MILANO ODIA: LA POLIZIA NON PUO SPARARE (ALMOST HUMAN)

Thomas Milian, Henry Silva, Ray Lovelock, Anita Strindberg

Guilio Sacchi (Thomas Milian in his favorite role) at the opening of the film, is the driver for a bank robbery. When a police man approaches him to move his car he impulsively shoots the cop thus introducing us to one of the slimiest cinematic character portrayals in film ever. The crooks don’t want Guilio around anymore so he shacks up with his girlfriend (Strindberg WHO SAW HER DIE?, LIZARD IN A WOMAN’S SKIN) and through her spies a very pretty girl from a rich family. Guilio plans to kidnap the girl and hold her for ransom killing her if the father doesn’t pay up. Guilio eventually gets the girl but along the way commits some extremely distasteful acts such as when they trace the girl to a house in the woods where they torture and machine gun the inhabitants kids included. The group holes up in an abandoned boat while they wait for their money. Meanwhile, Inspector Grandi (Silva) tries to find them and convince the father they will not let his daughter go even if he pays them. It all ends badly for the principle cast members in one of the most violent films I’ve ever seen regardless of genre.

Milian owns this movie and turns in his best performance ever. On the 30 minute interview with him on the disc he says this is his favorite performance and initially, he was to play the cop role but opted for the sleazy villain instead as the film is surprisingly, built around the villain for the most part. You really grow to hate his character and want to see him get his in the end.

The angelic Ray Lovelock is suited at Milian’s side as he is drawn into Guilio’s world and becomes (although on a much smaller scale) a psychopath as well.

Henry Silva, veteran screen heavy is somewhat subdued here as Inspector Grandi and his stone faced, almost inhuman expressions suit the film well as he ultimately succumbs to unorthodox methods to bring Guilio down in a great final scene that is symbolic of the Guilio character.

Umberto Lenzi directs again and pulls off another great little film. There is only one car chase but what an exciting one it is. The remainder of the film is built around Guilio and the evil tactics he uses to survive caring nothing for anyone or anything. The film plays almost like a horror film and if I remember correctly this is how it was marketed on video here.

If you’re a Milian fan this release is highly recommended to see him chew through so much scenery.

Review for…
I VIOLENTI DI ROMA BENE

Antonio Sabato

Inspector Gregorio is on assignment trying to capture a gang of thugs responsible for a spate of robberies, rapes and eventually murder. The main culprit is found to be a young man who comes from a wealthy family making it difficult for Gregorio to nail him. In fact, all members of the gang are young. As the
violence escalates Gregorio gets the evidence he needs and goes after the gang.

One of the sleaziest and most mysogynistic and unsettling films I’ve seen. Not surprising coming from sleaze merchant, director Sergio Grieco (BEAST WITH A GUN). One scene has the gang repeatedly grate a woman’s face across barb wire before raping her. Copious amounts of violence and nudity. For pure
exploitation value the film excels, but none of the characters are developed very well.

Antonio Sabato isn’t very memorable as Gregorio who also is a Karate black belt and gets to shows his stuff in a decent martial arts scene when crooks
wearing hoods (the young gang) attack him and his girlfriend in a gym. One of the crooks even rips away Gregorio’s girlfriends blouse revealing her breasts. All the women in the film end up defiled, raped or murdered often all three. Definitely a 42nd street item.

I don’t recognize any of the other cast members and the soundtrack sounds like a porn flick of the time but one piece is very reminiscent of the Jimmy Page music he did for the memorable DEATH WISH 2 soundtrack.

6 out of 10.