ROME ARMED TO THE TEETH

Here is an older review of mine I dig from the crypts just for you!

My reviews sure have gotten a lot more wordy lately

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Original Title: Roma a mano armata
Year: 1976
Director: Umberto Lenzi
Writer: Umberto Lenzi (story), Dardano Sacchetti (screenplay)
IMDb: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075152/
Genre: Polizia

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"Me, I'm protected by Satan. I'm shitting lead."

Synopsis:
A tough, violent cop who doesn't mind bending the law goes after a machine-gun-carrying, hunchbacked psychotic killer.

Hmm, not sure if that covers it so well, but oh well.

I thought this was a solidly acted, fun film.

Maurizio Merli plays Commissioner Leonardo Tanzi , a role similar to his roles in Napoli Violenta (another Lenzi film) and Roma Violenta (Commissario Betti). These movies must have been filmed around the same times (1975-1976). Tenzi is rough and a bit vigilante, but not as much so as his Betti character.

We do get to see quite a few Merli chop-punches and lots of gritted teeth from underneath his porn-quality mustache.

Another actor who has become one of my favorites in the short time I have been watching these films is Tomas Milian. He plays a nasty hunchback Moretto who has some great lines throughout the film. (The Satan line above is his.) There is a great scene where he hijacks an ambulance as well.

The story overall felt a little broken to me. There is the overall story of Tanzi trying to track down a high profile criminal, Ferrender. He is constantly after Moretto because he believes that Moretto knows Ferrender's whereabouts... I think. There's a story with a drug dealer which may or may not be tied to Ferrender. And there is also a story with a group of teens who Tanzi chases down in relation to an assault/rape. Other than perhaps establishing Tanzi's vigilante character and providing some fun chases and confrontations, these little pieces that make up much of the middle of the film do not do much to otherwise advance the overall plot.

There are some interesting elements of the media's role in Tanzi's career, as the police captain must always weigh the results of Tanzi's actions vs. the backlash such behavior will result in when the media reports on it.

Umberto Lenzi is becoming another favorite of mine it seems. Almost Human was a nice Tomas Milian as a bad guy film, and Violent Naples which was filmed around the same time was great as well. Lenzi does well at showing a gritty Rome (flaming box piles anyone?) and has some nice lighting and shots here. There are some really cool, abrupt depth of field changes that add a lot to the style of the film... focusing at faces subsequently in a line, or a particularly cool one with a long focus on a car parking, then the focus pulls back to inside another car with Merli's eyes in the rear view mirror. Without the interesting, European style filming of many of these polizia films, they become just standard action films.

Action packed with some soul, this one is quite fun. I can overlook the problems with this story when I am handed Italian-style car and rooftop chases!

Score: 7 / 10

HIGH CRIME

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Original Title: La polizia incrimina la legge assolve
Year: 1973
Director: Enzo G. Castellari
Writer: Maurizio Amati (story), Tito Carpi (screenplay, story), Enzo G. Castellari (writer), Gianfranco Clerici (writer), Vincenzo Mannino (writer), Leonardo Martín (writer)
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070552/
Genre: Polizia

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imdb synopsis:
An Italian police inspector matches wits with a powerful European drug ring. As he comes closer to the top of the underworld organization, his odds of survival decrease.

Castellari and Franco Nero have come together to make a real gem here in this film. It starts off action packed, but unlike other polizias I have seen, this one has some really great character roles and and interesting story around all the action.

First the characters: Nero's Belli is similar to the Betti character of Violent Naples and Violent Rome that I have reviewed recently, although with much more depth I thought. He is a hothead, but is cooler under pressure. His heated scenes with the Commissioner are very well acted, and I really liked the interactions with him and his daughter and his girlfriend. These down times feel natural and add dimension to the Belli character without getting overly sappy or awkward as they are sometimes prone to do. While it can be fun, Nero proves here you don't have to be a carboard cutout of a tough-guy to truly pull off a tough guy.

He is over the top at times (ok, ok, most of the time), but I feel like it still worked. I guess I just got lost in those blue eyes! Ahhhh..... Belli has some funny, smartass lines in there ("You have shit on your face"), and has a great look with his scarf and wide tie.

