Stats week 24 August - 30 August 2025

6 days with over 10K views! With only 13 comments.

24 August - 11936
25 August - 17548
26 August - 11949
27 August - 11420
28 August - 13523
29 August - 9757
30 August - 10346

Total           86479

Average      12354

Image of the week!

Thanks to the manipulations of Ljuba (Maria Grazia Spina), Bianca (José Greci) now thinks her rescuer Hercules (Mark Forest) is a traitor in HERCULES AGAINST THE MONGOLS (1963)

Lobby Cards Set: TWO GLADIATORS (1964)

Original Italian lobby cards set of TWO GLADIATORS (1964) starring Richard Harrison and Giuliano Gemma.Good set but some cards are weak, like the one with Richard lounging. There's so much stuff going on in this film and there's no shortage of cool scenes so why that one?

Musings!

Ursus (Joe Robinson) gives a helping to the good folks in URSUS AND THE TARTAR PRINCESS (1961)

This movie is difficult to describe. There are action scenes and Feats of Strength scenes like this one but it's really mainly a political drama with waring enemies, including big battle scenes. I can almost always figure out the year a PEPLUM movie was made just by the look of it as the PEPLUM genre followed the progression of filmmaking of the mid-1950s up to the mid-1960s. But this one always baffles me. It looks like a late stage PEPLUM movie, from1964 then an early 1961 one. The movie often falls under the radar for some of these reasons. The casting of Joe Robinson was a brilliant choice. He perfectly exemplifies Ursus: a Nordic Hero. IMO, he should have had more to do. It's almost a supporting role while the movie focuses on Ettore Manni and Yoko Tani. Regardless, it's a fun film.

There's a scene with a bear that can be seen in the trailer (below with Maria Grazia Spina). It's not in the final cut. From every different versions I have, it's not there. And I can't figure out where in the movie it would have taken place. It looks like a fun scene. Why did they cut it? This reminds me of all the scenes that appear in trailers or lobby cards of other movies that were eventually cut. I should write about this. 

Behind-the-Scenes

Bella Cortez, Iloosh Khoshabe, Annie Gorassini and Roger Browne pose for a photo on the set of VULCAN - SON OF JUPITER (1962)

Clip of the week: ZAN (1969)

Zan (Steve Hawkes) helps his Amazon babe (Kitty Swan)!

Blog's 15th anniversary: Renato Rossini aka Howard Ross

In celebration of the blog's 15th anniversary, I'm re-posting old posts. Here's one popular post I wrote back in 2014. The question remains: is it Kirk Morris or Renato Rossini in that movie?

Vintage article on Renato Rossini. Also known as Howard Ross or Red Ross, the Italian bodybuilder was a regular in PEPLUM films. He rarely had a lead role but his supporting roles were always stand-outs including in HERCULES AGAINST THE MONGOLS (1963) pictured in the article above along with Ken Clark and Nadir Moretti.

The article had a photo of Renato in a bodybuilding competition. Same exact pose as the one below.

Renato in a Mondo movie called SEXY PROIBITISSIMO (1963) in a segment called 'Hercules Oblivious'; his bodybuilding experience came in good use for this brilliant short film. IMDb and other websites covering the PEPLUM genre have credited Kirk Morris as the bodybuilder (below). 

HD Alert!

Steve Reeves and Giorgia Moll in THE WHITE WARRIOR (1959)

HD print I acquired last spring. I've already mentioned about an HD print of this 2 years ago (link) but this copy is different. It's from a streaming service. Not on Blu-ray. And it's from France. I have so many pseudo-HD or HD broadcast copies of this film it's sort of confusing. There are scenes in the movie that are sorta out of focus or look odd. It's not a transfer issue but the way the movie was filmed.

Telamons (Atlas)

This account on TikTok has excellent content. Here she explains the Telamons used at the Temple of Zeus in Sicily. I did not know this. Telamon is such a cool name. I want to go there!

Musings!

