Italian Films

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Italian Films

Almost Human Umberto Lenzi This first-rate polizia thriller boasts all the right ingredients--gritty direction by Umbero Lenzi, a haunting Ennio Morricone score, a script by Ernesto Gstaldi (My Name is Nobody), and expert performances by Tomas Milian, Henry Silva, and Anita Strindberg. The melodramatic plot follows a petty thief (Milian) as he hatches a brazen scheme to kidnap a Patty Hearst-like heiress and use the ransom to pay his dues. Ruthlessly brutal and often very funny, this is 70's euro crime at its shocking best. In Italian with English subtitles. Italy, 1974, 90 mins. DVD $37.95

Angela Roberta Torre Donatella Finocchiaro stars as a mafia-connected shoe salesman's wife who tires of the criminal life and begins an ironic and dangerous love affair with a thug hired for intimidating muscle. In Italian with English subtitles. Italy, 2002, 95 mins. DVD $44.95

The Barbarians (The Pagans) Ferrucio Cerio In the last days of the Roman Empire, the remaining members of the aristocracy and military elite try to fight off invading forces. A dramatic Italian historical epic, edited down for its American release yet still impressive in terms of scale and detail. The cast includes Pierre Cressoy, Helene Remy and Vittorio Sanipoli. Dubbed in English. Italy, 1953, 83 mins. DVD $37.95

Beast with a Gun Sergio Grieco A murderous psychopath escapes from prison with three violent thugs, intent on getting back at the police inspector who sent him there. His brutal treatment of lovely Marisa Mell is just the start of the rough stuff in this ultra-violent crime film. Helmut Berger, best known from Visconti's The Damned and Ludwig, has a field day as the crazed killer. Quentin Tarantino used clips from this film in Jackie Brown. Also released as The Mad Dog Killer and Street Killers. Dubbed in English. Italy, 1977, 95 mins. DVD $37.95

The Best of Youth Marco Tullio Giordano As sweeping in breadth as a 19th-century novel and intimately observed as a great short story, Marco Tullio Giordano's six-hour drama chronicles the lives of two brothers over the course of four decades. Their triumphs and tragedies reflect the highs and lows of Italian political, economic, and social life from 1966 to the present, and Giordano draws these connections with nuance and lyricism. "Those who see it will, quite frankly, not believe their luck. It is that satisfying, that engrossing, that good" (Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times). In Italian with English subtitles. Italy, 2003, 400 mins. DVD $44.95

Beyond Obsession Liliana Cavani From Liliana Cavani (A Night Porter) comes this shocker about the strange relationship of a political prisoner (Marcello Mastroianni), his daughter (Eleonora Giorgi), and her obsession with an elusive American (Tom Berenger). With Michel Piccoli. Also known as Beyond the Door (1982). Italy 1982 116 mins. Videocassette $44.95

Big Deal on Madonna Street Mario Monicelli A hilarious satire on all burglary capers, Mario Monicelli's stylish film is now a classic account of the misadventures of a group of amateurish crooks (Vittorio Gassman, Marcello Mastroianni, Renato Salvatori, Rossana Rory) as they attempt a robbery. "One of the funniest Italian comedies ever made...Monicelli's sense of character is priceless" (Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader). In Italian with English subtitles. The DVD is a Criterion Collection edition, and includes original theatrical trailer. Italy, 1958, 106 mins. DVD $44.95

Big Deal on Madonna Street: 20 Years Later Amanzio Todini The trio of ex-hoods from Mario Monicelli's hit caper comedy Big Deal on Madonna Street return for an inspired sequel. Vittorio Gassman, Marcello Mastroianni, and Renato Salvatori now sport a touch of grey in their hair, but they're still the same charming, bumbling burglars of old. In Italian with English subtitles. Italy 1985 101 mins. DVD $44.95

The Big Racket Enzo G. Castellari Hard-edged and brutally violent, Enzo G. Castellari's 1976 thriller is "a superior example of the 70s Italian crime film" (DVD Maniacs). Tough guy Fabio Testi stars as a defiant police investigator trying to put the screws to thugs who run a protection racket in his isolated Italian village. When a young woman is raped as punishment for her father approaching the police, the investigator takes up arms to clean the streets once and for all. Vincent Gardenia (Death Wish) co-stars. In Italian with English subtitles. Italy, 1976, 106 mins. DVD $37.95

Black Jesus Valerio Zurlini Based on real incidents in the Congo, this film chronicles the downfall of an African leader of national independence. Woody Strode plays a revolutionary leader (closely patterned after Patrice Lumumba), betrayed by one of his followers and unwittingly martyred by the men in power. Under cruel interrogation you see the life begin to drain out of the man, his eyes reflecting the horrors of the times. Long after the violence of the film is forgotten, you will remember the look in Strode's eyes. "Black Jesus has the impact of Z. Strode should get an Academy Award" (ABC-TV). In English. Italy, 1968, 90 mins. DVD $37.95

Bread and Chocolate Franco Brusati Nino Manfredi stars as an Italian immigrant struggling to make a life in the difficult Teutonic world of Switzerland. This comic everyman finds himself forced into ever more degrading situations, but he never gives up. The result is a comedy with an intense feeling of pathos. "An amusing and touching illustration of culture clash, and a graphic depiction of a complacent and condescending Switzerland" (Faber Companion to Foreign Films.) With Anna Karina. Italian with English subtitles. Italy, 1974, 109 mins. DVD $44.95

Bread & Tulips Silvio Soldini An unhappy housewife, accidentally left behind by a tour bus, heads to Venice and soon embarks upon a new life. Leaving her hot-headed husband and teenaged children behind, she meets a melancholy waiter who opens the door to his home and a door to a new beginning for her. One of Italy's biggest recent commercial and critical hits, this film won 9 Donatello Awards, including Best Picture, Actor (Bruno Ganz), Actress (Licia Maglietta), and Director. "Seeing Bread and Tulips may not be as good as having an actual holiday in Italy, but it's close" (Shirley Sealy, Film Journal International). Italian with English subtitles. Italy, 2000, 104 mins. DVD $44.95

