Review of Speed Driver

Speed Driver (1980)
4/10
Where's the action, Stelvio?
3 March 2019
What are you trying to do to me here, Stelvio Massi? I've been a big fan of Mark the Narc, Mark Headbutts the Pope and several billion moustache epics starring Maurizio Merli, but this is too far.

Fabio Testi is a hot shot stunt driver/racer out to make a quick buck to have his heroin-crazed brother treated in hospital when he catches the eye of suddenly-with-a-full-head-of-hair-again promoter Francisco Rabal. Francisco is all full of encouragement and invites him to come and be his star racer on the professional track, but Fabio soons finds that the job that is too good to be true...is too good to be true.

Testi has without his knowledge smuggled drugs into whatever country they are in, and he's not too happy. Rabal's all like 'too bad buddy' and blackmails him into dropping off a shipment in between races. Will Testi tow the line for this wig-wearing drug-donkey, or will he drive his new fangled racing car directly up Francisco Rabal's rectum?

Sadly, apart from lots of car racing, not much happens in this film, which is disappointing. Usually Stelvio Massi at leasts builds up to a great shoot-out in a warehouse or something similar involving Maurizio Merli, but don't expect that here. Throw in a lot of drama where Testi starts being a jerk to everyone because his brother died and a journalist who may or may not be double-crossing him, and that's about it. Massi seems to have a lot of genuine racing going on, but the stock footage crashes stand out a mile, even in the terrible transferred laserdisc version I watched.

Massi also made Speed Cross the same year, also with Testi. I hope that one's better. That's one hundred and forty-six of these Italian crime films I've watched, so if I don't like it that much, something's wrong.
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