Indio (1989)

1989 - Indio (Filmauro/R.P.A. International/Reteitalia)

[An Italian production filmed in the Philippines, Argentina, Borneo and Brazil]

Director “Anthony M. Dawson”/Antonio Margheriti Story/Producer Filiberto Bandini Screenplay Gianfranco Bucceri, Filiberto Bandini Executive Producer Paolo Lucidi Cinematography Sergio D'Offizi Music Pino Donaggio Editor Christopher Holmes [Antonio Margeriti's official website lists Claudio Curty] Production Managers Gian Franco Coduti, Enrico Coletti Assistant Director Edoardo Margheriti Production Designer Giorgio Postiglione Casting Louis di Giaimo Costume Designer Adriana Berselli Second Unit Cinematography Antonio Maccoppi Camera Operator Sandro Tamborra First Assistant Camera Eric Biglietto Script Supervisor Antonella Margheriti Production Accountant Alfredo Cafiero Location Accountant Luciano Tartaglia Sound Mixer Carlo Palmieri Boom Operator Piero Fondi Key Make-Up Artist Massimo Giustini Key Hair Stylist Armenio Marroni Property Master Vittorio Ferrero Key Grip Orlando Zuccari Key Gaffer Enrico D’Offizi First Assistant Editor Ewa Holmes Assistant Editors Angela Rosa Taccari, Giuseppa Carmela La Rosa Dialogue Director Norman B. Schwartz ADR Editor Ronald Sinclair Re-Recording Mixers Wayne Heitman, Matthew Iadarola Re-Recordist Mark “Frito” Long Sound Editors Richard Shorr, Luciano E. Massimo Anzellotti Unit Publicist Maria Ruhle Stills Franco Vitale Still Laboratory Roberto Russo Color Supervisor Carlo La Bella Music Mixer Sergio Marcotulli

Unconfirmed Credits [From the IMDB, not listed in the film credits] Executive Producer Maurizio Amati Special Effects Supervisor Edoardo Margheriti Operations Manager: Zoetrope Studios/Commercial Pictures Drew McKeen Keyboards/Synthesizer Programmer Maurizio Guarini Synthesizers Assistant Cinzia Cavalieri

Cast Marvelous Marvin Hagler (Jake), Francesco Quinn (Daniel Morell), Brian Dennehy (Whytaker), [uncredited] Rene Abadeza (Tribesman), Tetchie Agbayani, Larry Atlas (Moose), David Brass (Head Guard), David Light (Softball Team Member), Bari K. Willerford (Softball Team Member)

Mike Martinez’s review from the official Antonio Margheriti site:

Probably the easiest of all Margheriti's movies to find in video stores, Indio succeeds in being a solid action film, despite the obviously micro-budget Margheriti had to film with. Anthony Quinn's son Francesco Quinn (Platoon, Casablanca Express) stars as Daniel Morrell, a young Marine who goes to visit his father who heads up a tribe, the "Indios", down in the Amazon. Meanwhile, huge transportation tycoon Brian Dennehy (FX and First Blood), is busy building a road through native land, forcing the natives to vacate their villages with gangs of well-armed mercenaries. When his father is killed in one of the attacks, Morrell begins a one-man war against the road company, destroying lots of property and killing lots of people. Ex-wrestler Marvelous Marvin Hagler arrives to talk Morrell out of his crusade. He fails, and makes sure to do a silly dance in the rain before he departs from the film. Dennehy sics his goons on Morrell and his people, and the ensuing film which becomes of that is a sort of hybrid of First Blood and The Emerald Forest!

Decent action film boasts a good musical score by Pino Donaggio (The Barbarians, The Black Cat) and a lot of good explosions and miniature effects. Many of the same cast members can be seen here from Margheriti's earlier Alien from the Deep, and the acting is good for the most part -aside from Hagler extremely amateurish performance (did he rehearse at all?). Some logic holes and errors, (such as the fact that the actors who played the "Amazonian Indians" were obviously Filipino) and a lot of nonsensical ecological overtones, but on the whole the film is unpretentious and worthwhile. Great for fans of cheesy Italian action films. Followed by a superior sequel Indio 2 - The Revolt featuring Marvelous Marvin in the starring role (!).