(034) GANG WAR IN MILAN (1973) Umberto Lenzi/Marisa Mell
6053DVD
original Italian title MILANO ROVENTE
[Milano Heat] also known as BURNING CITY
director: Umberto Lenzi
starring Antonio Sabato · Philipe Leroy · Marisa Mell
· Antonio Casagrande · Tano Cimarosa
Of course,
Umberto Lenzi is best known to cult fans for his horror movies [especially
those in the cannibal genre, EATEN
ALIVE and CANNIBAL
FEROX], but true fans of Golden-Age Italian films should not ignore
his "Polizischi." These were crime movies, often
sleazier, grittier and - in fact - more horrific than horror films themselves
[see Lenzi's ALMOST
HUMAN (Milano Odia) for the best example].
The movie
is - as the title suggests - about a gang war in Milan, between Sicilian
pimp-thugs and French-connected drug dealers. The leaders of the Italian
pimps are Salvatore 'Toto' Cangemi (played by Antonio Sabato) teamed with
ruthless godfather Billy Barone (Alessandro Sperli) versus an equally
vicious French gang led by Roger Daverty (Philippe Leroy). However, the
graphic violence is mostly aimed at prostitutes who get raped, beaten
and tortured in numerous segments [but, in fairness, there is also a gangster
whose testicles are introduced to a car battery]. Marisa Mell is Jasmina,
an upper-class girlfriend of Boss Toto.
Lenzi's
film is shockingly amoral, licentious and depraved.
But
beware... this 'polizischi' is nothing like Hollywood crime films.
An
Italian film; widescreen, (100 minutes) in DVD encoded for ALL REGION
NTSC, playable on any American DVD machine; in English language. Extras
include original trailers.
Suggested
for mature audiences: Rape/Torture/Nudity/Sexual Situations/
Graphic Violence/Sexual Butality/Prostitution/Drugs
