User reviews

Typical Italian police movie of the Seventies. The baddies (and sometimes the goodies) meet a violent death. Bandits, hostages, police shooting at anything and anybody, hand grenades fly through the air.... Entertaining car chases in the Milan of the period, particularly if you like spotting old cars! Sound-track unmistakably Seventies!

Renowned genre maestro, Sergio Martino's aptly monikered, 'Violent Professionals' is another uproariously entertaining, ball-bustingly bellicose poliziotteschi classic that is frequently praised on a goodly number of Euro-crime threads, and its lofty position in rabid poliziotteschi fan's hearts is well deserved. 'Violent Professionals' undiminished ability to attract a multitude of Euro-cult fans is certainly due in no small part to the exciting 70s actioner's colourful celebration of gratuitous violence, and bravura ballistic carnage that adds so much pep to the exhilaratingly diverse exploitation oeuvre of gonzo director, Sergio Martino.

This appetizingly blunt, snub-nosed poliziotteschi comes replete with all the bloodthirsty thug-trashing bacchanalia to make it a resounding keeper!!! Granted, Luc 'smart hair of death' Merenda lacked the hypertensive, barbarian machismo of, Nero & Merli, he nonetheless cuts a beguilingly svelte figure amongst all the supercharged vehicular slaughter! Euro-crime's most debonair deadbeat-dropper, Luc Merenda, always manages to emerge from dutifully disseminating balaclava-clad thugs with his enviably coiffed thatch of lustrous hair immaculately intact! For me, dangerously dishy, Luc Merenda will ALWAYS remain the suavest-looking of the Poliziotteschi douchebag destroyers, a delectably dapper vendor of death, Euro-Crime's deadliest fashionista!!! Even as one of the most avid, Maurizio Merli freaks, Sergio Martino's muscular 70s Euro-crime thriller, 'Violent Professionals' ranks strongly against the very best by, Umberto Lenzi or, Stelvio Massi!

Many of the best Giallo directors tried their hand at the Dirty Harry-inspired Polizi sub-genre at some point, and The Violent Professionals is Sergio Martino's classy effort. The film isn't as good as Martino's Giallo efforts (few films are), but it still stands up as one of the better Polizi films. Martino packs the film with all the elements that make this sort of thing successful; we've got car chases, gun fights, fist fights, a headstrong lead character etc. Unfortunately, despite working from a script by ace writer Ernesto Gastaldi, The Violent Professionals does suffer from the classic Italian film problem of a confusing plot. The plot follows the murder of a police chief. Lieutenant Giorga doesn't take this very well, and decides to follow up the chief's investigation by going undercover in a local gang of low lives. His plan is to build up enough of a reputation for himself that will enable him to get close to the leaders of the group and learn their secrets; but this foolhardy plan runs into a lot of adversity...

Like many Italian crime flicks, this one takes place in Milan. I've never been to Milan, but I'm guessing that it was one hell of a sleaze den back in the seventies as these films don't exactly paint a pretty picture! Sergio Martino does well at presenting a gritty urban atmosphere, and this hugely benefits the film. Martino's direction is solid throughout, and he can certainly take his place as one of the finest directors that Italy ever produced. Even when I wasn't completely sure what was going on, Martino keeps the tension bubbling and the film ticks over nicely all the way through. The standout moment takes the form of a car chase through the streets of Milan, and cinematic chases have rarely been better. The acting is strong also, and the film features a brilliant performance from Luc Merenda in the lead role, as well as film noir regular Richard Conte in support. The film lacks a good female lead, but other than that it pretty does everything you would want it to. Overall, The Violent Professionals isn't the best film of its type - but it's certainly a good one and gets high recommendations from me.

So far I've seen five of these 70's Italian crime thrillers, 3 of them being straight up, Don Siegel and William Friedkin-influenced "cop on the edge with an axe to grind" Dirty Harry rip-offs. Out of those three, all of which are great, this has got to be the one with the coolest story-line (the other two being "High Crime" and "Violent Naples," to give you an idea of the standard here). While it is neither perfect nor entirely realistic, it is action-packed, bloody and riveting, a cocktail of elements common to the genre. And this particular "cop-on-the-edge," played by Luc Merenda, is so on-the-edge that he "poses" as a pimp muscling in on prostitution rackets with the facility of an old pro, gets innocent bystanders killed without hardly batting an eye, and cold-bloodedly executes surrendering criminals in front of the entire police department!

While he lacks quite the level of charisma and intensity delivered by Franco Nero or Maurizio Merli, Merenda holds his own. The primary reason he is able to do so here (the two secondary are Sergio Martino's competence in directing pulse-pounding action and the fact that the extremity I've come to expect from these films is as present here as anywhere) is the sucker-punch, no, make that downright subversive plot-line. Without giving too much away, suffice it to say that what appears to be shaping up into a slanted portrayal of fanatical domestic terrorists (not that groups like the Red Brigade need any slanting to look bad, just that dishonesty bugs me even if it's on the right side) proves later to be something entirely different. The ending of this film, while it would be typical in another context, blew me away.

