Friday, January 30, 2015

By the Gods!

John Drew Barrymore and Linda Cristal, on the left, listen to Armando Francioli's punishment in THE PHARAOHS' WOMAN

Though the image is not the best the aspect ration is in widescreen and in the 4:3 version everything on the far sides, including Armando, were cut off. It's great to see film as they were originally intended. Thanks to Alan.

PEPLUM GIF Animation : CLEOPATRA'S DAUGHTER


Erno Crisa, as Kefren, gets his comeuppance in CLEOPATRA'S DAUGHTER. Great death scene.


Wednesday, January 28, 2015

By the Gods!

Nero (Vladimir Medar) compliments Poppaea (Moira Orfei) in FIRE OVER ROME

A lot of people don't like this film but I like it. People try to compare it with QUO VADIS which is silly. This is more an action film than the drama of the Hollywood production. 

There are a couple of liabilities but there are some good stuff too. The exterior sets are pretty amazing and the action surrounding the fire over Rome is vivid. The biggest liability is the film's main star, Lang Jeffries who, even though looks good in costume, has one expression throughout the film. The screenshot above is taken from the widescreen print and that also makes a huge difference from the usual muddy ugly version available out there.

Who wore it best


Monday, January 26, 2015

By the Gods!

The Golden Falcon, played by Massimo Serato, with Nadia Gray in THE GOLDEN FALCON

Added this title to my ULTIMATE MOST WANTED list. It's odd that I came across this film totally by accident on Youtube (there's a clip there) and I didn't know about it. It looks great but the dubbing seems to be unusually poor. Massimo is the leading man and he even has a beefcake moment.

Movie Poster Mondays

Italian poster for a film not released in English; THE CROWN OF FIRE

Not to be confused with the classic LA CORONA DI FERRO or THE IRON CROWN. Somehow I didn't include this film on my ULTIMATE MOST WANTED list so I've added the title to it.


Friday, January 23, 2015

By the Gods!

Hercules (Mark Forest) gets orders from Susdal (Renato Rossini aka Howard Ross) in HERCULES AGAINST THE MONGOLS

One of my favourite PEPLUM flicks...in widescreen! Hallelujah! Thanks Alan for the screenshot.

The annual 'Wikipedia PEPLUM page sucks' post!

This is my annual "Please don't visit the PEPLUM page at Wikipedia" post.


If you search 'Sword and Sandal' at Google like above example and click the first link it'll bring you to the following page (below) which says PEPLUM film genre. Confusing? Not as much as before : Before the name of the page was Sword and Sandal but in the rest of the page they would only use the word PEPLUM to explain the genre. Previously the page was even more confusing but they've made a few changes (recommended by me ; see the Talk section of the page) where I told them how confusing the page says Sword & Sandal but the text only uses PEPLUM.



The page is very condescending and insulting and full of mistakes.

It's impossible to add anything to it since the hall monitors there categorically refuse any outside input aside from those blessed by them.

The stupid part of the page is they keep saying the PEPLUM genre is cheap knock-offs of Hollywood films when the genre itself was born in Europe. Also, since the whole page is devoid of any logic, how can HERCULES starring Steve Reeves be a cheap Hollywood knock off when that film was the first Hercules film ever made in film history anywhere around the world? How can HERCULES be a knock off when films based on Greek mythology didn't even exist in Hollywood before 1958?

Some other illogical parts of the page mentioned below regarding copyrighted material.

So as a PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT to PEPLUM fans out there: Do not visit the WIKIPEDIA page on the PEPLUM genre.

If you think it's sour grapes or jealousy my blog gets over 1000 hits a day. It's still the most popular website on the internet on the PEPLUM genre. So no it's not that. A more respectful page of the PELUM would be great but alas the one currently available is nothing like that.

---------

Repost from a previous post:

A few years ago I tried to submit my blog to the Sword and Sandal page at Wikipedia. I created an account and logged in and made a few changes and added the link to my blog. Someone monitoring the page removed all my information and said quite clearly that content found at external links have to be copyrighted. I told them that the links listed (see below in red) all fully violate that copyright clause and yet the links are still present today.

Not only that but they actually included links to video distributors whom sell public domain films but of the many titles they sell many of them are not in the public domain.

Also, I've been following the Sword and Sandal page for years now and it's obvious that whoever maintains that page gets info from this blog as the listing changed/improved continuously as my blog kept on going. I never took any info from that page as it was filled with mistakes.

Keep that in mind the next time you go to Wikipedia.





Thursday, January 22, 2015

The Man with 100 Swords - Trailer


Here's the official trailer for the rare Finnish Swashbuckler called THE MAN WITH 100 SWORDS. The trailer is in colour but the film is in B&W. I didn't upload this. Thanks to Boris.

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

By the Gods!

Luciano Marin and Steve Reeves, as Emiliano, in GOLIATH AND THE BARBARIANS

This is Steve Reeves day, for his birthday.

I wish there was a better print of this film out there somewhere. It looks like it was transferred from a 16mm anamorphic print not a 35mm one. Some scenes are out of focus and so murky you can't see anything. Someone should come up with a better image and sound print for this classic.

This film is listed at my ULTIMATE MOST WANTED LIST page

Happy birthday to Steve Reeves

Today is Steve Reeves birthday. Happy birthday to the PEPLUM legend!

Posted at the HEROES & BEEFCAKE permanent page

HERCULES UNCHAINED

SANDOKAN THE GREAT

THIEF OF BAGHDAD


Monday, January 19, 2015

By the Gods!

Gianna Maria Canale in THE AVENGER OF VENICE

This was Gianna's last film. Anything with Gianna is worth watching. Love her.

Movie Poster Mondays

Italian poster of DAMON & PYTHIAS

Average poster for an average PEPLUM film. Not bad but not great.


Friday, January 16, 2015

By the Gods!

Steve Reeves and Edy Vessel in THE THIEF OF BAGHDAD

Sexy PEPLUM couple!

Ultimate Most Wanted list!

Here's an update on my Ultimate PEPLUM Holy Grail list posted almost 3 years ago : PEPLUM Holy Grails

I've recently acquired tons of PEPLUM titles, some of which were on my 'Most Wanted List,' so I needed to update it. The list is even longer but here are the most important titles.


Permanent ULTIMATE MOST WANTED LIST page


------ Missing

I don't have these films:


VAMPING VENUS - 1928

THE WARRIOR’S HUSBAND - 1933

THE GORGON (1942) starring Rossano Brazzi


L’APOCALISSE (1947)

IL FALCO ROSSO (49) - Sernas

FRINE CORTIGIANA D'ORIENTE - just added to my collection.

THE GAY SWORDSMAN - I only have the beginning of this film

OK NERO (1951) - Gino Cervi - just added to my collection.

NERO AND THE BURNING OF ROME (1953) - Gino Cervi

TOTO THE SHEIK (1950)

NIGHT IN PARADISE - just added to my collection.

LOVES OF HERCULES - I have this film, in several different versions, but I can’t make a Fan Dub with it since they made two different versions one for the European market and another for the American market. The English track of the American version simply doesn't match with the European/French/Italian versions so a Fan Dub is impossible without it being a confusing mess. The original widescreen version of the American version would be in order.

**SABU AND THE MAGIC RING - This film is apparently considered 'lost'.

Addendum

The B&W version is on Youtube but there's a story behind it. The fellow who uploaded at Youtube explains it:

"There was a color print, but by the time I inherited it, it had deteriorated beyond repair. I am happy that the B/W print survived, though. Allied Artists sold most of its prints to Warner Bros, so the color version is likely hiding in a vault in Burbank, CA, waiting to be released in the year 2100 or so."

The B&W version uploaded at Youtube came from a private collection and has only been available since he uploaded to Youtube but before that it's been out of circulation for at least 57 years hence the reason why it's was considered lost. The color is still missing. Thanks to Joana for the update.


THE SINNER (Desert Desperados)

WHITE SLAVE SHIP - starring Edmund Purdom


IL SIGNO DEL VENDICATORE

LA CORONA DI FUOCO (1961) - film not released in English

KARIM - THE SHEIK’S SON The Egyptian-version ; this film was shot in Italian and Egyptian and the Egyptian version is MIA

REVOLT OF THE MERCENARIES - I thought I had this film but looking at my collection and I was shocked to see it wasn't there. This film has somewhat eluded me. Probably because I confused it with another one.

MISSION ARENAS ARDIENTES (Howard Ross)

THE GOLDEN FALCON starring Massimo Serato. There's a nice clip on Youtube but never came across it anywhere else.


Jeffrey Stone swashbucklers:

KNIGHTS OF THE QUEEN

THE KING’S MUSKETEERS

LA SPADA IMBATTIBILE


----- Widescreen, uncut and better print 

I have these films but would love to have them in their original widescreen format (it doesn't matter which language) uncut (all of the Ed Fury URSUS movies in widescreen are cut), and/or in a better print quality, or all three.

SAPPHO THE VENUS OF LESBOS - A clean widescreen print would be fantastic

HERCULES (1958) - Uncut - the definitive version ; every version of this Pietro Francisci classic is different: the French version is different from the Italian. Both of those versions are different from the two US versions (Original release and TV version). So the true Director's cut is missing.

HERCULES UNCHAINED - Uncut. Not one widescreen version out there is uncut. A definitive version would be great.

This scene is missing from most copies of HERCULES UNCHAINED

SIGN OF THE GLADIATOR - Uncut - I have this in widescreen and English but the whole beginning is missing. Doing a Fan Dub would be possible with the uncut Italian widescreen print but the whole beginning would be missing the English dialogue which would be a pain to do. Why do they do this to PEPLUM fans like me?

THE GIANT OF MARATHON - I have this film from difference versions, all in widescreen but the quality is poor on all of them

EL NASER SALAH AD-DIN  (Saladin) - Better print

THE LOVES OF THREE QUEENS - Better print

SIGN OF THE PAGAN - Uncut - the missing dancing scene with Ludmilla Tcherina

PRINCESS OF THE NILE - Better print

ADVENTURES OF HAJJI BABA - I have this film from Youtube and in French; a good version in it's original widescreen version would be cool

CAPTAIN KIDD & SLAVE GIRL - in Color ; I have this film but it's only available in Black & White even though it was shot in color. Apparently the color version is lost.

Where's the color?

ROLAND THE MIGHTY - Widescreen (in any language)

THE RED SHEIK - Widescreen (in any language)

FALCON OF THE DESERT - Widescreen (in any language)

ALI BABA AND THE SACRED CROWN - Widescreen (in any language)

ALI BABA AND THE 7 SARACENS - Widescreen (in any language)

THARUS - SON OF ATTILA - Widescreen (in any language)

7 FROM THEBES - Widescreen (in any language)

ATLAS - the Roger Corman flick

THE BIG FISHERMAN - Widescreen

THE BLACK LANCERS - Widescreen (in any language)

CLEOPATRA'S DAUGHTER - Widescreen (in any language)

CONQUEROR OF THE ORIENT - Widescreen (in any language) - just added to my collection.

CONQUEST OF THE NORMANS - Widescreen (in any language)

DEFEAT OF THE BARBARIANS - Widescreen (in any language)

ESTHER & THE KING - Widescreen (in any language)

MYSTERY OF THUG ISLAND - Widescreen (in any language)

HELEN YES…HELEN OF TROY - Widescreen (in any language). I have it in widescreen but poor

HERCULES AGAINST MOLOCH - Better print ; I have 3 copies of this : in English and 4:3 ; in English and widescreen but fuzzy image ; and in French but in a distorted widescreen

HERCULES AGAINST THE BARBARIANS - Netflix has a spectacular copy of this film in English and widescreen

HERCULES AGAINST THE MONGOLS - Widescreen (in any language)

HERCULES THE AVENGER - Better print than the current one available in English

THE INVINCIBLE BROTHERS MACISTE - Widescreen (in any language) I have three version of this but none of them are true widescreen.

THE INVINCIBLE GLADIATOR - Better print in widescreen (in any language)

SAMSON & THE 7 MIRACLES OF THE WORLD - I have 2 versions: the US cut and the Italian cut, which is in widescreen but it's not pristine

LAST OF THE VIKINGS - I know there's a Fan Dub of this film out there but I still haven't found it.

THE MIGHTY CRUSADERS - Better print in widescreen (in any language)

TAUR THE MIGHTY - in Widescreen (in any language)

TREASURE OF THE PETRIFIED FOREST - Widescreen (in any language)

SINBAD AND THE CALIPH OF BAGHDAD - Widescreen (in any language)

THE ARENA - Widescreen

RAMPAGE OF EVIL (1961) - Widescreen (in any language)

SLAVE GIRLS OF SHEBA - Widescreen (in any language)

QUEEN OF THE TARTARS - Widescreen (in any language)

THE THIEF OF BAGHDAD - Better print (all the prints out there are terrible)

THE MERCENARIES - Widescreen (in any language)

GOLIATH AND THE BARBARIANS - Better print - current prints are uneven at best.

THE ISLAND PRINCESS - Better print

THE MIGHTY URSUS - Uncut

URSUS IN THE LAND OF FIRE - Uncut

URSUS IN THE VALLEY OF LIONS - Uncut

HERO OF BABYLON - Uncut

GOLIATH AND THE REBEL SLAVE - Uncut

MARS GOD OF WAR - Better print - widescreen print is way too dark

AVENGER OF THE SEVEN SEAS - I have this film in two copies; in widescreen and English but the quality is sorta off, with audio issues

BATTLE OF THE AMAZONS - I have it in widescreen and English but poor quality

GOLIATH AGAINST THE BARBARIANS - Better print

GOLIATH AND THE VAMPIRES - Better print

HERCULES AGAINST THE SONS OF THE SUN - Better print in widescreen; I have in 4 versions and none of them are tops or in widescreen

HERO OF BABYLON - Uncut

COLOSSUS OF ROME (HERO OF ROME) - Uncut

HANNIBAL - uncut

THE SECRET SEVEN - Widescreen (in any language)

THE SECRET SEVEN 

FALCON OF THE DESERT - Widescreen (in any language)

DEVILS OF SPARTIVENTO - Widescreen (in any language) ; real widescreen not the cropped one available out there

ZORIKAN - Widescreen (in any language)

3 SWORDS OF ROME

SECRET MARK D’ARTAGNAN - I have this in Italian with Greek subs only. I know there's a Fan Dub out there of this.

SWORD OF THE EMPIRE - a nice copy but not from a TV broadcast like the one I have. And in English.

KNIGHT OF A 1000 FACES - Widescreen (in any language) but the audio of my copy in English is poor so a clear English dub would be good too

THE BLACK PIRATES (1954) - better print. Current one is truly poor.

SANDOKAN AGAINST THE LEOPARD OF SARAWAK - I have two copies of this but in Italian with Greek subs or Czech subs. So widescreen print with English audio would be great.

THOR AND THE AMAZON WOMEN - I know there's a High Definition print of this in Italy but I don't have a DVD player for HD so I can rip it and play it on my computer.

ANTHAR THE INVINCIBLE - widescreen...like the title above, it's available in HD but can't find it anywhere

Many PEPLUM films from the 1970s and Sword & Sorcery films from the 1980s in good quality. Titles like NERONE or GUNAN in English would be cool.

The following Alan Steel films in widescreen:

HERCULES AND THE BLACK PIRATE - Widescreen (in any language)

HERCULES AND THE MASKED RIDER - Widescreen (in any language)

SAMSON AND THE MIGHTY CHALLENGE - I have 5 different versions of this film but on one of them in true widescreen format, for some reason this title in widescreen has eluded me ;  I know there's an Italian DVD out there in widescreen but I haven't got  hold of it yet.

URUS THE REBEL GLADIATOR - Widescreen (in any language)


The following Peter Lupus films in widescreen :

CHALLENGE OF THE GLADIATOR

GOLIATH AND THE CONQUEST OF DAMASCUS

THE GIANT OF EVIL ISLAND



----- English dub or English Subtitles

I have the following titles but would need their English, if it was released in English, or at least a working subtitles file.

ADAMO ED EVA (Adam & Eve; 1949) - Dub or Sub (this was apparently dubbed in English)

TOTO AGAINST MACISTE - Dub or Sub

TIBERIUS - Dub or Sub

SWORD OF THE EMPIRE - Dub or Sub

SIEGE OF SYRACUSE - Dub...where is it?

ATTACK OF THE MOORS - working English dub ; I have it in English but it's a badly made Fan Dub which has the English track and the European track together. Weird.

CAPTAIN FALCON - Dub or Sub

CATHERINE OF RUSSIA - Dub only. I have a Sub version of this

THE SEVEN REVENGES - Dub or Sub

Ed Fury's best role in THE SEVEN REVENGES

SLAVE OF CARTHAGE - Dub or Sub

GODDESS OF LOVE - Dub or Sub; I've been trying to work on a Fan Sub of this title but the subtitles are not working. I have a beautiful widescreen copy of this so the English dub would be great for a Fan Dub but working subtitles would be cool too. I also have a subtitled version of this but the image is too poor and murky.

SIGFRIDO - Dub or Sub

ZORRO COURT OF ENGLAND - Dub or Sub

TYRANT OF CASTILE - Dub or Sub

3 MOUSQUETAIRES - Dub or Sub

THE BORGIAS - Dub or Sub

CAPTAIN FRACASSE - Dub or Sub

CLASH OF STEEL - Dub or Sub

THE COSSACKS - Dub or Sub

JUDAS’ KISS - Dub or Sub

MESSALINA (1951) - Dub or Sub - sub just added to my collection.

NIGHTS OF LUCRETIA BORGIAS - Dub or Sub

PONTIUS PILATE - Dub or Sub

POPPEA PROSTITUTE SERVICE OF THE EMPEROR - Dub or Sub

SATYRICON by POLIDORO - Working subtitles (I don't think this was ever dubbed in English)

SCALAWAG BUNCH - Dub or Sub

FURY OF THE PAGANS - I have English subtitles for this so looking for English dub

MACISTE AVENGER OF THE MAYAS - Never dubbed in English so working subtitles would be cool

COLUMNA - Dub or Sub

LIONS OF CORSICA - Dub or Sub

KOLOSSAL - I MAGNIFICI MACISTI - is this documentary available anywhere?

TEMPLE OF WHITE ELEPHANT - In English and widescreen

RAIDERS OF THE DESERT - English dub if it exists. I've made a Fan Sub of this but an English dub would be great. The image is also a bit too dark so a better print too.

Kirk Morris and Rosalba Neri

SAMSON AND THE SLAVE QUEEN - Working English Dub - I have a pristine widescreen copy of this (as ZORRO CONTRO MACISTE) and I have an English copy but the audio is so poor and so many scenes are missing that I've given up on doing a Fan Dub on this one.

MAN WITH 100 SWORDS - Subtitles

PHARAON - Working English subs. I have this and the subs just don't work.


Michele Lupo’s SLAVE trilogy; I have subtitles for all these films but the English dubs are MIA.

7 SLAVES AGAINST ROME - Dub

7 REBEL GLADIATORS - Dub

REVENGE OF THE GLADIATORS (THE VENGEANCE OF SPARTACUS) - Dub


Wednesday, January 14, 2015

By the Gods!

Gene Tierney and Victor Mature amidst the pageantry of THE EGYPTIAN

An existential PEPLUM film with big Hollywood productions. Unsurprisingly, it didn't do well at the box office. The story was too, hmm, unstory-like. I like it but it's not a movie I watch regularly even if the production is colourful and spectacular at times. 

PEPLUM at the movies


A movie theatre showing NIGHT IN PARADISE starring Turhan Bey. The women are not lining up for the movie but for the store next door. Cool photo.

Monday, January 12, 2015

By the Gods!

Yul Brynner and George Chakiris battle it out in KINGS OF THE SUN

This scene doesn't happen in the film. I'm not much of a fan of this film. It sometimes borders on the silly, certainly the big battle during the climax. The whole film looks like a mini-version of THE TEN COMMANDMENTS with a pyramid big enough to fit in a Wal-Mart parking lot. It's a shame because I love Mayan culture.