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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