![Goliath and the Barbarians (1959) poster](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fc/Goliath_and_the_Barbarians_%281959%29_poster.jpg)
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
Classical antiquity (also the classical era, classical period or classical age) is the period of cultural history between the 8th century BC and the 5th century AD centred on the Mediterranean Sea, comprising the interlocking civilizations of ...
or the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
. These films attempted to emulate the big-budget Hollywood historical epics of the time, such as ''
Samson and Delilah'' (1949), ''
Quo Vadis
''Quō vādis?'' (, ) is a Latin phrase meaning "Where are you marching?". It is also commonly translated as "Where are you going?" or, poetically, "Whither goest thou?"
The phrase originates from the Christian tradition regarding Saint Pete ...
'' (1951), ''
The Robe'' (1953), ''
The Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments (Biblical Hebrew עשרת הדברים \ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדְּבָרִים, ''aséret ha-dvarím'', lit. The Decalogue, The Ten Words, cf. Mishnaic Hebrew עשרת הדיברות \ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְ ...
'' (1956), ''
Ben-Hur Ben-Hur or Ben Hur may refer to:
Fiction
*'' Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ'', an 1880 novel by American general and author Lew Wallace
** ''Ben-Hur'' (play), a play that debuted on Broadway in 1899
** ''Ben Hur'' (1907 film), a one-reel silent ...
'' (1959), ''
Spartacus'' (1960), and ''
Cleopatra
Cleopatra VII Philopator ( grc-gre, Κλεοπάτρα Φιλοπάτωρ}, "Cleopatra the father-beloved"; 69 BC10 August 30 BC) was Queen of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt from 51 to 30 BC, and its last active ruler.She was also a ...
'' (1963). These films dominated the Italian film industry from 1958 to 1965, eventually being replaced in 1965 by
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 ...
and
Eurospy films.
The term "peplum" (a Latin word referring to the Ancient Greek garment ''
peplos''), was introduced by French film critics in the 1960s.
The terms "peplum" and "sword-and-sandal" were used in a condescending way by film critics. Later, the terms were embraced by fans of the films, similar to the terms "spaghetti Western" or "shoot-'em-ups". In their English versions, peplum films can be immediately differentiated from their Hollywood counterparts by their use of "clumsy and inadequate" English language
dubbing.
A 100-minute documentary on the history of Italy's peplum genre was produced and directed by Antonio Avati in 1977 entitled ''Kolossal: i magnifici Maciste'' (aka ''Kino Kolossal'').
Genre characteristics
![Douglas Mangano](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/24/Douglas_Mangano.jpg)
Sword-and-sandal films are a specific class of Italian
adventure films that have subjects set in Biblical or
classical antiquity
Classical antiquity (also the classical era, classical period or classical age) is the period of cultural history between the 8th century BC and the 5th century AD centred on the Mediterranean Sea, comprising the interlocking civilizations of ...
, often with plots based more or less loosely on
Greco-Roman
The Greco-Roman civilization (; also Greco-Roman culture; spelled Graeco-Roman in the Commonwealth), as understood by modern scholars and writers, includes the geographical regions and countries that culturally—and so historically—were di ...
history or the other contemporary cultures of the time, such as the
Egyptians
Egyptians ( arz, المَصرِيُون, translit=al-Maṣriyyūn, ; arz, المَصرِيِين, translit=al-Maṣriyyīn, ; cop, ⲣⲉⲙⲛ̀ⲭⲏⲙⲓ, remenkhēmi) are an ethnic group native to the Nile, Nile Valley in Egypt. Egyptian ...
,
Assyria
Assyria (Neo-Assyrian cuneiform: , romanized: ''māt Aššur''; syc, ܐܬܘܪ, ʾāthor) was a major ancient Mesopotamian civilization which existed as a city-state at times controlling regional territories in the indigenous lands of the A ...
ns, and
Etruscans
The Etruscan civilization () was developed by a people of Etruria in ancient Italy with a common language and culture who formed a federation of city-states. After conquering adjacent lands, its territory covered, at its greatest extent, rou ...
, as well as medieval times. Not all of the films were fantasy-based by any means. Many of the plots featured actual historical personalities such as
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, and ...
,
Cleopatra
Cleopatra VII Philopator ( grc-gre, Κλεοπάτρα Φιλοπάτωρ}, "Cleopatra the father-beloved"; 69 BC10 August 30 BC) was Queen of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt from 51 to 30 BC, and its last active ruler.She was also a ...
, and
Hannibal
Hannibal (; xpu, 𐤇𐤍𐤁𐤏𐤋, ''Ḥannibaʿl''; 247 – between 183 and 181 BC) was a Carthaginian general and statesman who commanded the forces of Carthage in their battle against the Roman Republic during the Second Puni ...
, although great liberties were taken with the storylines.
Gladiators
A gladiator ( la, gladiator, "swordsman", from , "sword") was an armed combatant who entertained audiences in the Roman Republic and Roman Empire in violent confrontations with other gladiators, wild animals, and condemned criminals. Some gla ...
and
slaves
Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...
rebelling against tyrannical rulers, pirates and swashbucklers were also popular subjects.
As Robert Rushing defines it, peplum, "in its most stereotypical form,
..depicts muscle-bound heroes (professional bodybuilders, athletes, wrestlers, or brawny actors) in mythological antiquity, fighting fantastic monsters and saving scantily clad beauties. Rather than lavish epics set in the classical world, they are low-budget films that focus on the hero's extraordinary body." Thus, most sword-and-sandal films featured a superhumanly strong man as the protagonist, such as
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 ...
,
Samson,
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 ...
,
Ursus
Ursus is Latin for bear. It may also refer to:
Animals
* ''Ursus'' (mammal), a genus of bears
People
* Ursus of Aosta, 6th-century evangelist
* Ursus of Auxerre, 6th-century bishop
* Ursus of Solothurn, 3rd-century martyr
* Ursus (''praefectus ...
or Italy's own popular folk hero
Maciste
Maciste () is one of the oldest recurring characters of cinema, created by Gabriele d'Annunzio and Giovanni Pastrone. He is featured throughout the history of the cinema of Italy from the 1910s to the mid-1960s.
He is usually depicted as a Hercu ...
. In addition, the plots typically involved two women vying for the affection of the bodybuilder hero: the good love interest (a
damsel in distress
The damsel in distress is a recurring narrative device in which one or more men must rescue a woman who has either been kidnapped or placed in general peril. Kinship, love, or lust (or a combination of those) gives the male protagonist the motiv ...
needing rescue), and an evil femme fatale queen who sought to dominate the hero.
Also, the films typically featured an ambitious ruler who would ascend the throne by murdering those who stood in his path, and often it was only the muscular hero who could depose him. Thus the hero's often political goal: "to restore a legitimate sovereign against an evil dictator."
Many of the peplum films involved a clash between two populations, one civilized and the other barbaric, which typically included a scene of a village or city being burned to the ground by invaders. For their musical content, most films contained a colorful dancing girls sequence, meant to underline pagan
decadence.
Precursors of the sword-and-sandal wave (pre-1958)
Italian films of the silent era
Italian filmmakers paved the way for the peplum genre with some of the earliest silent films dealing with the subject, including the following:
* ''The Sack of Rome'' (1905)
* ''
Agrippina'' (1911)
* ''
The Fall of Troy
The Fall of Troy is an American rock band from Mukilteo, Washington. The band is a trio consisting of Thomas Erak (guitars, vocals, keyboards), Andrew Forsman (drums, percussion) and Tim Ward (bass, screamed vocals) who was later replaced by Fra ...
'' (1911)
* ''The Queen of Nineveh'' (1911, directed by
Luigi Maggi
Luigi Maggi (21 December 1867 – 22 August 1946) was an Italian actor and film director who worked prolifically during the silent era. Working for Ambrosio Film he co-directed the 1908 hit film '' The Last Days of Pompeii'', which launched the h ...
)
* ''
Brutus'' (1911)
* ''
Quo Vadis
''Quō vādis?'' (, ) is a Latin phrase meaning "Where are you marching?". It is also commonly translated as "Where are you going?" or, poetically, "Whither goest thou?"
The phrase originates from the Christian tradition regarding Saint Pete ...
'' (1913, directed by
Enrico Guazzoni)
* ''
Antony and Cleopatra
''Antony and Cleopatra'' (First Folio title: ''The Tragedie of Anthonie, and Cleopatra'') is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The play was first performed, by the King's Men, at either the Blackfriars Theatre or the Globe Theatre in around ...
'' (1913)
* ''
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 ...
'' (1914, directed by
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 ...
)
* ''
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, and ...
'' (1914)
* ''Saffo'' (''Sappho'', 1918, directed by Antonio Molinari)
* ''
The Crusaders'' (1918)
* ''
Fabiola'' (1918) directed by Enrico Guazzoni
* ''Attila'' (1919, directed by F. Mari)
* ''Venere'' (''Venus'', 1919, directed by Antonio Molinari)
* ''Il mistero di Osiris'' (''The Mystery of Osiris'', 1919) directed by Antonio Molinari
* ''
Giuliano l'Apostata'' (1919, directed by
Ugo Falena
Ugo Falena (25 April 1875 in Rome – 20 September 1931 in Rome) was an Italian silent film director and occasional opera librettist. His films include ''Otello'' (1909), ''Beatrice Cenci'' (1911), ''William Tell'' (1911), ''Romeo and Juliet'' ...
)
* ''Giuditta e Oloferne'' (''Judith and Holofernes'', 1920) directed by Antonio Molinari
* ''
The Sack of Rome'', (1920) directed by Enrico Guazzoni
* ''
Messalina
Valeria Messalina (; ) was the third wife of Roman emperor Claudius. She was a paternal cousin of Emperor Nero, a second cousin of Emperor Caligula, and a great-grandniece of Emperor Augustus. A powerful and influential woman with a reputation ...
'', (1924) directed by Enrico Guazzoni
* ''
Gli ultimi giorni di Pompei'' (''The Last Days of Pompeii'' (1926) directed by
Carmine Gallone
Carmine Gallone (10 September 1885 – 11 March 1973) was an early Italian film director, screenwriter, and film producer, who was also controversial for his works of pro-Fascist propaganda and historical revisionism. Considered one of Itali ...
and
Amleto Palermi
Amleto Palermi (11 July 1889 – 20 April 1941) was an Italian film director and screenwriter. He directed more than 70 films between 1914 and 1942. He directed '' The Old Lady'', which starred Vittorio De Sica in his first sound film.
Se ...
)
The silent Maciste films (1914–1927)
The
1914
This year saw the beginning of what became known as World War I, after Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, heir to the Austrian throne was Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, assassinated by Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip. It als ...
Italian silent film ''
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 ...
'' was one of the first films set in antiquity to make use of a massively muscled character,
Maciste
Maciste () is one of the oldest recurring characters of cinema, created by Gabriele d'Annunzio and Giovanni Pastrone. He is featured throughout the history of the cinema of Italy from the 1910s to the mid-1960s.
He is usually depicted as a Hercu ...
(played by actor
Bartolomeo Pagano), who served in this premiere film as the hero's slavishly loyal sidekick. Maciste became the public's favorite character in the film however, and Pagano was called back many times to reprise the role. The Maciste character appeared in at least two dozen Italian silent films from 1914 through 1926, all of which featured a protagonist named Maciste although the films were set in many different time periods and geographical locations.
Here is a complete list of the silent Maciste films in chronological order:
* ''
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 ...
'' (1914) introduced the Maciste character
* ''Maciste'' (1915) "The Marvelous Maciste"
* ''Maciste bersagliere'' ("Maciste the Ranger", 1916)
* ''Maciste alpino'' ("Maciste The Warrior", 1916)
* ''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)
* ''La Rivincita di Maciste'' ("The Revenge of Maciste", 1919)
* ''Il Testamento di Maciste'' ("Maciste's Will", 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 in vacanza'' ("Maciste on Vacation", 1920)
* ''Maciste salvato dalle acque'' ("Maciste Rescued from the Waters", 1920)
* ''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 Trunk", 1923)
* ''Maciste e il nipote di America'' ("Maciste's American Nephew", 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 Lions' Den", 1926)
* ''il Gigante delle Dolemite'' ("The Giant From the Dolomite", released in 1927)
Italian fascist and post-war historical epics (1937-1956)
![Teodora (film 1954) scena confessione](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6c/Teodora_%28film_1954%29_scena_confessione.png)
The Italian film industry released several historical films in the early sound era, such as the big-budget ''
Scipione l'Africano
''Scipione l'africano'' (1937) — in English ''Scipio Africanus: The Defeat of Hannibal'' — is an Italian historical film that focuses on Publius Cornelius Scipio (Scipio Africanus) from the time of his election as proconsul until his defeat o ...
'' (''
Scipio Africanus
Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus (, , ; 236/235–183 BC) was a Roman general and statesman, most notable as one of the main architects of Rome's victory against Carthage in the Second Punic War. Often regarded as one of the best military com ...
: The Defeat of Hannibal'') in 1937. In 1949, the postwar Italian film industry remade ''
Fabiola'' (which had been previously filmed twice in the silent era). The film was released in the United Kingdom and in the United States in 1951 in an edited, English-dubbed version. ''Fabiola'' was an Italian-French co-production like the following films ''
The Last Days of Pompeii'' (1950) and ''
Messalina
Valeria Messalina (; ) was the third wife of Roman emperor Claudius. She was a paternal cousin of Emperor Nero, a second cousin of Emperor Caligula, and a great-grandniece of Emperor Augustus. A powerful and influential woman with a reputation ...
'' (1951).
During the 1950s, a number of American historical epics shot in Italy were released. In 1951,
MGM
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded on April 17, 1924 a ...
producer
Sam Zimbalist
Sam Zimbalist (March 31, 1901 – November 4, 1958) was a Russian Empire born American film producer and film editor.
Early life
Born to a Ukrainian Jewish family, he arrived to the US in August 1914.
He began his career at 16 as an office b ...
cleverly used the lower production costs, use of frozen funds and the expertise of the Italian film industry to shoot the large-scale
Technicolor epic ''
Quo Vadis
''Quō vādis?'' (, ) is a Latin phrase meaning "Where are you marching?". It is also commonly translated as "Where are you going?" or, poetically, "Whither goest thou?"
The phrase originates from the Christian tradition regarding Saint Pete ...
'' in Rome. In addition to its fictional account linking the
Great Fire of Rome
The Great Fire of Rome ( la, incendium magnum Romae) occurred in July AD 64. The fire began in the merchant shops around Rome's chariot stadium, Circus Maximus, on the night of 19 July. After six days, the fire was brought under control, but before ...
, the
Persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire
The persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire occurred, sporadically and usually locally, throughout the Roman Empire, beginning in the 1st century CE and ending in the 4th century CE. Originally a polytheistic empire in the traditions of Ro ...
and Emperor
Nero
Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ( ; born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus; 15 December AD 37 – 9 June AD 68), was the fifth Roman emperor and final emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, reigning from AD 54 un ...
