Violent Streets: The Umberto Lenzi/Tomas Milian Collection – Severin Films (Blu-ray/CD Combo)
Theatrical Release Dates: Italy, 1974 (Almost Human), Italy, 1975 (Syndicate Sadists), Italy, 1976 (Free Hand for a Tough Cop), Italy, 1977 (The Cynic, the Rat and the Fist), Italy, 1978 (Brothers Till We Die)
Director: Umberto Lenzi (All Films)
Cast: Tomas Milian (All Films), Henry Silva, Laura Belli, Anita Strindberg, Ray Lovelock (Almost Human), Joseph Cotten, Evelyn Stewart (Syndicate Sadists), Claudio Cassinelli, Nicoletta Machiavelli, Henry Silva (Free Hand for a Tough Cop), Maurizio Merli, John Saxon (The Cynic, the Rat and the Fist), Pino Colizzi, Isa Danieli, Sal Borgese (Brothers Till We Die)
Release Date: March 28th, 2023
Approximate Running Times: 99 Minutes 20 Seconds (Almost Human), 93 Minutes 20 Seconds (Syndicate Sadists), 91 Minutes 50 Seconds (Free Hand for a Tough Cop), 99 Minutes 12 seconds (The Cynic, the Rat and the Fist), 99 Minutes 34 seconds (Brothers Till We Die)
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC (All Films)
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian, DTS-HD Mono English (All Films)
Subtitles: English, English SDH (All Films)
Region Coding: Region A (Almost Human, Free Hand for a Tough Cop), Region Free (Syndicate Sadists, The Cynic, the Rat and the Fist, Brothers Till We Die)
Retail Price: $134.95
Almost Human: "When a small-time criminal (a fearless performance by Milian) kidnaps a wealthy industrialist’s daughter, he’ll trigger a depraved spree of class warfare, sexual violence, mass murder and the rage of a police commissioner (Henry Silva) determined to end the carnage." - synopsis provided by the distributor
Syndicate Sadists: "Tomas Milian stars as a biker named Rambo (the actor borrowed the name from David Morrell’s 1972 novel First Blood) who avenges a friend’s murder by orchestrating a war between rival crime families" - synopsis provided by the distributor
Free Hand for a Tough Cop: "When a scheming convict (Milian) is sprung from prison by a hard-nosed cop (Claudio Cassinelli of What Have They Done to Your Daughters?), they’ll team up to hunt down Monnezza’s former crime partner (Henry Silva) who’s kidnapped a critically ill child." - synopsis provided by the distributor
The Cynic, the Rat and the Fist: "Tomas Milian as a cold-blooded crime boss known as ‘The Chinaman,’ John Saxon as a sadistic American mobster looking for his own piece of the action and Maurizio Merli as hot-headed rogue cop Leo Tanzi – first introduced in Lenzi’s The Tough Ones – gunning for them both." - synopsis provided by the distributor
Brothers Till We Die: "Tomas Milian delivers a brilliant dual performance reprising the roles of scheming lowlife Sergio ‘Er Monnezza’ Marazzi from FFree Hand for a Tough Cop as well as his twin brother, hunchbacked sociopath Vincenzo ‘Il Gobbo’ Marazzi from The Tough Ones. With Milian providing his own characters’ dialogue, it’s a potent odyssey of trans prostitutes, armed robberies, double crosses, randy Albanians, angry cops, insane asylums and some of the most startling pathos and politics in the history of the genre." - synopsis provided by the distributor
Video: 4.25/5 (Almost Human, Syndicate Sadists, Free Hand for a Tough Cop, The Cynic, the Rat and the Fist, Brothers Till We Die)
Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, “now scanned uncut from the original negative."
Almost Human comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.
Disc Size: 44.9 GB
Feature: 30.2 GB
Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, “now scanned uncut from the original negative."
Syndicate Sadists comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.
