User Reviews

Mistakenly released in the US as a horror film, THE EXECUTIONER (the European title) is one of Umberto Lenzi's first crime flicks, pairing up two of the biggest names in Italian polizia cinema - Henry Silva and Tomas Milian. This also happens to be Lenzi's most sadistic crime film of all, miles ahead of even the gruesome violence in VIOLENT NAPLES and the cold brutality of THE CYNIC, THE RAT AND THE FIST. It's a downbeat, nihilistic tale of a kidnapping gone horrifically wrong and a weaselly, immensely hateable street thug turned gang boss, as played by Tomas Milian. Lenzi concentrates on his political themes of the poor revenging themselves on the rich as a basis for Milian's character and once again we're "treated" to scenes of the upper class being abused, humiliated, and mercilessly killed by lower-class street thugs.

This was Milian's first time playing a really nasty bad guy, a slimy, slightly insane criminal, and it was a role he would revisit throughout his "polizia" films, whether playing a crippled hunchback or a slick greasy gangster boss. He's scarily good in the role, creating a character you really love to hate, and puts his all into the performance. Some might call him hammy but his mannerisms and delivery of dialogue are spot on for me, a really memorable villain and one of the best - or is that worst - in the genre. Amongst other activities, Milian kills a security guard for what amounts to a couple of pennies; machine-guns a man in cold-blood; turns a mild-mannered robber into a murderous thug through the use of drugs; enters a house party and rapes then violently massacres the inhabitants; and bumps off loads more people by the time the credits role.

This is hardly cheerful entertainment, but Lenzi makes it watchable thanks to assembling a large degree of talent both in front of and behind the camera. Technically, the film is superior with good camera-work and some excellent scenes of action, including the fine opening car chase (footage from this turned up in later Lenzi flicks) and plenty of shootings and what-not. Between the action there's plenty of suspense and hot tempers to keep things gripping. The film is pretty bloody and gory in places, earning Lenzi's reputation for violence, and the action is bolstered by a strong Morricone score.

The familiar Euro-cult cast includes the beautiful Laura Belli playing the unfortunate kidnap victim; giallo regular Anita Strindberg as Milian's girlfriend, and Ray Lovelock as the young, inexperienced gang member. Stealing his scenes is an ever-present Henry Silva as the grimly determined police Inspecter Grandi, following Milian's trail of destruction right through to the end. Another fine performance from Silva here with plenty of hard stares and snappy dialogue as he chases after the villains. Finally, bringing up the rear are soon-to-be-Lenzi regulars including Bruno Corazzari, playing a policeman this time, and Luciano Catenacci as yet another violent bad guy, but no moustache yet. Despite the grim and unpleasant subject matter, Lenzi has created yet another madly entertaining and intermittently exciting crime flick of huge appeal to genre fans.

Tomas Milian begins his topsy turvy relationship with Umberto Lenzi in perhaps the duo's classiest pairing, taking more than a little inspiration from A CLOCKWORK ORANGE with Milian playing just as morally bankrupt of an anti-hero.

ALMOST HUMAN (aka MILANO ODIA) really works and contains enough action, violence, nudity, and sharp-witted dialog to keep most B- movie lovers entertained. It's not quite realistic enough and a little too over-the-top to really attract the same foreign film aficionados who would do better with similarly-themed ASHES AND DIAMONDS. In a lot of ways, the ODIA becomes so dark and disturbing (even warranting its release in the United States as a HORROR movie) that things often slingshot back into black comedy.

Milian's main stooge Gino Santercole (dubbed by Michael Forest) gets in most of the funniest lines such as "it was worth killing a couple of people for this money!". He's an interesting character, being a very loyal henchman through and through with little qualms graduating from low level criminal to kidnapper/murderer. The same cannot be said for secondary stooge Lovelock, whose constant crises of conscience make him a subject of amusing taunts by Milian in his most unhinged performance yet.

Somehow, Milian so makes the character believable and human enough... charming, cunning, arrogant, and determined... that he somehow remains likable even after killing and abusing so many people (including his own friends and girlfriend). Strindberg as his middle-aged (though quite fetching) girlfriend isn't the most believable either, but their passionate albeit pathetic excuse for a relationship provides even more interest in this multi-layered movie. Henry Silva's also on-hand as a hard-nosed inspector not-so- hot on Milian's trail, charming in his own way though not enough to make us really root for him.

