A Dania Film/C.C. Champion Production. Italian release: 27 August 1973. French DVD title: Rue de la Violence. 104 minutes.
COMMENT: I have mixed feelings about this one. I purchased the NEO DVD (which I can most highly recommend, even though they can't spell "giustizia") solely because Richard Conte was billed above the title (Luc Merenda was billed first and then Conte – and that was it for above-the-title billing). Well, Conte is one of my favorite actors and I'd never seen any of his Italian films, so naturally I was quick to pounce on this DVD. As most of you know, Conte is an Italian name and Richard could speak Italian. And doubtless he did so during the shooting. But nonetheless, his voice is dubbed. Disappointment number one.
The NEO DVD offers a choice between the original 98-minutes (allowing for DVD speed) Italian version (with French sub-titles) and a censored (to 95 minutes), French-dubbed version. Naturally, I chose the Italian version. The print is impeccable, but in a sense it's too good. The print is so sharp, it's easy to spot that Conte is not doing his own fighting. On the other hand, the other action scenes – and most particularly the car chases – are out of this world. Nonetheless, the sleazy, depressingly dark and bloodthirsty tone of the whole movie made me wish I'd watched the French version instead.
COMMENT: I have mixed feelings about this one. I purchased the NEO DVD (which I can most highly recommend, even though they can't spell "giustizia") solely because Richard Conte was billed above the title (Luc Merenda was billed first and then Conte – and that was it for above-the-title billing). Well, Conte is one of my favorite actors and I'd never seen any of his Italian films, so naturally I was quick to pounce on this DVD. As most of you know, Conte is an Italian name and Richard could speak Italian. And doubtless he did so during the shooting. But nonetheless, his voice is dubbed. Disappointment number one.
The NEO DVD offers a choice between the original 98-minutes (allowing for DVD speed) Italian version (with French sub-titles) and a censored (to 95 minutes), French-dubbed version. Naturally, I chose the Italian version. The print is impeccable, but in a sense it's too good. The print is so sharp, it's easy to spot that Conte is not doing his own fighting. On the other hand, the other action scenes – and most particularly the car chases – are out of this world. Nonetheless, the sleazy, depressingly dark and bloodthirsty tone of the whole movie made me wish I'd watched the French version instead.