Musings!

Leonora Ruffo and Mark Forest in GOLIATH AND THE DRAGON (1960) 

This famous (or infamous) movie is one that I've talked about a lot about on this blog. I can't re-iterate everything I wrote but the quick summary: this was titled THE REVENGE OF HERCULES originally and it was basically the remnants of the third Steve Reeves Hercules films, HERCULES AGAINST THE GODS!, that was never filmed. Steve Reeves only wanted to work with director Pietro Francisci, who was busy with a number of other projects, including SAPPHO THE VENUS OF LESBOS (1960). Pietro directed HERCULES (1958) and HERCULES UNCHAINED (1959). The film was cancelled and the script was reworked into REVENGE OF HERCULES, with newcomer Mark Forest. This movie was directed by Vittorio Cottafavi. US distributors got a hold of it and reworked it into the oddity known as GOLIATH AND THE DRAGON. The original Italian version didn't have a dragon. Well, the film is sorta fun in an experimental way and as much as I like it, it's not comparable to the Reeves' HERCULES movies.

As I wrote recently, there's an exhibition on the PEPLUM genre in France. It includes stuff from Italian productions, like HERCULES (1958). The exhibition has an official printed catalogue of it. I purchased it and got it recently. In one part, it lists the greatest directors of the PEPLUM genre. They list Vittorio Cottafavi, which I like. Cottafavi also directed the great HERCULES AND THE CAPTIVE WOMEN (1961). But then Pietro Francisci is not listed, but Mario Bava is. The catalogue insinuates that HERCULES and HERCULES UNCHAINED were great due to Mario Bava. So, the director who made this wonky (and entertaining movie), GOLIATH AND THE DRAGON, gets a nod but the actual director of the movie which started the PEPLUM explosion, Pietro Francsci, is not listed. The catalogue has Steve Reeves from HERCULES on the cover. It has a lot images and posters of the HERCULES movies. But no special mention to Francisci, but Mario Bava is listed as the genius behind these Reeves Hercules movies. As I wrote above, Steve Reeves didn't make HERCULES AGAINST THE GODS because he wanted to work with Francisci. Not Bava. 

I don't want to make a big deal out of this but this is an ongoing issue. I like Mario Bava but he wasn't the genius behind the Reeves' HERCULES movies. It was Francisci. It seems no one knows Francisci directed other movies like SAPPHO, which are identical in tone, style, look, as the Reeves HERCULES movies. It's so odd. Francisci is the grandfather of the PEPLUM genre. It's hard to imagine the director of GOLIATH AND THE DRAGON getting a nod in the book but not the actual director of HERCULES and HERCULES UNCHAINED. Again, I like GOLIATH AND THE DRAGON but it's sort of a fun, goofy adventure film. Not the classics like the Reeves HERCULES films. 

Needless to say, the catalogue of the exhibition is yet another disappointment in a long list of books and publications on the PEPLUM genre.

Behind-the-Scenes

Gordon Scott and some unidentified woman on the set of DUEL OF THE TITANS (1961)

Clip of the week: 79 AD: THE DESTRUCTION OF HERCULANEUM (1962)

Fight between Samson (Djordje Nenadovic) and Drago (Pino Mattei). Mara Lane, Jacques Berthier and Ivy Holzer watch the fight. A Fan Dub from the recent HD print. 

 

Portraits

Hélène Chanel as Farida in MACISTE IN THE VALLEY OF THE THUNDERING ECHOES (1964)

HD Alert!

Chelo Alonso in SON OF SAMSON (1960)

I got the Spanish Blu-ray and the release is excellent. The image appears to be more grainy and slightly darker than the Kino Lorber release but it's basically the same print. This Blu-ray has the English audio.

 

Maciste (Mark Forest) showing his might! 

Vintage Article

Old French article on Rock Stevens, aka Peter Lupus, and Gordon Scott. Photo above with Peter is from HERCULES AND THE TYRANTS OF BABYLON (1964). And below, there's Gordon Scott and Piero Lulli from HERO OF BABYLON (1963). I have to find that photo.

 

Musings!

