THE CAT IN HEAT - BLU-RAY REVIEW

Although featuring one of composer Gianfranco Plenizio’s most distinctive and original scores, Nello Rossati’s THE CAT IN HEAT (1972) has remained a relatively obscure effort for most English-speaking viewers, stuck in that unforgiving no-man’s land between genres. Neither an all-out giallo or erotic drama, this thoughtfully plotted chamber piece emerges as one of Rossati’s more intriguing and compelling films, which is also greatly aided by a pair of uniformly fine performances from Eva Czemerys and Silvano Tranquilli. 

While driving through the desolate, fog-enshrouded motorways of Northern Italy, Paolo (Tranquilli) quietly reflects on his recent marriage to Anna (Czemerys), and through Plenizio’s evocative title theme and Aristide Massaccesi’s moody photography, Rossati effectively establishes a highly-potent and inescapably gloomy atmosphere, which neatly foreshadows the impending predicament. Shattering their already fragmenting marriage, Paolo arrives home and is shocked to discover his neighbour Massimo (Anthony Fontane) dead on his front lawn and his distraught wife in the kitchen staring down at a gun. After haphazardly concealing the body via some leaves, the film becomes something of a psychological mood piece, brooding on the protagonists’ tenuous relationship and what led to the film’s opening murder…

 

Based on an original story by Rossati, THE CAT IN HEAT incorporates many a giallo motif while simultaneously combining elements from Claude Chabrol’s LA FEMME INFIDÈLE (1969), and to a lesser degree, the melodramatics of Douglas Sirk’s ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWS (1956) peeling back the veneer of a seemingly ideal marriage. Through some clever framework, Anna relates what led to the murder via flashbacks (“He was my lover. And I murdered him.”), which eventually reveals the prestige and sense of security assured by her marriage to a wealthy businessman such as Paolo is no replacement for the love and attention she so obviously craved (“A woman needs some romance, and above all, be wanted.”). Through her hermitically sealed home of material privilege, Massimo’s almost otherworldly visage haunts Anna to such a degree that their mutually exclusive worlds eventually collide, leading to a spurious love affair and even an LSD-drenched orgy (“Now we can make it a foursome.”), a typical heightened fantasy nightmare of many ’Seventies gialli. 

 

Although making token allusions to the fanciful title (“When you’re in heat, any man will do I’ll bet!” Remarks Massimo rather callously), this is a more ‘artistically’ inclined picture, which conveys meaning through visual cues such as the film’s rather sombre opening and Franco Bottari’s relatively sparse art direction, which further suggests the emptiness of Paolo’s and Anna’s marriage. Although visually very savvy and well-constructed (Lamberto Bava also served as the film’s assistant director), it’s the sincere performances, which allowed Rossati to transcend the rather ordinary material. As the morally conflicted and unsatisfied Anna, Czemerys is the star in every sense herein unveiling a torrent of anger and sadness throughout the film, which is even depicted in some the picture’s more exploitable scenes where she heeds her urges and disrobes to examine her naked body in front of a mirror. Veteran actor Tranquilli is also thoroughly convincing as the emotionally wounded but uptight businessman who manages to coax some sympathy out of his earnestly aggrieved husband, straddling the ethical twilight zone between protecting his wife and his reputation, which provides a vibrant social comment on bourgeois hypocrisy. 

 

Never released on North American VHS or disc, Austria’s Cineploit Records & Discs really came to the rescue of this little-seen film with their impressive “worldwide 2K Blu-ray premiere” (Region B locked), which exemplifies plenty of depth and appropriate grain textures, which gives considerable prominence to Massaccesi’s beautifully refined and shadowy photography. The DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono tracks, which include English and Italian options (the latter with English subtitles) also sound clean and free of any issues, and it’s great to finally have the English dub readily available, which includes well-known voice talent such as Susan Spafford and Frank Von Kuegelgen. Optional German subtitles are also included.

 

Extras begin with an introduction by Mark Thompson Ashworth (5m43s) where he discusses this “perplexing and quite intriguing crossbreed” as well as film’s very “disparate” themes and temporal shifts, and of course, Plenizio’s wonderful score and Edda dell’Orso’s sublime voice. In the archival Calling the Nurse (23m04s), which originally appeared on No Shame’s DVD of THE SENSUOUS NURSE (1975), director Rossati and costume and production designer Toni Rossati are interviewed and mostly discuss their time working in the industry and how they came to be involved with the film, and even though they don’t discuss the film at hand, it’s a nice document of their working process. In the final featurette, Christian Kessler is interviewed (13m28s) where he also talks about the difficulty of classifying Rossati’s sophomore effort, which was usually regarded as an erotic film, sexuality in Italian cinema, the influence of Salvatore Samperi’s MALICIOUS (1973), and how the film “follows in the footsteps of Chabrol.” A brief poster, photo and video art gallery (1m14s) concludes the special features.

 

Housed in one of Cineploit’s customary Mediabooks with a choice of two different styles (as of this writing Cover A is now sold out), this rather striking release also comes with a 28-page liner notes booklet with writing by Uto Rotenberg (in German and English), which also includes several photos of worldwide promotional material on the film and a nice fold-out poster. Order the Blu-ray from Cineploit Records & Discs or DiabolikDVD. 

