El Professore Movie: Massacre Mafia Style (aka The Executioner) (aka Like Father, Like Son)

An amazing, no budget legend of a film that became a huge Grindhouse theater favorite in the '70s and a video fave in the '80s.

1978
Director: Duke Mitchell
Starring: Duke Mitchell, Vic Ceasar, Lorenzo Dodo
* * * *

This was the labor of love of one Duke Mitchell (real name, Dominic Miceli). Duke was initially a popular lounge singer in the '50s (where he was known as Mr. Palm Springs). He was also part of a Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis imitation act with Sammy Petrillo (Duke played Dean). In 1952, they appeared together in the notorious comedy, 'Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla'. That film probably deserves it's own blog entry... or maybe not.

Full review after the jump.

El Professore Movie Review: The Italian Connection (aka Manhunt)

The Italian Connection (aka Manhunt)

1972
Director: Fernando Di Leo
Starring: Mario Adorf, Henry Silva, Woody Strode, Luca Canali, Luciana Paluzzi
* * * *

Luca Carnali (Mario Adorf in a decided offbeat casting decision), a small time mobster and pimp in Milan, finds his world turned upside down when he is made the unwitting fallguy by the local Godfather and framed for a shipment of heroine that goes missing en route to New York. A pair of hitmen from the Big Apple (a loud and obnoxious Henry Silva and a nearly mute Woody Strode) are dispatched to Italy in order to kill him "in the most brutal and conspicuous way possible" in order to send a "message". After his wife and daughter are murdered, Carnali loses it and turns from hunted to hunter as he seeks revenge on The Don, the hitmen and anyone else who stands in his way.

Full review after the jump!

El Professore Movie Review: Hap Ki Do (aka Lady Kung Fu)

El Professore Movie is a good friend of mine named Jeff Goodhartz. A few years ago, Jeff and I (along with two others) hosted a weekly screening at The Loft Film Club. Jeff would feature films that I had never seen or heard of, and his choices have left a long lasting impression ever since. Films like Assault on Precinct 13, Dark Star, Used Cars, APE, Targets, and much more. I'm very happy to bring Jeff's tastes to Fruitless Pursuits. 

                                                                                                          -J. Tagmire

Hap Ki Do (aka Lady Kung Fu)

1972
Director: Hwang Feng
Starring: Angela Mao, Carter Wong, Sammo Hung, Whang Ing Sik
* * 1/2

Hap Ki Do was an early entry from Hong Kong action superstarlet Angela Mao (aka Mao Ying) and under it's retitling Lady Kung Fu, was a big hit in U.S. theaters. 

Click through the jump for the full review.