But Forever in my Mind Gabriele Muccino For this festival award winner, Gabriele Muccino consulted with two 16-year-olds -- Adele Tulli and younger brother Silvio Muccino -- in an attempt to understand the feel of contemporary teenage life. The result is a funny, heartfelt drama full of surprise and subtlety. Silvio (Muccino) is a young student who has little interest in the rebellion taking place at his school. Instead he's focused his sights on Valentina (Giulia Carmignani), a pretty girl with a steady boyfriend. But when he reveals his affection to his gossipy friend, Silvio is ostracized by his classmates and forced to readjust to the tumultuous up-and-downs of teenage life. "A credible, sardonic snapshot that, for all its infectious energy, captures the very real frustrations of inchoate adolescent rebellion" (Dennis Lim, The Village Voice). The DVD is letterboxed, closed-captioned, and includes additional scenes and optional English and Spanish subtitles. In Italian with English subtitles. Italy, 1999, 90 mins. DVD $44.95

The Case of the Scorpions Tail Sergio Martino When a beautiful widow (Evelyn Stewart) rakes in a tidy sum following her husband's (Fulvio Mingozzi) death, an insurance agent (George Hilton) is called in to investigate. But when the widow turns up dead, the agent realizes he's onto a criminal enterprise more frightening than he feared. Terrifically plotted to maximize every twist and turn of the thrilling narrative, Sergio Martino's giallo is a classic of the form. With Anita Strindberg. In Italian with English subtitles. The DVD is letterboxed and includes interviews with director Sergio Martino, producer Luciano Martino, writer Ernesto Gastaldi, and star George Hilton, trailer, poster and stills gallery, and booklet with talent biographies. Italy 1971 90 mins. DVD $37.95

Caterina in the Big City Paolo Verzi Paolo Verzi's critically acclaimed coming-of-age story follows 15-year-old Caterina (Alice Teghli) as she acclimates to the bustle of big city life. Moving from a provincial seaside town to the Rome apartment of her ailing aunt, Caterina encounters a world that's as skewed and confusing as her own unpredictable emotions. Director Verzi aptly balances his heroine's personal development with a cleverly subversive commentary on the political and social climate in modern Italy. "Pitch-perfect performances and a light-handed but razor-sharp script keep this satire brisk and biting" (Leslie Camhi, Village Voice) In Italian with English subtitles. Italy, 2005, 106 mins. DVD $44.95

Cheeky! Tinto Brass Tinto Brass lends his smutty signature to this London-based sex romp, about a curvy out-of-towner (Yuliya Mayarchuk) whose wind-blown skirt fetches the attention of one and all. While her boyfriend Matteo (Jarno Berardi) seethes with jealousy, Carla (Mayarchuk) strikes up a Sapphic affair with her irrepressible real estate agent Moira (Francesca Nunzi). Matteo eventually realizes what's good for him and gets in on the action himself. In Italian with English subtitles. Italy; 2000; 86 mins. DVD $44.95

Children of Hannibal Davide Ferrario A foiled bank robbery in Turin sends a bungling burglar on the run with a hostage, a down-on-his-luck businessman. Using the kidnapping to his advantage, the hostage steers his kidnapper to the south, while telling the police that the pair are in Switzerland. The subterfuge allows for secret romantic interludes that are interrupted when the hostage's disgruntled family joins their entourage. In Italian with English subtitles. Italy, 1998, 93 mins. DVD $37.95

Convoy Busters Stelvio Massi When the press begins hounding a relentless Roman cop (Maurizio Merli) for using brutal tactics, the officer is reassigned to the Adriatic coast, where life tends to move at a sleepier pace. No sooner does he arrive, however, than the cop finds himself in the midst of a gun-smuggling racket, with mob heavies who aren't afraid to throw their weight around. Olga Karlatos (Zombie) co-stars in Stelvio Massi's uncompromising Italo-action thriller. Includes interviews with Maurizio Matteo Merli, Eolo Capacci, Enio Girolami, Enzo G. Castellari, and Ruggero Deodato, trailers, poster and stills gallery, and booklet with Crime Story: The De Falco Solution comic book short story by Maurizio Rosensweig and Diego Cajelli. Italy, 1979, 101 mins. DVD $37.95

Days Laura Muscardin Claudio, an HIV-positive banker has lived a conservative life of control for the last ten years. But when he meets a sexy young waiter named Andrea, caution is thrown to the wind as they embark on a reckless romance that changes Claudio's outlook and life forever. In Italian with English subtitles. Italy, 2002, 90 mins. DVD $44.95

Don't Move Sergio Castellitto For his sophomore feature, Sergio Castellitto (Mostly Martha) adapts his wife's (Margaret Mazzantini) best-selling novel about a love affair between a successful, married surgeon and a destitute young woman. When his daughter (Elena Perino) is involved in a grim accident, Timoteo (Castellitto) finds himself in a hospital waiting room, unsure of whether she'll survive surgery. As he waits, Timoteo's thoughts drift to an affair he had more than a decade prior, when a chance encounter with the mysterious Italia (Penelope Cruz) led to a bout of passion with tragic consequences. Winner of 4 awards from the Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists. Includes behind-the-scenes featurette, deleted scenes, Penelope Cruz screen tests, Margaret Mazzantini: A Writer's Reflections featurette, and trailer. In Italian with English subtitles.Italy; 2004; 122 mins. DVD $37.95

Don't Tell Cristina Comencini An Oscar nominee for Best Foreign Language Film, this psychological drama stars Giovanna Mezzogiorno as a voice actress whose charmed existence is shattered by recurring memories of sexual abuse she suffered at the hands of her father. Based on the novel La Bestia Nel Cuore, Cristina Comencini's film stars Alessio Boni (The Best of Youth), Stefania Rocca, and Angela Finocchiaro. "Well worth seeing for its sensitive and never maudlin portrayal of a sister and brother bonded together by a family secret" (San Francisco Chronicle). In Italian with English subtitles. Italy/Great Britain/France, 2005, 120 mins. DVD $44.95

