Maciste () is one of the oldest recurring

characters Character or Characters may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''Character'' (novel), a 1936 Dutch novel by Ferdinand Bordewijk * ''Characters'' (Theophrastus), a classical Greek set of character sketches attributed to The ...

cinema Cinema may refer to: Film * Cinematography, the art of motion-picture photography * Film or movie, a series of still images that create the illusion of a moving image ** Film industry, the technological and commercial institutions of filmmaking * ...

, created by Gabriele d'Annunzio and

Giovanni Pastrone Giovanni Pastrone, also known by his artistic name Piero Fosco (13 September 1883 – 27 June 1959), was an Italian film pioneer, director, screenwriter, actor and technician. Pastrone was born in Montechiaro d'Asti. He worked during the era of ...

. He is featured throughout the history of the

cinema of Italy The cinema of Italy (, ) comprises the films made within Italy or by Italian directors. Since its beginning, Italian cinema has influenced film movements worldwide. Italy is one of the birthplaces of art cinema and the stylistic aspect of film ...

from the 1910s to the mid-1960s. He is usually depicted as a

Hercules Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures. The Romans adapted the Gr ...

-like figure, utilizing his massive strength to achieve heroic feats that ordinary men cannot. Many of the 1960s Italian movies featuring Maciste were retitled in other countries, substituting more popular names in the titles (such as Hercules, Goliath or Samson).

Name

There are a number of references to the name in literature. The name of Maciste appears in a sentence in

Strabo Strabo''Strabo'' (meaning "squinty", as in strabismus) was a term employed by the Romans for anyone whose eyes were distorted or deformed. The father of Pompey was called "Pompeius Strabo". A native of Sicily so clear-sighted that he could see ...

's ''Geography'' (Book 8, Chapter 3, Section 21), in which he writes: – "And in the middle is the temple of the Macistian

Heracles Heracles ( ; grc-gre, Ἡρακλῆς, , glory/fame of Hera), born Alcaeus (, ''Alkaios'') or Alcides (, ''Alkeidēs''), was a divine hero in Greek mythology, the son of Zeus and Alcmene, and the foster son of Amphitryon.By his adoptive ...

, and the river Acidon." The epithet Μακίστιος (Makistios, Latinized as ''Macistius'') is generally understood to be an adjective referring to a town called Μάκιστος (Makistos) in the province of

Triphylia Triphylia ( el, Τριφυλία, ''Trifylia'', "the country of the three tribes") was an area of the ancient Peloponnese. Strabo and Pausanias both describe Triphylia as part of Elis, and it fell at times under the domination of the city of Eli ...

Elis Elis or Ilia ( el, Ηλεία, ''Ileia'') is a historic region in the western part of the Peloponnese peninsula of Greece. It is administered as a regional unit of the modern region of Western Greece. Its capital is Pyrgos. Until 2011 it was ...

. In the first volume of the ''Dizionario universale archeologico-artistico-technologico'' (1858) ''Macistius'' is given as one among several epithets of Hercules (''Ercole''). In the second volume of the same dictionary (1864) this name appears Italianized as ''Maciste'', defined as ''uno dei soprannomi d'Ercole'' ("one of the nicknames of Hercules"). According to William Smith's ''A Dictionary of Greek and Roman mythology'', ''Macistus'' (Μάκιστος) was "a surname of

, who had a temple in the neighbourhood of the town of Macistus in Triphylia". Makistos was also the third child of

Athamas In Greek mythology, Athamas (; grc, Ἀθάμας, Athámas) was a Boeotian king.Apollodorus1.9.1/ref> Family Athamas was formerly a Thessalian prince and the son of King Aeolus of Aeolia and Enarete, daughter of Deimachus. He was the brothe ...

and

Nephele In Greek mythology, Nephele (; Ancient Greek: Νεφέλη from νέφος ''nephos'' "cloud"; Latinized to ''Nubes'') was a cloud nymph who figured prominently in the story of Phrixus and Helle. Mythology Greek myth has it that Nephele is t ...

, according to the

Greek mythology A major branch of classical mythology, Greek mythology is the body of myths originally told by the Ancient Greece, ancient Greeks, and a genre of Ancient Greek folklore. These stories concern the Cosmogony, origin and Cosmology#Metaphysical co ...

. In the original draft outline of the 1914 movie ''

Cabiria ''Cabiria'' is a 1914 Italian epic silent film, directed by Giovanni Pastrone and shot in Turin. The film is set in ancient Sicily, Carthage, and Cirta during the period of the Second Punic War (218–202 BC). It follows a melodramatic main p ...

'' by director

, the muscular hero's name had been ''Ercole''. In the revised script, writer Gabriele d'Annunzio gave the character the name ''Maciste'', which he understood (based on the above or similar sources) to be an erudite synonym for Hercules.
By later writers using the character the original etymology was generally forgotten, and a

folk etymology Folk etymology (also known as popular etymology, analogical reformation, reanalysis, morphological reanalysis or etymological reinterpretation) is a change in a word or phrase resulting from the replacement of an unfamiliar form by a more famili ...

was constructed based on the name's superficial similarity to the Italian word ''macigno'' "large stone"; in the first of the 1960s films, Maciste tells another character in the film that his name means "born of the rock", and in a later film, Maciste is actually shown in one scene appearing from within a solid rock wall in a cave as if by magic.

''Cabiria''

Maciste made his debut in the 1914

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

silent movie ''Silent Movie'' is a 1976 American satirical comedy film co-written, directed by and starring Mel Brooks, released by 20th Century Fox in the summer of 1976. The ensemble cast includes Dom DeLuise, Marty Feldman, Bernadette Peters, and Sid Cae ...

classic ''

''. ''Cabiria'' is a story about a slave named Maciste (played by

Bartolomeo Pagano Bartolomeo Pagano (27 September 1878 – 24 June 1947) was an Italian motion picture actor. Before his cinema career, Pagano was a stevedore who worked at the port of Genoa. There, he was discovered and selected to play the role of Maciste, a m ...

