The Lucifer Complex (1978)

I don't think I've ever used the word hideous in any of my reviews, but as they say, there's always a first time. If this wasn't a career low for Robert Vaughn I couldn't tell you what was. Any single episode of Vaughn and McCallum battling agents of THRUSH qualify for Masterpiece Theater compared to this travesty. I still can't wrap my head around the guy in the cave watching the events of the picture transpire as he solemnly comments on the warlike history of the world. Honestly, it's impossible to describe how awful this thing is, or even identify the single worst element. Right up there though would be the German Officer reject from 'Hogan's Heroes', the awesome 'Nazi Bitch', and the Fuehrer himself, Adolf Hitler making a command appearance, because after all, it's all about the resurrection of the Fourth Reich and cloning of the New Master Race. Vaughn karate chops his way through much of the film until he's forced to fight HIMSELF in the final moments. Seriously, this is so laughably bad you can't even laugh while watching because you'll be utterly transfixed by the nonsense. I probably shouldn't warn you about all this because if I had to suffer through it, probably you should to. That's the best recommendation I can come up with.

*Spoiler/plot- 1978, A Government spy is sent to investigate a strange occurrence of why many world diplomats are disappearing during an international meeting. A reborn/cloned Natzi terrorist group in South America has plans for world domination again with a Fourth Reich.*Special Stars- Robert Vaughn, Keenan Wynn, Merrie Lynn Ross, Aldo Ray*Theme- Just when you think the Natzi regime is destroyed, they rise. They are often too virulent for the world's worries.*Trivia/location/goofs- Hitler's clone sounds in his speech, too Jewish. This film was shot in and around Manhattan Beach area.*Emotion- A rather crazy 'stinker' direct–to-TV film with Robert 'Napoleon Solo' Vaughn playing a spy long after his prime. This time not very well without the UNCLE interesting locations, fellow cast members, writing, spy toys, and high production values. Most war-decorated veteran of WW2 Pacific theater turned actor Aldo Ray also tries his worst here. This is a film of has-been actor's sad performances. Yawn-- boring.

Make no mistake about it, The Lucifer Complex is a genuine contender for the title of worst movie ever made. The most remarkable thing is that recognised actors have been persuaded to appear in this dismal offering – it's quite depressing to see the likes of Robert Vaughn, Keenan Wynn and Aldo Ray appearing in such cheap, inept, amateurish rubbish. The Lucifer Complex bears all the hallmarks of a film that hasn't been fully completed, with irrelevant stock footage and additional scenes crudely inserted into the existing material in a desperate bid to cobble together a releasable film. Alas, everything is so clumsily done and so achingly inept that one is left wishing that the film hadn't been released at all.In the near future, an explorer on an island discovers a hidden cave containing computers full of old archives. After watching some war footage, he stumbles upon a film showing the adventures of a secret agent on a top secret mission. The agent Glenn Manning (Robert Vaughn) is sent to investigate something called the "Lucifer Problem". Manning crash lands on a remote island and discovers a camp emblazoned with Nazi swastikas, run by a gang of neo-Nazis. The island natives are kept as slaves, and a group of women are held prisoner there too. Manning soon discovers that the women's bodies are being used to give birth to genetically cloned foetuses of various world leaders. He befriends April (Merrie Lynn Ross), one of the women held in the camp, and together they try to stop the sinister plot. Their quest doesn't become any easier when they learn that their Nazi enemies have succeeded in cloning Adolf Hitler himself! Very little of The Lucifer Complex makes sense. For one thing, if our explorer is watching all this as if it is actual archived footage of a spy mission, then who the hell do we suppose filmed it all?? In fact, the whole explorer subplot seems suspiciously unrelated to the film and one is left convinced that it has been included as an afterthought to stretch the film's running time a little, and perhaps as an attempt to provide a way of linking the rather choppy main narrative. Vaughn tries to give a professional performance in the midst of all this, but his efforts are continually shot down by the very non-professional work behind the cameras. The characters are completely uninvolving, the audio poor, the camera work hopelessly wobbly, and the action sequences incompetently edited. Sometimes this sort of film becomes a cult favourite amongst collectors of bad movies (Plan 9 From Outer Space, Robot Monster, etc.) but this one slumps way below the level of "so-bad-it's-good". It is abysmal, pure and simple. It would receive a minus rating if this were possible, and even that would be generous!

"An intelligence agent is set off to investigate events surrounding some of the world's leaders and he comes to a shocking discovery. A plot by former Nazi scientists to clone the world's leaders, in order to return the Third Reich to power, has been undertaken and he must try to stop them from completing their evil plans. Tracking down the headquarters of the Nazi scientists brings another surprise to the agent, when he uncovers the madman ultimately behind the sinister plot," according to the DVD sleeve's synopsis.One of the most boring films every created. Dare an insomniac to stay awake during the first twenty minutes. If you can keep your eyes open, as William Lanning seems strangely able to do, watch for the "Area L7" sign (probably the film's highlight). Then get ready for a spit upon Lesbian prison guard and a few explosions. A not so shocking surprise guest appearance would make the most ardent xenophobe racist swear off holocausts forever, lest they be exposed to more films like "The Lucifer Complex".* The Lucifer Complex (1978) David L. Hewitt, Kenneth Hartford ~ Robert Vaughn, Merrie Lynn Ross, Keenan Wynn, Aldo Ray