, the film - following the novel "Quo vadis" by the Polish writer Henryk Sienkiewicz - featured also a mighty protagonist named
Ursus
Ursus is Latin for bear. It may also refer to:
Animals
* ''Ursus'' (mammal), a genus of bears
People
* Ursus of Aosta, 6th-century evangelist
* Ursus of Auxerre, 6th-century bishop
* Ursus of Solothurn, 3rd-century martyr
* Ursus (''praefectus ...
(Italian filmmakers later made several pepla in the 1960s exploiting the Ursus character). MGM also planned ''
Ben Hur'' to be filmed in Italy as early as 1952.
Riccardo Freda's ''
Sins of Rome
''Sins of Rome'' ( it, Spartaco) is a 1953 historical drama film directed by Riccardo Freda and loosely based on the life story of Spartacus. The rights of film's negatives and copies were bought by the producers of Stanley Kubrick's 1960 film ''Sp ...
'' was filmed in 1953 and released by
RKO
RKO Radio Pictures Inc., commonly known as RKO Pictures or simply RKO, was an American film production and distribution company, one of the "Big Five" film studios of Hollywood's Golden Age. The business was formed after the Keith-Albee-Orpheu ...
in an edited, English-dubbed version the following year. Unlike ''Quo Vadis'', there were no American actors or production crew. The Anthony Quinn film ''
Attila
Attila (, ; ), frequently called Attila the Hun, was the ruler of the Huns
The Huns were a nomadic people who lived in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Eastern Europe between the 4th and 6th century AD. According to European traditio ...
'' (directed by
Pietro Francisci in 1954), the Kirk Douglas epic ''
Ulysses
Ulysses is one form of the Roman name for Odysseus, a hero in ancient Greek literature.
Ulysses may also refer to:
People
* Ulysses (given name), including a list of people with this name
Places in the United States
* Ulysses, Kansas
* Ulysse ...
'' (co-directed by an uncredited
Mario Bava in 1954) and ''
Helen of Troy
Helen of Troy, Helen, Helena, (Ancient Greek: Ἑλένη ''Helénē'', ) also known as beautiful Helen, Helen of Argos, or Helen of Sparta, was a figure in Greek mythology said to have been the most beautiful woman in the world. She was believe ...
'' (directed by
Robert Wise with
Sergio Leone
Sergio Leone (; 3 January 1929 – 30 April 1989) was an Italian film director, producer and screenwriter credited as the pioneer of the Spaghetti Western genre and widely regarded as one of the most influential directors in the history of cin ...
as an uncredited
second unit director in 1955) were the first of the big peplum films of the 1950s. Riccardo Freda directed another peplum, ''
Theodora, Slave Empress'' in 1954, starring his wife
Gianna Maria Canale
Gianna Maria Canale (12 September 1927 – 13 February 2009) was an Italian film actress.
Biography
Canale was born in 1927 in Reggio Calabria. In 1947, she competed in the Miss Italia beauty contest, where she was runner-up to Lucia Bo ...
. Howard Hawks directed his ''
Land of the Pharaohs'' (starring Joan Collins) in Italy and Egypt in 1955.
Robert Rossen
Robert Rossen (March 16, 1908 – February 18, 1966) was an American screenwriter, film director, and producer whose film career spanned almost three decades.
His 1949 film ''All the King's Men'' won Oscars for Best Picture, Best Actor and Bes ...
made his film ''
Alexander the Great
Alexander III of Macedon ( grc, wikt:Ἀλέξανδρος, Ἀλέξανδρος, Alexandros; 20/21 July 356 BC – 10/11 June 323 BC), commonly known as Alexander the Great, was a king of the Ancient Greece, ancient Greek kingdom of Maced ...
'' in Egypt in 1956, with a music score by famed Italian composer Mario Nascimbene.
The main sword-and-sandal period (1958-1965)
![Steve Reeves e Gordon Scott in Romolo e Remo](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/36/Steve_Reeves_e_Gordon_Scott_in_Romolo_e_Remo.jpg)
To cash in on the success of the Kirk Douglas film ''Ulysses'', Pietro Francisci planned to make a film about
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 ...
, but searched unsuccessfully for years for a physically convincing yet experienced actor. His daughter spotted
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 ...
bodybuilder 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 ...
in the American film ''
Athena
Athena or Athene, often given the epithet Pallas, is an ancient Greek goddess associated with wisdom, warfare, and handicraft who was later syncretized with the Roman goddess Minerva. Athena was regarded as the patron and protectress of ...
'' and he was hired to play Hercules in 1957 when the film was made. (Reeves was paid $10,000 to star in the film).
The genre's instantaneous growth began with the U.S. theatrical release of ''
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 ...
'' in 1959. American producer
Joseph E. Levine acquired the U.S. distribution rights for $120,000, spent $1 million promoting the film and made more than $5 million profit. This spawned the
1959
Events January
* January 1 - Cuba: Fulgencio Batista flees Havana when the forces of Fidel Castro advance.
* January 2 - Lunar probe Luna 1 was the first man-made object to attain escape velocity from Earth. It reached the vicinity of E ...
Steve Reeves sequel ''
Hercules Unchained
''Hercules Unchained'' ( it, Ercole e la regina di Lidia , "Hercules and the Queen of Lydia") is a 1959 Italian-French epic fantasy feature film starring Steve Reeves and Sylva Koscina in a story about two warring brothers and Hercules' tribulati ...
'', the 1959 re-release of
Cecil B. DeMille
Cecil Blount DeMille (; August 12, 1881January 21, 1959) was an American film director, producer and actor. Between 1914 and 1958, he made 70 features, both silent and sound films. He is acknowledged as a founding father of the American cinem ...
's ''
Samson and Delilah'' (1949), and dozens of imitations that followed in their wake. Italian filmmakers resurrected their 1920s Maciste character in a brand new 1960s sound film series (1960–1964), followed rapidly by Ursus, Samson, Goliath and various other mighty-muscled heroes.
Almost all peplum films of this period featured bodybuilder stars, the most popular being
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 ...
,
Reg Park and
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 ...
.
Some of these stars, such as
Mickey Hargitay
Mickey Hargitay (January 6, 1926 – September 14, 2006), born Miklós Karoly Hargitay, was a Hungarian-American actor and the 1955 Mr. Universe.
Born in Budapest, Hargitay moved to the United States in 1947 and eventually became a U.S. citi ...
,
Reg Lewis,
Mark Forest,
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 ...
and
Dan Vadis, had starred in
Mae West's touring stage review in the United States in the 1950s.
Bodybuilders of Italian origin, on the other hand, would adopt English pseudonyms for the screen; thus, stuntman Sergio Ciani became
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'' ...
, and ex-gondolier Adriano Bellini was called
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 ...
.
![Arrivano i titani (film)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d2/Arrivano_i_titani_%28film%29.JPG)
To be sure, many of the films enjoyed widespread popularity among general audiences, and had production values that were typical for popular films of their day. Some films included frequent re-use of the impressive film sets that had been created for ''
Ben-Hur Ben-Hur or Ben Hur may refer to:
Fiction
*'' Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ'', an 1880 novel by American general and author Lew Wallace
** ''Ben-Hur'' (play), a play that debuted on Broadway in 1899
** ''Ben Hur'' (1907 film), a one-reel silent ...
'' and ''
Cleopatra
Cleopatra VII Philopator ( grc-gre, Κλεοπάτρα Φιλοπάτωρ}, "Cleopatra the father-beloved"; 69 BC10 August 30 BC) was Queen of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt from 51 to 30 BC, and its last active ruler.She was also a ...
''.
Although many of the bigger budget pepla were released theatrically in the US, fourteen of them were released directly to
Embassy Pictures
Embassy Pictures Corporation (also and later known as Avco Embassy Pictures as well as Embassy Films Associates) was an American independent film Production company, production and Film distributor, distribution studio responsible for such fil ...
television
Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertisin ...
in a syndicated TV 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 ...
''. Since few American viewers had a familiarity with Italian film heroes such as Maciste or Ursus, the characters were renamed
and the films molded into a
series of sorts by splicing on the same opening and closing theme song and newly designed voice-over narration that attempted to link the protagonist of each film to the Hercules mythos. These films ran on Saturday afternoons in the 1960s.
Peplum films were, and still are, often ridiculed for their low budgets and bad English dubbing. The contrived plots, poorly
overdubbed
dialogue
Dialogue (sometimes spelled dialog in American English) is a written or spoken conversational exchange between two or more people, and a literary and theatrical form that depicts such an exchange. As a philosophical or didactic device, it is c ...
, novice acting skills of the bodybuilder leads, and primitive
special effects that were often inadequate to depict the
mythological creature
A legendary creature (also mythical or mythological creature) is a type of fictional entity, typically a hybrid, that has not been proven and that is described in folklore (including myths and legends), but may be featured in historical accounts ...
s on screen all conspire to give these films a certain
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 ...
appeal now. In the 1990s, several of them have been subjects of riffing and satire in the United States comedy series ''
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. ...
''.
However, in the early 1960s, a group of French critics, mostly writing for the
Cahiers du cinéma
''Cahiers du Cinéma'' (, ) is a French film magazine co-founded in 1951 by André Bazin, Jacques Doniol-Valcroze, and Joseph-Marie Lo Duca.Itzkoff, Dave (9 February 2009''Cahiers Du Cinéma Will Continue to Publish''The New York TimesMacnab, Ge ...
, such as
Luc Moullet
Luc Moullet (; born 14 October 1937 in Paris) is a French film critic and filmmaker, and a member of the Nouvelle Vague or French New Wave. Moullet's films are known for their humor, anti-authoritarian leanings and rigorously primitive aesthetic, ...
, started to celebrate the genre and some of its directors, including
Vittorio Cottafavi,
Riccardo Freda,
Mario Bava,
Pietro Francisci,
Duccio Tessari
Duccio Tessari (11 October 1926 – 6 September 1994) was an Italian director, screenwriter and actor, considered one of the fathers of Spaghetti Westerns.
Born in Genoa
Genoa ( ; it, Genova ; lij, Zêna ). is the capital of the Italian re ...
, and
Sergio Leone
Sergio Leone (; 3 January 1929 – 30 April 1989) was an Italian film director, producer and screenwriter credited as the pioneer of the Spaghetti Western genre and widely regarded as one of the most influential directors in the history of cin ...
. Not only directors, but also some of the screenwriters, often put together in teams, worked past the typically formulaic plot structure to include a mixture of "bits of philosophical readings and scraps of psychoanalysis, reflections on the biggest political systems, the fate of the world and humanity, fatalistic notions of accepting the will of destiny and the gods, anthropocentric belief in the powers of the human physique, and brilliant syntheses of military treatises".
With reference to the genre's free use of ancient mythology and other influences, Italian director
Vittorio Cottafavi, who directed a number of peplum films, used the term "neo-mythologism".
Hercules series (1958–1965)
![HerculesMagazine](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/HerculesMagazine.jpg)
A series of 19 Hercules movies were made in Italy in the late '50s and early '60s. The films were all sequels to the successful Steve Reeves peplum ''
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 ...
'' (1958), but with the exception of ''
Hercules Unchained
''Hercules Unchained'' ( it, Ercole e la regina di Lidia , "Hercules and the Queen of Lydia") is a 1959 Italian-French epic fantasy feature film starring Steve Reeves and Sylva Koscina in a story about two warring brothers and Hercules' tribulati ...
'', each film was a stand-alone story not connected to the others. The actors who played Hercules in these films were
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 ...
followed by
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 ...
, Kirk Morris,
Mickey Hargitay
Mickey Hargitay (January 6, 1926 – September 14, 2006), born Miklós Karoly Hargitay, was a Hungarian-American actor and the 1955 Mr. Universe.
Born in Budapest, Hargitay moved to the United States in 1947 and eventually became a U.S. citi ...
,
Mark Forest,
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'' ...
,
Dan Vadis,
Brad Harris,
Reg Park,
Peter Lupus
Peter Nash Lupus Jr. (born June 17, 1932) is an American bodybuilder and actor. He is best known for his role as Willy Armitage on the television series '' Mission: Impossible'' (1966–1973).
Personal life
Lupus was one of three siblings born ...
(billed as
Rock Stevens
Peter Nash Lupus Jr. (born June 17, 1932) is an American bodybuilder and actor. He is best known for his role as Willy Armitage on the television series '' Mission: Impossible'' (1966–1973).
Personal life
Lupus was one of three siblings born ...
) and
Mike Lane. In a 1997 interview, Reeves said he felt his two Hercules films could not be topped by another sequel, so he declined to do any more Hercules films.
The films are listed below by their American release titles, and the titles in parentheses are their original Italian titles with an approximate English translation. Dates shown are the original Italian theatrical release dates, not the U.S. release dates (which were years later in some cases).
* ''
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 ...
'' (''Le fatiche di Ercole'' / ''The Labors of Hercules'', 1958) starring Steve Reeves
* ''
Hercules Unchained
''Hercules Unchained'' ( it, Ercole e la regina di Lidia , "Hercules and the Queen of Lydia") is a 1959 Italian-French epic fantasy feature film starring Steve Reeves and Sylva Koscina in a story about two warring brothers and Hercules' tribulati ...
'' (''Ercole e la regina di Lidia'' / ''Hercules and the Queen of Lydia'', 1959) starring Steve Reeves
* ''
Goliath and the Dragon
''Goliath and the Dragon'' ( it, La vendetta di Ercole, lit=Revenge of Hercules) is a 1960 international co-production sword-and-sandal filmKinnard, Roy; Crnkovich, Tony (2017). Italian Sword and Sandal Films, 1908-1990. McFarland. ISBN 978-147666 ...
'' (''La vendetta di Ercole'' / ''The Revenge of Hercules'', 1960) starring Mark Forest as Hercules (Hercules' name was changed to ''Goliath'' when this film was dubbed in English and distributed in the U.S.)
* ''
Hercules Vs The Hydra
''The Loves of Hercules'' ( it, Gli amori di Ercole) is a 1960 international co-production film starring Jayne Mansfield and her then husband Mickey Hargitay. The film was distributed internationally as ''Hercules vs. the Hydra''.
Plot
While He ...
'' (''Gli amori di Ercole'' / ''
The Loves of Hercules
''The Loves of Hercules'' ( it, Gli amori di Ercole) is a 1960 international co-production film starring Jayne Mansfield and her then husband Mickey Hargitay. The film was distributed internationally as ''Hercules vs. the Hydra''.
Plot
While He ...
'', 1960) co-starring Mickey Hargitay (as Hercules) and
Jayne Mansfield
* ''
Hercules and the Captive Women
''Hercules and the Conquest of Atlantis'' ( it, Ercole alla conquista di Atlantide, lit=Hercules at the Conquest of Atlantis) is a 1961 film directed by Vittorio Cottafavi and starring Reg Park in his film debut as Ercole/Hercules. It was origina ...
'' (''Ercole alla conquista di Atlantide'' / ''Hercules at the Conquest of Atlantis'', 1961) starring Reg Park as Hercules (alternate U.S. title: ''Hercules and the Haunted Women'')
* ''
Hercules in the Haunted World
''Hercules in the Haunted World'' (Italian: ''Ercole al centro della terra'', lit. "Hercules at the Center of the Earth") is a 1961 Italian sword-and-sandal film directed by Mario Bava. British bodybuilder Reg Park plays Hercules while British a ...
'' (''Ercole al centro della terra'' / ''Hercules at the Center of the Earth'', 1961) directed by Mario Bava, starring Reg Park as Hercules
* ''
Hercules in the Vale of Woe'' (''
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 vs Hercules in the Vale of Woe
''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 a ...
'') comedy starring Frank Gordon as Hercules, 1961
* ''
Ulysses Against the Son of Hercules
''Ulysses Against the Son of Hercules'' ( it, Ulisse contro Ercole) is a 1962 ''peplum'' film directed by Mario Caiano.
Plot
Hercules captures Ulysses, during the latter's return to Ithaca, by order of Zeus.
The hero intends to bring him to Po ...
'' (''Ulisse contro Ercole'' / ''Ulysses vs. Hercules'') starring Mike Lane as Hercules, 1962
* ''
The Fury of Hercules'' (''La furia di Ercole'' / ''The Fury of Hercules'') starring Brad Harris as Hercules, 1962 (alternate U.S. title: ''The Fury of Samson'')
* ''
Hercules, Samson and Ulysses
''Hercules, Samson and Ulysses'', ( it, Ercole sfida Sansone) is a 1963 Italian Metrocolor ''peplum'' film directed by Pietro Francisci.
The costume designers for this movie used re-purposed Nazi helmets for the Philistine headgear.
Plot
In Ith ...
'' (''Ercole sfida Sansone'' / ''Hercules Challenges Samson'') starring Kirk Morris as Hercules, 1963
* ''
Hercules Against Moloch
''Hercules vs. Moloch'' ( it, Ercole contro Moloch, french: Hercule contre Moloch, also released as Conquest of Mycenae) is a 1963 Italian/French international co-production peplum film written and directed by Giorgio Ferroni and starring Gordon ...
'' (''Ercole contro Molock'' / ''Hercules vs. Molock'') starring Gordon Scott as Hercules, 1963 ( ''The Conquest of Mycenae'')
* ''
Son of Hercules in the Land of Darkness
''Hercules the Invincible'' (Italian: ''Ercole l'invincibile'') is a 1964 Italian Sword and Sandal film directed by Alvaro Mancori and Lewis Mann and starring Dan Vadis. It is the first of two directing credits for cinematographer Alvaro Mancor ...
'' (''Ercole l'invincibile'' / ''
Hercules the Invincible
''Hercules the Invincible'' (Italian: ''Ercole l'invincibile'') is a 1964 Italian Sword and Sandal film directed by Alvaro Mancori and Lewis Mann and starring Dan Vadis. It is the first of two directing credits for cinematographer Alvaro Mancori ...
'') starring Dan Vadis as Hercules, 1964. (this was originally a Hercules film that was re-titled for inclusion in the U.S. syndicated TV package ''
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 ...
'').
* ''
Hercules vs The Giant Warriors'' (''il trionfo di Ercole'' / ''
The Triumph of Hercules
''The Triumph of Hercules'', the 1964 film, was one of many Italian sword and sandal epics during the 1960s craze. Originally titled ''Il Trionfo di Ercole'', the film was directed by Alberto De Martino. Hercules was portrayed by Dan Vadis.
The fi ...
'') starring Dan Vadis as Hercules, 1964 (alternate U.S. title: ''Hercules and the Ten Avengers'')
* ''
Hercules Against Rome
''Hercules Against Rome'' ( it, Ercole contro Roma) is a 1964 '' peplum'' film directed by Piero Pierotti.
Plot
A childhood friend enlists Hercules to protect the Roman Emperor Gordiano, who is in danger from his own mutinous Praetorian Guards. ...
'' (''Ercole contro Roma'' / ''Hercules vs. Rome'') starring Alan Steel as Hercules, 1964
* ''
Hercules Against the Sons of the Sun'' (''Ercole contro i figli del sole'' / ''Hercules vs. the Sons of the Sun'') starring Mark Forest as Hercules, 1964
* ''
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 ...
'' (''Ercole, Sansone, Maciste e Ursus: gli invincibili'' / ''Hercules, Samson, Maciste and Ursus: The Invincibles'') starring Alan Steel as Hercules, 1964 ( ''Combate dei Gigantes'' or ''Le Grand Defi'')
* ''
Hercules and the Tyrants of Babylon
''Ercole contro i tiranni di Babilonia'' (English Translation: ''Hercules and the Tyrants of Babylon'') is a 1964 Italian sword-and-sandal film directed by Domenico Paolella and starring Peter Lupus.
Plot
Asparia, Queen of the Hellenes, has ...
'' (''Ercole contro i tiranni di Babilonia'' / ''Hercules vs. the Tyrants of Babylon'') starring Rock Stevens as Hercules, 1964
* ''
Hercules and the Princess of Troy
''Hercules and the Princess of Troy'' is a 1965 Italian-American made-for-television adventure fantasy film directed by Albert Band. It was originally made as a pilot for a television series which never materialized.Hughes, p.25 Albeit very short ...
'' (no Italian title) starring Gordon Scott as Hercules, 1965 ( ''Hercules vs. the Sea Monster''; this U.S./ Italian co-production was made as a pilot for a
Charles Band
Charles Robert Band (born December 27, 1951) is an American film producer and director, known for his work on horror comedy movies.
Career
Band entered film production in the 1970s with Charles Band Productions. Dissatisfied with distributo ...
-produced TV series that never materialized and it was later distributed as a feature film)
* ''
Hercules the Avenger
''Hercules the Avenger'' ( it, La sfida dei giganti) is a 1965 Italian adventure film directed by Maurizio Lucidi. It was composed mostly of re-edited stock footage from Reg Park's two 1961 Hercules films, ''Hercules at the Conquest of Atlantis'' ...
'' (''Sfida dei giganti'' / ''Challenge of the Giants'') starring Reg Park as Hercules, 1965 (this film was composed mostly of re-edited footage from the two 1961 Reg Park Hercules films)
A number of English-dubbed Italian films that featured the word "Hercules" in the title were not made as Hercules movies originally, such 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 ...
'', ''Hercules Against the Barbarians'', ''Hercules Against the Mongols'' and ''Hercules of the Desert'' were all originally Maciste films. (See "Maciste" section below)
* ''Hercules and the Black Pirate'' and ''Hercules and the Treasure of the Incas'' were both re-titled Samson movies. (See "Samson" section below)
* ''Hercules, Prisoner of Evil'' was actually a re-titled Ursus film. (See "Ursus" section below)
* ''Hercules and the Masked Rider'' was actually a re-titled Goliath movie. (See "Goliath" section below)
None of these films in their original Italian versions involved the Hercules character in any way. Likewise, most of the ''Sons of Hercules'' movies shown on American TV in the 1960s had nothing to do with Hercules in their original Italian versions.
(see also ''
The Three Stooges Meet Hercules
''The Three Stooges Meet Hercules'' is a 1962 American comedy fantasy film directed by Edward Bernds. It is the third feature film to star the Three Stooges after their 1959 resurgence in popularity. By this time, the trio consisted of Moe Howard ...
'' (1962), an American-made genre parody starring peplum star
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 ...
as Hercules)
Goliath series (1959–1964)
The Italians used Goliath as the superhero protagonist in a series of adventure films (pepla) in the early 1960s. He was a man possessed of amazing strength, although he seemed to be a different person in each film. After the classic ''
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 ...
'' (1958) became a blockbuster sensation in the film industry, a 1959 Steve Reeves film ''
Il terrore dei barbari
''Goliath and the Barbarians'' ( it, Il terrore dei barbari, lit=Terror of the Barbarians) is a 1959 Italian sword-and-sandal, peplum film loosely based on events of the Lombards, Lombard Lombards#Invasion and conquest of the Italian peninsula, in ...
'' (''
Terror of the Barbarians'') was re-titled ''
Goliath and the Barbarians
''Goliath and the Barbarians'' ( it, Il terrore dei barbari, lit=Terror of the Barbarians) is a 1959 Italian peplum film loosely based on events of the Lombard invasion of Italy in AD 568. As with many Italian peplums of the time, the English ...
'' in the U.S. The film was so successful at the box office, it inspired Italian filmmakers to do a series of four more films featuring a generic beefcake hero named Goliath, although the films were not related to each other in any way (the 1960 Italian peplum ''
David and Goliath'' starring
Orson Welles
George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, known for his innovative work in film, radio and theatre. He is considered to be among the greatest and most influential f ...
was not part of this series, since that movie was just a historical retelling of the Biblical story).
The titles in the Italian ''Goliath'' adventure series were as follows: (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)
* ''
Il terrore dei barbari
''Goliath and the Barbarians'' ( it, Il terrore dei barbari, lit=Terror of the Barbarians) is a 1959 Italian sword-and-sandal, peplum film loosely based on events of the Lombards, Lombard Lombards#Invasion and conquest of the Italian peninsula, in ...
'' / ''
Terror of the Barbarians'' (1959) (''
Goliath and the Barbarians
''Goliath and the Barbarians'' ( it, Il terrore dei barbari, lit=Terror of the Barbarians) is a 1959 Italian peplum film loosely based on events of the Lombard invasion of Italy in AD 568. As with many Italian peplums of the time, the English ...
'' in the U.S.), starring Steve Reeves as Goliath (although he is referred to as "Emiliano" in the original Italian-language version)
* ''
Goliath contro i giganti
''Goliath Against the Giants'' ( it, Goliath contro i giganti) is a 1961 Italian film directed by Guido Malatesta. It was Brad Harris's debut as a lead actor.
Cast
* Brad Harris: Goliath
* Gloria Milland: Princess Elea
* Fernando Rey: Bokan ...
'' / ''Goliath Against the Giants'' (''
Goliath Against the Giants
''Goliath Against the Giants'' ( it, Goliath contro i giganti) is a 1961 Italian film directed by Guido Malatesta. It was Brad Harris's debut as a lead actor.
Cast
* Brad Harris: Goliath
* Gloria Milland: Princess Elea
* Fernando Rey: Bokan ...
'') (1960) starring Brad Harris
* ''
Goliath e la schiava ribelle
''Goliath and the Rebel Slave'' ( it, Goliath e la schiava ribelle), also known as ''The Tyrant of Lydia Against the Son of Hercules'', is a 1963 Eastmancolor adventure film, adventure peplum film directed by Mario Caiano.
Plot
Cast
* Gordon S ...
'' / ''
Goliath and the Rebel Slave
''Goliath and the Rebel Slave'' ( it, Goliath e la schiava ribelle), also known as ''The Tyrant of Lydia Against the Son of Hercules'', is a 1963 Eastmancolor adventure peplum film directed by Mario Caiano.
Plot
Cast
* Gordon Scott as Goliath ...
'' (''
Tyrant of Lydia Against The Son of Hercules
''Goliath and the Rebel Slave'' ( it, Goliath e la schiava ribelle), also known as ''The Tyrant of Lydia Against the Son of Hercules'', is a 1963 Eastmancolor adventure peplum film directed by Mario Caiano.
Plot
Cast
* Gordon Scott as Goliath ...
'') (1963) starring Gordon Scott
* ''
Golia e il cavaliere mascherato'' / ''Goliath and the Masked Rider'' (''
Hercules and the Masked Rider'') (1964) starring Alan Steel (note: Goliath is referred to as "Hercules" in English-dubbed prints)
* ''
Golia alla conquista di Bagdad
''Goliath at the Conquest of Damascus'' ( it, Golia alla conquista di Bagdad, lit=Goliath at the Conquest of Baghdad) is a 1965 Italian ''peplum'' film directed by Domenico Paolella.
Plot
The king of the Kurds has kidnapped the daughter of the ...
'' / ''
Goliath at the Conquest of Baghdad
''Goliath at the Conquest of Damascus'' ( it, Golia alla conquista di Bagdad, lit=Goliath at the Conquest of Baghdad) is a 1965 Italian ''peplum'' film directed by Domenico Paolella.
Plot
The king of the Kurds has kidnapped the daughter of the ...
'' (''
Goliath at the Conquest of Damascus
''Goliath at the Conquest of Damascus'' ( it, Golia alla conquista di Bagdad, lit=Goliath at the Conquest of Baghdad) is a 1965 Italian ''peplum'' film directed by Domenico Paolella.
Plot
The king of the Kurds has kidnapped the daughter of the ...
'', 1964) starring Rock Stevens (aka Peter Lupus)
The name Goliath was also inserted into the English titles of three other Italian pepla that were re-titled for U.S. distribution in an attempt to cash in on the Goliath craze, but these films were not originally made as "Goliath movies" in Italy.
Both ''
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) and ''
Goliath and the Sins of Babylon'' (1963) actually featured the famed Italian folk hero Maciste in the original Italian versions, but American distributors did not feel the name "Maciste" meant anything to American audiences.
''
Goliath and the Dragon
''Goliath and the Dragon'' ( it, La vendetta di Ercole, lit=Revenge of Hercules) is a 1960 international co-production sword-and-sandal filmKinnard, Roy; Crnkovich, Tony (2017). Italian Sword and Sandal Films, 1908-1990. McFarland. ISBN 978-147666 ...
'' (1960) was originally an Italian Hercules movie called ''
The Revenge of Hercules
''Goliath and the Dragon'' ( it, La vendetta di Ercole, lit=Revenge of Hercules) is a 1960 international co-production sword-and-sandal filmKinnard, Roy; Crnkovich, Tony (2017). Italian Sword and Sandal Films, 1908-1990. McFarland. ISBN 978-147666 ...
'', but it was re-titled ''Goliath and the Dragon'' in the U.S. since at the time ''Goliath and the Barbarians'' was breaking box-office records, and the distributors may have thought the name "Hercules" was trademarked by distributor
Joseph E. Levine.
Maciste series (1960–1965)
![Bruno Scipioni in Maciste nelle miniere de re Salmone](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0f/Bruno_Scipioni_in_Maciste_nelle_miniere_de_re_Salmone.jpg)
There were a total of 25 Maciste films from the 1960s peplum craze (not counting the two dozen silent Maciste films made in Italy pre-1930). 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/sound films. Unlike the other Italian peplum protagonists, Maciste found himself 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" (almost as if he was a god who would just appear out of the earth itself in times of need). One of the 1920s silent Maciste films was actually entitled "The Giant from the Dolomite", hinting 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 (note how many times Maciste's name in the Italian title is 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) ''Maciste the Mighty'', ''Maciste the Giant'', starring Mark Forest
* ''
Maciste nella terra dei ciclopi
''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 ...
'' / ''
Maciste 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 ...
'' (
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
* ''
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'' / ''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'' ( 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 a ...
'' (
Hercules in the Vale of Woe, 1961) starring Kirk Morris as Maciste; this was a satire/spoof featuring the comedy team of Franco and Ciccio
* ''
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 ...
