Friday, October 31, 2014

By the Gods!

 The immortals in IMMORTALS

That's Kellan Lutz as Poseidon (left), Isabel Lucas as Athena (right) and Luke Evans as Zeus (far back). The film sorta made some money but it was too, eh, 'esoteric' for most people so don't expect any sequels. I personally didn't care much for it even though some of the visuals were cool. The way these gods descend from the heavens is sorta like THE MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS.

Back next week!

PEPLUM GIF animation : THE LAST DAYS OF POMPEII


Steve Reeves in action in THE LAST DAYS OF POMPEII


Wednesday, October 29, 2014

By the Gods!

Alan Steel and Brigitte Heiberg in LOST TREASURE OF THE AZTECS

Also known as Lost Treasure of the Incas and Hercules and the Treasure of the Incas. In some version Alan is named Samson with the title of Samson and the Treasure of the Incas. The best PEPLUM Western ever made...well it's one of the few PEPLUM Westerns made in Italy.

Pompeian red? It’s actually ochre

Those rich reds adorning paintings in Pompeii were originally ochre — Italian researchers say they now think that sensuous Pompeian red is the result of an accident.

Researchers at the national science council (CNR) say the original signature color at the ill-fated city of Pompeii was probably yellow – ochre to be specific.

Before Mount Vesuvius blew its top in 79 A.D. and buried the city, it emitted high-temperature gas which turned the original yellow color that dark red. It’s not an entirely new discovery – ochre was also the main color at Herculaneum, sister city also buried by Vesuvius.

“Thanks to the investigations we have ascertained that the symbolic color of the archaeological sites in Campania is the result of the action of high temperature gas leakage which preceded the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 A.D.,” says Sergio Omarini of CNR. “Experts already knew about the color alteration, but this research makes it finally possible to quantify to the extent of it.”

Link


Monday, October 27, 2014

By the Gods!

Claudius (Barry Jones) has a heated discussion with wife Messalina (Susan Hayward) in DEMETRIUS AND THE GLADIATORS

I always thought that having Barry Jones as Messalina's husband was miscasting. Not because he's bad in it. In fact, he's probably the best actor in the film but I just can't imagine Messalina marrying someone like him, power or no power. It doesn't help that he's the only British actor in the film and his accent sorta clashes with the rest of the US actors. But he was excellent in his role nonetheless.

Movie Poster Mondays

Original Italian poster of THE MINOTAUR

I uploaded my Fan Dub version of the film to my PEPLUM TV Youtube channel last Friday but then removed it after someone mentioned the film is downloadable somewhere else, meaning the film is still copyright protected (by MGM) and I didn't want to get a strike from the painfully trite folks from Youtube. It's a shame 'cause it was a nice edit. 


Friday, October 17, 2014

By the Gods!

Pietro Torrisi and Sabrina Siani in THRONE OF FIRE

Thank god for PEPLUM films of the 1980s, which gave good actions roles to Pietro who always played secondary roles in films from the 1960s. He was still in great shape even after appearing 20 years prior in PEPLUM films of the golden era. Most of the films are terrible but they're fun to watch regardless, mainly for a couple of reasons: the level of cheesecake and beefcake was high!

I'm taking some time off next week. I should be back on October 27th. I hope you like the new format of the blog. I know I do. 

Behind-the-Scenes

William Castle helps Rhonda Fleming with a scene for SERPENT OF THE NILE. Love this photo. Castle was slim here.

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

By the Gods!

Silvana Mangano as Circe in ULYSSES (1954)

Silvana plays a dual role in ULYSSES. She's Penelope and Circe, which, IMO, eclipses Kirk's input in this film. Kirk is good but miscast. He was too scrawny. Bekim Fehmiu was better as Ulysses in the TV mini-series. But Silvana was magic in this. 

Interview with Sylvia Lopez





A great and rare glimpse of Sylvia Lopez giving an interview at the height of her career. The interview is in French and it's great to hear her original voice. In the interview she says that her mother was Russian and her father was German...she was fluent in 5 languages and when she made films with American actors like Steve Reeves she said her lines in English to make it easier for the actors. It's a shame she died so young, at the age of 27. She died the same year she made this interview.

Monday, October 13, 2014

By the Gods!

Richard Harrison is confronted by big George Martin in the arena while his partner José Marco lies helpless in THE INVINCIBLE GLADIATOR

Fun, fast paced PEPLUM film. Definitely one of the better Richard Harrison Euro films. The only real bad aspect are the costumes. Not the best. Director Alberto De Martino, who is still alive, has claimed he co-directed many PEPLUM films without due credit. Hmm...

Movie Poster Mondays

Japanese poster for THE SEVEN REVENGES

I like this even if it's very simple. There's something off about Ed Fury's head though. Rarely seen fun film!

Friday, October 10, 2014

By the Gods!

Duke of Montserrat (Georges Marchal) holds Diana (Alessandra Panaro) hostage in THE SECRET MARK D'ARTAGNAN

Two of my favourite PEPLUM genre stars, Georges and Alessandra, in a fun Swashbuckler also  starring US actor George Nader. Georges has the secret mark on his forehead. Good for a rainy weekend afternoon.

Back next week!

PEPLUM GIF animation : HERCULES UNCHAINED


Wrestling match between titans, Hercules (Steve Reeves) and Antaeus (Primo Carnera) as Iole (Sylva Koscina) watches on in HERCULES UNCHAINED. Classic stuff.

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

By the Gods!

David Farrar and Ann Blyth in a publicity photo for THE GOLDEN HORDE

Fun film with one liability: it's way too short at 77 minutes. It's a typical 'B' production of the time but with solid production values and a truly robust score. This film is perfect for a drinking game : take a shot every time someone says Samarkand! Very entertaining.

Then & Now : Rosalba Neri

Rosalba in KINDAR THE INVULNERABLE ;  A recent interview with Rosalba


Monday, October 6, 2014

By the Gods!

Marcus (Fredric March) requests an audience with Nero (Charles Laughton) and Poppaea (Claudette Colbert) in SIGN OF THE CROSS

Such an odd film. Definitely not Biblical even if it's a Cecil B. DeMille film. It's definitely more PEPLUM in tone than Biblical but it's definitely set in the period it was made, the 1930s, a period with few genre films. The near naked man (True Boardman) next to Nero is his slave. It's something you don't see in any other PEPLUM film which gives the film a unique quality.


Movie Poster Mondays

French poster for SAMSON & DELILAH

I believe this is the poster from the re-released after the success of HERCULES, which this poster borrows from.

Friday, October 3, 2014

By the Gods!


Messalina (Lisa Gastoni) tries to get Glaucus (Richard Harrison) to do her bidding in THE LAST GLADIATOR (aka Messalina against the Son of Hercules).

Lisa is great in this. Directed by Umberto Lenzi, who would direct tons of horror films later in the 1970s / 1980s.

Back next week!

PEPLUM GIF animation : HERCULES AGAINST MOLOCH


Cool scene from HERCULES VS MOLOCH : Gordon Scott vertically walks up a prison cell. 

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

By the Gods!

 An army is about to do some damage from THE TARTARS

A fairly standard scene in a PEPLUM film, always followed by shot showing a swarm of arrows flying in all directions.

Behind-the-Scenes


Large scale model for the ending in SAMSON & DELILAH. Cool stuff.