Ennio Girolami Movies
- 1994
With a nod to Sergio Leone, this film, bills itself the first "borscht Western," It was photographed in Russia with a cast of Russians, Italians, and Americans. The story follows the past and present life of Jonathan. When he was only six, Jonathan watched while thieves killed his parents. The orphan found a playful friend in a bear-cub. He was then found and adopted by an Indian chief who preferred Jonathon to his own son, Chatow. The rivalry between the boys continued into adulthood. The adult, Jonathan became a legend for his prowess with the bow and arrow and his gallant rescues. He still searches for his parent's killers. Fred Goodwin leads a gang of greedy oil-claim jumpers who terrorize a town. When Goodwin finds oil in the Indian burial ground where the chief lies buried, a vicious war begins. Jonathan comes to town trailing a captured Indian maiden and ends up being crucified by Goodwin. He is saved by a former member of the gang. Jonathan exacts his bloody revenge. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Franco Nero, John Saxon, (more)
- 1985
- R
A San Francisco scientist attempts to hold the city hostage with a powerful laser, prompting fearless cop Ronn Warren (Eric Estrada) and his wily partner Swann (Michael Pritchard) to try and save the Bay Area from becoming a bubbling cauldron of death in director Enzo G. Castellari's outrageous sci fi action thriller. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Erik Estrada, Michael Pritchard, (more)
- 1983
One of many post-apocalyptic science-fiction films which poured out of Europe in the wake of George Miller's Mad Max, this film stars Stefania Girolami as Anna, who runs away from her wealthy but obnoxious family into the surrealistic biker gangland of the Bronx. There, she meets Trash (Marco de Gregorio), part of a gang called The Riders, and soon falls in love with him. Problems arise when Anna's father (Enio Girolami), president of the evil Manhattan Corporation, sends in a psychopath named Hammer (Vic Morrow) to stir up trouble among the rival gangs, including a black club led by Ogre (Fred Williamson) and a rollerskating group led by Golem (Luigi Montefiori). Castellari's direction is surprisingly stylish and exciting, but all of the hyper-macho posturing eventually grows tiresome for anyone over fifteen. Still, undemanding viewers will have a good time, as the action keeps coming fast and furious, laced with suitably hardbitten dialogue by director Enzo G. Castellari, Elisa Livia Briganti and Dardano Sacchetti. A minor classic of testosterone cinema, followed by several sequels starting with Fuga dal Bronx (1983). ~ Robert Firsching, Rovi
- Starring:
- Vic Morrow, Christopher Connelly, (more)
Dario Argento leaves a distinct and bloody impression with this Italian horror film that took the slasher genre to graphic new limits at the time of its release. Novelist Peter Neal (Anthony Franciosa) jets into Rome to promote his new book. Simultaneously, a killer obsessed with Neal begins a brutal series of murders that are followed by cryptic notes to the author. Inspector Germani (Giuliano Gemma) questions Neal, who then begins his own investigation into the bizarre case with the help of his assistant, Anne (Daria Nicolodi), and local youth Gianni (Christian Borromeo). Neal and Gianni follow leads to the home of a TV talk-show host (John Steiner), who is axed to death in front of Gianni while Neal is knocked unconscious. As they close in on the killer, flashbacks show the killer's murderous beginnings and an obsession with red shoes. Meanwhile, Neal's publicist, Bullmer (John Saxon), is revealed to be having an affair with the author's ex-lover, Jane (Veronica Lario), making them both potential suspects. Inspector Germani insists that Neal leave town, but even when he does, the killer strikes again, knifing Bullmer in broad daylight. At the same time, Gianni returns to the home of the dead talk-show host and recalls an important detail about the murder. However, he is strangled before he can tell anyone. At her apartment, Jane is brutally slain just as Inspector Germani arrives to discover the murderer's identity, along with the shocking, twist-filled truth behind the entire case. ~ Patrick Legare, Rovi
- Starring:
- Anthony Franciosa, John Saxon, (more)
In this well-paced crime thriller, Larry Stanciani (Franco Nero) is a hard-boiled private investigator in San Francisco, an ex-cop kicked off the police force and thrown in prison for a time because of a frame-up by a Mafioso named Kandinsky. One day, he is called to the office of Goldsmith (William Berger), a narcotics agent out to nail Kandinsky on drug charges. Goldsmith asks Stanciani to go to Genoa, Stanciani's home town, track down Kandinsky, and haul him back to the U.S. for due process. Stanciani's motivation is multiple: Goldsmith offers him his old job back if he succeeds. Soon the private eye is on his way and encountering obstacles that include Brenda (Sybil Danning) a gorgeous disc jockey, and a motley group of underworld denizens. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi
- Starring:
- Franco Nero, Sybil Danning, (more)
- 1972
- PG
Shakespeare is combined with the spaghetti western in this interesting offering. Though the language is modernized, the plot is basically the same as Hamlet. In this version, the hero does not die--instead he rides off into the sunset. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- 1968
When Confederate Army regulars take to robbery and murder, a bounty hunter masquerades as a Southern sympathizer to join the renegades. Led by Colonel Blake (Guy Madison), the group terrorizes the border between Texas and Mexico, striking fear into the hearts of people in both countries. Stuart (Ed Byrnes) risks his life by joining up with the gang in order to bring the killers to justice and collect on the reward money in this violent spaghetti western ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi
- Starring:
- Edward Byrnes, Guy Madison, (more)
In this spaghetti Western, Joseph Cotten stars as Jonas, an ex-Confederate soldier who robs a Union freight train in order to re-ignite the Civil War. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi
- Starring:
- Joseph Cotten, Norma Bengell, (more)
- 1958
Five romantic and funny vignettes comprise this Italian anthology that is set amidst the beauty and fun of the famed French coastline. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Sylva Koscina, Franco Fabrizi, (more)
- 1957
The title of this Italian slice-of-life drama translates to Young Husbands. The husbands in question rather casually enter into marriage, never intending true fidelity to their spouses. When they realize that they're committed for life, our immature heroes return to their home town for one last fling. In the course of their final hours of bachelorhood, they come to the sobering conclusion that their carefree youth is not only past, it's already long past. Somewhat reminiscent of Fellini's I Vitelloni, Giovani Mariti boasts excellent performances from all concerned. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Sylva Koscina, Antonella Lualdi, (more)
