I watched this Matt Helm movie after watching the other three because of its reputation for being subpar. While it is definitely the most campy of the four and starts off a little slow, it's a lot of fun. The Ambushers is the most sci-fi of the four and features an "electro-magnetic" UFO and some very forward-thinking exo-suits.
Dean Martin looks comfortable in the role (in The Silencers he looked like he didn't want to be there) and he actually shows up for location shoots in this one. He also has some interesting lines. (Girl: "Suspenders AND a belt?" Helm: "I have trouble keeping my pants up.") I love the gadgets (the fez-garrote, the belt-sword) and the humor. The firing squad scene has to be seen to be believed.
Janice Rule sparkles on the screen. Her character is so self-assured and beautiful-a great partner for Helm. The score is lush and fitting and the girls' outfits are to die for. Also, the film transfer, like the other Helm movies, is decent.
As a footnote, it has been said that the UFO and the columnar "control panel" seen in launch control are recycled from Star Trek (Lazarus' ship in The Alternative Factor, and the Romulan warbird bridge controls from The Balance of Terror). Simply comparing photos of each is enough to disprove this. Perhaps the interior frame of the UFO and part of the dome were re-used, but otherwise they are quite different in size and construction.
Dean Martin looks comfortable in the role (in The Silencers he looked like he didn't want to be there) and he actually shows up for location shoots in this one. He also has some interesting lines. (Girl: "Suspenders AND a belt?" Helm: "I have trouble keeping my pants up.") I love the gadgets (the fez-garrote, the belt-sword) and the humor. The firing squad scene has to be seen to be believed.
Janice Rule sparkles on the screen. Her character is so self-assured and beautiful-a great partner for Helm. The score is lush and fitting and the girls' outfits are to die for. Also, the film transfer, like the other Helm movies, is decent.
As a footnote, it has been said that the UFO and the columnar "control panel" seen in launch control are recycled from Star Trek (Lazarus' ship in The Alternative Factor, and the Romulan warbird bridge controls from The Balance of Terror). Simply comparing photos of each is enough to disprove this. Perhaps the interior frame of the UFO and part of the dome were re-used, but otherwise they are quite different in size and construction.