UNPOPPED CINEMA'S TOP 25 BEST DISCS OF 2022

It’s that time of year again, and sure enough, it’s the boutique labels that need a serious round of applause for their dedication and hard-work, releasing several heretofore ignored, unseen and/or highly-requested films onto disc. Although it must be said that as much as I enjoy putting these lists together, it’s becoming more and more difficult to compile a thorough list without leaving something off, which may confound, frustrate or even anger some voracious film fan out there as they contemplate my choices. But that’s half the fun isn’t it? So, without further delay, let’s take a look at some of my favourites.

ALLIGATOR [1980] (Scream Factory) – Seamlessly blending tongue-in-cheek dialogue and gruesome horror, this is one of the very best ‘animal attack’ films, which finally made its long-belated UHD/Blu-ray debut with this stunning 3-disc special edition. Interviews with director Lewis Teague, writer John Sayles, and even Bryan Cranston (he served as one of the film’s many production assistants) are just a few of the excellent bonus features on this stellar release, which was definitely worth the wait. 

 

BLOOD AND DIAMONDS [1977] (88 Films) – It was a great year for fans of director Fernando Di Leo, which saw quality HD releases of NICK THE STING (1976), THE VIOLENT BREED (1984), and this, his last great Italocrime film, a tough-as-nails tale of betrayal and revenge starring Claudio Cassinelli, Martin Balsam and Barbara Bouchet. This beautiful 4K restoration, which also included Italian and English language options, looked fantastic, and also came fully-stacked with extras beginning with a comprehensive and highly-entertaining audio commentary from author and film historian Troy Howarth and Mondo Digital's Nathaniel Thompson, a feature-length documentary on Di Leo, on-camera interviews and more! Slick packaging and a superb booklet with writing from Francesco Massaccesi, Andrew Graves and Rachael Nisbet was also included. 

BLOOD DELIRIUM [1988] (Vinegar Syndrome) – Here’s an unexpectedly demented late-entry Italo horror from director Sergio Bergonzelli (best known for directing the equally outrageous giallo, IN THE FOLDS OF THE FLESH [1970]), an entertaining take on Herschell Gordon Lewis’ COLOR ME BLOOD RED (1965), which also jumbles together trace elements from ’60s Italian gothics alongside a whole heap of gore and perversions. John Philip Law, Euro vet Gordon Mitchell, Brigitte Christensen and porn starlet Olinka Hardiman star in this unforgettable film, which not only made its worldwide Blu-ray debut, but also featured the long-sought after uncut version! This is a trashy, must-have jewel in the vast Vinegar Syndrome catalogue.

 

CENTIPEDE HORROR & RED SPELL SPELLS RED [1983] (Error_4444) – Punctuated by several gross out moments, these insane Hong Kong films have definitely earned a place in the cinematic horror canon, and these new 2K restorations of the uncut versions are massive improvements in every way. Extras aren’t extensive, but include excellent booklets with writing from the late Travis Crawford, trailers, and “animal cruelty-free” versions for those that can’t stomach such nastiness.

 

CONTRABAND [1980] (Cauldron Films) – Lucio Fulci’s Eurocrime splatter classic has been a victim of shoddy transfers for far too long, which made Cauldron’s new disc all the more appealing. This worldwide Blu-ray debut was a real sight for sore eyes, which featured a new superlative “4K scan of the negative” that put all previous releases to shame. Plus, it was loaded with tons of extra features including a great audio commentary from Cinema Arcana’s Bruce Holecheck, Nathaniel Thompson and Troy Howarth, as well as several on-camera interviews with much of the cast and crew courtesy of Eugenio Ercolani. And for those that snagged the limited edition, the entire Fabio Frizzi score was also included on a separate CD. Highly recommended! Read review.

 

DEATH GAME [1977] (Grindhouse Releasing) – A casualty of several inferior home video releases on both VHS and DVD, Peter S. Traynor’s feverish and darkly perverse home invasion film finally got its due with this staggering 2-disc set. Thanks to Grindhouse Releasing’s usual high standards, this new transfer was a real stunner, which reinstates David Worth’s scope photography with a sharpness and depth of field unseen in any previous release. Of course, GR also provided an abundance of special features, which will keep you entertained for hours, in what is easily one of the best home video releases of the year!

 

DORIS WISHMAN: THE TWILIGHT YEARS / THE MOONLIGHT YEARS / THE DAYLIGHT YEARS [1960 – 1977] (AGFA / Something Weird Video) – Even though these are three individual releases, it’s kind of difficult to separate them; besides, the nifty magnetic packaging allows them to nicely attach together. Spread out over 9 discs (!), these sets showcase a total of 22 films from different key eras of Wishman’s lengthy career, and are bursting with extra features including audio commentaries, trailers, and plenty more! These are fantastic sets, and a real delight for fans and newcomers alike. 

 

DR. LAMB [1992] (Unearthed Films) – Boldly stylistic yet brutally violent, this Cat III Hong Kong shocker is a real mixed bag, adding plenty of perversity and even a dash of oddly-placed comedy, all of which is held together by Simon Yam’s intense central performance as the psychotic serial killer. Much like Herman Yau’s THE UNTOLD STORY (1993) and THE EBOLA SYNDROME (1996), a pair of equally disturbing Cat III films released last year, this is another major cinematic recovery, which is nicely supplemented with several extras including an audio commentary with Bruce Holecheck and Ultra Violent’s Art Ettinger. 