El Alamein Enzo Monteleone Based on veteran's diaries and first-hand accounts, this ferocious war epic dramatizes the efforts of an Italian army division to fend off Allied forces in the first major battle of World War II. In brutal, action-packed sequences laced with cruel irony, director Enzo Montleone communicates the horrors of war and the transgressions of Italy's wartime leadership. The result is a stirring and very powerful work that remains true to its sources. Includes behind-the-scenes featurette, trailer, TV spots, 5.1 sound, and more. In Italian with English subtitles. Italy, 2002, 117 mins. DVD $44.95

Emergency Squad Stelvio Massi Best known for his collaborations with Dario Argento and Lucio Fulci, Italian exploitation director Dardano Sacchetti also helmed this blood-red crime film about an embittered Interpol agent (Tomas Milian) who goes outside the law Dirty Harry-style to avenge his wife's murder. The plot hews closely to genre convention, but the stand-out cast (Ray Lovelock, Stefania Casini) and Stelvio Cipriani score make this a pleasing cult item. Includes director interview, star interview, director's introduction, trailer, poster and still galleries, collectible booklet, and English language option. In Italian with English subtitles. Italy, 1974, 112 mins. DVD $37.95

Flight of the Innocent Carlo Carlei The ten-year-old son of a brutal kidnapper witnesses his entire family's murder at the hands of a rival gang. He escapes only to find himself being hunted by both these relentless killers and the police. The boy's desperate struggle for survival becomes a path to redemption for the crimes of his father. In Italian with English subtitles. Italy, 1993, 105 mins. DVD $37.95

The Frightened Woman Piero Schivazappia Sayer, a wealthy, secretive man, gratifies his sadistic fantasies through elaborately staged games of "master and slave." But one weekend, when his regular girl becomes unavailable, Sayer lures a young, beautiful journalist to be his slave, leading to a surprisingly twisted game of terror and pleasure. With Dagmar Lassander and Philippe Leroy-Beaulieu. Dubbed in English. ADULTS ONLY. Italy, 1971, 90 mins. DVD $44.95

Gambling City Sergio Martino In this comedic action thriller from giallo and polizia veteran Sergio Martino, an ace card shark (Luc Merenda) tries his luck at gambling in the high-stakes private casinos of Milan. His skill at the table gets the attention of "The President"--a central figure in the Milan underworld. Soon he's doing everything he can to avoid the mob and still make off with the beautiful daughter (Dayle Haddon) of "The President's" lunatic son. The DVD is letterboxed and includes interviews with director Sergio Martino, cinematographer Giancarlo Ferrando, and star Luc Merenda, audio commentary with Luc Merenda, trailer, poster gallery, talent bios, and English language and English subtitle options. In Italian with English subtitles. Italy 1974 101 mins. DVD $44.95

Gasoline Monica Stambrini Two young women in love, Stella and Eleonora, find themselves running from the law and more in this surreal, romantic thriller. After the accidental death of Eleonora's mother, who objected to the girl's budding relationship, the lovers hit the road with her corpse in the trunk. Along the way, they are tormented by three toughs and the ghost of Eleonora's mother. "Sexy and atmospheric" (Stephen Holden, The New York Times). In Italian with English subtitles. Italy, 2002, 90 mins. DVD $44.95

Girl with a Suitcase Valerio Zurlini A girl with nothing except good looks finds herself at the mercy of one man after another until she is finally jilted by a rich young scoundrel. About to be cast adrift in a sea of corruption, she finds her protector in the person of her betrayer's 16-year-old brother. The film reveals the very sensitive area between purity and vice and launched the international career of Claudia Cardinale. With Jaques Perrin. Italian with English subtitles. "Extremely well acted [and] worth seeing" (1996 Video Movie Guide). Italy/France, 1961, 111 mins. DVD $44.95

The Heroin Busters Enzo G. Castellari Fabio Testi (The Big Racket) and David Hemmings (Blow-Up) star in a violent 70s crime film from genre veteran Enzo G. Castellari, about a rogue cop's efforts to take down an international drug ring. The climactic airplane and motorcycle chase sequence is a classic of the genre. Goblin (Suspiria) provides the score. In Italian with English subtitles. Italy, 1977, 93 mins. DVD $37.95

His Secret Life Ferzan Ozpetek After the sudden death of her husband, a woman is surprised and shocked to discover that he had a male lover throughout the entirety of their happy marriage. She confronts the lover and, as they grieve for the man they loved, a friendship emerges. Beautifully filmed in Rome, this final film in director Ferzan Ozpetec's erotic trilogy, which includes Steam: The Turkish Bath and Harem, is "lovely and touching" (A.O. Scott, New York Times). In Italian and Turkish with English subtitles. Italy/France, 2001, 106 mins. DVD $44.95

Honey Sweet Love Enrico Coletti In this romantic comedy based on a true story, British Colonel Harold Pearson (Ben Cross) gains control of a small Sicilian village during the summer of 1943. He tells the villagers they must cease their semi-illegal activities and elect a mayor. Don Siro (Eli Wallach) arranges the election of the mayor and invites the Colonel to the mayor's house, where the colonel is struck by the mayor's beautiful wife (Jo Champa). In English and Italian. France/Italy 1994 90 mins. DVD $37.95

The House with Laughing Windows Pupi Avati A stunner of Italian horror from director Pupi Avati (The Story of Boys and Girls, Zeder). A young artist restoring an ancient fresco finds himself mysteriously drawn into the original painter's chilling world of madness and horror. This film seethes with dark, creepy atmosphere and its multiple plot twists make for a haunting experience. "The hairs will stand up on the back of your neck" (Horror View). The DVD is letterboxed, and includes optional English subtitles, theatrical trailer, lobby-card gallery and behind-the-scenes footage. Italy, 1976, 110 mins. DVD $44.95

I'm Not Scared (Io Non Ho Paura) Gabriele Salvatores Oscar-winning director Gabriele Salvatores (Mediterraneo) eerily examines a kidnapping and its horrors through the eyes of a small child. Ten-year-old Michele's childhood is forever altered when he discovers a malnourished and mistreated child imprisoned at the bottom of a pit in the middle of a wheat field. Michele's innocence and naivete are slowly worn away as he learns the truth about the kidnapping and the adults in his village. "A virtuoso piece of dark storytelling" (Robert K. Elder, Chicago Tribune). In Italian with English subtitles. Italy, 2003, 110 mins. DVD $44.95