Adam (Martin Milner) and Lilith (Fay Spain) are about to commit the biggest sin in human history in THE PRIVATE LIVES OF ADAM AND EVE (1960)

Like so many PEPLUM comedies, this one starts in the present and ends up in Eden in some reverie. It's one of those odd movies made back then, like WILD WOMEN OF WONGO (1955), which was a showcase of beautiful women with one scantily clad man (Milner wears a swimsuit made of leaves) and some corny theatrics in lieu of naughty sex. The movie was co-directed by Mickey Rooney and Milner sorta looks like Rooney in this shot. Like WONGO, it's hard to find a decent copy or photos of this movie. Fay Spain plays again another evil temptress, like her role in HERCULES AND THE CAPTIVE WOMEN (1961). She wears a one piece leotard or swimsuit. Mickey shows up as a devil in some dime-store costume. It's all so very odd. A spectacular movie based on Adam and Eve as yet to be made.

I posted a better publicity photo of Milner and Spain at PEPLUM Xtra. 

PEPLUM Movie Poster

German poster of GOLIATH AND THE REBEL SLAVE (1963)

So Gordon Scott is Goliath and Serge Nubret is Hercules? It was also released as DER TIGER VON SARDES (The Tiger of Sardis). German releases are so Cinematic Confusion. 

Stats week 17 August - 23 August 2025

I didn't take the screenshot starting August 17. But here's the rest. Over 10K views a day for 5 days in a row! 

17 August - 12053
18 August - 11259
19 August - 10769
20 August - 12600
21 August - 11260
22 August -   8118
23 August -   8449

Total:           74508 

Average views: 10644

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Image of the week!

Cleopatra (Sophia Loren) listens to the evil schemes of Tortul (Paul Muller) in TWO NIGHTS WITH CLEOPATRA (1954)

At the movies...

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (1956) playing at the Rialto Theatre in Salt Lake City in 1957.

Musings!

Brian Thompson as Hercules in JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS (2000) 

I watched the TV movie/miniseries of JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS back in the day and I remember very little about it. I remember I didn't like the casting of Jason (I still don't). The only good thing was Brian Thompson as Hercules. One of the best choices from any productions. Aside from the facial markings, Brian was perfect. He practically only played villains and this role was a good example of how a big guy like him could play a good guy (and yet stilll look menacing). 

In this scene, he pushes the ship into the sea. Jason asks "Who are you?" I'm like, Jason and the Argonauts don't know who Hercules is? WTH? That was so cringe. But anyway, Brian could have easily made a Hercules movie and I would have been fine with that.

Behind-the-Scenes

Joan Collins and Rik Battaglia on the set of ESTHER AND THE KING (1960) 

Clip of the week: YOLANDA - THE DAUGHTER OF THE BLACK CORSAIR (1953)

Yolanda (May Britt) in action! 

New PEPLUM imagery

With a few prompts, new PEPLUM imagery by AI. 

MEN OF PULP @ X

THE RETURN OF PERSEUS

SPFX DEPT.

Scenes from THE ROBE (1953) starring Richard Burton

Something slightly different. If you look at the top right and left of these two images, you see buildings in the background. They'e not matte painting but huge murals. The actor and objects like spears cross them (below, on the left). Are these murals special effects? They're not sets. They're painted. They're like matte paintings but combined with the set.

 

The little girl on the right passes in front of the buildings in the background. With Victor Mature.

Then & Now: Geoffrey Horne

Geoffrey in JOSEPH AND HIS BRETHREN (1961); A recent photo of the actor 

Musings!

Poppea (Brigitte Bardot), Seneca (Vittorio De Sica) and Agrippina (Gloria Swanson) in NERO'S WEEKEND (1956)

A stellar production that's can be viewed in HD. I've added it to the list of HD titles. Link. You can also view it on Tubi with English subtitles. Tubi   

It's part comedy and musical. The sets, costumes, music, cast, are all excellent. But does it work? Is it funny? It's charming I'll give it that. I love watching it but the movie meanders here and there. Gloria Swanson became popular again after the success of SUNSET BOULEVARD (1950). Brigitte Bardot would soon become a superstar after this. The movie is known under several titles: NERO'S WEEKEND. NERO'S BIG WEEKEND. NERO'S MISTRESS. O.K. NERO (there's another movie with this title). It doesn't help.

