Machine Gun McCain – Blue Underground (DVD)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1969
Director: Giuliano Montaldo
Writers: Mino Roli, Israel Horovitz, Giuliano Montaldo
Cast: John Cassavetes, Britt Ekland, Peter Falk, Gabriele Ferzetti, Pierluigi Aprà, Luigi Pistilli, Florinda Bolkan, Tony Kendall, Salvo Randone, Gena Rowlands

Release Date: August 24th, 2010
Approximate Running Time: 95 Minutes 37 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Anamorphic Widescreen
Rating: NR
Sound: Dolby Digital Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish
Region Coding: Region Free NTSC
Retail Price: $14.99

"After serving 12 years behind bars for armed robbery, tough guy Hank McCain finds himself the pawn of a ruthless mob runt’s rebellion against a high level don. When McCain discovers that he’s been betrayed and abandoned by his new employer, he retaliates with a high stakes Las Vegas casino heist that erupts into all-out war on the streets of Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York. Not blood, nor lust, nor wedding vows can come between McCain and his money…or his machine gun." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.75/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "High Definition transfer for the first time ever on home video!"

Machine Gun McCain comes of a dual layer DVD.

The source used for this transfer looks great. Colors are nicely saturated, the image looks crisp, black levels are strong, and there does not appear to be any digital noise reduction.

Disc Size: 5.2 GB

Audio: 2.75/5

This release comes with one audio option, a Dolby Digital mono mix in English. Despite the fact that this track sounds clean, clear, and balanced. It is limited range-wise. Also, there are removable English SDH, French, and Spanish subtitles.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a English language theatrical trailer (3 minutes 15 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), a Italian language theatrical trailer (3 minutes 15 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Italian with non-removable English subtitles), and an interview with director Giuliano Montaldo (22 minutes 35 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles.

Summary: 

Giuliano Montaldo directed Machine Gun McCain. Though his career spanned five decades, he is most remembered for his output from the 1960’s and 1970’s. Notable films he directed are Grand Slam, The Fifth Day of Peace, and Sacco & Vanzetti.

In terms of content, Machine Gun McCain has a lot in common with an earlier film that Giuliano Montaldo directed, Grand Slam. Both films fit firmly into the Euro-crime genre, which rose to prominence in the latter half of the 1960’s. And, of course, both films feature an elaborate heist sequence.

Machine Gun McCain is best described as Ocean Eleven meets Casino. The narrative is equal parts a crime caper and a gangster film. And though the heist is Machine Gun McCain’s main set piece, it is not as drawn out as the heist sequence from the similar-themed Grand Slam. The narrative is not much more than the bare essentials. Very little time is devoted to character motivations. And, while in most cases, this would be a major flaw, there are an ample number of double crosses that ensure there is rarely a dull moment.

Without a doubt, the most impressive thing about Machine Gun McCain is its cast, who all excel in their roles. With the most surprising performance being John Cassavetes (Rosemary’s Baby) in the role of the protagonist, Hank McCain. He delivers a brooding performance that perfectly captures his character's state of mind. Another performance of note is Gena Rowlands (A Woman Under the Influence) in the role of Rosemary Scott, an old love interest of Hank McCain. Though her character has limited screen time, she has Machine Gun McCain’s most memorable moment. 

Not to be overlooked when discussing Machine Gun McCain is its score, which was composed by Ennio Morricone, who once again provides a playful and menacing score Another strength is cinematographer Erico Menczer's (The Cat o' Nine Tails) stylish visuals. Ultimately, Machine Gun McCain is a first-rate thriller that immediately pulls you in and stays with you long after its bittersweet finale.

Machine Gun McCain gets a solid release from Blue Underground, who also released this film on Blu-ray, which unfortunately is OOP.

Written by Michael Den Boer