i SPY EUROSPY: Code Name Jaguar

Code Name: Jaguar
Director: Maurice Labro
Year 1965
 
Code Name: Jaguar is an exceptionally fun Eurospy film that stars Ray Danton as the extremely charming secret agent named Jaguar. With a Eurospy formula that is right on the money, there aren’t too many surprises to be had within this film, but that doesn’t mean you won’t have a blast seeing it all predictably unfold. With enough beautiful women and spectacular action set pieces, Code Name: Jaguar is set up to be one hell of a great Eurospy guilty pleasure.
 
The film follows super spy Jeff Larson, AKA Jaguar, as he is assigned to a mission that has him trying to discover the where-abouts of a new Russian spy device that is at present costing his organization a good deal of precious information to leak into the wrong hands. With the help of a few fellow agents, namely Robert Stuart played by Roger Hanin, and a string of sexy female companions, played by Pascale Petit and Helga Sommerfeld, Larson dives head long into the fray, determined to find out what is at the bottom of this mysterious plot. The film is a great deal of fun and with a wide array of exotic scenery, beautiful women, and the inclusion of a double agent, this film really packs on the entertainment value in this little seen gem of a Eurospy film. 

Ray Danton pulls off another masterful secret agent role in Code Name: Jaguar, bringing all the fun and thrills that he would later gift to his other two spy outings, New York Calling Superdragon and Lucky the Inscrutable. With a shit eating grin and a swagger to boot, Danton makes his fearless hero an invincible badass, able to detonate bombs with no care in the world plus take on an army of Russian thugs like he’s playing tag in a school yard at recess. The character of Jeff Larson seems to be oblivious to the concepts of death, for he takes on all of these insurmountable odds with an ear to ear grin.
 
This playful demeanor carries on over to his frequent interactions with the opposite sex. The man can’t get enough of them, often attempting to date multiple women at the same time as we see when both his intended lovers meet up for a dinner out. The film has no shortage of female beauties for our unstoppable agent to play around with and Larson takes every advantage into getting to know them better. Pascale Petit plays the subtly beautiful Pilar Perez, the fellow agent of Jaguar who slowly comes out of her shell once Larson is able to get her between the sheets. Another feisty conquest of Larson’s is the shady Lina Calderon, played by the sultry Helga Sommerfeld. She smokes up the screen in several scenes, one in particular being when she is taking a ride with Larson on a boat. She can’t seem to keep her hands of him, showing that agent Jaguar is one bad mother…. Shut your mouth! Obviously in this spy outing, they don’t give the ladies that much to do aside from being pawns in Larson’s sexcapades, but hey Eurospy flicks are known to do that more often then not. This film particularly revels in this mindset and it’s a whole bunch of wild and ludicrous fun.

As for the wild moments of Code Name: Jaguar, we have quite a few. The gadgets are as usual spectacular, showing some of the most strangest of espionage devices this side of a Bond film, like a tiny camera hidden inside the button of a jacket to a small ring housing a communicator device that Jaguar uses frequently throughout the picture. Another more notable gadget that the Russian’s use on our defiant secret agent is a mind control device that when strapped to the head of Larson, emits a series of colorful lights that supposedly turn any secret agent into a fun loving commie. Unfortunately for the Russians, Jaguar doesn’t seem to have much of a problem withstanding the devices lure as he brushes off the hypnotic lights and starts a full blown rebellion from within the secret lair of the head villain’s estate.
 
In another entertaining scene of the film, Larson has to defuse a bomb that is tied to a surveillance camera out in the middle of nowhere. Disrobing down to just a pair of pants, because everyone knows that this is the best way to disarm a bomb, Larson listens to a prerecorded tape of another bomb diffusers failed attempt earlier in the film. By listening to the recording, he’s able to follow step by step, eventually trying out some of his own theories after reaching the part where the now deceased disarmers go boom. It’s an overly long scene, but gives a strangely different tone from the rest of the movie. Well it can’t be all shits and giggles all the time for Jaguar can it?

Code Name: Jaguar is a typical Eurospy flick that has an exceptional secret agent in the form of Ray Danton’s Jaguar. His charisma and overall charm carry the movie, making it more of a fun filled romp then a serious espionage film. The thrilling moments are comprised of Danton charming the pants of a number of ladies while at the same time battling the Russians on land and by sea. The cast does an exceptional job and the lovely ladies of the film are just that, lovely.
 
