7.2 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Nino, a regular working-class guy, finds that a hitman has been hired to kill him. He discovers that a wealthy woman has been kidnapped and that everyone who was involved in it is being killed off. However, Nino had nothing to do with the kidnapping and has to find out who has sent the killers and stop them before it's too late. (IMDB)
Starring: Giuliano Gemma, Eleonora Giorgi, Michele Placido, Tano Cimarosa, Ettore ManniForeign | 100% |
Crime | 17% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Italian: LPCM 2.0 Mono
English
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 3.0 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Films about supposedly everyday people getting sucked into the world of organized crime are probably a dime a dozen, but few arguably have the visceral impact of A Man on His Knees. A supplement on this disc featuring Damiano Damiani biographer Albert Pezzotta offers an interesting overview of so-called "mafia movies" within the context of epochal changes the Italian film industry was undergoing throughout the seventies, especially as television became more and more prevalent, cutting into audiences willing to buy tickets to see something out of the home. Pezzotta perhaps just slightly comically alludes to the fact that another reason box office receipts may have begun falling off in Italian cinemas during this period is that so many of the films coming out were "downers", to use common parlance. This film's very title may suggest that it's not going to be a "happily ever after" fest in any way, but what's remarkable about this unavoidably tragic tale is how it emphasizes a certain combativeness, in fact almost a spirit of resilience, that suffuses focal character Nino Peralta (Giuliano Gemma). Nino is an ex-con attempting fitfully to adhere to the venerable "straight and narrow", but who is almost shocked to find out he's one of several people slated to be taken out by a hitman named Antonio Platamonte (Michele Placido). Why this has occurred provides the initial impetus for a plot that becomes increasingly labyrinthine and which ultimately plays into an interwoven set of fraught relationships, rather remarkably including one between Nino and Platamonte.
A Man on His Knees is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Radiance Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1. Radiance's insert booklet contains the following information on the transfer:
A Man on His Knees was restored in 4K at Augustus Color in Rome, Italy. The resotration was made from the original picture and audio negatives and the film is presented in the original aspect ratio and mono audio.A brief prefatory set of text cards before the film offers a bit more information, as follows:
The 4K restoration was made at Augustus Color S.R.L. in collaboration with Mediaset, Cine34 and Infinity+. The restoration was made from the original picture and audio negatives deposited at Mediaset.This is another appealing looking transfer from Radiance, though there are a few variances to note. Both the opening and closing moments feature old style optical credits, and associated roughness during those moments is pretty noticeable (especially in the opening imagery which underlies the credits, but also toward the end of the movie, where I suspect the final seconds were "co-opted" for the credits, even if they're not superimposed on the imagery). There are a few passing but extremely minor signs of age related wear and tear like white specks that can be spotted, but on the whole the negative was either in generally great condition or has been restored to its current condition. Color timing is generally excellent, though again there are some noticeable variations, with things looking a bit warmer on the whole as things progress. Detail levels are also typically nice, though parts of the film have a kind of dewy, almost glistening, softness, which I'm assuming was intentional on Damiani's part. The final scene is considerably rougher looking than the bulk of the presentation (see screenshot 3 for one example).
A Man on His Knees features LPCM 2.0 Mono audio in the original Italian. There are some recurrent if not overly debilitating issues with this track, including discernable crackling and other roughness at higher amplitudes, something that's noticeable almost from the get go during some of Cimarosa's amped up line readings in particular. Otherwise, though, the track is certainly generally listenable, and provides typically easily discernable dialogue. Optional English subtitles are available. My score is 3.25.
A Man on His Knees is undeniably tragic, but it's also surprisingly moving, and Gemma really shines in a somewhat unusual role for the actor. Technical merits are generally solid, with some caveats as listed above, and as usual Radiance provides some enjoyable supplements. Recommended.
(Still not reliable for this title)
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