Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		2.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		2.5

Attack of the Robots Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov July 19, 2019

Jess Franco's "Attack of the Robots" (1966) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Redemption Films. The supplemental features on the disc include a remastered original French trailer for the film as well as an exclusive new audio commentary by critic Tim Lucas. In French or English, with optional English subtitles for the French track. Region-A "locked".

The superspy

Jess Franco did a number of different projects with producer Harry Alan Towers that are now considered some of his best work. The latter also did plenty of writing under the alias Peter Welbeck, some of which Franco was happy to incorporate into his films. Why do I mention this? Because Franco directed Attack of the Robots in 1966 and its plot is awfully similar to that of Jeremy Summers’ Five Golden Dragons, which Towers scripted a year later. Replace the ‘robots’ from Franco’s film with the dressed in black killers from Summers’ film, switch the locations, and the rest is basically meaningless details. Eddie Constantine’s superspy and Robert Cummings’ playboy are essentially the same character -- a slightly clueless outsider who needs a little bit of time to figure out that he is right smack in the middle of a big conspiracy orchestrated by some very dangerous megalomaniacs.

The fun in Franco’s film begins when the supposedly retired spy Al Pereira (Constantine) exits a popular casino and has a small ‘accident’ which introduces him to some shady character named Lee Wee (Vincente Roca). In his opium den, Lee Wee offers Pereira $100,000 to go to Penyal d’Ifac, near Alicante, and hang out with beautiful women while also executing his orders. When Wee Lee also asks him to confirm that his blood type is rhesus zero, Pereira concludes that he is talking to a mad man, beats up his bodyguards, and disappears into the night. Shortly after, however, Pereira’s former bosses from Interpol pop up in his hotel room and offer him $50,000 to go to the same location because a team of assassins that are located there have started eliminating various high-profile political figures across the globe. Pereira cannot reject their offer because he has been chosen to represent, and defend, the free world. The spy is then told that as soon as he lands in Alicante he needs to start tracking down a mysterious beauty named Cynthia Lewis (Sophie Hardy), who is somehow connected to the assassins.

Attack of the Robots is a French-Spanish co-production that was also distributed under the French title Cartes sur table. It is apparently based on an original script by Franco, but the adaptation and dialog were finalized by Jean-Claude Carriere (Belle de jour). This release comes with two different original tracks: a French dub, which presumably uses Carriere’s original material, and a rather exotic English dub. The French track is perhaps preferable because the written text that is used on different notes throughout the film is in French, but it is quite easy to tell that various actors utter their lines in English.

The film uses the typical Eurospy clichés to produce exotic fun of the kind that became quite popular after James Bond’s international success in the early 1960s. Here, the two villains (Fernando Rey and Francoise Brion) run an underground organization and have figured out a way to transform their abductees -- all with a rare blood type -- into killer ‘robots’ that are helping them take over the world. Needless to say, it is pretty silly material.

But it is great for Franco, and the end product is actually uncharacteristically stylish even for the iconic Spanish helmer. For example, it is very easy to tell that the locations were carefully selected and then Franco and cinematographer Antonio Macasoli took their time to make the best of them. Also, instead of emphasizing the exotic and the kitschy like so many Eurospy films do, Franco gives this film a lush norish appearance that easily could have been used for Bernard Borderie’s Poison Ivy. (Another very chic film noir with Constantine playing an outsider in Casablanca surrounded by beautiful women and creeps). So, the jazz tunes and noirish vibe that are everywhere are not just added for flavor, they are essential elements of the film’s identity.

The opening credits identify Jean d’Eaubonne as the production designer. He has worked on such iconic classic films as Orpheus, Lola Montès, La Ronde, Casque d'Or, and Touchez Pas au Grisbi.

Attack of the Robots Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.66:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Jess Franco's Attack of the Robots arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Redemption Films.

I have some good news, and some bad news. I will separate the two so that everything is perfectly clear.

The good news - The release is sourced from a fantastic new 2K restoration that was completed by Gaumont in France. The film looks so fresh and so healthy that I would be willing to argue that the restoration is one of the top makeovers done for a Franco film to date. Also, I would not be surprised if Gaumont prepared a DCP and did a few limited screenings of the film. The restoration is that gorgeous.

The bad news - There is visible macroblocking in all of the darker footage (examples can be seen in screencaptures #15 and 18). It is very obvious, and you will see it even if you do not have a larger screen, or project. I am very surprised by the presence of this flaw because I have 95% of Redemption's catalog on Blu-ray and I have never spotted such a serious anomaly before. It is something that should have been caught and addressed during pre-production, when the disc was authored, because it is truly impossible to miss. It is so, so disappointing because with a proper encoding optimizations this release could have been the best looking one in Redemption's catalog.

Attack of the Robots Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: French LPCM 2.0 and English LPCM 2.0. Optional English subtitles are provided for the French track.

I started viewing the film with the French track, then tried the English track, and eventually switched back to the French track. The French track is flawless -- it is very obvious that it has been fully remastered because clarity, depth, and balance are outstanding. Dynamic intensity is really good as well, which is a tad surprising for a Jess Franco film. The English dub is exotic, but in a way it actually works quite well. I would likely see the film one more time with it.

Attack of the Robots Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - a newly remastered trailer for Attack of the Robots. In French, with optional English subtitles. (4 min, 1080p).

• Commentary - a newly recorded commentary by critic Tim Lucas. The bulk of the information addresses the production and stylistic appearance of Attack of the Robots, as well as the evolution of Jess Franco's career. The commentary was recorded exclusively for Redemption Films.

Attack of the Robots Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

There are a lot of Eurospy cliches in Attack of the Robots, but Jess Franco gives it a lush noirish appearance that makes it look as stylish as Bernard Borderie's Poison Ivy, which introduced Eddie Constantine's famous character Lemmy Caution. I had a great time with it. Redemption's new release is sourced from a top-notch recent 2K restoration that was completed by Gaumont in France, but the technical presentation is problematic. Obviously, this is very disappointing news because the release could have been one of the year's most unexpected delights.