Kidnapped (1998)

Well, maybe 4.5 stars ...

I liked the movie pretty much. It got a little ham-handed at moments, but in general it was about as tight as the original short story on which it was based: Man and Boy (in the April, 1971, issue of Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine).

A couple of characters were introduced that weren't in the original, but they did the job of increasing the tension and justifying the full length movie.

I must admit to being a little bit biased. You see, I wrote the story and then during the years the film sat waiting to be finished and released, it appears my name was lost. Given that not just the story, but essentially the substance of the dialogue "created" by the screenwriters (who did get credit) was my own, I feel a certain degree of neglect. Nonetheless, I do appreciate the rendering of the movie. Now, when will there be an American version? September 6, 2007

Mario Bava's lost masterpiece

To all you Quentin Tarantino fans out there, WATCH THIS MOVIE. First off let me start by saying this is not a horror movie, it is however very extreme and violent. This is a film Mario Bava made in 1973 that never surfaced due to legal issues, and is an absolute shame. This is more like a crime/action/thriller movie, and VERY different for Bava. While I wouldn't say Tarantino ripped it off, I would say however that he drew A LOT of inspiration from it, especially for Reservoir Dogs.
The story is about four gangsters and a heist that goes wrong, have a run in with the cops, and take some hostages. All I could think when I watched this movie was RESERVOIR DOGS, the style of it is very (for lack of a better word) Tarantino-like. The acting was pretty impressive and stars George Eastman from Anthropopagus, if your a fan.
The most exciting parts for me were the beginning and the ending, I won't go into much detail here, but will say there are a couple of twists throughout the movie. I won't say which kind of twists though, you just have to watch it and find out. July 28, 2007

Kidnapped aka Rabid Dogs

I'll admit that I've never seen films by Mario Bava. I've only recently gotten into Italian Cinema with the films of Dario Argento and other Giallo taken up my interest. Until now I had never tried any Bava. So hearing of this film and being intrigued with the premise I picked up the DVD.
The premise of the film is four criminals rob a pharmaceutical companies payroll during which the getaway driver is killed. The three remaining killers flee to a parking lot taking hostages, one of which they kill in order to escape. Afterwards in order not to be spotted by police in a familiar car they pull off and take more hostages this time a middle aged man and a sick child. At this point the films been a violent crime film. When it gets in the car the film is basically centered on the drive of the criminals and their hostages. Whats good in the film despite minor flaws is that even in its form (neither Rabid Dogs or the re-edited Kidnapped was completed with Bava's support due to circumstances which earned its "lost" status until recently) its a really well assembled suspense thriller building its tension slowly. As tensions in the car rise and victims plead for their lives even the criminals begin to turn against each other. One wants to rape the woman hostage, while another goes along with what ever happens while the leader is more concerned with just getting to their destination. There are moments in the film that to me were great in a transgressive way that newer films couldn't even come close to topping. And in the end, I don't want to ruin it but if you get into the plot as much I did it will definitely suprise you. I was totally blown away by the film. One thing also is the feeling of anger that seeps from every frame. This is a brutal film to watch at times with its portrayl of a world that is vain arrogant and rather brutal in considering the plight of the hostages (especially the child). To me its a film that in tone could almost compare to one of my favorites, Kurosawa's Ran.
Unfortunately I've only viewed the Rabid Dogs cut on the new Anchor Bay disc. It also contains Lamberto Bava's edit Kidnapped more in line with his fathers intentions which I will watch in the future but was turned off for the synthesizer score (I just love the harpsichord and organs blaring in Rabid Dogs even though admittedly the score is incesant) and didn't want to watch the film so soon after seeing it. Still this a definite recommend from me, worth viewing. April 29, 2007

Mario Bava's "lost" masterpiece

Being a huge Bava fan, I was eagerly awaiting this departure from horror and fantasy. It was the master's attempt at making a film about the real world and the people in it. After viewing, I think Bava nearly succeeded. Probably the best acting I've seen in a Bava film, this could be due to the fact that it wasn't dubbed. Also, the film shocked me with some incredibly brutal scenes, especially when one kidnapper forces a woman to urinate in front of him, and she DOES!!!. The twist ending was incredible and unexpected. The only real problem I had with the film are all of the little cliches that make me so irritated. For example, the kidnappers are about to fill up the gas tank to their captured car. They're about to get away and then, out of nowhere, a hitch hiker appears desperately needing a ride. And they give her one!!!
All in all, if you can handle the annoyances, and the ultra-small subtitles, I think you'll enjoy this "lost" treasure.
August 19, 2006

The old Lucertola DVD is available again

While this is an impressive film in terms of Bava doing very respectable work in a genre that he wasn't really known for, I wouldn't go so far as to call it a masterpiece. I think that the rarity of this picture has caused it to swell a bit in people's estimation. And Lucertola's restoration is a bit rough around the edges. Still, it's nice to have this available in any form. It's still a treat.

There is another cut out there, supervised by Lamberto Bava, under the title "Kidnapped," and I can't understand why that hasn't surfaced on DVD by now. I don't remember how different Stelvio Cipriani's score is on that later restoration - it was supposed to be re-scored. But the music is quite good on the Lucertola version - although the sound quality isn't the best. The major difference between the two versions is the handling of some brief material peripheral to the main action. I don't want to say too much about it, but it really is done better in the later restoration.

Some of the performances are actually very good, and I can see why Lea Lander(who was in "Blood and Black Lace" more than a decade earlier, but looks no older here) would have taken a personal interest in bringing this film to light. Riccardo Cucciolla also does a respectable job, playing things very close to his chest for the whole movie. It's too bad about the woman they pick up at the gas station, though. The part is so badly overacted that it's more than a bit distracting. Fortunately, she doesn't last long.

So fans of Bava and/or seventies Italo-crime pictures should definitely get this. Just don't listen too much to the hype, because this really is a far more modest picture than you might think from some of what's been written - as is the case with a lot of Bava's work.

If the "Kidnapped" version ever becomes available, the rating might go up a notch - but it's a long time ago that I saw it. Hopefully I'll get a chance to reevaluate that cut soon.

In the meantime, let's hope that some of Bava's other works get revisited in the DVD format. While its nice to have so many of those films available, the presentation hasn't always been optimal - often far from it. (I'm talking about YOU, Image and VCI.)

NOTE: When I ordered this recently it wasn't available through Amazon directly but through the marketplace - Amazon is now listing it at about 36 bucks. I paid $15.50, and if you hit "new and used" and go to the marketplace you can get it at that price too. Tsk Tsk, Amazon. February 18, 2006

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