Note: Publicity stills are NOT screenshots from the 4K master

Franco Nero (DJANGO) gives his most powerful performance as Commissioner Belli, a head-strong Italian cop who uncovers brutal murders in Genoa linked to Europe’s lucrative heroin trade. When Belli and his family become targets, the obsessive cop turns up the heat in his fight to take down the smugglers importing the deadly dope from France. How much will Commissioner Belli sacrifice to bust the Marseille Connection?

Fernando Rey (COMPANEROS), James Whitmore (THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION), and Delia Boccardo (TENTACLES) co-star in this violent, action-packed crime thriller from Co-Writer/Director Enzo G. Castellari (STREET LAW). Blue Underground is proud to present the complete, uncensored version of HIGH CRIME (LA POLIZIA INCRIMINA, LA LEGGE ASSOLVE) from a brand-new 2024 Dolby Vision HDR 4K master, loaded with hours of exclusive Extras, for the first time ever in America!

For thoughts on High Crime, please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required:

Video Quality

Blue Underground presents High Crime with a terrific 2160p transfer in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio sourced from a 4K restoration of the uncut original negative with Dolby Vision HDR. The degree of detail and clarity is a wonder with an excellent amount of natural film grain intact. The grain resolves quite favorably with only some fleeting fluctuations due to the original photography. The texture on display in the clothing and within the Italian landscapes is impeccable. Many of the violent moments are rendered with unsettling clarity that makes certain developments all the more visceral. This transfer does not register nearly anything in the way of print damage. This presentation is authentic to the original look of the film with the added resolution making elements seem more seamless.

The implementation of Dolby Vision for refined color brings a lot of depth and nuance to the palette. The various locales provide a frame bursting with unique hues that are captured with a greater depth than ever before. The new release features some shades in the production design that pop off the screen with a surprising intensity. The color grade experiences light fluctuation in a few moments, but it is not a massive issue. This disc handles every environmental change as well as the source allows. The black levels are deep with only a couple of moments that veer into crush, and the highlights are solid as anything with no evidence of blooming. There do not appear to be any jarring digital anomalies such as compression artifacts, banding, or any other such eyesores. This presentation is another formidable effort from Blue Underground.

Audio Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc comes with a DTS-HD 1.0 Master Audio mono track in English and Italian. Both tracks provide a sturdy soundscape that accurately captures the artistic intent while still packing a punch. The environmental sounds such as wheel squealing during chase scenes and the gunshots are rendered faithfully alongside everything else. The pivotal score has never sounded better and is used flawlessly to set the stage for the story. There is never a moment where it threatens to drown out competing sounds, and it maintains a good balance so that dialogue comes through clearly. There do not seem to be any serious instances of age-related wear and tear outside of some narrowness in the upper registers. Blue Underground has delivered a carefully preserved audio presentation that gives this movie rich life no matter which track you go with.

Special Features

4K UHD Blu-Ray

Audio Commentaries: There is one archival commentary track and two new tracks provided in which the creative figures and film historians discuss the production of the film, the danger of the stunts, the difficulties that arose during shooting, the production design and shooting locations, the background of the performers, the response to the film and much more. Each of these tracks offers something unique that is worth a listen if you are a fan.

- Audio Commentary #1: Co-writer/director Enzo G. Castellari, his son Andrea Girolami, and Director/Blue Underground Founder Bill Lustig (2004)

- Audio Commentary #2: Star Franco Nero, filmmaker Mike Malloy (Eurocrime), and Bill Lustig (2024)

- Audio Commentary #3: Critics Troy Howarth, Nathaniel Thompson, and Eugenio Ercolani (2024)

Alternate Ending: A three-minute alternate ending is provided here fully restored.

Theatrical Trailer: This disc provides the nearly four-and-a-half-minute trailer.

Blu-Ray

The Blu-Ray features all of the extras on the 4K UHD disc plus the following:

The Genoa Connection – Interviews with Director Enzo G. Castellari and Star Franco Nero: A 25-minute archival piece in which the director and star discuss the film, the period in which it was made, the influence of The French Connection, the unique qualities of the protagonist, the dangerous stunts, the film’s legacy, and more.

From Dust to Asphalt – Interview with Director Enzo G. Castellari: A 28-minute interview with the director in which he discusses his love of the Western genre, how it aligned with the themes he liked to explore, his subversion of conventions, the road to High Crime, the music in the film, the timeless nature of the narrative, and more.

Hard Stunts For High Crimes – Interview with Actor/Stuntman Massimo Vanni: A 19-minute interview with the performer who discusses his early interest in stunt work, getting involved with High Crime, his relationship with Franco Nero, working with Enzo G. Castellari, the risky stunts that were performed, and more.

Framing Crime – Interview with Camera Operator Roberto Girometti: A 21-minute interview with the camera operator who discusses his entry into filmmaking, his early work with various talented individuals, the excitement of being on the High Crime set, disagreements he had with Enzo G. Castellari, shooting in Genoa, and more.

The Sound of Onions – Interview with Composers Guido and Maurizio de Angelis: A 23-minute interview with the composers in which they discuss getting involved with music, their favorite filmmakers to work with, how they went about composing certain themes, their collaborative process, and more.

The Connection Connection – Featurette by Eurocrime! Director Mike Malloy: A 13-minute featurette with film historian Mike Malloy who discusses this period in Italian filmmaking, the different ways similar material was reinterpreted in various territories, and more.

Poster & Still Gallery: A collection of posters, advertising, lobby cards, stills and more.

Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: The 20-track CD is provided in this package.

Final Thoughts

High Crime is a visceral poliziotteschi outing that pulls no punches throughout this violent crime spree. The movie gets you instantly invested with the mere presence of Franco Nero, who puts forth as confident of a performance as you expect from the legend. You have seen this story before, but the direction of Enzo G. Castellari pulls everything together to craft an unforgettable outing that stands proudly in the subgenre. Blue Underground has released a new 4K UHD Blu-ray release which features a dynamite A/V presentation and an assortment of special features not to be missed. If you are a fan of the subgenre, this is not to be missed. Highly Recommended

High Crime will be available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray, and DVD on August 27, 2024.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Blue Underground has supplied a copy of this set free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.