2hotFeature one of my absolute favorites!

Executscan Expected more

Beystiman It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

filippaberry84 I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Darkling_Zeist After viewing Castellari's 'High Crime' and Di Leo's 'Milano Calibro 9′ my life-long obsession with Italian crime cinema began in earnest; and a more suitable baptismal font from which to anoint oneself with euro crime's original sin would be hard to find, as 'Milano Calibro 9' remains one of the towering achievements of Di Leo's woefully undocumented career. From the bravura opening montage; where Di Leo creates a tense, dynamic pulse of underworld chicanery, driven to a tumultuous climax by the dense, throbbing, almost baroque jazz funk of, Luis Bacalov (arguably his finest score). And from then on Di Leo is unerring in his fierce vision of violent double dealings and unflinching vengeance, with nary a skipped beat for the film's duration, a rollicking, breathless yarn gloriously undiluted by soft-bellied tangents, or vapid self indulgence. The gangster milieu simply doesn't get any better than this; as much as I dig on Melville's studied, glacial cool, Di Leo's swarthy mise en scene has balls the size of prize winning pumpkins. Some may find all these myriad of hyperbolic blogs dedicated to a Italian crime cinema a trifle perplexing then, oh yes! They discover 'Milano Calibro 9', and in one brutal pole axing knee to the oily conkers it's all over; one can never return to the anodyne world of mainstream cinema without a considerable degree of incredulity. Forget Hubbard, quantum mechanics or Castaneda, this film WILL change your life.

RainDogJr While I'm a huge Quentin Tarantino fan, it wasn't him the one who introduced me to the Italian filmmaker Fernando Di Leo. That would have been the usual, however this time my introduction came thanks to the twitter page of film critic Harry Knowles. He referred to some Fernando Di Leo movies as "awesome Italian Mafia movies that make the mob out to be the piece of s*** they are". I was immediately interested and later on I found out that Tarantino was a huge fan of Di Leo (and that John Woo too). So when I finally got from ebay the new Blu-Ray set of the "Fernando Di Leo Crime Collection" (with four of his films: MILANO CALIBRO 9, LA MALA ORDINA, IL BOSS and I PADRONI DELLA CITTÀ), it was just f****** great. After watching the pre-credit part of MILANO CALIBRO 9 (first film of the set) I was thinking something like "this is exactly how you start a crime film!" It blew my mind actually, and it definitely gives you a taste of how these bastards do things: is all about order and caution until something goes wrong… then is all about being the boss and merciless violence. Plus, it gives you what is pretty much an unforgettable score; great stuff and I don't think I'm going too far if I say that it is one of my favorite opening sequences ever. MILANO CALIBRO 9 bring us the story of Ugo Piazza (I'm pretty sure this name will stay with you just like it stayed with me), a criminal who just got out of prison after a four-year sentence (that was reduced to three years due to his good behavior). This film is like a giallo, with mystery all the time and an unknown red-dressed man who happens to follow the movements of our main character; is having the question "did Piazza stole or not $300,000 from a very powerful crime boss (known as "the American")?" instead of the classic giallo question of "who is the murderer?" We have some really memorable characters. Take for instance the conclusion of the film (don't worry, I'm not going to spoil you the whole thing): sometimes in movies those big plot twists simply don't work. Here we don't have that case but I really don't think the ending would have been as great as it without the -just awesome- involvement of the character Rocco (played by the German actor Mario Adorf - Rocco sort of looks like the Eli Wallach from the THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY days!). You just have to love this Rocco guy, even when he is like the most unlikeable and annoying bastard around. Even some of the minor "mafiosos" deliver memorable and fun material (like that one who helps an old man to solve a crossword puzzle). And well, Barbara Bouchet is simply a delight. While Di Leo's film didn't fully explore them, it did have some interesting thoughts on the Mafia, the illegal drug trade and even the police system. I found many similarities with the great and realistic show THE WIRE; in both we have the flaws of the police system exposed (and incompetent chiefs too), the thing of drug dealers investing their earnings in the building of apartment blocks (that thing is only mentioned here by the character Don Vincenzo, a blind old man who once was a respected crime boss) and the overall interest of some police officers to not only go after the "mafiosos" but also after the people with the dirty money. Based in all of this, maybe I should say this film is ahead of its time… but really who knows? Actually I will just say this: it's just a f****** great film! *Watched it on 7 April, 2012

