THAT MAN IN ISTAMBUL aka ESTAMBUL 65(1966)*** out of **** Written and Directed by Antonio Isasi, Starring Horst Bucholtz,Sylva Koscina,Klaus Kinski,Mario Adorf,Perrette Pradier,Angel Picazo, Gustavo Re,Alvaro de Luna,Umberto Raho,George Rigaud 115 minutes Unrated Released by Columbia Pictures and VellaVision Home Video
When the spy movie craze of the 1960's also known as "Bondmania" was in full bloom in movie theaters across the country, every country in the world at that time,had their cinematic version of the famous and very popular James Bond 007,especially Spain In 1965, Spanish directorAntonio Isasi wrote and directed a diverting spy adventure called ESTANBUL 65 also known around the world under the film title, THAT MAN IN ISTANBUL. The film follows the concept of the reluctant spy originally conceived by spy novelists, Graham Green,John Le Carre and Len Deighton but put with wit and tongue in cheek The film's plot has an American nuclear scientist, Dr.Pendergast who kidnapped in Istanbul by a gang of international criminals for ransom purposes.When the United States thru the FBI tries to pay a million dollar ransom for the scientist, they are duped by the criminals by being given an impostor posing as the kidnapped scientist and both the gents and the impostor are both blown up in their plane by the criminals. Then the FBI sends their best female agent Kelly played by the luscious Sylva Koscina(DEADLIER THAN THE MALE, HOT ENOUGH FOR JUNE) who suspects that an exiled American crinimal named Tony Mascenas played by Horst Bucholtz(THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN,ONE TWO THREE) who's stationed in Istanbul is behind the kidnapping since he used a similar ploy in Las Vegas. But Kelly discovers that Mascenas has been really set up by the real kidnappers and they both decide to join forces to rescue the kidnapped scientist and recover the million dollar ransom by using Mascenas criminal connections and expertise.
Both Bucholtz and Koscina have great screen chemistry in the lead roles and Bucholtz demonstrates great tongue in cheek comedic flare especially when his Mascenas character amusingly breaks the "fourth wall" by talking directing to the movie audience and comentating about the action. Also amusing is the constant gag that runs thruout the film en which every beautiful female in Istambul seemingly recognizes playboy Tony Mascenas wherever he goes and says "Ciao, Tony".The film also has a great international cast with Klaus Kinski, Mario Adorf,Perrette Perier and Gerald Tichy as the villains as well as gorgeous location shooting in Istanbul much more so than in the James Bond Film,FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE(1963) and an adecuately sexy and exciting score by George Garvarentz. Although this film was originally theatrically released here in the US by Columbia Pictures back in 1966,THAT MAN IN ISTANBUL is currently not available on Region 1 DVD here in the States. The only known legitimate DVD release of this film was in 2003 by a Spanish video company called Vella Vision that released the film in an anamorphic widescreen Region s PAL DVD release in it's original Spanish language version but without English subtitles under the film's original title, ESTANBUL 65. This DVD release has the film's theatrical trailer as well as a photo/poster gallery,featurette on director Isasi and his film career. It would be really nice if Columbia Pictures Home Video division thru is specialized MOD Columbia Video Archives finally released this entertaining spy film in it's English language version for the benefit of this film's many fans.
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