PEPLUM Blog's many FIRSTS

I started my first PEPLUM Youtube channel back in May 2007 and I created this blog back in October 12, 2010, way before what’s currently available right now. This blog gets between 1000 to 1500 hits a day with nearly 1.4 million page loads since it’s inception making it the most popular source of info on the PEPLUM genre. At one point my original PEPLUM Youtube channel got over 6 million visits before Youtube messed it up. There were only a few Youtube channels showing PEPLUM films and the only blogs that were available back then were the French blog and Brian's Drive-In Theater. That’s it. There were some movie reviews here and there but finding a general source of information on the PEPLUM genre on the internet was pretty scant. Fast forward several years and now there are several number of Facebook accounts covering the subject that’s already been pretty much covered here. There are over 3100 posts made here (some I had to delete because of problems with Youtube) at the blog, including reviews, special features, etc. This blog is a real bank of information on the subject. I rarely, heck never get the info elsewhere and if I do I always credit them (like Ron Campbell with that great GIANT OF MARATHON photo I posted recently). Here's a quick rundown of information first seen here at the PEPLUM blog.


PEPLUM MYTH BUSTING

- First article on the internet to write about a cocktail party for HERCULES AGAINST THE GODS, the unmade third Hercules film starring Steve Reeves.

- First on the internet to report that Steve Reeves was never played a gladiator

- First on the internet to dispel the subject on Steve Reeves’ voice

- First visual proof on the internet that the second Goliath in GOLIATH VS THE VAMPIRES was Giovanni Cianfriglia, not Steve Reeves as it always been erroneously reported for decades.

- First on the internet to report that Giovanni Cianfriglia was the stuntman/body double for Steve Reeves in THE GIANT OF MARATHON, not Alan Steel as often reported. First article and Second article.

- First on the internet to report the actor who played Moloch in HERCULES VS MOLOCH was Pietro Marascalchi and not Mario Novelli.

- First on the internet to write about and show image from the Egyptian version of KERIM - SON OF THE SHEIK: First article and Second article.


EXCLUSIVES

- First comprehensive list of film titles to be found on the internet on the PEPLUM genre, including silent films, Swashbucklers and 1980s titles. Many titles are missing but the list is a work in progress but I know for a fact that a lot of people have used this list as a reference/guide. And you didn’t have to pay for it. The page alone has been viewed 8438 times.

- Pages on HEROES & BEEFCAKE, viewed 21276 times and BABES & BEAUTIES viewed 15906 times.

- Mimmo Palmara exclusive photos of event dedicated to star, event created by Paolo Belocchi, who provided the photos.

- First online tribute to Pietro Francisci, my favourite director of the PEPLUM genre.

- First on the internet to report that Pietro Francisci directed the action scenes for TIRMA

- First on the internet to point out that screen writer Ennio De Concini wrote, co-wrote or ghost-wrote almost all the great PEPLUM films

- 30 GREATEST MOMENTS OF PEPLUM CINEMA : First list on the internet (or any medium) about the best moments of the Golden Age of PEPLUM cinema.

- First on the internet to write about Gay representation in PEPLUM films; I will do an update on this subject

- First on the internet to profile Canadian PEPLUM stars


IDENTIFYING THE ACTORS

- First on the internet to write that Alan Steel was the body double/stuntman for Steve Reeves in HERCULES UNCHAINED

- First mention and screenshot on the internet of uncredited Giuliano Gemma in HERCULES UNCHAINED

- First PEPLUM roles including Giuliano Gemma (Screenshot) and José Greci (photo) in BEN-HUR

- First on the internet or any medium to spot Umberto Silvestri in BEN-HUR

- First profile on the internet on Bud Spencer and his role in the Olympic and the PEPLUM genre

- First on the internet to mention that Giovanni Cianfriglia is the stuntman in THE LION OF THEBES.

