U.S. DVD Release
“Macho, macho man! I want to be a macho man!”
The ‘Poliziottesco’ genre couldn’t have asked for a more fitting song. With big tough men, often sporting gloriously oversized mustaches and even bigger guns, strut around most major Italian cities making their own laws and following their own rules. It’s a genre that contains more immorality than a whorehouse in Mexico, and that’s just the Police force!
Tough guys like Franco Nero, Maurizio Merli and Fabio Testi made a killing off of these types of characters. It’s not hard to see why this genre was so big in Italy in the 70’s: what with all the Red Brigades blowing shit up and political corruption causing many a headache. The ‘every-day man’ needed a hero, and by golly did they get their fair share once Dirty Harry set the box-office aflame.
Convoy Busters is a late entry in the Poliziottesco genre, but it still has all the aggression and hatred for corrupt people (read: rich – much like the genre’s predecessor, the Giallo) as the genre had back in the earlier on in this lovely decade. It also has the slaphappy presence of Maurizio Merli, but is it any good?
Starting off with the discovery of a dead woman washed up in a canal, the police are soon to find a link between her and a body of a young man in a burnt out car elsewhere in the city. It transpires that the woman heard some rather sensitive information regarding the exploits of the super-powerful Mr. Degan (Massimo Serato). Commissario Olmi’s (Merli) dick is hard with the thought of being able to bring down such scum and gets to work by beating the crap out of Degan’s son (Marco Gelardini) who confirms why his father had to killed his two friends. Later that evening he changes his story and takes all the blame for the killings.
If that wasn’t enough too take the lead out of his pencil, the judge in which he requires a warrant is clearly in Degan’s pocket, and stall Olmi’s investigation while Degan plots to free his son. On transfer to prison (in full Police duds) pull over the vehicle and gun down the agents overseeing the transfer, freeing Degan’s son. Luckily, Olmi hears of this over a radio and takes off in a chopper looking for the escapee and finds him he does! Blowing holes in not just Degan’s son, but the whole guilty party, from up high in the chopper (shot in a rather cool slow motion sequence). With one down, Olmi focuses his attention on Degan Sr.
Naturally things don’t go so smooth and he soon finds himself on assassins’ hit lists. When he accidentally mistakes an innocent man for an assassin, killing him, Olmi reassesses the situation and decides once again that he REALLY wants to bring Deagan down, once and for all. Unfortunate for him though, the judge screws him over royally, resulting in Degan escaping. Realizing that there is nothing he can do, he requests to be transferred out of Rome. His boss agrees and sends him to a small coastal town, where he soon hooks up with the beautiful Anna (Olga Karlatos – Fulci’s Zombie) where he wows her over by beating that crap out of a few guys: the gent! Life seems good there, until he discovers that the port is being used to smuggle in guns! He’s not about to run this time though, and sets out to bring the scumbags down.
Convoy Busters is a riot, and you have to love a film where the hero will gladly gun down anyone who he doesn’t get along with and beats up people who won’t do what he wants (not to mention get away clean with it!). As Merli goes about happy slapping any man or woman who have the balls not to answer him you’ll be rooting him all the way. When he retires to a seemingly quieter life you’ll laugh your tits off at Merli’s constipated look. As he emotes great sadness at having to place his gun in a draw, with the same look popping up every time he opens the draw, observing the gun: it’s vintage 70’s cheese at its best.
Another plus point for the film is that director Stelvio Massi (The Last Round) gives the story time to mature. With the first fifty minutes of the film based on Merli’s growing frustrations of city life as Degan constantly gets away with all of his crimes. Then when he finally relocates to a small ‘crime-free’ town in the middle of nowhere, it’s not hard to understand his rage as he sees the scum he believes he’s left behind, invades his new home.
Which also brings us to the films main downfall. Due to its talky approach, many may find the leisurely pace a turn off, especially if you’re expecting a balls-to-the-wall action extravaganza. Those who are familiar and in love with the genre will be able to over look this and enjoy the hammy machismo of Merli and Massi’s approach to the action: which ranges from brutal to ridiculous.
All the actors do a suitable job in their respective roles, with Merli showing why he’s the headliner. His stares of confusion, anger and intrigue all appear to have the same look however: he’s almost like Ben Stiller is Zoolander trying to master a new facial expression, only to have it to exactly like his previous one. The lovely Olga Karlatos is criminally underused here, but that’s to be expected when a films main focus is the testosterone of the lead actor. She is basically here to look sexy and add a little tension when the finale comes and she gets caught up in it all: a shame really, as she’s a likable performer.
As is the norm with NoShame DVDs the presentation is the best it could possibly be, with all the colors rich and the blemishes to a minimum. The only nit pick would be that the case states its shot in scope at 2.35:1, when in fact its 1.85:1, a damn shame, as I love scope photography! Italian audio has been provided and is the one to go for, as the English dub is once again unintentionally hilarious.
On the extra’s front we have been given a fair selection, the fact that this title isn’t even that esteemed should be further proof that NoShame are a company that really cares about the product and the consumers. The bulk of the extra’s are interviews, five of them actually, totaling nearly ninety minutes! Interviews with Merli’s son Maurizio Metteo Merli, directors Ruggero Deodato and Enzo G. Castellari, actor Enio Girolami and journalist Eola Capacci as they all share their views of the late, great Maurizio Merli. We also have a trailer for the main feature and for a forthcoming film with Merli’s son called Cop on Fire.
Inside the case NoShame have also provided a mini comic book called Crime Story: The Da Falco connection, it has bugger all to go with Convoy Busters but it makes for a good read and will have you wanting to see a full length graphic novel! It’s the cherry on top of a fine DVD for a much-deserved release.