 

DRAGUSE / LE BIJOU D’AMOUR [1976 / 1978] (Vinegar Syndrome / Peekarama) – Straddling the line between the highly individualistic films of Jean Rollin and the crass budget-conscious works of Eurociné, this double feature from French director Patrice Rhomm showcased a pair of forgotten, horror-tinged sex oddities, which were a real surprise, even to the most jaded of Eurotrash enthusiasts. Beautiful uncut transfers and some nice extras only sweetened the package. Read review.

 

FACELESS [1988] (Severin Films) – An irresistible and colourfully outrageous Eurohorror, this is a Jess Franco film for those that hate Jess Franco films! It’s slick, gory and highly entertaining, and Severin Films have finally given this film its due with this gorgeous UHD/BD combo, which included a picture-perfect 4K transfer and a host of amazing extra features! Read review. 

 

FOUR FLIES ON GREY VELVET [1971] (Severin Films) – Given the amount of outstanding titles Severin had already released throughout 2022, they performed a small miracle when they announced this much-sought-after, definitive edition of Dario Argento’s stunning giallo. Among the consistently engaging special features on this stunning 4-disc (!) UHD/BD combo are an audio commentary with Nathaniel Thompson and Troy Howarth, a glut of interviews with just about every living participant involved with the film, as well as Profondo Argento author and film critic Alan Jones, and as an added bonus, Ennio Morricone’s entire score on a separate CD! This is a truly impressive, meticulously assembled package, and possibly of the most important home video releases of the year!

 

GOTHIC FANTASTICO: FOUR ITALIAN TALES OF TERROR [1963 – 1966] (Arrow Video) – Made during the Golden Age of Italian Horror, this collection of beautifully curated black-and-white gothics easily ranks as one of the best Arrow releases of the year, which included impeccable 2K restorations of Massimo Pupillo’s LADY MORGAN’S VENGEANCE (1965), Mino Guerrini’s THE THIRD EYE (1966), Alberto De Martino’s THE BLANCHEVILLE MONSTER (1965) and Damiano Damiani’s THE WITCH (1966). The preceding two films also made their worldwide English-friendly Blu-ray debuts, with Arrow even unearthing THE THIRD EYE’s never-before-released English audio track! As expected, this lavishly-packaged box set also included a host of outstanding extra features from several authors and film historians, which included Mark Thompson Ashworth, Miranda Corcoran, Kat Ellinger, Alexandra Heller-Nicolas, Rachel Nisbet, and several others. And for those that splurged on the limited edition set, a handsome 75-page booklet is also included with writing from Rod Barnett, Roberto Curti, Kimberly Lindbergs, Jerome Reuter, and Rob Talbot. 

 

THE HEAD [1959] (Anolis Entertainment) – Finally separated  from the public domain ghetto, this is one of the more uniquely bizarre West German films you’ll likely to encounter. Victor Trivas’ film never ceases to entertain with its trashy scenario, interesting visual touches, and Horst Frank’s key role as the obsessive doctor. This “weltpremiere in HD qualitat” looks and sounds fantastic, and includes both the German and English versions, and for English-speaking viewers, Video Watchdog’s Tim Lucas provides another one of his highly-detailed audio commentaries, which sheds plenty of light on this extraordinary Eurohorror.

 

HOUSE OF PSYCHOTIC WOMEN: THE RARETIES COLLECTION [1972 – 1986] (Severin Films) – Released in conjunction with Kier-La Janisse’s updated, must-have book House of Psychotic Women, this stunningly curated collection featured a quartet of visually and emotionally unforgettable films, which, like her book explore “visions of female madness.” Giuseppe Patroni Griffi’s IDENTIKIT (a.k.a. THE DRIVER’S SEAT, 1974) with Elizabeth Taylor, Grzegorz Warchol’s I LIKE BATS (1986), Luigi Bazzoni’s incredible FOOTPRINTS (a.k.a. PRIMAL IMPULSE, 1975) and Jane Arden’s wholly unique THE OTHER SIDE OF THE UNDERNEATH (1972) are all accompanied by several revealing special features. This was one of the most rewarding surprises of the year!

 

THE INCREDIBLY STRANGE FILMS OF RAY DENNIS STECKLER [1962 – 2008] (Severin Films) – Following their extraordinary Al Adamson and Andy Milligan collections, Severin stunned just about everyone with the release of this colossal 10-disc, 20-film (!) magnum opus, which comprises everything from WILD GUITAR (1962) up until his zero-budget, swan song ONE MORE TIME (2008), even including many of his… um, colourfully-titled porno films. Packed with a wealth of bonus features and an outstanding 100-page book with writing from Zach Carlson and Charles Devlin, this tremendous box set presented the perfect opportunity to discover, or possibly reacquaint yourself with this very unusual cult filmmaker in great detail. 

 

LIBIDO [1965] (Severin Films) – Never released in the English-speaking market, this cornerstone giallo from directors Ernesto Gastaldi (who went on to become one the most prolific scriptwriters of Italian gialli) and Vittorio Salerno was yet another worldwide Blu-ray debut. Beautifully shot by Romolo Garroni in moody black-and-white, and featuring all the usual gialli tropes, Severin’s disc was a real knockout, which not only featured several worthwhile extras (including a sharp and astute audio commentary from Diabolique's Kat Ellinger that focused primarily on Gastaldi’s career and influence), but also the film’s unreleased English audio track! This should be at the top of every giallo lover’s list.

