Explosive
Summary
Fans of Italian cop flicks will get their kicks here for certain, and while it has a downbeat vibe to it, the film has some genuine moxie that most thrillers these days severely lack. Blue Underground’s three-disc edition is as premium and loaded as you could ask for.
Plot: The heroin trade in Genoa takes a turn when a hard case renegade commissioner tasks himself with dismantling it.
Review: Heroin is plaguing Genoa and the rest of Europe, and a crackerjack police commissioner named Belli (Franco Nero) plunges heart, body, and soul into tearing down the drug trade, almost single-handedly. His superior (played by James Whitmore) warns him that putting himself out there so openly is not only dangerous, but foolhardy, as Belli goes after the low hanging fruit, which is a waste of his time because if he only goes after the enforcers and peddlers he’ll never change anything. So Belli kicks it up a notch and sets his sights on the big timers, starting with someone who might actually have connections: A seasoned “gardener” (played by Fernando Rey) who nudges Belli in the right direction. But that’s when things get really dangerous and precarious for Belli: His superior is murdered in cold blood in broad daylight, and then Belli is promoted, which makes him even more vulnerable. His girlfriend is savagely beaten to a pulp by thugs, and then his precious daughter is killed in a shocking hit and run. With nothing left to lose, but with everything to prove, Belli goes straight for the jugular, sparing no one from his wrath.
A hard-hitting Italian crime thriller from Enzo G. Castellari, High Crime has some jaw dropping violence and vivid scenes that won’t be easily forgettable, but it’s also very much in the renegade cop tradition like Dirty Harry, but with swarthy Nero as the blonde hero. Nero’s blood always runs hot in this movie, so he’s raging, swearing, running, yelling, and smacking people around right and left, never cooling down. The one scene he shares with the actress who plays his daughter is sweet until he gets mad at her in a funny moment that made me smile. Fans of Italian cop flicks will get their kicks here for certain, and while it has a downbeat vibe to it, the film has some genuine moxie that most thrillers these days severely lack.
Blue Underground has just released a premium three-disc edition of High Crime that comes with a 4K Ultra HD disc, a Blu-ray, and a soundtrack CD, as well as a swathe of bonus content that will keep the fan busy for days. The quality of the picture is as sharp and clear as you could ask for, with crystal clear sound.
Bonus Materials
- Ultra HD Blu-ray (2160p) and HD Blu-ray (1080p) Widescreen 1.85:1 feature presentations
- Audio: 1.0 DTS-HD MA (English); 1.0 DTS-HD MA (Italian)
- Optional Subtitles: English SDH, Francais, Espanol, English for Italian Audio
- Audio Commentary #1 with Co-Writer/Director Enzo G. Castellari
- Audio Commentary #2 with Star Franco Nero and Filmmaker Mike Malloy
- Audio Commentary #3 with Film Historians Troy Howarth, Nathaniel Thompson and Eugenio Ercolani
- The Genoa Connection – Interviews with Director Enzo G. Castellari and Star Franco Nero
- From Dust To Asphalt – Interview with Director Enzo G. Castellari
- Hard Stunts For High Crimes – Interview with Actor/Stuntman Massimo Vanni
- Framing Crime – Interview with Camera Operator Roberto Girometti
- The Sound Of Onions – Interview with Composers Guido and Maurizio De Angelis
- The Connection Connection – Featurette by EUROCRIME! Director Mike Malloy
- Alternate Ending
- Theatrical Trailer
- Poster & Still Gallery
- HIGH CRIME Original Motion Picture Soundtrack by Guido and Maurizio De Angelis (with EXCLUSIVE Bonus Track)