Mario Caiano
A documentary concerning the violent Italian 'poliziotteschi' cinematic movement of the 1970s which, at first glance, seem to be rip-offs of American crime films like DIRTY HARRY or THE GODFATHER, but which really address Italian issues like the Sicilian Mafia and red terrorism. Perhaps even more interesting than the films themselves were the rushed methods of production (stars performing their own stunts, stealing shots, no live sound) and the bleed-over between real-life crime and movie crime.
"Western all'italiana" is a documentary produced and broadcast by the satellite broadcaster Studio Universal in 2004, on the occasion of the broadcasting of a selection of Italian western films, the so-called "spaghetti westerns". In the course of the video, the birth, evolution and conclusion of the Italian western trend is told.
After 50 years, Marek remembers his dangerous adventure as a five-year-old, when he and his friend Itzek left a Polish transit camp one night in 1942 – a few days before their evacuation to Auschwitz – to go get the toys they forgot at the ghetto. Based on Becker's personal memories and his 1980 short story "The Wall."
Professor Paris Catalano visits Venice, to investigate the last known appearance of the famous vampire Nosferatu during the carnival of 1786.
Renato, a depressed man with a troubled past, thinks his luck has finally changed when he meets the wonderful Monica. Unfortunately, Monica currently occupies a home she believes is haunted by the malicious spirit of her dead grandfather. This psychological horror / drama was a flop in theaters and, to date, has only been issued a single time on a home viewing format (a VHS release in Italy).
Returning from Switzerland to Rome, the boss prof. Salviati, called 'The Prince', finds his business compromised by Rudy, a small local bandit full of presumption, audacity and men ready to kill. Commissioner Baldi a young and brave employee, will fight against them with the help of an ex-employee Rampelli.
A Jewish girl and an Aryan, both German, are in love in pre-war times. WW2 breaks out, he is sent to fight for the Nazi flag and she is arrested and sent to serve as a prostitute in camp 27 where disobedience is punishable only by death! She decides to give her body in order to survive hoping that one day she may tell the world what she have seen.
Napoli spara! (internationally released as Weapons of Death and Naples shoots) is a "poliziottesco" film directed by Mario Caiano in 1977. It is an unofficial sequel of Napoli violenta, of which reprises the character of Gennarino (still played by Massimo Deda).
The plot is told in flashback – so that we start off with a number of gunshots (resulting in two corpses) and a female figure fleeing the scene of the crime; later on, it’s established that another murder had occurred some time before which is directly linked to this incident. Eventually, it transpires that infidelity, blackmail, impersonation, jealousy, frame-up and revenge all play a part in the ‘game’ centering around three different families from the same remote town. As ever with this type of film, then, we get shady characters aplenty, a handful of good-looking women and a dash of violence (though, understandably, little action per se) – thus making for a fairly compelling and entertaining ride; interestingly, one of the deaths is actually left hanging as the cop on the case can only offer suppositions as to the identity of the true killer.
A gang of thieves decides to hit the headquarters of Aspex. The police intervened and only two of the robbers managed to escape with the loot, while the other two are forced to take hostages to escape. The police started investigations but also the gang leader, the Cat, will be hunting the first two escaped with the loot to get money, and revenge for their escape.
Story about a young girl, the daughter a prominent doctor. When the girl goes missing her father gets the police to jump into action because of his class status and wealth.
A Chinese immigrant, recently arrived in America, fights to free Mexican slaves from their cruel master.
Series of tales. The framing story: a group of women are doing their laundry and begin to tell lusty tales.
Julie (Rosemary Dexter) is disturbed by the disappearance of her psychiatrist boyfriend Luca (Horst Frank) following a bizarre dream where she witnessed him murdered. She travels to a seaside village where he might be and encounters Frank (Adolfo Celi), who tells her Luca has indeed been there. Julie's investigation leads her the house of Gerta (Alida Valli), where the mystery deepens among the odd characters residing at this artists enclave.
Pascal Gorriot, an escaped criminal, accidentally witnesses Lucille disposing of her second husband Andre's body at sea. Thirteen years later, Andre's cousin turns up at Lucille's villa with his Alastian dog. It's not long before creepy Colin, Andre's son, strangles the unfortunate hound and Falaise, Andre's daughter, stabs their unwelcome family member to death. Another unwanted visitor friend arrives and rapidly seduces Falais. Colin is jealous and warns the Don Juan about the dangers of being a male praying mantis and it's not long before Falaise decapitates him. Pascal, the ex-convict who witnessed the murder of Andre is the next intruder. He takes the family hostage and demands blackmail money, prompting them to do away with him in an acid bath. The police investigate and a chain of deception and murder is revealed...
A young woman is lured to Cairo, where a cult of devil worshippers wants to sacrifice her.
Two couples live their erotic fantasies out until one of the women is murdered.
A featurette (most likely shot for American television) about the Spaghetti Western genre during the late 60's and how it had affected Italy at that particular point in time. Contains behind-the-scenes footage from the films "Il Grande Silenzio" "Vado, Vedo e Sparo" "Ammazza Tutti e Torna Solo" and "Corri, Uomo, Corri" and interviews with their directors and cast.
