la scorta

THE FLICK: Although it has all the trappings of a typical genre film, La Scorta proves to be much more slippery than its logline would lead you to believe: four reluctant cops assigned to protect an upstart Judge and his family from the constant threat of the local Mafioso. And while Ennio Morricone’s score would have you believe this is a homegrown take on The Untouchables, director Ricky Tognazzi surprisingly avoids action scenes at every opportunity, preferring to create an atmosphere of constant paranoia and imminent danger. So much so that when something “explosive” actually does happen, the impact is at once tragic and cathartic. A descendent of the poliziotteschi – in spirit, if not execution, since the film shuns the standard exploitation elements that made such 70’s Italian fare so viscerally enjoyable – La Scorta follows its main characters with a loose, unstylized approach. Each member of the “escort” has their backstory...family, friends, something to humanize these working stiffs who are paid so little to give up their lives. And Tognazzi casts the roles with a casual sort of brilliance, faces and physiques that seem far removed from the pretty politics of the cinema. One look at the haggard features of actor Carlo Cecchi (offset by his “don’t f*** with me” stare) speaks more about his character than 10-minutes of dialogue. Based on the true story of Judge Francesco Taurisano, the script never jumps outside the lines of believability. And Tognazzi’s daring decision to never reveal the film’s Mafioso antagonists (we get phone calls, letters, and a brief glance at some motorcycles, but no faces), pays off with small Hitchockian moments of suspense, like a nervous motorcade moment on a highway passing a stalled vehicle that may (or may not) be loaded with explosives. La Scorta defies its genre expectations, but with an unusual degree of restraint, not the usual post-modern swagger. THE FEATURES: A personal favorite of Blue Underground founder William Lustig, his label does a bang-up job of presenting this 1993 winner of five Italian Oscars on DVD. Lusting moderates a commentary with director Ricky Tognazzi and producer Claudio Bonivento which gets into the specifics of the production. But more accessible is the 1⁄2 hour featurette Judging La Scorta, a beautifully produced series of interviews with the actors and creative personelle. The budgetary challenges, stylistic choices and overwhelming respect for the carabinieri (Italian police force) are just a few of the subjects touched on by producer David Gregory. The U.S. and Italian Theatrical Trailers go along with a very film-like transfer and 5.1 DD sound. Yet another example of Blue Underground’s excellent taste in - and treatment of - cinematic imports. Watch for this one late February!