The Executioner (1974)
The Executioner (aka Massacre Mafia Style or Like Father, Like Son) is an American independent film from 1974. It was written, directed and produced by Italian-American crooner-singer Duke Mitchell. Mitchell was also the main actor next to Vic Ceasar. The movie is famous for it’s beginning where the two gangsters executed people from an entire officebuilding accompanied by a catchy song.
Plot the Executioner
Mimi Miceli Jr. is, the son of a Mafia don who was exiled back to Sicily. He wants to get back into the family business and transplant it from New York to Hollywood.
After the kidnapping for ransom of a West Coast Mafia boss, Mimi is back in the “life.” With the blessing of the local clan, Mimi attempts to takedown a Hollywood pimp named Superspook, who turns out to no easy mark
Notable scenes
The beginning where two gangsters execute a whole building full of office employees accompanied by a jolly song.
Making of the Executioner
In order to get extras for the wedding scene, Mitchell sent out real wedding invitations. Most of the people there thought they were going to a real wedding. He sold the wedding presents brought by the guests in order to have more funding for the film.
Duke Mitchell made a follow up film called Gone with the Pope. He died before it was edited. Recently, the rights were purchased by Sage Stallone and Bob Murawski of Grindhouse Releasing. They are finishing the film for Duke Mitchell.
According to the documentary Like Father, Like Son (2009), Duke Mitchell actually plugged crippled stage manager Maurice Duke’s wheel chair into an outlet and put his foot in a urinal because he was mad at him. This inspired the opening scene.
Frank Sinatra was offered a role in the film. His response was “Duke, I love you but I get paid real money to do real movies.”
Made in response to The Godfather (1972), Duke Mitchell took many of the events in this film from real life stories he heard from mob buddies while performing stage shows.
Developed a cult following upon its release to VHS. This revived its theatrical run in Grindhouse theaters during the 80s.
In the original treatments for the film, Jolly Rizzo was written as a black character (meant to be played by Mitchell’s friend George Jacobs).
Frank Sinatra was offered a role in the film. His response was “Duke, I love you but I get paid real money to do real movies.”
The music track for “Tic-a-Te” in the opening scene was originally recorded in the early 1960s for the novelty song “Buzzy the Christmas Bee”, for which Duke Mitchell wrote the lyrics and his ten-year-old son Jeff recorded. “Tic-a-Te” was originally a popular Italian song in the 1920s.
Our view on the Executioner
The Executioner is a Personalized, Visionary Style emanates from the Id of Writer/Director/Producer/Actor/Singer/Lounge Performer, Duke Mitchell. This Movie one of two He helm-ed, the other Gone With the Pope (that was shot but not edited before His death) finished by Fans and Friends and finally released.
Produced with no budget m and a whole lot of misguided enthusiasm, this is amateur filmmaking uncorrupted by Hollywood. Exploitflix must see!