The commissioner, played by James Whitmore, was also a strong character I thought. He had a great look... Whitmore's expressive, pensive bushy eyebrows were almost a character in themselves. Like I said, his interaction with Belli are great. There is a standout scene in particular with the two of them speaking (yelling) with one another on a high look over the city. This adds an interesting little facet to their relationship beyond a standard boss-employee relationship. Belli voices his opinions, and we get the idea that the commissioner respects them, even going as far as giving Belli an arena to do so, away from other law enforcement officials at the station.

"In this business, there are no heroes. No heroes, no crusaders, just a sick society!"

As for Castellari's direction: He was spot on here. There are many great scenes of action and just nicely framed images in general. There are many little things on top of the character interactions that just gave the film a real sense of artistic style while still maintaining the grittiness and fast pace we want and expect from a film of this genre.

Castellari uses some nice scenes of slow-motion as he seems prone to do. Like Inglorious Bastards with the German potato masher crashing through a window, there is a spectacular execution scene with machine gun fire through a glass door.

There are scenes of flashback woven in and out of the present time as we (and the character) are reminded of certain things. And there are just nicely framed and shot images that just ooze cool, like a reflection in a man's sunglasses, or interesting angles that may not be all that necessary, but just add style.

There is quite a bit of handheld camera work, particularly when panning around characters who are speaking, even some scenes shot from a first-person perspective, all which pull the viewer into the story more I think.

The story stays strong throughout; it doesn't get bogged down with over-analyzation or on the other hand stay too light and just focus on the action. There is a great balance and pace. A problem with lots of films I have seen in the genre is the momentum grinding to a halt when the characters break out of their one-dimension and get serious, show affection, etc. I really did not get that from this film. Nero is great in the quiet times as well as the frenetic times.

From what I have read, this film started the polizia/eurocrime boom of the mid-70s, and I can definitely see why. I'm not sure if that is true as it is not the first of it's kind, but it surely served as a turning point.

This is one of the best genre films I have seen in awhile.

Very high recommendation from me. SEE IT!

8.5 out of 10

A SPECIAL COP IN ACTION

The polizia train rolls on! Mr. Merli is your conductor! WOO WOOOOOOOO!!!

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Original Title: Italia a mano armata
Year: 1976
Director: Marino Girolami
Writer: Leila Buongiorno (screenplay), Gianfranco Clerici (screenplay), Vincenzo Mannino (story & screenplay)
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0179901/
Genre: Polizia

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synopsis:
Commissario Betti has moved on from Rome and Napoli to the greener pastures of Torino (?) and Milan to fight crime in only the way he knows how. He just may try while there to knock off a crime boss in the process!

This is the third and final appearance of the Inspector Betti. The director of the first film in the trilogy, Marino Girolami, is back here for the third, and while he seems to have learned a few tricks from Lenzi, still cannot put together what I feel is a successful film.

Where the previous two Betti films had a strong opening, the first HALF of this film started off at a snails pace for me. Again, as with Violent Rome, Girolami gets bogged down with forming "complex" relationships, and by complex I mean going beyond calling someone a fucker and slapping the snot out of them.

Gone are the cramped, damp streets of Italy, largely replaced by dirt roads and greenery. A busload of children are kidnapped for ransom, and banks are robbed. None of these seem to have anything to do with one another, and as a result the film just meanders along for 45 minutes.

Sure, we get the standard faire from Merli as Betti once again, but Merli I think just lacks the acting chops to truly travel the road that Girolami was paving with the character development in the first two acts. Be ready for a painfully cliched scene in which a distraught person cries and lashes about with Betti trying to comfort her. Betti has some interesting moments, in particular the second bank standoff in which some puzzle pieces finally (and conveniently) start to fit. The kidnappers are kinf od interesting I guess, but the kids are highly annoying. There are a few shining spots here, but we are lacking that oompf we want to see in these films.

