By the Gods!

Alfio Caltabiano (left) and Andre Lawrence (center) in SEVEN FROM THEBES

A very rare film that's more serious than the standard Italian-made PEPLUM. I recently got a widescreen copy of this which shows how good the film looks but the image is fuzzy. The screenshot above is not taken from this copy but from the non-widescreen copy available in English. I just stitched two screenshots together to make that image. This film is a must see in widescreen since it often utilizes super tight close-ups and in standard aspect ratio, it makes for a very claustrophobic experience. Trying to figure out the cast is extremely difficult since the original credits don't show anyone, including Alfio who was a regular star / stuntman in the PEPLUM genre. IMDb doesn't have Alfio credited even though he plays one of the greatest villains in all of the genre.

Steve Reeves as Hercules - collectible figures

A company called Go Hero has created an elaborate series of collectible figures based on HERCULES (1958) starring Steve Reeves. Very cool stuff. I'm impressed.

Check it out!

By the Gods!

Walter Talun is Goliath in DAVID & BATHSHEBA

This film came out the same year as QUO VADIS but several months before the MGM epic. It was a sort of a FOX answer to Paramount / DeMille's SAMSON & DELILAH. Excellent production. Boring as hell though. Gregory Peck's heart was definitely not into this stuff. Susan Hayward had more fun with it but everything about this film is slow and sorta misconceived. Say what you will about DeMille (he was corny, etc), his films were entertaining. This scene with Goliath happens at the very end and it's way too brief. Walter was 7'2". This was his only film.

Behind-the-Scenes

Photo of the triumphal march of Marcus Vinicius from QUO VADIS. Taken from this angle, the photo shows how the production set in the background was to completed with a matte painting. This scene doesn't appear from this angle in the movie itself.

By the Gods!

Consuelo (Gianna Maria Canale) is the daughter of the Tiger (Carlo Ninchi) in TIGER OF THE SEVEN SEAS

That's John Kitzmiller behind Gianna. I like this film. I've watched it many times. My only real complaint about it is how Consuelo takes up the challenge of the command of the pirate ship at the very beginning, a challenge set up by her own father, who didn't think a woman could do it. The scene is not too convincing but the rest of the film is fun and gorgeous to look at, including Gianna. Will Consuelo become the new Tiger of the seven seas?

Peplum genre and wrestling

The PEPLUM genre is often associated with bodybuilders like Steve Reeves and Mark Forest but the genre also has a direct connection with another sport, wrestling. Many actors of the genre started as  wrestlers or a combination of stuntman / body double / circus performer / wrestler (phew!). This is fairly common in the Italian PEPLUM universe. The PEPLUM explosion that started with the success of HERCULES (1958) coincided with the Golden Era of the professional wrestling back in the 1950s. Here's just a small sample of wrestlers who made it in Euro Sword & Sandals.


Mike Lane

Super tall at 6'8", Mike made only one film but it's one of my favourites, ULYSSES AGAINST HERCULES. Lane played a beardless and very tall Hercules. Georges Marchal was Ulysses.

Joe Robinson

Primo Carnera and Joe Robinson in A KID FOR TWO FARTHINGS. Both wrestlers would make films in Italy. Joe would appear in many lead roles and supporting roles, including BARABBAS co-starring Jack Palance. More on Primo below.

Primo Carnera

Primo was a world champion boxer who also had a career in wrestling. He would work part time as an actor, including the now legendary fight between Antaeus (Primo) and Hercules, played by bodybuilder Steve Reeves, in HERCULES UNCHAINED.

Samson Burke

Montrealer Samson Burke was once a wrestler who became a bodybuilder and would eventually end up appearing in several PEPLUM films, including VENGEANCE OF URSUS

By the Gods!