) who was involved in the rescue of a

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...

girl named Cabiria (played by

Lidia Quaranta Lidia Quaranta (6 March 1891 – 5 March 1928) was an Italian stage and film actress of the early 20th century. Early career Lidia Gemma Mattia Quaranta was born in Turin, Italy, the older sister of twins Isabella and Letizia Quaranta. She beg ...

) from an evil

Carthaginian The term Carthaginian ( la, Carthaginiensis ) usually refers to a citizen of Ancient Carthage. It can also refer to: * Carthaginian (ship), a three-masted schooner built in 1921 * Insurgent privateers; nineteenth-century South American privateers, ...

priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particu ...

who plotted to sacrifice her to the cruel god

Moloch Moloch (; ''Mōleḵ'' or הַמֹּלֶךְ‎ ''hamMōleḵ''; grc, Μόλοχ, la, Moloch; also Molech or Molek) is a name or a term which appears in the Hebrew Bible several times, primarily in the book of Leviticus. The Bible strongly co ...

. The film was based very loosely on '' Salammbo'', a

historical novel Historical fiction is a literary genre in which the plot takes place in a setting related to the past events, but is fictional. Although the term is commonly used as a synonym for historical fiction literature, it can also be applied to other ty ...

Gustave Flaubert Gustave Flaubert ( , , ; 12 December 1821 – 8 May 1880) was a French novelist. Highly influential, he has been considered the leading exponent of literary realism in his country. According to the literary theorist Kornelije Kvas, "in Flauber ...

, and had a plot and screenplay by Gabriele D'Annunzio. Maciste's debut set the tone for his later adventures. Including ''Cabiria'' itself, there have been at least 52 movies featuring Maciste, 27 of them being pre-1927 silent films starring Bartolomeo Pagano and the other 25 being a series of sound and color films produced in the early 1960s. Typical plots involve tyrannical rulers who practice vile magical rituals or worship evil

god In monotheism, monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator deity, creator, and principal object of Faith#Religious views, faith.Richard Swinburne, Swinburne, R.G. "God" in Ted Honderich, Honderich, Ted. (ed)''The Ox ...

s. Typically, the young woman who is the love interest runs afoul of the evil ruler. Maciste, who possesses superhuman strength, must rescue her. There is often a rightful king who wants to overthrow the evil usurper, as well as a

belly dance Belly dance (Egyptian Arabic: رقص بلدي, translated: Dance of the Country/Folk Dance, romanized: Raks/Raas Baladi) is a dance that originates in Egypt. It features movements of the hips and torso. It has evolved to take many different f ...

scene. There is often an evil queen who has carnal designs on the hero. These films were set in locales including

Mongolia Mongolia; Mongolian script: , , ; lit. "Mongol Nation" or "State of Mongolia" () is a landlocked country in East Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south. It covers an area of , with a population of just 3.3 million, ...

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal , national_motto = "Fi ...

Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...

, and the

Roman Empire The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post-Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings around the Mediterr ...

Bartolomeo Pagano's Maciste films

As a character, Maciste had two distinct moments in the spotlight. The first was in the Italian silent movie period, in which the original Maciste from ''Cabiria'', the muscular actor

, starred in a series of at least 26

sequel A sequel is a work of literature, film, theatre, television, music or video game that continues the story of, or expands upon, some earlier work. In the common context of a narrative work of fiction, a sequel portrays events set in the same ...

s over the period from 1915 through 1926. Then decades later, (following on the heels of the success of the two 1950s Steve Reeves "Hercules" films) Maciste was revived by Italian filmmakers for a series of 25 sound films (all made between 1960 and 1965). The Bartolomeo Pagano silent Maciste films established the character as someone who could appear at any place and at any time. Some of the earlier ones, made during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, had the distinct flavour of

propaganda Propaganda is communication that is primarily used to influence or persuade an audience to further an agenda, which may not be objective and may be selectively presenting facts to encourage a particular synthesis or perception, or using loaded ...

, and cast the hero in the role of a soldier. Later films in the series return to

fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving Magic (supernatural), magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy ...

, but the fantasy was not always mythological. Maciste appears as an

Olympic Olympic or Olympics may refer to Sports Competitions * Olympic Games, international multi-sport event held since 1896 ** Summer Olympic Games ** Winter Olympic Games * Ancient Olympic Games, ancient multi-sport event held in Olympia, Greece b ...

athlete, in contemporary settings, or in the

afterlife The afterlife (also referred to as life after death) is a purported existence in which the essential part of an individual's identity or their stream of consciousness continues to live after the death of their physical body. The surviving ess ...

. His character and his plots remained consistent in whatever setting; he was always a

populist Populism refers to a range of political stances that emphasize the idea of "the people" and often juxtapose this group against " the elite". It is frequently associated with anti-establishment and anti-political sentiment. The term developed ...

Hercules, using his physical prowess to overcome the evil ruses of effete

aristocrats Aristocracy (, ) is a form of government that places strength in the hands of a small, privileged ruling class, the aristocrats. The term derives from the el, αριστοκρατία (), meaning 'rule of the best'. At the time of the word' ...

and authority figures.

Revival of the 1960s

The character was revived in the 1960s. In 1957,

Steve Reeves Stephen Lester "Steve" Reeves (January 21, 1926 – May 1, 2000) was an American professional bodybuilder, actor, and philanthropist. He was famous in the mid-1950s as a movie star in Italian-made sword-and-sandal films, playing the protagon ...

