Thursday, April 8, 2021

By the Gods!

Richard Harrison, as Perseus, in PERSEUS THE INVINCIBLE (1963) 

The three marks of Jupiter on the left shoulder of Perseus. The aide notices the marks and brings Perseus to his mother, the Queen. This is a common idea/plot point in mythology and PEPLUM movies as well. A simple man who discovers he's actually the son of a God and the rightful ruler of a kingdom. These screen grabs are from an HD version in Spanish (from a streaming service). The Spanish version is different from the Italian / US version. Which version is the best? I prefer the Italian one but I must admit that the added scenes in the Spanish version are fun to watch. Richard Harrison is often dismissed by some as a PEPLUM star but personally, Harrison made some fun and even great PEPULM movies, including this one which has had a lasting influence greater than people are ready to admit. His Perseus, unlike the classically Greek-styled Harry Hamlin in CLASH OF THE TITANS (1981), is more in the All-American style. I like this movie a lot. 



1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I always thought Richard Harrison was excellent in all his Italian genre films. He was a good actor and easy on the eyes as well. I was lucky enough to spend a wonderful afternoon lunching with him at his house in Malibu many, many years ago when I was interviewing him.