THE GREAT ALLIGATOR - UHD REVIEW

Perhaps more befitting its Argentinean title, CROCODILO – A FERA ASSASSINA (“Crocodile – The Killer Beast”), Sergio Martino’s THE GREAT ALLIGATOR (1979) has unfortunately garnered a very poor reputation over the years, and while we don’t pretend to be expert herpetologists here at Unpopped, the film’s rather misleading English-language export title, which can’t seem to differentiate between that of an alligator or crocodile, is definitely amusing to say the least. But you take what you can get, as they say, and THE GREAT ALLIGATOR has plenty to like about it, especially via Severin’s outstanding UHD/BD combo, so cut it some slack, okay? 

Shot in the jungles of Sri Lanka (the year previous Martino had directed the substantially more gruesome cannibal picture, THE MOUNTAIN OF THE CANNIBAL GOD[a.k.a. SLAVE OF THE CANNIBAL GOD, 1978] in the same locales), this cost-conscious, thinly-veiled pseudo-“Jaws” imitation stars Claudio Cassinelli as Daniel Nessel, a photographer who is hired to take publicity shots for Paradise House, a new resort located deep in an unspecified jungle, which also has to contend with a highly superstitious tribe of natives living nearby. Although referred to as a “conservationist’s dream” by Joshua (Mel Ferrer), the owner of this tropical getaway, he maintains the natives are “good peaceful folk”, and that Paradise House has “a total respect for the ecology,” but in the very next scene, Joshua’s unscrupulous modus operandi becomes glaringly evident as more of the surrounding rainforest is cut down. While Daniel’s working relationship with Joshua is often a strained one, which keeps them frequently embattled with one another, Daniel seeks support with the resort’s manager Ali (Barbara Bach), who just happens to be an anthropologist as well, which will come in handy as the natives deliver a curse on the interloping foreigners in the form of Kruna, a giant man-eating croc… 

 

Similar to many of the emerging jungle cannibal adventures of the late ’70s (Ruggero Deodato’s CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST [1979] was shot the same year halfway around the world), THE GREAT ALLIGATOR is also replete with some superfluous if poignant social commentary about the harmony of nature and the ever-increasing encroachment of civilization on the natural world. Martino and his cadre of scriptwriters admirably illustrate just how deeply-entrenched the indigenous cultures are intertwined with the environment, tribal lore and mythology, but once “the great God of the river” manifests itself as a giant croc, which has a penchant for offing minor cast members regular as clockwork, this intriguing set-up is lessened. As expected, Daniel and Ali continue to be at loggerheads with Joshua, leaving formulaic dialogue to bear the burden of instilling tension and suspense (e.g., “What in the hell has gotten into those damn savages!”), and when the giant croc is finally revealed for too long a stretch, the impact is likewise cheapened care of some painfully obvious miniature work, which will surely become lodged in your brainpan afterwards, either for its resounding shoddiness or endearing ingenuity. 

 

In keeping with the film’s exotic motif, the film also pays reference to Adalberto Albertini’s hugely-successful BLACK EMANUELLE (1975) and its many sequels and spin-offs. Cassinelli’s character is a prominent fashion photographer, who is even accompanied by a stunning ‘exotic’ black model named Sheena (Geneve Hutton), whom he photographers in various outdoor shoots; and just like Emanuelle, Sheena also has a nocturnal riverside tryst with one of the locals. Here making his third appearance for Martino after THE MOUNTAIN OF THE CANNIBAL GOD and ISLAND OF THE FISHMEN (a.k.a. SCREAMERS, 1979), Cassinelli again stars as a man of cast-iron integrity, who forges an alliance with Barbara Bach, his co-star in ISLAND who also comports herself once more with feminine dignity even as she is abducted by the local tribe as a potential sacrifice. Wearing some snappy attire and a humourless barracuda grin, Mel Ferrer is also well cast as the ruthless developer, who will stop at nothing to see his “pilot experiment” come to fruition, plus Ferrer dubs his own voice in the English version, which always adds an aura of believability to the role. Having previously starred in the aforementioned ISLAND OF THE FISHMEN, British thespian Richard Johnson (who starred the same year in Lucio Fulci’s ZOMBIE [1979]) also appears herein with a hilarious, over-the-top bit-part as a former missionary and lone survivor after an earlier run-in with this “demon.” 

