Massimo Vanni

Acting

Massimo Vanni

Born

1946-07-08 (80)

Place of birth

Rome, Lazio, Italy

Known for

Acting

Credits

62 titles

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.

Known for

Gangs of New York poster
7.3

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.

Gangs of New York

2002

Keoma poster
6.8

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.

Keoma

1976

Rats: Night of Terror poster
4.8

One hundred years after a nuclear war has devastated the planet, society has been reborn into two factions; the underground society and the scavangers above in the wastelands. A group of scavangers on bikes come across a town infested with flesh eating rats, and soon the gore is spilling everywhere.

Rats: Night of Terror

1984

The Last Shark poster
5.4

When a 35-foot great white shark begins to wreak havoc on a seaside town, the mayor, not wanting to endanger his gubernatorial campaign, declines to act, so a local shark hunter and horror author band together to stop the beast.

The Last Shark

1981

Seven Beauties poster
7.4

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.

Seven Beauties

1975

Escape from the Bronx poster
4.9

A ragtag group of people have to fight extermination squads amid their ruined city.

Escape from the Bronx

1983

Film credits

2020s · 3 titles

2000s · 7 titles

Gangs of New York poster
7.3

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.

Gangs of New York

2002

The Borgia poster
5.2

A portrait of the bloody dynasty that spawned a pope, Alexander VI, as well as the role model for Machiavelli's “The Prince,” his son Cesare Borgia, and a legend of femme duplicity, daughter Lucrezia Borgia.

The Borgia

2006

Crime Novel poster
7.1

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.

Crime Novel

2005

Vajont poster
6.6

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.

Vajont

2001

Il ritorno del Monnezza poster
4.3

Rocky Giraldi, son of police officer Nico, followed in his father's footsteps and is now an agent in the police force's operational departments. He is currently working on a seemingly straightforward case: the murder of a burglar. In reality, behind the crime lies a dangerous network of drug dealers involved in money laundering, which also includes an important law enforcement official whom the man knows well.

Il ritorno del Monnezza

2005

Five Moons Plaza poster
5.7

Just the night before his retirement District Attorney Saracini is given a film showing the kidnapping of Aldo Moro. As the District Attorney takes on the case he along with his team finds more compelling and secretive evidences. Too many secrets are found that should stayed as secrets.

Five Moons Plaza

2003

Ti stramo - Ho voglia di un'ultima notte da manuale prima di tre baci sopra il cielo poster
4.9

Friedberg/Seltzer-like spoof about popular Italian teen romance movies of the aughts (such as Tre metri sopra il cielo, Come tu mi vuoi, Ho voglia di te, Notte prima degli esami, Melissa P., etc).

Ti stramo - Ho voglia di un'ultima notte da manuale prima di tre baci sopra il cielo

2008

1990s · 5 titles

The Wax Mask poster
5.6

Paris, 1900: a couple are horribly murdered by a masked man with a metal claw who rips their hearts out. The sole survivor and witness to the massacre is a young girl. Twelve years later in Rome a new wax museum is opened, whose main attractions are lifelike recreations of gruesome murder scenes. A young man bets that he will spend the night in the museum but is found dead the morning after. Soon, people start disappearing from the streets of Rome and the wax museum halls begin filling with new figures...

The Wax Mask

1997

A Pure Formality poster
7.4

Famous writer Onoff is 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.

A Pure Formality

1994

Desert of Fire poster
8.4

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.

Desert of Fire

1997

After Death poster
4.9

Seeking the cure for cancer, a woman goes back to the island where her parents were killed, and accidentally raises the dead by angering a voodoo priest.

After Death

1990

Pierino Stecchino poster
NR

No synopsis available yet.

Pierino Stecchino

1992

1980s · 22 titles

Rats: Night of Terror poster
4.8

One hundred years after a nuclear war has devastated the planet, society has been reborn into two factions; the underground society and the scavangers above in the wastelands. A group of scavangers on bikes come across a town infested with flesh eating rats, and soon the gore is spilling everywhere.

Rats: Night of Terror

1984

The Last Shark poster
5.4

When a 35-foot great white shark begins to wreak havoc on a seaside town, the mayor, not wanting to endanger his gubernatorial campaign, declines to act, so a local shark hunter and horror author band together to stop the beast.

The Last Shark

1981

Escape from the Bronx poster
4.9

A ragtag group of people have to fight extermination squads amid their ruined city.

Escape from the Bronx

1983

Zombie Flesh Eaters 2 poster
5.1

When a terrorist's body, infected with a stolen chemical, is recovered by the US military, the corpse is cremated, unintentionally releasing a virus and bacteria into the atmosphere over a small island.

Zombie Flesh Eaters 2

1988

Light Blast poster
4.4

A policeman saves San Francisco from a mad scientist holding it hostage with a laser gun.

Light Blast

1985

1990: The Bronx Warriors poster
5.0

In post-apocalyptic New York City a policeman infiltrates the Bronx which has become a battleground for several murderous street gangs.