This entry in the Eurospy cannon of films is a no-brainer. It has all the elements that make this genre great and it’s a sure fire way to entertain the super spy lover in you. As always Danton impresses and it’s nice to know that after this film was completed, he went on to star in two more wonderful entries in the Eurospy world. If you’re curious about the genre and you want to ease into these fun filled stories of guns, girls, and gadgets, then Code Name: Jaguar is a safe bet. I only wish they would have called it by another and more appropriate name……

Shut up and kiss me you tricky bitch.

This.... is... a.... map.

I just adore the way you clog up those lungs.

Looks like Jaguar's been caught with his pants down again.

Just the two of us. Painting castles in the sky.

Check out these jaguar moves.

Stop that right now you two or someone is going to get hurt!

Looks like Jaguar is on the prowl.

Great job shithead. You've landed us on Mars!

Oh what a pickle I'm in.

Stop right there smart guy and take a look at my turtle neck sweater.

The entire cast attempts to lazily raise the roof.

I usually play Operation naked and alone, but feel free to join in if you want.

What do you mean we're not having sex?!?!?!

They don't call him Jaguar for nothing.

He's enjoying the torture! God you're sick!

Wait a second.... This towel doesn't smell lemony fresh!

And the contest for shortest shorts is at a stand still.

i Spy Eurospy: New York Calling Super Dragon

New York Calling Super Dragon
Director: Giorgio Ferroni
Year 1966

New York Calling Super Dragon, or as it's also known Secret Agent Super Dragon, is a highly entertaining Eurospy flick that has a rather solid cast and enough amusing super spy elements to make it a worthwhile entry in any Eurospy fan's collection. Ray Danton stars as American secret agent Bryan Cooper AKA Super Dragon, who has just come out of retirement to avenge the death of his friend and fellow agent. Accompanied by a gadget genius named Baby Face and a sultry female agent named Cynthia Fulton, the group set off to solve a troubling case in which normal people have been turning into crazed lunatics in a small Michigan college town. Their investigation takes them across the globe as all leads point them to Amsterdam and to a strange collector of the arts named Fernand Lamas and his secretive cult of masked strangers.

The names Dragon, Super Dragon.

Ray Danton does a commendable job as agent Super Dragon, giving the larger then life character the much needed charisma that is needed to pull off the trademark spy swagger. I've never had the privilege in seeing any of Danton's other roles, so I really had no idea what to expect from his interpretation of a swinging secret agent. I'm happy to say that he carried the burden well, bringing a confidence to the character of Super Dragon yet at the same time a vulnerability that was extremely unexpected on my part. I'll be keeping an eye out in the future for any film starring Mr. Danton, because he really did make the movie better then it had any real right to be.

Another stunning addition to the cast is the breathtaking Margaret Lee, whose exploits in the Eurospy genre is legendary. I'm still struggling to obtain all of her spy outings and hoping against hope, that more of her catalogue will be available to the not so resourceful spy hounds like myself. In New York Calling Super Dragon, Lee plays a fellow female agent named Cynthia Fulton, whose role permeates the story, often weaving in and out of the narrative as the film moves along. She looks absolutely stunning in this film, often stealing scenes and taking names, even if she is just window dressing in the end. Who really cares though, because style is often better then substance in the world of Eurospy films and Lee's got style to spare.

Michael Jackson leaves a little love note for Super Dragon.

If Margaret Lee wasn't enough on the eye candy scale, we're treated to another heroine for Super Dragon to cozy up against in the form of Marisa Mell. Far from a stranger in the spy and cult film business, she has tackled some very memorable roles in such films as Mario Bava's Danger: Diabolik and Lucio Fulci's Perversion Story. Here she takes on the role of Charity Farrel, a great Bond inspired name, who is both friend and foe to agent Super Dragon, playing both sides for various reasons known only to herself. Her character is vulnerable yet deadly at the same time and you never really get a solid idea who she is working for. It's a great duel role for her and one that she has displayed before in her works that would follow in her interesting career.

Aside from the beautiful women in Super Dragon's life, there is another important character that this film adds to the mix. The addition of the inventive gangster Baby Face, turns the Eurospy film on its head so to speak, morphing it into an almost buddy caper where each man plays off each other and helps the other out of a jam. It's a pretty interesting move to give Super Dragon a side kick of sorts and by doing this you bring the super agent down to a more real to life status. He's not a one man army, taking on everyone and coming out on top unscathed. He's a hero that is susceptible to failure, making him that much more relatable even if he does always get the girl, or girls, in the end. The character of Baby Face makes this possible and the many times that we see him help or even rescue Dragon from some very dire situations, makes us realize that maybe Super Dragon isn't the cartoon caricature that the spy genre has come to typify as the norm. It's almost a breath of fresh air and adds another layer to the espionage of this cinematic world.

