Death Squad – Mondo Macabro (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: France, 1985
Director: Max Pécas
Writers: Roger Le Taillanter, Marc Pécas
Cast: Thierry de Carbonnières, Jean-Marc Maurel, Lillemour Jonsson, Bernard Rosselli, Gabrielle Forest, Denis Karvil, Henri Lambert, Olivia Dutron, Jean-Pierre Bernard, Pascale Roberts, Christian Barbier, Yves Collignon, Sophie Ladmiral, Muriel Montossé, Brigitte Lahaie

Release Date: April 9th, 2024
Approximate running time: 96 Minutes 59 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono French, DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $29.95

"It’s late at night. In the notorious Bois de Boulogne Forest just outside Paris, a group of transsexual prostitutes offer their services to passing motorists.  Suddenly we hear the roar of a powerful motorcycle engine kicked into life. Headlights pierce the darkness of the forest. Two bikes appear, their riders dressed in black leather, faces masked, heavily armed with assault rifles. The prostitutes scatter, chased by the riders who slaughter them in a hail of bullets before vanishing into the night.

In the morgue, Inspector Gerard Lattuada, of the Paris Vice Squad, recognizes one of the dead as a police informant known as Dolores. He learns that a notorious crime boss called “The Greek” ordered the killing of Dolores to settle a grudge. As Lattuarda investigates further, he discovers that a psychopathic and sadistic hit man, employed by The Greek, is intent on taking over the Paris underworld by any means possible. Soon a violent and deadly gang war is in full swing. And soon Lattuada finds himself on a personal mission of vengeance when his sister falls victim to the psycho killer." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Brand new 4k transfer from film negative, digitally restored."

Death Squad comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 46.1 GB

Feature: 26.6 GB

This transfer's source is in excellent shape. Flesh tones look healthy, colors are nicely saturated, image clarity and black levels are solid, compression is very good, and the image always looks organic.

Audio: 4.25/5 (DTS-HD Mono French), 3.25/5 (DTS-HD Mono English)

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in French and a DTS-HD mono mix in English. The French-language track sounds cleaner and more robust than the English-language track. Also, the English-language track has background hum, and it sounds muffled. That said, the dialog comes through clearly enough to follow on both tracks. Included are removable English subtitles for the French-language track.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a Mondo Macabro promo reel (13 minutes 29 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo), a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 3 seconds, DTS-HD mono French with removable English subtitles), an interview with actor Thierry de Carbonnières titled Shock Cop (33 minutes 51 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo French with removable English subtitles), an interview with actress Olivia Dutron titled Beautiful, Blonde and Tanned (22 minutes 11 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo French with removable English subtitles), and an interview with cinematographer Jean-Claude Couty titled Photographer of Morals (22 minutes 11 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo French with removable English subtitles).

Summary:

Directed by Max Pécas, who is most known for his work in the erotic genre. Notable films he directed are I Am Frigid... Why?, House of 1000 Pleasures, and Felicia.

The narrative revolves around a vigilante cop who takes the law into his own hands when someone close to him is murdered.

From the get-go, it is clear that Death Squad is going to be a wild ride. In its opening moments, a group of transvestite prostitutes are killed by assassins with shotguns on motorcycles. That said, this moment perfectly sets the tone for what follows.

When it comes to carnage, Death Squad is overflowing with bloody shootouts. With each moment of carnage managing to top the previous, Besides these moments of carnage, there are several mean-spirited moments where women are brutalized. Even when it comes to the aftermath of carnage, it is not for the faint of heart.

When it comes to the performances, they work well with the story that unfolds. Thierry de Carbonnières is very good in the role of a cop who becomes a vigilante. Notable cast members are Muriel Montossé (The Inconfessable Orgies of Emmanuelle) in the role of a prostitute and Brigitte Lahaie (The Night of the Hunted) in the role of an undercover cop.

Death Squad is a well-put-together film that often exceeds expectations. Tone-wise, Death Squad is the polar opposite of Max Pécas’ other films. A briskly paced narrative ensures there is never a dull moment. Another strength of the narrative is how it balances carnage and exposition moments. Ultimately, Death Squad is a solid exploitation that fans of vigilante films should thoroughly enjoy.

Death Squad gets a solid release from Mondo Macabro that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and a trio of informative interviews, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer