The Executioner | 1974 | USA | Duke Mitchell

Known more commonly these days as Massacre Mafia Style, the film was directed by Duke Mitchell, a pseudonym for Dominic Miceli, who also wrote, produced and took the starring role too. It follows Mimi, the son of an infamous ex-Don of a Mafia crime syndicate, who is frustrated with the family name’s deprecation in the US. Determined to build up respect for his family’s honour, Mimi travels to the US ambitiously trying to seize control of the city’s criminal undertakings, sometimes by brutal force. A clear labour of love with a ton of inspiration from famous Hollywood crime cinema like The Godfather and Mean Streets, Mitchell manages to create a very entertaining flick with less of the budget but more of the enthusiasm. Some of the violent sequences, including a gangster being impaled on a meat hook through the eye (which was also part of the VHS artwork) signalled concern to the DPP.