1990: The Bronx Warriors

1982

The New Barbarians poster
4.3

Two mercenaries help wandering caravans fight off an evil and aimless band of white-clad bikers after the nuclear holocaust.

The New Barbarians

1983

Shocking Dark poster
4.5

In a polluted future Venice researchers work to improve the situation. One day, unknown forces start killing them. A team of soldiers and a couple of civilians is sent to investigate. Soon, they encounter strange murderous creatures.

Shocking Dark

1989

Blastfighter poster
5.3

An ex-cop, fresh out of prison, returns home to find it ruled by violent rednecks and must fight to protect himself and his daughter, using his combat skills and a powerful grenade launcher.

Blastfighter

1984

Crime at Porta Romana poster
5.9

A police inspector is called to Milan to investigate a murder case since he grew up in the same ghetto as the suspect.

Crime at Porta Romana

1980

Day of the Cobra poster
6.1

An American narcotics agent is murdered in Italy. The head of the department decides to hire Larry Stanziani, 'The Cobra'. Larry, a former agent and now a third-rate private detective, uses the opportunity to get even with an old enemy, but soon he finds out he's facing a relentless organization

Day of the Cobra

1980

Tuareg: Desert Warrior poster
5.3

In a desolate section of the Sahara once ruled by the French, two thirsty men stumble into the camp of a Tuareg warrior where they're given water and shelter. Soldiers from the new Arab government now arrive by Jeep and demand the two men be turned over to them. The warrior refuses, citing the sacred laws of hospitality. The soldiers shoot dead one of the men and carry off the other - a political foe of the new government. The warrior mounts his camel and rides off to rescue his kidnapped guest.

Tuareg: Desert Warrior

1984

My Sister and I poster
6.5

Carlo is a responsible sibling who deals with his black-sheep sister Silvia in this situation comedy. When Silvia returns after many years to attend her mother's funeral, Carlo deals with the fallout caused by her many love affairs. Carlo is convinced to kidnap Silvia's child whom she left in a Hungarian children's home, but she soon abandons Carlo and the baby when she takes up with a British rock star.

My Sister and I

1987

Sinbad of the Seven Seas poster
4.2

Sinbad returns from the sea to find his country subjected to the will of two unscrupulous sorcerers.

Sinbad of the Seven Seas

1989

Double Target poster
4.6

After several American and British military personnel are killed in suicide attacks throughout southeast Asia, the U.S. begins to suspect a plot by the Vietnam government. To uncover the truth, the U.S. army calls upon a former commando who is looking for his long-lost son in Vietnam. While his military commanders want to see the commando succeed in his mission, his political overseers have a different set of plans.

Double Target

1987

The Repenter poster
6.2

A judge on crusade to take down the Italian Mafia uses a gangster turned state's witness (a so-called "repenter") and a New York banker to do it. But things aren't quite what they seem.

The Repenter

1985

Strike Commando 2 poster
4.8

A commando rescues his squad leader from heroin smugglers in Burma.

Strike Commando 2

1988

Born to Fight poster
6.0

Vietnam War veteran Sam Wood is a survivor of a vicious prison camp where he was brutally and painfully tortured before finally managing to escape. Then he returns to rescue his friends.

Born to Fight

1989

È arrivato mio fratello poster
5.7

Ovidio is a bored and tediously repetitive middle-school teacher, an easy target both for his students’ disgusting pranks and for the principal’s reprimands. The monotony of his yawning days is unexpectedly broken when, after twenty years of absence, his twin brother Raf turns up: an overexcited, down-and-out singer who performs for a few small-time, undemanding audiences in shabby venues on the outskirts of town. Without so much as a by-your-leave, Raf moves into his brother’s home and lives off him, shamelessly playing the part of a carefree rogue while dragging Ovidio into a series of embarrassing misunderstandings.

È arrivato mio fratello

1985

The Last Hunter poster
5.5

During the Vietnam war, an American soldier gets trapped beind enemy lines. A squad of his buddies sets out to rescue him.

The Last Hunter

1980

Robowar poster
4.4

A group of commandos heads into the jungles of Venezuela on a highly classified mission and encounters a robotic killing machine.

Robowar

1988

Cop Game poster
4.6

In the final days of the Vietnam War, someone is killing the officers of the elite Cobra Force. Two undercover M.P.'s are assigned to the case. The trail leads from the streets of Saigon to the war zone.

Cop Game

1988

1970s · 23 titles

Keoma poster
6.8

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.

Keoma

1976

Seven Beauties poster
7.4

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.

Seven Beauties

1975

Lovers and Other Relatives poster
5.5

Sandro dreams about a woman older than himself. He works as a lifeguard at the beach and at the same time he's caring for a large number of sexually unsatisfied women who are coming for the weekend without their husbands.

Lovers and Other Relatives

1974

The Inglorious Bastards poster
6.2

Set in Europe during WWII, a group of American soldiers on their way to military prison are beset upon by a German artillery attack, escaping with Switzerland in their sights. Before making it any farther, they volunteer to steal a V2 warhead for the French Underground - taking them deep into the heart of German territory.