A town is being terrorized by a gang of marauders led by Bill Anderson, a clever bandit boss. The town's leadership is deciding to do something against the problem, but it does not believe bringing in the military will be a solution. It is agreed upon that they will request help from the well-known Pinkerton agency. At the same time, Ringo, a gunslinger, is chasing after the bandits. He suspects a deeper-sitting conspiracy than random bandit assaults. He joins forces with the newly arrived under cover Pinkerton agent, to uncover a plot between a local businessman, the Mexican revolution and bandit's heist loot of gold. But the bandits have long planned to move on. Disguised as Mormons, they are moving west to start a new life of farming during the day and robbing stage coaches at night. Ringo and the agent track them down....
2 buddy adventurers witness a train-robbery and are then hunting the robbed gold and they also robbed Helen.
Davy Flannigan (Steffen) lost all his memory of what happened during the war because he was double crossed and shot in the head. When he returns to his hometown Dixie, he's wanted for war crimes. Judge Kellog (Berger) poses as his friend and tries to help him uncover the conspiracy, but Kellog is a liar, and Davy sets out for bandit Hackett's hideout. Hackett, so Kellog told him, took his wife Lisa (Galli) and is behind the whole thing. His path covered with bodies, Davy finds out the truth.
A man is arrested, tried and convicted for a robbery that was actually committed by someone else. After he gets out of prison, he goes in search of the real robbers.
Professor Freeman is an important English scientist that is investigating a method to treat cancer. His daugther is killed in the swiming pool of a hotel in Beirut. The case is confidential so that the mission is entrusted to the Special Agent Mikel Brown.
Director Mario Caiano, best known for horror films like Amanti d' Oltretomba, co-wrote this much-parodied spaghetti western. Another in a long line of films titled for Lorne Greene's 1964 hit song "Ringo". Antonio De Teffe and Eduardo Fajardo star as two friends who rescue bumbling bandit Fidel (Armando Calvo) from a shootout. While patching him up, they discover half of a treasure map tattooed on his back. Learning that the other half is tattooed on the back of someone else, they set about trying to put the two halves together while being joined by card sharp and all round trickster Frank Wolff, who discovers their secret and wants in on the deal. American director Paul Bartel put a bizarre spin on the story in his comedic western, Lust in the Dust.
A sadistic count tortures and murders his unfaithful wife and her lover, then removes their hearts from their bodies. Years later, the count remarries and the new wife experiences nightmares and hauntings. The ghosts of the slain return to exact their bloody revenge, until their hearts are destroyed.
Viking chief Thorvald dies from a mortal combat wound. He realizes his son Erloff is not a worthy successor, but his will divides his property equally between him and Erik, the valiant son of his sister, who also gets his weapons and the mission to lead a sea-faring expedition to find new land for a settlement, crucial as their Scandinavian home village won't be able to resist the might of the Danish kingdom.
Shenandoah (Steffen) works his way into a band of highwaymen led by Rojo (Armando Calvo). His initiation consists of hunting down and killing a member of the gang who has 12 bullets while he is only given 2 bullets. When the bandits attempt to rob a wealthy rancher, whom Shenandoah knows, he warns him. The outlaws begin to suspect they were betrayed and commence to rough Shenandoah up. Shenandoah then reveals his true reason for joining the gang; one of them killed his wife and he is there for retribution.
A small town in Arizona is oppressed by the tyranny of a powerful rancher. The owner of a farm, fed up with constant abuse, decides to hire a former gunslinger, as the town sheriff is recognized powerless to stand against the tyrant.
In this sword and sandal fantasy, Poseidon must battle a gladiator quartet in ancient Rome. If he wins, the son of Hercules will have his life and anything else he wants. Sure enough, he wins and asks that the life of a Christian girl be spared. But the girl refuses her liberty until all of her fellow believers are also released.
The twins of the recently departed Marcus Aurelius fight it out to see who will become emperor of Rome.
The Man With No Name enters the Mexican village of San Miguel in the midst of a power struggle among the three Rojo brothers and sheriff John Baxter. When a regiment of Mexican soldiers bearing gold intended to pay for new weapons is waylaid by the Rojo brothers, the stranger inserts himself into the middle of the long-simmering battle, selling false information to both sides for his own benefit.
California, 1847. The territory is about to be incorporated into the United States. Parker, the new governor, is a cruel man who believes that the time has come to get rich regardless of the means, but he will soon find a mysterious opponent driven to end his tyranny…
General Gutierrez, the evil governor of Mexico, terrorizes the people and demands high taxes. The young Ramon Martiney, after discovering that his father was murdered by Gutierrez, dons the mask of Zorro and starts fighting against the injustice.
Italian sword & sandal thrills as the son of Hercules is pitted against an evil king and his wretched followers.
Ulysses offends the gods so they send Hercules to capture him and bring him to them.
Historical film, telling the story of Turkish Sultan Suleiman's attempts to conquer Vienna. The advance of his army was checked on Yugoslav territory.
Manfred, backed by Saracen pirates, deposes the Duke of Montfort, takes over the throne and kidnapped the Duke's young son. Capt. Riccardo, the leader of a pirate band on the ship Black Hawk, sets out to defeat Manfred and his Saracens and restore the Duke to his rightful place on the throne.