All in all, it's an interesting film and a little smarter and more plot-driven than you'll usually find in a high octane Italian crime film as the cycle tended to gravitate into the mid-70's. It's one of the few cases though where I'd recommend the slightly edited U.S. version from Joseph Brenner over the Italian as it does inject a little more pathos and creepiness than the Italian version.

After having enjoyed Lucio Fulci's entertaining,though slightly muddled Italian Crime film Contraband (also reviewed),I was extremely interested in seeing an Italian Crime film from Umberto Lenzi,who introduced me to the brilliant "Giallo" genre with his very under rated film Spasmo (also reviewed). After having put the DVD on,I realized that I needed to hold on tight,because I was about to find out,what it is like to be almost human.

View on the film:

Whilst director Lenzi has toned down his excellent scatter-shot jump-cutting that make his brilliant Spasmo so distinctive,he has impressively put all of his relentless energy into making Emesto Gastaldi's great screenplay move at an unbelievable pace,with the beginning of the film starting with a very intense looking car chase.

Along with Tomas Milian entertaining slime-ball performance of Giulito Sacchi,Lenzi does an excellent job at making Sacchi a great lead character,which includes turning Giulito into a proto- (Pacino) Scarface character,who instead of being at the bottom of the pile,wants to be the man that has the world,and everything in it.

For the violence in the film,Lenzi cleverly has the extremeness of the violence increase,as Sacchi gets more insane (although scenes of Giulito and his gang invading a villa,where the daughter is hiding, at around the 30 minute mark show that Giulito Sacchi has already jumped over the edge,in his mad lust for money and power.)

Diving head-first into the final act, Lenzi gives the film a brittle Neo- Noir mood,with part of the films ending taking place around a river,which allows Lenzi to make the plot fill a lot more intense,by giving the scenes a very stark murky look with Sacchi trying to get away from the foggy area,even though Lenzi shows that even Sacchi,must now be questioning if he has any chance to succeed at all?

Final view on the film:

An explosive,adrenaline-fulled Italian crime film,with a gripping screenplay and dazzling directing from Lenzi.

Director Umberto Lenzi is perhaps best known for his infamous video nasty Cannibal Ferox, "banned in 31 countries" for its graphic violent content. It's no great surprise, then, to find that he displays a similar lack of restraint in some of his earlier Poliziotteschis (Italian police/crime dramas): Almost Human might not be as explicitly gory as Ferox, but its tone is still downright rotten, with Tomas Milian playing an utterly reprehensible character - sadistic, psychotic and willing to kill anyone who gets in his way.

Milian plays Giulio Sacchi, a petty criminal with big plans: to kidnap the daughter of a wealthy businessman and hold her for ransom. Together with two of his low-life pals, he carries out the crime, leaving a trail of bodies in his wake. Giulio's asking price for the return of Mary Lou (Laura Belli) is a cool 500 million lira, but the cold-blooded killer has no intention of letting the girl live. While the kidnappers wait for their payment, Commissario Walter Grandi (Henry Silva) investigates, hoping to track down the ruthless men before anything bad happens to the girl.

An innocent traffic cop is the first to be killed by Giulio in this brutal thriller, followed by a nightwatchman, an arms dealer and his wife, and the boyfriend of kidnap victim Mary Lou. But it is a home invasion during a dinner party that is the film's most shocking scene: Guilio guns down one man as he tries to offer them money. The remaining three adults - two women and a man - are then forced to perform oral sex on the thugs (yes, even the man), before being hung from a chandelier (the women stripped from the waist up). Giulio machine-guns the unfortunate trio, but not before shooting the young daughter of one of the women. It's nasty stuff indeed.

Guilio further illustrates his callousness by killing his girlfriend Iona (Anita Strindberg), who threatens to go to the police, following through on his promise to kill Mary Lou, and blowing away his two partners in crime. Guilio escapes capture with half his cash (dropping the other half during a fire-fight with Grandi and his men) and gets himself an alibi courtesy of crime boss Ugo Majone (Luciano Catenacci), one that sees him walking free, even though Grandi is convinced of his guilt.

With the violence as ugly as it is in real life, Almost Human is quite the shocker. It's a shame that Lenzi blows it right at the end with a highly unbelievable scene of retribution, Grandi taking the law into his own hands by gunning down Guilio in broad daylight. It's a downbeat ending in keeping with the overall nihilistic tone, but it just doesn't ring true (if you're gonna turn vigilante, at least do it when there aren't witnesses around).

