Behind the Scenes

Very rare behind the scenes photo of one of the TEN GLADIATORS films; this one is most likely from TRIUMPH OF THE TEN GLADIATORS. Almost the entire cast is there, including Dan Vadis (far right) and Pietro Torrisi, who's held by (I'm assuming) director Nick Nostro. This photo is great for finally revealing who Nick is. This is the first photo I've seen of him (if it's him of course). I love Nick's rambunctious direction for his two TEN GLADIATORS films.

ALARIC painted by Ludwig Thiersch

PEPLUMOUS (!) painting by Ludwig Thiersch called ALARIC IN ATHENS

As I mentioned yesterday, August 24 is the date of the Sack of Rome by the Visigoths led by Alaric but Alaric didn't just conquer Rome, he also conquered Athens and this painting illustrates it with panache.

Photo of the Day

Galla Placidia (Daniela Rocca) entertains Alaric, King of the Visigoths (Cesare Fantoni) and Ataulf (Robert Alda) but not a jealous Ameria (Evi Marandi) in REVENGE OF THE BARBARIANS

I'll watch this film tomorrow to commemorate the Sack of Rome. I might do this every year from now on. Really entertaining PEPLUM.

The Sack of Rome - August 24th

August 24, tomorrow, is the date of the first Sack of Rome.

Link

From link: "Tuesday marks the 1,600th anniversary of one of the turning points of European history - the first sack of Imperial Rome by an army of Visigoths, northern European barbarian tribesmen, led by a general called Alaric."

That article was published in 2010. We're in 2012 so this is the 1,602th anniversary of the first sack of Rome. Is there some sort of celebration or commemoration which takes place every year in Rome for this special date?

BEN-HUR Roman War Galley model

This is a (big) model of the Roman war galleys seen in BEN-HUR. It's located at the Baltimore Convention Center, of all places. So if you're in town, check it out. The last image is a screenshot from the film of one of the identical galleys.

Photo of the Day

Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis are on-screen lovers in THE BLACK SHIELD OF FALWORTH

They were a real couple off screen as well. Tony's medieval films were a step above the Arabian adventures he was perpetually miscast in but still not 100% believable. It's that darn accent. Janet is fine as a Medieval Lady.

When in Rome...

Steve Reeves

Here are some photos of actors from the PEPLUM genre photographed with a Vespa.

 Charlton Heston and Stephen Boyd on the set of BEN-HUR horsing around with a Vespa

Gina Lollobrigida

Audrey Hepburn

Gordon Mitchell and Mylene Demongeot

SALAMMBO Comic

 Here's a glimpse of the French SALAMMBO comic book. Looks cool.

Photo of the Day

Ursus (Ed Fury) and Doreide (María Luisa Merlo) sail off into the sunset in THE MIGHTY URSUS (or simply Ursus)

The first of 3 Ursus films Ed did in Italy. I really like this one. It's sorta corny or old fashioned but I like it for that. I recently finished a Fan Dub of this film and will be showing it this coming weekend on PEPLUM TV. I had to use two sources for the film because the widescreen version was cut in many places so the Fan Dub will alternate between both sources. 

We'll do a drinking game: drink up every time Ursus says Doreide and Doreide says Ursus.

Cameo found (but still missing)

It's well known that Elizabeth Taylor was in the running for the role played by Deborah Kerr in QUO VADIS but she lucked out. They did ask her to do a cameo, which she did and this photo proves it. Unfortunately, it looks like the cameo didn't make it in the final cut as I watched the specific scenes in the photo and there's no Elizabeth during those moments.

Thanks to Colossal Quo Vadis.

What movie?

Can you identify this PEPLUM?

Photo of the Day

Hercules (Steve Reeves) struggles to set himself free from Anteus (Primo Carnera) in HERCULES UNCHAINED

I decided to post this photo, which I've never seen before, because it's so clear and sharp. A mass of muscles and limbs. Primo was a real wrestler and even though it's a small role it's quite memorable. He should have made more PEPs.

Movie Poster Mondays

Spanish poster for MACISTE VS THE MOLE MEN (aka Mole Men Against the Son of Hercules)

Poster depicts the best scene in the movie and one of the best scenes in any PEPLUM film. The Spanish title translates to MACISTE THE INVINCIBLE. This film has so many different titles.

FARAON: Royal Procession (1966)

Interesting scene from a rare film. I didn't upload this. You can watch the entire film on Youtube but it's in Polish: FARAON

Photo of the Day

Gloria Milland finally meets the giants in GOLIATH AND THE GIANTS

While you watch this colorful PEP you sorta wonder "where the heck are those giants?" They only appear in the last 10 minutes.

HERCULES' influence on PEPLUM movie posters

When HERCULES became a big hit, other studios took note and tried to use some scenes or poster/comic book art from that film. These are pretty obvious.

Jack Palance was never this buff. Never.

GOLIATH AND THE DRAGON was supposed to be an indirect sequel to the Steve Reeves Hercules films but this poster is too much like Steve and mot Mark.

The Italian poster for SAMSON & DELILAH, probably from a re-release, copied the comic cover for HERCULES. The belt is the same. Even the folds in the fabric are the same. Victor Mature never looked that buffed. 

