PEPLUM X Tuesdays
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Monday, September 29, 2014
By the Gods!
Hercules (Alan Steel) shows no regards to furniture in HERCULES AGAINST ROME
One of my faves. Really fun film even if the 'Hercules' angle is a bit facile.
Movie Poster Mondays
Spanish poster for COLOSSUS OF ROME (aka Hero of Rome)
I have this poster in my collection. It's one of my favorites. Really brutal.
Friday, September 26, 2014
By the Gods!
Steve Reeves is Karim in THE THIEF OF BAGHDAD
Steve was supposed to star in WONDERS OF ALADDIN, a film produced by the same film company as this one, LUX. They decided to opt for Donald O'Connor instead. How does one go from Steve Reeves to Donald? This film is way better than WONDERS OF ALADDIN. Steve dodged a bullet there.
Back next week!
PEPLUM GIF animation : THE LOVES OF HERCULES
Scene from THE LOVES OF HERCULES starring Jayne Mansfield and Mickey Hargitay. Who needs 3D?
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
By the Gods!
Marlon Brando, as Mark Antony, in Shakespeare's JULIUS CAESAR
Brando is excellent in this film and made other classic films in the 1950s but after ON THE WATERFRONT he was often miscast in many roles he should have never played. He should have also made more PEPLUM films.
Blondes vs Brunettes in PEPLUM films
In the PEPLUM universe, blondes are almost always the good ones while dark haired or brunette characters are always evil or femme fatales. It's quite predictable...some say almost insulting. There are some PEPLUM films which bucks this predictable trend and here are a couple of examples.
Aetna (Bella Cortez) is the good one while Venus (Annie Gorassini) is the evil one in VULCAN - SON OF JUPITER
Brunette Gianna Maria Canale is the good gal vs Scilla Gabel, the blonde evil nemesis in THE QUEEN OF THE PIRATES
Ziva Rodann, good, vs blonde Nadia Sanders, the evil witch, in THE GIANTS OF THESSALY
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
Monday, September 22, 2014
By the Gods!
Eleonora Vargas, John Drew Barrymore and Jeanne Crain in WITH FIRE & SWORD
Like FURY OF THE PAGANS below, not one of my favorite PEPLUM /Swashbucklers. The story lacks focus. Jeanne Crain is miscast. Competently made but sorta 'meh' with no stand-out moments. John's hair is more luxurious than the ladies and this was made well before the hippie period. Ah! Great title!
Movie Poster Mondays
US poster of FURY OF THE PAGANS
Poster is nothing like the film. Not one of my favorite PEPLUM films.
Friday, September 19, 2014
By the Gods!
I think he gets the point. This is a definite PEPLUM cliche. Bruno is a PEPLUM star who had two major lead roles in films of the genre but very little is known about him.
Back next week!
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
By the Gods!
Jason (Todd Armstrong) in full action in JASON & THE ARGONAUTS (1963)
Off with his head!
Then and Now : Rod Taylor
Rod in COLOSSUS AND THE AMAZON QUEEN ; a recent photo of Rod. He's 84 years old.