 

LOVE BRIDES OF THE BLOOD MUMMY [1973] (Mondo Macabro) – Arriving a couple of months within each other via MM’s spectacular BD and Le Chat qui Fume’s equally gorgeous UHD/BD combo, this once exceedingly rare Spanish/French co-production arrived on official home video in fine style, indeed. Featuring a new 4K restoration of the uncut version, both discs included a wealth of alternate scenes and the French and English trailers, but the MM disc bettered the UHD with additional special features including an audio commentary with David Flint, a rare 8mm version from the UK, alternate credit sequences and a very welcome still and poster gallery. The now OOP ‘Red Case’ edition of the film also included a terrific liner notes booklet on the mystery of director ‘Ken Ruder’ as well as 5 double-sided postcards that reproduced the Spanish lobbycards. Highly recommended!

 

MOON OF THE WOLF [1972] (Vinegar Syndrome Archive) – A public domain mainstay for years, this tight, well-paced TV movie from director Daniel Petrie has been restored at long last. Featuring plenty of great atmosphere and suspense, this new 2K scan was a vast improvement in every way, but the disc also included a well-informed audio commentary from TV movie expert and Are You in the House Alone? author Amanda Reyes, and author and film historian Daniel R. Budnik. Further enlivened by a terrific cast including David Janssen, Barbara Rush, Bradford Dillman, Geoffrey Lewis and Royal Dano, this comes highly recommended!

 

NATURAL ENEMIES [1979] (Fun City Editions) – Oftentimes as unpleasant as it is thoroughly engaging, Hal Holbrook stars as Paul Steward, a successful magazine publisher who intends to kill his entire family and himself by the end of the day. Based on a novel by Julius Horwitz, writer and director Jeff Kanew is the real star here, handling the tricky material with a mature sincerity in this disquieting immersion into depression and loneliness. Long out of circulation, Fun City’s new 2K restoration came from “the best-surviving element”, which wasn’t perfect, but still looked infinitely better than the old VHS tapes. A very welcome – and highly-detailed - audio commentary from Bill Ackerman of the Supporting Characters podcast was the real standout among the bonus features, which also included a two-part video interview with the director, an alternate ending, and the film’s trailer. A superb release in every way, NATURAL ENEMIES is a haunting and unforgettable experience. 

 

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MIRROR [1974] (Mondo Macabro) – Dreamlike and compellingly structured, this easily ranks as one of Jess Franco’s very best films, which was finally given the proper release it so richly deserves, and it’s a beautiful restoration to boot. Outside of the new 4K transfer of the original, full-length Spanish version, MM have provided several exemplary bonus features, which included a comprehensive audio commentary from I’m in a Jess Franco State of Mind’s Robert Monell and Naschycast’s Rod Barnett, an almost hour-long on-camera interview with Franco expert Stephen Thrower, and more! The now OOP ‘red case’ edition also includes a 20-page booklet with writing from Francisco Cesari and Roberto Curti. 

 

THE SEVENTH CURSE [1986] (88 Films) – Blending intense action, black magic, great monsters, and lots of over-the-top gore, this is a Hong Kong film like no other! Gloriously trashy from start to finish, 88 Films spared no expense bringing this insanity to Blu-ray, which included two versions of the film (both 2K restorations), an 80-page book, posters, and tons more besides! A beautiful, must-have set that is not to be missed!

 

SHAWSCOPE VOLUME 2 [1978 – 1993] (Arrow Video) – Focusing on the studio giant’s late-’70s and ’80s output, this sophomore effort collected together 14 newly restored films including everything from such classics as Lau Kar-leung’s THE 36^TH CHAMBER OF SHAOLIN (a.k.a. MASTER KILLER, 1978) and Chang Cheh’s TEN TIGERS OF KWANGTUNG (1980) to obscurities like Wong Jing’s action film MERCENARIES FROM HONG KONG (1982) and Kuei Chih-hung’s outrageous horror film THE BOXER’S OMEN (1983)! Overflowing with so many extras (including a couple of soundtrack CDs!) to adequately list here, it may realistically take you a better part of the year to get through them! 

 

SHRIEK OF THE MUTILATED [1974] (Vinegar Syndrome) – Wildly diverse in tone and sporting one of the all-time great titles in exploitation movie history, Michael and Roberta Findlay’s schizo backyard Bigfoot film is a wonderfully chaotic mess, which has been in dire need of a proper release for decades. This new disc obliterates all of the crummy, compromised home video releases that came before it with a brand-new eye-popping 4K transfer (taken from the film’s OCN, no less!), which is astonishing in its clarity and detail. VS also includes several illuminating bonus features including a superb audio commentary with Roberta Findlay and Casey Scott, on-camera interviews with Findlay and writer/producer Ed Adlum, a cool location tour, and more. 