Disc Size: 44.9 GB
Feature: 27.9 GB
Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, “now scanned in 2K from the original negative. "
Free Hand for a Tough Cop comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.
Disc Size: 45 GB
Feature: 27.5 GB
Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, “now scanned uncut in 2K from the original negative."
The Cynic, the Rat and the Fist comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.
Disc Size: 44.3 GB
Feature: 29.8 GB
Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, “now scanned uncut in 2K from the original negative."
Brothers Till We Die comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.
Disc Size: 45 GB
Feature: 29.6 GB
All of these films have been given Blu-ray releases in Europe, and though most of these films received strong transfers, there were a few, like Syndicate Sadists, that had a mediocre transfer. Fortunately for this release, Severin Films has created new transfers for all five films, and they have done additional work on the sources they were supplied with, making all five of these film transfers worthwhile upgrades. Flesh tones look correct, colors are nicely saturated, contrast is strong, black levels and image clarity are solid, compression is very good, and all five transfers retain an organic look.
Audio: 4.25/5 (DTS-HD Mono Italian, DTS-HD Mono English - Almost Human, DTS-HD Mono Italian, DTS-HD Mono English - Syndicate Sadists, DTS-HD Mono Italian, DTS-HD Mono English - The Cynic, the Rat and the Fist), 4/5 (DTS-HD Mono Italian - Free Hand for a Tough Cop, DTS-HD Mono English - Brothers Till We Die), 3.75/5 (DTS-HD Mono English - Free Hand for a Tough Cop, DTS-HD Mono Italian - Brothers Till We Die)
Each film comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in Italian and a DTS-HD mono mix in English. All films come with removable English subtitles for the Italian language track and removable English SDH subtitles for the English language track.
All of the audio tracks are in very good shape; the dialog comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and ambient sounds and the scores are well-represented. Almost Human’s two tracks sound similar quality-wise, and the issues with the Italian language track have been fixed for this release. Syndicate Sadists’ audio tracks sound similar quality-wise. Free Hand for a Tough Cop The Italian language track sounds more robust than the English language track. The Cynic, the Rat, and the Fist’s two audio tracks sound similar quality-wise. Brothers Till We Die, the English language track, sounds more robust, and the Italian language track has some mild background hiss.
Extras:
Extras for Almost Human include a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 23 seconds, DTS-HD mono English, no subtitles), an interview with actor Henry Silva titled Italian American Gangster (5 minutes 30 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with screenwriter Ernesto Gastaldi titled A History of Violence (37 minutes 44 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with actor Tomas Milian titled Milian Unleashed (25 minutes 51 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with director Umberto Lenzi titled Violent Milan (29 minutes 1 second, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an audio commentary with Ernesto Gastaldi and moderated by Federico Caddeo in Italian with removable English subtitles, and an audio commentary with Mondo Digital's Nathaniel Thompson and Troy Howarth, author of Make Them Die Slowly: The Kinetic Cinema of Umberto Lenzi.
Extras for Syndicate Sadists include a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 31 seconds, DTS-HD mono English, no subtitles), an interview with actor Bruno Di Luia titled Interview With The Fascist (24 minutes 17 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with actor Alessandro Cocco titled Kidnapped (27 minutes 2 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with actress Ida Galli titled Family Affair (17 minutes 13 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), and an interview with director Umberto Lenzi (8 minutes 4 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles).
Extras for Free Hand for a Tough Cop include a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 24 seconds, DTS-HD mono English, no subtitles), extended Bank Robbery scene sourced from the original negative (3 minutes 27 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an interview with producer Ugo Tucci titled Making Movies (12 minutes 10 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with cinematographer Nino Celeste titled Hand-Held Camera For a Tough Cinematographer (15 minutes 40 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with screenwriter Dardano Sacchetti titled The Father of Monnezza (34 minutes 2 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with actor Corrado Solari titled Tough Guy Corrado (38 minutes 45 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with Umberto Lenzi titled In The Asphalt Jungle (3 minutes 46 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles).
