There’s a brazen tone throughout The Italian Connection that’s only matched by its cold and calculating nature. No one is safe in this ruthless tale of shifting power dynamics within the mafia in Milian. The Italian Connection is writer/director Fernando Di Leo at his most action-packed and unforgiving.
Mob assassins Dave (Henry Silva) and Frank (Woody Strode) are sent to Milian to kill Luca Canali (Mario Adorf) a small-time pimp whose been stealing from them. The problem is that Canali isn’t stealing from them – happily protecting his sex workers – and is oblivious to the hellfire that is about to reign on him. As Dave and Frank begin to search for Canali they quickly begin to realize he is a foe to not be underestimated. When they and the Mob make it super personal, Canali becomes a one-man army taking out everyone and everything in his way for his own brand of justice.
Di Leo’s film does not waste any time on formalities. Part of the brilliance of the film is how hard it goes into what the mob is willing to do to draw out Canali. They are ruthless nightmare machine that only fuels Canali’s rage. The film begins and quickly escalates into a revenge story of biblical proportions. The film’s set pieces are as sharp as the writing here. It isn’t any wonder that Quentin Tarantino calls Di Leo one of his favorite filmmakers. The director’s innate ability to build character and story through action makes one wonder why Hollywood never attempted to steal him from Italy.
The film smartly casts Mario Adorf as the legend that is Luca Canali. Adorf who had a supporting role in Caliber 9 is center stage as the sweaty and vengeful low-level hood. What makes Di Leo’s film and his characterization of Canali so effective is how much of a “good time” soul Canali is in the opening third. The worst crime he appears to have done is the revolving door or sex workers he makes promises he never intends to keep. There’s a loveable almost goofy quality to Adorf that instantly endears him to the audience. Though when Canali’s life is ruined, Adorf goes into an almost animalistic fugue state, it hits harder than one can imagine with Canali literally tearing a van apart as it wildly swerves in and out of Milian traffic.
The Italian Connection isn’t brilliant because of Hollywood legends Silva and Strode but rather the overheated star-making turn by Mario Adorf and the brilliant writing and direction of Fernando Di Leo.
The Transfer
Presented in a 4K restoration of the original negative Raro video’s Blu-Ray edition of The Italian Connection is nothing short of stunning. The transfer is colorfully vibrant without any defects or artifacting. The image is beautifully representative of the 35mm origins of the film with a wonderful patina of active grain giving it that specific filmic look that all the best Blu-Ray discs have. Bravo to Raro such a masterful restoration.
The Extras
They include the following;
Audio Commentary by Film Historian Samm Deighan
Archival documentary Roots of the Mafia
Trailers
In this all-new Audio Commentary by Film Historian Samm Deighan begins with the various titles this film has been released under and the original Italian Title. Some of the other details include a discussion of the Poliziotteschi as a genre; Di Leo’s own Milieu Trilogy – which is the second part of and to Deighan’s estimation is the best of the trilogy; a discussion of the career as a writer and then transiting over to directing and eventually moving to crime thrillers and giallos – eventually getting to the Milieu trilogy; the work of Luciana Paluzzi – including a discussion of her being a Bond Girl; the work of Sylva Koscina; the historical and political context in which this film and the genre rose out of; the work of writer Giorgio Scerbanenco that inspired much of Di Leo’s Milieu trilogy; the rise of communes in Europe and how they factor in the film; what separates the Milieu trilogy from other crime films in Italian but also throughout the world – and a larger discussion of “honor amongst thieves”; a discussion of actor Henry Silva – how he ended up doing work in Italy; a discussion of the actor Woody Strode – how he ended up working in Italy; a larger discussion of the various other actors that appear giving us a breakdown of their personal and professional history; and much more. Deighan provides a truly fascinating commentary giving us the history and political context that this brilliant film was made.
Archival documentary Roots of the Mafia (20:36) – an accompaniment to the documentaries that were in the Caliber 9Blu-ray, this documentary looks at not just The Italian Connection but the entire Poliziotteschi genre. The archival documentary charts the filmmaking career of Di Leo and discusses what made Di Leo’s films so unique, what made The Italian Connection such a hit and how it helped create a genre, Di Leo’s influences, the Di Leo’s films influence on Italian and abroad and much more. Featuring comments by director Di Leo, film critic Maurizio Colombo, film editor Amedeo Giomini, cinematographer Franco Villa, producer Armando Novelli, writer Franco Lo Cascio, and more.
Milieu Trilogy Re-Release Trailer (1:30)
Caliber 9 Trailer (3:14)
The Italian Connection Trailer (1:46)
The Final Thought
Raro Video has done an exemplary job of bringing The Italian Connection to Blu-ray. Highest recommendations!!!
The Italian Connection is the second in writer/director Fernando Di Leo’s master Milieu Trilogy of Poliziotteschi films. New to Blu-ray from Raro with a 4K Restoration of the original camera negative.