This British poster for LAND OF THE PHARAOHS is funny. There's no such scene in the Howard Hawks film as the one depicted on the poster.

Technical goofs: CLEOPATRA

In CLEOPATRA (1963), when Cleopatra arrives in Rome, you can see the shadows of the movie set scaffolding on the black sphynx. The Arch was also built 300 years after Cleopatra so this scene is historically incorrect.

You can see the tan line on Violeta Montenegro.

When Cleopatra is rolled out of the carpet (obviously a stuntman), she's wearing sandals but when Taylor is walking she's wearing high heels.

Photo of the Day

Atlantis is sinking in ATLANTIS - THE LOST CONTINENT

How often have we seen this in PEPLUM films? The ultimate destruction of a civilization.

Lost Egyptian Pyramids Discovered?

Two possible pyramid complexes might have been found in Egypt, according to a Google Earth satellite imagery survey.

Located about 90 miles apart, the sites contain unusual grouping of mounds with intriguing features and orientations, said satellite archaeology researcher Angela Micol of Maiden, N.C.

The two larger mounds at this site are approximately 250 feet in width, with two smaller mounds approximately 100 feet in width.

Link

Lost Footage

Ballet dancer/actress Ludmilla Tchérina appeared in SIGN OF THE PAGAN as Princess Pulcheria. In the film she has a dance sequence which has been removed from circulation since the film's release.

These photos are the only proof of her dance number.

So what happened exactly? No one seems to know but I once read somewhere that Ludmilla copyrighted the dance moves and wanted Universal International to pay her extra for it. Needless to say this didn't go down well with studio heads who ordered all traces of the dance sequence to be removed from prints and trailers. Is this the real reason? I don't know. I have the German DVD of this and the dance number is cut.

Did anyone see this film when it came out? And do you remember the dance? If so, just reply to this post.

Photo of the Day

Gordon Mitchell threatens Bella Cortez (far left) and Bruno Piergentili in ALI BABA & THE SEVEN SARACENS

This is SINBAD day today so why an Ali Baba film? The original title was SINDBAD CONTRO I SETTE SARACENI. The title was changed for the US market and for once the change was correct/justified: this doesn't feel like a SINBAD film. The story takes place entirely on land and they pretty much stay in the same place ie there's no quest. Maybe it should be called SINBABA & THE SEVEN SARACENS?

Lobby Cards set : THE GOLDEN VOYAGE OF SINBAD

Colorful lobby card set for THE GOLDEN VOYAGE OF SINBAD. Pretty good but it's missing a few key scenes. Card #3 is a spoiler and is redundant so they could have replaced it with another scene. Card #6 is pretty much the same thing. Only one card with Caroline Munro, and it's at a distance, so that's a bummer. But overall it's pretty good and captures the spirit of the film.

The (too) Many Faces of SINBAD

Let's face it, SINBAD was played by too many actors. Imagine if every James Bond film was played by a different actor. It might seem daring but really in order to achieve consistency a SINBAD series needed to at least have the same actor in a couple of films. Remarkably enough, it never happened. Sinbad is public domain and basically anyone can make a Sinbad film without infringing on any other film so that might explain it. But even Ray Harryhausen couldn't get the same actor to play the sailor in his 3 productions. BTW, Dwayne The Rock Johnson is slated to play Sinbad in an upcoming retelling of the  Arabian Nights story.

There are two types of Sinbad adventures: those with monsters and filled with special effects or those played pretty much straight, just adventure films with a hero surrounded by beautiful girls. The most popular ones were, of course, the Ray Harryhausen fx filled films but I enjoy seeing Sinbad just in your typical Arabian setting too.

Here's a quick round-up of most of the actors (I didn't include all of them):

Douglas Fairbanks Jr. in SINBAD THE SAILOR

Dale Robertson in SON OF SINBAD

Kerwin Mathews in THE 7TH VOYAGE OF SINBAD; the first of 3 Ray Harryhausen Sinbad films. This hit would change the concept of Sinbad as a feisty hero struggling against monsters and magic. 

Bruno Piergentili (aka Dan Harrison) in ALI BABA & THE SEVEN SARACENS

Originally, this was a SINBAD film under its Italian title but was changed to Ali Baba.

Guy Williams was CAPTAIN SINBAD

Robert Malcolm in SINBAD & THE CALIPH OF BAGHDAD, probably my favorite Sinbad film. It doesn't have any monsters or extensive fx so it's different than the Harryhausen stuff but as a straight forward adventure, it's typical Pietro Francisci fun.

John Phillip Law was Sinbad in the second Harryhausen fx production, THE GOLDEN VOYAGE OF SINBAD

Sinbad was played by Patrick Wayne in the third and last Harryhausen Sinbad fx films, SINBAD & THE EYE OF THE TIGER.

Lou Ferrigno is the beefiest Sinbad ever in SINBAD OF THE SEVEN SEAS

 Zen Gesner starred in the TV series THE ADVENTURES OF SINBAD

Manu Bennett in SINBAD & THE MINOTAUR

Elliot Knight is the latest actor to portray the legendary sailor in SINBAD, a 2012 TV series made for  the UK market (but filmed in Malta). I haven't seen the series but after looking at the trailer, as the original Sinbad films, this one seems to be a straight forward adventure; the trailer didn't include any  monster and fx.