The Suspicious Death of a Minor

A hybrid of crime thriller, slasher film (giallo), and sexploitation drama, Sergio Martino's The Suspicious Death of a Minor (1975) is an Italian genre curio about a prostitution ring trafficking in minors. Claudio Cassinelli stars as Paolo Germi, who goes in search of a teenage hooker he met at an outdoor café. A cop with the Special Investigations Division on a deep cover case, Germi hires a genial, Vespa-driving purse snatcher (Adolfo Caruso) as his guide through the criminal underworld as he tries to find the hidden power behind the trafficking ring. Along the way, there's a mysterious assassin in mirrored glasses murdering witnesses, a bang-up car chase through the streets of Milan, and an inventive finale aboard a railroad flatbed transporting the assassin's car out of the country. Never before released in the U.S., the film is ultimately unsatisfying as either crime thriller or murder mystery. Cassinelli is an engaging hero, however, and the centerpiece car chase is beautifully choreographed and executed. Token American star Mel Ferrer has a couple of scenes as Paolo's boss but is dubbed in both the Italian and English language soundtracks. Extras include audio commentary by Italian genre movie expert Troy Howarth and a new interview with director Martino. Optional. (S. Axmaker)