The Inglorious Bastards

1978

A Special Cop in Action poster
6.1

A school bus with young children being kidnapped. Commissario Betti will solve the case. High action is promised, including hostage, bank robberies, car chases, prison scenes and mafia bosses!

A Special Cop in Action

1976

The Big Racket poster
6.8

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.

The Big Racket

1976

The Heroin Busters poster
6.3

Drug use in the city of Rome is at an all-time high. Children score from dealers in front of their schools, mules waltz straight through airport security, and Interpol's main man, Mike Hamilton, is at his wits' end. Fed up to the back teeth with the local police force's incompetence, his only hope is to rely on one of his own men, Fabio, an officer so deep undercover that no-one but Hamilton knows who he really is. Even as Fabio gains the trust of cartel leader Gianni, however, the dealers are edging ever closer to the truth, and when his cover is blown, the hunter becomes the hunted as Fabio finds himself alone in a desperate fight to survive.

The Heroin Busters

1977

The Swindle poster
6.5

A rude Roman policeman Nico Giraldi and an English detective team up in search of a gang that has carried out an enormous fraud against the Lloyd's of London.

The Swindle

1977

The Loves and Times of Scaramouche poster
3.3

The adventures of a cad in Napoleonic times.

The Loves and Times of Scaramouche

1976

Cry, Onion! poster
5.3

Onion Jack has bought a piece of land on which to settle, but the property is still in possession of the orphans of the original owner and is coveted by the local oil baron.

Cry, Onion!

1975

Highway Racer poster
5.5

A hot-shot police officer has more guts than brains, often landing him in hot water with his middle-aged mentor, who was once a legendary cop responsible for numerous large scale arrests.

Highway Racer

1977

Hit Squad poster
6.6

A gang of thieves are robbing luxury apartments in Rome, but after emptying the villa of the wealthy Mr. Douglas, the thieves are beginning to die.

Hit Squad

1976

Street Law poster
6.6

Carlo Antonelli, an engineer from Genoa, gets mugged and decides to take justice into his own hands. At first the muggers seem to get the upper hand, but then he's helped by Tommy, a young robber who takes his side.

Street Law

1974

Emanuelle and Françoise poster
5.1

Emanuelle is out to avenge her sister, who committed suicide after escaping from her sadistic lover Carlo. So she chains Carlo up in her basement, drugs him, and forces him to watch her having sex. As Carlo begins to hallucinate all kinds of bloody horrors and cannibalistic doings, he decides he has to break free and kill Emanuelle.

Emanuelle and Françoise

1975

Violent Rome poster
6.1

A detective sick and tired of the rampant crime and violence in his city, and constantly at odds with his superiors, is finally kicked out of the department for a "questionable" shooting of a vicious criminal. However, he is soon approached by a representative for a group of citizens who themselves are fed up with what they see as criminals going unpunished, and they make him an offer he may very well not refuse.

Violent Rome

1975

High Crime poster
6.4

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.

High Crime

1973

Hector the Mighty poster
6.0

A pimp named Horny Hector operates a brothel on property coveted by Cardinal Giove. The Cardinal comes up with a plan to force Hector into selling him the land by kidnapping Helen, triggering a small gang war.

Hector the Mighty

1972

Little Italy poster
6.2

Undercover cop Nico Giraldi travels to New York and Las Vegas to find a crooked cop who gave his squadron back in Italy a bad name.

Little Italy

1978

The Face with Two Left Feet poster
6.3

Gianni, a hotel cook, is frustratingly in love with the sexy blonde DJ at the nightclub "John's Fever" but he can't dance. When one of the cook's coworkers draws a mustache and beard on a poster of John Travolta everyone somehow finally notices that Gianni looks exactly like Travolta and the game is on.

The Face with Two Left Feet

1979

Destruction Force poster
5.8

A shoot out after a robbery ends with the death of the Chief of Police. Police detective Ghini goes in search of a suspect, Lanza, to avenge the death of his boss. Ghini's search leads him to Belli, a Sicilian gangster and 'Trashy', the dirty leader of a gang of killers. The action is violent as both police and criminals track down Belli who still finds some time to attempt a couple of robberies...

Destruction Force

1977

Weapons of Death poster
6.0

When a crime boss sends out his thugs to terrorize an entire city, they do whatever they want, which includes anything from petty theft to robbing the police station in broad daylight. Napoli spara! (internationally released as Weapons of Death and Naples shoots) is a "poliziottesco" film directed by Mario Caiano in 1977. It is an unofficial sequel of Napoli violenta, of which reprises the character of Gennarino (still played by Massimo Deda).

Weapons of Death

1977

Assassination on the Tiber poster
6.4

A black-out occurs during the meeting of a gang of criminals. When the light is back one of them is found killed with a stab on his back and all the clues point to a penniless man who had an argument with the victim a short time before the murder.

Assassination on the Tiber

1979

We Are No Angels poster
7.5

Two wannabes rig a fight with a large prize fighter to buy a car.

We Are No Angels

1975

Series credits