Cheap Satan Bug (Video) (John Sturges) Price

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George Maharis: The Hunter Not Home From The Hill
A 1965 release, The Satan Bug falls firmly into the B-film category of sixties cinema, and will find a comfortable place alongside other Hollywood science-fiction and adventure movies of that era such as Tarzan & The Valley of Gold (1966), Mackenna's Gold (1966), Fantastic Voyage (1966), Planet of the Apes (1968), Marooned (1969), and Valley of Gwangi (1969)--genre thrillers all. Despite claims to the contrary, The Satan Bug is not a serious film or an A-list production like The Manchurian Candidate (1962), The Birds (1963), Failsafe (1964), Seconds (1966), or 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). <
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>The story of a fatal, artificially-created super toxin stolen from a secret American science facility by parties unknown, The Satan Bug appears cheaply made (viewers hear about but do not see the evacuation of Los Angeles; to avoid scenes of Washington, D.C. and extra cast, stalwart Dana Andrews steps in to singularly represent the entire U.S. government), the sets are limited to a few awkward interiors and stretches of desert, much of the acting by the supporting cast falls just short of caricature, the script is composed of a series of confusing ellipses which defeat its mystery, and director John Sturges doesn't seem to know what kind of film he's making or wants to make. <
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>From the early scene when Ed Asner walks out of the desert compound like a very suspicious cardboard zombie without any of the security staff taking notice, it's clear Sturges doesn't have as tight a reign on the film as he might. Star and brooding protagonist George Maharis is repeatedly required to fire upon men carrying flimsy flasks of lethal toxin for which there is no known antidote and which is capable of destroying all life on earth; the vials are tossed about haphazardly from hand to hand to hand throughout the film, from villain to hero to villain, like bottom-heavy frisbees of no consequence. At times, The Satan Bug seems almost like a parody, an episode of Get Smart (1965 - 1970), Police Squad (1982), or an early entry into the Naked Gun series. <
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>That said, the film is great fun, only charmingly dated, and will be a satisfying viewing pleasure to fans of science fiction, action, and suspense films and of American sixties cinema and television generally. <
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>The film's largest strength is the subtle, nuanced performance by George Maharis as an ex-government troubleshooter called in to find the perpetrators and track down the missing toxin. Maharis performs as if in a serious film and an A-list production (as it may have initially been), and makes a credible, serious-minded, and unflinching protagonist. This was an imperfect role for cat-eyed Maharis, who usually cast a semi-veiled, slightly antisocial, restlessly hungry, and somewhat isolated persona on the screen; Maharis faired better in more naturalistic films, such as 1969's The Land Raiders, where his character's dual objectives of justice and revenge, under the blazing southwestern sun, allowed him the opportunity to sweat, snarl, and engage himself full-bloodedly in his role. Here, his more disciplined, finessed character--note the continually perfect part in his hair--repeatedly foresees and intuits what the other characters do not, revealing a restrained intelligence that seems to accurately reflect Maharis's own. Confident and capable, Maharis is consistently believable, even though required to deliver absurd, convoluted dialogue and enact scenes that stretch all credibility. <
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>The Satan Bug did not make theater-trained Maharis an action-adventure star (an ambition he probably didn't aspire to in any case), but he was made for stronger material and a finer production than this, and delivers a performance that stands above the rest of the film. In fact, Maharis, of Greek and Italian heritage, rightfully belongs in the tradition of European actors that also came to prominence in the sixties like Alain Delon and Jean-Paul Belmondo, who, while convincingly poised, urbane, and sophisticated when required to be, also simultaneously and spontaneously emitted a moody, sensual ferality. In Maharis's case, this impression is strengthened by the fact that, whenever speaking, only the bottom row of his teeth are visible. <
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>A slightly more robust and extroverted actor like Rod Taylor may have been what the filmmakers had in mind; but Maharis expertly captures the urgency and contained anxiety needed to make his character seem situationally vulnerable, blindly dedicated, and resigned to all possible outcomes. Viewers will want to watch for an early scene in which Maharis, with blank existentialist resolve, voluntarily offers to investigate the potentially contaminated `hot zone,' his beautiful face an unreadable tabula rasa as he proceeds. <
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>The Satan Bug is surprisingly suspenseful if taken within its own limits, a purely entertaining time capsule, and a showcase for the versatile, chameleon-like Maharis, much of whose film work is unfortunately currently unavailable on DVD and video. <
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The Cast reads like a "Who's Who" of 60's Television
OK, you've got George Maharis of "Route 66," Richard Basehart and Richard Bull from "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea," "Honey West's" own Anne Francis, Frank Sutton ("Sgt. Carter" of "Gomer Pyle"), Hari Rhodes of "Daktari", and in if one looks fast, "Star Trek's" James Doohan ("Scotty") in a bit part. Rounding out the actors are such television stalwarts as Henry Beckman, Harold Gould, John Larkin, John Anderson, Simon Oakland (later to be featured in the 70's "Night Stalker"), and Ed Asner in a pre-Lou Grant role. 40's movie star Dana Andrews is a part of the on-screen happenings.

Oh, between all the "star-gazing" hides a pretty neat thriller!

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A Unique Mystry Action Thriller
In this suspenseful tale of the CIA versus criminals, what intrigued me was the fact that all the characters in this hunt for the deadly virus are smart including the female lead. They never argue amongst themselves, they just want to get the job done. With a strong cast of great character actors supported by an equally strong script this yarn will keep all viewers clued to their seats. And listen to that great score by Jerry Goldsmith. His best next to "Planet of the Apes". I became a George Maharis fan just because of this one movie.