Image of the week!

Commodus (Christopher Plummer), as a god, appears during the sacrificial ceremony in THE FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE (1964) 

Lobby Cards Set: DESERT WARRIOR (1957)

Original Italian lobby cards set of DESERT WARRIOR (1957) starring Ricardo Montalban and Carmen Sevilla. Very nice set. A lot of photos, of all the actors (at the side columns) and gorgeous photos in the centre. Thumbs up! This is an Italian - Spanish co-production and I'm still looking for the Italian version with opening credits in Italian. 

Musings!

Rossana Podesta and Livio Lorenzon in FURY OF THE PAGANS (1960)

I always wondered why this movie was made or for what audience. I'm sure it was green-lighted after the success of GOLIATH AND THE BARBARIANS (1958), the Steve Reeves classic. This movie looks and feels the same but it doesn't have a muscular actor and the action is there but it's not that thrilling. The movie is not bad but it's sorta without an audience. Livio was also in GOLIATH AND THE BARBARIANS and basically reprises his role. Rossana is the Chelo Alonso character I guess. Rossana is beautiful in this movie. In fact, she looks younger in this movie compared to her previous epic, HELEN OF TROY (1956). But Rossana doesn't dance so she's definitely no match to Chelo. Without a compelling script, the movie sorta goes nowhere. Also known as FURY OF THE BARBARIANS.

Behind-the-Scenes

Wandisa Guida on the set of VENGEANCE OF URSUS (1961)

Clip of the week: TRIUMPH OF THE TEN GLADIATORS (1964)

Emilio Messina vs his brother Roberto (bald). The rest of the big cast, too many to mention, brawl it out!
 

Funnies!

Peter Lupus in CHALLENGE OF THE GLADIATOR (1965)

HD Alert!

Mark Forest in MACISTE - THE STRONGEST MAN IN THE WORLD (1961) 

In HD! The print is stunning but not perfect. The image is crisp and it's at times simply beautiful. But it has a red tint to it which doesn't seem natural. More to do with some needed colour correction. This is not the first HD print from RAI with this colour issue. And like many PEPLUM movies in HD, there are many scenes which are very dark (see below). There's no reason why this film doesn't have a Blu-ray release. It's like watching the movie for the first time. In Italian only.

Moira Orfei, Enrico Glori and Gianni Garko (far left).

 

Can you see what's going on here?

Comparison: this scene with Mark Forest and Paul Wynter. It takes place at night since the Mole people can't be in daylight. The screenshot above is dark but it makes sense when compared to the DVD released (below). But you see more in the DVD than the HD version.

Different Titles

Today, it's DESERT WARRIOR (1957), starring Ricardo Montalban, Carmen Sevilla and others. There aren't many titles available but from those available, the titles are different. No Italian title for this Italian - Spanish production.

The English title. 

 

The German title which is THE SON OF SHEIK.

 

The Spanish title. Translation: THE DESERT LOVERS.

Here's the title I created for the Fan Dub that I did.

Ricardo Montalban and Carmen Sevilla in Egypt.

Musings!

Archimedes (Rossano Brazzi) and Diana (Tina Louise) fall in love in SIEGE OF SYRACUSE (1960)

Pietro Francisci directed this movie. It's his most epic one. Huge battles, story takes decades to unfold, etc. I really like it. There are aspects which work better than others. The look, the production, the big scenes are all top notch. The romance between the two leads is, like so many other PEPLUM movies, the weakest part. The romance seemed a bit forced. The melancolic aspects of the sweeping story are much more effective and poignant than the romanctic stuff. It seems the romance was use as means to a point.

I like Rossano. I learned through the many years covering the PEPLUM genre that few who like these movies are fans of his. He's a great actor. I don't understand the hate. And I like Tina Louise. She's such a larger than life beauty that's it's almost impossible not to admire. But the actress was known to be difficult and, oddly enough, she too a good number of people who dislike her (and prefer May Ann on Gilligan's Island). It's odd thing to watch romantic scenes of two people who are hated by people for no valid reason.

Anyway, the movie is still not available in English. It's definitely on top of my list of most wanted. The one terrible thing about the English version is the voice of Tina. Another woman dubbed her (as seen in the English trailer of the movie). In SAPPHO - THE VENUS OF LESBOS (1960), it was Tina's voice. Regardless, I still can't wait to view it in English.

PEPLUM Movie Poster

German poster of VENGEANCE OF URSUS (1961)

Simple and yet effective artwork. Ursus is now Hercules in Germany! 😂

Image of the week!

The walk of the cross of Jesus (Robert Powell) in JESUS OF NAZARETH (1977)

Have a Good Friday and Happy Easter to all!

At the movies...

The premiere of HERCULES at the Pilgrim theatre in Boston, 1959.

Musings!

Alan Steel in a new and yet old setting in SAMSON AND THE LOST TREASURE OF THE INCAS (1964)

One of those PEPLUM Westerns, which I've described in the second issue of BY THE GODS!, which mostly occurred when Italian film studios switched the setting for movies set in Antiquity to Westerns after the success of Sergio Leone's Spaghetti Westerns. There aren't that many of them...less than ten but they exist.The movie is exactly like a PEPLUM movie, including colourful costumes, settings, etc. The one thing lacking in this movie are Feats of Strength but aside from that, it's obviously a PEPLUM movie. I like it but the action is at times a bit slow. Aside from a huge brawl in a tavern, it's missing that PEPLUM Rock 'Em Sock 'Em style. Alan Steel is in top form. In the previous scene, he's fully clothed but when the people end up in this ceremonial cavern, Steel is shirtless. No explanation as to why. Well, to entertain, of course. In one of the funniest aspects of this movie, they placed plastic cacti here and there in the usual Italian exterior locations seen in other PEPLUM movies.

