Massimo Vanni
Acting
Biography
A cousin of director Enzo G. Castellari and nephew of director Marino Girolami, Massimo Vanni became involved in the Italian film industry at a young age both as a bit-part player and stuntman before slowly graduating to larger more dramatic roles toward the end of the decade. A skilled acrobat and fight choreographer, Vanni himself became known as the Italian Jackie Chan of the 1980's, usually getting a good fight scene in before meeting with an inevitable demise.
Born: July 8, 1946
Place of Birth: Rome, Lazio, Italy
Known For
Dragonland: L'Urlo di Chen terrorizza ancora l'occidente
The first Italian documentary on the most extraordinary phenomenon of the 70s: the Kung-fu films!
Desert of Fire
A helicopter crashes in the Sahara Desert. The entire crew are killed - only a small infant miraculously survives. Emir Tafud, who has no children of his own, brings the child up as his successor. When Ben is 25 years old he decides to set off in search of his true parents. In Casablanca he meets French crook Jacquot, who takes him with him to Monte Carlo. They both actually manage to find Ben's mother Christine. She tells Ben that his father was a scientist on a secret mission to Africa. Christine wants Ben to stay in Monte Carlo and take over her firm, but Ben has his heart set on living in Belem with his adored Amina. But now Ben gradually unearths a dreadful secret: Christine's second husband François was responsible for the death of his father, who had discovered valuable minerals in the Sahara. After a bitter struggle, Ben finally succeeds in saving his homeland from Western greed.
Seven Beauties
Pasqualino Frafuso, known in Naples as "Pasqualino Seven Beauties" is a petty thief who lives off of the profits of his seven sisters while claiming to protect their honor at any cost, Pasqualino is arrested for murder and later sent to fight in the army after committing sexual assault. The Germans capture him and he gets sent to a concentration camp where he plots to make his escape by seducing a German officer.
A Pure Formality
Onoff is a famous writer, now a recluse. The Inspector is suspicious when Onoff is brought into the station one night, disoriented and suffering a kind of amnesia. In an isolated, rural police station, the Inspector tries to establish the events surrounding a killing, to reach a startling resolution.
Gangs of New York
In early 1860s New York, Irish immigrant Amsterdam Vallon is released from prison and returns to the Five Points, seeking revenge against his father's killer, William Cutting, a powerful anti-immigrant gang leader. He knows that revenge can only be attained by infiltrating Cutting's inner circle. Vallon's journey becomes a fight for personal survival and to find a place for the Irish people.
Romanzo Criminale
After serving prison time for a juvenile offense, Freddo gathers his old buddies Libano and Dandi and embarks on a crime spree that makes the trio the most powerful gangsters in Rome. Libano loves their new status, and seeks to spread their influence throughout the underworld, while the other two pursue more fleshly desires. For decades, their gang perpetrates extravagant crimes, until paranoia threatens to split the friends apart.
Keoma
Half-breed Keoma returns to his border hometown after service in the Civil War and finds it under the control of Caldwell, an ex-Confederate raider, and his vicious gang of thugs. To make matters worse, Keoma's three half-brothers have joined forces with Caldwell, and make it painfully clear that his return is an unwelcome one. Determined to break Caldwell and his brothers' grip on the town, Keoma partners with his father's former ranch hand to exact violent revenge.
The Big Racket
Nico Palmieri is a police inspector who battles a criminal gang terrorizing a sleepy Italian town, extorting cash from the local merchants. With the threat of violence, no one dares to act, except for a restaurant owner who is forced by Palmieri to tell the truth.
Vajont
On October 9th, 1963, at 10:39 pm, 260 million cubic meters of rock fell down from Mount Toc to the artificial lake formed by the Vajont dam, the higher dam in the world. The landslide formed a 250-meters wave and 50 million cubic meters of water completely destroied all the below towns, killing more than 2000 people. Planned by engineer Semenza, Vajont dam (263 meters) had to carry the electricity in all the houses of the country. Tina Merlin, a journalist from 'L'Unitá', tried for years to denounce the danger to build a dam near the Mount Toc and expecially to denounce all the omissions by the corrupted politicians and workers in charge of the dam construction. They preferred to trust in old geologist Dal Piaz instead to hear engineer Semenza young son's alarming analysis. No one seemed to understand the high danger until that October fatal night.
High Crime
An Italian police inspector matches wits with a powerful European drug ring. As he comes closer to the top of the underworld organization, his odds of survival decrease.
Filmography
as Sé stesso
as Self
as Nanni
as Self
as Gargiulio
as Moriero
as Brasi
as Uomo che tradisce la moglie
as Soldier
as Guardaspalle Gemito (uncredited)
as Killer
as Gargiulo
as Brigatista con mitra
as Bar Bouncer (uncredited)
as Roncacci
as Michele
as Killer
as Victor
as Albino
as Following Hitman
as Nicole's Friend
as Drake
as David
as Prisoner #1
as Man (uncredited)
as First Soldier (Practicing Nunchucks)
as Kelly Sellers
as Bo (as Alex McBride)
as Head of the Killers
as Pvt. Larry Guarino
as Uomo nel treno
as Russian Soldier (uncredited)
as Policeman in Warehouse
as poliziotto
as Taurus
as Dying Police Officer
as Corporal
as Big Little Man
as Mako
as Blade
as ladro baffuto
as brigadiere Gargiulo
as Jimmy (as Max Vanders)
as Brigadier Gargiulo
as Beltrame
as Phillips
as Brigadier Gargiulo
as Manuel
as Paolo
as Gargiulo
as French Resistance
as Vinnie
as brigadiere Gargiulo
as Uomo (uncredited)
as Massimo
as Marchetti
as Rosati - Undercover Cop
as Painter
as Fabbri
as Caldwell's Henchman at Wagon (uncredited)
as Brigadier Gargiulo
as Rudy's Enforcer
as Agent Vanni (uncredited)
as Man in Prison (uncredited)
as Shark Henchman
as Buck, Lamb Henchman
as Mr. Valli
as Robi
as Hood #2
as Mr. Muscle
as Killer
as Gang (uncredited)