Eurocrime! The Italian Cop and Gangster Films That Ruled the ’70s (2012) Mike Malloy, Franco Nero, John Saxon, Henry Silva, Documentary, Action, Crime

eurocrime-the-italian-cop-and-gangster-films-that-ruled-the-70s-2012
A documentary concerning the violent Italian ‘poliziotteschi’ cinematic movement of the 1970s which, at first glance, seem to be rip-offs of American crime films like DIRTY HARRY or THE GODFATHER, but which really address Italian issues like the Sicilian Mafia and red terrorism. Perhaps even more interesting than the films themselves were the rushed methods of production (stars performing their own stunts, stealing shots, no live sound) and the bleed-over between real-life crime and movie crime.
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L’invitation / The Invitation (1973) Claude Goretta, Jean-Luc Bideau, François Simon, Jean Champion, Comedy

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After the death of his mother, middle-aged insurance employee inherits her small cottage surrounded by a garden. Selling the cottage which is situated on unexploited ground near the center of a big city makes him a rich man and he buys a big house in the countryside. He takes some time off and decides to throw a big garden party at the house and invite all his colleagues from the office. Aided by alcohol, the guests gradually lose all their inhibitions and reveal personality traits and frustrations that they normally keep hidden.
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Lady, Let’s Dance (1944) Frank Woodruff, Belita, James Ellison, Walter Catlett, Musical, Romance, War

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Lady, Let’s Dance was a 1944 black and white film directed by Frank Woodruff that was nominated for two Oscars. Produced by Monogram Studios, the film is unique as an ice skating musical. Lady, Let’s Dance starred ice skaters Belita, James Ellison, Werner Groebli and Hans Mauch (more commonly known as ‘Frick & Frack’) and Walter Catlett.
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Snivaj, zlato moje / Sleep Sweet, My Darling (2005) Neven Hitrec, Ljubomir Kerekes, Ivan Glowatzky, Ines Bojanic, Comedy, Drama

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This sentimental comedy, in turn delightfully amusing and tragicomical, tells a tale of a working-class neighborhood in Zagreb during a ten-year period after the end of the Second World War. It is a story of people who rely on humor and song to survive their anxious times, preserving their traditions and their way of life despite the tumultuous upheavals that surround them. A range of colorful characters create a unique microcosm of an old-fashioned way of life, in which it is as natural to burst into song as it is to talk, creating a film which at times resembles a musical.
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