- First on the internet to fully identify the Ten Gladiators ; I also created a video of this : YOUTUBE

- First on the internet to identify actors in GIANTS OF THESSALY

- First to identify the gladiators in GLADIATOR OF ROME (with additional info)

- First to identify 7 SLAVES AGAINST ROME

- First on the internet to identify several PEPLUM stars in BARABBAS

- First on the internet to identify Pietro Capanna (with the help of Pasquale)

- First on the internet to name Takis Kavouras (with the help of Scott via email)

- First on the internet to spot Takis Kavouras in several films, including SIEGE OF SYRACUSE (see link above) and TERROR OF THE RED MASK

- First on the internet to identify actor in REVAK THE REBEL : Georges Ehling. (Again thanks to Scott via email)

- First blog to identify Ahmed Ramzy after reporting that IMDb’s info on SON OF SPARTACUS is totally wrong.

- First blog about Elizabeth Taylor in QUO VADIS (thanks to Colossal QUO VADIS)

- First blog to show screen tests of Robert Taylor and Audrey Hepburn, for QUO VADIS (Colossal QUO VADIS thanked me)

- First on the internet to spot Alberto Lupo in ULYSSES

- First on the internet to show screenshot of Alan Steel in HEROD THE GREAT

- First on the internet to find the elusive Roberto Messina

- First on the internet to identify uncredited Alfio Caltabiano in COLOSSUS OF THE ARENA and SLAVE QUEEN OF BABYLON

 - First on the internet to profile actors Claudio Scarchilli and Benito Stefanelli

- First on the internet to profile child stars Gianfranco Gasparri and Loris Loddi

- First profile on the internet on Umberto Silvestri

- First on the internet to identify Nando Angelini

- First on the internet to spot Ed Fury in STAR TREK

- First on the internet to spot Ed Fury in DEMETRIUS AND THE GLADIATORS

- First on the internet to spot Ed Fury in GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES

- First on the internet to spot and identify Ed Fury at a Premiere for FABIOLA

- First on the internet to spot Ed Fury in FEMALE ON THE BEACH

- First blog to spot Ed Fury on SHAZAM

- First screenshot of Ed Fury in ATHENA to be posted on the internet

- First post on the internet to identify Franco Moruzzi and Ed Fury; Franco himself asked me for copy of image at Facebook

- First on the internet to spot, with screenshot, Mario Novelli in SODOM AND GOMORRAH

- First on the internet to show brothers Joe and Doug Robinson side by side.

- First profile on the internet about Carlo Rambaldi's special effects for PEPLUM films

- First mini-profile on the internet on Angelo Zanolli

- First blog article about PEPLUM voice actors

- First on the internet to spot Tyrone Power in the final cut of SOLOMON AND SHEBA

- First on the internet to spot various lion tamers in PEPLUM films : First article and Second article

- First on the internet to point out the first transexual PEPLUM star

- First on the internet to identify Burt Nelson in WITH FIRE AND SWORD (1962)

- First on the internet to spot the Messina brothers, Emilio and Roberto in THE FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE (1964)

DEATHS

- First blog on the passing of Serge Nubret

- First non-newspaper article on the internet to report that Iloosh Khosabe passed away: First article and Second article.

- First blog to report on the passing of Gianna Maria Canale

- First blog to report on the passing of Ennio Girolami

- First blog to report about Turhan Bey’s death

- First PEPLUM blog to report on Ernest Borgnine’s death

- First PEPLUM blog about the passing of Elizabeth Taylor

- First blog to report on the passing of Dorian Gray

- First blog dedicated to Tragic Stars of the PEPLUM genre


TRIBUTES (both deleted because of Youtube)

- First video tribute on the internet dedicated to Sylvia Lopez

- First video tribute on the internet dedicated to Gianna Maria Canale


FAN DUBS

- Created dozens and dozens of Fan Dubs, some of which I posted online (but had to remove because of Youtube)


VIEWING FILMS

- On Youtube since 2007

- PEPLUM TV


DIFFERENT FILM VERSIONS

- First on the internet to cover first doomed version of CLEOPATRA (plus Harry Baird sighting below) : First article and Second article

