Friday, August 19, 2016

Retro Friday : STAR WARS, a PEPLUM in space

(originally posted on August 19, 2011)

Photographic proof that STAR WARS was basically a PEPLUM set in a science-fiction/outer space setting. I saw STAR WARS before any Sword & Sandal films and as I was watching the 300 or so films one after the other I couldn't believe how much of the elements in the STAR WARS films were inspired or directly lifted from Italian Sword & Sandal films, which at the time and for the most part even today are still frowned upon. There are so many elements that I won't mention all of them but here's a bunch just to give you an idea.

Opening credits that sets up the storyline :
From VENGEANCE OF HERCULES



Desert locations, with bones of dead creatures :
GOLIATH AND THE GIANTS


GOLIATH AND THE GIANTS

Wise Old Man
WAR GODS OF BABYLON



Evil Ruler on his throne
HEROD THE GREAT



Disposable soldiers of Evil Ruler
HERCULES & THE CAPTIVE WOMEN



Resourceful little people always on the side of good
GOLIATH & THE SINS OF BABYLON




Donut-style hair fashion statement
THEODORA ~ SLAVE EMPRESS



Cheesecake (there's very little Beefcake in Star Wars films)
Publicity shot of Rhonda Fleming for SERPENT OF THE NILE



Torture (what's a PEPLUM film without a torture scene?)
GOLIATH AND THE SINS OF BABYLON



Sword fights (hence the term Sword & Sandal)
FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE



Council chambers
HEROD THE GREAT



Crushing walls of death
FURY OF HERCULES



The annoying sidekick
GLADIATOR OF ROME

2 comments:

Scott Ochiltree said...

Thanks, a truly outstanding compilation!

Unknown said...

Great! And what about the arena scene in SW Ep II: Attack of the Clones?