To top it off, you've got a killer score by the mad De Angelis brothers (if you've seen "Keoma," note that it helps that the only song with words isn't translated into English), and the only fatal car crash I've ever seen in an action movie where the car doesn't inexplicably burst into flames. Three cheers for this gleefully brutal mayhem-fest with the added plus of an intelligent plot!

MILANO TREMA boasts some nice Milan location work and some very well-handled action sequences by Sergio Martino. The proceedings however get a little bogged down with a few too many subplots, unlikable characters, and lots and lots of talking about politics. Ernesto Gastaldi was one of the best of Italy's genre movie screenwriters, always able to inject some realism and dimensionality even into the small bit players. There's even some successful intentional humor, particularly during Luc Merenda's successful infiltration of a bank heist racket even though he's (a former?) chief of police.

The car chases in this film really take the cake though as some of the best of the genre, and quite early in the cycle too. Footage from the chases popped up in numerous other crime films, particularly Umberto Lenzi's. Also, a lot of the same henchmen would pop up in film to film from here on out. While at first I was irked that the two bumbling goons (Claudio Ruffini and Sergio Smacchi) who get tasked with tailing Merenda around just disappear without any resolution, I was delighted to see teamed again (possibly as the same characters?) in such films as THE CYNIC THE RAT AND THE FIST.

Granted, the success of this film, along with HIGH CRIME led to an explosion of Italian crime movies over the rest of the decade. The two films share much in common including featuring a fisticuffs- loving inspector using extreme methods to rid his city of crime to the tune of Guido and Maurizio De Angelis music. Oh yes, and Silvano Tranquilli appears in both, though his character here much less intimidating.

A renegade Italian cop fears that the law is too restricted when trying to fight lawless criminals, especially after seeing a prisoner escape and kill more people. Why send him back to prison when he already had a life sentence? All future murders are free of charge. Then, a high-ranking cop is killed on the street and the renegade is given an audience -- he is free to fight crime in his own way, which is a bit reckless.

I've seen reviews compare this film to "Dirty Harry", which seems about right. If anything, the officer in this film goes beyond what Clint Eastwood's character would do. Working with prostitutes, infiltrating a crime syndicate -- even robbing a bank with them, resulting in the death of a pregnant woman. The title "violent professionals" really sums it up... though, whether this refers to the cop or the criminals is left ambiguous.

After seeing another film from the box set I retrieved this from ("Kung Fu Punch of Death") I had very low expectations. But, ignoring the low production value that runs rampant in Italian films, the story and action were pretty amazing. There's a car chase scene that can give "French Connection" a run for its money. If you can tolerate cheap films, this is a truly great crime film.

Would I watch this again? Sure I would. I'd love it if someone would clean up the picture, sound and give me subtitles instead of dubbing... but for what the film cost me I more than got my money's worth on it. Don't be afraid to watch "Violent Professionals".

When hard cop Luc Merenda discovers that the old cop he was just talking to that morning has been blown away by some escaped convicts, in addition to several other cops and an child, Luc dispenses justice the only way he knows how - by gunning the bad guys down in cold blood in front of all his colleagues.

His superior tells Luc to cool it, then goes off to blow the lid on something he's discovered, getting himself murdered in the process. Now Luc's mad as hell and suspended from the force to boot, so he does the only thing he can - poses as a pimp to get access to a local gang as a getaway driver. That's a plan so daft that you'd have to bitch slap an awful lot of people to get there...and it works.

Sure, Luc got a couple of women killed by accident when he called the cops on that robbery (plus the boyfriend of a junky girl who helps him out, plus I guess he gets her cooled too when I think about it), but it does get him noticed by local legitimate businessman Richard Conte, who might employ him, but wants him to demonstrate some mad GTA San Andreas type skills behind the wheel of a car. Does Luc feel guilty about those two women? I don't think he had the time.

Of course, this is no straightforward film where Luc just gets his revenge on the bad guys, there's also some politics involved, as it seems the gang are more interested in causing as much havoc as possible than grabbing money, and someone may even be pulling Richard Conte's strings too.

Although not up there with the best of the crime films, Violent Professionals is still a good film if you like these kind of things. You know, car chases, people firing guns at each other, Richard Conte's terrible stunt double, Luc Merenda violently assaulting everyone, funky music, smoking. Luc Merenda by the way looks like a really skinny Arnie and is very good at staring at things.

Luciano Rossi turns up at the beginning to get himself shot too.

The hunky Luc Merenda stars here as Giorgio Caneparo, one of your standard "Dirty Harry"-type police detectives who has his own way of doing things. Motivated to righteous fury by the brazen murder of his loyal boss DelBuono (Chris Avram), he infiltrates the Milan underworld to seek answers.

