Loaded Guns - Raro Video (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1975
Director: Fernando Di Leo
Writers: Fernando Di Leo, Enzo Dell'Aquila
Cast: Ursula Andress, Woody Strode, Marc Porel, Isabella Biagini, Lino Banfi, Aldo Giuffrè, Maurizio Arena, Rosario Borelli, Carla Brait, Renato Baldini, Raul Lovecchio

Release Date: January 30th, 2024
Approximate running time: 96 minutes 23 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian, DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English, English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $29.95

"Ursula Andress plays Nora, a stewardess who finds herself in the center of a gang war in Naples. If anyone can undermine an ancient mob blood feud and come out on top, it’s the effortlessly clever, sexy and downright devious Nora, played with verve by the stunning Ursula Andress." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 2.5/5

Loaded Guns comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 23.2 GB

Feature: 22.1 GB

No information is provided about this transfer’s source. Raro Video delivers another disappointing transfer. Image clarity is serviceable, colors lack consistency, black levels are not convincing, and there is noticeable digital noise reduction.

Audio: 4/5 (DTS-HD Mono Italian), 0/5 (DTS-HD Mono English)

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in Italian and a DTS-HD mono mix in English. The Italian language track is more robust than the English language track. This track is in very good shape; the dialog comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced. Though dialog comes through clearly enough to follow, the English language track is limited range-wise. Also, there are numerous moments when watching the English-language track where the dialog is spoken in Italian. Unfortunately, the English SDH subtitle track does not translate dialogue spoken in Italian. The lack of a proper translation makes the English-language track worthless. Included are removable English subtitles for the Italian language track and removable English SDH for the English language track.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an archival featurette titled Fernando Di Leo: Parody of a Genre with comments by producer Armando Novelli, assistant director Luca Damiano, editor Amedeo Giomini, director Fernando Di Leo, and journalist Davide Pulici (19 minutes 53 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with non-removable English subtitles) and an audio commentary with film historian Rachael Nisbet.

Summary:

Fernando Di Leo directed Loaded Guns. He is a filmmaker who is most remembered for his contributions to Poliziotteschi cinema. His most notable films include Naked Violence, Milano calibro 9, and To Be Twenty.

The narrative revolves around a stewardess who finds herself in the middle of a gang war.

Fernando Di Leo would venture away from gritty crime films, which he is most known for; unfortunately, these films pale in comparison to his most celebrated films. Case in point: Loaded Guns, an action/comedy hybrid that is virtually devoid of the flourishes that are synonymous with Fernando Di Leo’s Poliziotteschi’s.

Loaded Guns, from the outset, is a film that doesn't warrant serious consideration. Its jaunty score perfectly reinforces the outlandish moments that unfold. Where Italian crime films are known for their in-your-face depiction of violence, Loaded Guns takes the opposite approach with its cartoonish violence.

The cast is filled with recognizable faces from 1970s Eurocult cinema. That said, despite the performances being serviceable, Ursula Andress (The 10th Victim) in the role of stewardess delivers one of the stronger performances.

Despite the stewardess character being constantly on the move. There are moments where things drag, causing some serious pacing issues, and nowhere is this clearer than how the narrative never builds any momentum. Also, outside of a few moments in the last 30 minutes, the bulk of Loaded Guns bears little resemblance to what one expects from a Fernando Di Leo film. Ultimately, Loaded Guns is a rare misfire from Fernando Di Leo.

Loaded Guns is yet another disappointing audio/video presentation from Raro Video.

Written by Michael Den Boer