' ''

'', an Italian production, created a minor boom in Italian dramas featuring

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

bodybuilders in vaguely

mythological Myth is a folklore genre consisting of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society, such as foundational tales or origin myths. Since "myth" is widely used to imply that a story is not objectively true, the identification of a narrat ...

or classical

historical History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...

subjects. Maciste was the hero in 25 of these films. Other films starred such heroes as Ursus, Samson, Hercules and Goliath. Maciste was never given an origin, and the source of his mighty powers was never revealed, nor was he confined to one specific time period or setting in his adventures. However, in the first of the 1960s Maciste films, he mentions to another character that the name "Maciste" means "born of the rock" (almost as if he was a god who would just appear out of the earth in times of need). One of the 1920s silent Maciste films was actually entitled "The Giant from the Dolomite" (another reference that he was not born as an ordinary mortal man would have been). Hence it is hinted that Maciste is more god than man, which would explain his great strength. This

sword and sandal Sword-and-sandal, also known as peplum (pepla plural), is a subgenre of largely Italian-made historical, mythological, or Biblical epics mostly set in the Greco-Roman antiquity or the Middle Ages. These films attempted to emulate the big-budget H ...

fad continued for about six years, until the new fad for

spaghetti Western The Spaghetti Western is a broad subgenre of Western films produced in Europe. It emerged in the mid-1960s in the wake of Sergio Leone's film-making style and international box-office success. The term was used by foreign critics because most o ...

s and spy films took over the attention of the

Italian cinema The cinema of Italy (, ) comprises the films made within Italy or by Italian directors. Since its beginning, Italian cinema has influenced film movements worldwide. Italy is one of the birthplaces of art cinema and the stylistic aspect of film ha ...

industry. The name Maciste was not in the title of the

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

versions of most of these films: when the films were imported into the US and dubbed in English, the hero's name was often changed to Hercules,

Samson Samson (; , '' he, Šīmšōn, label= none'', "man of the sun") was the last of the judges of the ancient Israelites mentioned in the Book of Judges (chapters 13 to 16) and one of the last leaders who "judged" Israel before the institution o ...

Goliath Goliath ( ) ''Goləyāṯ''; ar, جُليات ''Ǧulyāt'' (Christian term) or (Quranic term). is a character in the Book of Samuel, described as a Philistine giant In folklore, giants (from Ancient Greek: ''gigas'', cognate giga-) a ...

Atlas An atlas is a collection of maps; it is typically a bundle of maps of Earth or of a region of Earth. Atlases have traditionally been bound into book form, but today many atlases are in multimedia formats. In addition to presenting geographic ...

, Ulysses, or Colossus, because the name Maciste was not widely recognised in the USA. Some Italian sword and sandal films were not theatrically released in the USA; rather they premiered on American television in a syndication package called ''

The Sons of Hercules ''The Sons of Hercules'' is a syndicated Embassy Pictures television show that aired in the United States in the 1960s. The series repackaged 13 Italian sword-and-sandal films by giving them a standardized theme song for the opening and clos ...

'', usually broadcast on Saturday afternoons. Best remembered for its stirring theme song, films originally featuring Maciste were dubbed into a variety of different "Sons of Hercules" pictures, with stock narration at the opening attempting to tie the film's lead character in to Hercules any way they could. A number of Italian musclemen played Maciste in the 1960s films, but Mark Forest was the actor who played Maciste the most (7 times). The other actors included

Gordon Scott Gordon Scott (born Gordon Merrill Werschkul; August 3, 1926 – April 30, 2007) was an American film and television actor known for his portrayal of the fictional character Tarzan in five films (and one compilation of three made-as-a ...

Reg Park Roy "Reg" Park (7 June 1928 – 22 November 2007) was an English bodybuilder, businessman, and actor. His first title was Mr Britain in 1949. He then won the Mr Universe in 1951, 1958 and 1965. He also starred in five films, four featured as ...

Gordon Mitchell Gordon Mitchell (born Charles Allen Pendleton; July 29, 1923 – September 20, 2003) was an American actor and bodybuilder who made about 200 B movies. Biography Charles Allen Pendleton was born in Denver, Colorado, and began working out in hi ...

, Reg Lewis,

Kirk Morris Kirk Morris (born 26 August 1942) is an Italian bodybuilder and actor. He was the winner of "Mr.Italia Bodybuilding contest 1961” Born in Venice as Adriano Bellini, while at university Morris devoted himself to bodybuilding and thanks to his ph ...

Samson Burke Samson Burke (born Samuel Burke; 8 April 1929) is a Canadian bodybuilder, swimmer, wrestler and actor. Biography Born Samuel Burke in Montreal Canada, Burke earned a college degree in physical education. In the 1950s, Burke wrestled for nine ...

Alan Steel Sergio Ciani (7 September 1931 – 5 September 2015), best known as Alan Steel, was an Italian bodybuilder and actor. Born in Rome, Ciani started his career as a stuntman; then he became the body double for Steve Reeves in ''Hercules Unchained'' ...

, Richard Lloyd, Renato Rossini and Frank Gordon.

Influence

* The ''Cabiria'' scene in which Maciste pushes a mill wheel for ten years may have inspired

John Milius John Frederick Milius (; born April 11, 1944) is an American screenwriter, film director, and producer. He was a writer for the first two ''Dirty Harry'' films, received an Academy Award nomination as screenwriter of ''Apocalypse Now'' (1979), a ...

, who shot a similar one for his movie ''

Conan the Barbarian Conan the Barbarian (also known as Conan the Cimmerian) is a fictional sword and sorcery hero who originated in pulp magazines and has since been adapted to books, comics, films (including '' Conan the Barbarian'' and '' Conan the Destroyer'') ...

'' (1982). *

Federico Fellini Federico Fellini (; 20 January 1920 – 31 October 1993) was an Italian film director and screenwriter known for his distinctive style, which blends fantasy and baroque images with earthiness. He is recognized as one of the greatest and most i ...

said that ''Maciste all'inferno'' (1925) was the first movie he remembered seeing as a child.Fellini, Making a Film, Contra Mundum Press, 2015, p. 66 His 1954 film ''

La Strada ''La strada'' () is a 1954 Italian drama film directed by Federico Fellini and co-written by Fellini, Tullio Pinelli and Ennio Flaiano. The film tells the story of Gelsomina, a simple-minded young woman (Giulietta Masina) bought from her mother ...

