Nostalgia Kinky

Newly released as a fully-loaded special-edition from Severin, Guy Magar’s Lookin’ Italian is amongst the most aesthetically pleasing low-budget films I have ever seen. Made for just about $350,000 dollars over a month-long period in Los Angeles, Lookin’ Italian looks like it cost about 10 million to make and that isn’t an exaggeration. A tribute mostly to Scorsese and Coppola, with numerous nods to Rosenberg’s The Pope of Greenwich Village, Lookin’ Italian stumbles at times but the sheer determination of this small crew to make such a strong looking film for such little money is inspiring.

The Egyptian born Magar had wanted to be filmmaker since he first discovered the New American Cinema of the early seventies, with Scorsese becoming his major hero. Interviewed by Severin on their comprehensive Blu-ray for Lookin’ Italian, Magar recalls his time at film school in New York and his early work as both a television and film director. His 1987 feature debut Retribution earned praise upon release and has since grown into a minor cult film. He’d return to television after, although he was already planning his dream project centered around the cinema he saw slipping away around him.

An actual independent film, Lookin’ Italian was both created and funder completely by Magar and his wife, who mortgaged their house to pay for the film. Unable to find any sort of distributor until one of its stars, Matt LeBlanc, ended up a huge star the next year thanks to his role as Joey in Friends. Even then, Lookin’ Italian most likely lost Magar his life savings but goddamn he made one hell of a beautiful looking film.

Much of Lookin’ Italian success is due to cinematographer Gerry Lively, a great DP mostly known for his work in horror films like the terrific Return of the Living Dead 3. Lively photographs the film beautifully, creating a wonderfully cinematic production that would have made Gordon Willis proud. I don’t know how these guys did this for 350,000 bucks. That’s still under a million in today’s cash and this was all before digital so they were shooting and cutting on film.

Cast wise, a young LeBlanc does indeed costar as Anthony but it is Jay Acovone who controls the film in a rather startling starring turn as the haunted Vinny. Both parts are essentially recreations of both Mean Streets and The Pope of Greenwich Village but there is something so genuine about Lookin’ Italian that it works as both a family crime film and slightly-meta black-comedy. A young Denise Richards also makes a brief appearance in one of her earliest screen appearances.

Most surprising is the film’s second-half, which is much more indebted to the works of Spike Lee and John Singleton. Lookin’ Italian is ultimately a look at the racism that drove so many of the characters in films like The Godfather and especially Taxi Driver. The phrase you hear most from Magar and his team on Severin’s supplements is “racial harmony” and Lookin’ Italian is indeed an exceedingly well-meaning film made in the wake of the L.A. Riots. I was impressed and kind of moved by the film’s earnestness, even if it is at times heavy-handed and naive in its approach occasionally.

Like both Marty and Spike, Magar plays heavily with stereotypes throughout the film. He is unfortunately not as good of a writer as a filmmaker and Lookin’ Italian would have been well-served with another screenwriter. Honestly I find it hard to fault either the script, or his performers occasional overreaching, too severely because of how much of a small miracle this strangely expressionistic film is.

Lookin’ Italian received a small theatrical release the same weekend as Pulp Fiction and it died immediately, despite receiving some acclaim. As Weinstein’s lot were taking over the world, Magar’s film ended up in dollar VHS and then DVD bins retitled as Showdown. Magar returned to television and I don’t believe ever directed another theatrical feature. Goddamn tragic because Lookin’ Italian shows that Magar is a great filmmaker, with a remarkable sense of budget, who just needs a screenwriter of equal measure.
He made this thing for just $350,000 grand. It’s unreal.

Magar’s gorgeous looking film looks stunning via Severin’s 4K transfer from the original negative. Supplement wise we get well over two hours worth of interviews, archival footage, news reports and best of all a shot on VHS chat with the cast and director at the film’s 1994 premiere. A tribute to how great this film looked during its theatrical run, and now on Blu-ray, is the rapturous response from audience members.

Matt LeBlanc is actually very good in Lookin’ Italian but his success as the very similar Joey in Friends has always put Lookin’ Italian in an unfair light. It frustratingly never stood a chance in the wake of Friends and Pulp Fiction. Severin’s rescuing of this odd little jewel of film is very welcome and much appreciate surprise.

-Jeremy Richey, February 2026-

Looking Italian can be ordered directly from Severin or MVD.