Photo of the Day

Hildegard Neil is Cleopatra in ANTONY & CLEOPATRA (1972)

Hildegard is the most beautiful woman to ever wear a helmet. Most men look dashing and powerful in these but not all women can carry the helmet look. I thought Liana Orfei in HERCULES, SAMSON & ULYSSES was the best but after re-watching the film last night I realized that this and also her performance in a SPACE 1999 episode (image) in which she wears a costume with a Roman-inspired helmet puts her on top of the list (which I should do one day).

Movie Poster Mondays

Italian poster for SABU & THE MAGIC RING

This is interesting for a couple of reasons. This poster and other Italian posters for this film do not have Sabu credited anywhere. Hmm.... Also, the Italian title, which translates as THE COLOSSUS OF BAGHDAD, is more interesting than SABU & THE MAGIC RING. I never liked having an actor's name as part of a title. 6'5" William Marshall is the Colossus in this film. 

Photo of the Day

Millstone (Hercules in original, Alan Steel) and Samson (Brad Harris) fight over a potential meal in SAMSON

This brawny action scene will be included in the 30 GREATEST MOMENTS OF PEPLUM CINEMA starting tomorrow. I really love this scene, in fact I love SAMSON. Aside from the forgettable storyline this PEPLUM clicks from beginning to end. And this scene, which happens at the very start, is a stand-out. I already uploaded this photo to PEPLUM X.

Who wore it best?

So who wore it best? Steve Reeves in THE THIEF OF BAGHDAD or this extra from THE WONDERS OF ALADDIN.

Photo of the Day

Francis Bernardone of Assisi (Bradford Dillman) is experiencing stigmatas in FRANCIS OF ASSISI (1961)

I'm more familiar with Zeffirelli's BROTHER SON, SISTER MOON version of St Francis of Assisi's story. I have to watch this one again to compare.

The cheapest special effect in a PEPLUM film!

From CONQUEROR OF THE ORIENT, which I uploaded on Youtube and posted about it at the blog yesterday. In the film someone looks out a window at night to see an army of soldiers holding torches. For this fx they used ordinary birthday cake candles to give the impression of the many soldiers waiting to attack at night. For me it looks like a bunch of birthday cake candles.

PEPLUM imagery in non-PEPLUM films

The 'Moloch' scene from METROPOLIS. Workers are shown to merely be sacrificial offerings to the Carthaginian god Moloch. For a science-fiction film METROPOLIS contains loads of PEPLUM imagery including a Babylonian dance sequence, death statue coming to life and much more.

Photo of the Day

Vladimir Sokoloff, Sabu and Daria Massey in SABU & THE MAGIC RING

This film is almost considered a lost film. I say "considered" because I've seen a B&W clip from an Italian broadcast of this film on them interwebs which means someone has a copy out there but the short film (it's a little over an hour), which was made in the US and in colour, is basically missing in action. It's amazing that Sabu was still making Arabian adventure films in the late 1950s twenty years after appearing in his first production in 1937. Sabu died young, at 39, in 1963, 6 years after making this.

Blog notes

Here are several notes and tidbits about the blog:

30 GREATEST MOMENTS OF PEPLUM CINEMA

Next week (or the week after next week...I'm still setting it up) I'll start the countdown for the 30 GREATEST PEPLUM MOMENTS in the genre's history. I'll upload each scene at one of my Youtube channels, if there aren't any copyright infringement issues of course. I'll post one scene per day from Monday to Friday so this will last 6 weeks.

I decided on 30 even though I could have easily made a 40 Greatest Moments list but the countdown would have lasted 2 months which is too long. Choosing the scenes is very difficult to do because I often have to drop or not include several scenes I personally love but didn't make the final list. These scenes will only come from Italian/European PEPLUM films. The list won't include big Hollywood productions.

Which moment will be no 1?

After I've done this there might be some changes to the blog. I might start posting in-frequently or post 5 days a week only instead of 7 days a week. Something like no posts on Sundays and Wednesdays. Anyway, we'll see.


BLOG'S STATS

I'm testing 3 different counters these days and none of them say the same thing. As the screenshot below shows the pageviews, highlighted in red, are different between StaCounter (352), HiStats (409)  and Blogger's own stats, at 698. I took the screenshots at the same time. It's all very confusing. The Blogger one should be the most accurate one I guess.

