DVD released: March 28th, 2005
Approximate running time: 85 & 89 minutes
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Anamorphic Widescreen
Rating: NR
Sound: Dolby Digital Stereo
DVD Release: No Shame
Region Coding: Region 0 NTSC
Retail Price: $29.95

Double Game: The streets of Turin are filled with street punks who are robbing, raping and killing with little if any recourse for their actions. Inspector’ Ugo Moretti (George Hilton) will do anything to clean up the streets of Turin even execute his own vigilante justice as “The Avenger”. Moretti works by the book during the day with his partner Inspector Danieli (Emanuel Cannarsa) who feels the “The Avenger” is just as bad as the rest of the scum and must be stopped right away. Will Moretti be able to conceal his secret identity from Danieli or will his friend unmask him?

This films is clearly inspired by Dirty Harry and Death Wish with the films lead Inspector’ Ugo Moretti who plays by the rules by day and is a vigilante by night. The opening moments of Double Game are series of crimes told via a montage. These opening sequences is unusual and are formal introduction to the films main characters Moretti and Danieli happens a few scenes in. The story feels like a mishmash of ideas as there is really no attempt at character development.

Carlo Ausino direction is adequate at best. The films action sequences are where it shines and the level of violence in a few scenes is brutal. Stelvio Cipriani supplies a superb score for Double Game that has a few memorable music cues. George Hilton is underused and it is almost like he is on the film for nothing more then scenery. Emanuel Cannarsa who often works with Carlo Ausino gives the most dynamic performance in the film. Overall Double Game is an average crime thriller that keeps things interesting with its many plot twists until the films stunning finale.

Tony, Another Double Game: Tony (Emanuel Cannarsa) is a drifter who has never worked an honest day of work in his life. One day his life is put in danger when he learns too much about a kidnapping. Tony refuses to let the cops know when another attempt is made on his life under their watch. Will Tony expose the kidnapers before they silence him forever?

Tony, Another Double Game is only a sequel to Double Face in name only as none of the characters from the previous film are in this film. The story is more structured and we are given ample time to get to know the films lead Tony. Emanuel Cannarsa gives a compelling performance as the loner drifter Tony. The action is first arte and the violence is bloody and down right mean at times. Overall Tony, Another Double Game is a slightly better film then Double Game and it clearly shows improvement from director
Carlo Ausino.

Double Game and Tony, another Double Game have all the right ingredients that fans have come to expect from the Polizia genre, still both films have obvious flaws that make them nothing more then average films at best.

The DVD:

Double Game is presented in an anamorphic widescreen that preserves the films original 2.35:1 aspect ratio. The colors look nicely saturated and details look sharp through out. Overall another exceptional transfer from No Shame that is free of any major print damage.

Double Game comes with two audio options Italian and English. Both are presented in a Dolby Digital mono. There is some noticeable hiss and the dialog sound a tad thin at times; still the mix is more the satisfactory as it gets the job done. The differences between the audio choices couldn’t be more night and day as the English dub is one of the worst ever assembled. Watching the film with the Italian audio mix is like watching another film all together. Removable English subtitles that are easy to read and follow have been included for this release.

Tony another Double Game is presented in an anamorphic widescreen that preserves the films original 2.35:1 aspect ratio. The image is not as colorful and sharp as it is with Double Game; still the overall quality of this transfer is impressive considering the limited source materials available for this transfer.

Tony another Double Game comes with one audio option Italian and it is presented on this release in a Dolby Digital mono. Dialog is thin and the audio needs to be turned up sometimes. There is noticeable hiss and distortion. Removable English subtitles that are easy to read and follow have been included for this release.

Extras for this release include trailers for Double Game, Sahara Killing and Killer’s Play list. There is also a photo gallery and a news reel clip of a department store burning in Turin. Other extras include three short films directed by Carlo Ausino “Christmas Tale”, “The Trailer” and “A Modern Fairy Tale”. The quality of these three short films varies with the best of the lot being “The Trailer”. There are introductions by Carlo Ausino to the main film Double Game and the three short films. The Main extra is a twenty two minute interview with Carlo Ausino titled “Double Game, One Player”. The interview gives a nice overview of Carlo Ausino’s career like how he started out as a projectionists and his career as a director.

No Shame has also included with this release a collectable booklet which includes bios for Carlo Ausino, George Hilton, Eugenio Alabiso and Stelvio Cipriani. The booklet also includes other text pieces about Double Game, Tony another Double Game and Turin in Cinema a small chronological history.

No Shame’s Double Game DVD comes with an impressive amount of extras including the rarely seen sequel Tony, another Double Game which make this release a must have purchase for Polizia completists.

For more information about Double Game visit No Shame here.