The Four of the Apocalypse (1975) / The Proud and Damned (1972) (DVD)

THE FOUR OF THE APOCALYPSE (1975): A vigilante attack on the city of Salt Flats claims the life of everyone except four prisoners locked inside a jail cell - the card shark Preston; Emanuelle, a prostitute; town drunk Clem; and a runaway slave, Wilson. The four head for Sand City, hoping to find some semblance of peace there. They are joined by a Mexican bandit, Chaco, whose sadistic nature soon reveals itself. After drugging his fellow travelers with peyote, he shoots Clem and violently rapes Emanuelle. Clem's death drives Wilson raving mad, leaving Preston and Emanuelle with no choice but to abandon him. Suffering from the injuries inflicted by Chaco, Emmanuelle tragically dies giving birth to Preston's child. Grief-stricken, Preston vows to kill the man he holds responsible, not caring if he himself dies, as long as he takes Chaco with him...

An unforgettable film, as shocking as it is moving, The Four of the Apocalypse is a Spaghetti Western like no other. It is directed by legendary Italian filmmaker Lucio Fulci, and features spectacular cinematography by his longtime associate Sergio Salvati. Though most famous for his violent horror pictures Zombie (1979), The Beyond (1980) and House by the Cemetery (1981), Fulci proves himself to be a master of the Western as well. The film's screenplay draws from the work of Bret Harte, specifically the stories "The Luck of Roaring Camp" and "The Outcasts of Poker Flat". Handsome Italian actor Fabio Testi was the envy of every man for his high-profile relationship with Ursula Andress. Radiant British actress Lynne Frederick was married to Peter Sellers at the time of his death in 1980 (she sadly died herself in 1994, at the far too young age of 39.) Michael J. Pollard is best known for his role in Bonnie and Clyde (1967), which earned him an Academy Award nomination. This version of The Four of the Apocalypse incorporates some brief footage originally cut from the English version (and, as such, is presented in the original Italian.) Contains graphic violence.

THE PROUD AND DAMNED (1972): Five ex-Confederate soldiers take refuge in the small Colombian village of San Carlos. They have barely had time to enjoy the company of the sexy senoritas when revolution breaks out. Now they must decide whether to stay and join the fight, or move on to the next town

Inspired by The Magnificent Seven and The Wild Bunch, The Proud and Damned was shot entirely in Colombia, and is directed by Ferde Grofe, Jr., the son of the famed jazz arranger. Grofe's plan for success was to pair The Rifleman's Chuck Connors (who disappears early in the film) with four up-and-coming young actors. None of the four would become household names (though one of them, Aron Kincaid, became a prolific voice actor in the '80's and 90's. ) Perhaps for this reason, The Proud and Damned sat on the shelf for three years before garnering a release in 1972. Famed "Latin Lover" Cesar Romero appears a year after playing the arch-villain "The Joker" on Batman (1966-1968) for three seasons. Western star George Montgomery is listed as one of the producers for agreeing to pay Connors' salary (Grofe did not trust the actor's testy reputation.) When it became apparent that he wasn't going to make any money back on his investment, Montgomery threatened to sue the director.

• western