Revenge, socialism and religion. Brave Mexicans against a greedy bunch of American bandits. It’s spaghetti-western time yet again.

“REQUIESCANT”
1967
Spaghetti-Western
Italy

Director: Carlo Lizzani
Stars: Lou Castel, Pier Paolo Pasolini, Mark Damon
Distributor: Koch Media
Runtime: 103 mins
DVD REGION 2

“The only women I ever skinned were Indians.”

A bunch of Mexicans gets massacred over some land. A priest and his family find an orphan boy after the massacre and takes him in. When he’s grown up, his “sister” become a prostitute in San Antonio under the hands of the people who killed his family and friends. Requiescant (latin for “rest in peace”) find himself with special skills with the gun and seems immortal. He goes to rescue his “sister” and helps the remaining Mexicans revenging the massacre.

A little different approach on the genre. Lou Castel is an odd choice for a hero, and the atmosphere is a bit out of this world…in a good way. Well made, and it keeps you focused. Very political, as many of the spaghetti-westerns in this period. Good casting and with a lot of great scenes (the one with the drunk shooting contest is absolutely great and entertaining). This is definitely a keeper!

The great Italian director Pier Paolo Pasolini (Salo) plays one of the mysterious Mexicans and Riz Ortolani, composer of the “Cannibal holocaust” soundtrack, made the score.