Superargo Versus Diabolicus
A masked wrestler fights a madman over uranium.
Superargo Versus Diabolicus (also known in Italian as *Superargo contro Diabolikus* and in Spanish as *Superargo, el hombre enmascarado*) is a 1966 superhero film written and directed by Nick Nostro. The story follows a super-powered masked wrestler who becomes a secret agent and must stop the villain Diabolicus from stealing uranium as part of a scheme to conquer the world.
The cast includes Giovanni Cianfriglia as Superargo, Gérard Tichy (credited as Gerhard Tichy) as Diabolicus, Loredana Nusciak as Diabolicus' mistress, Mónica Randall as Lidia, Francisco Castillo Escalona as Col. Alex Kinski, Emilio Messina as a henchman, and Geoffrey Copleston as Conrad.
Director Nostro said he instructed Cianfriglia to perform the role like Zorro. He found the best voice actor available for the part and felt that, despite Cianfriglia’s limitations, he came across well on screen. The film was shot with exterior scenes in Barcelona and interior scenes in Rome at De Paolis studios. Because of a low budget, the producer also had some indoor scenes filmed at his villa in Frascati.
*Superargo Versus Diabolicus* opened in Rome in December 1966 and was released in Spain in 1967 under the title *Superargo contra Diabolicus*. A sequel, *Superargo and the Faceless Giants*, directed by Paolo Bianchini, followed in 1968.
Quick Facts
- Director
- Nick Nostro
- Starring
- Giovanni Cianfriglia / Gérard Tichy / Loredana Nusciak / Mónica Randall
- Distributor
- <!-- or
- Released
- 1966 · 12 · Italy · 1967 · Spain
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Superargo Versus Diabolicus was written and directed by Nick Nostro. The film's plot follows Superargo, a super-powered masked wrestler turned secret agent, as he confronts the villain Diabolicus, who plans to steal uranium to take over the world. The cast includes Giovanni Cianfriglia as Superargo, Gérard Tichy as Diabolicus, Loredana Nusciak as Diabolicus' Mistress, Mónica Randall as Lidia, Francisco Castillo Escalona as Col. Alex Kinski, Emilio Messina as a henchman, and Geoffrey Copleston as Conrad.
Director Nick Nostro commented that he had actor Giovanni Cianfriglia act like Zorro in the role. Nostro stated he got him the best voice actor available and felt that, despite his shortcomings, Cianfriglia made a good impression on screen. The film was shot with exteriors in Barcelona and interiors in Rome at De Paolis studios. Due to the cheap budget, the producer had some indoor scenes shot at his villa in Frascati.
Reader's Guide
Superargo Versus Diabolicus is notable as a mid-1960s Italian-Spanish superhero film that blends wrestling and secret-agent tropes. Its production reflects low-budget genre filmmaking of the era, with director Nick Nostro adapting the lead's performance to mimic Zorro and using creative locations to save costs. The film opened in Rome in December 1966 and was released in Spain in 1967. It spawned a sequel, Superargo and the Faceless Giants (1968), directed by Paolo Bianchini. While not a major critical or commercial landmark, the film represents a specific niche in European popular cinema, combining masked heroics with Cold War-era fears of uranium theft and world domination.
Did You Know?
- Giovanni Cianfriglia played Superargo, and Nostro had him act like Zorro.
- Exteriors were shot in Barcelona, interiors in Rome at De Paolis studios.
- Some indoor scenes were shot at the producer's villa in Frascati due to the cheap budget.
More in Italian superhero films 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced