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 Buy the US Blu-ray with the uncut version.
 The Burning   Creepshow  Cliffhanger  The Covenant  The Last Starfighter  National Lampoon's Vacation |
Release: Aug 16, 2020 - Author: brainbug1602 - Translator: Mike Lowrey
- external link: IMDB
The drifter Giulio Sacchi is supposed to steer the getaway car during a bank robbery, but because of his nervousness he shoots a policeman, who only informs him that he is in a no-parking zone. By sheer luck, the robbery is successful. Gangster boss Maione is very unhappy and has Giulio beaten up. He is now finally fed up with being the whipping boy. With his friends Carmine and Vittorio, he plans a big job. He wants to kidnap the pretty Mary Lou Porrino in order to extort a handsome ransom from her rich father. Armed with machine guns, the three kidnap Mary Lou and hold her captive on a run-down fishing boat. Giulio feels untouchable and becomes increasingly paranoid. Inspector Walter Grandi does everything he can to solve the kidnapping case, but Giulio always seems to be a small step ahead of him. Almost Human is the first collaboration of director Umberto Lenzi with Tomas Milian. Above all, the uncompromising film lives thanks to the great acting of Milian as Giulio Sacchi, who rushes through the film like a madman and shocks with his explosive outbursts of violence. According to his own statement, Milian used alcohol and drugs to ensure an authentic performance. Although quick-tempered and unscrupulous, Giulio is clever enough to get out of the police's grip. Henry Silva, who was otherwise committed to rogue roles, is somewhat unusually cast as an inspector. Originally, the American Richard Conte was supposed to take over the role, but when he couldn't, Silva took over. Because of its coherent production, the great actors and the great soundtrack, the movie is deservedly regarded as one of Lenzi's best crime thrillers. In the US, the film was released on Blu-ray by Code Red. In addition to the regular uncut version, the disc also includes the US theatrical version, which was revised by the US producer/distributor Joseph Brenner. The film was advertised as a horror movie with newly designed posters, using Giulio's madness as a hook. There are several changes. On the one hand, some plot scenes were removed for the US theatrical version. There is some dialogue missing with the black market dealer Papà, a short scene in which Grandi is called by his colleague, the scene in which Mary Lou has to write the letter and Vittorio drives past the place where Iona's car is recovered, some dialogue between the three kidnappers and part of the conversation between Grandi and the judge. On the other hand, the finale was redesigned. Before Grandi says that he is Giulio's executioner, the US version shows a retrospective of the acts of violence he has committed. The scenes in which Giulio retreats and is shot have been slowed down. After Giulio dies, only a text is faded in to show that Grandi was arrested and sentenced. The finale of the US version is thus even more grimly tailored to the taste of exploitation fans. What's really interesting are two alternative scenes of the US version, which haven't shown up yet. During the chase at the beginning of the film, the US version shows an additional scene in which the car drives through the burning cardboard boxes. When Giulio violently tears Iona's dress, the US version uses an alternative shot. The US version is taken from a 35mm cinema print and has not been extensively restored. Therefore, the picture quality is mixed with some dirt and film tears. In the original version, the subtitles for the translations of the newspaper clippings or letters were hardcoded. It remains a mystery why this was not solved with a separate subtitle track. Attention! There are two different Blu-ray editions by Code Red. On the one hand, the first edition with the misleading old US cinema motive, which puts the film on the horror track. This edition can only be ordered via the Code Red shop or selected US retailers like diabolikdvd.
Somewhat later, a second edition for the retail trade with a new motif appeared. This edition does not include the US theatrical version and only an interview with Lenzi and the theatrical trailer.
So if you are specifically interested in the US theatrical version, you have to go for the first edition. Furthermore, the Blu-ray only contains the English audio track. Since this is available throughout, the Joseph Brenner version was only created after the film was already dubbed. Picture comparison: US version:
Italian Version:
Runtimes: US version: 92:04 min. The US theatrical version was compared to the Italian original version. [00:00:00][00:00:00]
The US version has redesigned opening credits.
The Italian version shows the opening credits while the gangsters are driving through the city. The US only starts when the car is parked.
US: 41 sec. IT: 2:18 min. [00:03:35][00:05:13] The US version shows a different shot of the getaway car that's driving through the burning boxes.
In the Italian version, instead, the subsequent shot starts earlier. You see the car driving through the burning boxes.
US: 8 sec. IT: 2 sec. [00:09:24][00:10:56] In the US version, Giulio tears Iona's dress.
