Phantom of Death / Un delitto poco comune (1988)

There is something ostentatious, possibly bordering on the baroque, about the Venitian scenes of this late giallo from Ruggero Deodato.


This often tragic feature stars Michael York as a handsome and gifted pianist who is cursed with an illness that accelerates the ageing process. We witness his declining physical and mental health as in a murderous state he is chased across Italy by a police inspector played by Donald Pleasence. In moments of clarity he attempts to surrender to the law but with a rapidly changing appearance and his constant movement he becomes involved in an often intentional often accidental game of cat and mouse with an inspector who believes himself to be taunted by the fugitive.


Featuring a supporting role for Giovanni Lombardo Radice and benefiting from a high calibre leading cast that also includes Edwige Fenech the delightfully inventive premise of Phantom of Death may well have confounded those who had already wrote the epitaph for the giallo. While the alternate title of Off Balance is indicative of the disorienting nature of this film it is the Phantom of Death title that reveals far more. There is a clear Phantom Of The Opera influence upon this film.


Phantom of Death has had a recent release from the UK indie Shameless Screen Entertainment.


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The Iron Prefect / Il prefetto di ferro (1977)

In the years during the Mussolini government Prefetto Cesare Mori, the eponymous Iron Prefect, is dispatched to Sicily to root out the Mafia and the bandits with whom they have formed an alliance. Committed to the rule of law as opposed to the insignia of the fasci Mori undertakes his duties diligently despite meeting opposition from the communities within which he operates.


Upon rooting out the bandits Mori's investigations take him deeper as he uncovers mafia links to local dignitaries and politicians that stretch all the way to Rome and the ministries of the fascist government.


While on one level the film can be taken literally as a historical drama it can be seen as an allegorical tale for contemporary Italy in making a connection with the themes of the 1970s Eurocrime wave. As the bandits were expelled so the fascists moved in to fill the vacuum, even with their organised crime connections. The themes of the political connections of the Mafia and that the more things seemingly change the more they stay the same are not uncommon ones in the Eurocrime genre.


Exploitation regular Paul Muller puts in an appearance. Recommended.


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Cruel Jaws (1995)

Marvel at how the shark in this Jaws rip off changes size and species from scene to scene. Director Bruno Mattei seemingly couldn't care less as he borrows footage at will from earlier shark movies including Jaws and L'ultimo squalo.


This is sometimes sold as Jaws 5.


The film features the famous shark and helicopter sequence from Enzo G. Castellari's L'ultimo squalo. This is bad cinema that is most entertainingly awful. The mind boggles.


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In The Jungle / Nella giungla (2003)

It has to be said that Cannibal Holocaust is, without doubt, the most notorious and divisive film ever made. Loved and hated in equal measure none can doubt the incredible impact, for better or worse, it has upon all who come into contact with it. It contains imagery that is never forgotten and left controversy in it's wake.


This 2003 Alan Young Pictures presentation tells the incredible story of Cannibal Holocaust.


Featuring interviews with, among others, director Ruggero Deodato, star Luca Barbareschi and composer Riz Ortolani who reprises his stirring theme music for this documentary.


Loaded with behind the scenes footage, background story and heavily anecdotal Nella giungla truly is the final word on Cannibal Holocaust.


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Massacre in Dinosaur Valley / Nudo e selvaggio (1985)

Even though it was released in Britain as Cannibal Ferox II viewers should not be fooled into placing Massacre in Dinosaur Valley in the same category as the earlier wave of Italian cannibal film. This jungle action adventure is far lighter in tone.


Probably closer to Indiana Jones than Cannibal Holocaust this Michael Sopkiw vehicle pushes all the right buttons for jungle adventure enthusiasts including bringing the viewer the peril of crocodiles, snakes, quicksand and even the occasional cannibal.


Despite it's largely frivolous tone the violence within the feature is pretty dark with the results of a piranha attack being especially memorable. The action is interspersed with plenty of nudity.


Director Michele Massimo Tarantini also helmed the policewoman series of comedies starring Edwige Fenech. Former model and star of this feature Suzane Carvalho went on to compete in motor racing.


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Blastfighter (1984)

Apparently, when Tomas Milian read David Morrell's novel First Blood he was enthused enough to try and encourage Italian producers to make it into a movie. That movie was never made but nevertheless Milian did use the name of the character for the crime film Syndicate Sadists which is sometimes known as Rambo's Revenge.


The themes of Blastfighter are pretty much that of First Blood from which it borrows quite heavily with occasional nods in the direction of Deliverance. Even down to the casting of Billy Redden, the Deliverance banjo player, in a brief cameo role.


Featuring George Eastman, and one of of only four roles for star Michael Sopkiw, Blastfighter was originally to be a science fiction movie as is hinted at in the original artwork. Initially it was be directed by Lucio Fulci who instead decided to work on The New Gladiators. Blastfighter is only one of a number of Italian films that deal with the First Blood theme. Thunder, starring the awkward Mark Gregory, is another. Probably the most interesting though is Antonio Margheriti's Apocalypse domani, that itself pre-dates First Blood, for combining the veteran alienation with urban cannibalism.


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Aenigma (1987)

I am not really sure what Lucio Fulci was thinking when he directed this Carrie inspired rubbish.


Horrible!


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