High Crime: A Standard Tale of Cops & Drug Dealers (Special Edition Blu-ray)

The Film:

Back in 1971, a little film called "The French Connection," directed by the great William Friedkin, arrived on the scene. The film, which tells the tale of a relentless cop trying to bust drug smugglers, was immensely popular, garnering eight Oscar nominations and five wins, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay (Ernest Tidyman), and Best Actor for Gene Hackman's incredible performance.

It's hardly a surprise that this would inspire other filmmakers to attempt to replicate its success, leading Italian filmmaker Enzo G. Castellari to give us "High Crime" in 1973, which features a rather similar tale of an obsessive cop trying to crack a drug smuggling case (Castellari claims his inspiration came from "Bullitt," but film historians seem to agree that Friedkin's film was the heavier influence due to their strong resemblance). Could his film possibly live up to either inspiration, or would it simply be dismissed as a filmmaker trying too hard to recreate popular cinema of the day?

The film begins with the arrival of a Lebanese drug dealer in Genoa, whom Commissioner Belli (Franco Nero) chases down and captures. However, the suspect is killed in an explosion shortly after, leading Belli to seek the help of a supposedly-reformed gangster named Cafiero (Fernando Rey), who informs him that someone new is trying to get in on the drug trade. While Cafiero starts an investigation into the gang, Belli proceeds with his own with the continued help of the head Commissioner, Aldo Scavino (James Whitmore), who has been building a file of evidence regarding everyone connected to the case, which just might be the only way to finally bring the entire ordeal to a close.

"High Crime" wastes no time throwing us right into the thick of things, immediately starting off with a quick foot chase, followed by a high speed car chase, both of which are topped off with the surprising car bomb that effectively ends Belli's latest attempt to get at the heart of the case. However, from there, it settles down into a more standard approach to the material, with one lead leading to another, and so on and so forth. In fact, one might say that it's almost too standard an approach for a filmmaker looking to make a mark on this particular sub-genre, especially when the films it's paying homage to are rather apparent.

This is not to say that Castellari's rendition of this story is a bad one, but more so that his take is just a somewhat unremarkable one. After the thrilling opening, we watch as Belli goes from one lead to another, with many of them meeting unfortunate ends along the way (adding what could be called a rather morbid running gag to the mix), eventually concluding with a somewhat open ending (giving one final nod to Friedkin's classic). It would be rather fair to say that it basically gives you what you'd expect from a film like this, but not much more.

It pretty much goes by the numbers, not really standing out in any particular way, which may be fine for those just looking for a straightforward cop drama, but for those looking for a film of this type that are expecting more surprises or something to shake things up a bit, you may find yourself a little let down that it doesn't try to do more with its cop vs. drug smugglers scenario. Again, it's hardly what one would call a bad take on the material, but as far as films of this kind go, it's not likely one that you'll be remembering a week later.

Video/Audio:

"High Crime" comes to Blu-ray in a 1.85:1, 1080p High Definition transfer of outstanding quality. It comes from a brand-new 2024 4K master of the complete, uncensored version that looks amazingly sharp throughout its entire duration. Likewise, the 1.0 English/Italian DTS-HD Master Audio tracks are fantastic, giving you all of the dialogue, sound effects, and the funky soundtrack in excellent quality. Overall, Blue Underground has done a phenomenal job for the film's physical American debut.

Special Features:

Audio Commentary with Writer/Director Enzo G. Castellari

Audio Commentary with Star Franco Nero and Filmmaker Mike Malloy

Audio Commentary with Film Historians Troy Howarth, Nathaniel Thompson, and Eugenio Ercolani

The Genoa Connection (25 Minutes)

From Dust to Asphalt (28 Minutes)

Hard Stunts for High Crimes (19 Minutes)

Framing Crime (20 Minutes)

The Sound of Onions (23 Minutes)

The Connection Connection (13 Minutes)

Alternate Ending (3 Minutes)

The Blu-ray comes with a remarkable collection of special features, including three commentary tracks (from Castellari, Nero, and film historians) and over two hours of featurettes that feature interviews with Castellari and various crewmembers, including actor/stuntman Massimo Vanni and camera operator Roberto Girometti. Truly an impressive haul for anyone looking to delve into the making of the film.

Conclusion:

Enzo G. Castellari's "High Crime" offers up some thrilling action in its opening act, and ultimately may be enough for those viewers looking for nothing more than a straightforward, by-the-numbers cop drama, but for those looking for such a film that offers more in the way of surprises or one that shakes things up a bit more, you may find yourself just a little disappointed.

Score: 3/5

Available on Special Edition Blu-ray starting tomorrow.

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