Duke Mitchell's uniquely crazed virtual one man cinematic show celebrates Italian life, culture, honor, and tradition pertaining to that legendary organized crime institution the Mafia with a joyously crude micro-budget vigor and vulgarity that's truly something to behold. Sure, this tale of ruthless mobster Mimi Miceli's rise to power through the most brutish means possible might be incredibly inept, but star/writer/director/producer Mitchell tackles the whole thing with a genuine heartfelt sincerity that's perversely admirable in its sheer giddy audacity. Moreover, the unapologetically upfront elements of virulent racism and misogyny give this movie's depiction of the inner workings of the Mafia a certain coarse authenticity more sanitized mainstream takes on the same subject tend to lack.
Mitchell truly puts his proverbial all into the juicy lead role of a dangerous loose cannon and delivers several priceless philosophical monologues with lip-smacking gusto (the one about the Italian woman in particular is a real doozy!). The excessive bloody violence comes through with the gory goods: An opening office building massacre sequence set to an infectiously jaunty Italian tune, a vicious pimp named Super Spook (!) gets crucified on Easter Sunday, and a guy winds up being impaled through the eye on a meat hook. Vic Caesar contributes an engaging performance as Miceli's loyal partner Jolly Rizzo, Lorenzo Dodo shines as the wise Don Mimi, buxom brunette 1960's pin-up model Cara Peters burns up the screen as scrumptious moll Liz, Fred Otash cuts a fearsome figure as the savage Bones, and George "Buck" Flower pours on the smarm as oily worm Vince Baccari. Essential viewing for hardcore aficionados of 70's grindhouse schlock.
Mitchell truly puts his proverbial all into the juicy lead role of a dangerous loose cannon and delivers several priceless philosophical monologues with lip-smacking gusto (the one about the Italian woman in particular is a real doozy!). The excessive bloody violence comes through with the gory goods: An opening office building massacre sequence set to an infectiously jaunty Italian tune, a vicious pimp named Super Spook (!) gets crucified on Easter Sunday, and a guy winds up being impaled through the eye on a meat hook. Vic Caesar contributes an engaging performance as Miceli's loyal partner Jolly Rizzo, Lorenzo Dodo shines as the wise Don Mimi, buxom brunette 1960's pin-up model Cara Peters burns up the screen as scrumptious moll Liz, Fred Otash cuts a fearsome figure as the savage Bones, and George "Buck" Flower pours on the smarm as oily worm Vince Baccari. Essential viewing for hardcore aficionados of 70's grindhouse schlock.