When the most exciting part is a panty shot followed by a bumbling rape scene, you just can't feel too great about how everything will ultimately wrap up. Is it just me, or is women's underwear essentially break-away in 70s Italian cinema? Those things just disintegrate at the first sign of struggle.

Thankfully, and mercifully, Girolami puts his foot on the accelerator, and finally I crack a true smile while watching. Merli gets his wake up call in a way and the character we came to see emerges from his slumber! What we get now is some over the top action. The car chases and crashes, the SLAP fighting, PRISON SCENE, Girolami even gets a hair up his ass and throws in some SLO-MO! Yea, boy! Gettem!

Betti is now targeting crime boss Albertelli (played by the fantastic John Saxon) after making some connections that we'll just have to go with.

Here's Saxon looking like a beast!

This back half of the film saves it from being a disaster. We are now treated to the sleazy, violent ride we came to see. Girolami just took an eternity cinematically speaking to really get Betti and the film as a whole a real focus. The fact that Saxon's character Albertelli is not even mentioned until close to the halfway point was a complete mistake if you ask me.

As I said, Merli is his normal self here. It works when he is playing Dirty-Harry Betti, but when he is playing serious-with-a-potential-love-interest Betti, you will be longing for Franco Nero instead. The supporting characters are either forgettable I think or just grating. I'm looking at you, distraught overacting lady (Mirella D'Angelo.) Saxon is a beacon here and really plays a true asshole. His scenes are enjoyable, especially the poolside conversation with Betti.

Devastating!

I have to mention the score for the film as well. While there are some very cheesy/sappy strings in there, the main theme is one for the ages. I originally heard it during the closing of the Cinema Diabolica podcast, and loved it even then. It is repeated a lot throughout, but is mixed up, slowed down, etc. as not to get overly repetitive. Definitely my favorite music of the three films, as I am having trouble even remembering the music from the previous two.

I am having a hard time recommending this film unless you are a fan of the genre. The OCD in me says watch it to see the Betti character wrapped up and finish the trilogy, but the plodding first half just is not much fun.

It's worth a view for the action-packed second half, I suppose, and it was interesting to see the changes (for better or worse) that Girolami made in the one year or so that passed between Roma Violenta and this, most notably the addition of slow-motion in some of the action sequences.

Kind of a mess at times and not the best acting all around.

I'm sorry, Merli. I still love you.

5.5 out of 10

(or 3 out of 10 for the first 45 minutes and 8 out of 10 for the second!)

VIOLENT NAPLES

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Original Title: Napoli violenta
Year: 1976
Director: Umberto Lenzi
Writer: Vincenzo Mannino
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074952/
Genre: Polizia

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imdb synopsis:
A detective sick and tired of the rampant crime and violence in his city, and constantly at odds with his superiors, is finally kicked out of the department transferred to Napoli for a "questionable" shooting of a vicious criminal being a pain in the ass? In Napoli, Betti brings his hard, vigilante style justice to an ongoing organized crime problem in the city.

This is the second appearance of the Inspector Betti character, the first being 1975's Violent Rome that I reviewed previously. After watching these two films back to back, I have to say it is evident from this production at least, that Lenzi had a better grasp of what works with this genre.

The film opens strong as did Violent Rome, this time a little more stylish with some cool shots of a hood ornament traveling through Naples along with eyes in the rear view window. As soon as Betti shows up in the first scene, he is almost run over by a car, and the local crime boss says to him from across the street ""Naples is a dangerous city... if you don't watch your step." Good stuff.

Unlike Violent Rome, this film sticks to it's guns and brings the violence, chases and action that we expect from these films. It is not really weighed down by any character development much, one problem I had with Violent Rome, but we don't really need it.

The characters are interesting enough with their limited dimensions - as I said previously, black and white is safe yet effective for me for a polizia cast. Even the criminals try to dick one another over this time (watch for the diamond ring at the home of the fence.) And Betti is unforgiving in his style... even at one point providing the Chief in Napoli his resignation telling him to keep it until he feels Betti has gone too far with his police brutality. Awesome!