- First PEPLUM blog to mention Tyrone Power dying on set of SOLOMON AND SHEBA

- First PEPLUM blog to post article on the Tyrone Power version of SOLOMON & SHEBA

- First on the internet to mention cut beach scene from HERCULES UNCHAINED

- First on the internet to mention cut 'kissing' scene from GOLIATH AND THE VAMPIRES

- First on the internet or any other medium to show scenes are out of sequence in ALI BABA AND THE SEVEN SRACENS

- First on the internet to mention, with screenshots, about the three versions of PERSEUS THE INVINCIBLE

- First on the internet about missing scenes from SAMSON AND THE 7 MIRACLES OF THE WORLD (below)

- First on the internet (or anywhere) with full dance/song number from DESERT WARRIOR

- First on the internet about missing scenes from SAPPHO THE VENUS OF LESBOS

- First on the internet about missing scenes in HERCULES AND THE CAPTIVE WOMEN (I removed video from Youtube; I'll re-upload it)

- First on the internet about differences between THE VENGEANCE OF HERCULES and GOLIATH AND THE DRAGON (I removed video from Youtube; I'll re-upload it)

- First on the internet about the differences between US and European versions of THE LAST ROMAN

- First on the internet about the US and French DVDs of HERCULES

- First on the internet about possible missing scene in COLOSSUS IN THE ARENA

- First on the internet to mention about GERMAN DVD fiascos : First article and Second article

- First on the internet to mention ALPHA VIDEO rip-off

- First on the internet to point out different versions of A QUEEN FOR CAESAR

VARIOUS SUBJECTS

- First blog to feature uniquely created banners nearly in a monthly basis; stopped doing this for branding reasons

- First on the internet to mention of vintage PEPLUM box office

- First on the internet to point out nipple seen in SALAMMBO amongst other films

- First blog to write about rare ADVENTURE STORY starring Sean Connery (video has been removed)

- First blog to write about FRINE, CORTIGIANA D’ORIENTE

- First blog profiling British movie posters of PEPLUM films

- First blog showing PEPLUM FOTOBUSTAS and FOTONOVELAS

- First on the internet to compare the similarities between Star Wars and the PEPLUM genre.

- First PEPLUM blog to explain how to make a Fan Dub

- First on the internet to mention the Dalida PEPLUM mystery

- First on the internet to spot identical scenes in KING RICHARD AND THE CRUSADERS and KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

- First blog to identify THE VIKING silent film as the first Technicolor film

- First blog to write about new Warner films

- First to book reviews on the internet to point out mistakes in them including EPIC FILMS, LASH, RETRO STUD and CINEMA ITALIANO

- First internet review of SALAMBO 1914

- First to identify different aspect ratios

Etcetera...

And this is just the tip of the iceberg. Not included are the many screenshots of rare PEPLUM films which were never seen on the internet anywhere but here first. Many Cinematic Confusions or Goofs, SAME SCENE, DIFFERENT FILMS or SAME SET, DIFFERENT FILMS or THEN & NOW and many WHO WORE IT BEST which are exclusive to the blog. The list is endless.

The reason why I’m stating this is because a lot of this info and photos have been taken from my blog and parlayed around the internet by others for their own good. Photos with the old and new blog’s watermark visible for all to see and yet they pretend it’s their own. A lot of the information, exclusive and posted first at my blog (as listed above), have trickled down to other PEPLUM sites and this information is now treated as common knowledge without any credit to this blog. A big chunk of the information that’s out there on the PEPLUM genre has come from this blog, the first English speaking blog fully dedicated on the PEPLUM subject on the internet.

Another example would be with IMDb which is filled with errors. It seems someone follows this blog and has access to IMDb to make changes to the credit listings because every time I’ve mentioned there’s a mistake at IMDb about some misidentified actor or crew member for a certain film a week or two later that specific mistake has been corrected. Hmm...

I actually like the PEPLUM genre and will continue covering the subject as long as I humanly can. But credit has got to go where credit is due.