The late, great filmmaker Lucio Fulci shows with films such as "The Four of the Apocalypse..." that he deserves to be known for more than his horror films of the late 70s and 80s. Here he brings his talent to the Western genre, with compelling results.
The film, based on a story by Bret Harte, unites four disparate characters as they make a perilous journey from one town to another, in the year 1873. They'd all been sharing a prison cell, but were freed after the town fell victim to a vigilante mob. Now, gambler Stubby Preston (Fabio Testi), pregnant prostitute Bunny O'Neill (Lynne Frederick), alcoholic Clem (Michael J. Pollard), and amiable flake Bud (Harry Baird), make their way through the desolate country. Their fortunes truly take a turn for the worse when they make the acquaintance of Chaco (Tomas Milian), a depraved bandit.
"The Four of the Apocalypse..." is fairly episodic, but its episodes are each riveting in their own way, and there's a real poignancy to the film that fans of Fulci's horror films might not expect. The film is truly quite moving at times; it really puts a commendable accent on character, and our four main characters are people we can come to like, especially the easygoing Stubby. The penultimate episode, when our protagonists come across a town of chauvinistic men, is far and away the best, as these macho individuals eventually come to embrace the imminent arrival of Bunny's child.
The principals are all wonderful in their roles - the handsome Testi and the lovely Frederick are well matched, Pollard supplies a bit of comedy relief, Baird is engaging even as his character is clearly shown to have gone off the deep end, and Milian is great malevolent fun as the unrepentant villain. His scenes where he terrorizes the group are some of the grimmest in the film, as he humiliates Clem and forces himself on Bunny. Horror fans will note the presence of Donald O'Brien, who played the title role in "Dr. Butcher M.D." (a.k.a. "Zombi Holocaust"), as the sheriff of Salt Flat.
Fortunately, for those who love the gore of Fulci's horror films, there are some very violent moments, even some disturbing ones. They do come across as a little jarring, but also give the film some real punch. Sergio Salvati does his usual solid job with the cinematography, the period recreation is effective, and the music (by Franco Bixio, Fabio Frizzi, and Vince Tempera) and songs are wonderful. Those film lovers eager to explore Fulci's filmography in detail should find this well worth a viewing.
Eight out of 10.
The film, based on a story by Bret Harte, unites four disparate characters as they make a perilous journey from one town to another, in the year 1873. They'd all been sharing a prison cell, but were freed after the town fell victim to a vigilante mob. Now, gambler Stubby Preston (Fabio Testi), pregnant prostitute Bunny O'Neill (Lynne Frederick), alcoholic Clem (Michael J. Pollard), and amiable flake Bud (Harry Baird), make their way through the desolate country. Their fortunes truly take a turn for the worse when they make the acquaintance of Chaco (Tomas Milian), a depraved bandit.
"The Four of the Apocalypse..." is fairly episodic, but its episodes are each riveting in their own way, and there's a real poignancy to the film that fans of Fulci's horror films might not expect. The film is truly quite moving at times; it really puts a commendable accent on character, and our four main characters are people we can come to like, especially the easygoing Stubby. The penultimate episode, when our protagonists come across a town of chauvinistic men, is far and away the best, as these macho individuals eventually come to embrace the imminent arrival of Bunny's child.
The principals are all wonderful in their roles - the handsome Testi and the lovely Frederick are well matched, Pollard supplies a bit of comedy relief, Baird is engaging even as his character is clearly shown to have gone off the deep end, and Milian is great malevolent fun as the unrepentant villain. His scenes where he terrorizes the group are some of the grimmest in the film, as he humiliates Clem and forces himself on Bunny. Horror fans will note the presence of Donald O'Brien, who played the title role in "Dr. Butcher M.D." (a.k.a. "Zombi Holocaust"), as the sheriff of Salt Flat.
Fortunately, for those who love the gore of Fulci's horror films, there are some very violent moments, even some disturbing ones. They do come across as a little jarring, but also give the film some real punch. Sergio Salvati does his usual solid job with the cinematography, the period recreation is effective, and the music (by Franco Bixio, Fabio Frizzi, and Vince Tempera) and songs are wonderful. Those film lovers eager to explore Fulci's filmography in detail should find this well worth a viewing.
Eight out of 10.