Photo of the Day

Richard Harrison and Moira Orfei in a suggestive publicity 

photo for REVOLT OF THE PRAETORIANS.

A pretty good film, with loads of action and Moira playing the usual over-the-top character. Richard plays the Red Wolf, a member of the Praetorian guard who secretly fights the ruler by wearing a 

mask of a wolf.  I'll be playing this movie on my PEPLUM TV channel soon enough.

After they were PEPLUM stars

When the PEPLUM explosion finally died off around 1964 many actors were left without a career. Jacques Sernas is a good example of an actor who's career died when the genre died too. Some actors  did survive and that includes Brad Harris, seen here in some low budget jungle adventure known under  multiple titles, including KONG ISLAND. I've seen it. It's pretty funny. 

Noah's Ark

A man in the Netherlands built a replica of Noah's Ark a few years ago, with life-size animals replicas inside. A case of true ingenuity or someone who's got too much time on his hands.

Photo of the Day

Mark Forest battle a huge snake in HERCULES AGAINST THE BARBARIANS.

As cheesy as it might seem to some, imo, this is the highlight of the film.

Movie Poster Mondays

Belgium poster for HERCULES AGAINST MOLOCH

I played this on my PEPLUM TV channel tonight. Aside from the use of stock footage, this is one of the best PEPLUMS.

PEPLUM recycling: Statue from THE PRODIGAL

The gaudy statue from THE PRODIGAL was reused in ATLANTIS THE LOST CONTINENT(below). The statue still exists today and resides in someone's backyard in New Jersey. I kid you not.

Photo of the Day

Bob Mathias tries to save Rosanna Schiaffino in THE MINOTAUR

Sex & Sandal

A, hmm, sexy version of Helen of Troy by Mark Schultz

Six Tutankhamun era tombs open to view

Minister of state Zahi Hawass on Monday opened to the public six ancient Egyptian tombs dating back to the Tutankhamun era, following their restoration. Cool stuff.

link

Photo of the Day

George Eastman, as the Minotaur, introduces himself to Martin Potter in Fellini's SATYRICON. 

The best PEPLUM ever made? 

Cinematic Confusion

German DVD for ANTHONY & CLEOPATRA starring Steve Reeves...eh, Charlton Heston.

Charlton Heston didn't look that amazing when he was making films in the 1950s, and he certainly

didn't look like this in the early 1970s when this film was produced. 

Greek Myth of the Month: The Minotaur in movies (week 4)

Here's a quick rundown of movies, PEPLUM and non-PEPLUM ones, featuring the Minotaur. I've posted the Minotaur from Fellini's SATYRICON as the photo of the day above, so here's the rest. Even with all these films, the definitive version of the myth of Theseus's battle with the half-man, half-bull hasn't, imo, been done yet.

Bob Mathias confronts the Minotaur in what I believe is the first film to feature the mythical creature and it's called THE MINOTAUR. Clever. The Italian title translates as THESEUS AGAINST THE MINOTAUR.

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The Minotaur in one of the CHRONICLES OF NARNIA films. Not a PEPLUM.

From THE TIME BANDITS

The Minoton in SINBAD & THE EYE OF THE TIGER

From THE LAND OF THE MINOTAUR, starring Peter Cushing. This is a horror film.

The CGI Minotaur from the Direct-to-DVD production called SINBAD & THE MINOTAUR

Photo of the Day

Alan Steel (as Samson), Massimo Serato and Moira Orfei in SAMSON & THE SLAVE QUEEN.

This is a really fun film, pitting Samson (or Maciste) against Zorro. This photo is ripe for some fun caption.

Posted at the HEROES & BEEFCAKE

Gordon Scott in chains

GOLIATH AND THE REBEL SLAVE

(Tyrant of Lydia Against the Son of Hercules)

GOLIATH, KING OF THE SLAVES 

(Beast of Babylon against the son of Hercules)

KERIM, SON OF THE SHEIK

GOLIATH AND THE VAMPIRES

GLADIATORS OF ROME (above and below)

HERCULES AGAINST MOLOCH

Photo of the Day

Julie Ege as Voluptua in UP POMPEII

PEPLUM Behind the Scenes

The top half of the Colossus of Rhodes. Cool stuff.

Photo of the Day

Kirk Morris and Bice Valori in MACISTE AGAINST HERCULES IN THE VALLEY OF WOE

Like the title, the movie is a mouthful. I'm sure the Italian version is better than the US cut/dub. The funniest part of the comedy is when Sandra Mondaini*'s character says "Maciste...iste iste" in an echo. It's totally silly.

*corrected

Movie Poster Mondays

Italian movie poster for COLOSSUS & THE AMAZONS. This was one of the many films I saw at the WILD WILD PLANET channel (see below). It was great. 

PEPLUM TV

My PEPLUM Empire (eh eh) is expanding. I'll be broadcasting movies and clips LIVE at JUSTIN.TV. 

I'm still at the experimental stage, trying to figure how it works with my Apple computer and get all the annoying kinks out. If you want to check it out, just click and bookmark PEPLUM TV. I'll be playing movies from the hundreds and hundreds of titles in my library. Once I get everything working, I'll try to broadcast films every day or 24hrs during the weekends. If it doesn't work, well, I'll pull the plug on it. You don't need to be a member to view the movies but you need to log in order to chat, which is fun. 

I would like to thank the wonderful WILD WILD PLANET channel to show me the way. 

Photo of the Day

Tawny Kitaen and Zabou are captives in GWENDOLINE, also known as THE PERILS OF GWENDOLINE IN THE LAND OF THE YIK YAK. 

This film starts off like an INDIANA JONES film and then turns full PEPLUM, a soft-core one at that, with mainly female warriors in gear, chariot races and deadly duels, which is not that different than what THOR & THE AMAZON WOMEN was in the 1960s but with nudity (of both gender). It's full of goofy and sometimes embarrassing scenes but I have to say that I enjoy this film. Part of the score is bad but part of it is truly great. This movie sorta reminds of what I enjoy PEPLUM films mainly for: their sexiness.

Fututre PEPLUM Star: Luke Evans

Welsh actor Luke Evans might have bright future in Sword & Sandal films. He already had a supporting role in CLASH OF THE TITANS and is set to appear as Zeus(!) in IMMORTALS and the upcoming THE THREE MUSKETEERS 3D film. 

As Zeus in the upcoming IMMORTALS

Luke as Apollo in CLASH OF THE TITANS

A mortal Luke

Photo of the Day

Ahnuld as Hercules in HERCULES IN NEW YORK; seems like it's so far away since the major scandal rocking his personal life these days.

PEPLUM Behind the scenes

Belinda Lee and Jacques Sernas at the Venice Film Festival in 1957, for the movie APHRODITE GODDESS OF LOVE (not to be confused with the Isabelle Corey film). I haven't seen the film yet and it's on my list of most wanted. 

Embarrassing PEPLUM moments

Tony Russell in the feast scene from SWORD OF DAMASCUS. 

They could cut the feast scene out but it lasts for over 7 minutes and it's basically the highlight of the film. But, boy, does it make me cringe in embarrassment.  

Photo of the Day

Belinda Lee, as MESSALINA(1960) tends to Spiros Focás' desires.

A PEPLUM that stands out from the rest of the pack not necessarily because it's great but because of its style and tone. It's totally different than any other Sword & Sandal films of the period: the main character is not meant to be likeable, the production values are tops but more realistic, not as flamboyant and the film wavers between dead seriousness and outright goofiness. It's an odd combination that's present in other Italian/Euro epics but not as jarring as in this film. It's very good but sometimes it's a head-scratcher. 

PEPLUM Rules