Assassination (1967)

Director: Emilio Miraglia (aka Hal Brady)
Starring: Henry Silva, Fred Beir, Evelyn Stewart, Peter Dane
Label: Ripley's Home Video (2006)
Format: DVD / PAL / Region 2
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Audio: English, Italian (Dolby Digital 1.0 mono)
Subtitles: None

Bonus:

* English trailer
* Photogallery (33 b/w stills)

Available on Amazon.it

What's the film about?

Sentenced to death, a CIA agent takes over his brother's identity in order to go undercover in Europe and enter a hitman gang. As usual in Italian thrillers, the plot is somehow a bit fuzzy, but the film is redeemed by its striking visual style, deeply indebted to modern art. Just add that main charachters are named Chandler (after Raymond?) and Lang (after Fritz?), and you have mannerism in its purest form.

Recommendations
...if you want to find out where Robert Rodriguez's Machete comes from.

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Ad ogni costo (Grand Slam, 1967)

Director: Giuliano Montaldo
Starring: Edward G. Robinson, Janet Leigh, Klaus Kinski, Adolfo Celi
Label:  Ripley's Home Video (2005)
Format: DVD / PAL / Region 2
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Audio: Italian, English, French (Dolby Digital 1.0 mono)
Subtitles: None

Bonus:

* English trailer
* Photogalleries (60 stills)

Available on Amazon.it

What's the film about?

Retired school teacher assembles a team of professional thieves and attempts to carry out the perfect crime, stealing 10,000,000 $ in diamonds. A nice entry in the classic heist trend, enhanced by an international cast and shot in Rome, New York and Rio de Janeiro. Giuliano Montaldo is better-known for his historical films (Sacco and Vanzetti), but his genre flicks still have plenty of energy, colour and humour. Well suited soundtrack by Ennio Morricone. "One of the best heist movies" (Roger Ebert).

Recommendations
...if you love the Rififi/Topkapi kind of film, just get your popcorn ready.

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Abbasso la ricchezza! (Peddlin' in Society, 1946)

Director: Gennaro Righelli
Starring: Anna Magnani, Vittorio De Sica, Virgilio Riento, John Garson
Label:  Dolmen Home Video (2007)
Format: DVD / PAL / Region 2
Aspect ratio: 1.33:1 b/w
Audio: Italian (Dolby Digital 1.0 mono/5.1 remix)
Subtitles: English, Italian

Bonus:
* Photo gallery (20 stills)

Available on Amazon.it.

What's the film about?

Due to housing crisis, a newly rich black market dealer (Anna Magnani) and an impoverished count (Vittorio De Sica) have to share the same manor. Neorealism's influece also extended into genre films, as we can see in this entertaining lightweight comedy. Magnani was post-war Italian biggest star, and De Sica had been Italian biggest star in the '30s, so the film also has an additional interest, for you can compare two different acting style and two very different screen personas.

Recommendations
...if you want to see an acting contest between two legends.

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Il Federale (The Fascist, 1961)

Director: Luciano Salce
Starring: Ugo Tognazzi, George Wilson, Elza Vazzoler, Stefania Sandrelli
Label:  Medusa Video (2007)
Format: DVD / PAL / Region 2
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1 b/w
Audio: Italian (Dolby Digital 1.0 mono/5.1 remix)
Subtitles: English, Spanish, Italian

Available on Amazon.it.

What's the film about?

A fascist fanatic is entrusted with the task of bringing an anti-Fascist professor to Rome in the last days of Fascism. Starting with Monicelli's The Great War (1959), Italian comedies acquired a new social dimension, often dealing with low class situation. After Monicelli's hit, however, the most immediate result was a bunch of "historical" comedies, most of them set during Fascist era. Luciano Salce's road movie, starring Tognazzi at his best, represents one the most popular and most successful entry in this sub-genre. "A modest anecdote that blossoms beautifully into stature and significance" (Andrew Sarris).

Recommendations
...if you enjoyed Comencini's Everybody Go Home, here you have a pleasing follow-up.

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La tarantola dal ventre nero (The Black Belly of the Tarantula, 1971)

Director: Paolo Cavara
Starring: Giancarlo Giannini, Stefania Sandrelli, Claudine Auger, Barbara Bouchet
Label:  Ripley's Home Video (2005)
Format: DVD / PAL / Region 2
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Audio: Italian, English (Dolby Digital 2.0 mono)
Subtitles: None

Bonus:

* English trailer
* Photogalleries (29 stills)

Available on Amazon.it

What's the film about?

Young inspector investigates on a serial killer who paralyzes his victims with a needle in their neck. A follow up to Dario Argento's The Bird with the Crystal Plumage, the film has the usual strengths and shortcomings of most '70s Italian thrillers: clumsy narrative, aggressive visual style, atmospheric music score, effective location photography and many zoom shots. On the plus side we have a decent cast, featuring Giancarlo Giannini (Swept Away) and a whole bunch of sexy starlets (Sandrelli, Bouchet, Auger).

Recommendations
...if you are a fan of Argento's early works, you should check out this too.

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La calda vita (The Warm Life, 1964)

Director: Florestano Vancini
Starring: Catherine Spaak, Jacques Perrin, Fabrizio Capucci, Gabriele Ferzetti
Label:  Ripley's Home Video (2005)
Format: DVD / PAL / Region 2
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1 letterbox
Audio: Italian, English, French (Dolby Digital 2.0 mono)
Subtitles: None

Bonus:

* Photogallery (25 stills)

Available on Amazon.it

What's the film about?

Based on a P.A. Quarantotti Gambini novel, this is an "end of the innocence" story, where a 18 year old girl spends a brief vacation with two male friends, who are both in love with her. While the title echoes Fellini's La dolce vita, the main location clearly recalls Antonioni's L'avventura. However, director Florestano Vancini looks for an individual style, and he often succeeds, also because of a lively, delicate performance by his actor quartet. Despite the letterboxed transfer, the DVD still highlights a remarkable use of colour.

Recommendations
...if you want to see an Italian response to Preminger's Bonjour tristesse.

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