A small town in Northern Italy lives in terror of a local gang who specialize in the kidnapping of wealthy young men. The gang operates with impunity as parents often pay ransoms immediately, which has lead Police Commissioner Jovine (Lee J. Cobb, 12 Angry Men) to resign in frustration. His incoming replacement Cardone (Enrico Maria Salerno) insists the gangsters must be resisted, declaring he will never give into their demands at any cost. Despite striking back at the gang in several operations, Cardone’s methods are continually challenged as indiscriminately violent by District Attorney Aloisi (Jean Sorel, The Day of the Jackal). Undeterred, further major arrests seem to only prove Cardone correct. But as Cardone continues to brush up against the town’s ruling web of corruption, he risks losing his family, and himself, to his war on crime. When his own son is kidnapped by the gang, Cardone must decide how much he is willing to sacrifice for his principals.
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Video Quality
The Great Kidnapping debuts on Blu-Ray with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in its original 2.35:1 that does not seem to be noted as being from a new restoration, but looks quite good all the same. There are some very minor specks of print damage that remain, but they do not rise to the level of being a nuisance. You can tell that this print has been cleaned up pretty well at some point. This transfer shows off a lot of clarity and detail in various aspects of the frame. The close-ups hold up more favorably than most long shots, which can appear a bit soft. Black levels hold up decently with some detail in shadows and only a minor amount of crush. Digital noise does not prove to be a substantial issue. Colors are saturated pretty well in a way that makes locations stand out, and the color grade is pleasant and consistent. Skin tones are natural with subtle features easily noticeable in closeup. Raro Video has provided a solid enough release for this one.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray disc comes with a steady DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track in the original Italian with optional English subtitles. The dialogue is partially dubbed over due to the American stars performing in English. The exchanges stay focused on the center channel as it comes through clearly without being consumed by competing sounds. The track maintains a strong balance with all competing elements so that dialogue comes through clearly. The score radiates out in an appealing manner throughout the duration of the film. Environmental sounds such as car noises or gunshots are rendered well alongside everything else. There does not seem to be any major instances of age-related wear and tear, but you can spot some deficiencies here and there. This audio presentation does what it needs to do.
Special Features
- Tough-Guy Film Expert Mike Malloy on Lee J. Cobb: A nearly 18-minute discussion with Malloy in which he begins by discussing the place of old-school American film stars in Italian crime cinema before transitioning specifically to the career of Lee J. Cobb including his Hollywood blacklisting, his health scare, and his embrace of work overseas. This is quite entertaining and informative.
Final Thoughts
The Great Kidnapping takes a little bit to really get rolling, but by and large the film offers up a great deal of entertainment. The “rogue cop” trope can be a fun one if handled correctly, and you do cheer when our protagonist is risking all to stand up against these gangsters. The film is not overly long, and does not try to sanitize anything too much. This is not a standout of the genre, but if you like Italian poliziottesco films there is enough here to seek out. Raro Video and Kino Classics have delivered a Blu-Ray with a good A/V presentation and a supplemental featurette. This is a great lazy weekend afternoon cinematic experience. Recommended
The Great Kidnapping is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray and Digital.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Raro Video and Kino Lorber have supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.