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.
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Monday, September 15, 2014
By the Gods!
Gordon Scott tries to budge a dead tree down in order to use it as a bridge in THE COLOSSUS OF ROME (aka Hero of Rome)
I love this film. Really underrated. It has some great scenes but overall it's the solid quality of the production which makes it good. The scene/shot just before this one sorta leaves nothing to the imagination regarding Gordon's, huh, virility. I could have posted it but I think it would have shocked some sensibilities of some folks out there. Ah!
Movie Poster Mondays
Spanish poster for ALEXANDER THE GREAT
Cool poster but decidedly different than the one for the re-released which showed Alexander full of muscles.
Friday, September 12, 2014
By the Gods!
Phillipides (Steve Reeves) is crowned Olympian champion in THE GIANT OF MARATHON
By the gods...really!
Back next week!
PEPLUM GIF animation - VULCAN - SON OF JUPITER
Venus (Annie Gorassini) and Etna (Bella Cortez) battle it out in VULCAN - SON OF JUPITER
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
By the Gods!
Jany Clair and Mila Kacic look over a wounded soldier in 79 AD THE DESTRUCTION OF HERCULANEUM
Jany's scenes on the Spanish DVD were almost entirely cut. That version didn't make any sense at all. Because of the extensive cuts this particular scene, which happens in the middle of the film, is not attached to anything before or after. I heart Jany Clair!
As for Mila, she's a Slovenian actress who apparently appeared in only one PELUM film: this one.
Behind-the-Scenes
Kirk Douglas and Stanley Kubrick talk about the making of SPARTACUS. Kubrick replaced the fired Anthony Mann after Douglas and Mann didn't see eye to eye on the way the film was going. Kubrick apparently didn't care much for the script (and later disowned the film) but he wanted to help his friend Kirk at the time.
Tuesday, September 9, 2014
Monday, September 8, 2014
By the Gods!
Barbara was also in GOLIATH AGAINST THE GIANTS and that was it for her and the PEPLUM genre. She played 'good' characters in both films. As for Christine, according to IMDb, she was only 14 years old here. Hmm...She was born in 1945 and this was released in 1959. She was way too young to be Steve Reeves' love interest! Ah!
Friday, September 5, 2014
By the Gods!
Mars (Roger Browne) and Venus (Annie Gorassini) laugh at us mortals in VULCAN - SON OF JUPITER
Roger also played Mars in MARS - GOD OF WAR (aka Venus vs the Son of Hercules). I always wondered if the two films were supposed to be related but no there's no connection between them even though they were released the same year. Annie is one of the best Venus ever.
Back next week!
Wednesday, September 3, 2014
By the Gods!
Mark Forest (left) and Giancarlo Bastianoni (right) rebel against the evil rulers in GOLIATH AND THE SINS OF BABYLON
Giancarlo made several PEPLUM films including being one of the gladiators in THE TEN GLADIATORS. Cool photo!