PEPLUM Movie Poster

Original Italian poster of TRIUMPH OF MACISTE (1961) 

This poster has nothing to do with the classic Kirk Morris movie. The image of the horses is from SODOM AND GOMORRAH (1962) so I suspect this is from a re-release. Cinematic Confusion!

Image of the week!

During a feast, Emperor Domitian (Piero Lulli) announces to a chained Valerio (Richard Harrison) and Lucilla (Paola Pitti) they'll be executed, with Artamne (Moira Orfei) in attendance in REVOLT OF THE PRAETORIANS (1964)

MUSCLES Inc.

Gordon Scott, during his Tarzan years, on the cover of STRENGTH AND HEALTH (September 1955)

Musings!

Brad Harris, as Simon, Djordje Nenadovic and Mara Lane in THE OLD TESTAMENT (1963)

If you call your movie OLD TESTAMENT, well, you're asking for it. It's impossible to cram everything from the Old Testament into a 90 minutes movies. So it basically invites criticism that the movie doesn't live up to the title. And it clearly doesn't. I like the movie. The production is excellent with some really glitzy sets (below). The cast is very good. There are some spectacular scenes in it but the story is all over the place (like FURY OF HERCULES, starring Brad Harris and made by the same team of people). It's like a Sunday School Production on steroids. They spent some considerable amount of money for this (huge crowds, big sets...) and the result is unsatisfying, if you expect the title. I don't so I'm ok with it, except for the story. A different title and people would see it differently and appreciate it.

 

Behind-the-Scenes

Director King Vidor goes over a scene with Tyrone Power and Gina Lollobrigida on the set of SOLOMON AND SHEBA (1959). Tyrone died on the set and was eventually replaced by Yul Brynner.

Clip of the week: MASSACRE IN THE BLACK FOREST (1967)

Action-packed climax! 

Funnies!

Reg Park and Wandisa Guida in MACISTE IN KING SOLOMON'S MINES (1964)

SPFX DEPT.

Scenes from THE LAST DAYS OF POMPEII (1984; TV)

The matte shot is ok but the smoke looks like smoke from a chemistry set. The explosion of Mount Vesuvius is good and bad. The pyrotechnics are great and believable (smoke, fires, etc) but the volcano itself looks like cardboard. The shot at the bottom looks like miniatures. A mix bag. Somehow, the eruptions in previous movies, certainly the 1959 version with Steve Reeves, were more effective. The next issue of BY THE GODS! will cover disasters in PEPLUM movies. 

 

Vintage Article

From Mirabelle magazine: Steve Reeves Will Write Personally to You!

Not the most flattering photo (below).
 

Musings!

Grace Jones as Zula in CONAN THE DESTROYER (1984) 

The second Conan movie had a more comic book feel to it, compared to the 'serious' first movie. Conan wasn't alone in his adventure and a bunch of misfits helped him along the way, including Zula. This plot point, a bunch of people creating a little army against the villain was very popular and common in the 1950s and 1960s PEPLUM  movies. And even though there were a couple of such movies in the 1980s revival of the genre, it was mostly a solo Hero going at it alone. The movie did ok at the box office but it wasn't a smash hit. Grace Jones could have had her own movie back in the day. She was popular and she showed in this movie that she was capable of doing her on stunts but the cast was crowded and she didn't really have much to do, which is a shame. 

PEPLUM Movie Poster

French poster of THOR THE CONQUEROR (1983) 

The movie looks exactly like this. Joking aside, has anyone here seen this? It's been on Youtube forever.

Image of the week!

Hercules (Alan Steel) enters the lair of the Moon Men in HERCULES AGAINST THE MOON MEN (1964)

Lobby Cards Set: MACISTE IN HELL

Original Italian lobby cards set (fotobusta) of MACISTE IN HELL (1962) starring Kirk Morris and Hélène Chanel. Great set. It has all the best scenes in the movie. The design is a bit confusing but it's still good.