'' / ''Totò 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 U.S.; it is apparently not even 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
''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, 1962) starring Ed Fury
* ''Maciste, il gladiatore piu forte del mondo'' / ''Maciste, the World's Strongest Gladiator'' (
Colossus of the Arena, 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
''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; ''Fury of the Headhunters''
* ''Maciste, l'eroe piu grande del mondo'' / ''Maciste, the World's Greatest Hero'' (
Goliath and the Sins of Babylon, 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, 1963) starring Mark Forest
* ''
Maciste nell'inferno di Gengis Khan
''Hercules Against the Barbarians'' ( it, Maciste nell'inferno di Gengis Khan, lit=Maciste in Genghis Khan's Hell) is a 1964 Italian peplum film, ''peplum'' film directed by Domenico Paolella.
When the Mongols invade Europe, they are defeated at ...
'' / ''
Maciste in Genghis Khan's Hell'' (
Hercules Against the Barbarians, 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 ( ''
Samson vs. the Giant King'')
* ''Maciste, gladiatore di Sparta'' / ''Maciste, Gladiator of Sparta'' (
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 ...
'' (
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 ...
, 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, ''Desert Raiders'', 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 ( ''Combate dei Gigantes'' or ''Le Grand Defi'')
* ''
Gli invicibili 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
''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 ...
, 1964) ''The Invincible Gladiators'', starring Richard Lloyd as Maciste
* ''
Maciste il Vendicatore dei Mayas'' / ''
Maciste, Avenger of the Mayans'' (has no American title, 1965) (Note:* this Maciste film was made up almost entirely of re-edited stock footage from two older Maciste films, ''
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 ...
'' and ''
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 ...
'', so Maciste switches from Kirk Morris to Reg Lewis in various scenes; this movie is very scarce since it was never distributed in the U.S. and is apparently not even available in English)
In 1973, the Spanish cult film director
Jesus Franco 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''). The films had almost identical casts, both starring Val Davis as Maciste, and appear to have been shot back-to-back. The former was distributed in Italy as a "Karzan" movie (a cheap Tarzan imitation), while the latter film was released only in France with hardcore inserts as ''Les Gloutonnes'' ("The Gobblers"). These two films were totally unrelated to the 1960s Italian Maciste series.
Ursus series (1960–1964)
Following
Buddy Baer
Jacob Henry "Buddy" Baer (June 11, 1915 – July 18, 1986) was an American boxer and later an actor with important parts in seventeen films, as well as roles on various television series in the 1950s and 1960s.
In 1941, he came extremely cl ...
's portrayal of Ursus in the classic 1951 film ''
Quo Vadis
''Quō vādis?'' (, ) is a Latin phrase meaning "Where are you marching?". It is also commonly translated as "Where are you going?" or, poetically, "Whither goest thou?"
The phrase originates from the Christian tradition regarding Saint Pete ...
'',
Ursus
Ursus is Latin for bear. It may also refer to:
Animals
* ''Ursus'' (mammal), a genus of bears
People
* Ursus of Aosta, 6th-century evangelist
* Ursus of Auxerre, 6th-century bishop
* Ursus of Solothurn, 3rd-century martyr
* Ursus (''praefectus ...
was used as a superhuman Roman-era character who became the protagonist in a series of Italian adventure films made in the early 1960s.
When the "Hercules" film craze hit in 1959, Italian filmmakers were looking for other muscleman characters similar to Hercules whom they could exploit, resulting in the nine-film Ursus series listed below. Ursus was referred to as a "Son of Hercules" in two of the films when they were dubbed in English (in an attempt to cash in on the then-popular "Hercules" craze), although in the original Italian films, Ursus had no connection to Hercules whatsoever. In the English-dubbed version of one Ursus film (retitled ''Hercules, Prisoner of Evil''), Ursus was actually referred to throughout the entire film as "Hercules".
There were a total of nine Italian films that featured Ursus as the main character, listed below as follows: Italian title / English translation of the Italian title (American release title);
* ''Ursus'' / ''Ursus'' (
Ursus, Son of Hercules
''Ursus'' (also known as ''Mighty Ursus'') is a 1961 Italian peplum film directed by Carlo Campogalliani. It was originally theatrically released in the US on a double bill with "Jack, the Giant Killer" (1962) before being sold to television in the ...
, 1960) ''
Mighty Ursus
''Ursus'' (also known as ''Mighty Ursus'') is a List of Italian films of 1961, 1961 Cinema of Italy, Italian Sword-and-sandal, peplum film directed by Carlo Campogalliani. It was originally theatrically released in the US on a double bill with "Jac ...
'' (United Kingdom), starring Ed Fury
* ''
La Vendetta di Ursus
''The Vengeance of Ursus'' ( it, La vendetta di Ursus) is a 1961 Italian ''peplum'' film directed by Luigi Capuano.
Plot
The evil King Zagro (Livio Lorenzon) asks the king of a neighboring country (King Alteo) for permission to wed his daughter ...
'' / ''
The Revenge of Ursus
''The Vengeance of Ursus'' ( it, La vendetta di Ursus) is a 1961 Italian ''peplum'' film directed by Luigi Capuano.
Plot
The evil King Zagro (Livio Lorenzon) asks the king of a neighboring country (King Alteo) for permission to wed his daughter ...
'' (
The Vengeance of Ursus
''The Vengeance of Ursus'' ( it, La vendetta di Ursus) is a 1961 Italian ''peplum'' film directed by Luigi Capuano.
Plot
The evil King Zagro (Livio Lorenzon) asks the king of a neighboring country (King Alteo) for permission to wed his daughter ...
, 1961) starring Samson Burke
* ''Ursus e la Ragazza Tartara'' / ''Ursus and the Tartar Girl'' (
Ursus and the Tartar Princess
''Ursus and the Tartar Princess'' ( it, Ursus e la ragazza tartara, french: La fille des Tartares, also known as ''Tartar Invasion'') is a 1961 Italian-French peplum film written and directed by Remigio Del Grosso and starring Yoko Tani and Ett ...
, 1961) ''The Tartar Invasion'', ''The Tartar Girl''; starring Joe Robinson, Akim Tamiroff, Yoko Tani; directed by Remigio Del Grosso
* ''
Ursus Nella Valle dei Leoni'' / ''Ursus in the Valley of the Lions'' (
Valley of the Lions
''Ursus in the Valley of the Lions'' ( it, Ursus nella valle dei leoni, also known as '' Valley of the Lions'') is a 1962 Italian sword-and-sandal film directed by Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia. Although it was the fourth film in the Italian "Ursus" se ...
, 1962) starring Ed Fury; this film revealed the origin story of Ursus
* ''Ursus il gladiatore ribelle'' / ''
Ursus the Rebel Gladiator'' (
The Rebel Gladiators
''The Rebel Gladiators'' ( it, Ursus il gladiatore ribelle/ ''Ursus, the Rebel Gladiator'') is a 1962 Italian peplum film directed by Domenico Paolella starring Dan Vadis, Josè Greci and Alan Steel.
Plot
The newly crowned emperor Commodus ki ...
, 1962) starring Dan Vadis
* ''Ursus Nella Terra di Fuoco'' / ''
Ursus in the Land of Fire
''Ursus in the Land of Fire'' ( it, Ursus nella terra di fuoco), released directly to U.S. television as ''Son of Hercules in the Land of Fire'', is a 1963 Italian peplum film directed by Giorgio Simonelli and starring Ed Fury as Ursus, and Adrian ...
'' (
Son of Hercules in the Land of Fire
''Ursus in the Land of Fire'' ( it, Ursus nella terra di fuoco), released directly to U.S. television as ''Son of Hercules in the Land of Fire'', is a 1963 Italian peplum film directed by Giorgio Simonelli and starring Ed Fury as Ursus, and Adrian ...
, 1963) ''Son of Atlas in the Land of Fire''; starring Ed Fury
* ''
Ursus il terrore dei Kirghisi
''Hercules, Prisoner of Evil'' ( it, Ursus il terrore dei Kirghisi, lit=Ursus, Terror of the Kirghiz) is a 1964 Italian '' peplum'' film directed by Anthony Dawson and an uncredited Ruggero Deodato. Deodato, the official assistant director, replace ...
'' / ''
Ursus, the Terror of the Kirghiz'' (
Hercules, Prisoner of Evil
''Hercules, Prisoner of Evil'' ( it, Ursus il terrore dei Kirghisi, lit=Ursus, Terror of the Kirghiz) is a 1964 Italian '' peplum'' film directed by Anthony Dawson and an uncredited Ruggero Deodato. Deodato, the official assistant director, replac ...
, 1964) starring Reg Park
* ''
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 Yan Larvor as Ursus ( ''Combate dei Gigantes'' or ''Le Grand Defi'')
* ''Gli Invincibili Tre'' / ''The Invincible Three'' (
Three Avengers
''3 Avengers'' ( it, Gli invincibili tre, also spelled as ''The 3 Avengers'' and ''The Three Avengers'') is a 1964 Italian peplum film written and directed by Gianfranco Parolini and starring Alan Steel.Michele Giordano. ''Giganti buoni''. Grem ...
, 1964) starring Alan Steel as Ursus
Samson series (1961–1964)
A character named Samson was featured in a series of five Italian peplum films in the 1960s, no doubt inspired by the 1959 re-release of the epic
Victor Mature
Victor John Mature (January 29, 1913 – August 4, 1999) was an American stage, film, and television actor who was a leading man in Hollywood during the 1940s and 1950s. His best known film roles include ''One Million B.C.'' (1940), '' My Darlin ...
film ''Samson and Delilah''. The character was similar to the Biblical Samson in the third and fifth films only; in the other three, he just appears to be a very strong man (not related at all to the Biblical figure).
The titles are listed as follows: Italian title / its English translation (U.S. release title in parentheses);
* ''
Sansone'' / ''
Samson'' (Samson) 1961, starring Brad Harris, in France as ''Samson Against Hercules''
* ''
Sansone contro i pirati
''Samson and the Sea Beast'' ( it, Sansone contro i pirati, also known as ''Samson Against the Pirates'') is a 1963 Italian peplum film directed by Tanio Boccia.
The plot centres around a pirate terrorising the Antilles. He plunders ships, slaugh ...
'' / ''
Samson Against the Pirates
''Samson and the Sea Beast'' ( it, Sansone contro i pirati, also known as ''Samson Against the Pirates'') is a 1963 Italian peplum film directed by Tanio Boccia.
The plot centres around a pirate terrorising the Antilles. He plunders ships, slaugh ...
'' (
Samson and the Sea Beast
''Samson and the Sea Beast'' ( it, Sansone contro i pirati, also known as ''Samson Against the Pirates'') is a 1963 Italian peplum film directed by Tanio Boccia.
The plot centres around a pirate terrorising the Antilles. He plunders ships, slaug ...
) 1963, starring Kirk Morris
* ''
Ercole sfida Sansone
''Hercules, Samson and Ulysses'', ( it, Ercole sfida Sansone) is a 1963 Italian Metrocolor ''peplum'' film directed by Pietro Francisci.
The costume designers for this movie used re-purposed Nazi helmets for the Philistine headgear.
Plot
In Ith ...
'' / ''
Hercules challenges Samson
''Hercules, Samson and Ulysses'', ( it, Ercole sfida Sansone) is a 1963 Italian Metrocolor ''peplum'' film directed by Pietro Francisci.
The costume designers for this movie used re-purposed Nazi helmets for the Philistine headgear.
Plot
In Ith ...
'' (
Hercules, Samson and Ulysses
''Hercules, Samson and Ulysses'', ( it, Ercole sfida Sansone) is a 1963 Italian Metrocolor ''peplum'' film directed by Pietro Francisci.
The costume designers for this movie used re-purposed Nazi helmets for the Philistine headgear.
Plot
In Ith ...
) 1963, starring Richard Lloyd
* ''Sansone contro il corsaro nero'' / ''Samson Against the Black Pirate'' (
Hercules and the Black Pirate
''Hercules and the Black Pirates'' ( it, Sansone contro il corsaro nero/ ''Samson Against the Black Pirate''), also known as ''Hercules and the Pirates'' and ''Hercules and the Black Pirate'', is a 1963 Italian pirate-peplum film directed by Luig ...
) 1963, starring Alan Steel
* ''
Ercole, Sansone, Maciste e Ursus: gli invincibili'' / ''
Hercules, Samson, Maciste and Ursus: The Invincibles'' (
Samson and the 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 Nadir Baltimore as Samson ( ''
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 ...
'', ''Combate dei Gigantes'' or ''Le Grand Défi'')
The name Samson was also inserted into the U.S. titles of six other Italian movies when they were dubbed in English for U.S. distribution, although these films actually featured the adventures of the famed Italian folk hero Maciste.
''
Samson Against the Sheik'' (1962), ''Son of Samson'' (1960), ''
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), ''
Samson and the Seven Miracles of the World'' (1961), ''
Samson vs. the Giant King'' (1964), and ''
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) were all re-titled Maciste movies, because the American distributors did not feel the name Maciste was marketable to U.S. filmgoers.
''Samson and the Treasure of the Incas'' ( ''Hercules and the Treasure of the Incas'') (1965) sounds like a peplum title, but was actually a spaghetti Western.
''The Sons of Hercules'' (TV syndication package)
![SonsofherculesPDUS&It](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/07/SonsofherculesPDUS%26It.JPG)
''The Sons of Hercules'' was a syndicated television show that aired in the United States in the 1960s. The series repackaged 14 randomly chosen Italian peplum films by unifying them with memorable title and end title theme songs and a standard voice-over intro relating the main hero in each film to Hercules any way they could. In some areas, each film was split into two one-hour episodes, so the 14 films were shown as 28 weekly episodes. None of the films were ever theatrically released in the U.S.
The films are not listed in chronological order, since they were not really related to each other in any way. The first title listed below for each film was its American broadcast television title, followed in parentheses by the English translation of its original Italian theatrical title:
* ''
Ursus, Son of Hercules
''Ursus'' (also known as ''Mighty Ursus'') is a 1961 Italian peplum film directed by Carlo Campogalliani. It was originally theatrically released in the US on a double bill with "Jack, the Giant Killer" (1962) before being sold to television in the ...
'' (''Ursus'') 1961, starring Ed Fury, ''Mighty Ursus'' in England
* ''
Mole Men vs the Son of Hercules'' (''
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 ...
'') 1961, starring Mark Forest
* ''
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 ...
'' (''The Triumph of Maciste'') 1961, starring Kirk Morris
* ''
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 ...
'' (''Maciste vs. the Monsters'') 1962, starring Reg Lewis
* ''
Venus Against the Son of Hercules
''Venus Against the Son of Hercules'' ( it, Marte, dio della guerra, also known as ''Mars, God of War'' and ''The Son of Hercules vs. Venus'') is a 1962 Italian peplum film written and directed by Marcello Baldi and starring Roger Browne and Jac ...
'' (''Mars, God Of War'') 1962, starring Roger Browne
* ''
Ulysses Against the Son of Hercules
''Ulysses Against the Son of Hercules'' ( it, Ulisse contro Ercole) is a 1962 ''peplum'' film directed by Mario Caiano.