FORUM

The forum (link) is basically dead right now. No one has posted there for several weeks. I'm not too crazy about the Forum software but merging a Forum with a blog is not easy. There aren't that many options. There are a couple of regular posters there who kept it going but right now if it doesn't pick up or new members start posting there I might have to close it again.


PEPLUM X

PEPLUM X (link) is still going strong. Love doing this. It's going to exist as long as this main blog remains active.

FACEBOOK

The Facebook PEPLUM page is also going strong. It's basically the same thing as the blog but those who haven't been there yet you can "like" the page. Changing the Facebook account from a personal to business one is the best thing I did regarding FB.


TWITTER

I'll be tweeting every updates/posts made on this blog and some from PEPLUM X to Twitter from now on. And since I use Twitter to list the films on PEPLUM TV and also new uploads at the Youtube channels you can get keep abreast of what's going on directly from there.

PEPLUM TV - the new Youtube channel

I've started uploading full length films at the new PEPLUM TV Youtube channel. I'm testing the waters with this new channel so the uploads will be on the slow side. After they gave the old channel an undeserved strike and removed the possibility to upload anything longer than 15 minutes I decided to create a new channel which does give me the choice of uploading videos longer than 15 minutes. The problem with this is that my old channels, Old PEPLUM TV and SapphoPEPLUM, both have subscribers in the thousands and it's not easy building up everything from scratch with the new channel. I'll wait until the strike runs out in late August before uploading stuff again at the older channels but for now the place to go is the new PEPLUM TV channel.


PEPLUM TV at Justin.tv

I'm still broadcasting films every Saturday at Justin.tv. I might start broadcasting on more days but for now Saturday is the place to be.

OTHER NEWS

I'm also currently working on a full PEPLUM website and a book as well. The book is in the preliminary stage but the subject needs a well researched book on the subject and alas the books out there, in English at least, are very lacking. All of this cost a lot of money and I'm thinking of starting a crowd-funding campaign to subsidize these projects. What do you think about this idea?

Photo of the Day

Stephen Boyd is about to wake up Sophia Loren in THE FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE

This is where the film's $19 million budget went. Look at the detailing. This is real stuff, not CGI.

Steve Reeves Muscle Beach Hall of Fame

Here's a close-up of a plaque at Muscle Beach Venice Hall of Fame for Steve Reeves.

300 Rise of an Empire

Here are some screenshots from the trailer for 300 RISE OF AN EMPIRE. I've already mentioned the  possibility of this film at the blog a couple of times and it's been a long time coming so it's cool to see some scenes from the actual film or know it's actually real. Looks dark, as usual. I kinda like some scenes in it but I absolutely hate the slow-mo, freeze frame action stuff which has been overused since THE MATRIX which was released 14 years ago. Guys, just let go of that silly stuff. Aside from that it reminds me of a remake of THE GIANT OF MARATHON. The battle in this film occurred during the Second Persian Invasion of Greece while the Battle of Marathon occurred during the first Persian Invasion of Greece. At least the genre is still alive.

 Rodrigo Santoro returns as Xerxes

Lena Headey reprises her role as Queen Gorgo.

Photo of the Day

Roger Browne just kicked the butts of 5 fellow Roman soldiers in SEVEN REBEL GLADIATORS

This scene is played strictly for over-the-top laughs even though I've always find these kind of so-called OTT cartoonish violent scenes sorta disturbing. It's just a pet peeve of mine so don't read too much into it.

But seriously 1 - The most annoying thing about this scene is that Browne attacks these men with the slightest provocation which says our hero is easily manipulated which is not an admirable quality in a hero; 2 - these scenes always bring out the lack of logic in these films to the fore: in reality those 5 men would have overpowered an average built man like Browne in a second; 3 - are they dead or brain damaged or what? What is he going to do with them? Browne walks away from this as if nothing had happened; 4 - the damage to the tavern is fine with the owner. Doesn't the tavern owner think there won't be any repercussions?

Director Michele Lupo had tons of these scenes in his films, often with a midget somewhere making  silly commentaries during the action, and as entertaining as they are well they are sometimes a chore to sit through. I'm not against cartoonish violence per se; for example, I prefer the same kind of scenes in THE TEN GLADIATORS series which are equally OTT but not as silly.

