The Big Racket = my favorite Poliziotteschi

The Big Racket is far and away my favorite Poliziotteschi. Poliziotteschi, for those not familiar, is the genre name of the Italian Crime Film that started around the late 60's. The prime time for this genre was during the 70's with titles like Rome Armed To The Teeth, Milano Calibro 9, Almost Human, Street Law, Beast With A Gun, The Sicillian Connection and Violent City. Some stared American actors like Charles Bronsan, Violent City. While Italian actors like Franco Nero, Ray Lovelock and Fabio Testi, all of whom acted in all genres of the Italian Exploitation field did some of their finest work in the Poliziatteschi.

While i covered just a small bit of Franco Nero's work in Street Law with one of my first posts, I am going to cover another film from the maestro of the Poliziotteschi, director Enzo G Castellari.

The Big Racket is Castellari at his finest. Although he has made countless gems like Street Law, High Crime and the mystical spaghetti western Keoma. The Big Racket stands as his greatest achievment in filmmaking in my humble opinion. Ive watched the film twice now and each time ive been blown away by the style. One scene in particular involves our hero, Testi, being attacked in his car by the ruthless and sleazy villians and having his car overturned and flipped down a hill side. All the while the camera catches all the action and destruction from inside the cab with Testi actually inside the automobile as it flips! Glass is shattering all over him as we see the ground rolling up and over him. I really dont know how this was done and it definatly makes for high entertainment! The edits in this film are fast and great too. Almost in the style of early George Romero when he was still editing his films. And the fights are coreographed with expertise. I think almost all of today filmmakers should study Castellari action to see how its done. Its never fast and and cut quick. We see why the badass hero is a badass hero....unlike Jason Bourne!!?

Although standard in story, tough cop takes the law into his own hands, Castellari adds the element of Testi getting together a sort of 'Dirty Dozen' of victims to take the law into their own hands. Add a villian that looks like Steve Perry from Journey and a incredible De Angelis Bros. Score and you have one of the most entertaining films in Euro history!

This sleazy action packed masterpiece is not to be missed and is defianatly the best place to start if just getting into these films. God bless Enzo G. Castellari!