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Colt 38 Special Squad

Play trailer Poster for Colt 38 Special Squad 1976 1h 55m Action Crime Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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The city of Turin is in the grip of a brutal crime boss known as the Marseillaise, and plenty of cops have good reason to want him dead but none more than Inspector Vanni.

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Colt 38 Special Squad

Audience Reviews

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Audience Member This Italian crime movie starts out in a slightly over-rash way, leaving the viewer guessing what sort of a story he is exactly going to watch. We are familiar with the shootouts between the police and the criminals and with brutal violence towards women and children, but in this case, the movie starts out with a criminal avenging the death of his brother by killing the inspector’s (Marcel Bozzuffi) wife in front of their young son. The action is so fast that it takes you trouble to realize that the criminal from the opening scene is the same criminal who is pestering inspector Vanni with his dynamite threats later on. Ignorant, perhaps, but the disappeared moustache makes it easy to mistake his identity. If you’ve missed the mentioning of “Il Marsigliese” in the quick phone call, it is easy to not make the right connection later on. I had the same problem with the guys from the 38 special squad assigned especially to fight crime in general and the gang of the Marsigliese in particular: you get such a short look of them that it is very easy to mistake them with some of the criminals later on. But eventually, everything falls into place. What I like in particular about this movie are the beautiful shots of the city and of some of the (interior) filming locations. The chase in the clothes’ store and the explosion in the market hall are spectacular, like most of the other scenes involving pyrotechnics. The dynamite issue makes a change with other, similar movies, as does the personal vendetta issue from the side of the criminal (normally, it is just the police inspector harbouring feelings of revenge towards those who hurt his loved ones). The violence is grave, but not as over-the-top as in, for instance, Umberto Lenzi’s poliziottesci. The usual stuff is in it (bank robberies, car chases, shootouts) plus a bit more. The ending is spectacular too. Apart from the abovementioned identification issues, this is a very OK movie. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/14/23 Full Review Audience Member This exciting cops and robbers caper is Italy's answer to American action classics such as 'Bullitt' and 'The French Connection'. Definitely campy to be sure, but it's a good way to waste some time if you're looking for international crime cinema. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/01/23 Full Review Audience Member What started out as a film that seemed to have the cheese of another Polizioteschi film called Stunt Squad actually manages to pull its self together and become a really well made crime film. Although theres a bit of a lag in the middle section, the action is relentless. Ivan Rassimov is great as the mysterious crime lord who keeps the city of Turin in fear with random bombings. The violence is exploitive and the chase sequences are OK. Stelvio Cipriani's score is incredible. And Massimo Dallamano's direction is good. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/18/23 Full Review Audience Member Dull Italian police film. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/28/23 Full Review Audience Member This is an interesting movie. But Nicola Silvestri did not need to die in this movie because people including police men should have evacuated from the market where they had known the dynamite was hidden. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/17/23 Full Review Audience Member While possibly not as polished as Fernano DiLeo's Milano Calibro 9 it has to be said that Colt 38 Special Squad is probably one the most entertaining of the the Italian violent crime or poliziottesco genre movies. Under the direction of Massimo Dallamano who brought the world such delights as Venus In Furs and What Have The Done To Solange? this time we get treated to breakneck motorbike chases, formidable stuntwork and a surprisingly brutal and wince inducing scene. This along with aforementioned Milano Calibro 9 Rabid Dogs, Almost Human and Castellarii's Stret Law probably represent the perfect dropping in point for any who wish to explore this delightful genre of film further Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/22/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Colt 38 Special Squad

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Movie Info

Synopsis The city of Turin is in the grip of a brutal crime boss known as the Marseillaise, and plenty of cops have good reason to want him dead but none more than Inspector Vanni.
Director
Massimo Dallamano
Screenwriter
Franco Bottari, Massimo Dallamano
Genre
Action, Crime, Drama
Original Language
Italian
Runtime
1h 55m
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