Family Enforcer

Family Enforcer (Death Collector) directed by Ralph Devito Starring Joe Cortese. (1976)

Before Joe Pesci was stabbing other mooks with pens and crushing heads in vices, he was a struggling actor and part time Doo Wop singer (believe it or not)! He's not even the star of this Wopsploitation vehicle (sorry to "borrow" your invented term Stefano)!

   The guy getting all the action is Jerry Bolanti (played by Joe Cortese), he's an unhinged, feathered haired low life street thug. 

   There's so many authentic gritty New York 70's Italian Americans, that this film instantly speaks to my marinara filled veins, it's the reason I loved Massacre Mafia Style so much!

   There's some really choice dialogue too like "Hey College Boy! Go Walk Your Poodle Before I Get Really Mad And Bite Your Nose Off! Speaking of Poodles, remember when they cooked Jolly's Poodle in Massacre, fugget-a-boutit! 

   The soundtrack has that same dime-store hammond sound that the Deep Throat one.

Jerry's errands include racing around the mean streets of Jersey, paying respects to gambling lounges and target practice in the junkyard, he seems to have it made!

Once again, I get over shadowed by some taller mook

    Joe Pesci (who plays a guy named Joey Boombats) is hanging out at the wood panel lounge cluttered with goombas taking bets. He fucks up and intimidates Buddy Scalizzi, who's dad is obviously a teflon don and his mentor warns him not to start up another Vietnam (in Joisey of all places)!

   Jerry is such a dumb ass hood with balls the size of an On-cor family sized meal, don't forget to invite Al from Happy Days over!

   According to an unauthorized biography about Deniro by Andy Dougan, Pesci walked away from acting after this minor role and ran a restaurant for awhile. Deniro apparently saw Family Enforcer and got Scorsese to track him down for an iconic part as his younger brother in Raging Bull (17 Dougan).     

   Jerry has no ambition other than being a death collector and mob enforcer (you gotta be some kinda buttagots to not figure that out from the title)! The plot is that simple, but what makes Family so special is the authentic Italian culture that's injected through-out, its something you can't fake and its hilarious and endearing!

I'm not Ron Jeremy's stuntcock

Frank " Go home and get your shinebox" Vincent shows up in decked out like a greasy pimp with a giant afro!  Once Bolanti assumes his new role as a mob enforcer, his demeanor is more calm as he methodically takes out a gun and places it on the table. A shotgun is blasted from out of the side of Jerry's car and he gets shredded up pretty good, but doesn't die.

   His girlfriend patches him up and has to deal with his rotten attitude. Mr. Felashuh (Vincent) quickly turns into the main villain and him and Bolanti take potshots at each other. All kinds of hitmen crawl out of the wood work and they don't waste time in this flick as enemies are put to death.

Got any reading material?

   My favorite character is Serge (Bobby Alto), the dopiest Playgirl reading stunad.    

I love the part when they pelt this Italian Liberace with peanuts and he sings "Stop it with the freaking peanuts"!

Check out the cannoli on that fanook

   During the last 30 minutes the comedy is pretty great, but then it gets dark, as an assassin shows up to break up the party.

   The acting is top notch for such a skeevy production and it makes sense that most of the cast is still around working today. The dialogue has a natural quality and seems improvised at times.

   The audio and picture quality of the download from archive.org is horrendous and once Grindhouse Releasing puts out a restored version of this rare film, it'll be a long awaited treat!

Highly Recommended and I suggest you wait for the legit DVD release for the full impact, my ears were buzzing from the scratchy noises on the audio track!
Check out the GR Trailer