Stunt Squad (1977) (Blu-ray Review)
Directed By: Domenico Paolella
Starring: Marcel Bozzuffi, Vittorio Mezzogiorno, Riccardo Salvino
Rated: UR/Region A/1:85/1080p/Number of Discs 1
Available from: Kino Lorber films
Shopkeepers have been terrorized by a protection racket in Bologna, and the racketeers have found sneaky ways of planting explosives in the businesses of those who won’t pay. Police Inspector Grifi (Marcel Bozzuffi, THE FRENCH CONNECTION) tries to get information from witnesses and criminal informants, but they’re all brutally murdered. Grifi has no choice but to form a special squad — one not bound by the red tape that restricts other cops — who chase the racketeers with daredevil stunt driving and fight them with precision gunplay.
Things get off the ground running with this film, which opens with an evil plan to use a phone as an explosive. Things might slow down from there, but you will never not be entertained by this crime caper that goes into far more violent areas than I’m sure anyone would expect. As the battle between racketeers and a police funded “Stunt Squad” heats up, we see mafia style hits, people stabbed to death, private parts are cut off, and it really is an entertaining back and forth battle. We have really REALLY bad guys and we have good guys willing to go above and beyond for the cause. All these things come together to make just the type of crime film that I can get behind and give my seal of a approval.
You’ve seen bad guys in films before, but you’d be hard pressed to find someone who is as bad as the ring leader of this foul group you get here. I wish the good lead was as strong of a characters, but it makes the best with what it has and the film is one I’d say you certainly want to check out, even if on the surface you might think it not to be your cup of tea. The transfer is a solid one as well. Some scenes work better than others, but it never does seem sub-par in comparison to others of the time and of the same type of source.
- Original theatrical trailer
- Video introduction by Mike Malloy
