KRIMINAL - Romano Mussolini - "La Máscara De Kriminal" (1966)

So today's my freakin' birthday! WTF!? BFD! "KRIMINAL" is the best present I could get or give, and it was all made possible by "The Web Of Mystery!" So, here you go!!

My how things have changed in just a few short years, "KRIMINAL" was a 1960's Italian comic that got co-creator, writer, and artist Max Bunker (Luciano Secchi) prosecuted more than once for his erotic-violent vision! Today it probably wouldn't even catch a passing glance! I'm surprised the Italians were that uptight! The other co-creator, artist and writer was Magnus (Roberto Raviola)!

The comic "KRIMINAL" ended in 1974, after 419 issues. In Spain, the character was known as "KILLING!"

In the comic, but not the movie "KRIMINAL" has the ability to wear different masks that change his identity! In the movie, he's more of a makeup artist!

The Dutch actor Glenn Saxon is KRIMINAL in this film and the sequel made two years later, "Il Marchio Di Kriminal," and he plays the role to perfection! To my knowledge, neither film has ever been released in the U.S.

"KRIMINAL" begins with Glenn being put to death by hanging after his arch-rival Inspector Milton of Scotland Yard had finally caught him, but it was a clever ruse set up by Milton, for KRIMINAL to escape so that he would lead them to The British Crown he had stolen!

Things don't go so well for the first guy who catches up to KRIMINAL! The more they open the door, the more he strangulates!

KRIMINAL has got a very cool outfit, but you don't really know why he wears it, like here where he breaks into the bedroom of his ex-wife, and after he startles her, he removes the mask and identifies himself. It's not like Batman or Superman where nobody knows their secret identities, everybody knows who KRIMINAL is, but he's so damn tricky, it just doesn't do them any good!

Not twins, but two chicks who just happen to look alike, now that ought to fool those diamond thieves!! This is Helga Liné as Inge & Trude! There's a whole intricate plot about stealing and not stealing diamonds, and ripping off the insurance company instead! After KRIMINAL returned the British Crown unceremoniously back to Milton, he decided he'd get involved in this whole caper!

KRIMINAL's Ex-wife is Maria Luisa Rispoli as Margie Swan! Margie just happens to work for Mrs. Gold who is running this whole jewel swindle switch affair! Maria is pretty hot, but was only in 9 films, two of which were "Colossus And The Amazon Queen" and "Toto Vs. Maciste." "KRIMINAL" was Maria's last outing, and she chose to be credited as Susan Baker!

It's right about here that we get to find out how mean spirited KRIMINAL actually is! After striking up and affair with Mrs. Gold to find out more about how the swindle worked, she turns on him with a pistol in the steam bath, and KRIMINAL has no qualms about steaming her butt to death! After all, she was going to shoot him!

KRIMINAL heard Margie ratting him out to Milton, so when he hears the appointment time she set up in Milton's office, he heads on over to the office in disguise as an electrician to rig up a bomb to blow them both to bits!!

Milton catches on at the last minute, and just manages to escape a certain death! KRIMINAL is not playing around! He intended to get rid of both Milton and Margie permanently!!

The KRIMINAL skelton costume they came up with consistently looks cool and weird!

The swingin' music for this whole grand affair was composed by Romano Mussolini working as Raymond Full! Besides "KRIMINAL" Romano has only three more composing credits! "La Ragazzola" in 1965, "Tous Les Chemins Mènent à L'homme" in 1976, and "Circle Of Fear" in 1992! Lord knows what he did the rest of the time!!

After he kicks her boyfriend's ass, Kriminal reveals his true identity again! I think he does it so the girls can see how handsome he is, because he ends up taking them to bed with him anyway!

Inspector Milton has KRIMINAL trapped at the airport, but he manages to slip out in disguise with a bunch of guys who have a private plane, so nobody's paying much attention to them! Milton is played the fool again!

Nice outfit Helga!!

Director Umberto Lenzi provides the viewer with plenty of swell shots of KRIMINAL sneaking around! Umberto is probably better known for some of his grisly 80's horror like "Cannibal Ferox," "Nightmare City," and "Eaten Alive!"

Ivano Staccioli as Alex Lafont, Mrs. Gold's partner in crime, is the other major player in the game! He makes some bad choices and KRIMINAL ends up playing him like an out of tune fiddle! KRIMINAL puts some vitriol (sulphuric acid) in Alex's toiletries and his face gets seriously burned! Ivano had a long and outstanding career in both Sword and Sandal, and Spaghetti Westerns flicks!!

The poor witless Alex LaFont tries to get the drop on KRIMINAL only to get himself killed and disfigured, so that KRIMINAL can take on his bandaged identity to get into the bank where the diamonds are stored!!

That's KRIMINAL escaping with Alex's cool Ford Fairlane convertible!

KRIMINAL takes a moment to make sure his hair still looks good!!

After going through a whole ordeal that included a crazy train ride and escape, and losing all the diamonds, KRIMINAL just by chance happens upon Mary Arden as Gloria Farr sunbathing out in the middle of nowhere! Unfortunately for KRIMINAL, Gloria is also Inspector Milton's girlfriend! Mary was in Bava's "Blood And Black Lace" and was also the model used in Italian photo-novels of yet another skeleton-clad criminal, "SADISTIK" - "The Diabolikal Super-Kriminal!"

Es todo! "Sei Finito KRIMINAL!" Don't worry, the criminal mastermind will be back, but now for me, it's onward to The Annual Halloween Countdown and bringing scary back!!