Merli reprises his role as Betti and does a nice, only slightly hammy job - he's exactly the same as before. Apparently there was only a few months between Roma and Napoli, so I suppose he didn't even have long to forget. Ah those golden locks and woolly worm on his lip. How can you not love him?

We get a fun, snide John Saxon here as well, playing financier Francesco Capuano who gets tied up in Betti's plans to snag the crime boss with the awesome name, The Commandante, played by Barry Sullivan. John Saxon is entertaining and really his normal self, and Sullivan's Commandante is calm and calculated even when he is acting quite brutally.

The setting is done right again with claustrophobic alleyways, awesome fluffy hair and staches everywhere, beat up cars, and more grit and dirt and construction.

The story stays fast paced (literally!) and interesting. There are some genuinely exciting parts here, some great chases and some nice stunts. Lenzi does not fuck around with this flick!

I would recommend you pick this up, especially if you are into the genre.

8 out of 10

VIOLENT ROME

Does anyone have a higher resolution file for this poster?

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A.K.A.: Roma violenta
Year: 1975
Director: Marino Girolami
Writer: Vincenzo Mannino
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073633/
Genre: Polizia

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imdb synopsis:
A detective sick and tired of the rampant crime and violence in his city, and constantly at odds with his superiors, is finally kicked out of the department for a "questionable" shooting of a vicious criminal. However, he is soon approached by a representative for a group of citizens who themselves are fed up with what they see as criminals going unpunished, and they make him an offer he may very well not refuse.

This is the first appearance of the Inspector Betti character. He is most definitely a ripoff take of Dirty Harry or something of the sort, but Merli is entertaining in this role regardless. Like all good Italian tough-man cops from the 1970s, he is sporting a whopper of a stache. It really completes the scowl I think. His teeth just look too good peeking out from underneath.

The film opens with a bang as we see a bus robbery in progress. I really liked the use of freeze frame here as the opening credits roll, and I'm always a fan of the font Clarendon! It's good when a movie such as this starts off strong with what we are here to see... the action, the guns, the screaming...

Cop films made in the 70s have a gritty feel that I love. Dirty Harry, French Connection, ones like that... and of course the Italian films like this. The old cars, the facial hair, even the old film stock that has aged adds to the effect. I'm sure I'm also not alone in finding something at the same time entertaining and calming about the overdubbed clicky feet sound effects. Weird?

In this film in particular, the streets of Rome give a similar feel. They are wet and/or dirty... cramped... just a nice setting to get across the intended mood.

Oh, and the footsteps are clicky!

The direction of the film is straight-forward. The plot moves forward and is never overly complicated. Keeping it simple for the most part helps I think, because when Girolami is into his action sequences, we definitely are treated; Fist fights, car chases (there is an extended one that is a lot of fun!), gun battles. Multiple camera angles (inside, outside, on the ground!) are used around cars as we get a sense of confusion and speed.

It's crazy seeing how the tires flex under the sharp turns!

Can't do THIS in an American car!

But there are directorial, writing, or maybe even editing choices made that keep this one from being great.

The passage of time is handled awkwardly, as we have to constantly look for dialogue cues to know when time elapsed... days go by and events happen and we're given something like "So, have you thought about things for the past two days?" Also, the film strayed a bit from it's strong points (the action) and tried to have the human relationship between Betti and a fellow officer. The relationship was not developed well enough to warrant as much time as was spent on it. It just came off as forced.

I liked the acting for what it was. I don't go into this type of film expecting Oscar-worthy performances. In a way I'm expecting hyperbole. I want my characters a little over the top while still being believable. Merli fits the role well - he takes matters into his own hands and is quite belligerent toward his superior officers. He throws punches and grits his teeth behind his beaitiful stache. The criminals are nasty and will gun down civilians to make their get away. When the characters are not in their quiet scenes, they do quite well.

It's not the best, but I had a lot of fun with this one. Like I said, it's not perfect in the down times, but ups the sleaze factor a little to make up for it - quite a bit of violence against women for instance.

I would definitely recommend seeing it, especially if you are a fan of Maurizio Merli or want to see everything with the Betti character.

6.25 out of 10