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[MikeMalloy]

Jonny, feel free to remove this topic if you don't approve (I know it doesn't fit into the single-film discussion mould), but the thread about REDNECK got me thinking...

Eurocrime is a genre that is NOT bashful about killing children -- whereas U.S. studio films almost always make sure that a) the kids and b) the pets survive to the end.

What are the Italian crime movies where kids are killed? I know I've seen it over and over, but right now, I can only think of:

CONFESSIONS OF A POLICE CAPTAIN (thrown off a cliff)
HIGH CRIME (run over, if I'm not mistaken)
VIOLENT PROFESSIONALS (machine gunned, off camera)
MANHUNT IN THE CITY (killed during bank heist)
VIOLENCE FOR KICKS (machine gunned)
REDNECK (shot by Telly while running away)

Possible:
WEAPONS OF DEATH (did the kid die in this? I remember he was gunned down in the train yard, but I can't remember if he lived)

[Inspector Tanzi]

VIOLENT ROME (Machine Gunned by John Steiner, "that'll slow 'im down a bit")

MANHUNT (Mario Adorf's daughter (and wife) are run over by a hood)

DEATH HUNT (Tino Cimarossa's child run over and killed by escaping bandits)

[Stephen Grimes]

NAPOLI SERENATA CALBRO 9  Merola's son killed in restaurant 
BANDITS IN MILAN  Youngster(teenager?) shot dead in crossfire on his way to play tennis.

[Stephen Grimes]

TONY ARZENTA -BIG GUNS  Wife and son get blown up in car bomb.

[vigilanteforce]

I was just going to mention DEATH HUNT but Tanzi got me first hehe don't they kill Franco Nero's kid in DAY OF THE COBRA as well?

[Nico Giraldi]

Italia a mano armata/A Special Cop in Action
kid is not actually killed by bandits but he dies during the kidnapping and the bandits make it look like they shot him.

[Captain]

Didn't the kid in THE BIG RACKET die? The kid from the restaurant owner? Could be wrong though.

[Inspector Tanzi]

Didn't the kid in THE BIG RACKET die? The kid from the restaurant owner? Could be wrong though.

yeah that's what drives him mental

[paperbag]

ALMOST HUMAN - Tomas Milian shoots one offscreen up the stairs

[Wim C.]

One down in KIDNAP SYNDICATE - off screen, though.

[Paul]

Good topic! The depiction of the death of children has always been a taboo that very few mainstream films have exploited and I have little doubt that the it being a staple of exploitation cinema has something to do with the way in which Italian genre films tend to go for the jugular; a lot of the violence in these flicks is done in a very sensationalist way in order to both shock the audience and allow them to emote with the protagonist. Most critics would argue that this is a nothing more than a cheap track but I think it adds to the realism.

[Stephen Grimes]

There's even a film called DON'T SHOOT ON CHILDREN(Non sparate sui bambini) by Gianni Crea about 2 robbers who end up taking a classroom full of kids hostage,no kid killings though.

[vigilanteforce]

Child murders in Euro-cult cinema always fascinated me. Not because I am an insensitive bastard but because I find it kind of shameless and funny. I will mention a few Euro films that aren't crime but have such scenes: Fulci's DON'T TORTURE A DUCKLING and NIGHTMARE CONCERT- who could possibly forget the scene of that kid getting decapitated by chainsaw....?? Or the scene in Franco's BLOODY MOON where a kid gets ran over by a speeding car LOL

[Jonny]

Most critics would argue that this is a nothing more than a cheap track but I think it adds to the realism.

Absolutely agree with that. Showing that the criminals in these films are prepared to kill children to get away with their crimes tells the viewer just how serious these guys are. They're not fly by night criminals, they're serious, sometimes desperate and will do anything to further their cause. If that means killing children then so be it. Not cheap at all imho.

There's a great scene in 'Banditi a Milano' where Gian Maria Volonte's character and two of his crew are fleeing the Police after a series of Bank Heists. Literally all of the Police are mobilised and on their tail and they really do have no hope of getting away. Volonte leans out the car window and starts shooting passers by but Tomas Milian and the Police still pursue returning fire. The film then cuts to a close up a  young child's face stood at the side of the road then to Volonte looking at the kid and pointing with his machine gun, he looks at Milian and holds his hand up as if to say "Get the fuck back or I'll start killing children". Milian calls off the chase and the criminals get away. You don't doubt for a moment that if Milian had carried on chasing then Volonte would mow down the child without hesitation.

Sorry to veer off topic as the kid didn't die, but it's a classic scene and I think demonstrates how the Italians use the killing and threat of killing children to great effect in their films.

[Inspector Tanzi]

If these films were made in the 90's a blue fiesta may have run them over.