Death Rage (1976) / Border Cop (1979) (DVD)

DEATH RAGE (1976): Yul Brynner plays Peter Marciani, a former hitman haunted by his brother's murder. His old gang lures him out of retirement for one last job by revealing the identity of the killer - Gennaro Gallo, the capo of a rival mob. As Peter prepares for the kill, he comes to the grim realization that he's been played for a fool. His former associates are the ones who killed his brother, to ensure he would take the hit on Gallo. Enraged, Peter vows to track down and execute each of his old "friends"...as painfully as possible.

"The second chapter of the big city vigilante! Bronson started it - Brynner finishes it!" trumpeted the posters for Death Rage, alluding to Death Wish (1974). In reality, Yul Brynner was playing a part none too different from his roles in The Magnificent Seven (1960), Invitation to a Gunfighter (1964) and The Ultimate Warrior (1975). Unhappy playing these "tough guys", Brynner stopped making movies altogether after filming Death Rage in Italy. He made a triumphant return to his signature role in The King and I on Broadway the next year. By the time of his tragic death from lung cancer in 1985, Yul had made an unbelievable 4,625 performances as the King. Sexy co-star Barbara Bouchet was in the James Bond takeoffs Agent from H.A.R.M. (1966) and Casino Royale (1967), and made a memorable appearance on Star Trek in 1967, wearing a very brief costume. Martin Balsam (who made several movies in Italy during this period) is one of the most recognizable character actors of all time, with unforgettable parts in 12 Angry Men (1957), Psycho (1960), A Thousand Clowns (1965), The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974) and All The President's Men (1976). Contains graphic violence and nudity.

BORDER COP (1979): Telly Savalas is Frank Cooper, a tough cop policing illegal immigrants on the Mexican border. Despite his hardened exterior, Cooper understands that the illegals are struggling to escape harsh circumstances, and lets some pass through. On the verge of retirement, he learns that his superior, Moffat, is part of a human trafficking ring taking advantage of the immigrants. With his shotgun in hand, Frank quits the force to enact vigilante justice on Moffat and his cronies...even if it costs him his life.

An action thriller with a premise strikingly relevant to today's times, Border Cop stars Telly Savalas hot on the heels of his enormous success portraying Kojak for five years on CBS (1973-1978). Eddie Albert is no stranger to television success himself, having played Oliver Douglas for six seasons of the beloved sitcom Green Acres (1965-1971). Michael C. Gazzo is best known for his performance in The Godfather Part II (1974), for which he was nominated for an Academy Award.

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