The extras for The Cynic, the Rat and the Fist include a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 41 seconds, DTS-HD mono English, no subtitles), an interview with actor John Saxon titled Here Comes The Fist (8 minutes 37 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with Dardano Sacchetti titled The Writer, the Director And the Actor (32 minutes, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with Umberto Lenzi titled Me, Milian And Merli (19 minutes 33 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with Umberto Lenzi titled A Man of Action (10 minutes 13 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), and an interview with Umberto Lenzi titledMerli vs. Milian (4 minutes 18 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles).
Extras for Brothers Till We Die include a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 50 seconds, DTS-HD mono English, no subtitles), an interview with composer Antonello Venditti tilted Heart of Rome (18 minutes 51 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with composer Franco Micalizzi titled Music And Bullets (19 minutes 32 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with editor Eugenio Alabiso titled He Called Me 'The Tamer' (19 minutes 28 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), and an interview with Umberto Lenzi titled Tomas And Tomas (12 minutes 5 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles).
Other extras include a CD with Almost Human’s score, a CD with Syndicate Sadists’ score and Brothers Till We Die’s score, a CD with The Cynic, the Rat, and the Fist’s score, and three cardboard inserts with track listings.
Summary:
Almost Human: Directed by Umberto Lenzi, who is best remembered for Cannibal Ferox, a notorious film that was banned in thirty-one countries. He was a versatile director who worked in just about every genre. The genre that he excelled the most in was the Italian crime film genre.
With Almost Human, he creates a claustrophobic atmosphere that builds to a fever pitch. And there is an escalation with a new act of violence that culminates in this film’s final confrontation. This moment also serves as a release, not only for the characters in the film but the audience as well.
Umberto Lenzi always makes good use of the widescreen frame, and Almost Human is filled with interesting compositions and symbolic imagery. One shot, in particular, stands out from the rest. It is during a scene where Giulio and his two accomplices have taken the occupants of a home hostage. And in this scene, they hang their hostages from a chandelier before mowing them down with their machine guns.
Ennio Morricone's ever-reliable score includes a few notes that sound suspiciously like the main theme from Sergio Sollima's film Revolver.
It is ultimately this film’s two leads, Tomas Milian (Run, Man, Run) in the role of Giulio Sacchi and Henry Silva (Cry of a Prostitute) in the role of Inspector Walter Grandi, that serve as this film’s anchor. The performances do a superb job of driving home this film’s nasty tone.
Tomas Milian is one of the most celebrated character actors to ever work in Italy. And he has created some of the most memorable characters who are overflowing with over-the-top bravado. And it is because of this that he often lifts average or lesser material and makes it nearly impossible to look away. Giulio Sacchi is a character that Tomas Milian was born to play. And when watching his performance in Almost Human, one can see hints of some of his other heavy roles that he has played over the years.
Henry Silva is cast in a role that is the polar opposite of the killers and other sinister roles that he has become known for. His portrayal of Inspector Walter Grandi is arguably one of his strongest performances. He delivers a pitch-perfect portrayal of an obsessive cop who will do just about anything to catch his man. His performance captures just the right amount of intensity without ever teetering over the edge. Ultimately, Almost Human is a brutal film that contains all of the moments of sleaze and visceral violence that have since become synonymous with the Italian crime film genre.
Syndicate Sadists: Umberto Lenzi reunites with Tomas Milian; they had previously worked together on Almost Human. Syndicate Sadist's original director was Stelvio Massi (Emergency Squad). Though Syndicate Sadist's original idea began as an adaptation of David Morrell’s novel First Blood, the only thing that remains of the original source is the protagonist's name, Rambo. That said, Syndicate Sadists' premise borrows heavily from Sergio Leone’s A Fistful of Dollars.
The narrative revolves A drifter named Rambo is forced to take the law into his own hands when his friend, a cop, is killed in the line of duty. The case that his friend was working on involved a kidnapped boy. When Rambo finds out where the boy is hidden, he pits two rival crime syndicates against each other in the hopes that they will destroy each other.