 

THE SWORD AND THE SORCERER [1982] (Scream Factory) – At long last, Albert Pyun’s much-requested CONAN THE BARBARIAN (1982) clone made its HD debut this year in a stunning UHD/BD combo, which did wonders with Joseph Mangine’s colourful, atmospheric photography. Outside of this “new 2021 4K scan from the original negative,” Scream also assembled an impressive roster of informative interviews. Co-writer/co-director John Stuckmeyer, actress Kathleen Beller, editor Marshall Harvey, F/X artist Allan Apone, and the late director Albert Pyun were among the participants.  

 

TOMBS OF THE BLIND DEAD [1971] (Synapse Films) – Making its U.S. Blu-ray debut, this memorably atmospheric Spanish horror film introduced the blind Templar Knights, a group of undead ghouls who hunt their prey by sound alone. The story is rudimentary, but the creepy visuals and unsettling sound design are enough alone to elevate this into one of the more haunting zombie films ever made. As per their usual high-standards, Synapse’s 3-disc set looks and sounds fantastic, and is stuffed with a wide variety of special features, which adequately analyze the indelible mark director Amando De Ossorio left on Spanish fantastic cinema. 

And here are the HIGHLY HONOURABLE MENTIONS, which are also very worthy of your time!

 

ALL DECEASED… EXCEPT THE DEAD (88 Films), ANTS! (Kino Lorber), BARFLY (Imprint Films), CALIGULA AND MESSLINA (Severin Films), CALIGULA THE UNTOLD STORY (Severin Films), CREATURE FROM BLACK LAKE (Synapse Films), THE DEVIL’S GAME (Severin Films), THE FIVE DAYS (Severin Films), FORGOTTEN GIALLI VOLUME 4 (Vinegar Syndrome), FORGOTTEN GIALLI VOLUME 5 (Vinegar Syndrome), GOD TOLD ME TO (Blue Underground UHD), A HAUNTED TURKISH BATHHOUSE (Mondo Macabro), THE HORRIBLE SEXY VAMPIRE (Mondo Macabro), I MISS YOU, HUGS AND KISSES (Severin Films), JE BRÛLE DE PARTOUT (Pulse Video), MOONCHILD (Visual Vengeance), OUT OF THE BLUE (Severin Films), PINK FLAMINGOS (Criterion Collection), SAMSON AND THE 7 MIRACLES OF THE WORLD (Kino Lorber), SEAGULLS FLY LOW (Cineploit Records & Discs), SHANGHAI JOE (Cauldron Films), SHOCK (Arrow Video), SON OF SAMSON (Kino Lorber), TALES TO KEEP YOU AWAKE (Severin Films), TARANTULAS: THE DEADLY CARGO (Kino Lorber), TENEBRAE (Synapse Films UHD), TERROR OUT OF THE SKY (Kino Lorber), THRILLER – A CRUEL PICTURE (Vinegar Syndrome UHD), THE WARRIORS (Imprint Films), WEREWOLF VS. THE VAMPIRE WOMAN (Vinegar Syndrome UHD). 

THE NEW GODFATHERS - BLU-RAY REVIEW

Having already partnered with Neapolitan crooner Mario Merola on several Naples-based poliziesco / mafia actioners, director Alfonso Brescia was about to embark on I CONTRABBANDIERI DI SANTA LUCIA (trans: “The Smugglers of Santa Lucia”, 1979), which, according to early press announcements, promised a much bigger production with location work in New York, Marseilles and Istanbul. However, given Brescia’s usual paucity of anything resembling a decent budget, he and his producer Ciro Ippolito, along with brothers Piero and Mario Bregni of Produzioni Atlas Consorziati (PAC), instead relied on using ‘previously-enjoyed’ footage from earlier PAC productions to give the film its (seemingly) sprawling scope. While most of the Brescia / Merola collaborations were usually intended for strictly domestic consumption, PAC evidently had higher-than-usual expectations for this ‘globe-trotting’ effort, even going so far as to prepare an English-language version for overseas Anglo markets and temptingly retitling the film THE NEW GODFATHERS. Yet, despite its obvious low budget, this is probably one of Brescia’s most accessible forays into cinema napoletana; which, thanks to the folks at Cineploit, THE NEW GODFATHERS has recently made its English-friendly Blu-ray debut in fine style indeed.

 

While never straying far from its Italocrime roots, THE NEW GODFATHERS also adheres to the cinema napoletana template quite faithfully. Modelled after the post-WWI Neapolitan ethnic theatre, which was popular among the working class, this obscure subgenre (sometimes referred to as cinesceneggiata or sceneggiata napoletana) featured soap opera-styled scenarios, which usually combined such vital components as love, honour and—of course!—vendetta. In January of ’79, Variety reported on the sudden popularity of such movies: “Cigarette smugglers, the backbone of Naples’ sagging economy, are fast becoming the new antiheroes of Neapolitan cinema.” However, by May of ’79, Variety also reported: “The Neapolitan trend is now reaching its crest…”, even as Ippolito and the Bregni brothers had already committed to a neo-sceneggiata three-picture deal with Merola and Brescia, which for the record also included IL MAMMASANTISSIMA (1979) and IL TUA VITA PER MIO FIGLIO (1980).

