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They Called Him Bulldozer

They Called Him Bulldozer (Lo chiamavano Bulldozer)

Movie · 1978 · 15 people

Michele Lupo directed They Called Him Bulldozer (Lo chiamavano Bulldozer in Italian), a 1978 Italian-West German action comedy starring Bud Spencer. It has also circulated as Uppercut and Bulldozer, while German audiences know it as Sie nannten ihn Mücke and French ones as Mon nom est Bulldozer. At roughly 97 minutes, it is a typical example of Spencer's brawling, slapstick-heavy comedies built around his imposing physique.

Spencer plays Bulldozer, a sailor who was once an American football star. An accident leaves him stuck in the port of Livorno, where he gets drawn into a local sporting contest. His brute strength throws the people around him off balance, and the story moves along through fistfights and slapstick gags. The supporting cast includes Raimund Harmstorf, Reinhard Kolldehoff, Enzo Santaniello, Ottaviano Dell'Acqua, Giovanni Vettorazzo and the boxer-turned-actor Joe Bugner, with Giovanni Cianfriglia and Nello Pazzafini in smaller roles.

The screenplay is credited to Marcello Fondato, Francesco Scardamaglia and Rainer Brandt. Elio Scardamaglia produced, and Guido and Maurizio De Angelis supplied the music. The film premiered in Germany on 6 October 1978.

DirectorMichele Lupo

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Cast

Only cast members with a profile on this site are listed.

Giovanni Cianfriglia Giovanni Cianfriglia Actor · died at 89 Nello Pazzafini Nello Pazzafini Actor · died at 62 Bud Spencer Raimund Harmstorf Ottaviano Dell’Acqua Giovanni Vettorazzo Enzo Santaniello Reinhard Kolldehoff Joe Bugner Nando Paone Riccardo Pizzuti Claudio Ruffini Luigi Bonos Gigi Reder Carlo Reali

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Through different eyes

Action & Thriller Fan Puts pace, tension and set pieces first; little patience for slow drama.

Say Bud Spencer and you know what you are getting, and this film delivers exactly that: huge punches, crowded brawls and plenty of slapstick. A former football star stranded in the port of Livorno getting pulled into a local sporting contest gives the fights plenty of excuses. The story is thin, but the pace rarely drops. An enjoyable 97 minutes if you are after fun rather than suspense.

Family Viewer Asks whether the whole household can watch it; cares about humour and heart.

Bud Spencer films usually make viewers of every age laugh. There is a lot of fighting here too, but it is played as a joke rather than for real, with punches as exaggerated as a cartoon. Still, small children might get the idea that brute force solves problems, so it helps to have a grown-up beside them. A light film grandparents and grandchildren can laugh at together.

Cinephile Looks at script, editing and directing choices; keeps a distance from formula films.

They Called Him Bulldozer sees Michele Lupo apply the comedy template built around Bud Spencer's imposing frame skilfully but without taking a single risk. The script is little more than a pretext: an accident to keep the hero in port and a situation to pull him into a sporting contest. The real burden falls on the fight choreography and Spencer's screen presence. Supporting players such as the boxer-turned-actor Joe Bugner reinforce the scheme, and the De Angelis brothers' score completes the genre's familiar feel. But the dramatic structure is weak, and the formula soon risks repeating itself. It speaks to fans of the genre; do not look for more.

These are not reader reviews: they are short editorial takes written from different viewer perspectives with AI assistance. Reader reviews are below.

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