THE 10TH VICTIM: JAPANESE & KINDLE

We conclude our week of rare books with two editions of Robert Sheckley's The 10th Victim. The 1965 Elio Petri movie adaptation starring Ursula Andress and Marcello Mastroianni looms large here on Spy Vibe. Ever since I was a kid, I've been completely fascinated by the film's cocktail of groovy music, op art, pop art, space-age fashion, and modern design. I was fortunate to be able to contribute the entire poster/still gallery to the Blu-ray edition from Blue Underground (on sale now for $12.49!). As we discussed in our tour of Japanese editions of James Bond and The Man From U.N.C.L.E., the leading publisher for mystery and Sci-Fi in the 1960s was Hayakawa. Hayakawa released The 10th Victim in 1967 with the company's trademark abstract painting motif on the cover. It appears that Kanamori Tooru supplied a design as well, but I have not been able to verify this. Kanamai's style tended toward classic Sci-Fi illustration, making images for properties like Star Trek, so I believe the abstract work below is by another artist. Sheckley's novel was translated by Tokiwa Shimpei (born in Iwate prefecture, for my fellow northerners). Another edition came out by Hayakawa in 1969, wrapped in an obi with photo stills from the movie. Story continues below.

Robert Sheckley's The 10th Victim is finally accessible as an e-book! Amazon just released it on April 1st, along with the author's Victim series. The original source material for the film was a 1953 short story, The Seventh Victim, included in the author's book Galaxy. Sheckley's film novelization came out in 1966. The 10th Victim movie was a perfect project for Robert Sheckley and Elio Petri. Both artists were interested in satire and social commentary, often shedding light on moral decay and society's chilling fascination with violence. The 10th Victim establishes a future where violent tendencies are channeled into games of death, and violence itself is marketed as entertainment. Modern audiences will recognize the trend in our own current popularity of reality shows, Battle Royale, The Hunger Games, and the flood of serial-killer anti-heroes. Sheckley's use of satire and fast-paced writing made his own commentary and narrative quite accessible and entertaining. The 10th Victim novel differs slightly from the movie. In this famous passage below, we do see the heroine dispatch her killer with a gun-bra bikini (one of the images that inspired Austin Powers). But Sheckley's action takes place in a trendy art gallery of wax dummies, rather than Petri's choice to place the killing in a sadomasochist club. 

Excerpt: "One of the wax dummies on the far end of the line came suddenly and disconcertingly to life. The dummy whirled; it was Caroline, half clad, the upper half of her comely body concealed only by a strangely shaped metal brassiere reminiscent of the one worn by Wilma, the legendary wife of Buck Rogers. Caroline's was a more practical garment than that archetypical brassiere of yore; for as she faced the startled Hunter, each breast piece fired a single shot." The Victim novels are currently $3.99 on Kindle Amazon. German edition on Spy Vibe here. Related 10th Victim posts: Future Listening, Set Countdown #5, Soundtrack, fashion, Fear and Fashion, Mods to Moongirls.

Recent Ian Fleming posts on Spy Vibe: Bond Japanese Editions, Fleming Chinese Edition, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang 50th, Ian Fleming: Mt. Demon Hell Japan, Collecting Fleming, Live and Let Die 60th, new poster announced, 007 Audio Books Update, Appropriating Bond Exhibit, Fleming Letters Mystery, The Goldfinger Variations, Double 007 Book Designs,  Double 007 designs II, rare Ian Fleming edition, Book Design Dopplegangers, Turkish Bond design, Ian Fleming Letters, Erno Goldfinger, Noel Coward, Whispering Jack Smith, Hawaiian Guitar, Joe Fingers Carr, new Ian Fleming Catalog, Jon Gilbert interview, Double 007 Designs, Bond audio book reissues, discovery of one of Ian Fleming's WWII Commandos, James Bond book covers, Ian Fleming's Playboy interview for Kindle, Spy Vibe's discovery of a rare Ian Fleming serialization, rare View to a Kill, Fleming's Royal gold typewriter, Ian Fleming's memorial address, Spy Vibe's Ian Fleming image archive.