Il Postino Michael Radford Massimo Troisi stars as a humble postman in a small but beautiful Italian village, whose life is transformed by the simple powers of poetry. Pablo Neruda is poet-living-in-exile who gives this bumbling mailman the right words to seduce the woman of his dreams. Troisi died abruptly after completing this role, turning this touching and deeply felt film into a highly apt but wholly unexpected memorial to his skills as a comic actor. With Maria Grazia Cucinotta and Philippe Noiret. Based on the novel Burning Patience, by Antonia Skarmenta. Italian with English subtitles. Italy, 1995, 108 mins. DVD $37.95

Incantato Pupi Avati Alternately titled Il Cuore Altrove, Pupi Avati's humanistic drama stars Neri Marcore as a middle-aged schoolteacher in 1920s Italy, whose womanizing ways cause friction with his devoutly Catholic parents. Fleeing to Bologna, the shy teacher falls in love with a beautiful blind girl (Vanessa Incontrada) whose affluent family isn't sure how they feel about the timid pedagogue. Winner of an Italian Academy Award for Best Director. With Giancarlo Giannini and Nino D'Angelo. In Italian with English subtitles. Italy, 2003, 107 mins. DVD $37.95

The Keys to the House Gianni Amelio Italy's candidate for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar (2004) stars national screen star Kim Rossi Stuart (Beyond the Clouds) as a young widower with a handicapped son whom he has not met. Surprised by the extent of the boy's disabilities, Gianni (Stuart) faces his share of frustration and disappointment as he labors to bridge the gap between them. With Charlotte Rampling. "Tells [its story] with an exactness and a restraint that makes it powerfully effective" (Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times). In Italian with English subtitles. Italy 2004 105 mins. DVD $44.95

La Sorella Di Ursula (Ursula's Sister) Enzo Milioni Two sisters, Dagmar and Ursula, check into a luxurious resort on the coast of Italy only to be terrorized by a brutal, perverted killer. The twist? The killer stabs his victims with a giant phallus. Graphic violence and sleazy sex abound in this Italian thriller. In Italian with English subtitles. Italy 1978 92 mins. DVD $44.95

Lamerica Gianni Amelio Called "one of the great films of the past decade" (Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune), Gianni Amelio's elaborate fresco-of-a-film is set in Albania. Fiore, an unscrupulous Italian businessman, arrives to grab the spoils of the post-Communist turmoil. He appoints a half-crazy old Albanian man as his patsy to serve as chairman of his fraudulent company. When this puppet slips away from his manipulators, Fiore's cocky assistant Gino is dispatched to track him down. The film takes the form of an odyssey that is also a moral awakening. With Enrico Lo Verso, Michele Placido and Carmelo Di Mazzarelli. Italian with English subtitles. Italy, 1995, 120 mins. DVD $54.95

La Scorta Ricky Tognazzi Set in the the Mafia stronghold of Trapani, Sicily, La Scorta is a very sophisticated thriller which tells the story of four men assigned to protect an investigating magistrate. Told from the perspective of the bodyguards, this tense, fast-paced film focuses on the magistrate's relentless drive for justice, only to fall victim at the end. Includes audio commentary with director Ricky Tognazzi and producer Claudio Bonivento, cast and crew interviews, trailers, and more. In Italian with English subtitles. Italy, 1993, 92 mins. DVD $37.95

The Last Days of Mussolini Carlo Lizzani Carlo Lizzani tells the true story of the greatest manhunt in Italian history in this lavish production, starring Rod Steiger as the doomed "Il Duce," Henry Fonda as the German cardinal who hopes to spare Mussolini, and Franco Nero as the partisan captain charged with carrying out his execution. In Italian with English subtitles. Italy, 1974, 125 mins. DVD $37.95

The Last Kiss Gabriele Muccino The impending birth of a child stirs wild emotions and forces the twentysomething parents-to-be to contemplate their worst fears: adulthood, fidelity and commitment. Meanwhile, their friends and family also fight the strains of maturity. "Irresistibly entertaining" (The New Yorker). In Italian with English subtitles. Italy, 2002, 115 mins. DVD $44.95

The Last Round Stelvio Massi The plot of this crime film has surfaced before in various permutations (including Dashiell Hammett's novel Red Harvest, Akira Kurosawa's Yojimbo, and Sergio Leone's A Fist Full of Dollars), but director Stelvio Massi pushes it to its bloodiest extremes in this gritty Italian classic. Luc Merenda stars as a stranger at odds with rivaling crime syndicates and bent on violent revenge. Skillfully shot by legendary cinematographer Franco Delli Colli, Massi's film is also bolstered by a skilled cast of Italo-crime regulars (Mario Brega, Nello Pazzafini, and Giani Dei). Includes Enter the Merenda featurette, poster and still gallery, trailer, collectible booklet, and English language option. In Italian with English subtitles. Italy, 1976, 112 mins. DVD $37.95

The Libertine (La Matriarca) Pasquale Festa Campanile Initially banned in America and challenged all the way to the Supreme Court, The Libertine is the story of Mimi, a young woman who discovers that her recently deceased husband had kept a secret apartment equipped to satisfy his unusual sexual desires. The discovery opens up a whole new world of exploration for the beautiful widow. With Catherine Spaak and Jean-Louis Trintignant. Dubbed in English. The DVD is letterboxed and includes original theatrical trailer, outtakes, photo & poster gallery, liner notes and more. Italy, 1969, 90 mins. DVD $44.95

Look to the Sky Roberto Faenza Roberto Faenza adapts Jona Obersky's book Childhood, taking shape in this eloquent film about the strength of the human spirit. Young Jona (Luke Petterson) can hardly remember his life before entering the Nazi concentration camps, yet amidst all the suffering, he remains hopeful that one day he'll be free. Also known as Jonah Who Lived in the Whale, the film tracks his inspiring story into adulthood, played by Jenner Del Vecchio. With music by Ennio Morricone. Winner of the Ecumenical Jury Award at the 1993 Moscow International Film Festival. In English and Italian with English subtitles. Italy, 1993, 100 mins. DVD $44.95