Sensational Poliziotteschi from Umberto Lenzi, set in Milan(Italy) stars Tomas Milian, in a terrific(..and terrifying) performance as a sadistic homicidal thug who is the mastermind behind the kidnapping of a politician's daughter for a major ransom. His scheme seems to be going without a hitch, but his psychopathic tendencies can only continue for so long before he eventually hangs himself at some point. Henry Silva, intense and smooth as ever, is the detective out to catch him. Ray Lovelock and Gino Santercole are Milian's accomplices. The delectable Anita Strinberg has a small role as Milian's doomed lover, whose vehicle and sexual favors are used on a regular basis. The beautiful Laura Belli is the innocent kidnapped by Milian whose fate doesn't have a very promising outlook. Luciano Catenacci makes the most of a secondary role as a dangerous Milan mobster for whom Milian has worked for..Milian's dealings with Catenacci have been worrisome affairs due to his violent and unpredictable nature(..not to mention Milian's screw-up during a planned heist when he murders a street cop in cold blood). Guido Alberti is the politician Milian wishes to milk for half a billion. Strinberg was an employee of Alberti, and Milian's idea just came about out of sheer desperation for some cash. Milian creates quite a frightening persona in his unhinged hood, always tearing into his bubble gum, twitchy and unstable..the kind of character that is spontaneous and destructive.

The opening car chase through Milan is riveting as the police chase after Catenacci's hoods with Milian in tow, when a bank robbery goes awry. Those that consider Lenzi an unaccomplished director should take a gander at ALMOST HUMAN, because the pacing is incredible as is the emphasis on moving the story along without unnecessary set-backs. Ernesto Gastaldi's unpretentious screenplay focuses on the plot while also providing the cast(..particularly Milian, Silva, and Lovelock)with chances to further expand their characterizations. The film is ultimately a showcase for Milian because the story itself derives from his impulsive and criminal activity..he is the source for all the horror that takes place throughout, the lightning rod if you will. The aftermath, once the money drop takes place, is certainly shocking, perhaps leaving a bad taste in your mouth, but it shows that Milian's scumbag is devoid of humanity, with no moral compass other than his own goal of attaining wealth through any means necessary without being caught. Following the DIRTY HARRY model, Silva soon realizes that he must take the law into his own hands since going by the book hasn't helped keep a murderer off the streets..appropriately downbeat ending even after revenge was served because so many were left dead by Milian's deeds. The most unsettling sequence would have to be the result of a massacre at the hands of Milian who attacks a bourgeoisie gathering, with even a little girl being shot and killed(..the "roulette by chandelier" with two women hanging, with their breasts exposed, as Milian opens fire is rather horrifying).

There was actually a period of time, believe it or not, when Umberto Lenzi showed talent as a director. After reliably cranking out Westerns, adventures, and Second World War flicks during the Sixties, Lenzi coasted into the two most popular film genres of 1970s Italy: the giallo, a crime story that forces audiences to watch unseemly behavior from the felon's point of view, and the poliziottescho, Italy's reaction to a justice system that limited police officers while criminals happily roamed free.

In competition with directors like Enzo G. Castellari and Sergio Sollima, Lenzi has been widely considered as the best maker of Italian police films. 'Almost Human' may certainly rank as Exhibit A in his poliziotteschi output of at least six titles from 1973 to 1979, including 'Rome: armed to the teeth' and 'Violent Naples.' Originally released as 'Milano odia: la polizia non può sparare' (roughly, Odious Milan: the police can't shoot), 'Almost Human' is a true standard of Italian crime, mixing defined characters with a riveting plot and well-crafted action. The 1974 shocker was also a landmark 'B' performance for actor Tomas Milian, who still regards Giulio Sacchi as one of the best efforts in his lengthy career.

Modeled after box office hits like 'Dirty Harry,' 'The French Connection,' and 'Death Wish,' 'Milano odia' is a crime film injected with 1970s Italian truculence. The film opens en route to a bank robbery with Sacchi, a drunk, pill-popping felon, driving the getaway car for a local crime syndicate. Approached by a traffic cop while the robbery is in progress, Sacchi panics and shoots the officer dead, forcing his gang to drive off empty-handed. Giulio is roughed up and fired by the syndicate boss, leaving him without a meal ticket.

