Searching far and wide for all things PEPLUM! Luciano Marin and Steve Reeves in GOLIATH AND THE BARBARIANS (1959)
HORROR AND THE PEPLUM GENRE
The PEPLUM genre is amazing in that it can adapt itself or be adapted in many different genres and stories. One of the things which surprised me about PEPLUM movies was the prevalence of horror themed stories or imagery. In HERCULES (1958), Iole's flashback of the murder works quite effectively as a short horror movie.
PEPLUM movies have monsters, witches, creatures, morbid deaths, disasters, etc. And also evil villains. Lotsa evil villains.
In today's By the Gods! posts, I mention how THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (1956) has one of the best horror scenes ever made. Since I love horror movies and the two genres are oddly suited with each other, it works out perfectly for me.
Reg Park and Mireille Granelli in HERCULES - PRISONER OF EVIL (1964)
CINEMATIC CONFUSION
This German program says SAMSON when in fact it's FURY OF HERCULES (1962). Brad Harris made two movies (Twin Productions) with one being SAMSON (1961) and FURY OF HERCULES. But somehow the German version switched identities and the Samson movie became Hercules and the Hercules became Samson. Very confusing. There has to be a reason behind this bizarre switch.
RECENT ACQUISITIONS
Not many recent purchases. The only thing I bought was the German Blu-ray of SWORD OF THE CONQUEROR (1961) starring Jack Palance. Very good release. The BR includes the English track. I'm happy with this purchase. More below on this title.
MOVIES I WATCHED...
HERCULES THE AVENGER
So, I watched this movie again, for the hundredth time, and it's really growing on me. It has many flaws, many which could be fixed with some tighter editing, but overall the movie rocks, certainly with the recent new HD copy of it. The re-used scenes still looked like second generation, even in a HD transfer, but the new scenes look great. I'll have more on this HD version soon.
Raf Baldassarre and Jack Palance in SWORD OF THE CONQUEROR
SWORD OF THE CONQUEROR
The new Blu-ray is great. The movie is solid entertainment with solid direction by Carlo Campogalliani but as I've said before, the movie, as good as it is, doesn't have many stand-out scenes in it. It's focused more on the drama than action scenes, even though there is plenty of action in it.
BLONDE OR BRUNETTE?
PEPLUM star Virna Lisi is mostly known as a blonde but she looked amazing as a brunette as well. Which Virna do you prefer? I like brunette but Virna looks ethereal as a blonde.
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The statue from THE PRODIGAL (1955) was re-used in TARZAN THE APE MAN (1959) starring Cesare Danova and Joanna Barnes.
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Coming soon:
Joan Crawford as Cleopatra?
3 comments:
Verna Lisi looks good with both hair colors,depends upon the character she's playing.
There were actually two statues in THE PRODIGAL, a relatively small one and a much larger one.
Since the German Blu-ray release of Sword of the Conqueror and the forthcoming Sodom and Gomorrah I was trying to think of what other
Sword and Sandal movies Titanus Studios made which could come out.
The Slave, Son of Spartacus would be one I hope that is being considered.
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