Photo of the Day

Elisa Cegani has eyes for a young Massimo Girotti in THE IRON CROWN

A fantastic, almost magical film. It's no perfect (it has loads of big continuity errors and it's a bit too boisterous); director Riccardo Freda apparently said he wasn't impressed by it (what Riccardo would have done with this!) but director Alessandro Blasetti utilizes more razzle dazzle, visual tricks and panache than most films made then, in Europe or Hollywood. The director would later make the equally fantastic FABIOLA which in part helped re-ignite the Sword & Sandal craze of the 1950s. Highly recommended.

PEPLUM Behind the Scenes

Joseph L. Mankiewicz directs Rex Harrison and Elizabeth Taylor from CLEOPATRA (1963)

Not a big fan of the film but this photo is amazing

BLACK DEVILS OF KALI - Lex Barker

BLACK DEVILS OF KALI starring Lex Barker, Paul Muller and Fiorella Mari.

The US version, shortened from the original Italian cut, is a deliriously edited down film.

BTW, this is the sequel to I MISTERI DELLA GIUNGLA NERA, which is called KILLERS OF THE EAST but it's also known as BLACK DEVILS OF KALI. Very confusing.

Photo of the Day

Guy Rolfe plays Kainus in REVAK THE REBEL (or The Barbarians or Revak the Barbarian)

The man standing next to him is difficult to identify. In the movie, his name is Andar(?) and he has a fairly big speaking part but IMDb or any other site with info on this movie has nothing on him. I'm assuming he might be Richard Watson but I'm not certain. It's annoying and quite common with PEPLUM films. 

PEPLUM inspired art

Art by Boris Vallejo

Haven't we seen a moment like this in practically every Sword & Sandal film?

More PEP Fotonovelas

 AMAZONS OF ROME

SWORD & THE CROSS (aka Mary Magdalene)

 THE MIGHTY CRUSADERS

 VENGEANCE OF URSUS

a frame from NEFERTITI - QUEEN OF THE NILE

Photo of the Day

Maria Grazia Spina and Mark Forest in HERCULES AGAINST THE MONGOLS

Whenever I see one of these torture/restraining devices, I always wonder how often have they used it. I mean, did they build something like that just in case they needed to restrain...what?..'cause obviously that thing, in that size, was not meant for a mere mortal. A normal man wouldn't be able stand-up with that on his shoulders. Arf.

This is one of my favorite PEP films. It moves at good speed, it's mostly shot outdoors and there are cool action/feat of strength scenes. Everything just clicks. IMO, it's much better than HERCULES AGAINST THE BARBARIANS even though many prefer the latter.

The massive close-ups from the films of Michele Lupo

Director Michele Lupo came in late during the PEPLUM craze. His first film was made in 1962 when by 1960 most filmmakers had already accumulated a good number of projects under their belt. His films were like the last gasp of the dying craze, and they sorta briefly re-energized the genre but his films weren't enough to save it from its eventual death in 1964-65. His films had a specific style, often super energetic and chaotic. Some absolutely loved this approached and they worship his films while others hated it and his films were an example of what's not to like about the PEPLUM genre by then: it became too cartoonish.

One of the most distinctive aspects of his Sword & Sandal films was the constant use of ultra massive close-ups. You really had to be comfortable in your own skin as an actor to work in his films as those close-ups were not forgiving and could sometimes end up as being unflattering.

Viking burial site discovered in Scotland

The first intact Viking boat burial site found on the UK mainland

link

Photo of the Day

Ruth Roman and Akim Tamiroff in DESERT DESPERADOS (aka The Sinner, UK title)

A very obscure Sword & Sandal film, on many levels: Ruth never really made any major Sword & Sandal film in her spotty career so I never thought or bothered to see if she did; I've never seen it available anywhere on any bootleg dvd or vhs; the US title of DESERT DESPERADOS is horrible and might explain its obscurity. It sounds more like a Mexican Western than a PEPLUM. Added to my list of PEP films I need to see.

PEPLUM Doppelganger

I always get Carlo Giustini (left) confused with Germano Longo. The image of Carlo is from AMAZONS OF ROME and when I watched it on PEPLUM TV this past weekend I thought "Hey, I didn't know Germano was in this film!". They both have the same mannerisms and facial expressions and same nose and chin. Very confusing.

