As I say in the summary, I had a hard time understanding the casting in this one. As for Lee Majors, he was no longer the "Six Million Dollar Man" and he was most likely desperate for work. And, Vallerie Perrine was an almost star several times...almost. But appearances in this film and turkey's like "Can't Stop the Music" have made her a C-list star--so her being in this low-budget Canadian film isn't a surprise. But, how did they ever get the respected mega-star Robert Mitchum to appear in this one? Was Mitchum broke? Were job offers scarce? Was he willing to do almost anything to appear on film? Did the filmmakers use blackmail or extortion to get him to sign on to this project?" All I do know for sure is that I was shocked to see him in this.Now I am not automatically assuming "Agency" is a terrible film--but it certainly is low budget and is distributed now on DVD by Alpha Video (a company which seems to only release films in the public domain or with very, very low costs to obtain). Is it a buried treasure or should Alpha have left this one in some basement where it can further degrade and yellow (and, incidentally, the print is just terrible)? In addition to the three stars, the film also features a very young Saul Rubinek. While you won't likely recognize his name, he later gained some fame on "Deep Space 9" and "Frasier" as recurring characters and has appeared in a huge number of TV shows over the years. He's a very good actor--but that hair!! You have just got to see his huge 1980-style hairdo--it's a definite DON'T! Lee Majors works for an advertising agency. He's moving up in the company and seems pretty happy. However, when his friend comes to him with some paranoid rant, Majors tells him he'll talk to him later--but the man is murdered before they can talk. Majors is able to piece together that something EVIL is afoot at the agency--but what?! Well, it all boils down to a plan to use subliminal messages to control people like a flock of sheep.The plot involves something very timely for 1980 but which has been completely discredited. With the publication of "Subliminal Seduction" in 1974 and "The Clam-Plate Orgy and Other Subliminals the Media Use to Manipulate Your Behavior" (also by the same author), there was a bit of talk about advertising's ability to subconsciously control our minds--making us slaves to the clever advertiser's whims. Well, it made for an exciting book...though none of it turned out to have the least real effect on folks' behaviors. So, while some agencies did experiment with hidden images to make us buy something, research into the topic never panned out--and today you'll have a hard time finding any reputable professional who would believe in it. BUT, in 1980, it was still a rather hot topic--and quite timely. So, despite the plot being scientifically ridiculous, it didn't seem so at the time...or at least not quite as silly.So is it any good? Well, putting aside the impossibility of the plot, you've got a real mixed bag. The film is, at times, tense and interesting but in the end it's all rather clichéd and silly. I particularly laughed at the James Bond-like moment at the end where the baddie told his plan to the hero before killing him! In real life, a bullet in the head and then, maybe, an explanation!!

Agency is a film based on an interesting premise about subliminal advertising. Too bad the production was so shoddy, even with Robert Mitchum in a juicy role as the mysterious millionaire who buys an advertising agency for his own nefarious purposes.I remember seeing this exact same premise on a Saved By the Bell episode where Zack and Screech plant audio subliminal messages in tapes of favorite rock group so that boys can present these tapes to the girls of their dreams hoping for a match. It actually does work for a while.Mitchum's after much bigger game, in some commercials that saturated the state of Arizona a noted liberal Senator went down with subliminal visuals placed in some ads about some product. Saul Rubinek catches on and he gets killed for his trouble.Rubinek's friend Lee Majors also catches on, but he proves a lot more difficult to deal with.Mitchum is deliciously evil in this film, unfortunately the film itself is just not worthy of him. And the premise is kind of dumb. Who's to say the other party won't start using it. It's hard enough to get people to the polls in the USA let alone vote for the candidate with the best subliminal advertising.And if they could use the plot on Saved By the Bell..................

"Agency" is one of those films that's equal parts cheese, espionage, and paranoia-truly something that could only be a product of the 70's. It's not exactly earth-shattering but a must-see in my book. The "revealing point" is so funny/messed-up...well, just one hint. Wait for them to play the "Chocolate Planet" tape and you'll see for yourself. But I'm warning you...you might die laughing. *PHNERK!* -No Nukes, The Satanic Pikachu

AGENCY is another of those Canadian-made pictures posing as an American film, replete with big-name U.S. actors, and featuring Montreal unconvincingly standing in for Washington, D.C.With a premise that is more intriguing and timely now than ever - subliminal messages in TV ads - one would have wished for a sincere, thoughtful approach. Instead, the wretched script is awash with bad dialogue and, in the second half, silly corporate intrigue scenes involving Lee Majors slinking about the ad agency at night, trying to get to the bottom of boss Robert Mitchum's nefarious political machinations. Mitchum's henchmen are so laughable-looking and inept that they appear to have been recruited straight from a Pink Panther film. Parts of the film border on outright comedy.Still, the film is not completely without merit. The first half is promising; Majors makes an affable protagonist; Saul Rubinek is quite good as the harried eccentric who first discovers Mitchum's conspiracy (although his open contempt of his boss makes his continued employment at the agency another implausible factor). Valerie Perrine, however, appears in an entirely disposable role as the obligatory concerned wife.Finally, all production elements are professional, and AGENCY at least turns out to be a diverting, if daft and disappointing, thriller. I was not bored.