Behind-the-Scenes

Steve Reeves and Sylva Koscina on the promotional tour for HERCULES (1958)

Clip of the week: WAR GODS OF BABYLON (1962)

Sardanapalus (Howard Duff) crowns his brother (Luciano Marin) King of Babylon after  passing a test in WAR GODS OF BABYLON (1962). With Jackie Lane and others.

New PEPLUM imagery

With a few prompts, new PEPLUM imagery by AI. 

From MEN OF PULP @ X 

ALONE AGAINST THE EMPIRE!

SPFX DEPT.

Scenes from CAPTAIN SINDBAD (1963)

The Hydra from this movie is difficult to gauge. It's not really believable and yet it's so elaborate and cool looking that it doesn't really matter if it doesn't look real. The entire movie, directed by Byron Haskin, who directed many classics, including THE WAR OF THE WORLD (1953), was used to working with special effects and the entire movie is filled with wildly erratic effects. The entire German - US production, a hit, is clearly shot in movie sets. The film has a fake studio-bound kitschy look and yet it's oddly visually interesting. This scene is definitely the highlight of the movie...well, after that crawling arm!  😂 

The myth of Sappho and Phaon

One of my favourite PEPLUM movies is SAPPHO - THE VENUS OF LESBOS (1960) which an action-packed adventure about...Sappho, the Greek poetess who is also famous for being a lesbian. It's one of the unlikeliest subjects for an action picture but thanks to Pietro Francisci's imagination and direction, it actually works.

Debate on her sexuality persists up to this day but it's pretty much well known that Sappho was attracted to women. But there are many things which point out to more, including the fact that she apparently had a daughter. People who watch the movie think it's totally ridiculous because of this point alone and claim it's trying to hide her true sexuality. It's a sad point which I believe is one of the reasons why this movie is completely neglected today. The movie does address her sexuality, but in a very subtle way, with Sappho's deep friendship with Actis.

But the movie is actually based on the myth of Phaon and Sappho, which is a thing. Most people don't know this myth. Many say that the story of Sappho falling for Phaon was created to erase her sexuality but even so that myth is quite famous. Painters have even made several paintings on the subject (see above; artist: Jacques Louis David). Director Pietro Francisci based his movie on this myth and not the 'Academic' real Sappho. There's a distinction. I hope the movie with be eventually released in HD, uncut, etc. And I hope people won't dismiss it just because of this important distinction. Anyway, I like the movie because it's so entertaining. That should be the only valid reason, really.

 

Above: Phaon (Kerwin Mathews) and Sappho (Tina Louise). Below: Sappho with her close friend Actis (Susy Andersen).

  

 

Musings!

Debra Paget dances up a storm in THE MERCENARIES (1961) 

Sorry about the fuzzy image. It's the best copy of this movie I have in my collection. I have about 5 or 6 different versions (spread out on one hard drive). Debra went from THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (1956) to small films in Europe. She was not the only one from THE TEN COMMANDMENTS to end in such a point in their careers. It seems the Cecil B DeMille movie didn't expand the careers of the actors except for Charlton Heston. It's odd because that movie was such a big hit and you'd think anyone from it would be in demand. I believe Paget is billed third behind Daniela Rocca and Yvonne Sanson. The movie was directed by Mario Bonnard, the director of THE LAST DAYS OF POMPEII (1959), the Steve Reeves version in which he reportedly had to quit due to health reasons and Sergio Leone took over. He still directed movies after that health scare. Also known as ROME 1585.

PEPLUM Movie Poster

Original Italian poster of VENGEANCE OF URSUS (1961) 

Nice poster but it's not very flattering image of Samson Burke.

Image of the week!

The Queen of Sheba (Gina Lollobrigida) arrives in Isreal and is greeted by King Solomon (Yul Brynner) in SOLOMON AND SHEBA (1959)

MUSCLES Inc.

A very young Arnold Schwarzenegger and Steve Reeves on the cover of Muscular Development (August 67)

Musings!

Jason (Roland Carey), Orpheus (Massimo Girotti) and the Argonauts in THE GIANTS OF THESSALY (1960)

There are some movies I feel I've covered every aspect about here on the blog. And I also feel there are some movies that I haven't really written a lot about because of No 1. Well, THE GIANTS OF THESSALY is one of them. I've written extensively about it, including a review. I love it. It's great but I feel I don't have much to add to the discussion. The one thing I'm waiting is a beautiful HD copy of it. I believe I'll have a lot more to write once a pristine print of this becomes available. For now, since it's not in HD anywhere, I'm like...I'm waiting here. We're the HD print? This is the second film on the Argonauts after HERCULES (1958).

For those who want to read the review I wrote decades ago (lol!), it's at Featured Films listed on the panel on the left side of the blog. Click here. I wrote it a long time ago and re-reading it, I stand by it even though I view it even better now (and could view it differently with an HD version...).

Behind-the-Scenes

Director Emimmo Salvi standing with actors, including two dressed as Lizard Men on the set of VULCAN - SON OF JUPITER (1962)

Clip of the week: COLOSSUS OF THE ARENA (1962)

Mark Forest VS Dan Vadis!