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The Italian Connection - Raro Video (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1972
Director: Fernando Di Leo
Writers: Fernando Di Leo, Augusto Finocchi, Ingo Hermes
Cast: Mario Adorf, Henry Silva, Woody Strode, Adolfo Celi, Luciana Paluzzi, Franco Fabrizi, Femi Benussi, Cyril Cusack, Sylva Koscina, Lara Wendel

Release Date: January 31st, 2012
Approximate running time: 95 minutes 38 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 Italian Connection is part of Fernando Di Leo: The Italian Crime Collection: Volume 1)

"When a shipment of heroin disappears between Italy and New York, a small-time pimp in Milan is framed for the theft. Two professional hitmen are dispatched from New York to find him, but the real thieves want to get rid of him before the New York killers get to him to eliminate any chance of them finding out he's the wrong man. When the pimp's wife and daughter are murdered in the course of the 'manhunt', he swears revenge on everyone who had anything to do with it." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 2/5

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

Disc Size: 18.5 GB

Feature: 16.6 GB

No information is given about the source. And though the source looks very clean, The result is a lackluster transfer that at times looks over-processed. Needless to say, there’s nothing filmic about this transfer.

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, a photo gallery, and a documentary titled Documentary: The Roots of the Mafia (20 minutes 36 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with non-removable English subtitles).

The Italian Connection is part of Fernando Di Leo's The Italian Crime Collection: Volume 1. This box set also contains Milano Calibro 9, The Boss 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 Italian Connection (also known as Manhunt) is the 2nd 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 Boss (also known as Wipeout!).

The narrative revolves around two American hitmen who go to Milan to teach a lesson to a small-time pimp who is accused of stealing heroin from the mafia.

You can always count on a sensational opening sequence when it comes to Fernando Di Leo crime films. Case in point: The Italian Connection’s pre-credit opening, which does an excellent job establishing tone and setting the foundation for the events that unfold. From there, the narrative does a superb job building momentum via a series of tension moments, which lead to a phenomenal finale.

Though The Italian Connection has all of the core elements that made Caliber 9 an extraordinary film, the result is a film that’s more stripped down than its predecessor. The narrative keeps things simple; it's a cast-and-mouse game between the two hitmen and an ever-resourceful pimp, whose survival instincts are superior to trained killers. And when he proves too difficult to pin down, those trying to kill him go after the people he cares about.

Casting wise, The Italian Connection is filled with recognizable films like Henry Silva (The Manchurian Candidate) and Woody Strode (Once Upon a Time in the West) in the roles of the two hitmen. And what makes their performances so damn enjoyable is how polar opposite their characters are. As amazing as their performances are, they still take a backseat to Mario Adorf’s (The Bird with the Crystal Plumage) portrayal of a pimp named Luca. Instead of portraying a by-the-numbers pimp, his character's connection with his daughter and wife humanizes him in a way that other similar characters are devoid of.

From a production standpoint, The Italian Connection is a film that delivers and then some. Its well-constructed narrative moves at a brisk momentum that ensures there is never a dull moment. When it comes to the action sequences, they are all top-notch, and despite there being a few violent sequences, most of these are brawls, then out and out bloodletting. Also, The Italian Connection sets itself apart from its contemporaries with the way it uses humor. Ultimately, The Italian Connection is another exemplary crime film from Fernando Di Leo.

Raro Video’s The Italian Connection Blu-ray release has a mediocre transfer that leaves a lot of room for improvement.