A Man Called Rage (1984) Rage - Fuoco incrociato (original title)

Director:

Tonino Ricci

Writers:

Jaime Comas Gil (story) &
Eugenio Benito (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

October 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Thriller | Sci-Fi

Plot:

In a post-apocalyptic world, a soldier of fortune enters "The Forbidden Land" to find uranium that will help save mankind. However, a rival adventurer is also after the uranium, but for his own ends. |

Plot Keywords:

Uranium | Rebel | Future | Desert | Gang

Cast

Bruno Minniti	...	Rage (as Conrad Nichols)
Stelio Candelli	...	Slash (as Steve Eliot)
Werner Pochath	...	Victor
Taida Urruzola	...	Mara
Cris Huerta	...	Omar (as Chris Huerta)
Lola Bayo
Ann Karen
Joaquín Parra
Anna Karin
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ottaviano Dell'Acqua	...	Soldier / Raider
Gianluca Petrazzi
Riccardo Petrazzi	...	Soldier
Renzo Pevarello	...	Slash Henchman
Rinaldo Zamperla
Larry Dolgin	...	Victor (voice: English version) (uncredited)
Ted Rusoff	...	Rage (voice: English version) (uncredited)

Directed by
Tonino Ricci		(as Anthony Richmond)

Writing credits
Jaime Comas Gil		(story) &
Eugenio Benito		(story)
Jaime Comas Gil		(screenplay) &
Eugenio Benito		(screenplay)

Produced by
Jaime Comas Gil	....	executive producer (as Jaime Comas)
Paolo Ferrara	....	producer

Original Music by
Stelvio Cipriani

Cinematography by
Giovanni Bergamini

Film Editing by
Vincenzo Tomassi

Costume Design by
Simona Mattei		(as Simonetta Mattei)

Makeup Department
Paca Almenara	....	assistant makeup artist
Maria Fiocca	....	hair stylist
Maria Fiocca	....	makeup artist
Dolores Merlo	....	key makeup artist (as Lola Merlo)
Dante Trani	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Rossella Ferrero	....	production supervisor
Maurizio Mattei	....	production manager
Manuel Muñoz	....	production supervisor
Mario Pedraza	....	production director

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Giancarlo Bastianoni	....	assistant director
Enrique Pérez de Gomara	....	assistant director

Art Department
Luciano Argento	....	decorator
Javier Fernández	....	set designer

Sound Department
Raul Montesanti	....	sound engineer (as Raoul Montesanti)

Special Effects by
Antonio Molina	....	special effects
Basilio Patrizi	....	special effects
Paolo Ricci	....	special effects

Stunts
Ottaviano Dell'Acqua	....	stunt team
Gianluca Petrazzi	....	stunt team (as Gianluca Petrassi)
Riccardo Petrazzi	....	stunt team (as Riccardo Petrassi)
Renzo Pevarello	....	stunt team
Rinaldo Zamperla	....	stunt team

Camera and Electrical Department
Mario Bagnato	....	assistant camera
Franco Bonanni	....	key grip
Julio Burgos	....	camera operator
Renato Doria	....	camera operator
José Luis Jiménez	....	assistant camera (as José Luis Giménez)
Francesco Narducci	....	still photographer
Nino Tonnarini	....	gaffer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Mercedes de Segovia	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Sergio Fraticelli	....	second assistant editor
Isabella Mauro	....	second assistant editor
Giancarlo Tiburzi	....	first assistant editor
Luciano Vittori	....	color consultant

Other crew
Ludmila Arlorio Blat	....	script secretary (as Luda Arlorio)
Lillian Balteanu	....	assistant to director
Paloma Garayalde	....	script secretary (as Paloma Marayalde)
Andrea Mattei	....	production secretary
Claudio Sabatilli	....	cashier

Production Companies

• Tiber Cinematografica International
• Arco Film

Distributors

• Cinema Shares International Distribution (1986) (USA) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• Gel International (1984) (worldwide) (theatrical)
• CMV Laservision (2013) (Germany) (DVD)
• PolyGram Vídeo (1986) (Spain) (video)
• USA Home Video (II) (1986) (USA) (video) (a "Sybil Danning's Adventure Video")

Other Companies

• Tecnison S.A.  sound post-production

Also Known As:

"Rage - Fuoco incrociato" - Italy (original title)
"Rage" - International (English title)

Runtime:

Italy:91 min | USA:90 min | Spain:86 min

Country:

Italy | Spain

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Norway:15 | USA:Not Rated | West Germany:18 (cut version) | Spain:18 | Portugal:M/12

Filming Locations:

Almería, Andalucía, Spain

Company:

Tiber Cinematografica International

Movie Connections:

Remade as Dream Warrior (2003)

Surprisingly watchable

With the name Tonino Ricci connected to this, one could be quite forgiven for initially fleeing in horror at the very prospect of sitting through it in its entirety.

Ricci is widely considered to be one of if not THE most consistently inept director working in the Italian film business and has the ignominy of boasting a long list of inane and poorly made action films to his name.

Having viewed a fair few of these undistinguished titles I would certainly concede that the allegations made against Ricci are mostly well founded; His works are generally mind numbing affairs containing lacklustre action and poor acting in addition to the conspicuous absence of anything remotely resembling plotting.

It was with this somewhat ominous factor in the back of my mind that I sat down to view the film in question here which stars Ricci regular Luigi Mezzanotte (billed here as he very often is as Conrad Nichols)

And my verdict? Well, much to my pleasant surprise it actually wasn't half bad.

OK so it's admittedly no masterpiece, it's obviously been shot on the cheap, the acting is hardly stellar and it's been entirely overdubbed throughout (despite the fact that the actors are clearly speaking in English beneath the dub anyway!!!) In fact this is unmistakably a Ricci made film, comprising a typically aimless storyline with plenty of his trademark padding to bump up the movies running time (in this case comprising our protagonists driving incessantly around in a jeep for most of the movies duration) But…….much like the same director's Thor The Conqueror (again starring Nichols) and despite its many flaws, this actually proves to be quite a watchable affair.

The post nuclear war story has Nichols, who stars as Captain Strike (what a cool name!), code name: Rage (what an even cooler name!!!) being hired by a group of fellow survivors (including Italian B-movie regular Werner Pochath) to obtain a stash of uranium which they desperately require in order to power their generators in this hostile and baron world. Rage reluctantly agrees to undertake the mission but the path turns out to be fraught with danger as he and his small group face various perils along the way in addition to being pursued by an old enemy named Slash (no, not the former Guns & Roses guitarist!) Cue some fairly decent action sequences and a surprisingly happy albeit sloppily conceived ending and you have an undemanding and mildly enjoyable watch for 90 or so minutes.

I must make special note of two things here which certainly up'ed the rating I have awarded this: One is an absolutely hilarious scene in which our hero's are beset by some radiation infected mutants. How is this hilarious you may well ask? Well as Rage is giving the attackers a jolly good beat down we are treated to what must surely rank as some of the most bizarrely inappropriate music ever put to any scene in any film – ever! The sensation of watching a violent sequence backed by some incredibly 'happy' sounding music proves to be almost surreal and had me in absolute hysterics.

The second point of special interest, and forgive me if this sounds at all sexist, but the female lead in this is a MAJOR HOTTIE!!!! Not only that, she dresses in tight denim shorts and a revealing vest for most of the movies running time! WHOA!!!

Ahem…..anyway to summarise, the film is certainly worth checking out if you have a fondness for the post nuke genre and is without doubt one of the more dignified highlights of its directors much maligned career.