Plot
Hercules captures Ulysses, during the latter's return to Ithaca, by order of Zeus.
The hero intends to bring him to Po ...
'' (''
Ulysses against Hercules
''Ulysses Against the Son of Hercules'' ( it, Ulisse contro Ercole) is a 1962 ''peplum'' film directed by Mario Caiano.
Plot
Hercules captures Ulysses, during the latter's return to Ithaca, by order of Zeus.
The hero intends to bring him to Po ...
'') 1962, starring Mike Lane
* ''Medusa Against the Son of Hercules'' (''Perseus The Invincible'') 1962, starring Richard Harrison
* ''
Son of Hercules in the Land of Fire
''Ursus in the Land of Fire'' ( it, Ursus nella terra di fuoco), released directly to U.S. television as ''Son of Hercules in the Land of Fire'', is a 1963 Italian peplum film directed by Giorgio Simonelli and starring Ed Fury as Ursus, and Adrian ...
'' (''Ursus In The Land Of Fire'') 1963, starring Ed Fury
* ''
Tyrant of Lydia Against The Son of Hercules
''Goliath and the Rebel Slave'' ( it, Goliath e la schiava ribelle), also known as ''The Tyrant of Lydia Against the Son of Hercules'', is a 1963 Eastmancolor adventure peplum film directed by Mario Caiano.
Plot
Cast
* Gordon Scott as Goliath ...
'' (''
Goliath and the Rebel Slave
''Goliath and the Rebel Slave'' ( it, Goliath e la schiava ribelle), also known as ''The Tyrant of Lydia Against the Son of Hercules'', is a 1963 Eastmancolor adventure peplum film directed by Mario Caiano.
Plot
Cast
* Gordon Scott as Goliath ...
'') 1963, starring Gordon Scott
* ''
Messalina Against the Son of Hercules
''Messalina vs. the Son of Hercules'' ( it, L'ultimo gladiatore, lit=The Last Gladiator) is a 1964 ''peplum'' film directed by Umberto Lenzi and starring Richard Harrison and Lisa Gastoni.Michele Giordano. ''Giganti buoni''. Gremese Editore, 19 ...
'' (''The Last Gladiator'') 1963, starring Richard Harrison
* ''
The Beast of Babylon Against the Son of Hercules
''The Beast of Babylon Against the Son of Hercules'' ( it, L'eroe di Babilonia, french: Héros de Babylone, also known as ''Heroes of Babylon'', ''Hero of Babylon'' and ''Goliath, King of Slaves'') is a 1963 Italian-French peplum film written and ...
'' (''Hero of Babylon'') 1963, starring Gordon Scott, ''Goliath, King of the Slaves''
* ''
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 ...
'' (''Maciste, Gladiator of Sparta'') 1964, starring Mark Forest
* ''
Son of Hercules in the Land of Darkness
''Hercules the Invincible'' (Italian: ''Ercole l'invincibile'') is a 1964 Italian Sword and Sandal film directed by Alvaro Mancori and Lewis Mann and starring Dan Vadis. It is the first of two directing credits for cinematographer Alvaro Mancor ...
'' (''
Hercules the Invincible
''Hercules the Invincible'' (Italian: ''Ercole l'invincibile'') is a 1964 Italian Sword and Sandal film directed by Alvaro Mancori and Lewis Mann and starring Dan Vadis. It is the first of two directing credits for cinematographer Alvaro Mancori ...
'') 1964, starring Dan Vadis
* ''
Devil of the Desert Against the Son of Hercules
''Devil of the Desert Against the Son of Hercules'' is a 1964 international co-production filmed in Algeria and directed by Anthony Dawson.
Plot summary
An evil and ambitious usurper named Ganor seizes a kingdom by assassinating the Sultan and ...
'' (''
Anthar the Invincible
''Devil of the Desert Against the Son of Hercules'' is a 1964 international co-production filmed in Algeria and directed by Anthony Dawson.
Plot summary
An evil and ambitious usurper named Ganor seizes a kingdom by assassinating the Sultan an ...
'') 1964, starring Kirk Morris, directed by
Antonio Margheriti, ''The Slave Merchants'', ''Soraya, Queen of the Desert''
Steve Reeves pepla (in chronological order of production)
![Le fatiche di Ercole - Reeves](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0d/Le_fatiche_di_Ercole_-_Reeves.png)
Steve Reeves appeared in 14 pepla made in Italy from 1958 to 1964, and most of his films are highly regarded examples of the genre. His pepla are listed below in order of production, not in order of release. The U.S. release titles are shown below, followed by the original Italian title and its translation (in parentheses)
* ''
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 ...
'' (1958) (''Le fatiche di Ercole'' / ''The Labors of Hercules'') actually filmed in 1957, released in Italy in 1958, released in the U.S. in 1959
* ''
Hercules Unchained
''Hercules Unchained'' ( it, Ercole e la regina di Lidia , "Hercules and the Queen of Lydia") is a 1959 Italian-French epic fantasy feature film starring Steve Reeves and Sylva Koscina in a story about two warring brothers and Hercules' tribulati ...
'' (1959) (''Ercole e la regina di Lidia'' / ''Hercules and the Queen of Lydia'') released in the U.S. in 1960
* ''
Goliath and the Barbarians
''Goliath and the Barbarians'' ( it, Il terrore dei barbari, lit=Terror of the Barbarians) is a 1959 Italian peplum film loosely based on events of the Lombard invasion of Italy in AD 568. As with many Italian peplums of the time, the English ...
'' (1959) (''Il terrore dei barbari'' / ''Terror of the Barbarians'')
* ''
The Giant of Marathon'' (1959) (''La battaglia di Maratona'' / ''The Battle of Marathon'')
* ''
The Last Days of Pompeii'' (1959) (''Gli ultimi giorni di Pompei'' / ''The Last Days of Pompeii'')
* ''
The White Warrior
''The White Warrior'' ( it, Agi Murad, il diavolo bianco, lit=Hadji Murad, The White Devil) is a 1959 adventure film directed by Riccardo Freda. It is loosely based on Lev Tolstoy's posthumously published 1912 novel ''Hadji Murat (novel), Hadji Mu ...
'' (1959) (''Hadji Murad il Diavolo Bianco'' / ''Hadji Murad, The White Devil'') directed by
Riccardo Freda
* ''
Morgan, the Pirate
''Morgan, the Pirate'' ( it, Morgan il pirata) is a 1960 Italian-French international co-production historical adventure film, directed by André de Toth and Primo Zeglio, and starring Steve Reeves as Sir Henry Morgan, the pirate who became th ...
'' (1960) (''Morgan, il pirata''/ ''Morgan, the Pirate'')
* ''
The Thief of Baghdad'' (1960) (''Il Ladro di Bagdad'' / ''
The Thief of Baghdad'')
* ''
The Trojan Horse
The Trojan Horse was a wooden horse said to have been used by the Greeks during the Trojan War to enter the city of Troy and win the war. The Trojan Horse is not mentioned in Homer's ''Iliad'', with the poem ending before the war is concluded, ...
'' (1961) (''La guerra di Troia''/ ''The Trojan War'')
* ''
Duel of the Titans
''Duel of the Titans'' ( it, Romolo e Remo, lit=Romulus and Remus) is a 1961 Italian / French film directed by Sergio Corbucci and starring Steve Reeves, Gordon Scott, and Virna Lisi. The film is about twin brothers revolt against tyranny in pre-R ...
'' (1961) (''Romolo e Remo'' / ''Romulus And Remus'')
* ''
The Slave'' (1962) (''Il Figlio di Spartaco'' / ''Son of
Spartacus'')
* ''
The Avenger'' (1962) (''La leggenda di Enea'' / ''The Legend Of Aeneas'') ''The Last Glory of Troy''; (this was a sequel to ''The Trojan Horse'')
* ''
Sandokan the Great
''The Pirates of Malaysia'' ( it, I pirati della Malesia) is an exotic adventure novel written by Italian author Emilio Salgari, published in 1896. It features his most famous character, Sandokan, and is a sequel to ''The Tigers of Mompracem''.
Sy ...
'' (1963) (''Sandokan, la tigre di Mompracem''/ ''Sandokan, the Tiger of Mompracem'') directed by
Umberto Lenzi
* ''
Pirates of Malaysia
''The Pirates of Malaysia'' is a 1964 swashbuckler directed by Umberto Lenzi and starring Steve Reeves as Sandokan the pirate. This film was a sequel to Reeve's 1963 film '' Sandokan the Great'', also directed by Lenzi. Malaysian rebel, Sandokan, ...
'' (1964) ''Sandokan, the Pirate of Malaysia'', ''Pirates of the Seven Seas''; this was a sequel to ''Sandokan the Great'', directed by Umberto Lenzi
Other (non-series) Italian pepla
There were many 1950s and 1960s Italian pepla that did not feature a major superhero (such as Hercules, Maciste or Samson), and as such they fall into a sort of miscellaneous category. Many were of the ''Cappa e spada'' (
swashbuckler) variety, though they often feature well-known characters such as Ali Baba, Julius Caesar, Ulysses, Cleopatra, the Three Musketeers, Zorro, Theseus, Perseus, Achilles, Robin Hood, and
Sandokan
Sandokan is a fictional late 19th-century pirate created by Italian author Emilio Salgari. His adventures first appeared in publication in 1883. Sandokan is the protagonist of 11 adventure novels. Sandokan is known throughout the South China S ...
. The first really successful Italian films of this kind were ''
Black Eagle
The black eagle (''Ictinaetus malaiensis'') is a bird of prey. Like all eagles, it is in the family Accipitridae, and is the only member of the genus ''Ictinaetus''. They soar over forests in the hilly regions of tropical and subtropical South ...
'' (1946) and ''
Fabiola'' (1949).
* ''
Adventurer of Tortuga, The'' (1964), starring
Guy Madison
* ''
Adventures of Mandrin, The'' (1952) ''Captain Adventure'' ''Don Juan's Night of Love'' ''The Affair of Madame Pompadour'', starring
Raf Vallone and
Silvana Pampanini
* ''Adventures of Scaramouche, The'' (1963) ''The Mask of Scaramouche'', starring
Gérard Barray and
Gianna Maria Canale
Gianna Maria Canale (12 September 1927 – 13 February 2009) was an Italian film actress.
Biography
Canale was born in 1927 in Reggio Calabria. In 1947, she competed in the Miss Italia beauty contest, where she was runner-up to Lucia Bo ...
* ''
Alexander The Great
Alexander III of Macedon ( grc, wikt:Ἀλέξανδρος, Ἀλέξανδρος, Alexandros; 20/21 July 356 BC – 10/11 June 323 BC), commonly known as Alexander the Great, was a king of the Ancient Greece, ancient Greek kingdom of Maced ...
'' (1956), starring
Richard Burton (U.S. film with music score by
Mario Nascimbene)
* ''
Ali Baba and the Sacred Crown'' (1962) ''The Seven Tasks of Ali Baba'', starring Richard Lloyd
* ''
Ali Baba and the Seven Saracens'' (1964) ''Sinbad Against the Seven Saracens'', starring
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 ...
* ''
Alone Against Rome
''Alone Against Rome'' ( it, Solo contro Roma, also known as ''Vengeance of the Gladiators'') is a 1962 peplum film directed by Luciano Ricci and starring Lang Jeffries and Rossana Podestà.
Cast
* Lang Jeffries as Brennus
* Rossana Podest ...
'' (1962) ''Vengeance of the Gladiators'', starring
Lang Jeffries
Lang Jeffries (June 7, 1930 – February 12, 1987) was a Canadian-American television and film actor.
Biography
From 1958 to 1960, Jeffries starred as Skip Johnson in the adventure television series ''Rescue 8''.
He starred in several American ...
and
Rossana Podestà
* ''
Anthar the Invincible
''Devil of the Desert Against the Son of Hercules'' is a 1964 international co-production filmed in Algeria and directed by Anthony Dawson.
Plot summary
An evil and ambitious usurper named Ganor seizes a kingdom by assassinating the Sultan an ...
'' (1964) ''
Devil of the Desert Against the Son of Hercules
''Devil of the Desert Against the Son of Hercules'' is a 1964 international co-production filmed in Algeria and directed by Anthony Dawson.
Plot summary
An evil and ambitious usurper named Ganor seizes a kingdom by assassinating the Sultan and ...
'', starring
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 ...
, directed by
Antonio Margheriti
* ''
Antigone
In Greek mythology, Antigone ( ; Ancient Greek: Ἀντιγόνη) is the daughter of Oedipus and either his mother Jocasta or, in another variation of the myth, Euryganeia. She is a sister of Polynices, Eteocles, and Ismene.Roman, L., & Roma ...
'' (1961) ''
Rites for the Dead
''Antigone'' ( el, Aντιγόνη, ''Antigone'') is a 1961 Greek film adaptation of the Ancient Greek tragedy ''Antigone (Sophocles), Antigone'' by Sophocles. It stars Irene Papas in the title role and was directed by Yorgos Javellas.
The film ...
'', starring
Irene Papas, a Greek production
* ''
Arena, The'' (1974) ''Naked Warriors'', directed by
Steve Carver
Steve Carver (April 5, 1945 – January 8, 2021) was an American film director, producer, and photographer.
Biography
Carver attended Manhattan's High School of Music and Art and received his BA from Cornell University and his MFA from Washingt ...
and
Joe D'Amato, starring
Pam Grier and
Margaret Markov
Margaret Mary Markov (born November 22, 1948) is an American retired actress. She had a supporting role in the romantic drama ''The Sterile Cuckoo'' (1969) with Liza Minnelli and co-starred in '' There Is No 13'' (1974), as well as appearing in ...
(a late entry in the genre)
* ''
Arms of the Avenger
''I diavoli di Spartivento'' (also known as ''Weapons of Vengeance'', ''Weapons of War'', ''The Devils of Spartivento'', ''Arms of the Avenger'', ''Curse of the Haunted Forest'' and ''The Fighting Legions'') is a 1963 Italian adventure film direc ...
'' (1963) ''The Devils of Spartivento''/ ''The Fighting Legions'', starring
John Drew Barrymore
John Drew Barrymore (born John Blyth Barrymore Jr.; June 4, 1932 – November 29, 2004) was an American film actor and member of the Barrymore family of actors, which included his father, John Barrymore, and his father's siblings, Lionel and E ...
* ''
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 ...
'' (1961) ''Atlas, the Winner of Athena'', directed in Greece by
Roger Corman, starring
Michael Forest
Gerald Michael Charlebois (born April 17, 1929), better known as Michael Forest, is an American actor who provides the voices for many animated titles.
Early life
Born in Harvey, North Dakota, he moved with his family at a very early age to Se ...
* ''
Attack of the Moors
''Attack of the Moors'' ( it, I Reali di Francia), also known as ''The Kings of France'', is a 1959 Italian adventure film directed by Mario Costa and starring Chelo Alonso, Rik Battaglia and Gérard Landry.
