Indagine su un cittadino al di sopra di ogni sospetto aka Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion - Elio Petri - Italia - (1970)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0065889/ 

Plot from Imdb: "A chief of detectives, homicide section, kills his mistress and deliberately leaves clues to prove his own responsibility for the crime."

Beware: Masterpiece !!! 

Can you get away with murder because you're one of the main piece of the repression system ?

Elio Petri is a very political director but I think this one goes way beyond his left-wind view of society. It's universal and apolitical. This movie describes the incestious relationship between the people supposed to enforce the law and the politics of State. The relation between what is supposedly politic crime and average crime is blurred and open the door to any abuse from the state. Very daring and demonstrative movie, it's point stays true until today: if the average citizen is not controlling the work of some state branches, like police, justice and/or army, the State can become a fascist state. 

Elio Petri is also a great director, so the movie is never boring, nor dull. The style of this one could be related to the Giallo but it 's not strictly one. The other aspect are really well done and stylish: the framing, the editing  witch incorporate lots of flashbacks from the love affair between the murderer/cop and his victim. Ennio Morricone's soundtrack is, again, a masterpiece and I'm surprised this tune is not more well known. The interpretation is great and Gian Maria Volonte is giving the performance of his life, as the psychotic Chief of homicide. Another must-see and a great reminder that, if we let's our guard down as citizens, the worst can happen, as the system can be corrupt at any time and turn against us. This movie is in my all-time top 10.

Extract "Repression is civilization" with English subtitles:

Amazing soundtrack main theme by Ennio Morricone:

Indian Disco - Watch & Learn !

Tony - Gerard Johnson - UK - (2009)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1120945/

Plot by Imdb: "A thriller centered on a serial killer in a rundown London suburb."

Nice little movie. Cheaply made, but with passion. The fact that Tony is a "Action B-movie" fanatics, made me liked him a lot. I wish I could have a neighbor like him, that would kill all the annoying bastards that surrounds us. No seriously, it's a a good movie, but it lacks a point. Specially the ending, that is too similar to "Henry, portrait of a serial killer". Good references, uncharismatic main character and a story a bit dull but still enjoyable. A nice first try. Let's see more !

Trailer:

West Of Zanzibar - Todd Browning - USA - (1928)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0019563/

Plot by Imdb: "Magician Phroso's wife Anna leaves him for another man, named Crane, who fights with Phroso and leaves him paralyzed. Later Anna returns and he finds her dead, leaving behind a daughter. For 18 years Phroso, known as "Dead Legs" by his cronies, plots his revenge, becoming a pseudo-king in East Africa, nearby where Crane has set up an ivory business. When the daughter is grown, having lived in a brothel in Zanzibar thanks to "Dead Legs", Phroso put his plan into action, resulting in revenge and retribution all around."

Another amazing movie from Todd browning ("Freaks") and Lon Chaney. Marvelous gothic story with a lot of old school exotisms: the mysterious tribe, the voodoo, the Africa landscape "heart of darkness" that eats everybody's soul, the demoniac cripple on a revenge path, the alcoholic doctor that's trying one last time to do the right thing, etc...As usual in Todd Browning, the ending is dramatic. Marvelous little silent gem.   

First minutes extract:

Van Diemen's Land - Jonathan auf der Heide - Australia - (2009)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1361843/

Plot from Imdb: "The true story of Alexander Pearce, Australia's most notorious convict. In 1822, Pearce and seven fellow convicts escaped from Macquarie Harbour, a place of ultra banishment and punishment, only to find a world less forgiving.. the Australian wilderness. Abandon all hope you who enter."

Very well made and very impressive movie about this true cannibalism story. The  framing and the amazing (and actual) locations made the viewing a real trip. Once again, Australia (Tasmania in this case) is part of the cast, the location is like a ghost character. But the big problem is its ultra slow pace, that quiet fits the reality of starvation but deserves the narration. As such, it is NOT a cannibal movie, it's much more a movie about cannibalism...The limits of human resistance and the will to survive are well portrayed. It's also very realistic: the convicts speaks different languages, Gaelic mostly, from Scotland & Ireland,. and most of them have no clue why there are here. Incredibly, they were sent to one of the worst prison on earth for futile motives and from that moment on, their main goal was just to survive one more day. The cast is solid. Funny thing, one year before this movie, the director and the main character playing Alexander Pearce did a movie called "Hell's Gate" about the exact same story: some sort of rehearsal ? A slow pace story, that will leave you exhausted and wondering just how far humans are willing to go only to survive.

Trailer:

The Most Dangerous Man In America - Doc - Trailer

Just saw this documentary and it's really shows what is true courage: to act according to your principles, at all costs. The story of an amazing man that, through the Pentagon papers scandal, lead the way in the opinion to the end of the Vietnam war and the demission of Nixon. Daniel Ellsberg is not retired, he's an activist and respected analyst. Check the trailer out !

Trailer:

Daniel Ellsberg website:

http://www.ellsberg.net/