'' features a brutish strongman performer. * The 1960s adventures have been enjoyed mostly by devotees of

camp Camp may refer to: Outdoor accommodation and recreation * Campsite or campground, a recreational outdoor sleeping and eating site * a temporary settlement for nomads * Camp, a term used in New England, Northern Ontario and New Brunswick to descri ...

style. Two of the films, ''Maciste contro i cacciatori di teste'' (translated as ''

Colossus and the Headhunters ''Colossus and the Headhunters'' ( it, Maciste contro i cacciatori di teste, lit=Maciste against the head-hunters), is a 1963 Italian ''peplum'' film written and directed by Guido Malatesta, and starring Kirk Morris. Plot The heroic Maciste arr ...

'') and ''Maciste e la regina di Samar'' (as ''

Hercules Against the Moon Men ''Hercules Against the Moon Men'' ( it, Maciste e la regina di Samar, "Maciste and the Queen of Samar") is a 1964 Franco-Italian international co-production sword and sandal film. It was directed by Giacomo Gentilomo in his final film and stars Al ...

'') appeared on the comedy television program ''

Mystery Science Theater 3000 ''Mystery Science Theater 3000'' (abbreviated as ''MST3K'') is an American science fiction comedy film review television series created by Joel Hodgson. The show premiered on KTMA-TV (now WUCW) in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on November 24, 1988. ...

'' in the 1990s. In ''Colossus and the Headhunters'', the pronunciation of Maciste's name was frequently mocked as "my cheesesteak." * The Belgian strongman

John Massis John Massis (4 June 1940 – 12 July 1988) was a Flanders, Flemish Strongman (strength athlete), strongman and teeth-acrobat. His real name was Wilfried Morbée. Massis specialized in bending iron with his teeth. He also performed stunts whe ...

based his pseudonym on Maciste. * The 2006 film ''

The Caiman ''The Caiman'' ( it, Il caimano, referring to the caiman) is a 2006 Italian comedy-drama film directed by Nanni Moretti and starring Silvio Orlando and Margherita Buy. Focusing on Silvio Berlusconi's vicissitudes, it was released just before t ...

'' features an Italian exploitation film producer who made the film ''Machiste Against Freud''. * In the 2013 film ''

Il Futuro ''Il Futuro'' () is a 2013 drama film directed by Alicia Scherson. Based on Roberto Bolaño's 2002 novel '' Una novelita lumpen'', the film stars Manuela Martelli and Rutger Hauer. The film was shot in Italy, Chile, and Germany, and is an Italian-C ...

Rutger Hauer Rutger Oelsen Hauer (; 23 January 1944 – 19 July 2019) was a Dutch actor. In 1999, he was named by the Dutch public as the Best Dutch Actor of the Century. Hauer's career began in 1969 with the title role in the Dutch television series ' ...

plays a retired actor and bodybuilder nicknamed "Machiste" for having starred in the role in the 1960s. The film is based on

Roberto Bolaño Roberto Bolaño Ávalos (; 28 April 1953 – 15 July 2003) was a Chilean novelist, short-story writer, poet and essayist. In 1999, Bolaño won the Rómulo Gallegos Prize for his novel ''Los detectives salvajes'' (''The Savage Detectives' ...

's ''

A Little Lumpen Novelita ''A Little Lumpen Novelita'' (''Una novelita lumpen'' in Spanish) is a 2002 novel by the Chilean author Roberto Bolaño. A translation from the Spanish by Natasha Wimmer was published by New Directions in September 2014. The book is divided int ...

'', featuring the character.

Filmography

The silent film series (in chronological order)

*''Cabiria'' (1914) introduced the Maciste character *''Maciste'' (1915) aka "Marvelous Maciste, the Giant of Cabiria" *''Maciste bersagliere'' ("Maciste the Ranger", 1916) *''Maciste alpino'' (1916) aka "Maciste The Warrior" *''Maciste atleta'' ("Maciste the Athlete", 1917) *''Maciste medium'' ("Maciste the Clairvoyant", 1917) *''Maciste poliziotto'' ("Maciste the Detective", 1917) *''Maciste turista'' ("Maciste the Tourist", 1917) *''Maciste sonnambulo'' ("Maciste the Sleepwalker", 1918) *''Il Testamento di Maciste'' ("Maciste's Last Will and Testament", 1919) *''Il Viaggio di Maciste'' ("Maciste's Journey", 1919) *''Maciste I'' ("Maciste the First", 1919) *''Maciste contro la morte'' ("Maciste vs Death", 1919) *''Maciste innamorato'' ("Maciste in Love", 1919) *''Maciste salvato dalle acque'' ("Maciste, Rescued from the Waters", 1920) *''La Rivincita di Maciste'' ("

The Revenge of Maciste ''The Revenge of Maciste'' (Italian: ''La rivincita di Maciste'') is a 1921 Italian silent film, silent adventure film directed by Luigi Romano Borgnetto and starring Bartolomeo Pagano, Henriette Bonard and Erminia Zago.Kinnard & Crnkovich p.14 I ...

", 1921) *''Maciste in vacanza'' ("

Maciste on Vacation ''Maciste on Vacation'' (Italian: ''Maciste in vacanza'') is a 1921 Italian silent adventure film directed by Luigi Romano Borgnetto and starring Bartolomeo Pagano, Henriette Bonard and Gemma De Sanctis.Kinnard & Crnkovich p.12 It is part of th ...

