Mannaja: A Man Called Blade

Overview

"Once again, Blue Underground rescues a lesser-known European genre title from obscurity on their DVD of Mannaja. The video benefits from an impressive remastering job that restores the film to its full 2.35:1 theatrical ratio: the result captures the film's earthy color scheme and beautiful widescreen compositions in a truly vivid style. The audio offers English and Italian mono options: both serve up a solid, crisp soundtrack and removable English subtitles are also include for the Italian option. In terms of extras, Mannaja includes a trailer, a still and poster gallery and (best of all) a short interview segment with director Sergio Martino. The interview is guaranteed to delight fans of Italian genre films because Martino provides plenty of insight what it was like to be a journeyman director in the Italy of the 1960's and 1970's as well as plenty of fun tidbits about the making of Mannaja (like how fog and rain were used to cover the fact that the sets were in disrepair). Overall, Blue Underground has created a slick, bonus-packed DVD of an obscure cult favorite with Mannaja and it is well worth a look for spaghetti western fans."

Product Details

Release Date:	04/27/2004
UPC:	0827058103893
Original Release:	1977
Rating:	NR
Source:	Blue Underground
Region Code:	A
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Mono]
Language:	English
Time:	1:36:00
Sales rank:	44,173

Special Features

A man called Sergio: interview with director Sergio Martino; Theatrical trailer; Poster & still gallery; Sergio Martino bio

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Maurizio Merli	Blade
John Steiner	Voller
Philippe Leroy	McGowan
Sonja Jeannine	Deborah McGowan
Donald O'Brien	Burt Craven
Martine Brochard	Angela
Sonja Jeanine	Actor
Maurizio De Angelis	Composer
Guido de Angelis	Composer

Technical Credits

Sergio Martino

Director,Producer

Editorial Reviews

This late entry into the spaghetti western cycle lacks the substance that informs its best films but still offers plenty of diversions for its hardcore fans. For seasoned fans of the genre, Mannaja will play like a 'greatest hits' compendium of the spaghetti western: the gothic atmosphere and grimy town setting are reminiscent of Django, Phillipe Leroy's 'crippled baron' character is virtually lifted from Once Upon A Time In The West and the film's plotting and use of music borrow heavily from Keoma, a 1976 Italian hit that inspired the late 1970's wave of spaghetti westerns. As a result, Mannaja often comes off as being a bit derivative. That said, it's too well made to be casually dismissed: director Sergio Martino keeps the plotting lean and action intense (a scene where a massacre of innocent coach passengers is intercut with a wild saloon-girl dance number is a standout) and the haunting gothic/folk soundtrack by Guido and Maurizio De Angelis is guaranteed to stick in the viewer's memory long after the film is over. The film is further aided by a trio of excellent performances: Maurizio Merli cuts a believably macho figure as the title character, John Steiner is subtly menacing as a slick but sadistic henchman and Donald O'Brien adds some comic relief as a raggedy crook whose fortunes are tied to those of Blade. To sum up, Mannaja isn't the most original film in the spaghetti western genre but remains worth a look to fans thanks to its solid craftsmanship.