Tuesday, February 14, 2012

SPACE 1999 goes PEPLUM


I've already covered STAR TREK and their PEP inspired episodes so here's SPACE 1999 and their PEPLUM inspired episodes and actors who've appeared in both. Remarkably there are a lot of connections to be made between the PEPLUM genre and SPACE 1999, which is probably why it's my favorite series. I'll post more information about this connection in upcoming posts.

The first top 3 photos are from MISSION OF THE DARIANS episode which is excellent. It stars PEPLUM veteran Joan Collins.





In the last episode of season one called TESTAMENT OF ARKADIA, the Alphans discover a dead planet where humans originated and a mysterious vision shows the planet's inhabitants in hoods and Medieval-like. Another great episode. It stars Italian actor Orso Maria Guerrini (below) who was in several Spaghetti Westerns.




NEW ADAM, NEW EVE. Season 2 episode is about a God-like figure who's looking for a new Adam & Eve. In the photo below, God makes the lady with the short toga appear out of nowhere.




Italian actor Gianni Garko appeared in a famous SPACE 1999 episode, DRAGON'S DOMAIN. Gianni was in several PEPLUM films including MACISTE AGAINST THE MOLE MEN and THE AVENGER (War of the Trojans) costarring Steve Reeves. He was a big Spaghetti Western star as well. Gianni gives one of the best performance in the series. 


The monster in the DRAGON'S DOMAIN episode, inspired by the Medusa in PERSEUS THE INVINCIBLE (below)? I say yes.



Christopher Lee, who was in HERCULES IN THE HAUNTED WORLD, made an appearance as an alien in EARTHBOUND.

Giancarlo Prete was in THE TROUBLED SPIRIT. He also starred in MESSALINA MESSALINA and LADYHAWKE.

2 comments:

abdul666 said...

Is Lt Ellis' tunic-like minidress enough to see a touch of PEP in UFO? :) :)

PEPLUM cinema said...

It's a space age miniskirt lol