 

The lucrative flow of narcotics from the Middle East is jeopardized due to political unrest in Iran. Customs officer Capt. Ivan Radovich (Gianni Garko) believes Naples will be used as a stopover for a large shipment of heroin bound for the U.S. market. Although “highly experienced in the tactics of smuggling”, Radovich enlists the help of Don Francesco Autiero (Mario Merola), a prominent cigarette-runner whose banditi di motoscafi blu (“bandits in blue motorboats”) keep the Guardia di Finanza busy on the choppy shores of Naples. In one of the film’s most impressively-realized sequences, Don Francesco schools Radovich on the strenuous life of the everyday working class (“Here in Naples, smuggling is a profession. A full-time job!”), who are driven to low-level trafficking because (quote) “the law condemns the homeless and jobless.” Earlier in the film, further verisimilitude is achieved via Brescia’s docu-style camerawork as it prowls the overcrowded city streets and ports, whilst an emotional canzone—a key ingredient in most cinema napoletana films—from Merola himself is heard on the soundtrack. 

 

Don Michele Vizzini (Antonio Sabàto), a big-time underworld financier, is initially approached by Don Francesco and Radovich to help stop the flow of heroin through Naples (“It’s so rare to work with cops. I can’t help feeling a bit strange!”), but unknown to either of them, Vizzini is working in cahoots with the international drug cartel led by the New York faction of the mob. Using his local confectionary factory as a front for dope production and distribution, Vizzini’s candied nuts (no pun intended) are glazed with pure heroin, so when Merola innocently feeds a little neighbourhood girl (Letizia D’Adderio) one of these ‘sugared’ candies, she winds up in the ER from a smack overdose. Upon quickly realizing that Vizzini is behind the heroin-coated confections, Don Francesco sets off for NYC in pursuit of Vizzini…

 

Before settling in Naples, Brescia’s desperately ambitious film opens with a nearly 12-minute prologue detailing the expansive opium trade as it moves from Tehran to Istanbul. Utilizing grainy stock footage of the Iranian revolution (including shots of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini) and some striking location work taken from Ferdinando Baldi’s earlier—much-superior—gangster pic THE SICILIAN CONNECTION (1972), Brescia does, however, succeed in instilling some production values with several authentically-shot Istanbul locales. As with most of Brescia’s / Merola’s ethnically-slanted crime programmers, Merola is forced to contend with a new breed of professional criminals who are no longer interested in contraband Marlboros. As the film’s heavy, genre fave Sabàto once again reprises his role as one vicious carogna who arrogantly usurps Don Francesco’s territory by killing-off most of his trusted smugglers. But despite the rivalries, it’s the little girl’s accidental overdose that proves to be the final straw, and this leads into a drawn-out revenge scenario that culminates with a helicopter / automobile pursuit through the “outskirts” of New York. Set to a truly cheesy disco theme, this wannabe ‘large-scale’ chase sequence once again recycles significant footage from Baldi’s aforementioned film, which was ‘carefully’ reedited to include Merola, Garko and Sabàto. 

 

Outside of Merola and Sabàto, the film contains a roster of familiar faces. Bushy-haired Jeff Blynn (erroneously credited here as “Blyn” and fresh from his role in Brescia’s NAPOLI… LA CAMORRA SFIDA, LA CITTÀ RISPONDE [1979]) plays Salvatore, one of Don Francesco’s most reliable smugglers, who sets-up the initial meeting with Merola and Garko. Later, when Salvatore attempts to elude police, he launches his car onto a series of flatbed cars on an empty train in another elaborate bit of ‘borrowed’ stuntwork, this time lifted from Massimo Dallamano’s COLT .38 SPECIAL SQUAD (1976). As the series’ buffoon, Lucio Montanaro also returns as Don Francesco’s pudgy sidekick, who provides all of the film’s tacky one-liners (“These Turkish bazaars are so bizarre!”) and lowbrow comedy, including a brief scene of him getting overly-excited over a bunch of half-naked starlets (including Lorraine De Selle) hanging around Sabàto’s luxurious swimming pool. In a strained if amusing in-joke, Radovich and Gennarino (Marco Girondino), the film’s token scugnizzo (“street kid”), comment on a movie poster seen hanging outside a coffee shop advertising Brescia’s previous Neapolitan soap opera, LO SCUGNIZZO (1978 – which also co-starred Garko and Girondino!). “Oh, Gianni Garko—must be a good film!” remarks Garko as Radovich but, minutes later, a random passerby (director Brescia himself!), drolly questions the competence of the director! Other bit parts include brief walk-on roles for Edmund Purdom and John Karlsen as a pair of high-ranking narcotics officers; Rick Battaglia and Andrea Aureli appear as NYC mob bosses (their scenes clearly shot in Italy), and Sabriana Siani also appears as the daughter of a New York boss whose ritzy Italian-American wedding sets the stage for Don Francesco’s revenge.

 

Although released a number of times on foreign VHS videocassettes, including two English releases from the U.K. and Japan on Intermovie and Columbia, respectively, THE NEW GODFATHERS was never released in either the U.S. or Canada in an English-friendly version. A fine-looking anamorphic DVD was eventually released in Italy by Cecchi Gori in 2006, but not surprisingly, it too had no English-language audio options. Cineploit’s new all region “Blu-ray premiere” features a brand new 2K scan, which appears to be taken from the original camera negative and looks terrific. Retaining the film’s original 2.35:1 aspect ratio, detail is sharp and colours are rich, but obviously, the film’s grainy stock footage still looks ugly and drab. Thankfully, the DTS-HD 2.0 audio options are provided in German, Italian AND English and is quite robust giving precedence to all the explosions, raucous gunfire and Eduardo Alfieri’s piecemeal score, even if the dialogue sync is, for the most part, imperfect. English and German subtitles are also provided, so the best bet is to watch the film in Italian with English subtitles for the most faithful rendition, but for those that care about such things, the English audio does include several familiar English voice actors such as Richard McNamara, Gregory Snegoff and Larry Dolgin, the latter of which dubs signor Garko. 

