Renato Romano Movies

Abstract images produced with an electronic video mix -- as well as the surrealist paintings of artist Mati Klarwein -- highlight this adaptation of the literary classic by Herman Hesse. Max von Sydow stars as Harry Haller, a self-absorbed, misanthropic writer contemplating the duality of his nature as both a social outsider disenchanted with the chaos and disorder of the everyday world and an inner "steppenwolf." Planning to commit suicide by the age of 50, Haller seeks a reconciliation of these different aspects of the self, while encountering a mysterious woman who leads him into a magical realm where his efforts to achieve redemption may be realized through a metaphysical transcendence. Whether it is mental illness, narcotics, or an authentically supernatural experience that overtakes Haller remains unclear. Essentially as plotless as Hesse's source novel, Steppenwolf (1974) was mostly memorable for its avant garde visuals, which made it a favorite of youthful audiences seeking hallucinogenic cinematic experiences such as those in the final half hour of 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide

Well-known actor Gian Maria Volonte carries this Italian biographical film almost single-handedly in his role as the industrialist Enrico Mattei. Mattei gave Italian industry a much-needed shot in the arm in the postwar era and died under suspicious circumstances in 1962. However, like many larger-than-life figures, he is not without his flaws. He created a giant monopolistic industry, which he is thought to have maintained free from interference by the government through the application of generous bribes. When he set out to make Italy a power in the petroleum world, however, he ran into serious difficulties. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

This uneven thriller directed by Umberto Lenzi was the final Rialto Film Company adaptation of an Edgar Wallace mystery (The Puzzle of the Silver Half-Moons), as tastes were changing and the German "krimi" genre was dying in favor of the sexier, bloodier Italian "giallo." In this awkward German-Italian co-production, Lenzi straddles the two genres with confused results. The story concerns a young man named Mario (Antonio Sabato), whose pretty wife Julia (Uschi Glass) narrowly escapes being the third victim of a maniacal killer. The police are baffled, but Julia recognizes seeing the other two victims at an old hotel on the same day several years before. There were actually seven women there on that day, and one of them left the scene of a car accident where an American named Frank Saunders bled to death. Mario tries to find out who the killer is by shaking down a gay heroin addict who later hangs himself, while the police make observations such as "All criminals are out of their minds." The solution is completely predictable, but Lenzi provides some effective suspense sequences and gore to keep it interesting. Pier Paolo Capponi, Rossella Falk, Franco Fantasia, and Carla Mancini also appear, while Marisa Mell plays twin sisters, one of whom is brutally murdered with a power-drill. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide

During the late '60s and early '70s, retired pro-football quarterback Joe Namath made a number of films. Last Rebel is one of them. Set in Missouri near the end of the American Civil War, Confederate soldiers Burnside Hollis (Joe Namath), a pool shark, and his friend Matt Graves (Jack Elam) rescue a black man from a lynching. Burnside begins to win pool matches for bigger and bigger stakes, and his friends begin to fall by the wayside as he woos the ladies and wins the games. The local madam (Victoria George), however, has a soft spot in her heart for him and watches with concern as the situation builds up for a showdown with his former friend Matt. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

The classic story of evil by Oscar Wilde is a plodding, campy, trashy production that gives the viewer moments of unintentional laughter. Dorian Gray (Helmut Berger) is the vain young Englishman who sells his soul to the devil to remain eternally youthful in appearance. His portrait is being painted by Basil (Richard Todd), much to the delight of his first true love Sybil (Marie Liljedahl). Lord Henry Wolton (Herbert Lom )is Dorian's partner in collaborating with evil. Gray remains the same but the picture reflects his image to show the ravages of old age and time. The drama, mystery and psychology of the original book is absent from this poorly made remake done 25 years earlier. Herbert Lom goves the only noteworthy performance of the film. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide

The quintessential British caper film of the 1960s, The Italian Job is a flashy, fast romp that chases a team of career criminals throughout one of the biggest international gold heists in history. Michael Caine is Charlie Croker, a stylish robber and skirt-chaser just out of British prison. Shunning rehabilitation for recidivism, Croker takes over "The Italian Job," a complicated plan to hijack gold bullion from Italy -- right from underneath the noses of the Italian Police and the Mafia. The job, whose original mastermind was murdered, clearly requires the sponsorship of a richer, more established criminal than Croker. He turns to the auspices of the eccentric Mr. Bridger (Noël Coward in his last film role), a suave, regal, incarcerated English crime boss with a peculiar fascination with the Queen. Bridger provides Croker with a quirky group of Britain's most infamous computer hackers (including a lascivious Benny Hill), bank robbers, hijackers, and getaway drivers -- the ex-con is soon well on his way to relieving Italy of the gold. ~ Aubry Anne D'Arminio, All Movie Guide

This is a deliriously strange thriller about a scientist (Jean-Louis Trintignant) who is breeding headless, boneless chickens at a high-tech farm. He's having an affair with Ewa Aulin, who is plotting with him to kill his wife (Gina Lollobrigida)...and she's plotting with Aulin to kill him...and he and Lollobrigida are plotting...oh, it's too confusing, but extremely memorable. The bizarre, only semi-linear editing and trippy cinematographic techniques are artifacts of the psychedelic era and combine with the twisted story to make any Euro-cultist's dreams come true. A film that defies easy categorization, it veers uneasily between giallo, drug film, and science-fiction, with heavy doses of romance and Antonioni-like weirdness. Some parts are even reminiscent of David Lynch's Eraserhead. Aulin was in the even stranger Microscopic Liquid Subway to Oblivion a few years later. A must-see for genre fans. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide