Pietro Torrisi at the gym

You can look like the PEPLUM star if you follow his workout regime.

Never name a PEPLUM film WARRIOR QUEEN / EMPRESS...

...or else it'll end up in total obscurity. Like these examples:

I have yet to find a good copy of this.

Well, overnight I finally got a decent copy of this. Sometimes it's good to have a blog.

It might be known in some parts of Europe but here in North America few people have heard of it. It's also known as BOUDICA. I have this in my collection.

And probably the best example of this, THE WARRIOR EMPRESS is still existing in near total obscurity even after being released 50 years ago. Never released on VHS or DVD or never played on TCM. I had a copy of this from a rare TV broadcast and uploaded it to one of my Youtube channels. I removed it but someone else uploaded it to their channel, with my channel intro intact and all. Really annoying. My original upload got over 1 million hits but most people (read: men) probably just wanted to see what exactly SAPPHO THE VENUS OF LEBOS was, the title I used and added myself to the film rather than the boneheaded THE WARRIOR EMPRESS (since there is no Warrior Empress in this film).

GOLIATH & THE SINS OF BABYLON: the story of the headless extra + an unknown cameo

In GOLIATH AND THE SINS OF BABYLON, the actor on the top left is unknown. In this scene his face is always cut off. He does appear briefly in two other scenes later on but from a distance or in shadows so we never see his face. Can you imagine his disappointment? 'Hey, mom, dad, I'm in this movie and I'm definitely in a couple of shots.' When his entire family and friends go see the film at the movie theatre they can't find him or wonder if that's him.

Body wise, I'm trying to figure out if he's a regular PEPLUM actor. It's not Giovanni Cianfriglia that's for sure. For he looks like Armando Bottin from the two last TEN GLADIATORS films but I might be wrong.

Speaking of TEN GLADIATORS, in a very strange cameo of sorts, we see TEN GLADIATORS star  Jeff Cameron, for a split second on the boat before the big sea battle in the same film. It's actually not a cameo as those brief appearances are reserved for well known actors. This was one of Jeff's first appearances so he wasn't famous when he shot this. If you blink you'll miss him. As far as I know he doesn't appear in the remainder of the movie after this brief 'hi...and bye' bit.

Mimmo Palmara and Jeff Cameron in GOLIATH AND THE SINS OF BABYLON. Now you see Jeff, now you don't.

Photo of the Day

Amalchi (Guy Madison) gets the point from Alboin (Jack Palance) who's going to get the point from Rosmunda (Eleonora Rossi Drago) in SWORD OF THE CONQUEROR

The second to last film directed by Carlo Campogalliani, having directed THE MIGHTY URSUS before this film and THE AVENGER OF VENICE before retiring. He was in his 70s when he made these films and started his career during the silents. Unlike URSUS, which is filled with unforgettable moments, this film is almost forgettable. Nothing much distinguishes it from other films not even the overacting by Palance which he does in his other roles ;-)  . The silly poster art (see below) tries to sell it as GOLIATH AND THE BARBARIANS but it's not that kind of film. There are some action scenes but it's feel more like a melodrama than anything else. It's not bad by any means and the widescreen version is beautiful but the lack of stand-out moments don't help it much. This has consistently been one of the least popular films I played on PEPLUM TV. The film is NOT in the public domain and it plays regularly on the MGM channel. Does anyone have the MGM channel?

Sword of the Conqueror score by Carlo Rustichelli

Opening theme song for SWORD OF THE CONUEROR.

This score by Rustichelli, like so many of his other PEPLUM scores, would be re-used continuously in other films.

Cinematic Confusion

Can I see the movie on the poster?

There's almost nothing on the poster that's in the film, certainly the Jack Palance image of massive shoulders and wearing such a tunic. In the film Jack is slim and is completely covered (pants, breast plate etc). See Photo of the Day above.

Photo of the Day

Daliah (Helga Liné) watches Roccia (Dan Vadis) and Chimbro (Milton Reid) duke it out in the exciting climax from SPARTACUS & THE TEN GLADIATORS.

Nothing much more to say than this is a fun film with some really exciting moments including the ending here.

Behind-the-Scenes

A relaxed Elizabeth Taylor poses on the CLEOPATRA set. Nice contrast.

Last PEPLUM role

PEPLUM star Raf Baldassarre's last role was in THE ADVENTURES OF HERCULES starring Lou Ferrigno. It's also his last film role after appearing in over 90 productions.

Photo of the Day

Isabelle (Geneviève Grad) tries to make a point at Duc de Vallombreuse (Gérard Barray) in CAPTAIN FRACASSE

I recently watched this film, in French. Honestly, the beginning is without a doubt the most boring, depressing beginning I've ever seen for a Swashbuckler. It wasn't a fun film to watch (even with Louis de Funès in it) and at the 30 minute mark I wanted to stop but I decided I'd watch all of it regardless and fortunately things did pick up and the action (swordfights galore!) is excellent even though the super serious tone from the start lingered on. Geneviève's role is basically playing a Damsel-in-Distress 24/7. It's not a very flattering role and not that different to the one she played in HERO OF BABYLON but she came across as more real in the latter film. Jean Marais is the star of the film and he looks way too old to play such roles (his bad wig didn't help). As for Gérard Barray well he's absolutely FANTASTIC in this. He reminds me of Timothy Dalton but a warmer, more approachable Dalton even when he plays the villain. Barray made several Swashbucklers during the PEPLUM explosion. He was a natural for the genre. Aside from the suicide inducing start and Jean Marais miscast, this is a pretty solid effort. Director Pierre Gaspard-Huit, who also directed the equally somber and unfun SCHEHERAZADE, is definitely not my favorite director. Lighten up, dude!

Movie Poster Mondays

French poster for THE 3 STOOGES MEET HERCULES

Probably the best poster for this film I've seen up to now.

Photo of the Day

Nippur (Gordon Scott) kills Balthazar (Piero Lulli) in HERO OF BABYLON

Great photo. I already posted a screenshot from this scene but this image is more clear (even if the colors don't match those from the actual film). As I said in the previous post this stabbing shot is cut from the recent British broadcast of this film which doesn't make sense to cut. In one shot we see Nippur who's about to stab Balthazar and then the next shot is Balthazar falling. 

Back on Monday!

PEPLUM Babe of the Month : Rosanna Schiaffino

Rosanna Schiaffino's first movie role was in a TOTO film. Her second role was in ROLAND THE MIGHTY directed by Pietro Francisci, her first major role in a PEPLUM film. It's great fun and Rosanna gives a cool performance in it as a beauty who causes trouble within the paladin's camp. After appearing in several films mostly set in contemporary times her next big PEPLUM role was the dual role in THE MINOTAUR. Rosanna plays twins, one who is a Princess Freda, who's evil, and the other is Ariadne, exiled to live with peasants from birth, this to insure that the twins wouldn't be sacrificed to the Minotaur. I can't say enough good things about this dual role. It would become her signature PEPLUM role and never looked lovelier in it.

Rosanna Schiaffino would appeared in a dozen or so PEPLUM films during her career, most of those being historical dramas such as DUBROWSKY, THE MANDRAKE, EL GRECO. Rosanna had the good chance to appear in some major Hollywood productions or co-productions such as TWO WEEKS IN ANOTHER TOWN and THE LONG SHIPS, ranking her in status along other Italian actresses such as Gina Lollobrigida, Sophia Loren, Virna Lisi and Anna Magnani.

Uploaded to the BABES and BEAUTIES page.