 

Extras include an on-camera interview with writer / producer Ciro Ippolito (11m21s) conducted by Vincenzo Rossini, where he discusses the genesis of the film at PAC and how he had the idea to (quote) “pick up a lot of scenes from the action part shot in the United States” from THE SICILIAN CONNECTION and then “shoot another story and mount this on that.” Other extras include a nicely-detailed photo gallery (1m30s) of posters, locandinas, fotobustas and international video art and the film’s alternate German credit sequence, which is exactly the same save for the title card, DIE GROßE KAMPF DES SYNDIKATS (trans: “The Great Battle of the Syndicate”). Housed in a fine-looking Mediabook (available is four different variations, which also comes with a 28-page booklet with liner notes from Udo Rotenberg in German and English and a nice double-sided poster), Cineploit’s new Blu-ray of this mindlessly-enjoyable Italocrime film is yet another impressive release in their “Italian Genre Cinema” line, which fans should strongly consider adding to their library. Cineploit currently offers Cover B, Cover C or Cover D (Cover A has sold out) or order it from DiabolikDVD.

THE .44 SPECIALIST - BLU-RAY REVIEW

English-language export press ad-lines: “The intrigue and terror of THE THIRD MAN. The explosive violence of [DAY OF] THE CONDOR. A film you won’t easily forget.”

Under its more logical Italian release title of MARK COLPISCE ANCORA (trans: “Mark Strikes Again”), THE .44 SPECIALIST (1976) was promoted as the third (and final) entry in Stelvio Massi’s loosely-connected Marc the Narc trilogy, all of which featured former child actor and fotoromanzi heartthrob/superstar Franco Gasparri (1948-1999) as the titular rogue cop; basically a ‘prettier’ variation of Dirty Harry. In BLOOD, SWEAT AND FEAR (1975), Massi’s first and most successful film of the trilogy, Mark is described by his superiors as (quote) “a man who keeps his hair a bit too long, doesn’t give a damn about discipline and wears a gun in the pocket of his jeans, a bit like Serpico.” In what may be a possible nod to Tomas Milian’s then popular ‘Nico Giraldi’ (also heavily influenced by Serpico’s ‘unique’ look) or ‘Er Monezza’ characterizations, Mark’s ‘undercover’ appearance herein is even more noticeably disheveled with ratty clothes and far-curlier hair, but in an even more inexplicable revision, his surname is also changed from Terzi to Pasti (Patti on Italian prints), a fact which only magnifies this film’s already tenuous connection to the first two entries. So, in light of this film’s distinctive pedigree, it should come as no surprise that THE .44 SPECIALIST works well enough on its own, which turns out to be a fortuitous circumstance for first time viewers of Cineploit’s fine-looking Blu-ray, which turns out to be the first official English-friendly disc release of any Marc the Narc film. 

Set to Stelvio Cipriani’s always-enjoyable urban rhythms, an unidentified member of a passing motorcade is assassinated during the film’s opening credits, but in retaliation, the sniper (Claudio Zucchet) suffers a near-fatal wound. Meanwhile, Mark has been relegated by his superior officer Mantelli (Giampiero Albertini), to (quote) “clean up all the lay-abouts and troublemakers in the district”. Of course, he’d much rather go after the (quote) “big cheeses” heading the entire drug scene instead. After witnessing Mark’s undercover antics at a Roman piazza, German anarchists Paul Henkel (John Steiner) and Olga Kübe (Marcella Michelangeli) hire him to help their injured cohort from the opening (“Did somebody use a Howitzer?!”). However, despite Mantelli’s protestations, Mark embarks into the shadowy, double-dealing world of global terrorism…

In a plot that takes its cue from Sydney Pollack’s THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR (1975), Mark finds himself ensnared in a world he knows little about, but with the help of Interpol agents Pappadato (Andrea Aureli) and Chief Altman (John Saxon) he manages – just barely – to weave his way through this secretive world of cat-and-mouse allegiances. Co-penned by Lucio De Caro and returning scribe Dardano Sacchetti (who co-wrote the first film), an attempt is made to expound on the far-reaching and highly powerful links terrorism has with certain shady government agencies. This interesting subplot isn’t given the time to fully develop, though. As Altman, Saxon’s screen time is limited to a few key scenes (thankfully, he dubs his own lines on English language prints), but he provides the film with some of its most interesting dialogue as he sneakily moves through a number of clandestine government bureaus whose motives are never, ever made known. Even as Mark builds a trustworthy rapport with both Paul and Olga, Altman suggests they are merely two cogs in a much bigger machine, which he shrugs-off as a waste of time when he confidently remarks, “Fanatics like them are a dime a dozen! If they didn’t exist, we’d invent them!” Although entertaining just the same, the film stays well within the confines of your standard poliziesco as even Mark, rather naively, demands that these killers (quote) “should be questioned and made to talk!”

