By the Gods!

Solomon (Yul Brynner) welcomes Sheba (Gina Lollobrigida) to his kingdom in SOLOMON AND SHEBA

Splendid costumes!

PEPLUM GIF animation : CONQUEROR OF CORINTH

Whipping scene from CONQUEROR OF CORINTH starring Gianna Maria Canale and Geneviève Grad. One of the highlights of the film. Gianna looks great in that colour.

By the Gods!

King Solomon (Gino Cervi) wants to cut a baby in half in order to settle a dispute between two women claiming to be its mother in THE QUEEN OF SHEBA

Gino gives great support to this film, which is one of my all time favourite PEPLUM films. Gino Leurini, who plays Solomon's son, is standing behind him. Directed by Pietro Francisci. Though the photo is in colour this film is in black and white.

Then & Now : Pietro Torrisi

Pietro in SEVEN REBEL GLADIATORS (1965) ; a recent photo of Pietro. He was born in January 1940.

Prisoners of Casbah

PEPLUM X Tuesdays

Gloria Grahame - Turhan Bey

The Long Swift Sword of Siegfried - Raimund Harmstorf

PEPLUM X Tuesdays

Queen of Babylon - Ricardo Montalban

PEPLUM X Tuesdays

Toto the Sheik

PEPLUM X Tuesdays

Tamara Lees - Toto

Jayne Mansfield - Mickey Hargitay

PEPLUM X Tuesdays

The Invincible Brothers Maciste - Mario Novelli

PEPLUM X Tuesdays

The Queen of Sheba - Leonora Ruffo

PEPLUM X Tuesdays

By the Gods!

 Theodora (Gianna Maria Canale) is surrounded by spears in THEODORA - SLAVE EMPRESS

This is a real PEPLUM cliché which I'll profile with more photos one day. The film itself is totally inaccurate vis-à-vis historical facts but who cares since it's such a cool film.

Movie Poster Mondays

Belgian poster of BLACKBEARD THE PIRATE

Colorful artwork, which back then was enough to sell a movie.

By the Gods!

Goliath (Brad Harris) has been found in the bedroom of Princess Elea (Gloria Milland) in GOLIATH AGAINST THE GIANTS

I'll always say this: great production, non existing story. This was Gloria and Brad's first starring role in a PEPLUM film. I have to admit that their relationship in this film makes me giggle. It's hard to describe. One minute she wants to kill him, the next minute she's in love with Goliath, etc. But I love this film even if there's no story and it's a bit goofy.

Back next week!*

*I'm a little under the weather so if I'm not feeling too well by next week you'll know why I won't be posting. 

PEPLUM GIF animation : THE GIANT OF MARATHON

Action scene from the spectacular climax in THE GIANT OF MARATHON starring Steve Reeves.

By the Gods!

Lucretia Borgia (Belinda Lee) enjoys a warm bath as Astorre (Arnoldo Foà) watches on in THE NIGHTS OF LUCRETIA BORGIA

Belinda Lee took a lot of baths in her PEPLUM films!

Behind-the-Scenes

Steve Reeves has fun with the camera equipment on the set of HERCULES (1958). At one point Steve was one of the most photographed man on earth.

Samson

PEPLUM X Tuesdays

Serge Gainsbourg - Brad Harris

Siege of Syracuse - Tina Louise

PEPLUM X Tuesdays

Demetrius and the Gladiators

PEPLUM X Tuesdays

Richard Egan - Victor Mature

Nefertiti - Queen of the Nile

PEPLUM X Tuesdays

Liana Orfei - Edmund Purdom

Attila

PEPLUM X Tuesdays

Sophia Loren - Henri Vidal

Vulcan - Son of Jupiter

PEPLUM X Tuesdays

Bella Cortez - Iloosh Koshabe

By the Gods!

Obelix (presumably Gérard Depardieu) climbs the Sphinx with disastrous results in ASTERIX & OBELIX : MISSION CLEOPATRA

I never understood why the producers didn't try to sell these films for the English (aka North American) market. They're big, cartoony and not very subtle, like so many films from Hollywood. Aha! The famous French actor is now a Russian. We live in a strange world!

Movie Poster Mondays

Italian poster of HERCULES AGAINST THE BARBARIANS

Great, action packed poster...maybe a bit too cartoony but it's vivid! That snake wants a bit of Herc. There is an issue with the title which is actually the title for the Gordon Scott epic SAMSON & THE 7 MIRACLES OF THE WORLD. I don't know why the title is different here but the rest (cast, crew...) are all from HERCULES AGAINST THE BARBARIANS. PEPLUM confusion.