Alberto Farnese and Tina Louise in SIEGE OF SYRACUSE (1960)
With success sometime comes new problems. The PEPLUM TV channel, for now, is going good but one of the downside of it is how most subscribers or viewers only expect to see action films all the time. This Pietro Francisci film is a drama, with an epic battle at the end. I sure many would probably find it 'too boring' or 'too much drama, not enough action.' I've already had such criticism on some of the titles I've uploaded. Years ago, I also had 3 different Youtube channels, the main one, the 'Fire & Sword' one and one I called SapphoPEPLUM, which was a channel dedicated to PEPLUM films that were more on the dramatic side, or with female-centric stories. I won't be making a new channel just for these kind of films. The current 4 that I have right are enough (for now). But these films are in limbo, well, sorta like Tina Louise's character in SIEGE OF SYRACUSE.
Thanks for your most interesting observations.
ReplyDeleteMy personal view is that battle scenes and scenes of gladiator combat are all very much alike. They therefore do not really interest me.
I also have little enthusiasm for muscle-man films, as they are very similar to each other. In most of them the most interesting thing is the monster, not the male lead.
If cinema set in the Ancient World is to be taken seriously, it must meet the same standards of good acting and intelligent scripts as those of other movie genres.
In this regard I found SIEGE OF SYRACUSE to be an outstanding Peplum film.
Well, I don't care so much about the action. I only watch them for the girls. And Tina is certainly enough to motivate me to post a comment.
ReplyDeleteI love all types even the dramas!
ReplyDeleteThe genre of sword and sandal is all about muscles, wrestling/combat, sets,costumes and more action.. otherwise, it will fall under drama or documentary. Yes.. that’ll be BORING.
ReplyDeleteI agree strongly with TJ that beautiful young women are an absolutely essential part of a first rate Peplum movie.
ReplyDeleteGenerally the roles played by female stars fall into the following three categories: (1) a beautiful unmarried princess, (2) a slave-girl (often a damsel-in-distress), and (3) an evil Patrician lady (Gianna Maria Canale).
A good Peplum must have: (1) a well done dance scene set at a banquet (Chelo Alonso),and(2) a slave market scene (perhaps the virginal princess needs to be rescued).
I prefer a mix of action and drama.
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