By the Gods!

Ursus (Ed Fury) tries to remain alive by holding up a heavy block of stone amidst a bed of spears in URSUS IN THE LAND OF FIRE

Action-packed, and violent, PEPLUM film of the Ursus series. Ed was tired of doing these films and soon returned to the US only to end up in obscurity.

By the Gods!

Richard Harrison, as Alan Foster, steals a sacred jewel in TEMPLE OF A THOUSAND LIGHTS

Before Indiana Jones there was Alan Foster. This plays exactly like an Indiana Jones film but with PEPLUM production values. They're not bad but the film suffers from one of an annoying pet peeve of mine : for much of the film it's simply too dark. Directed by the dependable Umberto Lenzi, who had a knack for these kind of films. Later in the 1970s and 1980s, Umberto would make violent Italian exploitation films. 

Behind-the-Scenes

A behind-the-scenes photo of Armando Francioli, John Drew Barrymore, the recently deceased Pierre Brice, and Linda Cristal while filming THE PHARAOHS' WOMAN.

Samson and the Slave Queen

PEPLUM X Tuesdays

Alan Steel - Maria Grazia Spina

Hercules Unchained - Steve Reeves

PEPLUM X Tuesdays

The Ten Commandments - Anne Baxter

PEPLUM X Tuesdays

Maciste - Gladiator of Sparta

PEPLUM X Tuesdays

Mark Forest - Franco Cobianchi

Brennus - Enemy of Rome

PEPLUM X Tuesdays

Ursula Davis - Gordon Mitchell

Goliath and the Sins of Babylon

PEPLUM X Tuesdays

Giuliano Gemma - Mimmo Palmara

By the Gods!

Kirk Morris and Sandra Mondaini in MACISTE AGAINST HERCULES IN THE VALLEY OF WOE

Mondaini's character keeps talking like some sort of echo. Maciste-iste-iste-iste! The funniest thing about this PEPLUM comedy. I have to try to make a Fan Dub of this. The version available in English is unwatchable. But lately I've tried doing a couple of Fan Dubs and the English audio never matched with the film.

Movie Poster Mondays

Belgian poster for QUEEN OF THE TARTARS

As per usual with belgian posters this one is very colourful.

By the Gods!

A pensive looking Mimmo Palmara in GOLIATH & THE REBEL SLAVE

Mimmo was in top shape in this film. And he's still alive. This is just to contrast with the By the Gods! image from yesterday.

By the Gods!

Astor (Mimmo Palmara, second from left) and his clones are about to attack Hercules in HERCULES AND THE CAPTIVE WOMEN

Only in PEPLUM films! I don't know about Mimmo as a blond.

Behind-the-Scenes

Italian actress Lisa Gastoni's screen test for BEN-HUR. I have to rewatch the film to see if she made it but the character's name, Iras, is not listed so maybe her character was cut or something. Very interesting though. Lisa would go on and make tons of PEPLUM films.

Maciste in the Valley of the Thundering Echoes

PEPLUM X Tuesdays

Hélène Chanel - Kirk Morris

The Giant of Marathon - Mylène Demongeot

PEPLUM X Tuesdays

Morgan the Pirate - Steve Reeves

PEPLUM X Tuesdays

Helen of Troy

PEPLUM X Tuesdays

Fury of Achilles

PEPLUM X Tuesdays

Ennio Girolami - Gordon Mitchell

Barabbas - Jack Palance

PEPLUM X Tuesdays

Ali Baba and the Seven Saracens - Gordon Mitchell

PEPLUM X Tuesdays

By the Gods!

A thirsty King Serse (Roberto Camardiel) is tempted by a servant's drinks, as Thar (Conrado San Martín) watches on in COLOSSUS OF RHODES

Conrado San Martín, an excellent actor, is sorta lost in a sea of other actors who look exactly like him. The big cast is sorta confusing. Camardiel plays the King like a total buffoon. The beefy servant is still unidentified even though this scene is important.

Movie Poster Mondays

US half-sheet (above) and insert (below) for HERCULES UNCHAINED. Which one do you prefer?

By the Gods!

Pagan dancers dance around a phallic stone at Stonehenge in THE BLACK KNIGHT

The seldom seen film stars Alan Ladd. It's, well, sorta bizarre film. The dancers in this scene are particularly awful.

PEPLUM GIF Animation : GOLIATH & THE VAMPIRES

Gordon Scott in action from GOLIATH AND THE VAMPIRES. He did most of his stunts in this film.