I just can't stop staring at those bangs.

Not withstanding the already mentioned stellar cast, I had concerns about the actual story and inventiveness of the movie. For a film that has been run through the mud by many reviewers and countless recollections of MST3K viewings, I was expecting something of a filmic farse when I sat down to view this little number. Happily, I was taken by surprise and came to find that there are some exceptional moments in this much unheralded film.

For instance, I found the scene where Super Dragon is sealed inside a coffin and dumped into the river quite captivating. The calmness of the entire act and the quite nature of the direction was unsettling and claustrophobic. With the absence of a high tempo beat to pump the action along, the viewer is left feeling cold and alone, much like how Super Dragon must have been feeling when trapped in the coffin stuck in a self induced trance. I really loved the scene and felt that it accomplished a hell of a lot more then it was initially setting out to do.

Man we look like a pair of idiots.

Another great moment is the masquerade auction, where Dragon, Baby Face, and Cynthia, go undercover to investigate the strange surroundings at the eccentric Fernand Lamas' mansion. The build up is done with a great deal of respect and their infiltration within the ranks of the secretive cult is pulled off effortlessly. I enjoyed the subtle change from scene to scene as we follow Super Dragon into the underbelly of this perverse group of men who relish the idea of controlling the minds of their unsuspecting victims. It's a plot that doesn't hold a candle to the Bond outings, but then again it never sets out to be such a spectacle. New York Calling Super Dragon is more of an intimate exposition into the quirky world of agent Super Dragon. It balances the fine line between tongue and cheek and sensible espionage. I love the pairing and feel that they work well off of each other.

Of course we're given some of the outrageous moments that make Eurospy films so much damn fun, such as the psychedelic torture room that Margaret Lee's character finds herself in when captured by the dastardly Fernand Lamas. By electrocuting their captives in what resembles a kiddy pool, they threaten to extract the information they want from her, that is until Super Dragon shows up and gives them a taste of their own medicine. There's also some familiar trappings in the film, where our main baddy Lamas holds meetings inside a stereotypical lair of sorts straight out of James Bond's arch nemesis Blofeld's most memorable habitats. The familiarity is there, but it doesn't hold the inherent baggage that you'd expect from copying ones superiors. Well at least for me it didn't, but I like that kind of corny stuff.

Help me Secret Agent Super Dragon, you're my only hope.

Speaking of corny stuff, where's the gadgets? Well the gadgetry is a plenty, provided mostly by Baby Face's many contraptions that find their way onto the screen. From remote control boats that are able to pinpoint the location of missing agents to armpit guns that go off if the owner's arms are raised above the wearer's head, are just a few of the many gadgets that Super Dragon has in his arsenal. In retrospect, Baby Face is Super Dragon's Q, but with a more youthful and jovial appearance. While not many of the gadgets are original, they work within the context of the story and help build the authenticity of the spy world in New York Calling Super Dragon. It's just great to see some of these things pulled off and in the end, who the hell doesn't want to see someone go down in a blaze of glory from a hidden pair of armpit guns. If you raised your hand, then I don't want to know you. Good day sir!

Why the hell are we talking on the phone when we're in the same room?

I would say that for the most part, New York Calling Super Dragon is an enjoyable ride that when not compared to the much superior Bond franchise, you can really get a lot out of. There's enough familiar spy elements from the era and enough beautiful women and lush locations, that you really can't go wrong with the film in general. The film moves at a brisk pace and follows a pretty straight forward plot-line that doesn't meander or get too convoluted like most Eurospy flicks tend to do. It doesn't take itself too seriously, but at the same time it's able to have fun with the genre and that's really all you need a Eurospy film to do. If you're looking for a fun little film that has all the elements that make a spy film enjoyable, then I highly recommend you give this under-appreciated number a try. It may not be the best the genre has to offer, but it does hold a special place in this reviewers mind and it satisfied my Eurospy appetite and then some. Check it out and you might be surprised.

3 out of 5 guns          A Decent & Enjoyable Eurospy Entry!