After shooting cult favorites Flesh for Frankenstein and Blood for Dracula in Europe, Joe Dallesandro spent much of the seventies making movies on the continent. In France, he worked with auteurs like Louis Malle and Walerian Borowczyk, and in Italy he starred in all manner of genre fare from poliziotteschi (Savage Three, Season for Assassins) to nunsploitation (Killer Nun).
The Climber follows in the tradition of gangster classics such as The Public Enemy and Scarface as it charts the rise and inevitable fall of small-time smuggler Aldo (Dallesandro). Beaten and abandoned by the local gang boss after he tries to skim off some profits for himself, Aldo forms his own group of misfits in order to exact revenge…
Written and directed by Pasquale Squitieri (Gang War in Naples, I Am the Law), The Climber is a prime example of Italian crime cinema – a high-octane action-thriller full of brawls, fistfights, shootouts and explosions!
FEATURES
– Brand new 4K restoration of the film from the original negative
– High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentations
– Original Italian soundtrack in uncompressed PCM mono with optional newly-translated English subtitles
– Alternative English-language soundtrack with optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
– Little Joe’s Adventures in Europe, a brand-new interview with Joe Dallesandro on his numerous European film appearances during the 1970s and early 1980s
– Reversible sleeve with original and newly commissioned artwork by Chris Malbon
FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Booklet featuring new writing on the film by Roberto Curti, author of Italian Crime Filmography, 1968-1980
SPECS
SKU: AV089
UPC: 760137992783
Street Date: 05/16/17
Label: Arrow Video
Genre: Action/Adventure
Run Time: 102 mins
Number of Discs: 2
Audio: STEREO
Year of Production: 1975
Director: Pasquale Squitieri
Actors: Joe Dallesandro, Stefania Casini, Benito Artesi
Territory: US
Language: Italian
COPS VS THUGS [Blu-ray + DVD] (May 23rd)
Considered by many to be director Kinji Fukasaku’s greatest single-film achievement in the yakuza genre, Cops vs Thugs was made at the height of popularity of Toei Studios’ jitsuroku boom: realistic, modern crime movies based on true stories taken from contemporary headlines. Returning to the screen after completing their Battles Without Honor and Humanity series together, Fukasaku joined forces once again with screenwriter Kazuo Kasahara, composer Toshiaki Tsushima and star Bunta Sugawara to create one of the crowning achievements of his career, and a hard-boiled classic which is still ranked as one of the best Japanese films of the 1970’s.
It’s 1963 in the southern Japanese city of Kurashima, and tough-as-nails detective Kuno (Sugawara) oversees a detente between the warring Kawade and Ohara gangs. Best friends with Ohara lieutenant Hirotani (Hiroki Matsukata), he understands that there are no clear lines in the underworld, and that everything is colored a different shade of gray. But when random violence interrupts the peace and an ambitious, by-the-books lieutenant (Tatsuo Umemiya) comes to town, Kuno’s fragile alliance begins to crumble. Greedy bosses and politicians alike seize the opportunity to wipe out their enemies, and Kuno faces the painful choice of pledging allegiance to his badge and keeping a promise to his brother. Echoing the great crime films of Sidney Lumet and Jean-Pierre Melville, in Fukasaku’s world, there’s no honor among thieves or
Kasahara’s shattering screenplay and Fukasaku’s dynamic direction support an all-star, ensemble cast to create one of the most exciting, and deeply moving films about cops and criminals ever made.
FEATURES
– High Definition digital transfer
– High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentations
– Original uncompressed mono audio
– Optional English subtitles
– Beyond the Film: Cops vs Thugs, a new video appreciation by Fukasaku biographer Sadao Yamane
– A new visual essay on cops & criminals in Fukasaku’s works by film scholar Tom Mes
– Theatrical trailer
– Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Ian MacEwan
FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collector s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Patrick Macias
SPECS
SKU: AV091
UPC: 760137992981
Street Date: 05/23/17
Label: Arrow Video
Genre: Cult
Run Time: 100 mins
Number of Discs: 2
Audio: STEREO
Year of Production: 1975
Director: Kinji Fukasaku
Actors: Bunta Sugawara
Territory: US
Language: Japanese
WOLF GUY [Blu-ray + DVD] (May 23rd)
Shinichi “Sonny” Chiba is a martial arts “manimal” in the ultra-70’s, 100% bizarre mixture of horror, action and sci-fi that is Wolf Guy, one of the rarest and most sought-after cult films produced by Japan’s Toei Studio. Based on a manga by Kazumasa Hirai (creator of 8 Man), and never before released outside of Japan, it’s a genre film classic waiting to be discovered and a completely unclassifiable trip into phantasmagoric funk.
Chiba stars as Akira Inugami, the only survivor of a clan of ancient werewolves who relies on his supernatural powers to solve mysterious crimes. After a series of bloody killings perpetrated by an unseen force, Inugami uncovers a conspiracy involving a murdered cabaret singer, corrupt politicians, and a plot by the J-CIA to harvest his blood in order to steal his lycanthropic powers! At the same time, Inugami also discovers the truth behind his family heritage, and that he may not be the last of his kind.
Directed by B-movie genius Kazuhiko Yamaguchi (Sister Streetfighter, Wandering Ginza Butterfly, Karate Bear Fighter), Wolf Guy truly is one-of-a-kind, with Chiba in full effect as the part-man, part-wolf, all-karate action hero and a collection of familiar 1970’s Toei actors in support. Violence, action, nudity, real surgical footage, and a psychedelic musical score all work together to create an unforgettable trip to the heights of Japanese cinematic weirdness.
– Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Wes Benscoter