The Italian Connection (1972)

[GlacierTuba]

Arrived in the post today. Watched tonight.

Pure bloody gold from Raro UK once again (it's Raro, what's not to like?). This, in my view, looks a good bit better than the old Raro Di Leo box sets from the USA, but I confess I've not seen them in yonks. The sleeve notes say it's a 4K restoration but no more than that alas.

Just a note, the second extra has spoilers for a bunch of Di Leo films, you are better off not watching it unless you watch the films first. These are spoilers for all time classics, so please, just don't do it, watch the films first.

I forgot how good the soundtrack to this is. I thought it was by Riz Ortolani, thanks to those lovely trumpet honks in the main theme that remind me so much of his work on the soundtrack to the Verna Harvey hyperfilm, Could You Be More Of A Bastard Than Inspector Cliff?

It's actually done by Armando Trovajoli, who I didn't know worked with Dino Di Laurentis, and also done about 300 soundtracks in his career too. I need to investigate his work more, it's very good here.

This is Fernando Di Leo on top form, it's right up there even for such early polizio, made in 1972. This would have been made the time around the absolutely monumentally good La Polizia Ringrazia aka Das Syndikat, which as ive mentioned before is considered by some circles to be the one that started it all, and it really is mega - you have to see it!

I'd like to know a little more about the subtitles. It says they are new and improved, but I'd like to know what was changed. I did spot one big change was to do with a scene later in the film, I'll spoiler it just in case,

[Show spoiler]Canali makes a call to meet someone 25km down the road leading out of Milan. But in the DVD version he says, as far as I recall, to meet him 6km down the road to Monza

so which is which? Maybe i mixed my facts up, I dunno.

What's important is this film is absolutely badass and one you need to stick on your watch pile. It's a bit of a slow boiler, lots of set up, but the payoff is utterly worth it.

Solid, top tier polizio. Immensely accessible to newcomers to the years of lead. Enjoy a fantastic little film.

NOTE: I'll throw this in it's own post if folks don't mind.

Post is here, I also added the soundtrack comparisons there.

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?p=22783302
Here's those soundtrack comparisons I was on about:

Here's the gorgeous Propellerheads style big beat soundtrack by the supremely talented Armando Trovajoli:

(Italy 1972) Armando Trovaioli - La Mala Ordina - YouTube

And here's the mighty Riz Ortolani track for the wonderful Could You Be More Of A Bastard Than Inspector Cliff? - Slower, but has that lovely honking low end.

Riz Ortolani – L’intoccabile Mr Cliff (from Si può essere più bastardi dell'Ispettore Cliff, 1973) - YouTube

More please Raro UK!

[ShawDonkey]

I need to get this, have owned dvd only years ago. One of best chases ever and as italians were good at that sort it thing it is really something.

[grahams76]

Yes, this is a belter of a film although I think I still prefer Milano Calibro 9. I think the Radiance blu-ray is significantly better than the old US one, but I'm only going from memory and a decade on at that.

[GlacierTuba]

Originally Posted by grahams76

Yes, this is a belter of a film although I think I still prefer Milano Calibro 9. I think the Radiance blu-ray is significantly better than the old US one, but I'm only going from memory and a decade on at that.

I agree, I think this is a not necessarily a new scan but certainly a new encode. It looks fantastic and sounds great.

I have a feeling we will see the contents of both Di Leo box sets from Raro UK, it seems to be going that way. No bad thing at all!

Just so long as Raro keep delivering the goods is all that matters!

Originally Posted by ShawDonkey

I need to get this, have owned dvd only years ago. One of best chases ever and as italians were good at that sort it thing it is really something.

The chase sequence is phenomenal. I'll have to spoiler this (and honestly folks wanting to see the film DO NOT READ THIS

[Show spoiler]When Canali sees the van 'accident' i think its amazing how Di Leo makes you suddenly switch allegiance and get behind him

and then the chase is just absolute quality.

If the DVD subtitles are dumped anywhere ill dump my Blu Ray ones to compare revisions. The one I mentioned above is an obvious one.

Just a note on the booklet too. Just a long form essay, but it's a good read. I knew already about the whole cash in on The Godfather as it was released BEFORE Coppola's magnificent octopus, but marketing played on its success when Polizio films were distributed to the USA.

What I didn't know is that this film, and many others of its ilk, were absolutely MAULED by the American press. Clearly they had no taste! You'd hope they changed their minds over the years. The insular opinions of those press circles about the years of lead films is mind boggling.