Plot
Cast
* Chelo Alonso as Sule ...
'' (1959) ''The Kings of France''
* ''
Attack of the Normans
''Attack of the Normans'' ( it, I normanni) is a 1962 Italian film set in England in the early 9th century. Viking incursions play a central role in the plot; "Normans" in the title is used in its original continental sense, meaning Viking.
This ...
'' (1962) ''The Normans'', starring
Cameron Mitchell
* ''
Attila
Attila (, ; ), frequently called Attila the Hun, was the ruler of the Huns
The Huns were a nomadic people who lived in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Eastern Europe between the 4th and 6th century AD. According to European traditio ...
'' (1954), directed by
Pietro Francisci, starring
Anthony Quinn and
Sophia Loren
Sofia Costanza Brigida Villani Scicolone (; born 20 September 1934), known professionally as Sophia Loren ( , ), is an Italian actress. She was named by the American Film Institute as one of the greatest female stars of Classical Hollywood ci ...
* ''
Avenger of the Seven Seas
''Avenger of the Seven Seas'' ( it, Il giustiziere dei mari, french: Le Boucanier des îles), also known as ''The Executioner of the Seas'', is a 1962 Italian epic adventure film directed by Domenico Paolella and starring Richard Harrison and ...
'' (1961) ''Executioner of the Seas'', starring
Richard Harrison and
Michèle Mercier
Michèle Mercier (born 1 January 1939 as Jocelyne Yvonne Renée Mercier) is a French actress. In the course of her career she has worked with leading directors like François Truffaut, Jean-Pierre Melville, Jacques Deray, Dino Risi, Mario Monicel ...
* ''
Avenger of Venice, The'' (1963), starring
Brett Halsey and
Gianna Maria Canale
Gianna Maria Canale (12 September 1927 – 13 February 2009) was an Italian film actress.
Biography
Canale was born in 1927 in Reggio Calabria. In 1947, she competed in the Miss Italia beauty contest, where she was runner-up to Lucia Bo ...
* ''
Bacchantes, The'' (1961), starring
Pierre Brice
Pierre-Louis Le Bris (6 February 1929 – 6 June 2015), known as Pierre Brice, was a French actor, best known as portraying fictional Apache-chief Winnetou in German films based on Karl May novels.
Life and films
Brice was born in Brest, Brit ...
and
Akim Tamiroff
Akim Mikhailovich Tamiroff, russian: Аким Михайлович Тамиров (born Hovakim Tamiryants; October 29, 1899 – September 17, 1972) was an Armenian-American actor of film, stage, and television. One of the premier character act ...
* ''Balboa'' (Spanish, 1963) ''Conquistadors of the Pacific''
* ''
Barabbas'' (1961) produced by Dino de Laurentiis, starring Anthony Quinn, filmed in Italy
* ''Battle of the Amazons'' (1973) ''Amazons: Women of Love and War'', ''Beauty of the Barbarian'' (directed by Alfonso Brescia)
* ''Beatrice Cenci'' (1956) directed by Riccardo Freda
* ''Beatrice Cenci'' (1969) directed by Lucio Fulci
* ''
Behind the Mask of Zorro
''Behind the Mask of Zorro'' (aka ''E Zorro cabalga otra vez''/ ''Zorro Rides Again''), is a 1965 Italian western film directed by Ricardo Blasco. Tony Russel plays Zorro.
Cast
*Tony Russel ... Patricio / Alfonso / Zorro
* María José Alfonso ...
'' (1966) ''The Oath of Zorro'', Tony Russel
* ''
Bible, The'' (1966) ( ''La Bibbia''), Dino de Laurentiis, Ennio Morricone music, filmed in Italy
* ''Black Archer, The'' (1959)
* ''
Black Devil, The'' (1957) starred Gerard Landry
* ''Black Duke, The'' (1963), starring
Cameron Mitchell
* ''
Black Eagle, The'' (1946) ''Return of the Black Eagle'', directed by Riccardo Freda
* ''
Black Lancers, The'' (1962) ''Charge of the Black Lancers'', Mel Ferrer
* ''
Brennus, Enemy of Rome
''Brenno il nemico di Roma'' ( ''Brennus, Enemy of Rome'' and ''Battle of the Spartans'') is a 1963 film about the Battle of Allia, sack of Rome in 387 BC.
This film was written by Adriano Bolzoni, Arpad DeRiso and Nino Scolaro and was directed b ...
'' (1964) ''Battle of the Valiant'', Gordon Mitchell
* ''
Burning of Rome, The'' (1963) ''The Magnificent Adventurer'', Brett Halsey
* ''Caesar Against the Pirates'' (1962) Gordon Mitchell
* ''
Caesar the Conqueror
''Caesar the Conqueror'' (Italian: ''Giulio Cesare, il conquistatore delle Gallie'') is a 1962 Italian film directed by Tanio Boccia. The scenario is based on Julius Caesar's ''Commentarii de Bello Gallico''.
The plot centres around Julius Caes ...
'' (1962), starring
Cameron Mitchell
* ''Captain Falcon'' (1958) Lex Barker
* ''Captain from Toledo, The'' (1966)
* ''Captain of Iron, The'' (1961) ''Revenge of the Mercenaries'', Barbara Steele
* ''Captain Phantom'' (1953)
* ''Captains of Adventure'' (1961) starring Paul Muller, Gerard Landry
* ''Caribbean Hawk, The'' (1963) Yvonne Monlaur
* ''
Carthage in Flames
''Carthage in Flames'' ( it, Cartagine in fiamme) is a 1960 Italian historical drama film directed by Carmine Gallone and starring Pierre Brasseur, José Suárez, Daniel Gélin and Anne Heywood. It was shot at the Cinecittà Studios in Rome. The ...
'' (1960)
* ''
Castillian, The'' (1963) Cesare Romero
* ''
Catherine of Russia'' (1963) directed by Umberto Lenzi
* ''
Cavalier in the Devil's Castle'' (1959)
* ''
Centurion, The'' (1962) ''The Conqueror of Corinth''
* ''
Challenge of the Gladiator
''Challenge of the Gladiator'' ( it, Il gladiatore che sfidò l'impero) is a 1965 Italian peplum film directed by Domenico Paolella.
Plot
Treacherous Roman senator Lucius Quintilius plans a secret journey into Thrace to recover a legendary tre ...
'' (1965) Peter Lupus
* ''
Cleopatra's Daughter'' (1960) ''The Tomb of the Kings'', Debra Paget
* ''
Colossus and the Amazon Queen
''Colossus and the Amazon Queen'' ( it, La regina delle Amazzoni/ ''Queen of the Amazons'') is a 1960 Italian sword and sandal comedy film directed by Vittorio Sala.
Cast
*Rod Taylor as Pirro
*Ed Fury as Glauco
*Dorian Gray as Antiope
*Danie ...
'' (1960), Ed Fury and Rod Taylor
* ''
Colossus of Rhodes, The'' (1960) directed by
Sergio Leone
Sergio Leone (; 3 January 1929 – 30 April 1989) was an Italian film director, producer and screenwriter credited as the pioneer of the Spaghetti Western genre and widely regarded as one of the most influential directors in the history of cin ...
* ''
Conqueror of Atlantis
''Conqueror of Atlantis'' (''Il conquistatore di Atlantide'', UK title: ''Kingdom in the Sand'') is a 1965 Italian fantasy film adventure directed by Alfonso Brescia. Although the main character is called Herakles, this film was not part of the ...
'' (1965) ''The Kingdom in the Sand'', Kirk Morris (U.S. dubbed version calls the hero "Hercules")
* ''Conqueror of Maracaibo, The'' (1961)
* ''Conqueror of the Orient'' (1961) starring Rik Battaglia
* ''
Constantine and the Cross
''Constantine and the Cross'' (Italian: ''Costantino il grande'') is a 1961 historical drama film about the early career of the emperor Constantine, who first legalized and then adopted Christianity in the early 4th century. The fictionalised f ...
'' (1960) ''Constantine the Great'', starring Cornel Wilde
* ''
Coriolanus: Hero without a Country'' (1963) ''Thunder of Battle'', Gordon Scott
* ''
Cossacks, The'' (1959) Edmund Purdom
* ''The Count of Braggalone'' (1954) aka ''The Last Musketeer'', starring Georges Marchal
* ''
Count of Monte Cristo, The'' (1961) Louis Jourdan
* ''
Damon and Pythias'' (1962) ''The Tyrant of Syracuse'', Guy Williams
* ''
David and Goliath'' (1960) Orson Welles
* ''
Defeat of Hannibal, The'' (1937) ''Scipione l'Africano''
* ''Defeat of the Barbarians'' (1962) ''King Manfred''
* ''
Desert Desperadoes
''Desert Desperadoes'' ( it, La peccatrice del deserto) is a 1959 American/Italian Biblical drama film directed by Steve Sekely from an original screenplay by Victor Stoloff and Robert Hill. Co-produced by the Italian company Venturini Express a ...
'' (1959) Akim Tamiroff
* ''
Desert Warrior'' (1957) ''The Desert Lovers'', Ricardo Montalban
* ''
Devil Made a Woman, The'' (1959) ''A Girl Against Napoleon''
* ''
Devil's Cavaliers, The'' (1959)
* ''Diary of a Roman Virgin'' (1974) ''Livia, una vergine per l'impero romano'', directed by
Joe D'Amato (used stock footage from ''The Last Days of Pompeii'' (1959) and ''The Arena'' (1974))
* ''Dragon's Blood, The'' (1957)
[Kinnard, Roy; Crnkovich, Tony (2017). ''Italian Sword and Sandal Films, 1908-1990''. McFarland. .] ''Sigfrido'', based on the legend of the Niebelungen, special effects by
Carlo Rambaldi
* ''
Duel of Champions
''Duel of Champions'' (Italian: ''Orazi e Curiazi'') is a 1961 film about the Roman legend of the Horatii, triplet brothers from Rome who fought a duel against the Curiatii, triplet brothers from Alba Longa in order to determine the outcome of a w ...
'' (1961) ''Horatio and Curiazi'', Alan Ladd
* ''
Erik the Conqueror'' (1961) ''Gli Invasori/ The Invaders'', directed by Mario Bava, starring
Cameron Mitchell
* ''
Esther and the King
''Esther and the King'' ( it, Ester e il re) is a 1960 American-Italian religious epic film produced and directed by Raoul Walsh and starring Joan Collins as Esther, Richard Egan as Ahasuerus, and Denis O'Dea as Mordecai. Walsh and Michael Elkins ...
'' (1961) Joan Collins, Richard Egan
* ''Executioner of Venice, The'' (1963) Lex Barker, Guy Madison
* ''
Fabiola'' (1949) ''The Fighting Gladiator''
* ''Falcon of the Desert'' (1965) ''The Magnificent Challenge'', starring Kirk Morris
* ''Fall of Rome, The'' (1961) directed by
Antonio Margheriti
* ''
Fall of the Roman Empire, The'' (1964) U.S. production filmed in Spain,
Sophia Loren
Sofia Costanza Brigida Villani Scicolone (; born 20 September 1934), known professionally as Sophia Loren ( , ), is an Italian actress. She was named by the American Film Institute as one of the greatest female stars of Classical Hollywood ci ...
* ''Fighting Musketeers, The'' (1961)
* ''
Fire Over Rome
''Fire Over Rome'' ( it, Il incendio di Roma) is a 1965 Italian ''peplum'' film directed by Guido Malatesta.
Plot
After successfully campaigning in Gaul for several years, Consul Marcus Valerius arrived back in Rome with his legion. He and his m ...
'' (1963)
* ''
Fury of Achilles, The'' (1962)
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 ...
* ''
Fury of the Pagans
''Fury of the Pagans'' ( it, La furia dei barbari, also known as ''The Fury of the Barbarians'' and ''Toryok''), is a 1960 Italian adventure film directed by Guido Malatesta.
Cast
* Edmund Purdom: Toryok
* Rossana Podestà: Leonora
* Livio ...
'' (1960) ''Fury of the Barbarians''
* ''
Giant of Metropolis, The'' (1961) Gordon Mitchell (this peplum had a science fiction theme instead of fantasy)
* ''
Giant of the Evil Island
''Il mistero dell'isola maledetta'', internationally released as ''Giant of the Evil Island'', is a 1965 Italy, Italian adventure film.
Cast
* Peter Lupus as Pedro Valverde (as Rock Stevens)
* Halina Zalewska as Dona Alma Morales
* Arturo Domini ...
'' (1965) ''Mystery of the Cursed Island'', Peter Lupus
* ''
Giants of Rome
''Giants of Rome'' ( it, I giganti di Roma) is a 1964 international co-production sword and sandal set in the Gallic Wars. It was directed by Anthony Dawson and starred Richard Harrison and Wandisa Guida. The film involves a handpicked group of e ...
'' (1964) directed by Antonio Margheriti, starring Richard Harrison
* ''Giants of Thessaly'' (1960) directed by Riccardo Freda
* ''
Gladiator of Rome
''Gladiator of Rome'' ( it, Il gladiatore di Roma) is a 1962 Italian adventure film directed by Mario Costa. Co-written by Gian Paolo Callegari and Giuseppe Mariani, it stars Gordon Scott.Howard Hughes. ''Cinema Italiano - The Complete Guide ...
'' (1962) ''Battle of the Gladiators'', Gordon Scott
* ''
Gladiators Seven
''Gladiators Seven'' ( it, La rivolta dei sette, also known as ''The Revolt of the Seven'', ''The Spartan Gladiator'' and ''The Spartan Gladiators'') is a 1964 Italian peplum film directed by Alberto De Martino and starring Tony Russel.Michele G ...
'' (1962) ''The Seven Gladiators'', Richard Harrison
* ''
Golden Arrow, The'' (1962) directed by Antonio Margheriti
* ''
Gold for the Caesars
''Gold for the Caesars'' ( it, Oro per i Cesari) is a 1963 '' peplum'' film starring Jeffrey Hunter and Mylène Demongeot. Originally planned as an American production, the film was later became an Italian-French international co-production after ...
'' (1963) Jeffrey Hunter
* ''
Golgotha
Calvary ( la, Calvariae or ) or Golgotha ( grc-gre, Γολγοθᾶ, ''Golgothâ'') was a site immediately outside Jerusalem's walls where Jesus was said to have been crucified according to the canonical Gospels. Since at least the early mediev ...
'' (1935) ''Behold the Man'' (made in France)
* ''
Guns of the Black Witch
''Guns of the Black Witch'' ( it, Il terrore dei mari) is a 1961 adventure film directed by Domenico Paolella.
Cast
* Don Megowan: Jean
* Silvana Pampanini: Delores
* Emma Danieli: Elisa
* Livio Lorenzon: Guzman
* Germano Longo: Michel
* ...
'' (1961) ''Terror of the Sea'', Don Megowan
* ''
Hannibal
Hannibal (; xpu, 𐤇𐤍𐤁𐤏𐤋, ''Ḥannibaʿl''; 247 – between 183 and 181 BC) was a Carthaginian general and statesman who commanded the forces of Carthage in their battle against the Roman Republic during the Second Puni ...