", 1921) *''Maciste e la figlia del re della Plata'' ("Maciste and the Silver King's Daughter", 1922) *''Maciste und die Japanerin'' ("Maciste and the Japanese", 1922) *''Maciste contro Maciste'' ("Maciste vs Maciste", 1923) *''Maciste und die chinesische truhe'' ("

Maciste and the Chinese Chest ''Maciste and the Chinese Chest'' (german: Maciste und die chinesische Truhe) is a 1923 German silent action film directed by Carl Boese and starring Bartolomeo Pagano, Rudolf Lettinger, and Jakob Tiedtke. It was one of several German films feat ...

", 1923) *''Maciste e il nipote di America'' ("

Maciste's American Nephew ''Maciste's American Nephew'' (Italian: ''Maciste e il nipote d'America'') is a 1924 Italian silent film, silent adventure film directed by Eleuterio Rodolfi and starring Bartolomeo Pagano, Diomira Jacobini and Alberto Collo. It was part of the l ...

", 1924) *''Maciste imperatore'' ("

Emperor Maciste ''Emperor Maciste'' (Italian: ''Maciste imperatore'') is a 1924 Italian silent adventure film directed by Guido Brignone and starring Bartolomeo Pagano, Domenico Gambino and Franz Sala. It was part of the peplum series of silent films featur ...

", 1924) *''Maciste contro lo sceicco'' ("Maciste vs the Sheik", 1925) *''Maciste all'inferno'' ("Maciste in Hell", 1925) *''Maciste nella gabbia dei leoni'' ("

Maciste in the Lion's Cage ''Maciste in the Lion's Cage'' (Italian:''Maciste nella gabbia dei leoni'') is a 1926 Italian silent adventure film directed by Guido BrignoneBrunetta p.64 and starring Bartolomeo Pagano, Elena Sangro and Luigi Serventi. It was part of the popu ...

", 1926) *''il gigante delle dolomiti'' ("

The Giant of the Dolomites ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

", 1927)

The 1960s film series (in chronological order)

There were a total of 25 Maciste films from the 1960s peplum craze. By 1960, seeing how well the two Steve Reeves ''Hercules'' films were doing at the box office, Italian producers decided to revive the 1920s silent film character ''Maciste'' in a new series of color and sound films. Unlike the other Italian peplum protagonists, Maciste appeared in a variety of time periods ranging from the

Ice Age An ice age is a long period of reduction in the temperature of Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental and polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers. Earth's climate alternates between ice ages and gree ...

to 16th Century Scotland. Maciste was never given an origin, and the source of his mighty powers was never revealed. However, in the first film of the 1960s series, he mentions to another character that the name "Maciste" means "born of the rock", as if he were a god who would appear out of the earth itself in times of need. One of the 1920s silent Maciste films was entitled "The Giant from the Dolomite", suggesting that Maciste may be more god than man, which would explain his great strength. The first title listed for each film is the film's original Italian title along with its English translation, while the U.S. release title follows in bold type in parentheses (Maciste's name in the Italian title is usually altered to an entirely different name in the American title): * ''

Maciste nella valle dei re ''Son of Samson'' ( it, Maciste nella Valle dei Re/ ''Maciste in the Valley of the Kings'', also known as ''Maciste the Mighty'') is a 1960 Italian peplum film directed by Carlo Campogalliani and starring Mark Forest. The film was distributed t ...

'' / ''Maciste in the Valley of the Kings'' (

Son of Samson ''Son of Samson'' ( it, Maciste nella Valle dei Re/ ''Maciste in the Valley of the Kings'', also known as ''Maciste the Mighty'') is a 1960 Italian peplum film directed by Carlo Campogalliani and starring Mark Forest. The film was distributed to ...

, 1960) a.k.a. ''Maciste the Mighty'', aka ''Maciste the Giant'', starring Mark Forest & Chelo Alonso * '' Maciste nella terra dei ciclopi'' / '' Maciste in the Land of the Cyclops'' (

Atlas in the Land of the Cyclops ''Atlas in the Land of the Cyclops'' (Italian: ''Maciste nella terra dei ciclopi'') is a 1961 Italian Gothic horror film starring Gordon Mitchell and Chelo Alonso. Plot Queen Capys is doomed to a life of slavery by the Powers of Darkness until t ...

, 1961) starring Gordon Mitchell & Chelo Alonso * ''

Maciste contro il vampiro ''Goliath and the Vampires'' ( it, Maciste contro il vampiro) is a 1961 Italian ''peplum'' film directed by Sergio Corbucci and Giacomo Gentilomo. Plot Set in the ancient world, this film follows a powerful muscular man out to battle a vampire a ...

'' / ''

Maciste Vs. the Vampire ''Goliath and the Vampires'' ( it, Maciste contro il vampiro) is a 1961 Italian peplum film, ''peplum'' film directed by Sergio Corbucci and Giacomo Gentilomo. Plot Set in the ancient world, this film follows a powerful muscular man out to battle ...

'' (

Goliath and the Vampires ''Goliath and the Vampires'' ( it, Maciste contro il vampiro) is a 1961 Italian ''peplum'' film directed by Sergio Corbucci and Giacomo Gentilomo. Plot Set in the ancient world, this film follows a powerful muscular man out to battle a vampire a ...

, 1961) starring Gordon Scott * ''

Il trionfo di Maciste ''Triumph of the Son of Hercules'' ( it, Il trionfo di Maciste) is a 1961 Italian peplum film directed by Tanio Boccia and starring Kirk Morris.Michele Giordano. ''Giganti buoni''. Gremese Editore, 1998. . Plot Cast * Kirk Morris as Macis ...

'' / ''The Triumph of Maciste'' (

Triumph of the Son of Hercules ''Triumph of the Son of Hercules'' ( it, Il trionfo di Maciste) is a 1961 Italian peplum film directed by Tanio Boccia and starring Kirk Morris.Michele Giordano. ''Giganti buoni''. Gremese Editore, 1998. . Plot Cast * Kirk Morris as Macis ...

