CRIMEBUSTERS - DVD REVIEW

That’s the English translation of the German DVD for Michele Massimo Tarantini’s Poliziotti Violenti (1976), his first and best poliziesco.  Henry Silva stars as disgruntled army officer Michele Altieri who inadvertently pairs up with Paolo Tosi, a hotshot cop played by crime film veteran Antonio Sabato.  The main crux of the story involves their search for a shipment of “experimental” military machine guns, which have gone missing in the Roman underworld.  Like most of these films, the plot occasionally takes a backseat in order for Altieri to flex his muscles against would-be kidnappers and purse-snatchers, typical staples of poliziesco.  Even though this is one of Silva’s rare good guy roles, he doesn’t take too well to authority and still gets to engage in plenty of action as he and Tosi uncover an international gunrunning operation, which is merely “one tentacle of the octopus”.

Most Italocrime enthusiasts would probably recognize this film under its original English export title CRIMEBUSTERS, which was released on American VHS by Mogul Video in 1987.  This was one of their better-looking releases that featured a decent, albeit somewhat dark transfer.  Here is the synopsis taken verbatim from the CRIMEBUSTERS VHS tape (Catalog #1025):

“CRIMEBUSTERS… a movie packed with non-stop action, political intrigue and horrific violence.  Set in a terrorist torn Latin country, the head of a paratroop training team wages a one man battle to unravel the illegal activities of a multi-national armaments company.

Is the company supplying terrorist squads?  As the investigation evolves blackmail, political manipulation and murder emerge as the film builds towards its stunning climax.  A story of kidnapping, espionage and government deceit.”

The first DVD from Italy courtesy of Alan Young Pictures only featured an Italian language option, but Eyecatcher Movies out of Germany also released this with the choice of German, Italian and English language options.  Extras are rather sparse, but the attractive transfer, which is also enhanced for 16x9, more than makes up for that.  The only extras to speak of are a handful of trailers for numerous crime flicks including one for Poliziotti Violenti.  For some strange reason, the alternate German title is Die Ratten von Milano even though the film takes place in Rome.

The CURSE OF THE ALPHA STONE - VHS REVIEW

This will be a regular feature looking at long, lost VHS tapes.  Let’s start with a real doozy, United Home Video’s The CURSE OF THE ALPHA STONE (1972).  Here is the synopsis from the VHS (Catalogue #1023) released in 1986:

“A young college professor stumbles onto an ancient formula which he believes will create the legendary, “Alpha Stone”, believed by mystics to contain the secret of life.  A series of experiments which couple modern science with ancient mysticism result in its creation.  The professor experiments on a young student who as a result is transformed into a lusting maniac, preying on the helpless bodies of nubile young virgins.”

That’s pretty much the general plot of this loopy sexploitation effort from director Stewart Malleon who, according to my research, hasn’t done much else.  What the back of United Home Video’s VHS tape neglects to mention is just how bizarre the film truly is. 

Jim Scotlin is Abe Adams, the genius professor/alchemist who manages to extract the secret of the Alpha Stone (basically a yellow glowing rock), which he creates in his homemade laboratory.  Although it may contain “the secret of life”, he decides to utilize its supposedly infinite power and get laid instead, which appears to be his sole motivation.  Whether this is a side effect or his primary goal is never made clear, but it’s quite obvious that he or anyone else that comes in contact with it begins to suffer from an overactive libido.  When he initially uses a young gay man as a test subject, the power of the Alpha Stone not only turns him into a serial rapist, but also turns him “straight” as well!  Then, in another scene, Abe’s maid is suddenly attracted to her vacuum cleaner, while a multitude of women from the college campus pass through Abe’s bedroom including sexploitation starlet Sandy Carey.  Of course, it all goes horribly wrong during the abrupt ending when Abe’s overgrown member proves to be too much for one of the women.

Although filmed in 1972, this apparently never played theatrically and only surfaced on VHS when home video entrepreneur Jeff Hogue released this through United Home Video as part of a “9 film package for United Entertainment” which also included William Girdler’s ASYLUM OF SATAN (1972) and Pat Patterson’s DR. GORE (1973).  Check out John Wooley’s excellent interview (“The wild, wild world of exploitation”) with Hogue in Fangoria #61 for more on this low-budget distributor.

Not easy to find, Something Weird Video also released this on DVD-R, but this is also out of print, so check Ebay or Amazon.