 

Although released on U.S. videotape in the ’80s via Gorgon Video, this was one of the company’s more obscure, lesser-seen VHS videocassettes, which didn’t do the film any favours, reducing Giancarlo Ferrando’s lush, carefully-composed photography (easily one of the film’s strongest assets) into a heavily-cropped, incoherent mess. However, for those that could afford it or find dubbed-down copies, the Teichiku videocassette from Japan retained the film’s proper 2.35:1 aspect ratio. Outside of some early European disc releases, the film’s first North American DVD came in 2005 via the long-defunct No Shame Films, where it was renamed THE BIG ALLIGATOR RIVER, a literal translation of the film’s Italian title. This disc includes a nice anamorphic transfer (which finally allowed most viewers to appreciate Ferrando’s dynamic camerawork) and Dolby Digital 2.0 mono audio in English and Italian, the latter with English subtitles. Extras include In the Croc’s Nest (34m55s), a solid interview with Martino who discusses working on the film, the slowly declining film industry at the time, and working with many of his favourite actors. Production designer Massimo Antonello Geleng (credited on the film as Antonello Massimo Geleng) also shows up to give us his thoughts on the film and working alongside Martino. Other extras include the film’s English and Italian trailers (both 2m48s), a brief photo gallery (1m00s) and a 15-page liner notes booklet with writing on the film by Richard Harland Smith and Matthew Weisman. In 2011, the still-mysterious and highly dubious MYA Communications released the film as ALLIGATOR, which includes the very same transfer along with the same audio options (albeit without the benefit of English subtitles on the Italian track), minus all the extra features. 

 

In 2017, Code Red released the film on BD, and the image herein is very clean with a pleasing depth of field and plenty of detail not seen in earlier standard definition editions. Unlike No Shame’s DVD, audio is offered in English only and sounds just fine in this DTS-HD MA 2.0 mono track especially when Stelvio Cipriani’s propulsive score is heard.  Extras include the aforementioned In the Croc’s Nest, and several other featurettes including 3 Friends and an Alligator (15m55s), which is a nice panel interview with special effects guru Paolo Ricci, set and costume designer Massimo Antonello Geleng and DP Giancarlo Ferrando wherein they casually reminisce working on the film, the various “problems of making it credible”, the special effects, the copycat nature of these productions, and some of the film’s newcomers including Lory del Santo (who provides some very brief, but requisite cheesecake) and Anny Papa. In Alligator Rock (16m30s), camera operator Claudio Morabito relates lots of funny anecdotes during the shoot and admits that the “crocodile could have turned out better”, but also misses making many of these “much simpler, much more thrown together” films; he also fondly remembers actor Claudio Cassinelli whom he regards as a “good, well-rounded actor.” In Shooting Underwater (7m18s), DP and underwater photography specialist Gianlorenzo Battaglia discusses the difficulties of shooting in water, his background as a scuba diver, and how he became a specialist in his field. The film’s theatrical trailer (2m51s) and trailers for some of Code Red’s other product conclude the extras. 

