Simply A Masterpiece

Highly Overrated But Still Good

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Made at the height of the spy movie craze, Hammerhead commits the worst sin of all in the movie trade - it's monotonous. I enjoy an entertaining bad movie as much as the next, but a boring bad movie is unforgivable and forgettable. So why am I writing this review, you may ask? Because I'm a nice guy and I'm doing this as a public service. If you're a hard-core James Bond/spy movie fanatic like me, you HAVE to see every release that came out during that period. It's inevitable that you're going to track this one down. Don't say I didn't warn you.Oh, I'm sorry-I forgot to mention the plot. Vince Edwards, who some of us remember. on TV as Dr. Ben Casey, doffs his O.R. scrubs and puts on his suit and tie to become... Well, that's the beauty of this incomprehensible film. When you watching you're not exactly sure what he's supposed to be. One minute he says he's an international jewel thief, the next minute, perky Brit flower child Judy Geeson accuses him of being a spy. Even though you never really find out what he is, by the end of the movie, you don't really care. From the beginning to the end, this piece of crap keeps going back and forth to scenes of "Flower power children", dancing in the streets, dancing on top of boats, dancing on top of cars, dancing up on stage...well you get the idea. Maybe if you take some hallucinogens, this movie will really be enjoyable for you. When I think of "dated" movies, I think some of the worst ones come from the "psychedelic age". This movie smells like stale pot. I recommend avoid at all costs.

"Hammerhead" fit very nicely into the 60's/70's explosion of spy flicks which were rushed into theaters following the success of James Bond. It was less humorous and over-the-top than either the Matt Helm or Derek Flint series, but less dark than the Harry Palmer films. It was a solid blend of humor and action and stands as one of the best productions of the era. Vince Edwards did quite a very respectable job as Charles Hood, handling himself exceptionally well in the action sequences, making a credible two-fisted action hero. Peter Vaughn was excellent as the eccentric title villain and I have a memory of a very well done chase sequence with Edwards and a motorcycle that sticks in my mind. Judy Geeson as Hood's romantic interest, while cute and 60's groovy, was incredibly weak and was the film's major drawback, much like a large number of the Bond Girls of the Roger Moore era. "Hammerhead" was based on the Charles Hood spy novel by Steven Coulter, writing as James Mayo. Coulter/Mayo was a friend and contemporary of Ian Fleming and even helped Fleming with the background material for CASINO ROYALE. Coulter finished five spy novels in the Hood series. They are actually quite good and it's a shame that Irving Allen only made one Charles Hood film. I recommend the novels as well if you can find any of them in print anymore.I saw "Hammerhead" in the theater when it was first released and then remember seeing an edited version on TV some time later. Although it's been a very long time since I've seen "Hammerhead", I have very fond memories of it and would love to see a DVD release of it in the future.I recommend "Hammerhead" as one of the better spy adventures of the 60's.

Like the first commenter, I discovered "Hammerhead" via the score LP in the 1970s. CBS-TV in the US used to show a heavily-edited version regularly; later, an uncut print was seen locally. (It was also spotted on cable during the 1980s.) It's a neat movie, with some good chase scenes (one involving a large hearse). The "Chelsea Happening" music accompanies an interesting performance-art show that was typical of the era. Judy Geeson's character manages to be both kooky and sexy as she and Vince Edwards scoot all over Europe in search of Hammerhead.Note: the music on the LP is a different recording from that in the movie; the arrangements are, however, pretty much identical. The score rather predictably conforms to visual action: for example, those five rhythmic "hits" near the end of "Villa Fight" are cut to Charles Hood slamming a car door on someone's hand! This actually bolsters the charm of this picture.Any chance to see "Hammerhead" should be seized upon!!

This has to be one of the worst movies I have ever seen. I watched it on television years ago, my wife and I have used it as a standard for the worst ever sense. It was so bad, I turned it off, thought maybe it would get better, turned it back on, three times. Even the music was terrible. HammmmmmmmmmmmmmerHead, still rings in my ears.