In 1970, unbelievably cool action went by the name of Violent City, and that's a fact. God only knows how this one slipped by me over the years, but I'll quit living in the past. Needless to say, Anchor Bay continues their streak of excellence with this fine presentation of a lost classic on DVD and I sure am glad I was able to rediscover it.

Charles Bronson stars as Jeff, a hit man on vacation with his best girl Vanessa (played by the sultry Jill Ireland, and Bronson's partner many times over on the big screen) on the sandy beaches of the Virgin Islands. While basking in the sun, there is an attempt on Jeff's life and he and Vanessa manage a quick escape in a cool 12 minute car chase that features no dialogue (and is very effective mind you). Jeff gets the best of his assailants, and ends the whole ordeal with a bullet of his own with his assassins name on it. Jeff is in turn sent to prison (was it self defense?), and upon his release some time later, there is an attempt to lure him back into the syndicate by crime lord Weber (played by the always cool Telly Savalas). Jeff wants nothing to do with any of this as in prison he had a change of heart and decided he just wants out of the business altogether. Besides, he's got revenge on his mind, as he also discovered that Vanessa and her "other" lover had set him up from the start (now it's getting juicy). Jeff gets his revenge (and how), he also thinks he gets the girl, but not without a bit of deceit and blackmail thrown in for good measure (trust me, I'm not giving away too much). The question is who's playing whom? In an extremely effective final act we're given all the answers and more than we bargained for as the twists are piled on until the final frame. Oh, and did I mention the diner with the awesome giant spinning root beer mug outside? That alone is worth the price of admission, isn't it?

Violent City, while not an example of classic cinema at its best (it's a bit cliché at times by today's standards and there aren't really too many surprises until the very end.) was still way ahead of the pack in 1970. The performances are all top notch (at least I thought they were) and let's face it; Charles Bronson is just one hell of a badass motherfucker. To top it of, this scope presentation of Violent City is a true film lovers dream. The proper framing is a showcase for the true formidable talents of director Sergio Sollima as he's truly a director for lovers of film. Sergio's use of images and sound is that of a true master as he knows exactly what to do and where to do it. Absolutely nothing is misplaced and presentation is near flawless. The ultra cool 70's soundtrack brought forth by the incredibly talented Ennio Morricone is without a doubt one of his best and is a fitting compliment to the deliberately placed images in every frame.

I know I'm going to start sounding like a broken record, but Anchor Bay has done it again. This presentation of Violent City is truly breathtaking and is a revelation in every sense of the word. The print used is in immaculate condition with barely a scratch or a spec to be found. Colors are crisp and sharp and just about leap off the screen. This is a film that was shot in 1970? You could have fooled me. On the other hand sound is a mixed bag. The Mono presentation is fine for the most part, with dialogue remaining crisp and clear and the music and effects never overpowering the spoken word. There are a few scenes in which dialogue sounds a bit "tinny" and I refer you back to my tin can syndrome, in which the dialogue sounds as if it had been spoken through 2 tin cans tied together with a string. It's not like this throughout the film, however it does pop up on occasion (one scene in particular in which Weber and Jeff are in a car comes to mind) and it's noticeable, so I felt it to be worth mentioning.

Anchor Bay boasts this version of Violent City to be the most complete to date, and some scenes are still in Italian because they were never translated into English. Following suit with some previous titles (Deep Red for example) Anchor Bay presents these scenes subtitled in English. The difference between prints is barely noticeable (except for maybe a few scenes) and for the most part everything blends together fairly well. Extras include an informative 15 minute interview/documentary with director Sergio Sollima (subtitled) entitled Shooting Violent City. There are some interesting points brought up throughout, and the featurette is a nice addition to an already impressive package. Also included is a trailer in OK shape and a 3 minute still gallery set to the Morricone score in Stereo Surround, now THAT is nice, thanks Anchor Bay! The package is rounded out with your standard Bios.

All in all this is a superior presentation by Anchor Bay of a title that no one could have expected to show up on DVD. My one wish would have been to include two versions of the film (a la Wicker Man and Army of Darkness), the original cut and the cut with the additional scenes in Italian. There are a lot of scenes added in, and it really does change some important elements of the story. The other cut of the film seems like it would have been a bit tighter (and would have played off a bit differently as well) and it would have been interesting to view them independently of each other, but alas, beggars can't be choosers and this will suffice just fine. Faults and all, we couldn't have asked for any more of a Violent City to enjoy.