ATTACK OF THE ROBOTS (1966)
aka Cartes sur table
Article 2892 by Dave Sindelar
Viewing Date: 4-8-2009
Posting Date: 7-14-2009
Directed by Jesus Franco
Featuring Eddie Constantine, Francoise Brion, Fernando Rey
Country: Spain / France

A series of political assassinations have occurred. These have been committed by dark-skinned assassins who turn white upon death. On investigation, these assassins turn out to be kidnapped people turned into automatons, all of whom had a specific blood type. An Interpol agent (whose blood type matches) is sent on a mission, unaware that he’s actually being sent as a decoy to lure the assassins into the open.

It’s been ages since I’ve seen a Jess Franco movie (which, depending on your opinion of him, is either a blessing or a curse). As it turns out, this one (a spy adventure obviously influenced by the James Bond movies) is painless; it has a story, moves at a decent pace, and is consistently amusing. Part of the reason it remains amusing is the presence of Eddie Constantine, whose sense of humor I always find refreshing, and which I find much more likable than that of the James Bond movies for example. Furthermore, the fantastic content is much greater than is usual in these spy movies from the sixties. And I must admit it’s fun to see a spy movie of the era in good old black and white.