The Italian version shows alternative settings.
US: 10 sec. IT: 16 sec. [00:11:39][00:13:18] Film tear. The policeman can be seen a little longer.
After that, we see Inspector Grandi earlier. He says that the killed policeman should be put in the ambulance car.
IT: 6 sec. [00:19:37][00:21:22] Film tear: The men run away longer, then we see Iona earlier.
IT: 2 sec. [00:22:19][00:24:06] Papà adds that the submachine guns are very difficult to get. In the background, his wife calls for him to chase the three away. Papà thinks that she is in a bad mood because the times when she could make a lot of money are over.
IT: 32 sec. [00:28:00][00:30:19] Probably a film tear, maybe a censor cut. The dead Johnny can be seen a little longer.
IT: 1 sec. [00:37:43][00:40:04] Film tear. The red car is visible a little earlier.
IT: 2 sec. [00:44:43][00:47:06] The article in the newspaper was translated for the US version.
No time difference. [00:45:42][00:48:05] After the car was sunk, we can see the police station. Inspector Grandi reads the article and gets a call saying he's needed. The next shot starts a little earlier.
IT: 38 sec. [00:50:01][00:53:01] Giulio dictates to Mary Lou what these letters should be. Her father should pay the ransom or something bad will happen to her. Giulio tells Vittorio that he should take the bus to Switzerland to send the letter from there.
The bus from Vittorio just passes the place where the body and the car of Iona are recovered. When the bus stops briefly at the scene of the accident, one of the passers-by tells him that there was an accident at this spot.
IT: 1:45 min. [00:53:51][00:58:37] Film tear: The car can be seen earlier.
IT: 2 sec. [00:54:08][00:58:54] Film tear. Mahogany can be seen earlier.
IT: 4 sec. [01:02:41][01:07:31] Giulio's telling Carmine he's agreed to it after all. He says it seemed easy at first. He thinks there's too much killing now. Giulio wants to kill anyone who might be dangerous to them. He says that he killed his girlfriend Iona because she knew too much. Giulio defends himself against the angry Vittorio, saying that the police have nothing on her. After waiting a while until things calm down, they're all rich men.
IT: 2:50 min. [01:10:54][01:18:35] The kidnappers' note with the new location information has been translated for the English version.
No time difference. [01:11:58][01:19:38] Porrino can be seen longer. After that, we see Grandi, who stops his car at the turn to Cernusco.
IT: 12 sec. [01:14:12][01:22:04] Once again, the kidnappers' note was translated for the English version.
No time difference. [01:26:33][01:34:25] The judge says he has to let Giulio go. Grandi then accuses him of being partly to blame if Giulio kills people again. The judge is not impressed by this and walks out of the room. Grandi's colleague says to him that the judge is just doing his job.
IT: 38 sec. [01:27:26][01:35:57] Giulio calls after people wherever they go. Then he sees Grandi.
IT: 7 sec. [01:27:32][01:36:10] The US version shows the inspector, followed by a retrospective of the brutal murders Giulio committed. Afterwards, Giulio is shown once again.
In the Italian version, Giulio says that he is sorry for what happened to Grandi's leg. He asks if he wants to sit down and offers him something to drink.
dead move
US: 1:39 min. IT: 22 sec. [01:29:35][01:36:56] The scene where Giulio flees and stumbles over the motorcycle is slowed down in the US version.
US: 8 sec. IT: 2 sec. [01:29:44][01:37:00] The execution of Giulio is edited differently in the US version. The scene in which he runs onto the pile of garbage was slowed down. When Giulio shoots at him, you can only see short freeze frames in which Giulio is hit. The scene in which he falls down was also slowed down.
In the Italian version, everything runs at normal speed. We see Giulio a bit earlier. He escapes to the little garbage pile and is shot by Grandi.
US: 43 sec. IT: 20 sec. [01:30:30][01:37:23] The scene in which Giulio spins on the ground was slowed down for the US version.
US: 9 sec. IT: 3 sec. [01:30:42][01:37:29] The shot in which Giulio dies was slowed down again. The image freezes and a text appears with the message that Grandi has been arrested for the murder of Giulio. The credits follow.
In the Italian version, Giulio dies. A police car pulls up. Grandi says the people should notify the judge that Giulio was killed by Grandi. Grandi walks up to the police car. One of the kids runs up to the front and sees Giulio's body. The credits roll.
US: 1:22 min. IT: 1:55 min. |
