I quattro dell'Apocalisse

I am surprised nobody has commented in any reviews that this film is based on 2 Bret Harte short stories - " The Outcasts of Poker Flats" and " The Luck of Roaring Camp". Names and details are slightly altered but the plots are very much intact.As far as I can determine this is the only European western based on Bret Harte's works. "The Outcasts of Poker Flats" has been filmed several times before including a 1930's version with Preston Foster and a 1952 version with Dale Robertson.Harte's stories have a touch of the sentimental about them and this is reflected especially in the "Luck of Roaring Camp" part of this film.

Quattro dell'apocalisse (original title) is a bloody Spaghetti Western with usual Mexican desperado Tomas Milian who steals the show as a merciless bandit and filmed , of course , in Almeria . An Italian production full of action , exaggerated characters, shootouts and lots of violence . For money, for pleasure, for revenge, he doesn't care why he kills or how ¡ ... A group of misfit characters are taken prisoners by the Utah Sheriff (Donald O'Brien) but later they are freed . Four petty criminals, three men , a card player named Stubby Preston (Fabio Testi) , a drunk (Michael J. Pollard) , a crazy African-American (Harry Baird) obsessed with the dead and a pregnant prostitute (Lynne Frederick) , wander through the trackless terrain of the Wild West and are hounded by a hearless outlaw who rapes , slashes, ravages and murders each person involved in his attacks . The quartet looking for food, water is submitted a tempestuous trap by evil Mexican bandit and receive violent knocks, punches, kicks and wounds . The group sees the atrocity over a Mormon family and Stubby Preston executes a single-handedly revenge . He is relentless in his vendetta , deadly in his violence. The conflict is a simple one between avenger , swindler Stubby and oppressors, nasty bandits commanded by cruel outlaw named Chaco .

It's an exciting and tragic western with breathtaking showdown between the protagonist Fabio Testi against the sadistic Tomas Milian and his hoodlums . In the film premiere attained bit success , nowadays is best valued and I think it turns out to be a good Spaghetti Western. The Cuban Tomas Milian as a cruelly baddie role is terrific , he is fine, he cries, ravages the screen , shoots, hit and run and kills . The film packs violence, gore, gun-play , high body-count and it's fast moving and quite entertaining . There is plenty of action in the movie , guaranteeing some shootouts or stunts every few minutes . Appears S. W. usual support cast as Bruno Corazzari , Charles Borromel , Donald O'Brien , Lorenzo Robledo , all of them turn up in multiple Italian/Spanish Western productions . There are many fine technicians and nice assistants as Goffredo Unger, also secondary , habitual master of arms in numerous Spaghetti Western. Good production design creating an excellent scenario with luminous outdoors, dirty and rocky landscapes under a glimmer sun and a fine set on Austria , Desierto de Tabernas, Almería, Andalucía, Spain and Elios Studios, Rome, Lazio, Italy (studio) . The soundtrack is full of sensible songs and sad ballads , furthermore haunting musical leitmotif . Striking cinematography in Eastmancolor by Sergio Salvati , Fulci's ordinary .

The motion picture is realized by one of the most controversial filmmakers of terror movies , Lucio Fulci in his usual style with some flaws a but is professionally made because he is a skilled craftsman . He creates a strange Western that manages to be both scary , tragic and skilfully made . Reviewers are divided over booth the morals and talents of Fulci (1927-1996) who sometimes directed under the alias ¨Louis Fuller¨. For some critics many of his movies are gore-feasts that tried to be disguised itself under many other titles , were cruel and shockingly violent, yet their gory surface often conceals religious, social commentaries or intelligent issues. Whether he should be viewed as a cheap sensationalist or just a genius Fulci has a loyal fan base and undeniably has an important and unique influence on the terror genre , creating great works on a low budget and deserving its cult status such as proved in ¨ The black cat ¨, ¨Manhattan baby¨, ¨Gates of Hell¨, ¨Island of the living dead¨, ¨New York ripper¨ , among them. ¨Four of Apocalypse¨ is one of his more imaginative Western , Fulci also directed another Spaghetti as ¨white Fang¨, ¨Challenge of White Fang¨, and ¨Massacre time¨. It's just one passable Western and acceptable budget movie that still packs a punch for those who like to be entertained out their wits . This peculiar Western will appeal to Lucio Fulci aficionados .

I'd imagine Lucio Fulci was developing his taste for the bizarre with "Four of the Apocalypse". In 1975, skin peelings, cannibalism, and stylized rape in a "spaghetti western" probably was shocking. Unfortunately today, these seem rather tame, and are little more than curiosities. What we are left with is a very un-western-like western. The film plays like a cross between a western, a weak horror spectacle, and a 70s flower power message movie. The four strangers wander aimlessly, mostly on foot, wandering almost as much as the very weak script. While the acting, and main character development is acceptable, long scenes such as the endless child birth, tend to drag the movie down. One other thing, the music seems totally out of place for a western. "Four of the Apocalypse" is a very slow western with a few outdated shocks, that simply doesn't hold interest because of the meandering script. - MERK

This movie, about four petty criminals - three men and a pregnant woman - who wander through the trackless terrain of Utah, is an okay spaghetti-western movie.

I really like the story. It is not complex, but it is about a friendship that develops out of nowhere. The movie has some sweet and sad moments and the characters are likable while the locations and props strengthen the visuals and genre. However, it is flawed. It is very slow, making it slightly boring sometimes, and the editing is inconsistent, I think. Although the characters are likable, the actors are not the best. Their performances can feel a bit melodramatic at times, and it rarely gets impressive overall.

In conclusion, despite an interesting story about an unlikely friendship, this movie is hampered by slow pacing, inconsistent editing, and melodramatic acting. While the visuals and likable characters offer some redeeming qualities, they cannot overcome the overall mediocrity.

Many people, among them even fans of Spaghetti Western, seem not to like "The Four Of The Apocalypse", but it is actually a good movie, even though untypical for the genre. Although the movie's violent reputation is maybe a little exaggerated, the uncut version of the movie has some very brutal scenes, there is a pretty gruesome torture scene, and there is a lot more blood when people are shot than in most Westerns, including Spaghetti Westerns.

The Movie takes place in Utah of 1873, where gambler Stubby Preston meets prostitute Bunny O'Neill, alcoholic Clem and a mentally ill guy named Bud in prison. After Stubby buys their way out of jail, the four head south to a city 200 miles away. They meet an obscure Mexican hunter called Chaco, who joins their group, but soon turns out to be a villainous and sadistic psychopath.

The acting is very good, specially Lynee Frederick's performance as the lovable and beautiful prostitute Bunny, who gives the brutal movie a little heart-warming touch and almost seems a little too innocent for a prostitute, and Tomas Milian who is truly diabolic as vicious Chaco.

The movie's biggest weakness is its score, which is not really bad throughout the whole movie, but in some parts of the movie the songs don't really fall in place with the scenes. Apart from that, the movie is very entertaining, certainly violent but in some scenes even heart-warming. A must-see for every fan of Lucio Fulci and every fan of Spaghetti Westerns, although quite untypical for the genre, since Fabio Testi's character Stubby Preston is not quite the typical anti-hero of the Italian Western.

A highly recommendable film, entertaining and gory, but in some parts also very moving. 7 out of 10.