 

Earlier this year, Severin Films brought the film to UHD, and the image quality is even more impressive with naturalistic colours and superb detail, which adds even more vibrancy to the picture – it really looks fantastic. The only extra on the UHD disc is the film’s English-language export trailer (2m58s). The second disc (a Region A locked Blu-ray) also contains the feature-length film and all of the film’s extensive special features, which begin with Down by the River (10m42s), a terrific new interview with Sergio Martino conducted at the Severin office wherein he talks about the imitative nature of these films and how popular they were the world over. He also humbly states that it’s “not one of his best films” but he enjoyed travelling the world and working in Sri Lanka despite the “terrifyingly humid conditions.” In Minou (16m34s), the always charming Silvia Collatina (best remembered for her role in Lucio Fulci’s gothic masterpiece THE HOUSE BY THE CEMETERY [1981]) is given a chance to speak about her time on the film as a child actor, which she does with great fondness. It was her first trip overseas, and she admits it was a “pretty wild experience”, which at times felt like a “school trip.” She developed a good rapport with both Cassinelli and Barbara Bach, while Martino was the “father/director” whom she says was always “very calm with his actors.” In Later Alligator (16m48s), Massimo Antonello Geleng returns to discuss the film’s relatively “comfortable shoot”, which was done entirely at the hotel where the entire cast and crew were residing. He also remembers the vicious mosquitos, the challenges of building everything the story called for, the film’s interior shoots at De Paolis studios in Rome, and the “scarcity of available assets” on location in Sri Lanka. In the brief, but very welcome Alligator Land (6m12s), signore Geleng returns yet again to discuss all of his striking artwork, concept art, and promotional art related to the film. In Paradise House – Christianity and the Natural World in Sergio Martino’s The Great Alligator (18m48s), the late – and sorely missed – Lee Gambin contributes a visual essay, which points out the film’s Christian belief system and how it has its “foundation in the planet”, the role of commerce and the detriment it has on the environment and the natural order, ecohorror in general, zenophobia, and more in this wonderful and well-thought out essay.

 

Thankfully, Severin have also ported over 3 Friends and an Alligator (16m19s, which includes far more legible English subtitles), while Beware of the Gator (16m28s) and Underwater (7m18s) are the same interviews from Code Red’s earlier disc with Claudio Morabito and Gianlorenzo Battaglia, respectively. The same trailer from disc one is also included. 

 

Ignoring its obvious imitative streak and humble origins, THE GREAT ALLIGATOR is professionally constructed and makes for great entertainment, especially via Severin’s superb UHD/BD package. Order it directly from Severin Films (which includes an exclusive slipcover) or DiabolikDVD.

TONY ARZENTA - BLU-RAY REVIEW

In addition to being director Duccio Tessari’s third Italocrime offering (that is, if you consider his earlier perfect caper-gone-wrong film THE BASTARDS [1968] and his crime-infused giallo DEATH OCCURRED LAST NIGHT [1970] Eurocrime pictures), TONY ARZENTA (1973) became a sizable hit in many markets, and, as with Stefano Vanzina’s THE EXECUTION SQUAD (1973), and Enzo G. Castellari’s HIGH CRIME (1973), was a major influence on a whole crime wave of ’70s Italian actioners. The film’s popularity was also no doubt precipitated by the presence of French superstar Alain Delon as the title character, but unlike the subsequent – and numerous - Italian vigilante cop shoot-’em-ups of the era, TONY ARZENTA possesses a distinctly different tone, and it’s sparse, tightly-controlled narrative is at times not unlike the works of celebrated director Jean-Pierre Melville.

As he did so effectively in Melville’s LE SAMOURAÏ (1967), Delon once again stars as the familiar laconic, methodical hitman, who has sickened of his lifestyle, and decides to leave the Mafia controlled syndicate run by Nick Gusto (Richard Conte). When Nick asks why he is choosing to retire, Tony laments, “One of these days I’m going to stop a bullet, and my kid will figure he’s gotta pay somebody back”, but Nick quickly retorts, “You don’t walk out of the business. Either you stay in or they carry you out!” Of course, the syndicate capi refuse to accept Arzenta’s retirement proposal, which of course, unleashes a torrent of Mafia reprisals, betrayals and plenty of ultraviolence…

 