Love and Anger Bernardo Bertolucci/Jean-Luc Godard/Pier Paolo Pasolini/Carlo Lizzani/Marco Bellocchio Bernardo Bertolucci, Jean-Luc Godard, Pier Paolo Pasolini, Carlo Lizzani, and Marco Bellocchio each directed segments of this challenging portmanteau film, which tells thematically linked stories of love, anger, and indifference occurring within the crucible of the turbulent Vietnam era. From an avant-garde theatre troupe's daring performance to a mock debate that spills over into violence, each segment explores the heightened actions and emotions that characterized a volatile era. The DVD is a 2 disc set, and includes interviews with Marco Bellocchio and Carlo Lizzani, assistant director Maurizio Ponzi, and editor Roberto Perpignani, poster and still gallery, talent bios and liner notes, and more. With Nino Castelnuovo, Catherine Jourdan, Tom Baker, Julian Beck, and more. In Italian with English subtitles. Italy/France, 1969, 102 mins. DVD $44.95

Luciano Ercoli's Death Box Set Luciano Ercoli This deluxe boxed set features a pair of 70s giallo shockers from the great Luciano Ercoli. Death Walks on High Heels (1971, 108 mins.) stars giallo regular Susan Scott as a sultry Parisian nightclub singer being stalked by a dangerous masked man. Because the woman's father--a skilled jewel thief--was stabbed to death by an unknown assailant, Nicole (Scott) fears that she may be the next target. The young beauty flees with a friend (Frank Wolff) to the remote British countryside, but the murderer follows her every move. Scott returns in Death Walks at Midnight (1972, 102 mins.), this time as a fashion model. When her photographer boyfriend dupes her into trying a psychedelic drug, Valentina (Scott) witnesses a gory, freakish murder by an assailant with a spiked glove. Both films are hip, stylish exercises in 1970s macabre. This is a 3 disc set, and includes The Sound of Death best-of by Stelvio Cipriani, liner notes and talent biographies, poster and still galleries, trailers, Death Walks at Midnight TV version, Italian and English language options, and more. In Italian with English subtitles. Italy, 1971-1972, 210 mins. DVD $54.95

Mafioso Alberto Lattuada This crime comedy from Alberto Lattuada (Il Bandito) follows an upstanding Milan factory foreman (Alberto Sordi) as he takes his wife (Norma Bengell) and children on a vacation to his hometown in rural Sicily. The trip from modernity back to his roots showcases the director's early flair for theatricality, which gives way to the influence of neorealism as the family approaches the village. There, he discovers some harsh realities about his ancestors and their livelihoods. "At once a giddy mixture of farce, satire and opera buffa and a closely observed drama of social dislocation and cultural confusion" (A.O. Scott, New York Times). The DVD is a Criterion Collection Edition, with newly restored hi-def digital transfer, and includes a 1996 interview with Lattuada by filmmaker Daniele Luchetti; video interviews with director's son, Alessandro, and wife, Carla; Italian and U.S. theatrical trailer; stills gallery of promotional caricatures by artist Keiko Kimura; new and improved English subtitle translation; and a booklet with new essays by Phillip Lopate and Roberto Chiesi, and a 1982 interview with Lattuada. In Italian with English subtitles. Italy, 1962, 102 mins. DVD $44.95

A Man Called Magnum Michele Massimo Tarantini A child's cryptic doodlings are the key to stopping a turf war between an aging Mafioso and a long gunmen in Michelle Massimo Tarantini's no-nonsense Naples crime film. Action star Luc Merenda (Gambling City, The Last Round) pitches in a stellar performance alongside Giancarlo Badessi, Ferdinando Murolo, Claudio Gora, and Enzo Cannavale. In Italian with English subtitles. Italy, 1977, 99 mins. DVD $37.95

Massacre in Rome George P. Cosmatos Ripped from the pages of history, this taut thriller chronicles one of the most devastating atrocities of WWII--the mass execution of 330 members of the Roman Underground in retaliation for the killing of 33 members of Germany's SS military police. Marcello Mastroianni (La Dolce Vita) plays Vatican priest Don Antonelli, ordered by the Pope to collaborate with a tortured Nazi colonel (Richard Burton). Agonized by his ethical dilemma, Antonelli must decide whether to follow his conscience or his superiors. Features a terrific score from Ennio Morricone. The DVD is a 2 disc set, and includes interviews with director George Pan Cosmatos, director of photography Marcello Gatti, Marcello Mastroianni, real-life Partisans Mario Fiorentini and Rosario Bentivegna, and historian Sandro Portelli, English and Italian language options, and English subtitle options. In Italian with English subtitles. Italy, 1973, 110 mins. DVD $44.95

Milano Rovente Umberto Lenzi Posing as a Sicilian vegetable seller, Toto Cangemi (Antonio Sabato) pulls in a fortune as a kingpin in the Milanese prostitution racket. When Cangemi dismisses a rival boss's overtures to join forces, an all-out turf war ensues. Director Umberto Lenzi captures the brutal gang violence with tight camerawork, and the sultry jazz soundtrack by Carlo Rustichelli makes this a stylish slice of pulp. In Italian with English subtitles. Italy 1973 90 mins. DVD $44.95

The Most Beautiful Wife Damiano Damiani With the help of a rousing score by Ennio Morricone, Franco Di Giacomo's (Il Postino) beautiful location-shooting around Sicily, and a handful of impassioned performances, Damiano Damiani's mafia-cum-Western picture does justice to a real-life Italian heroine. In her first film role, the stunning Ornella Muti (Flash Gordon) plays a peasant girl who's abducted and raped by local mobsters after rejecting the advances of the don's nephew. Shunned by her parents and scorned by her fearful neighbors, she breaks with tradition by standing up for herself and demanding justice--something unheard of at the time. In Italian with English subtitles. Italy, 1970, 108 mins. DVD $37.95

Night Porter Liliana Cavani Controversial film about the perverse relationship between a former SS officer from a Nazi concentration camp and a woman, a former inmate at the camp. From one of Italy's few women directors, with Dirk Bogarde and Charlotte Rampling. English dialog. Italy, 1973, 117 mins. DVD $44.95