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THE 10TH VICTIM: GERMAN EDITION

Our spotlight on rare book designs continues today with The 10th Victim by Robert Sheckley. As many readers may know, the 1965 Elio Petri movie adaptation starring Ursula Andress and Marcello Mastroianni looms large here on Spy Vibe. Ever since I was a kid, I've been completely fascinated by the film's cocktail of groovy music, op art, pop art, space-age fashion, and modern design. I was fortunate to be able to contribute the entire poster/still gallery to the Blu-ray edition from Blue Underground (on sale now for $12.49!). My collection includes many original materials from the US, France, Belgium, and Japan. It was only recently that I cast a wider net and found this cool paperback from Germany, where the film was called Das 10. Opfer. In addition to the book, collectors can find lobby cards and programs (see below) on the international market. Like tie-in products from other countries, the German materials focus on the erotic and sci-fi elements from the movie. If you haven't watched it, that's Ursula Andress in her silver gun-bikini!

There are new DVD and Blu-ray editions of The 10th Victim out now in Germany and the UK! The UK edition (DVD/Blu-ray) from Shameless Screen Entertainment was just released on March 10th and includes exclusive interviews with Paola Petri and journalist Kim Newman. Box are below. Related 10th Victim posts: Future Listening, Set Countdown #5, Soundtrack, fashion, Fear and Fashion, Mods to Moongirls. 

Recent Ian Fleming posts on Spy Vibe: Fleming Chinese Edition, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang 50th, Ian Fleming: Mt. Demon Hell Japan, Collecting Fleming, Live and Let Die 60th, new poster announced, 007 Audio Books Update, Appropriating Bond Exhibit, Fleming Letters Mystery, The Goldfinger Variations, Double 007 Book Designs,  Double 007 designs II, rare Ian Fleming edition, Book Design Dopplegangers, Turkish Bond design, Ian Fleming Letters, Erno Goldfinger, Noel Coward, Whispering Jack Smith, Hawaiian Guitar, Joe Fingers Carr, new Ian Fleming Catalog, Jon Gilbert interview, Double 007 Designs, Bond audio book reissues, discovery of one of Ian Fleming's WWII Commandos, James Bond book covers, Ian Fleming's Playboy interview for Kindle, Spy Vibe's discovery of a rare Ian Fleming serialization, rare View to a Kill, Fleming's Royal gold typewriter, Ian Fleming's memorial address, Spy Vibe's Ian Fleming image archive.

Recent Spy Vibe posts: UNCLE Gun, The Saint books return, Spy exhibit at the Pacific Science Center, Trina Robbins Interview, Catsuits, Batman '66 Green Hornet Interview: Ralph Garman Ty Templeton, DC Fontana Prisoner Video, Edward Gorey's 1960s, Ipcress File cinematography, 007 SOLO cover designs, Gloria Steinem and Denny O'Neil on MOD Wonder Woman, Win Scott Eckert interview, Siegel and Shuster's SPY, David McCallum: Son of Batman, Wonderwall comes to Blu-ray, Kevin Dart talks Ringo & Powerpuff Girls, Fu Manchu history panel, Mod Tales Interview, Atomic Art, Shane Glines Batman.

10TH VICTIM BLU-RAY DETAILED!

Spy Vibe is excited to contribute to the upcoming Blu-ray edition of Elio Petri's cult classic, The 10th Victim (1965). The film, based on the 1953 short story Seventh Victim by sci-fi author Robert Sheckley, features Mod fashion, design, architecture, Op Art, Pop Art, cars by Jaguar and Citroen, Marcello Mastroianni, Ursula Andress, and a cool soundtrack by Piero Piccioni! Blue Underground will be sending copies of the Blu-ray in August, so keep Spy Vibe on your radar for a chance to win the movie for free! Blue Underground has finalized the disc details below.

Note that some of the following ad copy is from original '60s press releases, which didn't quite get the plot facts right (In the story, Marcello is not on his 10th hunt). Culturally, both Sheckley and Petri are celebrated for their commentary on violence and entertainment in society. Although The 10th Victim offers us a stylish fantasy from 1965, the film also mines Italy's gladiatorial history and predicts the future of "reality" entertainment of the contemporary world. From Blue Underground:

"The Original sexy '60's cult classic is back! It is the 21^st Century, and society’s lust for violence is satisfied by “The Big Hunt,” an international game of legalized murder. But when the sport’s two top assassins (Marcello Mastroianni and Ursula Andress) are pitted against each other, they find that love is the most dangerous game of all. As the world watches, the hunt is on. Who will become THE 10th VICTIM?

THE 10th VICTIM is the international cult classic whose wild action and sexy style has influenced a generation of movies, from THE RUNNING MAN to the AUSTIN POWERS series. Now this outrageous satire has been newly remastered from the original negative and is presented here in groovy High Definition!"

Extras: Marcello: A Sweet Life (98 min doc), US & Italian Trailers, movie still & poster gallery, Marcello Mastroianni still gallery.