PEPLUM Break

I'm back on May 7

While I'm away, enjoy this great Italian Swashbuckler starring Sylvia Lopez and Lex Barker. I uploaded the entire film at my With FIRE & SWORD channel.

Photo of the Day

Tom Baker (in background) commands a statue to fight with Sinbad (John Phillip Law) in GOLDEN VOYAGE OF SINBAD

Classic scene!

Upskirt: the Female edition

I already posted about infamous upskirt shots with male actors (here and here) so here's two famous ones. 

Sophia is showing a bit too much there...

Mylene Demongeot from GIANT OF MARATHON

Miscast hall of shame!

Ryan Gosling is...YOUNG HERCULES?

Ryan is currently enjoying success as a leading man in movies but the young Canadian actor was cast as a young blond Hercules. No. Just no.

Photo of the Day

Debra Paget is tossed unto/ to be sacrificed to the golden calf by Edward G Robinson in THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

After 4 hours of bible studies, it's time for...ORGY!

Before they were PEPLUM stars: Reg Lewis

One hit PEPLUM wonder Reg Lewis posing with vintage cars

There's something so Americana about this photo: bigger, stronger, faster! Cool photo!

80s video cover

Love these! Nothing like 1980s PEP video covers!

Photo of the Day

Sabrina Siani watches helplessly as Pietro Torrisi is tied to a cross and ready to be impaled in THRONE OF FIRE

This scene is sorta funny as Pietro is tied to the cross and as the film progresses, we see him still tied to the cross and something like 20 minutes later he's still tied to the cross. This is me giggling. Sabrina wears the skimpiest costume I've ever seen in any film.

Same scene, different film

Commodus (Alan Steel) interrogates a chained Ursus (Dan Vadis) in THE REBEL GLADIATORS

Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) interrogates a chained Maximus (Russell Crowe) in GLADIATOR (2000)

COMMODUS at the movies

Alan Steel probably played the best Commodus on screen in THE REBEL GLADIATORS. He looked the most like the infamous Emperor who was reputed to be in excellent physical condition, like Steel.

Christopher Plummer probably played the most literate version of Commodus in THE FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

Mimmo Palmara as Commodus in TWO GLADIATORS

Enzo Tarascio was Commodus in SWORD OF THE EMPIRE; like FALL OF ROMAN EMPIRE, this film "influenced" GLADIATOR (2000).

Joaquin Phoenix in GLADIATOR (2000). Joaquin was nominated for best supporting actor for his interpretation of Commodus. As good as it was Joaquin is probably the farthest removed from the real thing. 

Photo of the Day

Carmen Sevilla and Ricardo Montalban in DESERT WARRIOR (1957)

One of a many Sword & Sandal films Ricardo made in Italy. 

Babe of the Month: Dominique Boschero

Dominique Boschero is the PEPLUM Babe of the Month for April. Even if she had a steady film career, she only appeared in one true PEP film, ULYSSES AGAINST HERCULES (starring Georges Marchal and Mike Lane, below), as the Queen of the Bird Men. It's a small role but it's a standout in more ways than one. I already posted a photo of Dominique from that film last week (link) and here are additional cheesecake shots of her.

Uploaded to the BABES & BEAUTIES permanent page

Upcoming projects: VIKINGDOM

I don't know what to think about this: the sorta goofy title, the fact that it's being sold as 3D or Dominic Purcell looking terrible in that wig. Oh and this Viking movie was shot entirely in Malaysia. Hmm...

Photo(s) of the Day

Iloosh Khoshabe, dubbed the Iranian Hercules, has passed away a few days ago so in a tribute here are some photos from his PEPLUM films. Iloosh might not have been the greatest actor but he was unforgettable addition to the PEPLUM genre. What I liked about him is that he really looked Mediterranean. RIP!

Iloosh's first unforgettable appearance in VULCAN - SON OF JUPITER 

Iloosh as Samson in HERCULES, SAMSON & ULYSSES

Kirk Morris (Hercules) battles with Iloosh Khoshabe (Samson) in "Hercules vs Samson"

Mario Novelli and Iloosh Khoshabe (as Richard Lloyd!) are THE INVINCIBLE BROTHERS MACISTE. Photo below is also from the same film.

Iloosh enduring a Feat of Strength in ALI BABA AND THE SACRED CROWN

Iloosh Khoshabe has probably the most aliases than any other PEPLUM actor. 

