldn't make it work...I got "Yamato" in the last one.

From the company that brought you SUPER-CAR...
SUPER-ARGO! It drives, it flies, it swims, and it  serves great Italian dinners!

Leggo my Argo!

Things I Thought I'd Learned From Superargo & The Faceless Giants:

*Such a title is, among other things, incorrect when said "faceless giants" are niether giants nor do they lack faces*

*You're in bad shape when the best person you can find to help you locate a missing family member is a former wrestler who wears a silly red pajama like "uniform"*

*Fast cars can squeal out on a dirt road*

*Superargo cannot drive; in fact, he doesn't even have a learner's permit*

*Wreslters worldwide are as nutty as squirrel s**t*

*To make a lumbering, slow, semi-ineffectual "faceless giant", you need an athlete at the peak of perfection*

*Really bad dubbing can actually damage film stock*

*The folks at Mystery Science Theater 3000 passed on this one in favor of Santa Claus Conquers the Martians, despite the fact the two films are nearly identical in tone, believability and ridiculousness. Just replace annoying kids and a nearly incoherent Santa Claus with Superargo and lots of wrestling moves*




"Superargo's in great shape and he looks ready for anything"
"Uh, how can you tell with that dumb bodysuit he's got on?"

Super Observations, Horse!
"Santo Claus Conquers the Martian Giants!". I've heard the faceless coment before...But I cut them some slack since they did try with the pantyhose over the head thing. I never would have thought about the tires...Mr. Lobo is not a gearhead by any stretch of the word. I would have bought the squealing...But  I also think you need to be an super athelete to support that headgear! Did they ever do SuperArgo on MST?

Thanks for playing,
TV's Mr. Lobo
of Cinema Insomnia

Mr. Lobo wrote:

> Super Observations, Horse!
> "Santo Claus Conquers the Martian Giants!". I've heard the
> faceless coment before...But I cut them some slack since they
> did try with the pantyhose over the head thing. I never would
> have thought about the tires...Mr. Lobo is not a gearhead by
> any stretch of the word. I would have bought the
> squealing...But  I also think you need to be an super athelete
> to support that headgear! Did they ever do SuperArgo on MST?
>
> Thanks for playing,
> TV's Mr. Lobo
> of Cinema Insomnia
>

Alas, no, never on MST3k. I can just see the zombie/robot/ faceless giants walking into a bank and the secuirty guard going, "Boys, you got panties on yer heds." I once caught this movie on- big surprise- late at night on a local cable channel, and was reminded of it years later when MST3K did Diabolik; the guy voicing the "mr. Wilson" guy during the train sequence did some of the dubbing for that film... when I heard that voice I exlaimed, "SUPERARGO!!" which was pretty pointless, as we all know Superargo retired after a steriod abuse scandal and he refuses to show himself to anyone since...

I couldn't get over how inept Superargo was; he tells people to intrust their life in his hands, and he not only let's them get captured, but is then waylayed by a measily oil slick. Snidely Whiplash could've defeated Superargo! Old wrestling scenes amuse me simply for the image of watching those people impact on what is clearly not a soft, padded surface. Old time wrestlers went down hard, cut themselves with razors and all manner of crap. It's like watching Larry of the 3 Stooges get slapped- its for real, and you know it hurts.

The aforementioned "Faceless Giants" left me thinking WTF?!?! You go to the trouble of catching well guarded athletes that could be turned into something like the Terminator, and instead, they come out like senior citizens on steriods. Why not just use the homeless? People would succumb to the smell before they got pounded to a pulp. Somehow, I can't help but think one well placed bullit would stop a "Faceless Giant"...

Thanks for the appreciation; in time, I'll do some more super-inside-secret- insights of movies most people wouldn't know of... well, maybe a couple...

No stupid oneliners,
no catchy jingle,
Just Plain Horse

Thanks for the response.
You must be a writer or critic--your stuff is good.
Please feel free to keep ideas flowing...although, I must warn you I may be tempted to steal them.

"Superargo" was a lot of fun when we did it on "Cinema Insomnia"...We even had a guy in a Superago costume and we shot the episode in Superargoscope! (two thirds of the picture is off screen) When we were transfering the film we noticed a lot of noses talking to each other and that inspired the gimmick.

Watch it online Saturday Night at The Movie Crypt:

http://www.themoviecrypt.com.

Your Super Host,
Mr. Lobo

Mr. Lobo wrote:

> Thanks for the response.
> You must be a writer or critic--your stuff is good.
> Please feel free to keep ideas flowing...although, I must warn
> you I may be tempted to steal them.
>
> "Superargo" was a lot of fun when we did it on "Cinema
> Insomnia"...We even had a guy in a Superago costume and we shot
> the episode in Superargoscope! (two thirds of the picture is
> off screen) When we were transfering the film we noticed a lot
> of noses talking to each other and that inspired the gimmick.
>


Writer, maybe- critic, never. I like too many crappy movies to be a critic. I'm more comfortable having someone steal my ideas if they tell me they're going to first. This is very common in Hollywood, except they lie and say both groups had the same basic idea at the same exact time... you don't work for Disney do you?

Yeah, a lot of international movies lose a great deal when they get the "fullscreen" treament, because they were meant to be seen widescreen... another reason why television sucks...

I've learned to embrace it's limitations.

Just plain Horse : Isen't watching crappy movies what movie criticing is all about?

SUPERARGO : Its not just for a light brunch anymore!

Flangepart wrote:

> Just plain Horse : Isen't watching crappy movies what movie
> criticing is all about?
>

*Shrugs shoulders* Beats me; I used to assume a critic's job was to hate everything that wasn't exactly what they wanted and praise whatever they were paid to. Critics don't add to the movie watching experience... or so I used to think; I never really considered the MST3k guys to be critics- although they did critize films and even had some interesting points to make on the subject- because they added to the experience. Critics just watch movies because its how they make a living, some of them turn out to be "bad" (and by my definition, formulaic "beating a dead horse" for a few bucks kind of bad... movies made for money, no other incentives); they are paid to say "I saw this and here's my opinion", I don't find that positive or stimulating- and therefore, they are critics. I guess that's my perspective. I'm not going to start comparing the finer points of "King Kong Escapes" to "King Kong vs. Godzilla" just because I MAY be or may not be a critic (I think perspective matters more here) or because I liked one slightly more than the other. My opinion is just that- an opinion- it's not that important to others, and anybody can say "I liked this one because..." or "I hated this one because..."

Critics use the wrong names for monsters in Godzilla movies, like calling Gigan "Borodan, the black chicken", or saying Baragon was in "Godzilla vs. Megalon". Critics write absurdly long books about every movie they've seen and give "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" the same overall rating as "Laserblast". Congrats, you just wasted thousands of old- growth forest to tell us how much you liked "Hard Day's Night". I guess I'm saying "I don't like critics even though I may well be one". D'oh!

Critics who get story facts wrong irk me too. Other then that, they are just people with an opinion, and a talent (?) for saying it. Andrew writes well, so its fun to read. As for agreeing...eh, to each his own.