Fighting Killer

This Turkish-Italian coproduction features two major Turkish stars of the era alongside two American musclemen who'd become stars in peplum (then spaghetti westerns, and other Italian exploitation vogues). Considering that Richard Harrison and Gordon Mitchell were still in great shape at this point, it seems surprising that only the latter gets to strut his shirtless stuff in a fight scene in a Turkish bath (which turns into a footchase in which miraculously the two men's waist towels never fall off).

The basic revenge plot is nothing interesting, with the other three leads called in after 25 minutes or so to avenge their old military buddy Irfan Atasoy's murdered wife and son, and though there's a lot of action (fists/shootouts), it's not particularly inventive or well-staged. (There's also some sexploitation, pretty mild but still about as far as Turkish cinema was willing to go at the time.) Nor do the game actors get anything interesting in the way of character writing to play. The film is energetic but kind of generic, with little sense of humor or style.

No doubt this film wasn't aided by being seen in a poor online VHS dupe, but it really doesn't look like it was anything special visually or in production values to begin with. The occasionally cheesy effect of the dubbed English dialogue seems pretty appropriate for the whole enterprise. Anyway, this is a fun obscurity for fans of the main actors, but don't expect it to be a forgotten career highlight for them, or for anyone else involved.

Everyone loves a punch-up. Everyone. Queen Elizabeth II is famous for them. Has one every New Years Day. Leaves Prince Philip sparkled out on the floor while Prince Charles jumps naked on a trampoline, clapping with a dummy in his mouth. Ghandi got rid of the British in India by having punch-ups. It's even said that Jesus himself decked a Roman guard on the way to the cross, and it's written in the Bible that when he ascended to heaven the first thing he did was take his father on in a square go.

This film is ninety-nine percent punch-up. No kidding. It's also a ridiculously entertaining crapfest that barely makes any sense whatsoever. In Turkey, a cigar chomping gangster has made a power play that's bumped off most of the competition. The only person that stands in his way is former Frosties spokesperson Tony Tiger, now living in retirement in his farm with some hired goons, wife, and child. While he's out hunting, a bunch of guys turn up, kill all his workers, give his kid a kicking (!) and get ready to do the nasty with his wife. When Tony arrives, a gravity defying punch up ensues but Tony loses, gets hooks rammed through his wrists and is suspended from the ceiling while these bad guys get it on with his wife (It's a Turkish film, so no disturbing stuff here thankfully...except they set his wife and kid on fire once they're dead I guess).

Tony is rescued from being turned into a kebab by ex-girlfriend Olga, who pleads with him to forget what's happened, but Tony is mad for revenge, and recalls his old army buddies - Gordon Mitchell, who runs a martial arts class that he refers to in the dialogue as Judo, even though everyone wears clothing that says 'Tae Kwon Do', Richard Harrison - a playboy gambler who has a punch up to get into a Casino, then another one on the way back out, and some crooner guy who sings a terrible song before taking on two hecklers in a punch up.

Things get stupider as all four split up to track down the guys that killed Tony's wife even though they know who sent them, but what the hell, eh? Gordon gets into a bizarre mass punch-up in a Turkish bath that spills out onto the street where the bad guy gets killed, Richard goes skiing where his bad guy takes a header off a cliff, Tony has an insane punch-up with a guy after jumping into a speeding car and the other guy has some punch up as well.

This all leads up to a full on assault on the bad guy's compound, or at least that's where I thought it was heading before a mass punch up broke out. A couple of twists at the end and you've got an immensely enjoyable short film if you like trashy b-movies. Punches that don't connect send people flying, heroes jump way up into the air, Richard Harrison scores within ten seconds of meeting a chick, and the whole thing is dubbed like a kung fu film. Gold!

One of many Turkey/Italy co-productions made in the 1970s (along the lines of THE LION MAN films). FOUR FOR ALL does not have any other of the big Turkish stuff in in that were popular in the 1970s; though. There is no superheroes, super villains, no Santo, no fantasy or mythological elements. Back in the early 1970's the original DEATH WISH was a new concept in movies and box offices. And movie companies worldwide were cranking out their own Revenge tales. FOUR FOR ALL is basically a mob thriller, done in the 1970's Italian action/crime style. This is neither a Spagetti Western, nor a peblum. FOUR FOR ALL features a cast of Italian favorites who work side by side with the Turkish Stars. The four of the title include Richard Harrison, Gordon Mitchell, Tony Tiger, and Turkish star Irfan Atasoy (who portrays the man whose family is victimed by the mob gang in this. These genre faves must team up agianst a ruthless mob with never ending numbers. There is plenty of mob drama as the said gang is always trying to take over the rival Turkish gangs, to get bigger. These gangs are mostly done performed by Tuskish actors. There are some familiar Italian faces here as well. The mob eventually captures Tony Tiger's wife and the FOUR FOR ALL must team up and integrate the Mob Headquarters and rescue said family. Though this is a very low budget film, shot in Turkey there is plenty of action with a never ending body count. Additionally, there are plenty of surprises in the plot with our heroes finding out they have been set up. And not by the Mob! The score is more like a funeral march and sounds perfect for a Euro- horror movie!

When a mob boss takes over an entire criminal organization by killing every one of its members, it's up to Tony Tiger (Irfan Atasoy) and his army buddies to stop him.

Enter muscleman / karate expert, Margherito (Gordon Mitchell), nightclub crooner / bare-knuckle brawler, Brad (Fikret Hakan), and suave gambler / slap-boxing enthusiast, Jolando (Richard Harrison). The four old friends reunite for one final mission of vengeance, after Tony is tormented by the awful gangster and his army of underworld underlings.

FIGHTING KILLER (aka: FOUR FOR ALL) features ironing board-sized neckties, and more male facial / head hair than at any yeti convention! Plus, the fight scenes contain punches and kicks that sound like wrecking balls hitting wet sand!

BEST SCENES: #1- When Margherito bounces a thug's head on the trunk of a car as though he's dribbling a pudding-filled basketball! #2- The Turkish bath / karate melee! In towels! Followed by a city street chase! In the towels! #3- Tony jumping on a moving car, and battling the driver as they tool down the road! #4- The assault on the big boss' villa, leading to the super, ultra-twist finale, complete with apocalyptic shootout!

Grab thy favorite beverages and watch this immediately!...