He's known as:

Rod Flash

Rod Flash Ilush

Ilush

Ilush Khoshabe

Richard Lloyd

Movie Poster Mondays

Italian poster for VULCAN - SON OF JUPITER first starring role in a PEPLUM for Iloosh Khoshabe (aka Rod Flash)

Article on Iloosh Khoshabe's passing

According to this link, Iloosh Khoshabe died at the DEY hospital in Tehran from kidney and liver failure. The photos clearly show it's him but older. And the website is legit. Thanks to Soren for the link.

Iloosh receives some "Senior Officer" award in Italy

Photo of the Day

Edmund Purdom is an old man reminiscing about his life in THE EGYPTIAN

Ed The Egyptian!

Steve Reeves : Bronzed Bust

Kenneth Kendall bronzed bust of Steve Reeves. Steve had it amongst his trophies.

Behind the Scenes

Rossana Podestà lets a horse quench its thirst while filming SODOM & GOMORRAH

Photo of the Day

Dancing girls from HERCULES

I like this angle of the scene which is not in the film. What's a PEPLUM without a dance sequence.

Color Pirate Hunt

When CAPTAIN KIDD & THE SLAVE GIRL was released, starring Anthony Dexter, Eva Gabor and Alan Hale Jr, the film was in color. The lobby card here states it's in color. The 1-sheet says it's in color. The credits say it's in color. IMDb says it's in color. But the film is only available in Black & White. It looks like the original color print is lost as even Warner DVD service only provides this film in B&W and at the beginning of the film there's a message saying that the DVD was made from the best possible source available.

Color? What color?

Putting the BAD in SINBAD

Yes, I always want to see uzis with SINBAD. I haven't seen it yet but it's a possible contender for worst PEP ever!

Photo of the Day

Elaborate and spectacular sea battle from CARTHAGE IN FLAMES

This sequence was reused in other films, including the Mark Forest opus GOLIATH AND THE SINS OF BABYLON. It's probably the highlight of CARTHAGE IN FLAMES, which I like but the dubbing is terrible; it's very harsh. 

After they were PEPLUM Stars: Reg Park with Larry Anderson

Reg Park greets Larry Anderson in 1988 in Toronto (link) in a tribute for the bodybuilder

Larry is a huge PEPLUM fan and has been collecting films for a long time. I've exchanged a few emails with Larry and I'm glad I've finally got to know him.  Another big PEP fan from Canada. Yeah!

Iloosh Khoshabe: RIP?

Someone posted at several different Youtube videos that Iloosh Khoshabe (aka Rod Flash aka Richard Lloyd) has passed away yesterday. It might be a hoax but that would be a pretty obscure hoax as few people know him today. And yet it might not be a hoax. I know that when Gianna Maria Canale passed away recently it took two weeks to get confirmation as she was virtually forgotten by then. I searched the internet for any news and couldn't find any. In fact, there's nothing new on him at all. If anyone has any info please let me know.

Photo of the Day

Gordon Scott, as Goliath (Maciste in Italy), with Leonora Ruffo and Jacques Sernas celebrate the end of Kobrak's reign of terror in GOLIATH AND THE VAMPIRES

**SPOILER**

This great photo is a spoiler oops but that's not what's the warning is about. I love this film but the ending always disturbed me. You see, Goliath goes on to destroy Kobrak after his evil minions destroyed Goliath's village. During the course of the movie, except for Leonora's character **everyone** from his village dies. Magda, several girls, even the kid dies!!! When I see the ending I'm like "Dude, there's nothing to celebrate!" Arf.

Technical Goofs: SPARTACUS

To many SPARTACUS is considered the greatest PEPLUM film ever made. I personally disagree with that for a few reasons but just for fun and to show how the Stanley Kubrick film is not perfect here are a few technical goofs from it. In the top photo, you can see Tony Curtis wearing jeans under his tunic. In the following cut from the same scene Tony legs are bare. Oops...

I recently posted about visible studio walls because of bad lighting (link) but most of those films had smaller budgets than SPARTACUS and yet the Universal flick is afflicted by the same problem. It's really inexcusable for such a film.

It might not really be considered a goof but the lighting in this scene is terrible. In the previous shot we see Olivier walking around the bright sunny pool at the Hearst Castle and he ends up in this dark place. Every time I watch SPARTACUS I'm always aghast about how bad the lighting is here. There are shadows pointing in every direction. Stanley, Stanley, Stanley!!!