Admittedly, when it comes to the Italian crime genre known as "poliziotteschi," I'm more of an enthusiastic dabbler than a true aficionado... but my passion for '70s Euro-kitschy-coolness and the collected works of the mighty DJANGO himself, Franco Nero, is all-encompassing. Of course, I knew on the way in that any title from this particular genre bearing the stamp of Enzo G. Castellari would likely assure gritty, action-packed good times - complete with thumpin' grooves, mirrored sunglasses, big guns, fast cars and glorious facial hair. So, does STREET LAW deliver on the aforementioned criteria? Let's go to the chart for this, shall we?

Funky tunes? Double-check, courtesy of the reliable Guido & Maurizio De Angelis. Firepower? In a word: damn. Fast cars? Definitely, and pushed to their limits in several white-knuckle chases (bonus points for including motorcycles also). Shades? A lovely assortment, thank you. And as for facial follicles... well, it goes without saying that Mr. Nero can rock the 'stache, but I'll call it anyway: my man's fabulous lip-fringe would win a duel with Harry Reems at 30 yards. No contest. Maurizio Merli or maybe Omar Sharif might give him a run for his money, but it would be a tough bet.

Now the details: Nero portrays mild-mannered businessman Carlo Antonelli, a quiet and genial sort who finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. Caught in the middle of a violent bank heist, he is used as a human shield by three slimy perps, is subsequently beaten shitty, and left for dead. Burning to see justice done, he first attempts to go through more official channels, but is callously shunted aside by the corrupt, do-nothing police inspectors, who seem to resent him wasting their time. After botching a trap for the same three-man crime ring, Carlo gets his Armani-clad ass handed to him again, and finds himself summoning his inner vigilante, Chuck Bronson-style. [On a side note, STREET LAW was released in Italy the same year as Bronson's DEATH WISH, though Castellari insists he came up with the idea independently.]

Being the more sensitive type of avenger, however, and naïve to the ways of the criminal underworld, Carlo doesn't just start kicking asses and taking names; understandably, his technique needs a little polish. That's where a reluctant accomplice comes into play, in the form of two-bit crook Tommy (Giancarlo Prete), who is coerced through blackmail into providing the firepower and street savvy Carlo desperately needs to survive. Prete is effective in this supporting part, and brings some dimension to what might otherwise have been a one-note sidekick character. On the downside, Barbara Bach's role as Carlo's sultry but otherwise rather bland lady friend is one of the script's few weak spots, relegating her to little more than worried, pouty-lipped eye candy. Frankly, the poliziotteschi films aren't exactly known for well-developed female roles as a matter of practice, but at least she's not portrayed as a battered victim or hostage, as is so often the case.

On the plus side, Castellari knows how to build tension through both action and dialogue, and he ratchets it up at a nearly constant rate from the outset. Moody lighting, tight editing and unique camera angles (including lots of frenetic hand-held footage) add to the tension, increasing the claustrophobic feel of the tightening spiral of violence Carlo finds himself in - and when violence erupts, it does so literally, with plenty of splattery bullet hits and Peckinpah-style slo-mo carnage. As we plunge through this increasingly hostile environment, it quickly becomes uncertain as to whether Carlo will survive his quest for vengeance by the end of the last reel.

I have to give the lion's share of praise to Franco Nero - his expressive, ice-blue eyes and chiseled features (not to mention the almighty facial fur) give him the look of an implacable warrior, as depicted in his many spaghetti westerns and crime films. Despite this tough-guy exterior, his character here is clearly tormented, which gives authenticity to his moments of rage-fueled vengeance. Despite his tendencies toward operatic, almost Shatner-esque emoting (including a couple of "shock" takes that are way over the top), his performance here is riveting. He not only buys into the character of Carlo and embodies him completely, but also carries off a physically challenging role, performing some bone-crunching stunts - and no doubt taking a real beating in the process, choreography notwithstanding. He even gets clobbered full-on by a speeding '66 Mustang... will his mustache survive?

The folks at Blue Underground continue their sterling reputation for restoring genre gems, and since they seem to be on a roll with an impressive batch of Italian crime thrillers lately (see also THE BIG RACKET and HEROIN BUSTERS), STREET LAW seems a perfect place to begin sampling this pasta-fueled genre. This is apparently the complete, uncut print; prior stateside versions had been trimmed by as much as 24 minutes in some releases. The print is of reasonably good quality, given the vintage, and is not encumbered by much dirt or print damage. The film stock used has a very detectable level of grain (particularly during night scenes), but that's common for low- to mid-budget European films of this period. The framing (widescreen enhanced) is at the "flat" 35mm ratio of 1.85:1, and cinematographer Carlo Carlini's compositions seem well-balanced.

The Dolby Mono soundtrack is clean and clear; nothing special, but sound effects, music and dialogue are well-modulated. It's all post-dubbed, of course (as is the norm for European films of the period), but the ADR work is pretty good for the most part, and includes some familiar voices to fans of Italian cinema. Nero dubs his own lines well, making him the only Italian in the film speaking with an Italian accent! (Unfortunately, Bach's dialogue is looped by an ill-fitting replacement.) The funky, porn-flavored incidental music by the brothers De Angelis (whose tunes are often far better than the films they've scored) fits the urban action well. They make their strongest mark with the songs "Goodbye My Friend" and "Driving All Around" - tracks I'd previously discovered on the excellent compilation CD "Beretta 70," and was excited to hear in context. The English lyrics are a bit silly, but the driving beats are superb.

Extras are plentiful: we get a feature commentary track from Castellari (whose son also makes a vocal appearance) moderated by BU founder Bill Lustig, who keeps things moving at a lively pace. The director is full of detailed anecdotes about the production and has fond memories of the project overall. This positive vibe carries over to the 17-minute interview featurette, "Laying Down the Law," in which the director and Nero himself swap stories about the film and describe their working relationship and admiration of each other's talents (the pair worked together previously on the well-received thriller HIGH CRIME, and collaborated on many more to come). Nero is still cool as ever, and now sporting a wicked Rip Torn goatee; he looks back fondly on the production, and explains his great passion for the role. A well-edited theatrical trailer and American TV spot round out the package.

Despite some minor flaws, this one's a winner - both as a classic offering from two masters of poliziotteschi, and as a powerful and gritty action flick that will keep you amped up from start to finish. Pick up a copy, settle in with a bottle of Sangiovese and a bowl of your favorite pasta, and you're in for an excellent evening. Viva Nero!