我害怕 Io Ho Paura (1977)

Damiano made this "I Am Afraid"; which is arguably his best effort and inarguably one of the most intense police thrillers ever made. The plot is rather convoluted and continuously introduces new characters, so you definitely have to pay close attention and remain alert for all the little twists, but even if you don't understand all the connections straight away (like I did), "I Am Afraid" nevertheless remains a truly compelling and suspenseful thrill-ride that you find yourself staring at with your eyes and mouth wide open. Ludovico Graziano is an adequate police officer who gets assigned as the personal bodyguard of Judge Cancedda, because with the powerful crime networks and corruption going on in the city lately, a lot of judges are being assassinated. The more time Graziano spends with the honest Judge Cancedda, the more he becomes involved in a highly life-threatening manhunt. "I Am Afraid" has practically everything a cult movie fanatic could be looking for: a deeply melancholic ambiance that makes the whole story plausible and very bitter-tasting, dubious authority figure characters, some genuine moments of violence (the elimination of the female witness through her window is a real shock), a mesmerizing denouement, a masterful Riz Ortolani score and dazzling acting performances. Gian Maria Volonté is truly amazing as the drowning copper who increasingly fears – with good reason – for his own life. Inspector Graziano is everything but a coward, but he righteously grows more afraid because there isn't anyone he can trust in his police surrounding. Volonté truly manages to translate this difficult-to-act emotion onto the viewer very well. He also receives excellent support, especially in the second half of the film, from the bombastic Italian acting legend Mario Adorf.