Origins of the Mafia (1976)

For decades gritty stories about the Mafia have occupied the pages of popular literature and dominated the big screens of Hollywood. And yet few people know the real story behind how and when this formidable system of organized crime actually began.This provocative and compelling 5-part drama from Granada International Television journeys back more than 400 years to 16th-century Sicily where the small Italian island has fallen victim to corruption intimidation extortion and brutality all at the hands of the ruthless Gramignano family. The program then follows the development of succeeding Sicilian Mafiosos illustrating the limitless power wielded by these fearsome and powerful men and revealing the merciless atrocities which were carried out on any and all who dared to stand in their way.Through dramatic reenactments filmed entirely on-location in Italy ORIGINS OF THE MAFIA provides careful insight into how organized crime came to be known by the powerful images reflected in such popular films as The Godfather trilogy and in the more recent HBO television series The Sopranos.System Requirements:Running Time: 260 Mins.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DOCUMENTARIES/MISC. Rating: NR UPC: 733961768947 Manufacturer No: AAE-76894 Product Description

yes, it's a 70s tv show

This TV series was run on late night ABC TV in the late seventies under the title "Legend of the Black Hand". Each episode is a separate story and each has a different cast. The series was capitalizing on the Godfather-craze of the times. Acting and production values were good (not great) for the time, and I kept wishing there had been a second series, which to my knowledge there was not. The plots become predictable and by today's standards are almost cliche.
Having said that, for some reason, I remember it fondly. July 10, 2007

DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME

Forget this one, Bad acting, Bad screenplay. looks like a old 70's TV show
no budget, I wonder what old dungeion they dug this up from. Boring go
no where serius. cheap cheap cheap. All costumes look like they were holloween rentals at a bad mascerade party. March 24, 2007

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