bradchisholm@go.com

Does anyone know why this isn't on DVD?

Rosi always gives good opening sequences (see his "Carmen") and this one is the best.

This is the political thriller that should be listed even above those of Costa Gravas or The Manchurian Candidate, but is virtually unknown in America. When I saw it at an Italian film class in the late 90's not even the professor had actually seen it - ( though I had).

Rescreening this 1976 film in today's political/terror climate gives this film even more resonance.

Lino Ventura is the moral center of this unblinking look at Italian politics. He has the kind of "gravitas" of Bogart at his best. If you have any way of seeing this film, you won't be sorry.

If you enjoy it, check out Rosi's "Tre Fratelli" and Ricky Tognazzi's "L'Escorta" with similar subject matter.

FYI, Rosi (Dir) was an assistant to Visconti.

La Scorta is a wonderful film that I wish were available on DVD. If you get a chance to see it you won't be sorry. That it is not as linear, dynamic and paint by numbers as the usual Hollywood thrillers I guess is frustrating to some people, but to me it powerfully conveys the ambiguity of power and that terror is more frightening when its source is unclear.

La Scorta is a naturalistic study of the problems of terror that Italy faced in the 1970's, and I think it's very well done by Mr. Tognazzi. If you were able to screen it or are just interested in the subject matter you would also probably enjoy two Francesco Rosi (originally an AD to Visconti) films: "Illustrious Corpses" (Lino Ventura) and "Tre Fratelli" (Philip Noiret, Charles Vanel) both of which deal with the complex issues of Italian terrorism. It is very interesting revisiting these films post 9/11, and it has had some effect on the industry, note the recent re-release of "Battle of Algiers" here in LA (Jan 04 - highly recommended).

Just a couple of additional points - The first assassination victim is Charles Vanel (Tre Fratelli) but also from Wages of Fear (with Montand) as a far younger man.

The opening sequence as he emerges from the tombs to the killing in a garden is arguably one of the strongest openings to a film ever. Rosi (an AD to Visconti) is known for this, check out his opening sequence to his "Carmen" (Placido Domingo).

On a political note, being a leftist/communist in Italy in the 60s/70s was more accurately being an anti-fascist. Many of the rich claimed to be communists. Lina Wertmuller built a career making fun of this social and political confusion.

Wish Illustrious Corpses were available here on DVD!!!