'' (1959) Victor Mature
* ''
Hawk of the Caribbean
''Hawk of the Caribbean'' ( it, Lo sparviero dei Caraibi), also known as ''Caribbean Hawk'', is a 1962 Italian pirate film written and directed by Piero Regnoli and starring Johnny Desmond and Yvonne Monlaur.
Plot
Cast
* Johnny Desmond as Ju ...
'' (1963) ''The Caribbean Hawk''
* ''
Head of a Tyrant
''Head of a Tyrant'' or ''Judith and Holofernes'' (Italian:''Giuditta e Oloferne'') is a 1959 Italian-French historical film directed by Fernando Cerchio and starring Massimo Girotti, Isabelle Corey and Renato Baldini.Parish p.53
It is part of t ...
'' (1959) ''Judith and Holophernes''
* ''
Helen of Troy
Helen of Troy, Helen, Helena, (Ancient Greek: Ἑλένη ''Helénē'', ) also known as beautiful Helen, Helen of Argos, or Helen of Sparta, was a figure in Greek mythology said to have been the most beautiful woman in the world. She was believe ...
'' (1956) starring Jacques Sernas
* ''
Hero of Babylon
''The Beast of Babylon Against the Son of Hercules'' ( it, L'eroe di Babilonia, french: Héros de Babylone, also known as ''Heroes of Babylon'', ''Hero of Babylon'' and ''Goliath, King of Slaves'') is a 1963 Italian-French peplum film written and ...
'' (1963) ''The Beast of Babylon vs. the Son of Hercules'',
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 ...
* ''
Hero of Rome
''Hero of Rome'' ( it, Il Colosso di Roma) is a 1964 sword and sandal film set in Rome in 508 BC, and depicts the expulsion of the last kings of Rome and the legend of Gaius Mucius Scaevola. Plot
The city-state of Rome has just expelled its Etrus ...
'' (1964) ''The Colossus of Rome'', Gordon Scott
* ''
Herod the Great
Herod I (; ; grc-gre, ; c. 72 – 4 or 1 BCE), also known as Herod the Great, was a Roman Jewish client king of Judea, referred to as the Herodian kingdom. He is known for his colossal building projects throughout Judea, including his renov ...
'' (1958)
* ''Huns, The'' (1960) ''Queen of the Tartars''
* ''
Invasion 1700
''Invasion 1700'' ( it, Col ferro e col fuoco, french: Par le fer et par le feu, also known as ''With Fire and Sword'' and ''Daggers of Blood'') is a 1962 Italian-French historical epic film directed by Fernando Cerchio. It is based on the 1884 P ...
'' (1962) ''With Iron and Fire'', ''With Fire and Sword'', ''Daggers of Blood''
* ''
Ivanhoe, the Norman Swordsman
''Ivanhoe, the Norman Swordsman'' ( it, La spada normanna) is a 1971 Capa e spada film directed by Roberto Mauri.
Plot
After the death of King Henry I in 12th-century England, the throne is taken by Stephen Cunningham who claims to possess the m ...
'' (1971) ''La spada normanna'', directed by Roberto Mauri
* ''
Invincible Gladiator, The'' (1961)
Richard Harrison
* ''Invincible Swordsman, The'' (1963)
* ''
The Iron Swordsman
''The Iron Swordsman'' ( it, Il conte Ugolino) is a 1949 Italian historical drama film directed by Riccardo Freda and starring Carlo Ninchi and Gianna Maria Canale. It is loosely based on real life events of Ugolino della Gherardesca.
Plot
Ugolin ...
'' (1949) ''Count Ugolino'', directed by
Riccardo Freda
* ''Jacob, The Man Who Fought With God'' (1963)
* ''
Kampf um Rom'' (1968) ''The Last Roman'', starring
Laurence Harvey
Laurence Harvey (born Zvi Mosheh Skikne; 1 October 192825 November 1973) was a Lithuanian-born British actor and film director. He was born to Lithuanian Jewish parents and emigrated to South Africa at an early age, before later settling in th ...
,
Honor Blackman,
Orson Welles
George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, known for his innovative work in film, radio and theatre. He is considered to be among the greatest and most influential f ...
* ''Kindar, the Invulnerable'' (1965)
Mark Forest
* ''
King of the Vikings'' (1960) ''
Prince in Chains, The''
* ''Knight of a Hundred Faces, The'' (1960) ''The Silver Knight'', ''Knight of a Thousand Faces, The'', starring Lex Barker
* ''Knights of Terror'' (1963) ''Terror of the Red Capes'', Tony Russel
* ''Knight Without a Country'' (1959) ''The Faceless Rider''
* ''Knives of the Avenger'' (1967) ''Viking Massacre'', directed by Mario Bava, starring
Cameron Mitchell
* ''Last Gladiator, The'' (1963) ''Messalina Against the Son of Hercules''
* ''Last of the Vikings'' (1961), starring
Cameron Mitchell
* ''
Legions of the Nile
''Legions of the Nile'' ( it, Le legioni di Cleopatra, french: Les légions de Cléopâtre, es, Las legiones de Cleopatra) is an Eastmancolor 1959 Italian-French-Spanish historical epic adventure film written and directed by Vittorio Cottafavi.
...
'' (1959) ''The Legions of Cleopatra''
* ''Lion of St. Mark, The'' (1964) Gordon Scott
* ''
Lion of Thebes, The'' (1964) ''Helen of Troy'', Mark Forest
* ''
Loves of Salammbo, The'' (1960) ''Salambo''
* ''
Magnificent Gladiator, The'' (1964) Mark Forest
* ''
Marco Polo
Marco Polo (, , ; 8 January 1324) was a Venetian merchant, explorer and writer who travelled through Asia along the Silk Road between 1271 and 1295. His travels are recorded in ''The Travels of Marco Polo'' (also known as ''Book of the Marv ...
'' (1962) Rory Calhoun
* ''Marco the Magnificent'' (1965) Anthony Quinn, Orson Welles
* ''Mars, God of War'' (1962) ''Venus Against the Son of Hercules''
* ''Masked Conqueror, The'' (1962)
* ''Masked Man Against the Pirates, The'' (1965)
* ''Mask of the Musketeers'' (1963) ''Zorro and the Three Musketeers'', starring Gordon Scott
* ''
Massacre in the Black Forest
''Massacre in the Black Forest'' (german: Hermann der Cherusker – Die Schlacht im Teutoburger Wald) is a 1967 historical drama film set on the northeast frontier of the Roman Empire facing the area of Germania in A.D. 9. The film centers on ...
'' (1967), starring
Cameron Mitchell
* ''
Messalina
Valeria Messalina (; ) was the third wife of Roman emperor Claudius. She was a paternal cousin of Emperor Nero, a second cousin of Emperor Caligula, and a great-grandniece of Emperor Augustus. A powerful and influential woman with a reputation ...
'' (1960) Belinda Lee
* ''
Michael Strogoff
''Michael Strogoff: The Courier of the Czar'' (french: Michel Strogoff) is a novel written by Jules Verne in 1876. Critic Leonard S. Davidow, considers it one of Verne's best books. Davidow wrote, "Jules Verne has written no better book than thi ...
'' (1956) ''Revolt of the Tartars''
* ''
Mighty Crusaders, The'' (1958) ''Jerusalem Set Free'', Gianna Maria Canale
* ''
Minotaur, The'' (1960) ''Theseus Against the Minotaur'', ''The Warlord of Crete''
* ''
Miracle of the Wolves'' (1961) ''Blood on his Sword'', starring Jean Marais
* ''Missione sabbie roventi'' (''Mission Burning Sands'') (1966) starring Renato Rossini, directed by Alfonso Brescia
* ''
Mongols, The'' (1961) directed by Riccardo Freda, starring
Jack Palance
Jack Palance ( ; born Volodymyr Palahniuk ( uk, Володимир Палагню́к); February 18, 1919 – November 10, 2006) was an American actor known for playing tough guys and villains. He was nominated for three Academy Awards, all fo ...
* ''Moses the Lawgiver'' (1973) aka ''Moses in Egypt'', starring Burt Lancaster, Anthony Quayle (6-hour made-for-TV Italian/British co-production) also released theatrically
* ''
Musketeers of the Sea
''Musketeers of the Sea'' ( it, I moschettieri del mare) is a 1962 Italian adventure film directed by Steno.
Cast
* Pier Angeli as Consuelo/Altagracia Di Lorna
* Channing Pollock as Pierre De Savigny
* Aldo Ray as Moreau
* Philippe Cla ...
'' (1962)
* ''My Son, The Hero'' (1961) ''Arrivano i Titani'', ''The Titans''
* ''Mysterious Rider, The'' (1948) directed by Riccardo Freda
[Roberto Chiti; Roberto Poppi; Enrico Lancia. ''Dizionario del cinema italiano: I film.'' Gremese 1991. .]
* ''Mysterious Swordsman, The'' (1956) starring Gerard Landry
* ''
Nero and the Burning of Rome'' (1953) ''Nero and Messalina''
* ''Night of the Great Attack'' (1961) ''Revenge of the Borgias''
* ''Night They Killed Rasputin, The'' (1960) ''The Last Czar''
* ''Nights of Lucretia Borgia, The'' (1959)
* ''Odyssey, The'' (1968) ''L'Odissea'', Cyclops segment directed by Mario Bava; Samson Burke played Polyphemus the Cyclops
* ''
Old Testament, The'' (1962) starred
Brad Harris
* ''Perseus the Invincible'' (1962) ''Medusa vs. the Son of Hercules''
* ''
Pharaoh's Woman, The'' (1960)
* ''Pia of Ptolomey'' (1962)
* ''
Pirate and the Slave Girl, The'' (1959) ''Scimitar of the Saracen'',
Lex Barker
* ''
Pirate of the Black Hawk, The'' (1958) Gérard Landry
* ''
Pirate of the Half Moon'' (1957)
* ''
Pirates of the Coast
''Pirates of the Coast'' ( it, I pirati della costa, also known as ''Pirates of the Barbary Coast'') is a 1960 Italian adventure film directed by Domenico Paolella.
Cast
*Lex Barker as Luis Monterey
*Estella Blain as Isabella
*Livio Lorenzon a ...
'' (1960) Lex Barker
* ''
Pontius Pilate
Pontius Pilate (; grc-gre, Πόντιος Πιλᾶτος, ) was the fifth governor of the Roman province of Judaea, serving under Emperor Tiberius from 26/27 to 36/37 AD. He is best known for being the official who presided over the trial of J ...
'' (1962)
Basil Rathbone
Philip St. John Basil Rathbone MC (13 June 1892 – 21 July 1967) was a South African-born English actor. He rose to prominence in the United Kingdom as a Shakespearean stage actor and went on to appear in more than 70 films, primarily costume ...
* ''Prince with the Red Mask, The'' (1955) ''The Red Eagle'', starring Frank Latimore
* ''
Prisoner of the Iron Mask, The'' (1962) ''The Revenge of the Iron Mask''
* ''Pugni, Pirati e Karatè'' (1973) ''Fists, Pirates and Karate'', directed by Joe D'Amato, starring Richard Harrison (a 1970s Italian spoof of pirate movies)
* ''
Queen for Caesar, A'' (1962) Gordon Scott
* ''
Queen of Sheba'' (1952) directed by Pietro Francisci
* ''Queen of the Amazons'' (1960) ''
Colossus and the Amazon Queen
''Colossus and the Amazon Queen'' ( it, La regina delle Amazzoni/ ''Queen of the Amazons'') is a 1960 Italian sword and sandal comedy film directed by Vittorio Sala.
Cast
*Rod Taylor as Pirro
*Ed Fury as Glauco
*Dorian Gray as Antiope
*Danie ...
''
* ''Queen of the Nile'' (1961) ''Nefertiti'', Vincent Price
* ''
Queen of the Pirates
''Queen of the Pirates'' ( it, La Venere dei pirati) is a 1960 Italian film directed by Mario Costa (director), Mario Costa.
It was followed by ''Tiger of the Seven Seas''.
Plot
Cast
* Gianna Maria Canale: Sandra
* Massimo Serato: Cesare Cou ...
'' (1960) ''The Venus of the Pirates'', Gianna Maria Canale
* ''
Queen of the Seas
''Queen of the Seas'' ( it, Le avventure di Mary Read) is a 1961 adventure film directed by Umberto Lenzi and starring Lisa Gastoni and Jerome Courtland.
Plot
Cast
* Lisa Gastoni as Mary Read
* Jerome Courtland as Peter Goodwin
* Walter ...
'' (1961) directed by Umberto Lenzi
* ''
Quo Vadis
''Quō vādis?'' (, ) is a Latin phrase meaning "Where are you marching?". It is also commonly translated as "Where are you going?" or, poetically, "Whither goest thou?"
The phrase originates from the Christian tradition regarding Saint Pete ...
'' (1951) filmed in Italy, Sergio Leone asst. dir.
* ''
Rage of the Buccaneers
''Rage of the Buccaneers'' ( it, Gordon, il pirata nero), also known as ''Pirate Warrior'', is a 1961 Italian epic adventure film directed by Mario Costa and starring Ricardo Montalbán and Vincent Price.
Plot
Cast
*Ricardo Montalbán a ...
'' (1961) ''Gordon, The Black Pirate'', starring Vincent Price
* ''
Rape of the Sabine Women, The'' (1961) ''Romulus and the Sabines'', Roger Moore
* ''Red Cloak, The'' (1955) Bruce Cabot
* ''Red Sheik, The'' (1962)
* ''
Revak the Rebel'' (1960) ''The Barbarians'', Jack Palance
* ''
Revenge of Black Eagle, The'' (1951) Gianna Maria Canale
* ''
Revenge of Ivanhoe, The'' (1965) Rik Battaglia
* ''
Revenge of Spartacus, The'' (1965) ''Revenge of the Gladiators'', Roger Browne
* ''
Revenge of the Barbarians
''Revenge of the Barbarians'' ( it, La vendetta dei barbari) is a 1960 film about the sack of Rome in AD 410 by the Visigoths.
This film was written by Gastone Ramazzotti and directed by Giuseppe Vari.
Cast
Production
Anthony Steel had moved ...
'' (1960)
* ''
Revenge of the Black Eagle
''Revenge of Black Eagle'' (Italian language, Italian: ''La Vendetta di Aquila Nera'', released in UK as ''Revenge of the Black Eagle'') is a Italian films of 1951, 1951 Italy, Italian adventure film directed by Riccardo Freda. It is a sequel to Fr ...
'' (1951) directed by Riccardo Freda
* ''
Revenge of the Conquered
''Revenge of the Conquered'' ( it, Drakut il vendicatore, literally "Drakut the Avenger") is a 1961 Italian epic adventure film directed by Luigi Capuano and starring Burt Nelson and Wandisa Guida. It grossed 244 million lire at the Italian box ...