Gordon Scott and Moira Orfei in HERO OF BABYLON (1963)

In my eternal quest in finding a decent copy of this fun movie, and which I have over a dozen different copies to prove this, I finally found one that is worthwhile. I bought the Spanish DVD and the image is excellent. Of course, it's DVD resolution but it has no issues with it, aside from the fact that it doesn't have an English audio. It's odd that finding a decent print is so difficult for this movie (well, a lot of PEPLUM movies actually...). One version is too dark. Another is too fuzzy. The German copy I have is almost identical to this one but the image is fuzzy and there's pixelation. The image quality of a recent French copy is too soft. So, I can positively state that the best copy is this one. Of course, a HD version would be better but it's not yet available. I will do a Recent Acquisition post soon and I'll show the DVD. As for the film, it's solid. Moira Orfei almost steals the movie from stoic Gordon with her colourful performance. I like her but it seems few people out there do. I rarely hear anyone talk about her even if she was a major PEPLUM star.

PEPLUM Movie Poster

Belgian poster of THE ISLAND PRINCESS (1954) 

Nice poster from Belgium. The spectacular fight scenes were directed by Pietro Francisci, who directed HERCULES (1958).

Image of the week!

Samson (Victor Mature) tries to convince Delilah (Hedy Lamar) to join him in SAMSON AND DELILAH (1949)

BY THE GODS! magazine

Buy BY THE GODS! magazine

Lobby Cards Set: THE CENTURION (1961)

Original Italian lobby cards set of THE CENTURION (1961; aka Conqueror of Corinth) starring Jacques Sernas, Gianna Maria Canale, John Drew Barrymore, Genevieve Grad and others. Beautiful set. So colourful. It makes me laugh though that some cards are scenes from other movies (cards 3 and 4). Otherwise, the cast is fully displayed.

Musings!

Gordon Mitchell, Jacques Sernas and Gianni Santuccio in THE CENTURION (1961; aka Conqueror of Corinth) 

This film is often overlooked. It does have a lot of re-used scenes from other movies and the ending is sorta affected by this but it's a pretty solid production, directed by the reliable Mario Costa. This screenshot is from a HD copy. It's gorgeous. Why isn't it on Blu-ray? I recently bought a German DVD pack which had this title, with the English audio, but the image was in a poor state. It's odd that this movie, which had a theatrical release in the US, is still not available to buy in HD.

Behind-the-Scenes

Gordon Mitchell and Bella Cortez pose for a photo during the filming of GIANT OF METROPOLIS (1961)

Clip of the week: GOLIATH AND THE VAMPIRES (1961)

Dance number from the movie. With Gianna Maria Canale.

Funnies!

Alan Steel in HERCULES AGAINST ROME (1964)

SPFX DEPT.

Scenes from ATLANTIS - THE LOST CONTINENT (1961) 

This George Pal movie has tons of special effects, from matte paintings (above) to full scale and pretty large models (below). Explosions and elaborate makeup (creatures), etc. Here are two examples: above is a combination of many elements, including actual location with actors (crowd) combined with model (submarine) and matte painting (background). Below are big and tall models (taller than a man) with a painted background. And of course, a pool of water that's not really the ocean. 

Missing scenes from THE WONDERFUL ADVENTURES OF GUERRIN MESCHINO (1953) Blu-ray

A new French Blu-ray from Artus Films of THE WONDERFUL ADVENTURES OF GUERRIN MESCHINO was released recently. It's great to see it in HD. I wrote about here here. The problem is, thanks to a tip from my friend in Europe, there are several missing scenes in it compared to the original Italian version. There's one scene in particular, the one with the giant, that entirely cut. Why? It devalues the Blu-ray release. Here's a quick rundown of those scenes I've noticed.

Above and below: The introduction is missing a painted representation of Guerrin Meschino's adventures, including images of the crocodile and the giant. Is it important? Not really but it's fun and original so yeah, cutting it was stupid.

 

This scene with secondary characters is missing/abbreviated. 

 

The entire scene about the giant, pictured in the intro, is missing. It starts with Guerrin and friend who come across a statue of the giant. They eventually meet the terrifying (albino?) giant. The friend is hung upside down and Guerrin battles with him (last screenshot). There's some violence but I really don't know why this entire scene was cut in the French version. It's one of the major highlights of the movie.

 

So, we're back to zero now. These scenes might seem minor but they're not. The movie is called Adventures not Adventure...and cutting one of the major adventures of our hero is dumb. This Pietro Francisci movie needs to be released on Blu-ray uncut. 

