The Boss - Raro Video (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1973
Director: Fernando Di Leo
Writers: Peter McCurtin, Fernando Di Leo
Cast: Henry Silva, Richard Conte, Gianni Garko, Antonia Santilli, Howard Ross, Pier Paolo Capponi

Release Date: January 31st, 2012
Approximate running time: 109 minutes 14 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian, DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $49.95 (The Boss is part of Fernando Di Leo: The Italian Crime Collection: Volume 1)

"Nick Lanzetta (Henry Silva) takes out several members of a rival crime family for his boss Don Corrasco (Richard Conte). The enemy clan attempts retribution by kidnapping an associate's daughter, who turns out to be a nymphomaniac. A violent power struggle within the Mafia ensures." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3/5

The Boss comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 22.4 GB

Feature: 20.5 GB

Though no information is given about the source, it is in very good shape. Colors look correct, the image looks crisp, black levels fare well, and DNR is minimal.

Audio: 3.5/5

This release comes with two audio options: a DTS-HD Mono mix in English and a DTS-HD Mono mix in Italian. Both audio mixes sound clean, clear, and balanced throughout. Though the range is rather limited at times, the more action-oriented and ambient aspects of the soundtrack fare really well. Included with this release are removable English subtitles.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a text based biography and filmography for Fernando Di Leo and a documentary titled Documentary: Stories About the Mafia (23 minutes 19 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with non-removable English subtitles).

The Boss is part of Fernando Di Leo's The Italian Crime Collection: Volume 1. This box set also contains Milano Calibro 9, The Italian Connection and Rulers of the City. This box set comes with a twenty-two-page booklet that comes with an essay titled Introduction written by Luca Rea, an interview with Fernando Di Leo, conducted by Luca Rea, and a biography and filmography of Fernando Di Leo.

Summary:

Directed by Fernando Di Leo, a filmmaker who is most known for his work in the Poliziotteschi genre. Notable films he directed are To Be Twenty, Slaughter Hotel, and Caliber 9. The Boss (AKA Wipeout!) is the third and final film, which makes up a trilogy of films known as the Milieu Trilogy. The other two films are Caliber 9 (also known as Milano Caliber 9) and The Italian Connection (also known as Manhunt).

The narrative revolves around Nick Lanzetta, a hitman caught in the middle of a Mafia war between the Sicilians and the Calabrians.

It is not surprising that Fernando Di Leo excelled in the Poliziotteschi genre. Very few filmmakers working in 1970s Italian cinema had the knack for creating tense and brutal action set pieces like Fernando Di Leo. Case in point: The Boss’ pre-credits opening, where Nick Lanzetta launches an assault that burns his targets to a crisp, making them unidentifiable. The hitman carrying out these killings displays ferocity intended to send a message.

Content-wise, all of the elements one would expect from a mafia film are on display throughout The Boss. At the heart of the narrative is a powerful struggle in which characters make and break alliances. And when you think that you know where things are going, along comes another double cross that shakes things up, culminating with an unforgettable finale that perfectly brings everything together.

Performance-wise, the cast is all excellent in their roles, especially Henry Silva’s (Almost Human) portrayal of Nick Lanzetta, a meticulous assassin all too willing to do anything the boss asks him to do. Despite his typecasting, he delivers one of his more memorable performances. Pier Paolo Capponi’s (Forbidden Photos of a Lady Above Suspicion) portrayal of Cocchi is the other notable performance. His character is driven by revenge; his brother was killed by Nick Lanzetta. That said, he delivers a performance that rivals the intensity of Henry Silva’s performance.

From a production standpoint, though, The Boss is the weakest of Fernando Di Leo’s Milieu Trilogy. It is still a great finale that embodies all of the elements that are synonymous with Fernando Di Leo’s best films. Ultimately, The Boss is an unflinching portrayal of the criminal underworld that fans of Poliziotteschi cinema are sure to enjoy.

The Boss gets a serviceable audio/video presentation from Raro Video.

Written by Michael Den Boer