Not of This World Giuseppe Piccioni A young nun, about to take her final vows, is suddenly given an abandoned baby and sets out to find the infant's mother. A middle-aged laundromat owner, who may be the baby's father, joins her on the search and it becomes a journey of spiritual and self-discovery for them both. "Giuseppe Piccioni's Not of This World possesses a seductive warmth and passion and a lyrical style that are in the finest tradition of the Italian cinema" (Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times). Winner of 7 David Di Donatello Awards including Best Film, Best Screenplay and Best Actress (Margherita Buy). Italian with English subtitles. The DVD is letterboxed and includes a behind-the-scenes featurette, theatrical trailer, cast and crew bios, and a photo gallery. Italy, 1999, 100 mins. DVD $44.95

Open Letter to the Evening News Francesco Maselli Directed by a former assistant to Antonioni, this jet-black comedy offers a scathing commentary on the tumultuous state of Italian culture and politics in the late 1960s and early '70s. When a leftist organization sends a prank letter to an Italian newspaper, declaring their intention to fight American troops in Vietnam, they have no idea that their manifesto will be printed--or that they'll be forced to defend it with blood. The DVD is a 2 disc set and includes introduction by Francesco Maselli, 2 interviews with Maselli including one by Walter Veltroni, the mayor of Rome, Fragments of the Twentieth Century documentary (2005, 118 mins.), and booklet with talent biographies and liner notes. In Italian with English subtitles. Italy, 1970, 110 mins. DVD $44.95

Open My Heart Giada Colagrande Giada Colagrande's transgressive debut explores the relationship between two sisters, a prostitute and a willing homebound captive, who engage in incestuous behavior and use violent means to protect their sexual relationship from the outside world. Mixing her erotic content with allusions to John Donne and religious iconography, Colagrande crafts a film with "one scoop of violence, two scoops of sex, [and] a sprinkling of philosophy on top" (Time Out NY). In Italian with English subtitles. Italy 2003 93 mins. DVD $44.95

Primo Amore Matteo Garrone Directed by "a neo-Fassbinderian taxonomist of freak-show love" (Village Voice), Matteo Garrone's follow-up to The Embalmer is a chillingly offbeat tale of corporeal desire. When Vittorio, a goldsmith, meets the sweet and intelligent Sonia, he immediately sets out to shape her body and mind in the manner of the gold that he smelts. The lovers hole up in an abandoned house in the Italian countryside, where their intense sadomasochistic games take on a surreal dimension. "Black, creepy unsettlingly elegant" (TV Guide). In Italian with English subtitles. Italy 2004 94 mins. DVD $44.95

Princesa Henrique Goldman A Brazilian transvestite comes to Milan hoping to earn enough money to pay for a sex change operation and to find the man of her dreams. Prostitution seems the quickest route to fast cash and a married man becomes her unlikely Romeo. But love is a rocky road and the destination is always unexpected. "...combines ground-level realism with a touch of Almodovarian extravagance" (A.O. Scott, New York Times). Inspired by a true story. In Italian and Portuguese with English subtitles. Winner of the Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Foreign Narrative Feature at L.A. Outfest. Italy/Germany/France/Spain 2001 96 mins. DVD $44.95

Private (Fallo!) Tinto Brass Italian smut maven Tinto Brass returns with an anthology of smoldering tales about couples seeking new ways to express their erotic desires. Brass dispenses with polemics and portrays his philandering protagonists with bright, popping colors and expressive music. Includes six tales: "Casablanca", "Roma", "Alto Adige", "Rimini-Malaga", "Cap d'Agde", and "London". In Italian with English subtitles. Italy, 2003, 90 mins. DVD $44.95

Rahil's Secret (Il Segreto di Rahil) Cinzia Bomoll Rahil is a young Iraqi refugee living in a rough neighborhood on the outskirts of Rome. When her guardians are faced with financial troubles, her life is put in danger. She embarks on a journey that eventually brings her into contact with other Iraqis who have fled to Italy. However, when she mentions her real father's name, she is banished once again for reasons she can't yet understand. Starring Lorenza Indovina, Jamil Hammoudi, Giorgio Faletti, and Elisabetta Rochetti. In Arabic and Italian with English subtitles. Italy, 2006, 86 mins. DVD $37.95

Remember Me, My Love Gabriele Muccino Gabrielle Muccino's drama charts the emotional twists and turns taken by an urbanite Italian family. Fabrizio Bentivoglio and Laura Morante play a married couple who have sacrificed their grandest ambitions to lead a stable and contented life together, but their nagging, unfulfilled desires soon flare up, leading them down shallow and destructive paths. With their children making equally ill-advised decisions, the family is perched on the brink of collapse until an accident brings them together. With Monica Belucci, Laura Morante, and Fabrizio Bentivoglio. In Italian with English subtitles. Italy, 2003, 138 mins. DVD $44.95

Respiro Emanuele Crialese Valeria Golino is perfect in this intimate tale about mental illness and its effects on an Italian family living in a small fishing village. Golino plays Grazia, a passionate, caring wife and mother whose severe anxiety attacks force her to run away rather than face institutionalization. Winner of the Critics Week Grand Prize and the Young Critics Award at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival. In Italian with English subtitles. Italy/France, 2002 95 mins. DVD $44.95

Roma Citta Libera Marcel Pagliero An overlooked accomplishment of Italian Neorealism, Marcello Pagliero's 1946 drama is reminiscent of classics by Rossellini (whose Rome Open City starred Pagliero) and Vittorio de Sica (who appears in this film). Set in war-torn Rome, the film tells of four strangers who are brought together under trying circumstances. They include a suicidal youth (Andrea Checchi), a lonely typist (Valentina Cortese), a thief (Nando Bruno), and a distinguished gentleman (de Sica). "Betokens the 'rosy' and 'poetic' neorealism of the next generation" (European Film Reviews). In Italian with English subtitles. Italy, 1946, 118 mins. DVD $37.95