Musings!

Juliette Binoche in THE RETURN (2024)

This movie came out without any fanfare and got barely any attention. I watched it recently and I have to say that it's good. It's the first PEPLUM film or show that was made recently that I watched entirely. Does it have many issues? Yes. But I enjoyed the straight forward aspect of the production. It's Odysseus (Ralph Fiennes) returning to his home. It's basically just the ending from ULYSSES (1954) expanded to a movie minus the beautiful costumes and sets. The bizarre thing is it has very brief nudity (full frontal) and some harsh violence, which makes it unwatchable for the whole family. It's adult but the story itself is not. Oh well...The actors are very good, certainly Binoche as Penelope. It's a very grounded PEPLUM without any fantastical elements. It's bare bones and in a way I like this approach. But because of its low budget, the settings made everyone looked like cave people. I missed beautiful, elaborate sets of Antiquity. But overall, I enjoyed it for what it was.

PEPLUM Movie Posters

Belgian poster of THE MAGNIFICENT GLADIATOR (1964)

Nice colourful poster from Belgium. It's cute.

Image of the week!

Roccia (Dan Vadis) and Chimbro (Milton Reid) fight to the death while Daliah (Helga Liné) watches in shock in SPARTACUS AND THE TEN GLADIATORS (1964)

At the movies...

TRIUMPH OF MACISTE (1961) playing at Cinechoc in Paris. Now in colour. Previous post. There's a list of movie listed there, like some sort of festival.

Musings!

Mimmo Palmara doing what he does best: being a bad guy in TWO GLADIATORS (1964)

I recently got a bunch of new DVDs, yes, DVDs, not Blu-rays, from Germany. These DVDs are not new but are new to my collection. One of the best in the bunch is this movie. The image is very good. There's no English audio of course. But I really wanted a quasi-pristine print of this movie and the DVD filled the need. Almost all of my other dozen or so print of this movie are good to barely ok. You can check out the list of DVDs I got at BY THE GODS! website. I'll list them here soon under Recent Acquisitions.

Behind-the-Scenes

Steve Reeves taking a break on the set of HERCULES (1958)

Clip of the week: CLASH OF THE TITANS (1981)

The Kraken appears to Andromeda (Judi Bowker) in CLASH OF THE TITANS. With Harry Hamlin, Bubo, and others!

New PEPLUM Imagery!

With a few prompts, new PEPLUM imagery by AI. 

From MEN OF PULP @ X 

ANDROMEDA'S REVENGE

HD Alert!

SON OF SAMSON was released in HD in the US before any other country, including those in Europe. This Blu-ray is apparently the first release of this film in HD in Europe. I didn't buy it (I just bought it). I suspect it's the same as the US version. Has anyone bought this? I have the Spanish DVD and the quality is definitely not as good as the US BD. My review/comparisons of the US release.

Amazon.es

 

Screenshot from the US Blu-ray! With mark Forest.

PEPLUM exhibition

There's an exhibition of the PEPLUM genre in Paris at the Fondation Pathé Seydoux. The exhibition is called "Antiquité et Cinéma" and the show runs until March 29. My friend in Europe already mentioned this to me and Jacques Le Roux contacted me about it as well. Le Roux is a lecturer and author on Art History. He also provided photos he took while visited the museum. If you're in Paris, make sure to check it out. 

I purchased the catalogue but haven't received it yet. Anyway, thanks to Jacques for these great photos. I'd like to see it but I'm not planning on traveling to Paris.

Poster and chariot from BEN-HUR (1959)

QUO VADIS (1951) poster and production design (below)

Costumes from CLEOPATRA (1934)

Above: Costumes from CLEOPATRA (1963)

Above and below: costumes from THE PRODIGAL (1955). Notice the posters in the background.

Matte painting from SPARTACUS (1960)

Photo of the construction of the colossus in COLOSSUS OF RHODES (1960)

Costumes sketches for HELEN OF TROY (1956; above) and ULYSSES (1954; below)

A photo of HERCULES (1958) with Sylva Koscina and Steve Reeves. Below: some memorabilia, including stuff from HERCULES.

Photo by Bob Mizer and the influence of beefcake magazines.

Costumes from GLADIATOR (2000)

Props from BEN-HUIR (1925). Cool!