Musings!

Oleg Strizhenov in JOURNEY BEYOND THREE SEAS (1957) 

Are there any PEPLUM movies left to be discovered? I say yes and no. I say No in regards to movies made in Italy. I believe all of them are known for a long time, even if some obscure title pops up here and now. My contact in Europe has shown me this. But I say Yes in that just this year I found at least 5 different movies not listed anywhere and can be considered PEPLUM. This Soviet - Hindu production is a good example. I already posted about this movie here at the blog so I've known about it for a long time but I never see this movie appear anywhere. 

Since it's a Soviet and Hindu production. there are two versions: the Soviet one and the Indian one. The Indian one named PARDESI is pretty much available everywhere. It's in Black & White though. The Soviet/Russian version is harder to come by. It's in colour and super widescreen. You can find it at a Russian version of Youtube. It's also on Youtube but the aspect ratio is messed up. Unless it's hidden somewhere I can't find the Soviet version listed at IMDb. Visually speaking, the Soviet version is beautiful. The story is based on the diaries/journals of Russian Afanasy Nikitin. His writing was and is highly praised. In the journals, he evoked a lot of religious feelings and emotions, which the Soviet's removed from the movie. This reminds me of the Russian film, SADKO (1953) that became THE MAGIC VOYAGE OF SINBAD for the English market in 1962.

Behind-the-Scenes

Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton on a break on the set of CLEOPATRA (1963)

Clip of the week: GOLIATH AND THE DRAGON (1960)

Goliath (Mark Forest; Hercules in the original) is angry at the gods. With Leonora Ruffo.

 

New PEPLUM Imagery

A RAIN OF SWORDS

MEN OF PULP

HD Alert!

Scenes from LEGIONS OF THE NILE (1959)

A beautiful print in semi-HD is available for streaming in Italy. I say semi-HD since the resolution is an odd 1274x526. It's nice and, in general, this movie always had some nice prints out there (with some not so nice) in the past but even with these nice prints, this one is a definite upgrade. It stars Linda Cristal (above) and Ettore Manni (below). The print is not perfect, with nights scenes being dark and with a reddish tint. But overall, it's fine.

Same prop, different films!

So I was watching KNIGHT OF 100 FACES (1960), the new HD print from a streaming service in Italy which I profiled recently. This scene stood out, for two reasons. One, the scene is often cut in other versions. I remembered not seeing this before. The second and more important reason, is the helmet or prop on the left. I recognized but I had to remember where I saw it before and then I knew where I saw it previously. It's from HERCULES UNCHAINED (1959; below, with Gabriele Antonini). It's so random.

Musings!

Sylvia Lopez in SON OF RED CORSAIR (1959) 

This movie is her last completed film. Sylvia was supposed to star in a movie with Brigitte Bardot but left the production due to her illness (leukaemia). She had a small cameo in a other film but SON OF RED CORSAIR is her last completed production in which she was a lead. It's pretty sad to watch. The movie is good but I find the costumes to be too much. They're overflowing everywhere. In this scene Sylvia's character is whipped on an St Andrew's Cross. We briefly see her bare back. A rare sight in this costumey production. The movie was directed by Primo Zeglio, who is the undisputed champ of PEPLUM Swashbucklers. After this, Primo would co-direct the fantastic MORGAN THE PIRATE (1960) and also co-directed SEVEN SEAS TO CALAIS (1962). This Swashbuckler takes place mainly on Land and not the Seven Seas. I'll have more in the upcoming issue of BY THE GODS!, which should be available by the end of the month.

PEPLUM Movie Poster

Spanish poster of URSUS AND THE TARTAR PRINCESS (1961)

Yoko Tani looks ok but the portraits of Ettore Manni and Joe Robinson are not flattering. Translates as SOLIMAN'S DAUGHTER.

Last Week's Views

567k views for 1 June to 7 June. Half a million! Average daily views: 81,000!

Peplum Public Discussion

Comments are open in this post. You have something to mention about this week's posts? Or something else. This is the only place you can voice your opinion. Comments are curated therefore any bad comment won't be published! Be respectful!

Image of the week!

Deianira (Leonora Ruffo) falls unconscious after targeting King Lico with the magical stone in HERCULES IN THE HAUNTED WORLD (1961)

PEPLUM Movie Quotes

THE BACCHANTES (1961) starring Alberto Lupo (Pentheus) and Pierre Brice (Dionysus)

Pentheus: But you'll sing another tune when you'll hear your punishment!

Dionysus: What harm can you do me?

Pentheus: In chains, I'll make you perish on the cliffs of the Cithaeron. A meal for the eagles and a prey to the hyenas.

Dionysus: If I wish it, my god will save me.

Pentheus: And where is that god? Where that I cannot see him.

Dionysus: Right beside me. But you never can see him!

Pentheus: No and why is that?

Dionysus: Because in your foolish pride, the evil within you has made you blind!

Musings!

