Here's a short review from me:
1973, Directed by Sergio Martino
aka Milano trema - la polizia vuole giustizia (Italy)
Sergio Martino’s THE VIOLENT PROFESSIONALS is one of the better entries into the Italian crime genre. Italian crime has gathered somewhat of a cult following in recent years and it’s easy to see why. Martino, Umberto Lenzi and Enzo G. Castellari carved careers making these types of picture, inspired by the likes of DIRTY HARRY and THE FRENCH CONNECTION.
The Italian crime recipe is simple. Take one renegade cop, a dastardly villain and add Alfa Romeos, beautiful girls and a pumping synth score and the end result is as fun and exciting as movies get.
THE VIOLENT PROFESSIONALS centres around Giorgio Caneparo (the always reliable Luc Merenda), an unorthodox cop (aren't they all?) from Milan whose most recent case, requires him to go undercover as a getaway driver. Sounds simple but the group he must infiltrate happen to be the most brutal and unscrupulous gang in the country…
THE VIOLENT PROFESSIONALS is one of the genre’s best efforts and benefits from some great action sequences and a thundering music score by Maurizio and Guido de Angelis. Well worth a view after the pub.
Vipco's disc is presented in a non-anamorphic widescreen print, framed in the original 2.35:1 aspect ratio. Picture is above average throughout. The sound is presented in Dolby Digital mono and is functional if not overwhelming.
Extras are limited to some trailers for other Vipco releases.
The Italian DVD, on the Alan Young pictures label is far superior and features anamorphic widescreen and DD5.1 sound. This is only available as part of a double bill with Umberto Lenzi's ALMOST HUMAN [Italian Title: Milano odia: la polizia non può sparare].