By the Gods!

A definitely different gladiatorial arena in 79 AD : THE DESTRUCTION OF HERCULANEUM

One of my favourite scenes from this fabulous film. Though the story meanders and the acting is stiff at times, the production values for this are top quality and this cool scene is just one of many examples. In the top 5 best looking PEPLUM films made during the Golden Era. 

By the Gods!

Genghis Khan (John Wayne) has his eyes on Bortai (Susan Hayward) in THE CONQUEROR

If there's an ill fated film, it's this one. Not only because of the subject filmed by Hollywood standards (the cast nearly entirely white) but also because of the location they used which was radioactive and basically doomed the entire crew. Many, including Wayne and Hayward, would die from cancer several years, decades later.

Though Wayne made few PEPLUM genre productions, Hayward was a pro, having appeared in may films, including DAVID & BATHSHEBA and DEMETRIUS & THE GLADIATORS, to name a few.
A groaner for sure and yet still entertaining.

Behind-the-Scenes

Stewart Granger and Stanley Baker goof around during a break of filming SODOM & GOMORRAH

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Hercules seeks the counsel of his father, Zeus, in THE MIGHTY HERCULES 

When I was a kid I used to watch this show avidly, along with SPIDER-MAN and ROCKET ROBIN HOOD (remember that?). Though this representation might be a bit too cliched for today's taste, I liked the vivid color and the classic look of everything, including Zeus. I much prefer this rendition than the Disney HERCULES version I profiled recently.

Then & Now : Gina Lollobrigida

Gina in SOLOMON & SHEBA ; Gina in a photo taken earlier this year. Amazing woman!

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Ivica Pajer (David) and Orson Welles (King Saul) in DAVID & GOLIATH

One of a couple of PEPLUM film Welles made during the Golden Era of the genre. He also starred in THE TARTARS and was narrator for such films as KING OF KINGS. I wonder what he thought about the genre. Probably very little. Ivica left his mark in the PEPLUM genre with a couple of other films and including the mini-series THE ODYSSEY. A somewhat odd film. Not too clear of what it intended to be.

Movie Poster Mondays

Italian poster for THE GOLDEN HORDE

The artwork is much better than the US one. Fun film. Samarkand!!!

By the Gods!

John Drew Barrymore courts Scilla Gabel in THE DEVILS OF SPARTIVENTO

A beautifully shot film with one of the blondest couples in any genre film. Barrymore was really thin when he filmed many of his Italian films and he sometimes looks sorta sick in this but he nonetheless had a great presence. Same thing with Scilla, who was Sophia Loren's body double prior to being an actress. Really enjoyable film.

Retro Friday : PEPLUM Fotonovelas

HERCULES (1958)

SIGN OF THE GLADIATOR

THE MIGHTY URSUS

CONSTANTINE & THE CROSS

NEFERTITI - QUEEN OF THE NILE

ROBIN HOOD & THE PIRATES

 AMAZONS OF ROME

SWORD & THE CROSS (aka Mary Magdalene)

 THE MIGHTY CRUSADERS

 VENGEANCE OF URSUS

By the Gods!

Steve Reeves, as Karim, is the THIEF OF BAGHDAD

A nice change of pace for the usual muscleman epic Steve made prior to this one. He's still a strong man and his physique is displayed from time to time but the tone is different than his other brawny adventures. Reeves often complained that people only remembered him for those films or mainly for HERCULES and in a way he was right.

By the Gods!

Gianna Maria Canale vows revenge for the death of Balduccio (Piero Palermini) in COUNT UGOLINO (aka The Iron Swordsman (TV title))

Very rare film, directed by Riccardo Freda who would marry Gianna and make several films together. As with Freda films, it's very well directed. One of the alternative titles is The Gay Swordsman, which a different film also directed by Freda and starring Gianna.

Behind-the-Scenes

Film crew is preparing scene for HERCULES UNCHAINED along with Steve Reeves getting prepped. Rare photo.

By the Gods!

Hercules runs away from the Hydra in Disney's HERCULES

I'm not a big fan of the Disney version of Herc. It's fun but it's too knowingly into itself to be thoroughly satisfying. But my main complaint is that I really don't like the way Hercules was drawn. The TV show from the 1960s was more fun than this, albeit not on the same level, technically speaking.