Scarlet Diva Asia Argento As an actress, model and the daughter of Italian horror maestro Dario Argento, Asia Argento has experienced a life in the fast lane. In this, her feature directorial debut, Ms. Argento bares all--psychologically and otherwise--in a kinky, semi-autobiographical tale of a rising movie star's odyssey through the dark arenas of sex, drugs and show business. "Argento splatters her colorful life on the screen like an adolescent's diary, trusting others to sort through the fascinating mess" (Scott Tobias, The Onion A.V. Club). In English. The DVD includes interview and commentary with Asia Argento, photo gallery, theatrical trailer, and more. Italy, 2000, 91 mins. DVD $37.95

Scipio Africanus: The Defeat of Hannibal Carmine Gallone Although he's not credited, some sources suggest that Benito Mussolini himself had a hand in the screenplay of this epic film from Italy's fascist era. Certainly the film was strongly supervised by Mussolini's son, Vittorio, and designed to inspire patriotic feelings among the populace with its celebratory depiction of ancient Rome's battles, and eventual victory, against Hannibal's forces in Africa. The film is a fascinating blend of visual triumphs (tremendous battle scenes and pageantry) and failures (shots with telephone wires in the background) that may suggest the discomfort of director Carmine Gallone, who was ordered back from working abroad to shepherd this project. Gallone would later direct the anti-fascist movie, Before Him All Rome Trembled. Made decades before animal cruelty watchdog groups policed filmmaking, the movie includes the cruel spectacle of some elephants being slaughtered. Dubbed in English. Italy, 1937, 85 mins. DVD $44.95

Secrets of a Call Girl Giuliano Carnimeo A naive shop girl is drawn into an abusive relationship with a crime boss in this erotic Italian exploitation film. International sex symbol Edwige Fenech stars as Anna, the innocent protagonist who enters a life of depravity, violence, and prostitution with the ruthless Guido (Corrado Pani). When she gathers the courage to flee, Anna still has to outwit the tyrant who will stop at nothing to silence her for good. In Italian with English subtitles. The DVD is letterboxed and includes interviews with Giuliano Carnimeo, Edwige Fenech, and writer Ernesto Gastaldi, trailer, poster and still gallery, talent biographies, English subtitle option, and English and Italian language option. Italy 1973 100 mins. DVD $37.95

The Sky Is Falling Andrea Frazzi/Antonio Frazzi A moving film about the horrors of war and man's struggle for hope against all odds. Told through the eyes of a young girl, The Sky Is Falling follows a Jewish family who live an idyllic life in the Italian countryside during WWII without persecution until a retreating German army enter their small town. Stars Isabella Rossellini (Blue Velvet) and Jeroen Krabbe (The Fugitive). "Excellent" (Moviemaker). Italy, 2000, 102 mins. DVD $44.95

The Son's Room Nanni Moretti Winner of the Palme d'Or at Cannes, Nanni Moretti's examination of the grieving process is tender but never cloying, emotional but never schmaltzy, as it charts the difficult emotional journey a family must make when it loses one of its own. "Moretti makes the case for the secular humanist's navigation of the ancient terrors...the film thoroughly lays out the way most middle-class people live, think, feel, and cope with calamity in a culture that has permanently downsized God and hired artists and head shrinkers to manage the shakes instead" (Harlan Jacobson, Film Comment). In Italian with English subtitles. Italy/France, 2001, 100 mins. DVD $44.95

Spasmo Umberto Lenzi A young couple is plunged into a triangle of lust, death and deception after finding a woman washed ashore on a beach in this giallo from Umberto Lenzi (Seven Blood Stained Orchids). The woman proves to be the couple's unraveling when she leads the boyfriend into her bed and into murder. Features a score by Ennio Morricone. Dubbed in English. Italy, 1974, 94 mins. DVD $44.95

Steam: The Turkish Bath Ferzan Ozpetek A successful designer, working and living with his wife in Rome, travels to Istanbul to try to sell a building left to him by a deceased aunt. The property is actually a hamam, a traditional Turkish steam bath. Taken in by the city, he decides to keep the bath and renovate it. Along the way, he finds himself drawn to a beautiful young man who awakens new and exciting feelings within him. His newfound bliss is disturbed, however, when his wife arrives in Turkey with her own hidden agenda. Sensual imagery highlights this "...love letter to the quiet joy of finding one's place in the world" (Anita Gates, The New York Times). In Italian and Turkish with English subtitles. Italy/Turkey/Spain 1997 101 mins. DVD $44.95

Street Law Enzo G. Castellari Carlo Antonelli (Franco Nero) is an engineer and a law-abiding citizen in his native Genoa until the day he's brutally assaulted by a mugger. After the police dismiss his case, Antonelli decides to take the matter into his own hands with a spate of vigilante violence. Reminiscent of Death Wish, Enzo G. Castellari's stylish B-movie is a notoriously violent, hard-boiled crime film. With Barbara Bach. In Italian with English subtitles. Italy, 1974, 103 mins. DVD $37.95

Tis a Pity She's a Whore Giuseppe Patroni Griffi DVD John Ford's 17th century play about the incestuous relationship between siblings still shocks today as evidenced by this 1971 Italian production. Charlotte Rampling plays Annabelle, a woman fully understanding the shameful nature of her love with her brother Giovanni (Olvier Tobias), but giving in to her desires with disastrous results. Also starring Fabio Testi as Soranzo. In Italian with English Subtitles. Italy, 1971, 91 mins. $44.95

Too Bad She's Bad Alessandro Blasetti This amusing Italian comedy features the first of thirteen on-screen pairings of Marcello Mastroianni and Sophia Loren. A clumsy cab driver (Mastroianni) finds his life turned upside down when he falls for a beautiful young con woman (Sophia Loren), who comes from a family of thieves. As he tries to set her straight, he faces opposition from her father, played by Italian director Vittorio de Sica (The Bicycle Thief). In Italian with English subtitles. Italy, 1955, 95 mins. DVD $44.95