, 1961) starring Kirk Morris * '' Maciste alla corte del gran khan'' / '' Maciste at the Court of the Great Khan'' ( Samson and the Seven Miracles of the World, 1961) starring Gordon Scott * ''

Maciste, l'uomo più forte del mondo ''Mole Men Against the Son of Hercules'' ( it, Maciste, l'uomo più forte del mondo/ ''Maciste, the Strongest Man in the World'') is a 1961 Italian '' peplum'' film directed by Antonio Leonviola and starring Mark Forest. Plot summary The young ...

'' / ''

Maciste, the Strongest Man in the World ''Mole Men Against the Son of Hercules'' ( it, Maciste, l'uomo più forte del mondo/ ''Maciste, the Strongest Man in the World'') is a 1961 Italian '' peplum'' film directed by Antonio Leonviola and starring Mark Forest. Plot summary The young ...

'' ( Mole Men vs the Son of Hercules, 1961) starring Mark Forest * ''

Maciste contro Ercole nella valle dei guai ''Hercules in the Vale of Woe'' ( it, Maciste contro Ercole nella valle dei guai/ ''Maciste vs Hercules in the Valley of Woe''), a.k.a. ''Hercules in the Valley of Woe'', is a 1961 Italian Franco and Ciccio comedy film directed by Mario Mattoli ...

'' / '' Maciste Against Hercules in the Vale of Woe'' ( Hercules in the Vale of Woe, 1961) starring Kirk Morris as Maciste * ''

Totò contro Maciste ''Toto vs. Maciste'' ( it, Totò contro Maciste) is a 1962 Italian adventure-comedy film directed by Fernando Cerchio. It is a parody of the Sword and Sandal cinema, which was highly successful at the time in Italy. Plot Totokamen is an entert ...

'' / '' Toto vs. Maciste'' (No American title, 1962) starring Samson Burke; this was a comedy satirizing the peplum genre (part of the Italian "Toto" film series) and was never distributed in the USA; it is apparently not available in English * '' Maciste all'inferno'' / ''Maciste in Hell'' (

The Witch's Curse ''The Witch's Curse'' ( it, Maciste all'inferno, lit=Maciste in Hell) is a 1962 peplum- fantasy film, directed by Riccardo Freda. Plot In the mid-1500s, a witch is burned in Scotland and places a curse on the inhabitants before she dies. One hu ...

, 1962) starring Kirk Morris * ''

Maciste contro lo sceicco ''Maciste against the Sheik'' (Italian:''Maciste contro lo sceicco'') is a 1926 Italian silent adventure film directed by Mario Camerini and starring Bartolomeo Pagano, Franz Sala and Felice Minotti. It was part of the long-running Maciste serie ...

'' / ''

Maciste Against the Sheik ''Maciste against the Sheik'' (Italian:''Maciste contro lo sceicco'') is a 1926 Italian silent adventure film directed by Mario Camerini and starring Bartolomeo Pagano, Franz Sala and Felice Minotti. It was part of the long-running Maciste serie ...

'' (

Samson Against the Sheik ''Samson Against the Sheik'' ( it, Maciste contro lo sceicco, also known as ''Maciste Against the Sheik'') is a 1962 Italian peplum film directed by Domenico Paolella. In the late 1500s, forces of the Duke of Malaga topple the Sacred Obelisk in ...

, 1962) starring Ed Fury * ''

Maciste, il gladiatore più forte del mondo ''Colossus of the Arena'' ( it, Maciste il gladiatore più forte del mondo, also known as ''Death on the Arena'') is a 1962 Italian peplum film directed by Michele Lupo and starred by Mark Forest. Plot A powerful man posing as a gladiator in R ...

'' / ''Maciste, the World's Strongest Gladiator'' (

Colossus of the Arena ''Colossus of the Arena'' ( it, Maciste il gladiatore più forte del mondo, also known as ''Death on the Arena'') is a 1962 Italian peplum film directed by Michele Lupo and starred by Mark Forest. Plot A powerful man posing as a gladiator in R ...

, 1962) starring Mark Forest * ''

Maciste contro i mostri ''Fire Monsters Against the Son of Hercules'' ( it, Maciste contro i mostri) is a 1962 film directed by Guido Malatesta that was filmed in Yugoslavia and Italy. Plot summary Set in the Ice Age, a nomadic tribe of sun worshippers reach an area t ...

'' / ''

Maciste Against the Monsters ''Fire Monsters Against the Son of Hercules'' ( it, Maciste contro i mostri) is a 1962 film directed by Guido Malatesta that was filmed in Yugoslavia and Italy. Plot summary Set in the Ice Age, a nomadic tribe of sun worshippers reach an area t ...

'' (

Fire Monsters Against the Son of Hercules ''Fire Monsters Against the Son of Hercules'' ( it, Maciste contro i mostri) is a 1962 film directed by Guido Malatesta that was filmed in Yugoslavia and Italy. Plot summary Set in the Ice Age, a nomadic tribe of sun worshippers reach an area t ...

, 1962) starring Reg Lewis * ''

Maciste contro i cacciatori di teste ''Colossus and the Headhunters'' ( it, Maciste contro i cacciatori di teste, lit=Maciste against the head-hunters), is a 1963 Italian ''peplum'' film written and directed by Guido Malatesta, and starring Kirk Morris. Plot The heroic Maciste arri ...

'' / ''

Maciste Against the Headhunters ''Colossus and the Headhunters'' ( it, Maciste contro i cacciatori di teste, lit=Maciste against the head-hunters), is a 1963 Italian ''peplum'' film written and directed by Guido Malatesta, and starring Kirk Morris. Plot The heroic Maciste arri ...

'' (

, 1962) starring Kirk Morris * ''

Maciste, l'eroe più grande del mondo ''Goliath and the Sins of Babylon'' ( it, Maciste l'eroe più grande del mondo) is a 1963 peplum film directed by Michele Lupo.