Though Syndicate Sadists doesn’t bring anything new to the table that hasn’t been done before in countless films, what it lacks in originality, it more than makes up for with its explosive action set pieces. Standout action set pieces include a scene where two thugs looking for Rambo corner him while he plays pool, and Rambo uses his surroundings as weapons against these two men. The other is the finale, where Rambo takes out the bad guys one by one at a farm house. This sequence climaxes with a fantastic car and motorcycle chase.
Tomas Milan’s (The Tough Ones) performance in the role of Rambo overshadows everyone else. Rambo is the direct opposite of the nasty SOB Tomas Milan played in Almost Human. Rambo only kills in the name of vengeance or if his life is in danger. Besides the A Fistful of Dollars comparisons, one can also see a little bit of Death Wish’s Paul Kersey lurking inside Rambo.
The cast also features performances from Adolfo Lastretti (who is also known for looking like Dario Argento) and Luciano Pigozzi (the Italian Peter Lorre). In a limited role, Joseph Cotton (The Third Man) plays Paterno, one of the crime bosses in the film. Overall, the acting is adequate, with only Tomas Milan’s performance being the one that stands out.
From a production standpoint, Syndicate Sadists is a film that maximizes its resources. The narrative is briskly paced, and a solid ending provides a perfect climax. Syndicate Sadists features a sensational score from Franco Micalizzi, a composer who frequently worked with Umberto Lenzi. Also, outside of the scene where Rambo’s girlfriend is viciously beaten, the level of violence in this film is well below Umberto Lenzi’s usual standards. Ultimately, Syndicate Sadists is an entertaining revenge film with plenty of action.
Free Hand for a Tough Cop: Though Umberto Lenzi is often looked down upon for being a filmmaker for hire who worked in whatever genre was popular at the time, There’s no denying the impact that he had on Poliziotteschi. It’s also not surprising that this is the genre that he most excelled at, since he directed some of this genre's most celebrated films. Most notably, The Tough Ones and Almost Human.
When discussing Umberto Lenzi and Poliziotteschi cinema, one must not overlook the role that Tomas Milian played in most of these films. And in the case of Free Hand for a Tough Cop, he once again dominates the screen with another one of his over-the-top performances. Also, Free Hand for a Tough Cop marks the first time he will portray Sergio Marazzi, a.k.a. "Er Monnezza".
Though Free Hand for a Tough Cop has most of the elements that are synonymous with Poliziotteschi cinema, The result is a film that’s not as brutal as most of Umberto Lenzi’s Poliziotteschi. That said, irreverent humor plays a significant role, especially when it comes to Tomas Milian’s character's dialog. Fortunately, when it comes to Poliziotteschi cinema staples like car chases and shootouts, Free Hand for a Tough Cop delivers the goods.
The most interesting aspect of Free Hand for a Tough Cop is its premise: a police commissioner who joins forces with criminals who help him catch a kidnapper. And in the role of the police commissioner is Claudio Cassinelli, an actor who also made a name for himself in Poliziotteschi. Notably, Poliziotteschi starred in films like Killer Cop, Milano violenta, and Blood and Diamonds.
From a production standpoint, there are no areas where Free Hand for a Tough Cop comes up short. The premise is well-executed, and a briskly paced narrative that concludes with an explosive finale ensures there’s rarely a dull moment. Also, Umberto Lenzi’s direction is solid, and Bruno Canfora's score perfectly captures the tone of Free Hand for a Tough Cop. Ultimately, Free Hand for a Tough Cop is a well-made film that fans of Umberto Lenzi and Poliziotteschi are sure to enjoy.
The Cynic, the Rat and the Fist: Though there are a handful of directors who become synonymous with Poliziotteschi cinema. Pound for pound, Umberto Lenzi’s contributions to Poliziotteschi cinema are second to none.