Cash-desperate Sacchi arranges to kidnap Mary Lou Perrino (Laura Belli), the 20-year-old daughter of a local businessman, and hold her for ransom at 500 million lira with the help of his friends Vittorio (Gino Santercole) and Carmine (Ray Lovelock). This, of course, means that Sacchi has to wipe out every trace of evidence - living and nonliving - to avoid prison time. In Sacchi's rather limited world, no one is safe, including his two helpers and girlfriend Iona (Anita Strindberg). The dead bodies start piling up and police inspector Walter Grandi (Henry Silva) begins to work against the clock, assured that Mary Lou will die next unless law enforcement goes to extremes.

Umberto Lenzi is known for his gialli, including 'Orgasmo,' 'A Quiet Place to Kill,' 'Oasis of Fear,' and 'Seven Blood-Stained Orchids,' probably his best effort in the genre. But it was Eurocrime that seemed to ideally fit Lenzi's technique and obsessions; he is still well-remembered for titles like 'Milano odia,' filmed before his entire career went to pieces by 1980. 'Milano odia' is a perfect vehicle for his heavy-handed style of direction, moving frantically and never afraid to shock its audiences. It advances in characteristic Italian 'B' fashion with not a page of Ernesto Gastaldi's script lacking malice. Don't expect a happy ending or the slightest civility from this picture; few characters get out of 'Milano odia' unscathed, as people are terrorized, beaten, stabbed, machine-gunned, and forced into sexual transgression. To make matters worse, the nasty behavior unwinds at a constant rate, with law enforcement not having the slightest ability to restore order.

Tomas Milian pulls off a major feat by acting completely over-the-top but never looking comical at the wrong times. Unkempt, unfeeling, rather dumb, and always on edge, Milian renders Giulio Sacchi a sardonic, often funny lowlife who tries to look in control but keeps on betraying his awareness that the roof will come down at any moment. The only 'quality' Sacchi can rely upon is his outrageous behavior, which instills just enough fear in his two partners to stay on top. Gino Santercole and Ray Lovelock are excellent in their supporting roles, providing contrasts to Sacchi's total insanity. As Vittorio, Santercole holds some value in friendship but is no kinder to their hostage then Giulio. Lovelock is the most humanitarian, wanting to grab their ransom while inflicting as few bruises as possible.

Henry Silva gives a solid performance as Inspector Grandi, an intentionally less dynamic form of Harry Callahan. Silva is about the only character we can relate to, because he acts on popular sentiment and takes the law into his own hands. Anita Strindberg and Laura Belli give life to their characters, although Iona's love for Giulio because of his 'size' makes womanhood look rather shallow. Technically speaking, editor Eugenio Alabiso keeps things moving at a nice clip, especially in the opening chase scene, and Ennio Morricone's pounding score is very hard to forget.

'Milano odia' has been released on DVD by NoShame Films and will satisfy fans of Eurocrime. The film boasts widescreen presentation with Dolby enhancement of the original mono audio; the Italian track and English 'dubbing' are supplied with optional English subtitles. Included are the Italian and international trailers, a gallery of posters and production stills, and interviews with Lenzi, Lovelock, Santercole, Gastaldi, and Milian. Also gracing the DVD package is a six-page booklet with historical and biographical information.

The film's print is in excellent condition with little grain; sound is well-coordinated between dialogue, background noise, and music. The interviews explain how the lead cast of 'Milano odia' came together, including Henry Silva's employment after the death of actor Richard Conte (much to Lenzi's annoyance). A bit too much emphasis is placed on the lasting friendship between Milian and Lovelock, when time could have been spent with the two lead actresses. Annoyingly, the case, disc, and booklet contain misspellings which look unprofessional, but NoShame's heart was certainly in the right place. The package is a decent tribute to this wacky film and highly recommended for Eurocrime junkies.

*** out of 4

Roving Reviewer - www.geocities.com/paul_johnr

This movie seems to be rated highly by some reviewers but I found it hard going, only liking the music score of the legendary Ennio Morricone and the city location shooting of cinematographer Federico Zanni. Henry Silva isn't in it much sadly, and Tomas Milian's performance as psychotic Giulio Sacchi I soon found tiresome. It may be better in Italian but the English dub I watched made him drone on drearily most of the time. His hilarious face-pulling didn't help either. There was nothing original in the movie. Even the climax was underpowered. 1970's Italian crime films are some of the best but I found this rather disappointing. The car chase at the beginning was exciting but for most of the film I was a trifle bored.