'' / ''Maciste, the World's Greatest Hero'' (

Goliath and the Sins of Babylon ''Goliath and the Sins of Babylon'' ( it, Maciste l'eroe più grande del mondo) is a 1963 peplum film directed by Michele Lupo.

, 1963) starring Mark Forest * ''

Zorro contro Maciste ''Samson and the Slave Queen'' ( it, Zorro contro Maciste) is a 1963 Italian '' peplum'' directed by Umberto Lenzi. It was originally made as a Maciste film in Italy, in which the fabled strongman meets Zorro. It was redubbed into a "Samson" movie ...

'' / ''

Zorro Against Maciste ''Samson and the Slave Queen'' ( it, Zorro contro Maciste) is a 1963 Italian '' peplum'' directed by Umberto Lenzi. It was originally made as a Maciste film in Italy, in which the fabled strongman meets Zorro. It was redubbed into a "Samson" movie ...

'' (

Samson and the Slave Queen ''Samson and the Slave Queen'' ( it, Zorro contro Maciste) is a 1963 Italian '' peplum'' directed by Umberto Lenzi. It was originally made as a Maciste film in Italy, in which the fabled strongman meets Zorro. It was redubbed into a "Samson" movie ...

, 1963) starring Alan Steel * ''

Maciste contro i mongoli ''Hercules Against the Mongols'' ( it, Maciste contro i mongoli, lit=Maciste Against the Mongols) is a 1963 Italian '' ''peplum'' film directed by Domenico Paolella. Plot The heirs of Genghis Khan conquered the city of Tudela and took prisoner ...

'' / ''

Maciste Against the Mongols ''Hercules Against the Mongols'' ( it, Maciste contro i mongoli, lit=Maciste Against the Mongols) is a 1963 Italian ''Peplum film, ''peplum'' film directed by Domenico Paolella. Plot The heirs of Genghis Khan conquered the city of Tudela and too ...

'' (

Hercules Against the Mongols ''Hercules Against the Mongols'' ( it, Maciste contro i mongoli, lit=Maciste Against the Mongols) is a 1963 Italian '' ''peplum'' film directed by Domenico Paolella. Plot The heirs of Genghis Khan conquered the city of Tudela and took prisoner B ...

, 1963) starring Mark Forest * '' Maciste nell'inferno di Gengis Khan'' / '' Maciste in Genghis Khan's Hell'' (

Hercules Against the Barbarians ''Hercules Against the Barbarians'' ( it, Maciste nell'inferno di Gengis Khan, lit=Maciste in Genghis Khan's Hell) is a 1964 Italian ''peplum'' film directed by Domenico Paolella. When the Mongols invade Europe, they are defeated at Krakow for ...

, 1963) starring Mark Forest * ''

Maciste alla corte dello zar ''Samson vs. the Giant King'' ( it, Maciste alla corte dello zar, also known as ''Giant of the Lost Tomb'' and ''Atlas Against the Czar'') is a 1964 Italian fantasy-peplum film directed by Amerigo Anton. The czar Nicolas sends a secret mission of ...

'' / ''

Maciste at the Court of the Czar ''Samson vs. the Giant King'' ( it, Maciste alla corte dello zar, also known as ''Giant of the Lost Tomb'' and ''Atlas Against the Czar'') is a 1964 Italian fantasy-peplum film directed by Amerigo Anton. The czar Nicolas sends a secret mission of ...

'' (

Atlas Against The Czar ''Samson vs. the Giant King'' ( it, Maciste alla corte dello zar, also known as ''Giant of the Lost Tomb'' and ''Atlas Against the Czar'') is a 1964 Italian fantasy-peplum film directed by Amerigo Anton. The czar Nicolas sends a secret mission of ...

, 1964) starring Kirk Morris (a.k.a. ''

Samson vs. the Giant King ''Samson vs. the Giant King'' ( it, Maciste alla corte dello zar, also known as ''Giant of the Lost Tomb'' and ''Atlas Against the Czar'') is a 1964 Italian fantasy-peplum film directed by Amerigo Anton. The czar Nicolas sends a secret mission ...

'') * ''

Maciste, gladiatore di Sparta ''The Terror of Rome Against the Son of Hercules'' ( it, Maciste, gladiatore di Sparta) is a 1964 peplum film directed by Mario Caiano and starring Mark Forest and Marilù Tolo. Plot The hero Maciste suffers with the Christians the persecution ...

'' / ''Maciste, Gladiator of Sparta'' (

The Terror of Rome Against the Son of Hercules ''The Terror of Rome Against the Son of Hercules'' ( it, Maciste, gladiatore di Sparta) is a 1964 peplum film directed by Mario Caiano and starring Mark Forest and Marilù Tolo. Plot The hero Maciste suffers with the Christians the persecution ...

, 1964) starring Mark Forest * ''

Maciste nelle miniere de re salomone ''Samson in King Solomon's Mines'' ( it, Maciste nelle miniere de re Salmone) is a 1964 Italian peplum film written and directed by Piero Regnoli. Cast * Reg Park as Maciste * Wandisa Guida as Fazira * Dan Harrison as Abucar * Giuseppe Addobbat ...

'' / ''

Maciste in King Solomon's Mines ''Samson in King Solomon's Mines'' ( it, Maciste nelle miniere de re Salmone) is a 1964 Italian peplum film written and directed by Piero Regnoli. Cast * Reg Park as Maciste * Wandisa Guida as Fazira * Dan Harrison as Abucar * Giuseppe Addobbat ...

'' (

Samson in King Solomon's Mines ''Samson in King Solomon's Mines'' ( it, Maciste nelle miniere de re Salmone) is a 1964 Italian peplum film written and directed by Piero Regnoli. Cast * Reg Park as Maciste * Wandisa Guida as Fazira * Dan Harrison as Abucar * Giuseppe Addobbat ...

