Musings! (May 6)

Searching far and wide for all things PEPLUM! Luciano Marin and Steve Reeves in GOLIATH AND THE BARBARIANS (1959)

SON OF SAMSON Blu-ray

I got an email from Amazon.com about the delivery of the SON OF SAMSON Blu-ray. The BD will be available on May 10 but it will take a week or more to get it. Hmm...we'll have to wait and see.



CINEMATIC CONFUSION

Can you spot what's confusing about this French VHS cover for THE GIANT OF METROPOLIS (1961), starring Gordon Mitchell?

The back cover is a photo of FURY OF ACHILLES which also stars Gordon Mitchell. He's with Gloria Milland, who's not in THE GIANT OF METROPOLIS.



RECENT ACQUISITIONS

The only thing I bought recently. The illustrated book of THE ROBE. I got it for $5 on eBay! I'll try to read it this summer.

 

HAVE YOU SEEN...

A SWORD  FOR BRANDO (1970; Una Spada Per Brando) 

A rare Robin Hood movie more often sold as a horror movie than a Medieval flick. In France, the title was VIRGINS FOR SATAN. It's very reminiscent of KNIGHTS OF TERROR (1963). It was directed by Alfio Caltabiano, who was an actor / stuntman in PEPLUM movies of the Golden Era.



IDENTIFY THE MOVIE

Without searching the internet or any books, can you identify this movie starring Gordon Scott? This is the British title. 

No one identified the movie from the last MUSINGS! It was from REVAK THE REBEL (1960). I posted this screenshot because it's unintentionally hilarious. Witness the 'Carthaginian Army.'  

MOVIES I WATCHED...

I've watched too many movies since my last MUSINGS! to list them here!

Yesterday I watched ATLAS IN THE LAND OF THE CYCLOPS and it occurred to me that even though the English title is ATLAS Gordon Mitchell is called Maciste in the movie. 

"Are you Maciste or Atlas?"

CUT SCENE

In HERCULES THE AVENGER (1964), there's a reused scene from HERCULES AND THE CAPTIVE WOMEN (1961) which is not scene in the latter. It lasts about 10 seconds. In CAPTIVE, this scene starts when Hercules dives into the water while in AVENGER, the scene shows Hercules waking up as the fog dissipates. 


MYSTERY POSTER

This poster and title are not listed anywhere. It's not the official Spanish or Mexican poster. The official Spanish title was simply Hércules or Los viajes de Heracles. So where does this poster come from? Maybe it's fan made but it doesn't look like it with those folds. I can't find any info on its existence. 

---------

It's always interesting to see how science fiction movies and TV series often used fashions from Antiquity for their futuristic vision. From STAR TREK to LOGAN'S RUN (below), the use of togas and short peplum dresses and tunics is omnipresent. Is this because of a lack of imagination from the costume designer or there's more meaning behind it?

---------

Coming soon:

Edmund Purdom: obituary and that book on his life!

By the Gods!

Guy Madison and Rik Battaglia in an intense scene in THE ADVENTURER OF TORTUGA (1961)

This is pretty good movie and I got a copy in English and in quasi HD. I say quasi because it's more of an upscaling than a true and new print in HD. This scene in particular is violent and quick (it probably should have lasted a bit longer). The two men whip each other (Battaglia's character is chained to the wall!). This scene also includes a funny technical goof. Production wise though, it's quite good. Good cast and locations make it a top adventure. My only complaint: at one point the story is set in the jungle and it seems the characters just walk in circles. There's also an unintentionally funny scene with natives. But overall a good actioner.

Lobby Cards Set: FABIOLA (1949)

US lobby cards set for FABIOLA (1949; 1951 US) starring Michele Morgan and Henri Vidal. Nice set but a bit underwhelming. Cards no 2, 7 are the best. Knowing how big this movie actually is, the set could have included much more

Clip of the week: TAUR THE MIGHTY (1963)

Joe Robinson, as Taur, is in a predicament: on a conveyor belt towards a pit of fire. He tries to save himself but his pal, played by Harry Baird, accidentally makes thing worse in TAUR THE MIGHTY. One unique scene!

HD Alert!

David Brandon, as Caligula, and Laura Gemser and Charles Borromel in CALIGULA: THE UNTOLD STORY (1982)

A full HD version of this notorious movie is now available on the the SEVERIN pack. The HD is pretty good, and this movie, as lurid as it is, is filmed better than most of the same period but some scenes are murky and unimpressive, not because the transfer wasn't done properly but because of filming conditions. There's the uncut Italian version, which would shock even the most jaded cinephiles, and there's also the US cut, which is considerably much tamer but still retains the movie's lurid aspects. 

David Brandon, Gabriele Tinti and Charles Borromel. Both Tinti and Borromel starred in PEPLUM movies of the Golden Era. Oddly enough, Borromel played Caligula in THE LAST GLADIATOR (1964; aka Messalina against the Son of Hercules). Tinti and Laura Gemser were married and often worked on the same projects. 

