Retro Friday : STAR WARS, a PEPLUM in space

(originally posted on August 19, 2011)

Photographic proof that STAR WARS was basically a PEPLUM set in a science-fiction/outer space setting. I saw STAR WARS before any Sword & Sandal films and as I was watching the 300 or so films one after the other I couldn't believe how much of the elements in the STAR WARS films were inspired or directly lifted from Italian Sword & Sandal films, which at the time and for the most part even today are still frowned upon. There are so many elements that I won't mention all of them but here's a bunch just to give you an idea.

Opening credits that sets up the storyline :

From VENGEANCE OF HERCULES

Desert locations, with bones of dead creatures :

GOLIATH AND THE GIANTS

GOLIATH AND THE GIANTS

Wise Old Man

WAR GODS OF BABYLON

Evil Ruler on his throne

HEROD THE GREAT

Disposable soldiers of Evil Ruler

HERCULES & THE CAPTIVE WOMEN

Resourceful little people always on the side of good

GOLIATH & THE SINS OF BABYLON

Donut-style hair fashion statement

THEODORA ~ SLAVE EMPRESS

Cheesecake (there's very little Beefcake in Star Wars films)

Publicity shot of Rhonda Fleming for SERPENT OF THE NILE

Torture (what's a PEPLUM film without a torture scene?)

GOLIATH AND THE SINS OF BABYLON

Sword fights (hence the term Sword & Sandal)

FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE

Council chambers

HEROD THE GREAT

Crushing walls of death

FURY OF HERCULES

The annoying sidekick

GLADIATOR OF ROME