Rogue Cops and Racketeers: Two Crime Thrillers By Enzo G. Castellari Blu-ray Review

 

• Director ‏ : ‎ Enzo G. Castellari
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Glauco Onorato, Marcella Michelangeli, Orso Maria Guerrini, Renzo Palmer, Sal Borgese
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ Anamorphic, NTSC, Widescreen
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 3 hours and 18 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ April 19, 2022
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Arrow Video
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 2

 

 Well known is the Italian western genre that was popularized in the 1960s and 1970s, even resulting in Italy temporarily surpassing Hollywood in film production. While Spaghetti Westerns were popularized worldwide, thanks in part to American stars like Clint Eastwood, the poliziottesco (sometimes referred to as “Macaroni Crime”) films were less successful exports. Often containing themes of corruption that had parallels in modern Italian society, these crime films were more popular in Italy than elsewhere, despite a high level of violence and similar exploitative elements to those found in the Spaghetti Western genre.

Oranges and Sunshine Blu-ray Review

 

• Director ‏ : ‎ Jim Loach
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Emily Watson, David Wenham, Hugo Weaving
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 46 minutes
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Cohen Media Group.
• Aspect Ratio ‏ : ‎ 2.39:1
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ NR (Not Rated)
• Release date ‏ : ‎ April 12, 2022

 

         Bringing true stories to screen can be a delicate balancing act, with a dedication to accuracy expected alongside the need to keep the audience entertained. In trying to achieve both, Oranges and Sunshine feels somewhat perfunctory. It doesn’t help that the tragedy is so large in scope, and the decision to view the events entirely through a second party only creates more of a distance for the audience. As a celebration of social worker Margaret Humphreys, Oranges and Sunshine is a success, thanks to Emily Watson’s performance. Unfortunately, it fails to capture the full scope of the case she is best known for.