Vintage Article: ALI BABA AND THE SACRED CROWN (1962)

Italian article on ALI BABA AND THE SACRED CROWN starring Bella Cortez and Iloosh Khoshabe. Nice set of photos of the stars.

 

By the Gods!

 Steve Reeves, as Aeneas, in THE TROJAN HORSE (1961)

8 months ago I reported on a quasi-HD print of this movie available on Amazon Prime in Canada. I don't know if the movie is also available in other countries but that print, in widescreen and in English, still hasn't surface anywhere yet, not even at ULOZ. The print itself is not perfect but it is the only version in English and widescreen. 

PEPLUM Movie Poster

French poster of HERCULES (1958)

Nice poster. Great set of photos.

Image of the week!

Queen Smedes (Chelo Alonso) and Pharaoh Kenamun (Angelo Zanolli) greet Maciste (Mark Forest) in SON OF SAMSON (1960)

At the movies...

 BEN-HUR (1959) playing at the Rogers theatre in Chattanooga, Tennessee

By the Gods!

Roland Carey and Maria Grazia Spina in REVOLT OF THE BARBARIANS (1964)

I like this movie and it has a pretty good production, even with it's limited budget. But it's one of those PEPLUM movies only fans of the genre likes or remembers. This is why PEPLUM movies are so overlooked. Non-PEPLUM fans will like DUEL OF THE TITANS or GOLIATH AND THE VAMPIRES but don't have any time for these type of smaller PEPLUM movies. Both Roland and Maria have appeared in many such movies. 

Behind-the-Scenes

Steve Reeves readying himself for a shot on the set of HERCULES (1958)

Clip of the week: HERCULES AGAINST THE SONS OF THE SUN (1964)

Buff Mark Forest to the rescue. With Giuliano Gemma. 

SPFX DEPT.

A scene from THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD (1965)

Whatever one thinks of this movie, one can't deny how it is filled with amazing matte paintings, some of the best I've ever seen. Here's just one example. Below: you see the set built and above, you see what was added with a matte painting. It looks real to me. The movie had a small crew of painters, including Matthew Yuricich, Albert Simpson and Jan Domela.
 

Then & Now: Olinka Berova

Olinka in POPPEA'S HOT NIGHTS (1969); a recent photo of the actress

By the Gods!

Lex Barker is Robin Hood in ROBIN HOOD AND THE PIRATES (1960)

That's Edith Peters on the left. This is one odd PEPLUM movie. It sorta takes itself quite seriously but also it's very goofy throughout. The mash-up of genres is nothing new in the PEPLUM universe and having Robin Hood lost in a pirate movie could only have come from Italy. A big chunk of the movie was shot at the Tor Caldara location, which, after a while, is not very inspiring. I like the movie but it's definitely not for everyone. 

PEPLUM Movie Poster

Danish poster of MACISTE - GLADIATOR OF SPARTA (1964)

Colourful poster with one of the movie's most memorable scenes.

Image of the week!

Atlas (Gordon Mitchell) tries to survive a 'test of strength' in ATLAS IN THE LAND OF THE CYCLOPS (1961)

Behind-the-Scenes

Photo of the cast and crew on the set of BEN-HUR (1959): William Wyler, both Charlton Heston and Haya Harareet in costume, and a casually dressed Stephen Boyd.

Clip of the week: THE WARRIOR AND THE SLAVE GIRL (1958)

Georges Marchal enters the arena in THE WARRIOR AND THE SLAVE GIRL. With Gianna Maria Canale and Ettore Manni.

HD Alert!

Mark Forest as Maciste in SON OF SAMSON (1960) 

The new upcoming Blu-ray release of this movie just got a price drop: it was $24.95 before now it's $17.99. May 10 is the official date of the release. Worth pre-ordering.

Vintage Article

 THE HERCULES FROM MONTANA

Interesting article. According to it, the original HERCULES grossed over $15 million at the box office, in the US and Canada. THat's much more than most Hollywood movies were making back then.

By the Gods!

Ben-Hur (Charlton Heston) meets Jesus (Claude Heater) for the first time in BEN-HUR (1959)

I hope you had a great Easter weekend. I'm still feeling a bit under the weather and I'll be posting sporadically from now on. I need that water from Jesus to boost my energy. Great film!

PEPLUM Movie Poster

 Turkish poster of HERCULES AND THE BLACK PIRATES (1964)

Great action poster but a good likeness of Alan Steel. 

Image of the week!

Ursus (Yann Larvor), Maciste (Howard Ross), Hercules (Alan Steel), and Samson (Nadir Moretti) ride off into the sunset in SAMSON AND THE MIGHTY CHALLENGE (1964)