CLEOPATRA canceled version

This is a rare photo of the first version of CLEOPATRA starring Elizabeth Taylor in the titular role.  In this staged photo we see Peter Finch as Julius Caesar and Harry Baird as a servant. As this production started in 1960, this would have been Baird's first PEPLUM role. Unfortunately, when the first version of CLEOPATRA was scrubbed and production moved to Rome, Baird and Finch didn't reprise their roles.

Cinematic confusion

This is a German vhs cover for CONQUEROR OF THE ORIENT starring Rik Battaglia

Yep, that fits the film to a T.

Photo of the Day

Arcal (Renato Baldini) tries to get some answers from Theodora (Gianna Maria Canale) in THEODORA - SLAVE EMPRESS (1954)

A pre-HERCULES PEPLUM film which doesn't exactly follow history but it's greatly entertaining nonetheless. It's not shot in widescreen even if the format was just starting out then. It's probably the film's only big liability. The cast, including Baldini and Canale, is in top form.

Esther Williams, R.I.P.

Howard Keel as Hannibal and Esther Williams as Amytis in JUPITER'S DARLING.

Famous competitive swimmer Esther Williams, who became a movie star in the 1940s and 50s, died last week when I was away on break. Her films had elaborate musical numbers with Esther and cast mates swimming to music. She starred in JUPITER'S DARLING, an unlikely musical about Hannibal which became an enormous financial failure. But most of her films were hits, set in contemporary times, and often included Greek or Roman themes or imagery of Williams swimming in pools like a Greek goddess. She was set to star in ATHENA but was away on maternity leave and all of the swimming sequences were replaced by dance numbers and Jane Powell took over the role in the film which also starred Steve Reeves. 

Can you imagine if Esther and Steve Reeves had made ATHENA together? Now that would have been cool. RIP to a one of a kind star.

Actor profile: Claudio Scarchilli

This is a new feature at the blog. I'll post a profile of a supporting actor or actress who's mostly unknown even if they have a sizeable PEPLUM career. Today, the profile is on Claudio Scarchilli. He's often mistaken for other actors. This list should clear up this confusion. He's not credited for two of his films which means that there might be more films out there with him but I didn't notice them yet. If you do know any other PEPLUM films he's in please let me know.


1960 -

GLADIATOR OF ROME

Claudio is not credited for this role, at IMDb or in the film's credits, as one of the rebelling gladiators teaming up with Gordon Scott. This is his first film as far as I know.

1962 -

PONTIUS PILATE

Credited as Disma at IMDb.

THE GOLDEN ARROW

Credited at IMDb as Bandit for this film.

COLOSSUS OF THE ARENA

Claudio plays one of the villains. Listed at IMDb.

1963 -

FALL OF ROME

First time without his beard. This role is credited at IMDb.

1964 -

URSUS THE TERROR OF THE KIRGHIZ (Hercules - Prisoner of evil)

This is the performance I remember the most of Claudio's. He plays Lava, a man who infiltrates the camp of Ursus and Lava is set to kill the giant hero. This role is credited at IMDb. 

ANTHAR THE INVINCIBLE

Claudio is not listed in the film's credits or at IMDb for this somewhat big role in ANTHAR.

1965 -

WILD WILD WILD PLANET

Not a PEPLUM but the entire cast and crew is made up entirely from the PEPLUM genre and Claudio appears in it as well, with Massimo Serato on the right. Listed at IMDb.

FALCON OF THE DESERT

This is Claudio's last PEPLUM role before doing Spaghetti Westerns, including THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY.

Photo of the Day

Aladdin (Donald O'Connor) and Omar (Milton Reid) are looked over by "Amazons" in THE WONDERS OF ALADDIN.

Steve Reeves was set to star in this film but they ended up with Donald O'Connor instead. How does one go from Steve Reeves to Donald O'Connor? O'Connor, as Aladdin, was terribly miscast. Steve Reeves or O'Connor were simply too old to play an Aladdin who still lives with his mother. The impossibly handsome Terence Hill, still going as Mario Girotti, is also in this and would have been a better choice as Aladdin. Not a big fan of this but it is harmless fun with moments showcasing O'Connor's dancing/acrobatic antics. The skimpy "Amazons" costumes are anachronistic to say the least. Great score by Angelo Francesco Lavagnino.

