Ruggero Deodato’s masterpiece Live Like a Cop, Die Like a Man does not live in any form of reality. The film doesn’t even live in the same universe as most poliziotteschi. No, this film occupies – no, kicks up its feet and calls itself home – within the same universe as GTA (Grand Theft Auto for you non-gamers). Well, actually, it’s the other way around.
Fred and Tony (Marc Porel and Ray Lovelock) are a part of an elite crime unit. Their purpose? By any means necessary, take down all criminal activity in Rome. Gambling, corruption, bank robberies, and hostage situations. You name it, Fred and Tony will do anything and everything to dispense their brand of justice. Be it by their wits, guns, fists, explosives, or sheer force of will Fred and Tony find a way.
Live Like a Cop, Die Like a Man is blunt force trauma action exploitation at its best. This is a film that finds humor in cruelty towards all living things. Its two anti-heroes, and they are anti-heroes, are driven to serve their brand of justice with little to no qualms about it. There is little to no difference between them and the criminals they’re killing. The biggest difference is that Fred and Tony are after criminals and anyone who associates with them.
It would be reprehensible (maybe it still is) if it weren’t for the crackerjack action sequences and the level of dark humor that plays out. There isn’t a police film even in the poliziotteschi like it before or since. Truly, the only comp is the unbridled storm of violence that one can commit in the open world maps of GTA that comes close to what Deodato and company create here.
The Transfer
Presented in an all-new 4K restoration of the original negative Raro Video’s Blu-Ray edition of Live Like a Cop, Die Like a Man (like Caliber 9, The Italian Connection, and The Bossbefore it) 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. Raro continues to bring masterful restoration of European Cinema, be it genre or not.
The Extras
They include the following;
Audio Commentary by Film Historian Rachael Nisbet
Archival Documentary Violent Police
TV Spots Directed by and with Commentary by Ruggero Deodato
Alternate English audio track
Trailers
The Audio Commentary by Film Historian Rachael Nisbet opens with her bonafides and the title both in English and Italian titles before giving us an overall summary of her thesis for the commentary track for the film. Some of the details include a discussion of director Ruggero Deodato – his involvement in Italian Genre filmmaking, how this was his only poliziotteschi – and why; the tone of the film and how it balances comedy and action; the motorcycle chase that opens the film; the work of Stunt Coordinator Gilberto Galimberti – and how Galimberti was not the first Coordinator but, rather legendary French Stunt Coordinator Rémy Julienne; the reasons why Deodato reshot the motorcycle chase scene; the troupes of the poliziotteschi, present here and examples of them in various other films of the genre; how Live Like a Cop, Die Like a Man differs from those troupes of the genre; the career of the screenwriter Fernando DiLeo and his work here including the development of this particular screenplay; how Deodato would eventually direct the film; the directorial and visual style that Deodato brought to the film and his taking inspiration from Italian Neo Realism and Television– including a discussion of how he accomplished this and examples of both; a discussion of the various actors that appear in the film, their roles and their careers; and much more. Nisbet provides a wonderfully informative commentary track about this truly unique poliziotteschi and those who made it.
Violent Police (41:56) – This archival documentary from the DVD era is a fairly thorough look at this polizzitichi classic. The film covers everything from the development, production, and release of the film. Discussion points include: The iconic motorcycle chases through Rome. The infamous eye-gouging scene that was cut. How he became involved with the script by Fernando DiLeo and the development. The political landscape these films were made and how the artists were usually left-leaning in their politics, though the films were often considered fascist and rejected as art. And much more. Featuring interviews with director Deodato, actors Al Cever and Ray Lovelock, Critic Gianluca Curti, Stunt Coordinator/Weapons expert Gilberto Galimberti, and Producer Armando Novelli.
TV Spots Directed by and with Commentary by Ruggero Deodato (20:19) – Deodato goes over in great detail and with humor about how these commercials/TV spots came about, starting with some of the earliest work in his career. The surprising amount of information that Deodato has about even the earlier commercials is surprising. There is a fair amount of information about the time he was making commercials that is non-screen-specific, but is interesting for anyone who is curious about the director’s career. He does go over how he became involved with directing commercials in the early 70s, his pain not being able to make films during this period, and even the censorship he faced while making commercials. An unnamed co-commentator interviews Deodato during the commentary, prompting him with various talking points. Some of these commercials are quite long (upwards of two minutes).
Raro continues to bring the very best in Italian Genre cinema to home video with wonderful picture and sound restoration, plus insightful extras. Highest recommendations!
