Search - Mobs And Mayhem on DVD

Euro and Ameri-gangs

Annie Van Auken | Planet Earth | 10/13/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"MOBS AND MAYHEM is a repackaging of ST. CLAIR's MOB MOVIES collection, from 2005. Extras include a gangster photo gallery, mobster movie trailers and an excerpt from a 1930s radio show.



ST. CLAIR DVD multi-packs are reasonably priced, and offer fine quality video/audio transfers of unrestored public domain material. Discs are single-side recorded, plastic storage cases fairly sturdy, movie liner notes appear on box's back cover and most DVDs include bonus items.



HIGHLIGHTS:



BIG COMBO-- The set's best is this excellent film noir. Great cast and a fast-moving story.



FAMILY ENFORCER-- Memorable primarily as Joe Pesci's first credited screen appearance.



GANGSTER STORY-- Director and star Walter Matthau plays a cop-killing thug on the run. He robs a bank for a huge haul, which gets the FBI and a local mob boss on his trail.



MISTER SCARFACE-- Two dissatisfied "bone breakers" plot to con a gang chief out of a fortune.



PERFECT KILLER-- Prison escapee hired as a mob "button" man wants to resign when he's told to "hit" a friend. But easily in is not necessarily easily out.





BCI's GANGSTERS 10 MOVIE PACK features only American made 1930s-50s crime films.





PROGRAM:

(Parenthetical numbers preceding titles are 1 to 10 viewer poll ratings found at a film resource website.)



DISC ONE--

(4.2) Crime Boss (Italy-1972) - Telly Savalas/Antonio Sabato/Paola Tedesco

(4.6) Gangster Story (1960) - Walter Matthau/Carol Grace/Bruce MacFarlane (uncredited: Vic Tayback)

(7.6) The Big Combo (1955) - Cornel Wilde/Richard Conte/Brian Donlevy/Jean Wallace/Robert Middleton/Lee Van Cleef/Earl Holliman

BONUS: Classic Gangster Trailers



DISC TWO--

(5.9) The Long Arm Of The Godfather (Italy-1972) - Adolfo Celi/Peter Lee Lawrence/Erika Blanc

(2.5) Mob War (1989) - Jake LaMotta/Johnny Stumper/David Henry Keller/John Rano

(5.6) Mister Scarface (Italy/W Germany-1976) - Jack Palance/Al Cliver/Harry Baer/Gisela Hahn/Edmund Purdom

BONUS: Classic Mob Movie Posters



DISC THREE--

(7.5) Manhunt (Italy/W Ger-1972) - Mario Adorf/Henry Silva/Woody Strode/Cyril Cusack

(4.9) Family Enforcer ("The Death Collector") (1976) - Joseph Cortese/Lou Criscuolo/Joe Pesci

(5.9) The Perfect Killer (Italy/Spain-1977) - Lee Van Cleef/Carmen G. Cervera/John Ireland

BONUS: Excerpt from The Jack Benny Program ("Snow White And The Seven Gangsters" - 4/26/38)"