Movie Poster Mondays

Spanish poster for SEVEN SLAVES AGAINST ROME

Interesting artwork.

Photo of the Day

Horatia (Jacqueline Derval) is "tamed" by Curazio (Franco Fabrizi) in DUEL OF CHAMPIONS

Can someone explain Horatia's character to me? The odd thing is that Jacqueline Derval gives the best performance in DUEL OF CHAMPIONS (almost everyone is slumming) but her character makes very little sense. In DUEL OF CHAMPIONS, Horatia is an enemy of Curazio but after being kidnapped by him she falls instantly in love with her kidnapper even after he tells her that he uses women left and right but that she's somewhat different. And her actions at the climax is a bit much. 

I've just made a much needed Fan Dub of this film and I like it more now than before with a nicer picture but the film is still besieged by unusual weak aspects, Alan Ladd performance notwithstanding. The storyline is actually good (though simplistic, like NEFERTITE - QUEEN OF THE NILE). The decision of Rome's future based on a duel between warring family members is better realized here than in ROMULUS & REMUS but the final result is still unusually drab.

There are apparently two versions of this film: an English version directed by Terence Young and the Italian one directed by Ferdinando Baldi. The Terence Young one is missing in action. I have 3 copies of this and they all say Baldi is the director. Where's the Terence Young one? The score by Francesco Lavagnino is typically fantastic. The end result is a real mixed package.

Spotting the PEPLUM star

Ed Fury was initially uncredited for his appearance in DEMETRIUS & THE GLADIATORS but at IMDb he's listed. So I tried finding him and here he is. He's also in another shot, filmed from the back.

Mario Novelli, star of many PEPLUM films including THE INVINCIBLE BROTHERS MACISTE, appears briefly in SODOM & GOMORRAH. Mario is not listed at IMDb for this film. 

Tragic Stars : Bella Darvi

Bella Darvi starred in THE EGYPTIAN as Nefer. This was her only second film. She starred in 3 films for 20th Century Fox before her career in Hollywood was effectively over. It is well known that Darvi was Darryl F. Zanuck's mistress, brought from Europe to Los Angeles because she slept with the studio boss. When Zanuck's wife realized this she sent Darvi packing and back to Europe.

There were production problems for THE EGYPTIAN before cameras started shooting. Marlon Brando was set to star as Sinuhe, the lead role, but Brando disliked Darvi so much that he decided to leave the project at the very last minute. Edmund Purdom replaced Brando. Here's some behind-the-scenes details about THE EGYPTIAN:

"Marlon Brando was originally scheduled to appear opposite Darvi in the Technicolor epic THE EGYPTIAN (1954). During the script read-through before filming began, the pair disliked each other at first sight. Bella, cast as the courtesan Nefer, was also jeered by more experienced star Jean Simmons who laughed with other cast members that Darvi was "an actress who 'nefer' was." Just as filming was to start, Brando refused to make the film, his agent telling studio head Darryl F. Zanuck: "He doesn't like the director, he doesn't like the role. And he can't stand Bella Darvi!" Edmund Purdom was cast in the role."

It's pretty obvious that Darvi was miscast as Nefer. I won't go into details why I think so but she only got the role because she was a mistress not an actress. Once back in Europe she continued acting from time to time but her gambling debts were too big for what little she got paid as an actress (or anything else) and she kept on asking Zanuck to help her financially. He did help her up until the early 1970s. After he refused to help her financially, Bella killed herself by turning on the gas stove in her apartment. She was only 42.

Posted at the TRAGIC STARS permanent page

Photo of the Day

Amenophis (Amedeo Nazzari) grieves the death of his favorite holy man (Carlo D'Angelo) while Benakon the High Priest (Vincent Price, in background) watches on in NEFERTITE - QUEEN OF THE NILE

I just created a new Fan Dub of this film (I've been on a roll) and yes I'll be playing it on PEPLUM TV. While making the Fan Dub I was surprised by how simple the storyline is. If your brain sweats while watching this you'll need psychiatric help 'cause it's very black & white simple. The film is not bad. In fact it's pretty good but I just wished the script was more elaborate. Production design is good but the costume steal the show. They're excellent, for both women and men.

SUPERMAN VS HERCULES

A TV episode with Superman (George Reeves) battling a Hercules from a carnival. Hercules is played by Mickey Simpson. You can view the episode at Dailymotion.