ROLAND THE MIGHTY

Rosanna with costar Rik Battaglia in ROLAND THE MIGHTY

THE MINOTAUR

As Princess Freda

Princess Freda and Ariadne meet for the first time

A smiling Ariadne enjoys a feast. Bob Mathias was her co-star in THE MINOTAUR

Princess Freda gives instructions to Chirone (Alberto Lupo) while overlooking a feast

A photo of Rosanna in a scene cut from the final film; Rosanna is PEPLUM perfection here

Ariadne in the labirynth-like cavern where the Minotaur resides, pulling a thread from her dress to make sure she'll find her way back

Rosanna Schiaffino looks absolutely tiny against the Minotaur. Either she's tiny in real life or that man-in-suit is massive. Cool photo.


BLOOD ON HIS SWORD

Rosanna co-starred with Jean Marais (left) in this Swashbuckler

ROMULUS AND THE SABINES

Rosanna had a cameo in ROMULUS AND THE SABINES; she played Venus in a dream sequence dreamt by Romulus (Roger Moore). Jean Marais, his back to us, played Mars in the dream.


THE LONG SHIPS

Rosanna co-starred with Sidney Poitier in THE LONG SHIPS

Various films

DUBROWSKY with John Forsythe

EL GRECO with PEPLUM star Ángel Aranda

Rosanna with Anthony Quinn in THE ROVER

Rosanna in HECTOR THE MIGHTY, a raunchy send-up of HELEN OF TROY set in modern times


Non-PEPLUM films and pin-up photos:

From ARRIVEDERCI, BABY!

From CORRUPTION with Jacques Perrin

Photo of the Day

Blind girl Nydia (Linda Purl) and Lydon (Duncan Regehr) are in love in THE LAST DAYS OF POMPEII mini-series

Elaborate mini-series which doesn't hold up too well today mainly because of the sometimes painful dialogue and at 253 minutes the drama is pointlessly stretched out. It is a solid production with an incredible cast but it should be edited down to at least 2.5 hours to be more compelling.

Linda Purl, a child actress who was 19 when she made this, is still working regularly today. Duncan Regehr plays a gladiator and an impressive one at that but his look (wardrobe, hairstyle...) while fighting in the arena screams a very dated 1980s. The actor also played Zorro. Inevitably Duncan took beefcake photos while filming the mini-series some of which he apparently regrets taking which I'll post soon enough in the HEROES & BEEFCAKE page and also at PEPLUM X blog of course.

Various opening titles for same film

Here are the Italian, French and English titles for THE LAST DAYS OF POMPEII (1959)

Lobby cards set - HELEN OF TROY

US lobby cards set for HELEN OF TROY. Very good set. The top two cards are boring but they showcase the cast. Close-ups of the two main stars and a card with the wooden horse. It could have used one scene with the big battle but it's an above average set.

Photo of the Day

The Queen (Gianna Maria Canale) and Amazon warrior Melitta (Daniela Rocca) argue in COLOSSUS AND THE AMAZON QUEEN

September 12 is the birthdate for both of these PEPLUM stars so happy birthday to Gianna and Daniela!

TIRMA - THE ISLAND PRINCESS - battle sequence directed by Pietro Francisci

The epic film TIRMA - THE ISLAND PRINCESS was directed by Paolo Moffa. It's a South Seas style of adventure but it's set in the Atlantic, on the Canary islands. It's the  'Conquistadors vs the Natives' of the islands. The battle sequence at the end was directed by Pietro Francisci, who directed some of the best PEPLUM films including THE QUEEN OF SHEBA and HERCULES starring Steve Reeves. The battle is typical Francisci action, reminiscent of the big climatic battles in HERCULES UNCHAINED and SAPHO THE VENUS OF LESBOS. Francisci gets a special mention (screenshot above) right after the director's credit. Usually these kind of co-directions go unnoticed so it's pretty cool that he got such a clear mention and shows how important the director's input was at the time.

Oops...

In SALAMMBO, Jacques Sernas, as Mathos, walks about in the temple at night and opens a door to Salammbo's chamber...but in the next shot the door that's opened is the wrong door and it's opened from the outside, not from the inside. This goof happens a lot in films and it always makes me wonder how seriously difficult is it to keep track on which door is opened, certainly a door of that size.