Goliath (Mark Forest) readies himself to win the hand of Regia (José Greci) in GOLIATH & THE SINS OF BABYLON

This scene sets up a fun chariot race which was filmed for THEODORA - SLAVE EMPRESS and re-used here. In fact, this film uses a lot of footage from previous films which is its biggest weakness. A fun film nonetheless. It's fun to see a woman competing in a chariot race. I wonder how audiences reacted back then.

Movie Poster Mondays

Original Italian poster for KING OF THE VIKINGS (1960)

This is a Spanish Viking film. Very rare film. I haven't seen it yet. Fantastic artwork. The artwork of the Italian poster is much better than the one for the Spanish poster.

By the Gods!

Zorro (Pierre Brice) confronts Samson (Alan Steel ; Maciste in the original) in SAMSON & THE SLAVE QUEEN

You know who's the hero in a PEPLUM film? He's the one without a shirt. Okay, in this case Zorro is also a hero but Maciste (aka Samson) is the hero with the heart of gold. Fun film, with excellent production values and action, including this excellent scene. I tried to make a Fan Dub of this but couldn't. The English audio is mostly crap and there are simply too many missing scenes between the two different versions. It's sad because this is a film one can watch repeatedly.

Retro Friday : The Strange Casting of Genghis Khan

(originally posted on April 14, 2011)

Manuel Conde was the first to play Genghis Khan (according to IMDb). Manuel was born in the Philippines which, I guess, is the closest to Mongolia than any other actor.

Marvin Miller in THE GOLDEN HORDE

In possible the strangest casting decision ever, John Wayne played the legendary Mongolian ruler in THE CONQUEROR that bombed at the box office.

Ronaldo Lupi played Genghis Khan in two movies: THE MONGOLS (above) and below, HERCULES AGAINST THE BARBARIANS

Lastly, there's Egyptian actor Omar Sharif in another inaccurate adaptation in GENGHIS KHAN

By the Gods!

Rossano Brazzi, as Archimedes, meets Tina Louise for the first time in SIEGE OF SYRACUSE

Archimedes is holding what's left of Diana's clothes after he accidentally burned her toga with his mirrored weapon while she took a bath in a lake. This is the set-up for an epic and episodic love story which spans decades. Louise has multiple names in this since her character suffers from amnesia for most of the story. Brazzi, a famous actor in Italy and Hollywood, is a blond and they had to darken  his hair for this film. It's a Pietro Francisci film, so of course I like it, but I suspect many people wouldn't because it's a combination of genres (romance, war, etc) : not enough action for those looking for action and the romance is a bit unusual for those preferring romantic films.

PEPLUM GIF : HERCULES & THE CAPTIVE WOMEN

Cool scene from HERCULES & THE CAPTIVE WOMEN with that famous gong!

By the Gods!

Joe Robinson and Cameron Mitchell in ERIK THE CONQUEROR

Film directed by Mario Bava. Like almost all of Bava's color films, the color gels are used to excess here. Purples, reds, greens, yellows, blues, etc. The film ends up looking artificial. I know many people admire this and consider it one of the signature aspects of his films, and most of the times they're quite effective (certainly in his horror films) but in this film, it makes everything look like a Haunted House ride at an amusement park. The star of the film is Cameron and George Ardisson (not shown) but Joe should have been the main star. He eclipses the two other actors whenever he's on screen. The big problem I have with this film (aside from the colours) is the structure of the story. It's lopsided. Bava made another Viking film with Mitchell, KNIVES OF THE AVENGER, and that one looks more realistic but the story is dull.

Behind-the-Scenes

Rik Battaglia looks over the script of ROLAND THE MIGHTY. Rik played the main role.

By the Gods!

Giulio Donnini, Gianna Maria Canale and Paul Muller star in CONQUEROR OF THE ORIENT

Gianna probably shot her scenes ruing a weekend. She's the main star, along with Rik Battaglia (not shown) but her role is very pointless. It's an odd film in the PEPLUM cannon. A lot of critics (read morons) who automatically trash these films because they're Italian productions and always dismiss them as cheap are always wrong. In fact most of the films are pretty solid and impressive...well, except for this one. This one IS cheap looking.