Musings!

Taur (Joe Robinson) is escorted to Queen Akiba (Bella Cortez) at spearpoint in TAUR THE MIGHTY (1963)

As I've written many times here at the blog, the THOR / TAUR movies starring Joe Robinson were supposed to be Tarzan movies but the estate of E. Rice Burroughs threatened to sue and big changes were made to remove any resemblance to Tarzan. Well, it still sort of looks like it. I like these movies even though I suppose most people wouldn't but there's something fun about this one and THOR AND THE AMAZON WOMEN (1962)—they are Twins Productions. They resemble each other literally like twins. They're so over-the-top I can't help but find them entertaining. Joe Robinson makes an eye-pleasing Hero even though he often looked bored. The beautiful Bella is too nice to be an Evil Queen and, IMO, she's miscast here but it doesn't matter. BTW, Bella Cortez is not her real name.

The director loved playing with the race of the characters. A lot of his movies have a muscular white hero paired with a muscular black companion. And the evil ruler is almost always a beautiful Evil Queen. With all the bondage (his friend almost sends a bound Taur to his death), death traps, rituals, army of female warriors, and that big, bizarre pumping machine in this movie, well, his films look like extremely elaborate fetish movies. 😂 Think of GWENDOLINE (1984) before Gwendoline.

I love the original Italian title: TAUR - IL RE DELLA FORZA BRUTA. Or TAUR - THE KING OF BRUTE FORCE.

Behind-the-Scenes

With the new Australian release of THE THIEF OF BAGHDAD (1961), here's a behind the scenes photo of Steve Reeves riding the winged horse on the blue-screen set.

Clip of the week: THE AFFAIRS OF MESSALINA (1951)

Cinzia (Delia Scala) tries to save a bound Timo (Erno Crisa). With a host of other actors including Maria Felix and Georges Marchal. No English dub yet.

Portraits

Rhonda Fleming as Cleopatra in SERPENT OF THE NILE (1953)

HD Alert!

Steve Reeves in THIEF OF BAGHDAD (1961)

This magical movie was released on Blu-ray in Germany a few years ago but it's going to have its first English release, in Australia. It will be part of a boxset. It includes THE THIEF OF BAGDAD (1924), the silent classic starring Douglas Fairbanks. And the 1940 THE THIEF OF BAGDAD (duh!) version starring Sabu. 

For now, the boxset's price is $89 Australian. Maybe this is a sign that the classic will soon make its way to North America. 

Link

List of PEPLUM movies

As I wrote a few weeks ago at BY THE GODS! (link), one great resource of information on the versions of PEPLUM movies available out there is from another collector who has made PDF lists of all the movies releases he has. He was nice enough to give them to me. From VHS to DVD to BD and other sources, these lists are very informative. These lists are not available to the public. It's just something he does to keep tract of what he's got. I'm not disciplined enough to keep tract (I have over a thousand titles...) and even though the movies I have are sorta spread out on multiple hard drives, I do have one with a folder with all the titles in order, etc. It's just not listed as a file with titles, languages, runtimes, countries, etc. It's one of those things behind the scenes which helps the blog.

Musings!

Princess Nausicaa (Rossana Podesta) finds Ulysses (Kirk Douglas) on the beach in ULYSSES (1954)

I watched this movie, again, this weekend. I finally got a clear hold of what I think of it. I don't dislike. I like it (or else I wouldn't be watching it...) but the movie does have some shortcomings, the main one being the length. The production is stellar (set, costumes, etc). Cast is great. But the story is pretty much told in flashbacks. That was a bold way of doing things back then. But this creates a detachment in that we see things happening but since they're flashbacks we know Ulysses will survive all those perils. So the drama is lessened. It still has several amazing scenes in it. 

The other thing that I was surprised to see it in this scene, and wonder how I didn't notice it before, the other ladies on the beach, their dresses are basically sheer. There's nudity. It happens fast but still...how did they get away with it back in 1954 is quite amazing. I will post screenshots at Wardrobe Malfunctions.