By the time that Umberto Lenzi directed The Cynic, the Rat and the Fist, he had already directed six Poliziotteschi films. And unlike many of his contemporaries working in Poliziotteschi cinema, the thing that sets him apart from the rest of the pack is how he was able to bring new things to the table instead of relying heavily on established Poliziotteschi cinema elements.
That said, intense openings are one constant that’s present in all of Umberto Lenzi’s Poliziotteschi films. And with The Cynic, the Rat and the Fist, he once again comes out of the gate swinging with in your face opening that perfectly sets the tone for the events that unfold.
Content wise, though The Cynic, the Rat and the Fist uses many of the hallmarks of Poliziotteschi cinema’s to great effect. Ultimately, it’s new elements like an elaborate heist sequence that showcase Umberto Lenzi’s ability to work outside of the box.
Performance wise the cast are all very good in their respective roles, especially Tomas Milian (Don’t Torture a Duckling) in the role of Luigi ‘The Chinaman’ Maietto. He delivers yet another captivating performance that’s inline with psychotic characters that’s most known for portraying. That said, though his character has limited screen time, his performance is a text-book example of how an actor that dominates every scene that he’s in.
Other notable cast members include, Maurizio Merli (Convoy Busters) in the role of Inspector Leonardo Tanzi and John Saxon (Black Christmas) in the role of a sadistic mob boss named Frank Di Maggio.
From a production standpoint, there’s not an area where The Cynic, the Rat and the Fist does not deliver and then some. The briskly paced narrative does a superb job maintaining intensity, Franco Micalizzi’s score perfectly reinforces the mood and there are an ample amount of well-executed action set pieces.
Standout moments include, a scene where hit-men sent by the ‘Chinaman’ surprise Inspector Tanzi who narrowly escapes with his life, a scene where Tanzi helps a friend whose sister who’s caught up in a prostitution ring that’s being run by a photographer and an elaborate heist sequence where Tanzi arrives before the real thieves and disarms the alarms for them. Ultimately, The Cynic, the Rat and the Fist is an intense film that fans of Poliziotteschi cinema should thoroughly enjoy.
Brothers Till We Die: Throughout cinema’s history there have been many standout actor/director combinations. And arguably one of Italian cinema’s greatest actor/director collaborations was Tomas Milian and Umberto Lenzi. In all, they work on a total of five films, culminating with Brothers Till We Die.
Content wise, though Brothers Till We Die has all the core elements that have become synonymous with Poliziotteschi (Italian crime films) cinema. The result is a tongue in cheek film that’s polar opposite of bleak tone associated with Poliziotteschi cinema. Another area where Brothers Till We Die differs from most Poliziotteschi cinema, is its lack of social commentary. There are no sides in Brothers Till We Die, just shades of grey.
Without a doubt, Brothers Till We Die’s greatest asset is Tomas Milian (The Big Gundown). And in Brothers Till We Die, you get two times Tomas Milian, who portrays two of his most celebrated characters, the Hunchback and Monnezza. He delivers delirious performances that are overflowing with enthusiasm and fully embrace the absurdity that unfolds.
Though, Umberto Lenzi is often dismissed as a work-man director who lacks an auteur touch. Brothers Till We Die is another solid example of how good of a director he actually was. Not only does he take full advantage of every composition. His ability to create tense action set pieces is second to none. Ultimately, Brothers Till We Die is a very satisfying mix of humor and mayhem.
Though there are many who already have bought other releases of the films that make up Violent Streets: The Umberto Lenzi/Tomas Milian Collection, Severin Films has done a great job improving the transfers and adding new extras. That said, some who already own other releases of these films may want to hold on to those editions since they have extras that have not been ported over for this release. Violent Streets: The Umberto Lenzi/Tomas Milian Collection is an exceptional release from Severin Films that comes with solid video presentations and a wealth of informative extras, highly recommended.
Written by Michael Den Boer