Giorgio is nicely set up right at the beginning when he decides to put down some child-murdering scum who escaped authorities. It's a hoot to watch this character as he goes about his business: robbing a hooker at gunpoint, beating the stuffing out of her pimp, torturing an informant, etc. Yet, Merenda has plenty of charisma to spare in portraying this offbeat hero.

The script by the prolific Ernesto Gastaldi can get incoherent at times, but making up for that is the filmmaking savvy of Sergio Martino, who brings life to this cool example of Eurocrime cinema. There is gunfire, and sleaze, and a few chase scenes that are extremely well done. The chase scenes are the best part of the film.

The performances are right on the money, with Richard Conte co-starring as a mafioso who recruits Giorgio as a getaway driver, ignorant of his true identity. The very sexy Martine Brochard has a decent role as a potential love interest for Giorgio. Dubbed "Maria X" by him, she's witty and bright, yet not completely forthcoming about her lot in life.

Enlivened by a wonderful score by Guido and Maurizio De Angelis, "The Violent Professionals" is not among the very best of this genre, but it does show its audience a pretty good time. It wears its influence right on its sleeve, right up to the final sequence.

Seven out of 10.

Dirty Harry like cop investigates the murder of a fellow cop and beats up and kills a good number of bad guys in the process.

Violent police drama keeps your attention focused thanks to an almost constant stream of beatings and shootings. Not the best film and certainly far from the worst, this is just a good solid action film for a rainy Sunday without the kids. The best thing is this is a regular in bargain bins for around a buck which, as entertainment goes is quite a bargain for a film as good as this.

Go get some popcorn and some sodas.

7 out of 10

This was my first taste of the Italian police movie sub-genre of the Seventies (if I'm honest I'd have to say I didn't even know there was such a sub-genre) and I can't remember being so bored by a film so filled with gunplay and car chases. Perhaps it's because I watched it at six in the morning after being unable to sleep, or maybe it's because of the lousy dubbing but, whatever the reason, this very obvious Dirty Harry rip-off had little to offer.

Luc Merenda is too much of a pretty boy to make a convincing enough anti-hero. He looks more like a Dirty Harry sidekick who gets killed in the first reel than a gritty tough guy, and his style of acting is too bland to draw the viewer in. The storyline is convoluted – although the plot is actually quite simple – and its twist becomes increasingly obvious as the film runs down. There are a couple of good car chases, and not many people get to beat up Richard Conte twice in one movie, but otherwise all this flick did for me was make a bout of insomnia that much worse.

Sergio Martino made more than 30 full theatrical cinema films and then later also worked in TV. He began as a director in 1970 and started well after a couple of documentaries and a spaghetti western. Arizona Colt, Hired Gun (1970) before the fantastic giallo, The Strange Vice of Mrs Wardh (1971) with the lovely Edwige Fenech, fortunately his wife's brother. The Case of the Scorpion's Tale (1971) without Fenech but then another couple of really good ones with All the Colours of the Dark and Your Vice is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key both made in 1972 and of course both starring Fenech. Next comes a really nasty appalling sadistic film, Torso (1973) then Giovannona Long-Thigh (1973) a sex comedy starring, of course, Fenech but then comes The Violent Professionals starring Luc Merenda and Richard Conte. Martino has made various films and he here did one of the crime thrillers which are usually rather nasty and violent although this is surprisingly less terrible. It seems rather safe and the story rather obvious although others like the film and the one that is not nasty all the time they prefer. There are also those who like Luc Merenda and Richard Conte, less than the usual stars but I'm not an obvious fan.

After his mentor, the only cop who is both honest and "by-the-book" in this movie (and possibly any other Italian "poliziani"), is assassinated in the street, a rogue cop, who has been suspended for gunning down two surrendering suspects, goes undercover, mixing with prostitutes, pimps, and reckless, amateur bank robbers in an effort to crack the case; only to find that it involves both Red Brigade terrorists and corruption at the highest levels of Italian government. It is easy to write-off this and other Italian polizianis as cheap "rip-offs" of American films like "Dirty Harry" or "The French Connection". But this genre really resonated in Italy which was even more beset by rampant crime, high-level corruption, and would-be "revolutionaries" in 1970's than America was. And whereas American police thrillers got dumber, more simplistic, and sometimes downright fascist going into the Reagan era (i.e. "Make my day!", "Crime is a disease and he is the cure!"), the Italian films went off in a decidedly more morally ambiguous and often more cynical direction, which I personally find much more interesting. (It's perhaps understandable that America would later blunder into Iraq, convinced that they were the unambiguous "good guys" and weren't going to get any blood on their white cowboy hats, while the Europeans were generally much more wary and realistic).