In one of the film’s standout scenes (also pinched from Pollack’s aforementioned film), Mark is almost assassinated during a botched meeting in Vienna, but thanks to (quote) “pure chance”, he is luckily spared, which once again proves that people and things can never be trusted. In his continued attempts to bust Paul and Olga, he - rather confusingly - continues to aid and abet this pair of ‘fanatics’ even as they attempt to blow-up a busload of VIP’s from an energy congress. This lands Olga in jail, and Paul, being the psycho that he is, promptly hijacks a commuter train (“From this moment on, this train is my property, ya!”), threatening to kill everyone on board if Olga isn’t released. In spite of his hokey, almost-comical German accent, Steiner is wildly over-the-top as the determined revolutionist whose fanaticism knows no bounds in his quest to (quote) “Destroy ze old way to build ze new!”

Given the film’s scant home video release history (at least for English-speaking viewers, anyway), dedicated Italocrime enthusiasts had to make do with copies from any number of European VHS videocassettes back in the day via either Holland, Greece or, if you were lucky enough to score one, a nice dub from the rare Skyline UK release. Outside of the Italian Cecchi Gori disc, Massi’s film has had even less exposure on DVD, so Cineploit’s English-friendly, all-region Blu-ray is a very welcome edition, indeed. Licensed from Minerva Pictures and sporting a new 2K scan from the original camera negative, Cineploit’s Blu-ray looks excellent, and despite some instances of (quote) “severe chemical damage”, the transfer is nicely-detailed (no DNR here!), with solid black levels and a nice naturalistic color scheme. German, Italian and English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono tracks are included, with the Italian track being the most effective, boasting clear dialogue and subtly-nuanced background effects; the English track also sounds solid enough, but is mixed at a lower volume, while the German sounds hollow and canned. Both German and English subtitles are also provided, but for some strange reason, some Blu-ray players (or even Blu-ray drives on a computer) are unable to disable the German subtitles while playing the English version. 

A number of noteworthy and revealing extra features are also included, beginning with Mark, My Father and I (20m10s), an interview with Stelvio’s son Danilo Massi, conducted by Eugenio Ercolani. Having worked alongside his father even as a child, Danilo reminiscences warmly about his father Stelvio, admitting that it was he who (quote) “contaminated” him with his love for cinema. He goes on to talk about much of his early work as a highly-regarded DP and also discusses his hesitance to move into directing. Danilo Massi also happily discusses many of the actors who have worked for his father, including Luc Merenda, Tomas Milian (“A great soul…”), Maurizio Merli (with a particular emphasis on POLIZIOTTO SPRINT [1977], their first collaborative effort), plus Lee J. Cobb (name-brand American guest star of the first two Mark entries), and of course, the late Franco “Mark” Gasparri himself (who died tragically young); it’s a great interview filled with wonderful anecdotes and warm nostalgia, which, quite obviously, comes highly recommended. In Stelvio Cipriani Part 2 ([41m29s] Part 1 was included in Cineploit’s earlier Blu-ray of Luciano Ercoli’s KILLER COP [1975]), Mark Thompson Ashworth interviews the great maestro who enthusiastically discusses (and even demonstrates on his accompanying piano) many of his later Italocrime films, including his groundbreaking score for Stefano Vanzina’s THE EXECUTION SQUAD (1972) and the genesis of his marvelous theme for WHAT HAVE THEY DONE TO YOUR DAUGHTERS? (1974), as well as much of his other work is also touched-upon, including the origins of the sound of a killer octopus in Ovidio Assonitis’ TENTACLES (1977), and his much-appreciated work on James Cameron’s PIRANHA II: THE SPAWNING (1981). Finally, in Iron Commissioners (16m29s), former DP and director Roberto Girometti and Danilo Massi once again talk about Stelvio Massi’s respected stature within the industry and his (quote) “capacity to move the camera, which helped give dynamism to the actors’ performances.” Girometti in particular talks about how some of Massi’s films were (much to the late director’s chagrin) “patched-up for lack of money and time”. Danilo Massi also goes into the production side of things (he served as an assistant director on a number of his father’s films), with a specific focus on his collaborations with Merli and how he considers Massi’s THE IRON COMMISSIONER (1978) the (quote) “least-exciting to make and watch.” A short split-screen restoration demonstration (4m08s) and an extensive photo gallery (7m45s), which includes much of the film’s promotional material and rare behind-the-scenes photos of Massi, conclude the extras. 

Housed in an attractive Mediabook with a nicely-illustrated 26-page booklet, it’s no surprise that most of the text is in German, but it does contain yet another excellent English-language interview with Danilo Massi conducted by the ubiquitous and ever-welcome Eugenio Ercolani. As an added bonus, a special double-sided, fold-out poster featuring the film’s Italian artwork is also included. While it’s certainly not one of Massi’s best efforts, it’s nevertheless an undemanding and enjoyable enough slice of pulp entertainment. And not only that, but Cineploit’s Blu-ray is pretty terrific, so here’s hoping the label (or some other one, perhaps) get around to licensing the first two films in this sadly-underseen trilogy. Order it from DiabolikDVD here or here.