This movie was not governed by the normal laws of film-making or narrative, and whether that makes Fulci a nut or a genius is pretty much what will determine your response to this film. The short documentary included on the DVD has the two principal male actors explaining that Fulci's technical expertise was continually undermined by his "bad taste" in scripts and tendency to "direct with his left hand," i.e.: without true effort. I never really got into this movie because my attention kept drifting during the several over-long and pointless sequences which occur every 10 minutes or so and contribute nothing to the movie but to slow it down. However, just as often would be a completely off-the wall, inexplicable crisis or character appearing in the film. So, while there was zero momentum, there was a certain episodic merit. The rape scene was depraved and definitely misogynist, and most of the violence in the film occurs either in the opening credits or the final scene. In between is a very strange, badly dubbed, poorly scored, but occasionally compelling picaresque/revenge tale. Definitely more watchable than some other Fulci I've seen, and obviously all his standard quirks/charms apply.
Review of The Four of the Apocalypse...
