The greatest of Mafia films stem from the country that bred the infamous culture itself: Italy. Salvo, in all its slick glory, is a strong willed addition to that; adding twists and fresh viewpoints to a notoriously difficult genre.
A bodyguard turned hit man is forced to track down the man who planned a vicious assault on his boss, and upon discovery, finds a barrier between them: the man’s blind sister, who forces him to question his intentions in life.
In the confinement of a house, with carnage heard but not seen, a shot follows a disorientated blind woman up a set of stairs, away from the conflict. In a sense, this could be seen as a summary of the film itself. Affecting, agile and suggestive. Never truly giving in to the usual brutality that, for many, makes mafia films so appealing. It’s an almost out of body, ethereal experience; observational and alluring. Drawn together by a set of gorgeous performances and a terrific, imaginative script.
There’s a fine line between homage and debt, but for those who enjoyed dark, brooding cinema, Salvo delivers an intriguing mix of stony grit with a dash of honest humanism. It conveys the emotion in an often senseless genre with riveting lead performances, and an intellect to rival the gangster films of the seventies.
The Extras
Salvo’s DVD release features a plethora of special features that would rarely be seen on a film of its size. Grassadonia and Piazza’s short film ‘Rita’ is included; a direct influence on the main feature at hand. As well as an insightful behind the scenes doc and interviews with the film’s cast and directors. If anything, Salvo is worth a DVD purchase for the beautiful ‘Rita’ alone.
Salvo is released on DVD September 29th
Editor of Frowning.us (SSJA 2014 Student Publication of the Year) & Film Writer for The Edinburgh Reporter
