MovieChat Forums > The Silencers (1966) Discussion > Rate the Series

Rate the Series

posted 16 years ago by grstmc
6 replies | jump to latest

Since I'm thinking about buying the box set of the series, I get the idea for another Matt Helm post. Here goes.

Rate the Matt Helm series. I've broken them down into five categories, and since there's four films, with the best to worst ratings being from 4 to1, the highest possible rating would be 20 in all.

Best Film
No doubt about it, SILENCERS is far and away the best, and the most enjoyable overall, not to mention with the better plot, and extremely well-made. WRECKING CREW comes in not too far behind, as a generally well-done, entertaining film. The meandering MURDERERS' ROW ranks third, not really too good of a film at all, but still far ahead of the dead last in the series. And that would be AMBUSHERS, a total disaster. Phil Karlson directed the first two, and Henry Levin the others. What does that tell you about these guys?

Best Villain
I'm going to give the top honors to Nigel Green's suave tycoon in WRECKING CREW, who's well-matched against Helm, and particularly so in the final confrontation. Victor Buono's lumbering, pseudo-Chinese bad guy in SILENCERS is a little on the ludicrous side, but he manages to sneak by as somewhat better than the remaining two. And Karl Malden's incompetent old dude in MURDERERS' ROW only barely registers at all, but stll comes in ahead of the slimy, repellent character played by Albert Salmi in AMBUSHERS (dead last again).

Best Heroine
What can be said that hasn't been said already about Stella Stevens' funny, sexy (!) performance in SILENCERS. Is there any doubt that she wins this category? Sharon Tate does an admirable job in WRECKING CREW, in a role that sort of emulates Stevens. Nothing against Ann-Margret otherwise, but she doesn't really do anything that impresses me in MURDERERS' ROW. Even so, she manages to come out slightly ahead of Janice Rule, who is a good actress but out of place in the disastrous AMBUSHERS (dead last yet again).

Best "Villainess"
It might surprise one and all that I put Senta Berger's role in AMBUSHERS in the top spot here. She's the best thing, if not the only good thing in that film. Who comes in second other than Elke Sommer in WECKING CREW, giving a very enjoyable performance in that film. I've never been much impressed with Daliah Lavi in anything but she tries hard in SILENCERS, and comes in third, if only because Camilla Sparv has little or nothing to do in MURDERERS' ROW.

Best Henchman
No credit to his credits by any means, but Robert Webber does have a memorable death scene in SILENCERS, and since this ranks as the best overall film, he gets the nod almost by default. Tom Reese's iron-headed henchman ain't bad in the mediocre MURDERERS' ROW. Kurt Kasznar is at least slightly amusing in the pathetic AMBUSHERS. But Nancy Kwan, who (I guess) serves this function in WRECKING CREW, fails to register at all.

Final Score
Out of a possible 20= SILENCERS 17, WRECKING CREW 14, MURDERERS' ROW 10, AMBUSHERS 9

Agreements, or disagreements with my ratings?

[–] rbownds1 16 years ago

Rickeybobby I'm surprised that Nancy Kovack is not even rated in your villainess rating. I would not only rate her. She would be rated near the top. Though her presence was brief, it was sexy, unsuspecting, and played right in to the plot. Her and Daliah Lavi Would be neck and neck at the top on my list. The top movie I will have to agree with you is without a doubt "the silencers" a 20, followed by "Murderers Row" a 15, then "the wrecking crew" a 12, then the stinker "The Ambushers" a 3. By the way Nancy Kwan will get my vote as a solid no. 3 villainess behind the 2 I lobbied for above.

[–] Col_Hessler 16 years ago

OK. Where to start? Well, as rbounds had said, Nancy Kovack was my favorite bad girl, even for only a three minute scene. Of ther other girls, Senta Berger was the best, then Elke Sommer.

Of the 4 films, I say The Silencers, The Ambushers, Murderers Row, then The Wrecking Crew, which certainly wrecked the franchise.

Of the Villans, I guess Victor Buono, then Nigel Green, then Karl Malden, and last, Albert Salmi's ridiculous Caselius.

Of the Hero Girls, I say Janice Rule was best because the character was NOT a dipstick, like Sharon Tate's and Stella Stevens. Second would be Ann-Margaret, then Stella, then Sharon.

Henchmen? I guess Webber, because of the memorable death. Then Chuck Norris.

Find 'em, chase 'em, sink 'em. -- Sam Dealey

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] gridoon 15 years ago

Best Film: Murderers' Row

Best Villain: Karl Malden, with Nigel Green following closely behind.

Best Heroine: Janice Rule (for a combination of looks, character usefulness, and actress' performance)

Best Villainess: Daliah Lavi (then Nancy Kwan / Elke Sommer)

Best Henchman: Easily Ironhead from Murderers' Row

Best locations: Murderers' Row (can't beat the French Riviera)

[–] s007davis 12 years ago

Best Film: The Silencers

Best Villain: Karl Malden-like the way they "Blofeld" him in the opening scene with his face hidden in the dark.

Best Heroine: Stella Stevens-her Gail Hendrix is a comic tour de force.

Best Villainess: Nancy Kwan. Honorable mention to Senta Berger's character is the most intriguingly written(at time she opposses Helm, other times she's allied with him dependending on the situation) giving her a very enigmatic quality for a female character in a film series like this one

Best Henchman: Ironhead from Murderers' Row(precursor to the Bond series' Jaws)

Best locations: Gotta love swingin' '60s Acapulco in The Ambushers

Best music score: Lalo Schiffrin's for Murderer's Row. His title song should've become the series' own Matt Helm theme

Best fight scenes: The Wrecking Crew staged by Bruce Lee.

[–] Sparky1932 10 years ago

What about a 6th category....Best Matt Helm gadget.For me it's the reverse firing gun in "Silencers".followed by the delayed firing gun in Murderers Row...then maybe the mini helicopter in Wrecking crew , then last the bullet shooting bra in Ambushers.