First seen celebrating his son’s birthday with his wife (Nicoletta Machiavelli) and family friends, Arzenta leaves the party early to rub-out an intended target, but no sooner has the gunsmoke cleared, he returns to the normalcy of his family home, tucking his son into bed like any good father would. Arzenta is a man of few words, but he is both thoughtful and tender with those he loves, yet coldly systematic with persons who mean nothing more to him than a paycheck. Arzenta’s moral duality is well reflected by Tessari and his DP Silvano Ippoliti who generate some evocative imagery, including a seemingly desolate, fog-enshrouded Milan and various starkly-cut interiors (helped along by Lorenzo Baraldi’s coolly modern set designs), which are effectively juxtaposed with the sunny – and far more hospitable - climate of Arzenta’s Palermo family home, where he frequently confers with his mother (Carla Calò) father (Corrado Gaipa). Gianni Ferrio also contributes a haunting main theme (as sung by the incredible Ornella Vanoni), whose lyrics further echo Arzenta’s self-negating existence as a friendless, disposable outsider, and that of a once loving family man. 

 

Beautifully paced with some terrifically tensile moments, TONY ARZENTA is an unsparingly violent film, and Arzenta makes for a ruthlessly efficient killing machine who is equally skilled with either a gun, garotte or switchblade, and who is quieter than the silencer of his large-calibre handgun. Although reliant on more credible human drama, action erupts at perfectly-timed intervals and is suitably tough and gritty. In one particular standout scene aboard a train, Arzenta kills his intended victim in a most spectacular fashion that rivals anything seen in a giallo whodunit or Dario Argento picture. In between his numerous precision-timed hits throughout Europe, the film also includes a couple of flawlessly staged car chases with Delon performing some of his very own stunt work. 

 

Further highlighted by uniformly strong performances from an impressive roster of supporting players, former Hollywood star Richard Conte excels as the honour-bound mob boss of an impeccably organized directory of professional criminals. In an interesting dynamic, his character has developed an almost father / son-like dynamic with Delon’s calculating hitman, which adds plenty of impact as the narrative progresses. Further supporting players include Roger Hanin as Carré, an overly cruel and misogynist mob boss who would want nothing more than to be rid of Arzenta without any fuss (“Arzenta is just a piece of dogshit I want wiped off my shoe!”), and who also derives sadistic pleasure out of constantly abusing his girlfriend Sandra (“I don’t keep you around here just to play with yourself!”), played by the always fascinating Carla Gravina. In one of the film’s toughest, and most difficult to stomach scenes (which was shortened in many English-speaking prints), Gravina is viciously beaten by three goons (“Get rough with ’er!”) as they wait for Arzenta to return to his hideout. Like Carré, Anton Diffring is also equally reprehensible as the Copenhagen connection Hans Grünwald, a racist with Nazi proclivities, whose blonde hair and blue eyes cannot hide his black heart, who, even at the risk of sacrificing potential profits, refuses to do business with “those blacks” in Morocco. Other future Eurocrime repeat offenders include Marc Porel as Arzenta’s only friend Domenico Maggio, Giancarlo Sbargia as Arzenta’s other “friend,” Lino Troisi as mob boss Cutitta, Ettore Manni as a swindling capo, Silvano Tranquilli as the incorruptible Interpol officer Montalli, Erika Blanc as a bruised and battered prostitute, and Rosalba Neri in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-her bit part as Cutitta’s wife. 

