![Bartolomeo Pagano - Maciste](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/64/Bartolomeo_Pagano_-_Maciste.JPG)
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 ...
of
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 ...
in
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
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 ...
, 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 bro ...
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
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 ...
, 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
''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 ...
''. ''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 ...
by
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
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 ...
, 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 ...
' ''
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 ...
'', 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'', 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 ...
,
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'') 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 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 ...
''
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)
![Maciste The Warrior](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b7/Maciste_The_Warrior.jpg)
*''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", 1921)
*''Maciste in vacanza'' ("
Maciste on Vacation", 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 adventure film directed by Eleuterio Rodolfi and starring Bartolomeo Pagano, Diomira Jacobini and Alberto Collo. It was part of the long-runnin ...
", 1924)
*''Maciste imperatore'' ("
Emperor Maciste", 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, 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 ...
, 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 Maciste ...
'' / ''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'' / ''
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 genre), peplum'' film directed by Antonio Leonviola and starring Mark Forest.
Plot ...
'' (
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'' (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 seri ...
'' / ''
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 i ...
, 1962) starring Ed Fury
* ''
Maciste, il gladiatore più forte del mondo'' / ''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'' / ''
Maciste Against the Monsters'' (
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 ...
'' (
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 ...
, 1962) starring Kirk Morris
* ''
Maciste, l'eroe più grande del mondo'' / ''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'' / ''
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'' / ''
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'' / ''
Maciste at the Court of the Czar'' (
Atlas Against The Czar, 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'' / ''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, 1964) starring Reg Park
* ''
Maciste e la regina de Samar'' / ''
Maciste and the Queen of Samar'' (
Hercules Against the Moon Men, 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 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, ''
Maciste contro i mostri'' 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").
See also
*
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 ...
*
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 ...
*
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 ...
*
The Sons of Hercules
*
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 ...
References
External links
The Many Faces of Hercules at Brian's Drive-In TheaterSanto 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