, 1964) starring Reg Park * ''

Maciste e la regina de Samar ''Hercules Against the Moon Men'' ( it, Maciste e la regina di Samar, "Maciste and the Queen of Samar") is a 1964 Franco-Italian international co-production sword and sandal film. It was directed by Giacomo Gentilomo in his final film and stars Al ...

'' / ''

Maciste and the Queen of Samar ''Hercules Against the Moon Men'' ( it, Maciste e la regina di Samar, "Maciste and the Queen of Samar") is a 1964 Franco-Italian international co-production sword and sandal film. It was directed by Giacomo Gentilomo in his final film and stars Al ...

'' (

, 1964) starring Alan Steel * ''

La valle dell'eco tonante ''Hercules of the Desert'' ( it, La valle dell'eco tonante/ ''Valley of the Thundering Echo''), aka ''Maciste and the Women of the Valley'', is a 1964 Italian peplum film directed by Tanio Boccia and starring Kirk Morris.Michele Giordano. ''Gigan ...

'' / ''Valley of the Thundering Echo'' (

Hercules of the Desert ''Hercules of the Desert'' ( it, La valle dell'eco tonante/ ''Valley of the Thundering Echo''), aka ''Maciste and the Women of the Valley'', is a 1964 Italian peplum film directed by Tanio Boccia and starring Kirk Morris.Michele Giordano. ''Giga ...

, 1964) starring Kirk Morris, a.k.a. ''Desert Raiders'', a.k.a. in France as ''Maciste and the Women of the Valley'' * '' Ercole, Sansone, Maciste e Ursus: gli invincibili'' / '' Hercules, Samson, Maciste and Ursus: The Invincibles'' (

Samson and His Mighty Challenge ''Samson and His Mighty Challenge'' is a 1964 Italian sword-and-sandal film, released in 1965 at the very tail end of the peplum craze. Its original title was ''Ercole, Sansone, Maciste e Ursus gli invincibili'' (''Hercules, Samson, Maciste, and ...

, 1964) starring Renato Rossini as Maciste (a.k.a. ''Combate dei Gigantes'' or ''Le Grand Defi'') * ''

Gli invincibili fratelli Maciste ''The Invincible Brothers Maciste'' ( it, Gli invincibili fratelli Maciste) is a 1964 Italian peplum film written and directed by Roberto Mauri.Michele Giordano. ''Giganti buoni''. Gremese Editore, 1998. . Plot Two Herculean warrior brothers ba ...

'' / ''The Invincible Maciste Brothers'' ( The Invincible Brothers Maciste, 1964) a.k.a. ''The Invincible Gladiators'', starring Richard Lloyd as Maciste * ''

Maciste il Vendicatore dei Mayas ''Maciste, the Avenger of the Mayans'' ( it, Maciste il vendicatore dei Maya) is a 1965 Italian film directed by Guido Malatesta. Cast *Kirk Morris ... Ercole *Barbara Loy ... Aloha * Andrea Aureli ... Manur *Demeter Bitenc ... Gruno * Lucia ...

'' / ''

Maciste, Avenger of the Mayans ''Maciste, the Avenger of the Mayans'' ( it, Maciste il vendicatore dei Maya) is a 1965 Italian film directed by Guido Malatesta. Cast *Kirk Morris ... Ercole *Barbara Loy ... Aloha * Andrea Aureli ... Manur *Demeter Bitenc ... Gruno * Lucia ...

'' (has no American title, 1965) (This Maciste film was made up almost entirely of re-edited stock footage from two older Maciste films, ''

'' and ''Maciste contro i cacciatori di teste'', so Maciste switches from Kirk Morris to Reg Lewis in various scenes; this movie is very scarce since it was never distributed in the US and is not available in English.)

The 1973 films of Jesús Franco

In 1973, the Spanish cult film director

Jesús Franco Jesús Franco Manera (12 May 1930 – 2 April 2013) was a Spanish filmmaker, composer, and actor, known as a prolific director of low-budget exploitation film, exploitation and B-movies. In a career spanning from 1959 to 2013, he wrote, directe ...

directed two low-budget "Maciste" films for French producers: ''Maciste contre la Reine des Amazones'' (''Maciste vs the Queen of the Amazons'') and ''Les exploits érotiques de Maciste dans l'Atlantide'' (''The Erotic Exploits of Maciste in Atlantis''), both starring

Wal Davis WAL or Wal may refer to: Places * Wał, Lublin Voivodeship, village in eastern Poland * Wał, Masovian Voivodeship, village in east-central Poland * Wales, constituent nation of the United Kingdom * Wallonia, Walloon Region of Belgium * Wallops F ...

as Maciste. The films have almost identical casts and appear to have been shot back-to-back. Despite their titles, the plots were totally unrelated to the 1960s Italian Maciste series. Maciste was presented as a 16th-century French adventurer who travels overseas to exotic lands. ''Maciste contre la Reine des Amazones'' was distributed in Italy as a "Karzan" film (a

Tarzan Tarzan (John Clayton II, Viscount Greystoke) is a fictional character, an archetypal feral child raised in the African jungle by the Mangani great apes; he later experiences civilization, only to reject it and return to the wild as a heroic adv ...

imitation), while ''Les exploits érotiques de Maciste dans l'Atlantide'' was released, also in France, in a second version with hardcore pornographic inserts entitled ''Les Gloutonnes'' (literally: "The Gobblers").

References

External links

The Many Faces of Hercules at Brian's Drive-In Theater

Santo and Friends
website on Mexico's equivalent of the 1950s-1960s pop culture Hercules {{Authority control Cinema of Italy Fantasy film characters Peplum films Film characters introduced in 1914 Gabriele D'Annunzio Film superheroes Sword and sandal films Italian film series

Name

''Cabiria''

Bartolomeo Pagano's Maciste films

Revival of the 1960s

Influence

Filmography

The silent film series (in chronological order)

The 1960s film series (in chronological order)

The 1973 films of Jesús Franco

See also

References

External links