 

Although distributed theatrically in the U.S. as NO WAY OUT via Cinema Shares International Distribution Corporation, TONY ARZENTA never received a North American VHS release, and outside of Creazioni Home Video’s Italian language videotape (which popped up in several North American ethnic video stores in the early ’90s), this was a difficult title to see during the video era. For those that could locate it, Eion’s Japanese VHS videocassette featured an impressive widescreen transfer for the time, and it was in English to boot. In 2003, the film was released on Japanese DVD by King Records as part of their “Style of Italian Action Films” collection, and although it contained both Italian and English audio tracks, the non-anamorphic widescreen transfer left plenty of room for improvement. In 2022, Germany’s Explosive Media debuted the film on Blu-ray as a 2-disc Region B limited edition mediabook, which was a substantial upgrade over previous standard definition releases. Disc one included the ‘International Cut’ (112m57s), and showcased a new restoration, which had plenty of visible texture, a healthier colour palette, and more pronounced black levels; although it must be said, occasional scenes still seemed slightly soft, but this of course may be a product of Ippoliti’s at times distinctive photography. A German-language audio commentary with film historian Leonhard Elias Lemke was included, but without the benefit of English subtitles, it was not reviewed. Disc two included the film’s German theatrical cut (96m36s), which seemed to be on par picture-wise with the longer cut, but was not English-friendly. The brief extras on disc two included a decent photo gallery, and the film’s Italian theatrical trailer (3m34s). The DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono tracks were in English, Italian and German on the longer cut, and German only on the shorter German theatrical cut of the film. The handsomely-designed mediabook also included a nicely illustrated 40-page booklet with writing from Steffen Wulf, but alas, it too was only in German.

 

Earlier this year, UK-based Radiance Films finally brought this top-tier Eurocrime film to English-speaking audiences with their Region Free BD, which touts a “new restoration, presented on Blu-ray for the first time in the UK” that includes the film's longer cut, and looks very comparable to Explosive Media’s earlier Blu. Once again, despite a few image inconsistencies, it all looks quite appealing with a well-balanced colour scheme and detail that is well delineated. Both English and Italian audio options (with optional English subtitles) are included in uncompressed LPCM 2.0 mono, both of which have modest depth and sound perfectly fine. While some differences are evident between the two audio tracks, most of the principal cast is speaking English, so the English audio is definitely preferable. However, a couple of brief scenes (including the extended beating of Sandra), which were not included in the original English-language export version, the film reverts to Italian with English subtitles. English SDH subtitles are also included.

 

For their release, Radiance have curated several interesting special features beginning with a scene-specific audio commentary with Fragments of Fear’s Peter Jilmstad who discusses in great – and very welcome - detail the “diverse and accomplished supporting cast”, which he believes affords the film a “much richer experience”, but he also takes the time to talk about the film’s unique production design including many of the film’s “modernist flats” and “sleek offices”, as well as a thorough production history of the film itself; it’s a great listen and Peter never fails to educate and entertain. Other extra features include an archival interview from French television with actor Alain Delon (12m08s) wherein he discusses his role as a producer because he reached “a tipping point of sorts as an actor,” his three working periods with directors Luchino Visconti, René Clément and Jean-Pierre Melville, and moving forward with “young cinema.” In Not a Gangster, Not a Cop - The Eurocrime Genre’s Other Professions (11m13s), crime film historian Mike Malloy and director of the superb documentary EUROCRIME! THE ITALIAN COP AND GANGSTER FILMS THAT RULED THE ’70s (2012) discusses films “that broke the formula” and did not focus on either gangsters or cops, but instead gave attention to “lone wolf characters” in films he aptly describes as an “every man movie.” Beautifully produced and tightly cut, this is a fascinating featurette, which also includes a wide variety of eye-popping stills and posters, and is a must-watch for any Eurocrime aficionado. The film’s Italian theatrical trailer (3m50s) finishes off the extras. As is the norm, the initial print of 3000 copies includes the removable OBI strip and a 20-page liner notes booklet with writing on the film by Leila Wimmer, which provides an excellent summary of Alain Delon’s wide-ranging career both as an actor and producer.

 

While TONY ARZENTA does follow a fairly predictable pattern of impersonal mob etiquette and retribution, it stands as gripping experience nonetheless and remains one of Delon’s grittiest and best Eurocrime pictures, which is finally afforded a proper English-friendly home video release. Highly recommended! Pre-order direct from Radiance Films or DiabolikDVD.