Before they were PEPLUM stars: Ed Fury

Yesterday I posted a photo of Steve Reeves and Edmund Purdom from ATHENA. But there's also another future Sword & Sandal star in it along with Ed Purdom: Ed Fury, who shows up briefly (no pun intended) in a comedy bit with a bunch of bodybuilders. Here's a video clip of that moment. Ed is number 3 of the marching line of bodybuilders.

Photo of the Day

Steve Reeves and Edmund Purdom in the confused & confusing musical ATHENA

Not a PEPLUM by any means but it has two actors who would become major genre stars with dozens of PEP films to their credit. This scene is unique as the two, alas, would never appear together again. So their scenes in this film, certainly this one, are gold (even if this one doesn't make much sense)!

Movie Poster Mondays

German poster of CALIGULA AND MESSALINA (1981)

I haven't seen this film yet. It's one of many "X-rated" PEP films that were made during/after the entire CALIGULA craze. I'm sure the movie doesn't live up to the spectacular poster, including thong wearing chariot riders. 

Answer to "What movie is this from?"

This is a clip from where the photo at the "What movie is this from?" post I posted last Friday was taken from. It's from ESTHER AND THE KING. S.R.Orsulak figured it out after my hints. I always thought this bit of dialogue to be a hoot and borderline silly. But when he says "they're uncommonly large, don't you think" with a shot of his boot well we all know what the director meant by that. Sinners!

Photo of the Day

Jean Chevrier and Nicole Courcel in AMAZONS OF ROME

Great film. Totally overlooked. Nicole is such a self righteous b**** in this film.

PEPLUM Babe of the Month: Caroline Munro

Caroline Munro only made 2 fantasy films that would fall under the PEPLUM umbrella but her impact was everlasting as no one in the 1970s was a combination of true beauty and total pulchritudinous as her.

The two first photos are from THE GOLDEN VOYAGE OF SINBAD. A pure fantasy creation, including Caroline.

Caroline as Princess Dia in AT THE EARTH'S CORE (1977) based on the Edgar Rice Burrough's book set in the fantasy land of Pellucidar. Though everyone was falling for Princess Leia in STAR WARS back in 1977, in my eye Leia couldn't hold a candle next to Caroline.

uploaded at the BABES & BEAUTIES page

After they were PEPLUM stars: Steve Reeves

Steve Reeves only film made after his PEPLUM flicks: A LONG ROAD FROM HELL. It was a short post-Sword & Sandal career as he retired from acting after this. He still looked great by then.

Photo of the Day

Rory Calhoun in THE SECRET OF MONTE CRISTO (or The Treasure of Monte Cristo)

The cool thing about it is that it stars Gianna Maria Canale and she speaks English in it. The production is good but the script is remarkably simplistic. Enjoyable but nothing earth-shattering. 

PEPLUM recycling: SON OF SPARTACUS tunic

Steve Reeve's unique tunic in SON OF SPARTACUS was reused in SEVEN REBEL GLADIATORS; Jeff Cameron is wearing it (Pietro Torrisi is crouching next to him).

I find this odd because I believe Steve's tunic in SON OF SPARTACUS to be almost iconic and seeing worn by another acting in another movie is not quite right.

Photo of the Day

Janette Scott, Rossana Podestà and Jacques Sernas in Robert Wise's HELEN OF TROY

There's something 3D about this super clear photo.

What movie is this from?

Yes, this shot is featured as part of a conversation between the characters. So from which movie is it from? If you know this, you're good.

Upcoming project!

Warner actually bought the rights to some reddit musings about US military vs Roman army. Well, the entire concept is daft and borders on the repulsive. I mean, rapid fire guns vs spears & shields? The reddit board has posters describing how they could wipe out the Roman army in a flash. The title will be ROME, SWEET ROME. Really, Warner?

This is how the thread started:

"Could I destroy the entire Roman Empire during the reign of Augustus if I traveled back in time with a modern U.S. Marine infantry battalion or MEU?

So I've been watching HBO's Rome and Generation Kill simultaneously and it's lead me to fantasize about traveling back in time with modern troops and equipment to remove that self-righteous little twat Octavian (Augustus) from power."

Photo of the Day

Cleopatra (Vivien Leigh) and Caesar (Claude Rains) in Bernard Shaw's CAESAR & CLEOPATRA

Just check out the detailing on the costumes and in Vivien's hair. This is by far the best looking PEPLUM film ever made. I love just looking at it. Few people love it but for me this is the first Sword & Sandal film  that caught my attention when I was a teen and made me an ardent fan of the genre ever since.

PEPLUM Imagery in media

The word "Gladiator" is an all-encompassing word which as these example show, transcends time