Ricco the Mean Machine – Dark Sky Films (DVD)

Theatrical Release Date: Spain/Italy, 1973
Director: Tulio Demicheli
Writers: José Gutiérrez Maesso, Santiago Moncada, Mario di Nardo
Cast: Christopher Mitchum, Barbara Bouchet, Malisa Longo, Eduardo Fajardo, Manuel Zarzo, José María Caffarel, Ángel Álvarez, Arthur Kennedy, Paola Senatore, Luis Induni

Release Date: January 29th, 2008
Approximate Running Time: 93 Minutes 33 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Anamorphic Widescreen
Rating: NR
Sound: Dolby Digital Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region 1 NTSC
Retail Price: OOP

"When Ricco Aversi (Christopher Mitchum, Rio Lobo, American Commandos) returns home after a two-year prison stint, he finds his father murdered and the family business taken over by Don Vito (Arthur Kennedy, Elmer Gantry), a sadistic mob boss with a propensity for turning his enemies into soap. When Ricco tries to save his super-sexy paramour Rosa (Malisa Longo, Black Emanuelle, White Emanuelle) from Don Vito's control, his wheelchair-bound mother and sister are brutally murdered by Don’s minions. Ricco joins forces with Rosa's dangerously-gorgeous cousin, Scilla, (Barbara Bouchet, Don’t Torture a Duckling, Casino Royale) to mete out his bloody vengeance upon Don Vito and his gang." – Synopsis provided by the Distributor

Video: 1.5/5

Ricco the Mean Machine comes of a single layer DVD.

Disc Size: 4.2 GB

Though the source used for this transfer is in very good shape, colors and flesh tones look correct, and details generally look crisp. That said, black levels are mediocre, and there are compression and macroblocking issues that are especially noticeable in dark scenes.

Audio: 3.25/5

This release comes with one option, Dolby Digital mono English, and included with this release are removable English SDH subtitles. There are no issues with background hiss; dialog comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced.

Extras:

Extras for this release include, a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 25 seconds, letterboxed widescreen, Dolby Digital mono Italian with non-removable English subtitles) and an interview with actor Christopher Mitchum titled Mitchum The Mean Machine (18 minutes 14 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles).

Summary:

Ricco the Mean Machine was directed by Tulio Demicheli, whose other notable films include Espionage in Lisbon, Assignment Terror, Sabata the Killer, and The Two Faces of Fear.

Ricco the Mean Machine is a violent crime film that opens with a shootout that ends with a headshot. The narrative revolves around a reluctant avenger named Ricco who’s looking for a normal life, and everyone around him nudges him towards avenging his murdered father. That said, Ricco the Mean Machine has many elements that have become synonymous with Italian crime cinema. There’s also some spaghetti western influence, most notably when it comes to the Ricco character and his journey.

Ricco the Mean Machine has a solid cast, and the performances are very good. Christopher Mitchum (Murder in a Blue World) more than holds his own in the role of Ricco. Other notable cast members include Arthur Kennedy (The Tough Ones) in the role of Don Vito, Malisa Longo (Salon Kitty) in the role of Rosa, Ricco's ex-girlfriend who’s now Don Vito’s woman, and Barbara Bouchet (Cry of a Prostitute) in the role of Scilla, Rosa’s cousin and Ricco’s new love interest.

From a production standpoint, Ricco the Mean Machine is a down-and-dirty exploitation film that has an ample amount of carnage and T&A. Standout moments include a scene where Scilla performs a striptease in the fog where she straddles a car with two of Don Vito’s men inside and a scene where one of Don Vito’s bodyguards who betrayed him gets his dick and balls cut off, shoved in his mouth, and then thrown into a vat of acid. Ultimately, Ricco the Mean Machine is a perfect mix of action and exploitation.

This release transfer is one of the worst that I have seen from a boutique label. It is the quality that one would expect from a budget DVD label that crams multiple films on one DVD. Ricco the Mean Machine is a solid film that’s begging for a better release.

Written by Michael Den Boer