Identify the movie

Can you identify this PEPLUM film?

It's from the Samson & Delilah story in GREAT LEADERS OF THE BIBLE...or I Grandi Condottieri

By the Gods!

Charlton Heston as EL CID

El Cid was a leader who gained fame by taking the city of Valencia from the Spanish Muslims back in da day. In our current political state around the world, is El Cid a hero or a villain?

Movie Poster Mondays

Italian poster of CAESAR & CLEOPATRA

Beautiful artwork. I like tis film even though everyone seems to hate it. One of the few PEPLUM films of the 19040s

By the Gods!

Sybil Danning, Lou Ferrigno and Brad Harris in THE SEVEN MAGNIFICENT GLADIATORS

A PEPLUM version of the THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, which was itself a Western version of the Japanese film, SEVEN SAMURAI. This is another example of the odd connection of PEPLUM films and Westerns some have attempted to make. I guess many thought Antiquity was the Wild West of Europe...but it wasn't.  The film itself is fun to watch but it's sorta forgettable, even by 1980s standard.

Retro Friday : Fantasy Casting...that almost was

(originally posted on March 15, 2011)

The debacle that was CLEOPATRA started out with a completely different director and cast. The brilliant Rouben Mamoulian was set to direct and Peter Finch was set to play Caesar and Stephen Boyd was initially cast as Mark Anthony. Because of production delays that lasted nearly a year, all three opted out of the project and then the casting problems occurred. The biggest casting issue, Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra, never changed so she still would have been a liability in either productions. But the film's biggest problem was the script itself and if it was the same, had it been this cast or the cast they ended up with, well, they couldn't have saved that terrible script. But one can only imagine how this version would have been. I suspect it would have been much better and very atmospheric, like most Mamoulian films.

Peter Finch as Caesar.  A much better choice than Rex "school principal" Harrison. 

Above and below: Stephen Boyd as Mark Anthony. 

Keith Baxter, Stephen Boyd and director Rouben Mamoulian in a test shot. British actor Keith Baxter was set to play Octavian but was replaced by miscast Roddy McDowall. 

A test shot. 

By the Gods!

Mickey Hargitay, as Hercules, is made to go through a test (with Jayne standing as prop) in THE LOVES OF HERCULES

One of the better scenes in this somewhat goofy but entertaining PEPLUM. Hargitay wasn't much of an actor and he often comes across as, well, goofy which is not what I think the filmmakers wanted to achieve. Don't get me wrong, I like this film and I've watched it repeatedly but it is, well, goofy. That's Massimo Serato on the far left. A great actor, probably wondering what he's doing there. The two tall men behind him in tiny tunics are unidentified. They both could have been PEPLUM stars. Another PEPLUM mystery.

PEPLUM GIF animation : THE LOVES OF HERCULES

Scene from THE LOVES OF HERCULES starring Jayne Mansfield and Mickey Hargitay. Who needs 3D?

By the Gods!

Queen Taramis (Sarah Douglas) spins a web of deceit around Conan (Arnold Schwarzenegger) in CONAN THE DESTROYER

The best thing about this (then) neo-PEPLUM was Sarah. Unfortunately, her role was limited but acted around everyone in this very campy high budget B-movie. As for Arnold, when they made the first film, director John Milius said he didn't want to make another Steve Reeves film and they were very conscious about showing Arnold's sculptured physique. But for the second film, they abandoned all pretense, and Arnold hardly wore any clothes throughout the film.

Behind-the-Scenes

John Huston directs Ava Gardner in THE BIBLE : THE BEGINNING...

By the Gods!

Gloria Milland and Brad harris are in love / lust in GOLIATH AGAINST THE GIANTS

I like these two together and I like Gloria Milland even if her character is confusing and sorta shrill. Their relationship is a love / hate one and it makes very little sense and yet by the end you're happy they're together. Look at that bedroom.