Image of the week!

Sappho (Tina Louise) and Phaon (Kerwin Mathews) seek counsel with the Sybil (Elena Zareschi) in SAPPHO - THE VENUS OF LESBOS (1960; aka The Warrior Empress)

At the movies...

 BEN-HUR (1959) playing at the Gaumont Palace in Paris.

Musings!

Giuliano Gemma and Richard Harrison in TWO GLADIATORS (1964) 

A few things about this movie:

- It's very entertaining. 

- Richard Harrison and Giuliano Gemma also starred in REVOLT OF THE PRAETORIANS, a Twin production with this one 

- Is this a Richard Harrison film with Giuliano or a Giuliano Gemma film with Richard?

- I don't know how or why but Richard was made to look or simply looks old in this movie, compared to PERSEUS THE INVINCIBLE

- Yellow is not a very discreet colour for clothes

- Wasn't it awkward to sit down in those togas, certainly a yellow one

- There are multiple wardrobe malfunctions in this movie (and in Revolt of the Praetorians) 

- The main poster is one of the best of the PEPLUM genre

- It's known as THE TWO GLADIATORS or TWO GLADIATORS. I prefer the latter.

- Not available in HD or blu-ray.

Behind-the-Scenes

 Yul Brynner taking photos while on a break on the set of KINGS OF THE SUN (1963)

Clip of the week: SEVEN FROM THEBES (1964)

Alfio Caltabiano is bad. With Andre Lawrence.

Portraits

Edy Vessel as Kadeejah in THE THIEF OF BAGHDAD (1961) 

HD Alert!

Scenes from ANDROCLES AND THE LION (1954) with Jean Simmons and Alan Young

My friend in Europe provided me with this HD copy of the movie. He doesn't where it came from. Criterion has a DVD release but not a Blu-ray release. It might have shown up on a TV channel like TMC but they usually have logos and this copy doesn't have any logos. So where it came from is a mystery. Needless to say, it's a vast improvement over the regular version.

Victor Mature and John Hoyt 

HERCULES AND THE CAPTIVE WOMEN Blu-ray quick comparison

I recently brought up the controversial Blu-ray release of HERCULES AND THE CAPTIVE WOMEN in the US and how terrible it is, and seemingly a lot of people are actually fine with it. This is quite discouraging. Here's just a quick glance on how bad it is. On top is a compilation of screen captures of the US blu-ray. Below is the screen captures of the Italian DVD. The colours of the DVD are correct. The reds are red, etc. The US Blu-ray is a travesty. 

Musings!

Gordon Scott and Moira Orfei in HERO OF BABYLON (1963) 

I'm still trying to figure out what's my favourite Gordon Scott or Moira Orfei film. For Gordon, this one is at the top. For Moira, sh's very good in it but I would say my favourite would be MACISTE - THE STRONGEST MAN IN THE WORLD or MACISTE VS THE MOVIE MEN. I like the fact that Moira enjoyed playing evil ladies. I really like this film. Yes, it's not very Babylonian but who cares. It's very entertaining. This screenshot is from a DVD release in Europe. Yes, DVD. I have many copies of this film and even though it's not close to being a Blu-ray, it's better than all the copies I have in my collection.

PEPLUM Movie Poster

Original Italian poster of THE FIGHTING COSSACKS (1962) 

Nice artwork...but would this poster make you want to see the movie?

Image of the week!

Captain Morgan (Steve Reeves) fight with Francois L'Olonnais (Armand Mestral) in MORGAN THE PIRATE (1960)

Lobby Cards Set: SHE GODS OF SHARK REEF (1958)

US lobby cards set of SHE GODS OF SHARK REEF starring Bill Cord and Don Durant. Nice set. It pretty much sums up the movie in a 8 photos. Roger Corman said it was one of his favourites films he directed. 

Musings!

A scene from THOSE ABOUT TO DIE (2024)

A new TV series on gladiators. It stars Anthony Hopkins as Vespasian. This is Sara Martins in the image above. I know little about it. Will I watch it? I doubt it. 😂 I don't want to get my hopes too high but I assume it's going to be the typical political correct style of today, which is boring. Reviews at IMDb are mostly not encouraging. I wish there was something cool today like those old movies but alas...great title though.

Behind-the-Scenes

Joseph E Levine and Steve Reeves take a break from filming THIEF OF BAGHDAD (1961)

Clip of the week: TIBERIUS (1960)

Abbe Lane practices with her dancers with some onlookers. With Ugo Tognazzi and Walter Chiari.

For some reason, Blogger is not letting me upload the video. You can check it out at Facebook

New PEPLUM Art

New feature here at the blog. PEPLUM inspired art. 

With a few prompts, new PEPLUM art by AI. 

From MEN OF PULP @ X 

SEVEN FROM ROME 

SPFX DEPT.

Donald O'Connor, as Aladdin, and Vittorio De Sica, as the genie, in a scene from THE WONDERS OF ALADDIN (1961)

This colourful movie has a boatload of special effects in it. This is my favourite fx scene, with smallish practical set making Donald look tall in a play with perspective. Below, he stops people from opening the door with his oversized foot. It's a fun scene. Vittorio was added later. Sometimes the simplest effects are the best.

Same set, different films!

Above: a scene from MESSALINA (1960). Below: a scene from TIBERIUS (1960). Both films are most likely TWIN PRODUCTIONS. I like both movies so it doesn't really matter.
 

Musings!

Sylvia Sorrente in THE FIGHTING COSSACKS (1962) 

A seldom seen movie that was made to capitalized on the success of TARAS BULBA (1962) starring Tony Curtis, Yul Brynner and Christine Kaufmann, who would become Tony's wife. The original title for this movie is THE SON OF TARAS BULBA. It wasn't connected to the Hollywood movie and was released in the US as THE FIGHTING COSSACKS. On TV, it was renamed as THE PLAINS OF BATTLE. I like it but I reserve my full review of it until I see it in a decent copy. The two copies I have are terrible and I'm certain if I'd watched it with a pristine print, my view would change for sure. One of the best thing about the movie is Sylvia. In that dress. I always wanted to make a list of the best (and worst) costumes for men and women. This one would make the list. This is Sylvia's only major role in a PEPLUM movie. She appeared in CALIGULA AND MESSALINA (1981) as an extra!

PEPLUM Movie Poster

Original Italian poster of APHRODITE - GODDESS OF LOVE (1958) 

Quite a poster. And a very PEPLUM one at that. If you know you know.

Image of the week!

Perseus (Richard Harrison) is put to the test, fighting a whip happy Galemore (Leo Anchóriz) in PERSEUS THE INVINCIBLE (1963)

MUSCLES Inc

Big Reg Park on the cover of MUSCLE BUILDER (Jan 1954)

Musings!

Abbe Lane shows her assets in TIBERIUS (1960) 

This is another movie with a missing English dub. It was shown on TV in the US. So an English version is out there but it's nowhere to be found. This is a comedy (of course). It's a sexy, breezy Italian comedy which are a thing unto themselves and Italian humour is often difficult to translate. I like it even if I don't understand half the movie. It would be nice to have an English audio, certainly if Abbe Lane uses her voice. Maybe I should do a list of movies with the English track missing.

Behind-the-Scenes

Director Guido Brignone sets up a scene with Marisa Allasio on the cross on the set of THE SWORD AND THE CROSS (1956)

Clip of the week: TRIUMPH OF HERCULES (1964)

Hercules (Dan Vadis) against the Golden Warriors of the Dagger of Jae. With Pietro Torrisi.