The_Void Films like Milano Calibro 9 are the reason I watch this sort of film. After trudging through so many disappointing Italian thrillers, it's always great when you find a diamond in the rough - and that's exactly what this well crafted little gem is. The film is a thriller bordering on the 'Polizia' style of films that would go on to become Italy's version of the Dirty Harry franchise, although the main plot focus here is on crime and the mafia. It has to be said the plot isn't overly deep - as the themes of stealing and treachery exist only to further the complex and twisted plot, but the film is great fun to watch and a success for that reason. The plot focuses on Ugo Piazza; a convict just out of prison. He soon meets up with his sexy girlfriend Nelly Bordon, and with the unpredictable and sadistic Rocco, who revels in committing acts of violence, and we later learn that £300,000 has gone missing, and the local crime syndicate believes that Ugo has it - as does the local police inspector, who has his own opinion about why Ugo went to jail in the first place.The main reason why this film excels is thanks to the fantastic performances. Gastone Moschin leads the film with a performance that reminded me of something Ray Winstone would deliver. He provides a likable anti-hero, while Mario Adorf gets to enjoy himself with the meatiest role in the film. Barbara Bouchet co-stars and looks great, especially in her dancing scene in a bar. Bouchet is one of my absolute favourite Italian actresses, and I always enjoy seeing her in films - especially when they're up to the standard of this one. The film does somewhat adhere to the pitfall plaguing many Italian thrillers - that being that the story doesn't always make sense, but generally; the plot flows really well and the twists and turns ensure that it never gets boring. The climax of the film is excellent, and director Fernando Di Leo excellently pulls off the double twist at the end, which both resolves the story and provides neat entertainment. Overall, Milano Calibre 9 may not be the most well known cult Italian film - but it's one that shouldn't be missed by fans of this sort of stuff, and therefore comes highly recommended.

marquis de cinema Milano Calibro 9/Milan Calibre 9(1972) contains a fast paced tightly edited prologue that is done with brilliance. The opening five minutes are both brutal and sadistic. Rocco played by Mario Adorf is introduced in the prologue as a psychotic mafia hood. The prologue is an example of setting up mood and story for the film. Mario Adorf gives a performance that brings to mind Joe Pesce in Goodfellas(1990) and Casino(1995), Takeshi Kitano in Boiling Point(1990), and Lee Marvin in The Big Heat(1953). He is excellent as the mafia hood with a sadistic streak. Mario Adorf plays his character with unbelievable and vicious conviction. His performance is one of the best acting jobs from the film. This movie along with La Mala Ordina/Hired to Kill(1973) and Il Boss/The Boss(1973) makes Fernando Di Leo the Italian eqivulent of Jean Pierre Melville. Fernando Di Leo is influenced by Melville in many aspects. Milan Calibre 9(1972) reminds me of Le Doulos(1961) with their use of anti heroes. One of many films that Jean Pierre Melville made an impression on. Has a double plot twist which is utilized in cleaver and unpredictable fashion. I was surprised by the first plot revealing twist. I was convincing stunned by the second plot revealing twist which was much more unexpected. The double plot twist is one characteristic that makes the film special. Fernando Di Leo stands out in the gangster craze of Italian cinema in the same way that Sergio Leone stood out as a master of Italian Westerns, Dario Argento as a master of Giallos, and Lucio Fulci as a master of Italian Zombie pics. He brings out a direction full of passion and spunk. The director films the violent scenes with panache and piazzazz. An underrated filmmaker in Italian cinema. Soundtrack of Milan Calibre Nine is awesome and cool. Luis Enriquez Bacalov is excellent at performing music for Italian Crime and Western motion pictures. The Police are depicted in a cynical and unsympathetic light. The only Police officer who comes out in a sympathetic tone is Fonzino who's only in the movie for a few minutes. The major action sequence in Milan Calibre 9(1972) prefigures John Woo. What's so twisted about the end of the motion picture is its Rocco whose the most trust worthy person in the entire story. Gastone Moschin gives a gripping performance as a man who cannot escape his tragic fate. Some wonderful performances are handed out by Barbara Bouchet, Philippe Leroy, and Lionel Stander. The scene where Nelly Bordon played by Barbara Bouchet is doing an erotic dance is filmed with multiple camera angles. An sensual introduction to the character of Barbara Bouchet. The editing in this one scene is good and imaginative. Barbara Bouchet is definitely one of the beautiful women from the 1970s when one sees Milan Calibre 9(1972). An example of the growing popularity of the gangster movie in Italy. Milan Calibre 9(1972) is in my opinion belongs among the top ten of Italian gangster pictures. The Godfather(1972) may have influenced the gangster film in Italy during the 1970s, but Milano Calibro 9(1972) takes on a life of its own. I've was very impressed by Milano Calibro 9(1972) that I've taken an interest in other films from this genre and decade in Italian cinema. Provided many influences and inspirations for filmography of Quentin Tarantino. His portrayal of tough guys in his films takes a page out of Milan Calibre 9 as well as other mafia features by Fernando Di Leo. The sadistic violence and unpredictable plot twists can be seen in Resevoir Dogs(1992) and Pulp Fiction(1994). No one filmmaker has influenced Tarantino more frequently besides Jean Pierre Melville than Fernando Di Leo.