This movie is pretty confused. It's pretty hard to believe that corrupt law enforcement officials would be connected to the radical Marxist Red Brigades and vice versa. It's also hard to separate the "rogue cop" here from the regular Italian police, who also shoot unarmed suspects and kill innocent hostages in reckless high-speed car chases. (One villain makes the mistake of trying to ally himself with hero, naturally assuming that anyone so violent and unconcerned the law or public safety would be a natural partner in corruption).Still it is more realistic and honest in many ways to admit that fighting violence with violence, even it doesn't outright corrupt, is very messy and will leave you with hands that are far from clean. "Dirty Harry" and "The French Connection" themselves were much more noirish and morally ambiguous than is acknowledged these days. But what this movie really reminded me of was the first Dirty Harry sequel "Magnum Force" where the troubled vigilante cop with some morals faces off against vigilante cops with no morals (and who also turn out to be very implausibly connected to his most liberal critics). Like that movie this poliziani is pretty confused, but, at the same time, all the more honest for it.

It's also well-made and very entertaining. It was directed by the great, and still underrated Italian director, Sergio Martino. It's currently only available on cheap DVD (part of "The Grindhouse Collection Volume 1") ported from a very messed-up videotape (the sound is atrocious). Still I would highly recommend it.

I sure that fans of Hostel Part II this year paid no attention to the Italian detective (Luc Merenda) in the film. He was part of the Italian trend in the 70s to make movies that followed the trend of Dirty Harry and The French Connection.

In this film, a man's movie to say the least, he was a cop that had no hesitation in killing criminals even when they had their hands up. He went undercover and participated in a robbery where an innocent got killed. Not a problem as his goal was to get Mr. Big.

Of course, like Dirty harry, that meant anyway he could regardless of procedure.

The DVD was of particular poor quality - the interior lighting was terrible. Except for two really good car chases, there isn't much to recommend this film.

About the only thing I can say good about Milano Trema is that it has some nice shots of Milan in it. This Italian production with a native cast is a poor ripoff of some of our cop dramas like Bullitt or The Seven Ups or even the Dirty Harry series.

Luc Merenda an orthodox cop with a Dirty Harry style of doing business does one thing that Harry Callahan would never do, go undercover because too many criminals know his face. He is however suspended for an execution of a pair of escaped criminals.

After that his main booster the ever so tolerant police chief of Milan is assassinated by a criminal gang. Merenda goes undercover to find them.

The gang is headed by American expatriate Richard Conte who after playing Don Barzini in The Godfather played a lot of cheap grade z productions for a paycheck. He has the look of a man waiting for his paycheck to clear as he mouths his dialog.

There's a nice police chase similar to the one in Bullitt in this film. But all in all it's all stuff we've seen better on American cinema.

THE VIOLENT PROFESSIONALS (Sergio Martino - Italy 1973).

Not all too interesting Dirty Harry variation from Sergio Martino in this crime thriller, starring Luc Merenda as a tough smooth-guy cop who goes undercover as a wheels man to infiltrate a ring of cop-killin' bank robbers.

The main problem is main man Luc Merenda who has little charisma and is either permanently smiling or desperately trying to look tough. Either way, his repertoire is a bit limited. The unimaginative screenplay by Ernesto Gastaldi is entirely short on logic. This is less urgent when writing horror or giallos, but the actions of police and crime bosses are supposed to contain some kind of logic, since they're driven by greed and money. In the world of organized crime, there's usually little room for vague motives, but here, most actions lack any kind of motivation. Even a bank robbery is carried out so incredibly clumsy, it was beyond me why the bank robbers were even surprised things went wrong.

Occasionally, it's a pretty lively affair with lots of action with some spectacular car chases (one of them probably took half the budget of the entire film), but some of these exciting set pieces can't save this from being a bore most of the time, with Merenda driving around in his car aimlessly or beating the living crap out of everyone he meets to get some answers about his chief's killing. In most cases, the answers don't add up to much or didn't make any sense to me. The English dubbing wasn't a big help in that department either.

Camera Obscura --- 5/10

'The Violent Professionals' - originally known in its native Italy as 'Milano trema: la polizia vuole giustizia' - is a riot from start to finish. After a frenzied first few minutes, in which characters either dispatch or are dispatched with shocking regularity, you can hardly blame smouldering 'tec Giorgio (Luc Merenda) for wanting to walk away. Except he doesn't - he becomes one of those maverick cops who doesn't play by the rules. You know the type. But he does it with a scowl and a pout that makes his journey irresistible.

The pace doesn't slacken; each set piece is meticulously orchestrated and directed (by ever-reliable Sergio Martino). If it occurs to you that some parts of this twisting, complex story might be a little improbable, the violence and car chases make it easy just to go with it: it's one heck of a ride, and I had a lot of fun for the entire 95 minutes. Terrific. My score is 8 out of 10.