Italian director Umberto Lenzi's version of Don Siegel's "Dirty Harry" is bloody, brutal, and bombastic. Tomas Milian is thoroughly unhinged as a sadistic killer, Giulio Sacchi, who kidnaps Marilù Porrino, the daughter of a wealthy man, Mr. Porrino (Guido Alberti of "No Way Out"), and holds her for ransom. Like Andrew Robinson in "Dirty Harry," Sacchi is as ruthless as he is bloodthirsty. He kills everybody that comes into contact with him during the abduction, and he exhibits no remorse for his crimes. Of course, Milian gives an energetic performance. Meantime, a hard-as-nail Police Inspector, Commissario Walter Grandi (Henry Silva of "The Law and Jake Wade") knows Sacchi is the kidnapper, but he cannot unravel any of Sacchi's alibis, so he has to release the sadist from custody. Sacchi is so looney tunes that he murders his girlfriend in cold blood and then visits police HQ to inquire about her absence. Everything that can go wrong does go wrong for Grandi, but he gets his man before fadeout. Loads of action! Not as sophisticated as "Dirty Harry" with none of its iconic dialogue. Skull-faced Henry Silva is ideally cast as a committed but callous lawman shackled by justice from keeping the dastard behind bars. Ennio Morricone delivers a hard-hitting, atmospheric orchestral score.

Among fans of Italian genre cinema, director Umberto Lenzi is known as a master of many genres, be it gruesome Cannibal films or tantalizing crime cinema, and furthermore has earned himself the well-deserved reputation of one of the most uncompromising directors of gruesome films. It is therefore no surprise, that one of the most ultra-violent and tough-minded highlights of Italian Crime cinema, namely "Almost Human" comes from Lenzi. "Milano odia: la polizia non può sparare" aka. "Almost Human" of 1973 is a brutal and brilliant Poliziottesco, one of the most uncompromising films of its genre, coming along with an ingenious score by none other than Ennio Morricone. Apart from the brilliant score, the brutal, uncompromising violence, the raw atmosphere and gripping story it is furthermore two of the greatest stars in Italian 70s cinema that make "Milano Odia" an absolute must-see for lovers of cult cinema.

One of my personal all-time favorite actors, Tomas Milian, stars in his most sadistic and despicable role of Giulio Sacchi, a ruthless small-time crook who has no scruples to rape, torture and brutally murder Innocent victims for his own benefit. Milian is truly brilliant in his role, and excellently personifies perverted sadism and greed. His opponent is played by another true great of Italian crime cinema: Henry Silva plays super-tough Inspector Grandi, a man who hates criminals as he hates crime, and who is not afraid to take the law into his own hands once the legal ways have failed to bring a delinquent to justice... These two brilliant actors are the perfect cast for the film. Milian and Silva alone are capable of making a film great, and "Milano Odia" has so much more to offer. The supporting performances are also great, Laura Belli, Guido Alberti, Luciano Catenacci, who plays a crime boss, and the wonderful Anita Strindberg are especially worth mentioning.

Brutal, tough-minded and tantalizing from the beginning, "Almost Human" is definitely not for the sensitive when it comes to violence, but an absolute must-see for every fan of Italian Crime cinema. This is Eurocrime at its grittiest and most uncompromising. It simply doesn't get more intense than "Milano Odia". Lovers of 70s genre-cinema can not afford to miss this gripping and ultra-violent masterpiece! 10/10

I am really getting an affinity to the poliziottesco genre of Italian cinema that rose to prominence in the 1970s.

These violent crime films with action scenes such as car chases and police investigations at there heart are quite good.

Almost Human has many violent scenes featuring murder, sexual exploitation and torture like more well known films of the period such as A Clockwork Orange and Dirty Harry.

Music is provided by Ennio Morricone who provides the music for many Italian films, often memorable parts of said films.

The cast are memorable In Almost Human delivering some performances that edge near psychotic (especially Tomas Milian as Guilio Sacchi).

The police inspector, Walter Grandi who leads the investigation into trying to capture Sacchi is also a good performance from Henry Silva.

Sacchi begins the film as quite a useless petty criminal and towards the end he has killed approximately 14 people in cold blood, raped a couple more and killed his girlfriend by dumping her in her car over a cliff into Lake Como.

He has also devised a scheme to raise half a billion lira (this was many years before the Euro currency) by kidnapping the daughter of an extremely wealthy individual.

Director Umberto Lenzi brings an action packed, violent thriller to the screen.