The Film
There’s a brazen tone throughout The Italian Connection that’s only matched by its cold and calculating nature. No one is safe in this ruthless tale of shifting power dynamics within the mafia in Milian. The Italian Connection is writer/director Fernando Di Leo at his most action-packed and unforgiving.
Mob assassins Dave (Henry Silva) and Frank (Woody Strode) are sent to Milian to kill Luca Canali (Mario Adorf) a small-time pimp whose been stealing from them. The problem is that Canali isn’t stealing from them – happily protecting his sex workers – and is oblivious to the hellfire that is about to reign on him. As Dave and Frank begin to search for Canali they quickly begin to realize he is a foe to not be underestimated. When they and the Mob make it super personal, Canali becomes a one-man army taking out everyone and everything in his way for his own brand of justice.
Di Leo’s film does not waste any time on formalities. Part of the brilliance of the film is how hard it goes into what the mob is willing to do to draw out Canali. They are ruthless nightmare machine that only fuels Canali’s rage. The film begins and quickly escalates into a revenge story of biblical proportions. The film’s set pieces are as sharp as the writing here. It isn’t any wonder that Quentin Tarantino calls Di Leo one of his favorite filmmakers. The director’s innate ability to build character and story through action makes one wonder why Hollywood never attempted to steal him from Italy.
The film smartly casts Mario Adorf as the legend that is Luca Canali. Adorf who had a supporting role in Caliber 9 is center stage as the sweaty and vengeful low-level hood. What makes Di Leo’s film and his characterization of Canali so effective is how much of a “good time” soul Canali is in the opening third. The worst crime he appears to have done is the revolving door or sex workers he makes promises he never intends to keep. There’s a loveable almost goofy quality to Adorf that instantly endears him to the audience. Though when Canali’s life is ruined, Adorf goes into an almost animalistic fugue state, it hits harder than one can imagine with Canali literally tearing a van apart as it wildly swerves in and out of Milian traffic.
The Italian Connection isn’t brilliant because of Hollywood legends Silva and Strode but rather the overheated star-making turn by Mario Adorf and the brilliant writing and direction of Fernando Di Leo.
The Transfer
Presented in a 4K restoration of the original negative Raro video’s Blu-Ray edition of The Italian Connection is nothing short of stunning. The transfer is colorfully vibrant without any defects or artifacting. The image is beautifully representative of the 35mm origins of the film with a wonderful patina of active grain giving it that specific filmic look that all the best Blu-Ray discs have. Bravo to Raro such a masterful restoration.
The Extras
They include the following;
In this all-new Audio Commentary by Film Historian Samm Deighan begins with the various titles this film has been released under and the original Italian Title. Some of the other details include a discussion of the Poliziotteschi as a genre; Di Leo’s own Milieu Trilogy – which is the second part of and to Deighan’s estimation is the best of the trilogy; a discussion of the career as a writer and then transiting over to directing and eventually moving to crime thrillers and giallos – eventually getting to the Milieu trilogy; the work of Luciana Paluzzi – including a discussion of her being a Bond Girl; the work of Sylva Koscina; the historical and political context in which this film and the genre rose out of; the work of writer Giorgio Scerbanenco that inspired much of Di Leo’s Milieu trilogy; the rise of communes in Europe and how they factor in the film; what separates the Milieu trilogy from other crime films in Italian but also throughout the world – and a larger discussion of “honor amongst thieves”; a discussion of actor Henry Silva – how he ended up doing work in Italy; a discussion of the actor Woody Strode – how he ended up working in Italy; a larger discussion of the various other actors that appear giving us a breakdown of their personal and professional history; and much more. Deighan provides a truly fascinating commentary giving us the history and political context that this brilliant film was made.
Archival documentary Roots of the Mafia (20:36) – an accompaniment to the documentaries that were in the Caliber 9Blu-ray, this documentary looks at not just The Italian Connection but the entire Poliziotteschi genre. The archival documentary charts the filmmaking career of Di Leo and discusses what made Di Leo’s films so unique, what made The Italian Connection such a hit and how it helped create a genre, Di Leo’s influences, the Di Leo’s films influence on Italian and abroad and much more. Featuring comments by director Di Leo, film critic Maurizio Colombo, film editor Amedeo Giomini, cinematographer Franco Villa, producer Armando Novelli, writer Franco Lo Cascio, and more.
Milieu Trilogy Re-Release Trailer (1:30)
Caliber 9 Trailer (3:14)
The Italian Connection Trailer (1:46)
The Final Thought
Raro Video has done an exemplary job of bringing The Italian Connection to Blu-ray. Highest recommendations!!!
Raro Video’s Blu-Ray edition of The Italian Connection is out now
Share this:
Like this:
Discover more from The Movie Isle
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.