It's true that a number of elements in "The Forgotten Pistolero" will be familiar to fans of spaghetti westerns. The basic plot - revenge against those who killed a parent - has been used many times. Also, some of the characters will provoke a deja-vu feeling in the minds of many viewers. Still, there is a lot to enjoy in taking a journey down this familiar road. It's often directed in an interesting manner, with crooked camera angles and zoom lenses among other unconventional manners. Indeed, the action sequences (fist fights, gun battles) are directed to bring much impact.One of the villains happens to be a woman for a change, which will make you wonder how this unusual menace will be dealt with. The Roberto Pregadio music score is very memorable. The production values are solid. And there is a great climax. Is there a flaw to be found anywhere? Well, I have to admit that the middle section of the movie was somewhat slow- moving and talky, though it didn't bother me THAT much. And despite that problem, the movie all the same is a solid example of its genre.

This Spaghetti western is an incredible hour and a half of cinema. The amazing music score pulls you in right away. It is beautiful and at the same time expresses a feeling of melancholy and impending doom. From the very beginning you know that the ending of this film is going to be one of those grandiose, emotional, over-the-top finales, and when you get there it doesn't disappoint.This is a great revenge story that, in some ways, can be likened to a Shakespearian tragedy. It's a tale of a wealthy family in which marital deception, betrayal, and murder brings on guilt, misery, fear, and ultimately death and destruction. It's also a great action story with lots of gun play, suspense, and some twists and turns.The movie is a quality production with decent acting, and most likely a higher than average budget for a eurowestern.This is a thoroughly enjoyable film from start to finish. Ferdinando Baldi's great direction, Roberto Pregadio's awesome music score, a riveting story, and solid acting performances make this a film that I would recommend to anyone.

As soon as the Forgotten Pistolero starts, the theme tune is instantly familiar - with the whistled score probably surpassed only by Morricone's Dollars trilogy soundtracks, or maybe the Magnificent Seven, when it comes to being used as the backdrop to western sketches everywhere. It is made all the more beautiful by the mountainous Almeria backdrop.The film itself is equally impressive. Directed by the prolific Ferdinando Baldi, it begins with Rafael (Pietro Martellanza) being pursued by a gang of Mexicans. Surviving the ambush (to the sound of that glorious theme), he finds himself finally locating child-hood friend Sebastian (Leonard Mann).Sebastian is informed that the woman he believed to be his mother, and who had raised him since a child, had in fact rescued him as an infant from the brutal attack and mass murder that had cost his father his life. Rafael tells him that this attack had been arranged by his real mother (Paluzzi) and her lover.Sebastian's sister, who had witnessed the massacre all those years ago, had since fallen in love with Rafael (for which he had been severely punished and hounded). The extent of this punishment becomes clear later in the movie when, whilst captive, he is forced to lie next to a beautiful lady, and taunted that he now only has his muscles to prove his manhood.This revenge story follows a different path to the majority of Euro-westerns, with emphasis on the tale rather than action (that said, there are some great action scenes). It is a highly captivating and atmospheric movie, gripping from start to finish. Well worth the watch but - warning - you'll be whistling the music for days!

Ferdinando Baldo needs only 85 minutes to deliver a family drama of high complexity. Rafael hates Anna Carrasco because she didn't permit him to marry her daughter. To accomplish his revenge he searches for Anna's son Sebastian who wants to avenge the murder of his father who was actually murdered by Anna. Anna back then was helped by her lover whom she replaced already by another men. I will not continue any further, I hope you've got an entry into the muddled plot. Unfortunately this isn't a Western plot which means that genre fans will be rather disappointed. Fans of serious drama will be disappointed by the high pace which never permits to get any deeper into the characters. Anna's daughter Conchita says: "I will not leave the town as long as the murderers of my father still live here". Well, I would always prefer not to live together with murderers but that quantity of logic is missing. The story as it is told often rises more questions than it answers. Acting is as good as the weak script permits, the women are really handsome. Sets and locations give the impression of being in Southern Spain and not in the American West most of the time.The high quality German DVD is a real bargain and has an English soundtrack.5 / 10 (**)