Ed Fury as Ursus in URSUS IN THE LAND OF FIRE (1963) 

In the next instalment of WHO PLAYED THE DEFENETIVE PEPLUM ROLES..., I'll cover Ursus. It shouldn't be too complicated, like the Maciste movies. Ursus came about in the epic novel QUO VADIS by Henryk Sienkiewicz. It's a fictional character that was modelled by other mythical heroes but nothing close to Hercules. Ursus is Bear in Latin. Ursus is a Polish slave in Rome. Ursus has to have blond hair and is strength is almost god-like. Buddy Baer (!) played Ursus in the epic Hollywood adaptation of QUO VADIS released in 1951. He was a giant and gentled hearted. But PEPLUM movies, keeping his gentled hearted nature, made him muscular. Ed Fury was an actor in Hollywood, playing supporting roles. He's mainly known as a Physique model, one of the most famous one. He was extremely fit when he made THE MIGHTY URSUS (1961) but the longer he stayed in Italy, the more out of shape he became. He was still healthy looking but not as cut or fit. By the time he appeared in the third Ursus movie, he looking obviously less muscular than in MIGHTY URSUS. When he left Italy, he tried acting in Hollywood but nothing major came his way. This movie is very violent. This scene, of Ursus ending up working at the millstone, is often truncated. 

Behind-the-Scenes

Incredible photo of Edmund Purdom and Linda Christian at the premiere of EL CID (1961). This photo is incredible because both Edmund and Linda starred together in ATHENA (1954). And 7 years later, here they are together in public. The had a long secret relationship since they made ATHENA but kept it secret. Read this Musings! I wrote last September which explains everything. The fact they go their affair out in public at a movie premiere is quite amazing. One year later the two would marry which was a disaster. Their relationship would make a fantastic movie.

Clip of the Week: HERCULES AGAINST THE BARBARIANS (1964)

 Hercules vs rock! With Mark Forest!

Funnies!

Alan Steel and the Moon Men in HERCULES AGAINST THE MOON MEN (1964)

SPFX DEPT.

Scenes from HERCULES (1958)

I just realized that I didn't show the matte paintings from HERCULES after years of doing this. Effects work by Mario Bava. I really like the effects in that they blend well with the environment. They don't stand out too much. Above, we see the buildings in the background which are almost totally dark. And the ominous clouds. Below, the matte painting is almost seamless. In this scene, Hercules storms out of the Argo but it's a body double standing for Steve Reeves. 

 

Permanent Page, New and updated!

New permanent page!

Profiling the High Priestesses, High Priests or Oracles in PEPLUM movies

First profile, TRIUMPH OF MACISTE!

One of my favourite High Priestesses is in TRIUMPH OF MACISTE (1961). 

PEPLUM MYSTICISM permanent page

-------------------------

THE LASCIVIOUS LOOK!

THE LASCIVIOUS LOOK permanent page.

Continuing with SANDOKAN - PIRATE OF MALAYSIA starring Steve Reeves.

In this new update, I focus on additional scenes in a movie of many 'lascivious looks.' Check out the permanent page for overview.

 

Musings!

Elizabeth Taylor as CLEOPATRA (1963)

One of the aspects works on Cleopatra avoid at all cost, whether it's movies or books, is the fact that she had her siblings murdered. Cleopatra had her brother, Ptolemy XIV, killed, which is somewhat known even if they rarely show this, but Cleopatra had her younger sister, Arsinoe, killed as well. She ordered Mark Antony to execute her on the steps of the Temple of Diana. This shows how ruthless Cleopatra was. She was, in fact, a murderer (or murderess). But few people would warm up to a killer which is sorta understandable why it's never shown. Siblings killing each other in royal families was sort of a common thing back then but still, it seems no one wants to touch this. This part is missing from the 1963 epic starring Elizabeth Taylor. As gargantuan as it was, the story was curated a lot.

PEPLUM Movie Poster

French poster of HERCULES AGAINST THE MOON MEN (1964)

Great poster. Captures the movie's essence. Below is an AI rendering of the art by Paul, who sent it to me.

Last Week's Views

441k views between May 25 - 31. Over 99000 views on May 26! Still going strong.

Peplum Public Discussion

Comments are open in this post. You have something to mention about this week's posts? Or something else. This is the only place you can voice your opinion. Comments are curated therefore any bad comment won't be published! Be respectful!

Image of the week!

Maciste (Reg Park) becomes intoxicated and dizzy from a special wreath of flowers placed on him by villainess in MACISTE IN KING SOLOMON'S MINES (1964)

At the movies...

THE QUEEN OF SHEBA (1953) playing at the Astor theatre in New York City. Great to see. Made before  HERCULES (1958), both directed by Pietro Francisci. 

Musings!

Richard Burton is ALEXANDER THE GREAT (1956) 

Is it time to face the fact that movies like this one will never be made anymore? Whether you like this film or not, PEPLUM movies of this caliber are, like their stories, a thing of a distant past. It's pretty much over. With the upcoming THE ODYSSEY, which boast top of the line actors and crew, and seemingly can't even get anything right, it's time to face the music. Unless someone comes along and shakes up the film industry, there's very little to look forward to. There are so many PEPLUM movies from the past that it's really not that bleak but, yeah, we're stuck with these old movies forever.