Then and Now : Sandra Milo

Sandra in HEROD THE GREAT ; a recent photo of Sandra

By the Gods!

Hercules (Mark Forest) tries to get out of his imprisonment in HERCULES AGAINST THE MONGOLS

I like this scene. It's brief but it's spectacular. Mark was a pro with these strongmen moments which are 'de rigueur' in these kind of films. Fun flick!

Movie Poster Mondays

Italian poster of SAMSON & THE SEA BEAST

Colorful poster. That looks like Margaret Lee but he doesn't look like Kirk Morris. This scene in the film itself is quite hilarious.

By the Gods!

Hercules (Kirk Morris) fight with Samson (Iloosh Khoshabe) in HERCULES, SAMSON & ULYSSES. Directed by Pietro Francisci.

My previous Youtube channel had to be closed because of some stupid meddling from the TPTB. The most popular upload on that old channel was this scene. Nearly 1.5 million views. I tried to upload it again on my new PEPLUM TV channel but it's sorta giving me problems. I'm going to try to make a work around it and see if I can upload it properly. Youtube sucks. This scene is great, brilliantly directed by Francisci.

Retro Friday : PEPLUM Character Names

(originally posted on March 10, 2011)



From SAPPHO ~ THE VENUS OF LESBOS, directed by Pietro Francisci. One of my favorite list of characters names for any movie. Sappho, Phaon, Hyperbius, Melanchrus, Laricus and of course Actis, who's my favorite character in the film. The names for the original Italian version is slightly different but still cool. I added this at the Special Features page.

Here's who played who:

Tina Louise

Kerwin Mathews

Riccardo Garrone

Enrico Maria Salerno

Alberto Farnese

Susy Andersen

By the Gods!

Yvonne Furneaux and Jean Claudio star in CHARGE OF THE BLACK LANCERS

Yvonne plays another ruthless Queen-type who ascends to power through strife and back stabbing.  Jean Claudio looks like a combo Jean Marais and Edmund Purdom. Good actor.Well made. Well made. More consistent than SLAVE QUEEN OF BABYLON. More solid than SLAVE QUEEN OF BABYLON, which I like but I admit it's a bit weak in parts.

By the Gods!

Mario Girotti, aka Terence Hill, plays Tsour in CARTHAGE IN FLAMES

I like these big assembly hall scenes with the entire cast all decked out in fancy costumes. The work of the extras, and there are many here, is a tedious one. Terence Hill's best film buddy, Bud Spencer, died recently. The two men are tied together for all eternity even though they never made a PEPLUM film together.

Behind-the-Scenes

Steve Reeves provides some relief to Liana Orfei while filming WAR OF THE TROJANS

By the Gods!

Hannibal (Victor Mature) consults his men in HANNIBAL

The men are Franco Silva, Mirko Ellis and Rik Battaglia. To say that this is a poorly directed film would be an understatement. It has excellent production values and an amazing cast but the direction (or lack of direction) is murky and sloppy. By the time Victor made this, he resigned himself in making these films. He's good but he's doing through the motions. The supporting cast is excellent but they have very little to do. Franco Silva appeared in several PEPLUM films prior to this one, including one of my favourites, QUEEN OF SHEBA. I have three copies from three different countries and not one version matches. To get THE definitive version of this movie seems unlikely.

Then & Now : Anna Karina

Anna in SCHEHERAZADE (1963) ; a recent photo of Anna

By the Gods!

Ulysses (Georges Marchal) is put to a series of tests by crazed King Lagos (Gianni Santuccio) in ULYSSES AGAINST HERCULES

This is one of my favourite scenes in the entire PEPLUM genre. The best role Marchal ever had in his extensive list of roles of the same genre, and Santuccio steals the show in his brief but unforgettable as the insane rule of a bizarre kingdom. The face in the background looks like the floating face in ZARDOZ.

Movie Poster Mondays

Italian poster for SCHEHERAZADE

Colorful poster for a super serious film. This is not a 'fun' film.