There are cop films. There are COP films. Then there’s Ruggero Deodato’s Live Like a Cop, Die Like a Man. New to Blu-ray from Raro Video with a 4K Restoration.
The Film
Ruggero Deodato’s masterpiece Live Like a Cop, Die Like a Man does not live in any form of reality. The film doesn’t even live in the same universe as most poliziotteschi. No, this film occupies – no, kicks up its feet and calls itself home – within the same universe as GTA (Grand Theft Auto for you non-gamers). Well, actually, it’s the other way around.
Fred and Tony (Marc Porel and Ray Lovelock) are a part of an elite crime unit. Their purpose? By any means necessary, take down all criminal activity in Rome. Gambling, corruption, bank robberies, and hostage situations. You name it, Fred and Tony will do anything and everything to dispense their brand of justice. Be it by their wits, guns, fists, explosives, or sheer force of will Fred and Tony find a way.
Live Like a Cop, Die Like a Man is blunt force trauma action exploitation at its best. This is a film that finds humor in cruelty towards all living things. Its two anti-heroes, and they are anti-heroes, are driven to serve their brand of justice with little to no qualms about it. There is little to no difference between them and the criminals they’re killing. The biggest difference is that Fred and Tony are after criminals and anyone who associates with them.
It would be reprehensible (maybe it still is) if it weren’t for the crackerjack action sequences and the level of dark humor that plays out. There isn’t a police film even in the poliziotteschi like it before or since. Truly, the only comp is the unbridled storm of violence that one can commit in the open world maps of GTA that comes close to what Deodato and company create here.
The Transfer
Presented in an all-new 4K restoration of the original negative Raro Video’s Blu-Ray edition of Live Like a Cop, Die Like a Man (like Caliber 9, The Italian Connection, and The Boss before it) 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. Raro continues to bring masterful restoration of European Cinema, be it genre or not.
The Extras
They include the following;
The Audio Commentary by Film Historian Rachael Nisbet opens with her bonafides and the title both in English and Italian titles before giving us an overall summary of her thesis for the commentary track for the film. Some of the details include a discussion of director Ruggero Deodato – his involvement in Italian Genre filmmaking, how this was his only poliziotteschi – and why; the tone of the film and how it balances comedy and action; the motorcycle chase that opens the film; the work of Stunt Coordinator Gilberto Galimberti – and how Galimberti was not the first Coordinator but, rather legendary French Stunt Coordinator Rémy Julienne; the reasons why Deodato reshot the motorcycle chase scene; the troupes of the poliziotteschi, present here and examples of them in various other films of the genre; how Live Like a Cop, Die Like a Man differs from those troupes of the genre; the career of the screenwriter Fernando DiLeo and his work here including the development of this particular screenplay; how Deodato would eventually direct the film; the directorial and visual style that Deodato brought to the film and his taking inspiration from Italian Neo Realism and Television– including a discussion of how he accomplished this and examples of both; a discussion of the various actors that appear in the film, their roles and their careers; and much more. Nisbet provides a wonderfully informative commentary track about this truly unique poliziotteschi and those who made it.
Violent Police (41:56) – This archival documentary from the DVD era is a fairly thorough look at this polizzitichi classic. The film covers everything from the development, production, and release of the film. Discussion points include: The iconic motorcycle chases through Rome. The infamous eye-gouging scene that was cut. How he became involved with the script by Fernando DiLeo and the development. The political landscape these films were made and how the artists were usually left-leaning in their politics, though the films were often considered fascist and rejected as art. And much more. Featuring interviews with director Deodato, actors Al Cever and Ray Lovelock, Critic Gianluca Curti, Stunt Coordinator/Weapons expert Gilberto Galimberti, and Producer Armando Novelli.
TV Spots Directed by and with Commentary by Ruggero Deodato (20:19) – Deodato goes over in great detail and with humor about how these commercials/TV spots came about, starting with some of the earliest work in his career. The surprising amount of information that Deodato has about even the earlier commercials is surprising. There is a fair amount of information about the time he was making commercials that is non-screen-specific, but is interesting for anyone who is curious about the director’s career. He does go over how he became involved with directing commercials in the early 70s, his pain not being able to make films during this period, and even the censorship he faced while making commercials. An unnamed co-commentator interviews Deodato during the commentary, prompting him with various talking points. Some of these commercials are quite long (upwards of two minutes).
Trailers
The Final Thought
Raro continues to bring the very best in Italian Genre cinema to home video with wonderful picture and sound restoration, plus insightful extras. Highest recommendations!
Raro Video’s Blu-ray Edition of Live Like a Cop, Die Like a Man is out now.
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