Crime Cult Classic

A disgraced investigator is drawn back into a deadly web of drugs, murder, and sleaze in 1970s Rome.

RED HOT SHOT

Q: What is Red Hot Shot about?

Red Hot Shot follows Frank, a former investigator removed from a case involving a corrupt pharmaceutical owner, who is called back to investigate when the suspect is murdered.

1970 · 1h 44m · X · Crime / Thriller · IMDB TMDB

Frank was removed from an investigation into Mac Brown, the owner of a pharmaceutical company, who was suspected of drug trafficking and illegal experiments on teenagers. When Brown is murdered, Frank is called to investigate...

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Quick Answer

What is Red Hot Shot about?

Red Hot Shot is a 1970 Italian crime thriller directed by Piero Zuffi about an investigator named Frank who is called back to a case involving murder and illegal experiments after being removed from an earlier investigation.

Programmer's Pick

Red Hot Shot delivers a potent cocktail of giallo sleaze and poliziottesco grit: murder, corruption, and a protagonist who’s as compromised as his adversaries. If you’re craving moody Italian crime with a dash of illicit pharma, this one’s got your number.

— SassyFlix Programmer

Overview

Frank, once removed from a sensitive investigation into Mac Brown—a pharmaceutical mogul suspected of running drug trafficking operations and conducting illicit experiments on teenagers—is unexpectedly pulled back in when Brown is murdered. Set against the shadowy underbelly of 1970s Italy, the film follows Frank as he navigates a labyrinth of sleaze, violence, and intrigue. Red Hot Shot fuses elements of giallo and poliziottesco, immersing viewers in a world where the lines between lawman and outcast blur, and every revelation leads deeper into a criminal underworld. Expect a stylish, morally ambiguous thriller where nothing is straightforward and every character has something to hide.

Details & Specs

Director: Piero Zuffi
Writers: Piero Zuffi, Ennio Flaiano
Release: 1970
Runtime: 1h 44m
Country: Italy
Language: Italian
Genres: Crime, Thriller
Also Known As: The Syndicate: A Death in the Family, Red Hot Shot, Original title: Colpo rovente

Why This Matters

This Italian crime film, co-written by renowned screenwriter Ennio Flaiano and director Piero Zuffi, was restored and featured in the 2004 Venice International Film Festival's retrospective on Italian B-movies, highlighting its place within the genre.

— SassyFlix Curator