To Protect & Kill (La Scorta / How to Kill a Judge) Ricky Tognazzi/Damiano Damiani Two gripping Mafia movies straight from Italy. Set in the Mafia stronghold of Trapani, Sicily, La Scorta (Ricky Tognazzi, 1993, 95 mins.) is a sophisticated thriller that tells the story of four men assigned to protect an investigating magistrate. Told from the perspective of the bodyguards, this tense, fast-paced film focuses on the magistrate's relentless drive for justice. In How to Kill a Judge (Damiano Damiani, 1974, 111 mins.), a self-reflexive political thriller, a film director, Giacomo Solaris (Franco Nero, Django) is stunned to discover that his leading actor has been murdered. As he pieces together clues, Solaris uncovers a far-reaching scheme in which the Mob has wrapped its tentacles around the nation's top prosecutors. 2-DVD set, includes trailers, director commentary by Ricky Tognazzi, interviews with casts and crews, and more. In Italian with English subtitles. Italy, 1993/1974, 206 mins. DVD $37.95

Towards Evening Francesca Archibugi Marcello Mastroianni plays a widowed professor whose comfortable life is disrupted when his young granddaughter lands on his doorstep. Falling back on his teaching skills, he gives her lessons on living life in proper society. When the girl's mother (Sandrine Bonnaire) returns, tempers flare, but this anger soon turns to passion. Also known as Verso Sera. In French with English subtitles. France/Italy, 1991, 97 mins. DVD $44.95

Traveling Companion Peter Del Monte Peter Del Monte (Invitation Au Voyage) directs this tale of self-discovery set within the beautiful Italian landscape. Asia Argento (XXX) stars as an unstable young girl hired by a rich woman to follow her forgetful father (Michel Piccoli) as he travels throughout Rome and beyond. Cora's encounters during her journeys trigger old memories in the young girl and prompt moments of self-reflection, leading her to gain new insight into her life. Argento was named best actress at the Italian Academy Awards for her performance. In Italian with English subtitles. Italy, 1996, 104 mins. DVD $44.95

Tu-Fer: The Ultimate Crime Box Set All’Italiana Michele Massimo Tarantini/Stelvio Massi Luc Merenda (Gambling City) stars in a pair of stellar '70s crime films. In A Man Called Magnum (Michele Massimo Tarantini, 1977, 99 mins.), a child's cryptic doodlings are the key to stopping a turf war between an aging Mafioso and a lone gunmen. Merenda stars alongside Giancarlo Badessi, Ferdinando Murolo, Claudio Gora, and Enzo Cannavale. The Last Round (Stelvio Massi, 1976, 112 mins.) is a bloody reimagining of Hammett's Red Harvest, starring Merenda as a stranger at odds with rivaling crime syndicates and bent on violent revenge. Skillfully shot by legendary cinematographer Franco Delli Colli. The DVD is a 2 disc set, and includes The Eclectic Ultimate Cinedelic Experience CD featuring classic cult score. A Man Called Magnum includes director commentary, Luc Merenda interview, poster and still gallery, and collectible booklet. The Last Round includes Enter the Merenda featurette, poster and still gallery, collectible booklet, and English language option. In Italian with English subtitles. Italy, 1976-1977, 211 mins. DVD $44.95

Uno Bianca Michele Soavi Kim Rossi Stuart and Dino Abbrescia play detectives on the trail of a terrorist cell in this made-for-TV crime drama from Italy. The criminals are known only by their vehicle--a white Fiat Uno--until Valerio (Stuart) and Rocco (Abbrescia) go outside the law to haul them in. Director Michele Soavi keeps the action moving, and Luigi Montefiori's script ensures plenty of unexpected surprises. The DVD is a 2 disc set, and includes introduction by producer Pietro Valsecchi, interview with Valsecchi, interview with writer Luigi Montefiori, interview cinematographer Gianni Mammolotti, behind-the-scenes featurettes, still gallery, and more. In Italian with English subtitles. Italy, 2001, 200 mins. DVD $44.95

The Way We Laughed Gianni Amelio Two brothers see their relationship slowly fade away over the course of seven years in this powerful drama from the director of Lamerica. Giovanni, an uneducated laborer, works to support his brother Pietro's studies, believing the education will help lift the family out of poverty. Pietro has different ambitions though, which tragically tear the family apart. An emotional story ripe with great performances from Enrico Lo Verso and Francesco Giuffrida. In Italian with English subtitles. Italy, 1998, 128 mins. DVD $44.95

The Wide Blue Road Gillo Pontecorvo Yves Montand gives one of his finest performances in Gillo Pontecorvo's debut feature, filmed in shimmering color. Montand plays a fisherman who uses explosives to take in a greater haul, which gets him in trouble with the Coast Guard. As he struggles to maintain his threatened livelihood, his daughter becomes involved in a secret affair with a rival fisherman's son. "...starkly beautiful...infused with a conviction and idealism that can't be faked" (Stephen Holden, New York Times). Inexplicably, The Wide Blue Road did not receive an American theatrical release until 2001. Italian with English subtitles. Italy/France, 1957, 99 mins. DVD $44.95

Wife for a Night Mario Camerini The lovely Italian beauty Gina Lollobrigida stars in the bedroom farce that was the inspiration for Billy Wilder's hit comedy Kiss Me, Stupid! To gain the patronage of a wealthy count (Gino Cervi), a poor musician (Armando Francioli) has a prostitute swap places with his plain wife (Lollobrigida), with hopes that the "new" wife will provide certain favors for the count in exchange for financial support. When the swap goes awry, Lollobrigida ends up with the count and blossoms into a ravishing beauty after the affair. Includes footage of the Rome Symphony Orchestra performing Rossini's "Barber of Seville" and Beethoven's "Prometheus Overture," and Report on Love, an animated look at the first Kinsey report on human sexuality. n Italian with English subtitles. Italy, 1952, 86 mins. DVD $44.95

Without Conscience Steffano Reali Mauro (Maurizio Mattioli), a complacent male nurse living in Rome, agrees to transport an illegal immigrant child over the Italo-Swiss border in a taut and intelligent thriller from Steffano Reali. Accompanied by Rollo, an attractive young acquaintance (Valerio Foglia Manzillo), Mauro quickly realizes that what he's being asked to do is morally and legally suspect. As the bond between Mauro and Rollo strengthens, the men begin relying on each other to save the life of the young child. In Italian with English subtitles. Italy, 2005, 104 mins. DVD $44.95