THE DEATH COLLECTOR
(The Family Enforcer)1974 Ralph De Vito USA
Starring: Joe Cortese, Lou Criscuola, Joe Pesci, Frank Vincent, Anne Johns
The Death Collector is one of those rare low-budget independant films where everything works. A lot of these films rely too much on dialog and acting, when the talent isn't there, which isn't the case with this film. Exellent performances by just about everyone, including Frank Vincent and a very young looking Joe Pesci, both of whom would later star in some of Scorcese's best films: Raging Bull, Goodfellas and Casino (Frank Vincent's name in Casino was Frankie Marino, just like me!).
In fact, it is rumored that Martin Scorcese chose the two actors for Raging Bull after seeing The Death Collector. The film does have a simular feel to Scorsese, and writter/director Ralph De Vito probably grew up around mafia guys, because there is a very realistic tone running through the film.
The direction, photography and editing are very well done, occassionaly awe-insiring, such as the montage of Pauly getting whacked, which now that i think of it, is very simular to Pesci's death scene in Casino.
Any way, the story involves a guy named Jerry (Joe Cortese) who after being out of town for awhile shows up looking for work. He hits up local small time boss Anthony (Lou Criscuola) for work collecting debts. This is where it starts to go down hill for Jerry, because he isn't very lucky with the collections. One deadbeat (Frank Vincent) not only doesn't want to pay, he hires some goons to take Jerry out. They fuck up the job though, and Jerry goes back and breaks his leg and neck.
Eventually Jerry is talked in to going out on a score with Joe Pesci, robbing a payroll from a supermarket. The job goes fairly well, but back at the hotel, another hitman hired by Vincent kills Pesci and his friend.
Now royaly pissed, Jerry find the hitman and blasts him with a sawed-off shot gun right in the gut, sending a spray of blood about ten feet out-an amazing scene!
I won't spoil how the film ends, but i'll just say that Anthony is pissed about not getting his money.
An absolute gem of a movie that deserves to be rediscovered.
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