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Tony Arzenta – Explosive Media (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy/France/Denmark, 1973
Director: Duccio Tessari
Writers: Franco Verucci, Ugo Liberatore, Franco Verucci, Roberto Gandus
Cast: Alain Delon, Richard Conte, Carla Gravina, Marc Porel, Roger Hanin, Nicoletta Machiavelli, Erika Blanc, Rosalba Neri, Anton Diffring

Release Date: January 27th, 2022
Approximate Running Times: 112 Minutes 27 Seconds (International Version), 96 Minutes 36 Seconds (German Version)
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC (Both Versions)
Rating: FSK 16 (Germany)
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English, DTS-HD Mono Italian, DTS-HD Mono German (International Version), DTS-HD Mono German (German Version)
Subtitles: English, Italian, German (International Version), German (German Version)
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: €22.99 (Germany)

"Sicilian Tony Arzenta lives in Milan and is the professional hitman of a powerful international criminal organization. On the birthday of his only son, Tony completes the last job, because he wants to quit. When he asks the syndicate to accept this decision, he meets with expected rejection. The organization does not tolerate dropouts and tries to kill him. Arzenta's child and his wife die in an attack. Tony seeks revenge. With the help of friends, he manages to go underground. He begins a bloody campaign, killing bosses and accomplices all over Europe. After all the killing, he is tired and wants to find peace. The boss Nick Gusto asks him for a meeting and assures him of integrity. Arzenta trusts him and puts himself in deadly danger..." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.5/5 (International Version)

Tony Arzenta International version comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 35.6 GB

Feature: 35.2 GB

The source used for the international version is in very good shape. The colors look very good, and though there are a few moments that look soft, the image generally looks crisp. Also, black levels are best described as adequate; there are some issues related to black crush and any compression related issues are mild.

Tony Arzenta German version comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 27.5 GB

Feature: 25.6 GB

Audio: 3.75/5 (DTS-HD Mono English, DTS-HD Mono Italian)

This release comes with three audio options: a DTS-HD mono mix in English, a DTS-HD mono mix in Italian and a DTS-HD mono mix in German. but the English and Italian audio mixes are in good shape. Both of the tracks exhibit some mild distortion. This is most noticeable during moments where the score is present. That said, dialog comes through clearly and ambient sounds are well-represented. Included with this release are three subtitle options: English, Italian, and German. The English subtitles appear to match up with the Italian language track. It should be noted that there is one scene and a second instance where a line of dialog is only in Italian when watching with the English language track, and in both of these instances, removable English subtitles are provided.

Extras:

Extras on the Blu-ray that contains the international version include an audio commentary with Leonhard Elias Lemke, in German with no English subtitles.

Extras on the Blu-ray that contains the German version include an image gallery (50 images-posters/lobby cards/stills) and a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 34 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Italian, no subtitles).

Rounding out the extras is a mediabook package that contains a forty-two page booklet that contains an essay titled Delon, Tessari und die unendliche Traurigkeit des Seins Tony Arzenta Todlicher Hass (Delon, Tessari and the infinite sadness of being Tony Arzenta Mortal Hatred), an essay titled Eurptionen der Gewalt und ein Hauch von Menschlichkeit (Eruptions of violence and a touch of humanity), an essay titled Duccio Tessari: Lassige Revolverheiden und antike Tragodien (Duccio Tessari: Lascivious Revolver Heathens and Ancient Tragedies), and Alain Delon: Ambivalenter Charakter, doppelbodiges Spiel (Alain Delon: Ambivalent character, double-bottomed game) written by Steffen Wulf. All text is in German.

Summary:

Tony Arzenta was directed by Duccio Tessari, a filmmaker who was not a stranger to Poliziotteschi cinema. Other Poliziotteschi that he directed include The Bastard, Tough Guys, and a Poliziotteschi/Giallo hybrid, Death Occurred Last Night.

The main attraction of Tony Arzenta is Alain Delon (Le Samouraï), in the role of the protagonist. Once again, he delivers a solid performance as a cold-blooded hitman whose wife and son are murdered by his former employer when he tries to walk away from his job as a hitman. Another strength of his performance is how the film balances his character's life between his family life and his life as a killer.

Without a doubt, one of the hallmarks of Poliziotteschi cinema is its action sequences. And in this regard, Tony Arzenta delivers in spades. The two most memorable action sequences are a car chase and a torture scene. The first car chase happens after the funeral of Tony’s wife and son. This is a fantastic car chase in which Tony recklessly purses a car with hitmen who tried to kill him after the funeral. The torture scene takes place at a junkyard, where a man is tortured with a blowtorch.

Another area where Tony Arzenta excels is in its fabulous cast of who’s who of European cult cinema. (Thieves' Highway) in the role of a crime boss named Nick Gusto; Marc Porel (Don't Torture a Duckling) in the role of Domenico Maggio, Tony’s trusted friend; Carla Gravina (The Antichrist) in the role of Sandra, a woman who saves Tony’s life; and Rosalba Neri (Amuck!) in the role of the crime boss's wife.

Though the premise retreads familiar ground, one can even draw some similarities between Tony Arzenta and Jef Costello, the character Alain Delon portrayed in Le Samouraï. The result is an exhilarating experience that quickly establishes tension that builds to a fever pitch by the time its ending arrives. Ultimately, Tony Arzenta is a solid example of Poliziotteschi cinema.

Tony Arzenta makes its way to Blu-ray via an English-language-friendly release from Explosive Media that comes with a good audio/video presentation.