'' (1961) ''Drakut the Avenger''
* ''
Revenge of the Gladiators
''Revenge of The Gladiators'' ( it, La vendetta dei gladiatori) is a 1964 Italian peplum film written and directed by Luigi Capuano and starring Mickey Hargitay and José Greci.Marco Giusti, Steve Della Casa. ''Il grande libro di Ercole. Il cinem ...
'' (1961) starring Mickey Hargitay
* ''
Revenge of the Musketeers'' (1964) ''Dartagnan vs. the Three Musketeers'', starring Fernando Lamas
* ''
Revolt of the Barbarians
''Revolt of the Barbarians'' (Italian: ''La rivolta dei barbari'') is a 1964 Italian film directed by Guido Malatesta.
Cast
* Roland Carey as Darius
*Maria Grazia Spina as Lydia
*Mario Feliciani
*Gabriele Antonini
*Andrea Aureli
*Susan Sulliv ...
'' (1964) directed by Guido Malatesta
* ''Revolt of the Mercenaries'' (1961)
* ''
Revolt of the Praetorians
''La Rivolta dei Pretoriani'' (AKA: ''Revolt of the Praetorians'') is a 1964 sword and sandal film about the conspiracy to assassinate the emperor Domitian in the year AD 96, though the historical facts have been heavily fictionized. This film was ...
'' (1964) ''The Invincible Warriors'', starring Richard Harrison
* ''
Revolt of the Seven'' (1964) ''The Spartan Gladiator'', starring Helga Line
* ''
Revolt of the Slaves, The'' (1960) Rhonda Fleming
* ''
Robin Hood and the Pirates
''Robin Hood and the Pirates'' ( it, Robin Hood e i pirati) is a 1960 Italian adventure film directed by Giorgio Simonelli, and starring Lex Barker and Jackie Lane.
Plot
Robin Hood, the protagonist, leaves Sherwood Forest, and joins the pirates ...
'' (1960) Lex Barker
* ''
Roland the Mighty
''Roland the Mighty'' ( it, Orlando e i Paladini di Francia) is a 1956 Italian film directed by Pietro Francisci. about the Battle of Roncevaux Pass in AD 778, where Roland, a knight in the service of Charlemagne was killed while defending the rea ...
'' (1956) ''Orlando'', directed by Pietro Francisci
* ''
Rome Against Rome
''Rome Against Rome'' ( it, Roma contro Roma) is a 1964 Italian ''peplum'' film directed by Giuseppe Vari.
Cast
* John Drew Barrymore as Aderbad
* Susy Andersen as Tullio
* Ettore Manni as Gaius
* Ida Galli as Rhama
* Mino Doro as Lutetius
* ...
'' (1964) ''War of the Zombies''
* ''Rome 1585'' (1961) ''The Mercenaries'', Debra Paget
* ''
Rover, The'' (1967) ''The Adventurer'', starring Anthony Quinn
* ''
Sack of Rome, The'' (1953) ''The Barbarians'', ''The Pagans''
* ''Samson and Gideon'' (1965) Fernando Rey, Biblical film
* ''Sandokan Fights Back'' (1964) ''Sandokan to the Rescue'', ''The Revenge of Sandokan''
* ''Sandokan vs. the Leopard of Sarawak'' (1964) ''Throne of Vengeance''
* ''Saracens, The'' (1965) ''The Devil's Pirate'', ''The Flag of Death'', starring Richard Harrison
* ''Saul and David'' (1964)
* ''
Scheherazade
Scheherazade () is a major female character and the storyteller in the frame narrative of the Middle Eastern collection of tales known as the ''One Thousand and One Nights''.
Name
According to modern scholarship, the name ''Scheherazade'' deri ...
'' (1963) starring Anna Karina
* ''
Sea Pirate, The'' (1966) ''Thunder Over the Indian Ocean'', ''Surcouf, Hero of the Seven Seas''
* ''Secret Mark of D'Artagnan, The'' (1962)
* ''Secret Seven, The'' (1965) ''The Invincible Seven''
* ''Seven from Thebes'' (1964)
* ''Seven Rebel Gladiators'' (1965) ''Seven Against All'', starring Roger Browne
* ''
Seven Revenges, The'' (1961) ''The Seven Challenges'', ''Ivan the Conqueror'', starring Ed Fury
* ''
Seven Seas to Calais'' (1962) ''Sir Francis Drake, King of the Seven Seas'', Rod Taylor
* ''
Seven Slaves Against the World
''Seven Slaves Against the World'' (Italian: ''Gli schiavi più forti del mondo''; also known as ''Seven Slaves Against Rome'') is a 1964 Italian sword-and-sandal adventure film, directed by Michele Lupo, produced by Elio Scardamaglia, written ...
'' (1964) ''Seven Slaves Against Rome'', starring Roger Browne and Gordon Mitchell
* ''Seven Tasks of Ali Baba, The'' (1962) ''Ali Baba and the Sacred Crown''
* ''
Seventh Sword, The'' (1962) Brett Halsey
* ''79 A.D., the Destruction of Herculaneum'' (1962) Brad Harris
* ''Shadow of Zorro, The'' (1962)
* ''Sheba and the Gladiator'' (1959) ''The Sign of Rome'', ''Sign of the Gladiator'', Anita Ekberg
* ''
Siege of Syracuse'' (1960) Tina Louise
* ''Simbad e il califfo di Bagdad'' (1973) directed by Pietro Francisci
* ''
Sins of Rome
''Sins of Rome'' ( it, Spartaco) is a 1953 historical drama film directed by Riccardo Freda and loosely based on the life story of Spartacus. The rights of film's negatives and copies were bought by the producers of Stanley Kubrick's 1960 film ''Sp ...
'' (1953) ''Spartacus'', directed by Riccardo Freda
* ''
Slave Girls of Sheba
''Slave Girls of Sheba'' ( it, Le verdi bandiere di Allah, lit=The Green Flag of Allah) is a 1963 adventure film directed by Giacomo Gentilomo and Guido Zurli.
Cast
* José Suárez: Omar
* Linda Cristal: Olivia
* Cristina Gaioni: Ursula
* ...
'' (1963) starring Linda Cristal
* ''Slave of Rome'' (1960) starring Guy Madison
* ''Slave Queen of Babylon'' (1963) Yvonne Furneaux
* ''Slaves of Carthage, The'' (1956) ''The Sword and the Cross'', Gianna Maria Canale (not to be confused with ''Mary Magdalene''; see below)
* ''
Sodom and Gomorrah
Sodom and Gomorrah () were two legendary biblical cities destroyed by God for their wickedness. Their story parallels the Genesis flood narrative in its theme of God's anger provoked by man's sin (see Genesis 19:1–28). They are mentioned frequ ...
'' (1962) Rosanna Podesta, U.S./Italian film shot in Italy, co-directed by Sergio Leone
* ''Son of Black Eagle'' (1968)
* ''
Son of Captain Blood, The'' (1962)
* ''Son of Cleopatra, The'' (1965) Mark Damon
* ''
Son of d'Artagnan
''The Gay Swordsman'' ( it, Il figlio di d'Artagnan) is a 1950 Italian historical adventure film directed by Riccardo Freda and starring Carlo Ninchi, Gianna Maria Canale and Franca Marzi.
Synopsis
The son of d'Artagnan, the hero of ''The Three M ...
'' (1950) directed by Riccardo Freda
* ''
Son of El Cid, The'' (1965) ''100 Horsemen'', Mark Damon
* ''
Son of the Red Corsair
''The Son of the Red Corsair'' (original title: ''Il figlio del corsaro rosso'') is an exotic adventure novel written by Italian author Emilio Salgari, published in 1908. The novel was adapted for the silver screen in Italy in 1959.
Plot summary ...
'' (1959) a.k.a. ''Son of the Red Pirate'', Lex Barker
* ''Son of the Sheik'' (1961) ''Kerim, Son of the Sheik'', starring Gordon Scott
* ''
Spartacus and the Ten Gladiators
''Spartacus and the Ten Gladiators'' ( it, Gli invincibili dieci gladiatori, link=no) is a 1964 international co-production sword-and-sandal film directed by Nick Nostro and co-written by Nostro, Alfonso Balcázar and Sergio Sollima.
Plot
Rocca a ...
'' (1964) ''Ten Invincible Gladiators'', starring Dan Vadis
* ''Spartan Gladiator, The'' (1965) Tony Russel
* ''
Story of Joseph and his Brethren, The'' (1961)
* ''Suleiman the Conqueror'' (1961)
* ''
Sword and the Cross, The'' (1958) ''Mary Magdalene''
* ''Sword in the Shadow, A'' (1961) starring Livio Lorenzon
* ''Sword of Damascus, The'' (1964) ''The Thief of Damascus''
* ''Sword of El Cid, The'' (1962) ''The Daughters of El Cid''
* ''Sword of Islam, The'' (1961)
* ''Sword of the Conqueror'' (1961) ''Rosamund and Alboino'', Jack Palance
* ''
Sword for the Empire, A'' (1965) ''Sword of the Empire''
* ''Sword of the Rebellion, The'' (1964) ''The Rebel of Castelmonte''
* ''
Swordsman of Siena'' (1962) ''The Mercenary''
* ''Sword of Vengeance'' (1961) ''La spada della vendetta''
* ''Sword Without a Country'' (1961) ''Sword Without a Flag''
* ''
Tartars, The'' (1961) starring Victor Mature
* ''Taras Bulba, The Cossack'' (1963) ''Plains of Battle''
* ''Taur, the Mighty'' (1963) ''Tor the Warrior'', ''Taur, the King of Brute Force'', starring Joe Robinson
* ''Temple of the White Elephant'' (1965) ''Sandok, the Giant of the Jungle'', ''Sandok, the Maciste of the Jungle'' (not a Maciste film, however, in spite of the alternate title)
* ''
Ten Gladiators, The'' (1963) starring Dan Vadis
* ''Terror of the Black Mask'' (1963) ''The Invincible Masked Rider''
* ''Terror of the Red Mask'' (1960) starring Lex Barker
* ''Terror of the Steppes'' (1964) ''The Mighty Khan'', Kirk Morris
* ''Tharus, Son of Attila'' (1962) ''Colossus and the Huns'', Ricardo Montalban
* ''
Theodora, Slave Empress'' (1954) directed by Riccardo Freda
* ''
Thor and the Amazon Women
''Thor and the Amazon Women'' (Italian: ''Le gladiatrici'', lit. "The female gladiators") is a 1963 Italian / Yugoslavian sword and sandal film directed by Antonio Leonviola. The film is also known as ''The Amazon Women'' (United Kingdom censored ...
'' (1963) starring Joe Robinson
* ''
Three Hundred Spartans, The'' (1963) starring Richard Egan; U.S. film filmed in Greece using Italian screenwriters
* ''Three Swords for Rome'' (1965) starring Roger Browne
* ''Three Swords of Zorro, The'' (1963)
* ''
Tiger of the Seven Seas
''La tigre dei sette mari'', internationally released as ''Tiger of the Seven Seas'', is a 1962 Italian adventure film directed by Luigi Capuano.
It was a sequel to ''Queen of the Pirates''. Plot
Consuelo is the daughter of the famous pirate ...
'' (1962)
* ''
Treasure of the Petrified Forest, The'' (1965) starring Gordon Mitchell
* ''Triumph of Robin Hood'' (1962) starring Samson Burke
* ''Triumph of the Ten Gladiators'' (1965) starring Dan Vadis
* ''Two Gladiators, The'' (1964) ''Fight or Die'', starring Richard Harrison
* ''Tyrant of Castile, The'' (1964) starring Mark Damon
* ''
Ulysses
Ulysses is one form of the Roman name for Odysseus, a hero in ancient Greek literature.
Ulysses may also refer to:
People
* Ulysses (given name), including a list of people with this name
Places in the United States
* Ulysses, Kansas
* Ulysse ...
'' (1954) produced by Dino De Laurentiis, starring Kirk Douglas and Anthony Quinn
* ''
Virgins of Rome, The'' (1961) ''Amazons of Rome''
* ''Vulcan, Son of Jupiter'' (1962) ''Vulcan, Son of Jove'', Gordon Mitchell, Richard Lloyd, Roger Browne
* ''
War Goddess'' (1973) ''The Bare-Breasted Warriors'', ''Le guerriere dal seno nudo'', directed by
Terence Young Terence or Terry Young may refer to:
*Terence Young (director) (1915–1994), British film director
* Terence Young (politician) (born 1952), Canadian Conservative Party politician
* Terence Young (writer), Canadian writer
* Terry Young (American p ...
* ''
War Gods of Babylon
''Le sette folgori di Assur'' (English title: ''War Gods of Babylon'') is a 1962 Italian film set in ancient Mesopotamia, which anachronistically portrays several figures as contemporaries who historically lived hundreds of years apart.
Plot
Mir ...
'' (1962) ''The Seventh Thunderbolt'', ''The Seven Glories of Assur''
* ''
Warrior and the Slave Girl, The'' (1958) ''The Revolt of the Gladiators'', starring Gianna Maria Canale
* ''Warrior Empress, The'' (1960) ''Sappho, Venus of Lesbos'', Kerwin Mathews, Tina Louise
* ''White Slave Ship'' (1961) directed by Silvio Amadio
* ''Women of Devil's Island'' (1962) starring
Guy Madison
* ''
Wonders of Aladdin, The'' (1961) starring Donald O'Connor
* ''Zorikan the Barbarian'' (1964) starring Dan Vadis
* ''
Zorro'' (1975)
Alain Delon
Alain Fabien Maurice Marcel Delon (; born 8 November 1935) is a French actor and filmmaker. He was one of Europe's most prominent actors and screen sex symbols in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. In 1985, he won the César Award for Best Actor for h ...
* ''
Zorro and the Three Musketeers
''Zorro and the Three Musketeers'' ( it, Zorro e i tre moschettieri, also known as ''Mask of the Musketeers'' and ''Zorro vs. the Three Musketeers'') is a 1963 Italian comedy-adventure film directed by Luigi Capuano and starring Gordon Scott.
Plo ...
'' (1963) ''Mask of the Musketeers'', starring Gordon Scott
* ''
Zorro in the Court of England
''Zorro in the Court of England'' ( it, Zorro alla corte d'Inghilterra) is a 1969 Italian adventure film directed by Franco Montemurro.
Cast
* Spiros Focás: Pedro Suarez / Zorro
* Dada Gallotti: Rosanna Gonzales
* Franco Ressel: Lord Percy M ...
'' (1970) starring
Spiros Focás
Spiros Focás ( el, Σπύρος Φωκάς; born 17 August 1937) is a Greek actor.
Selected filmography
* (1959) - Giannos
* (1959) - Tasos Lygos
* (1959) - Alekos
* ''Death of a Friend'' (1959) - Bruno
* (1960) - Lucio Massimo
* ''Rocco a ...
* ''Zorro at the Court of Spain'' (1962) ''The Masked Conqueror'', George Ardisson
* ''Zorro of Monterrey'' (1971) ''El Zorro de Monterrey'', Carlos Quiney
* ''Zorro, Rider of Vengeance'' (1971) Carlos Quiney
* ''Zorro's Last Adventure'' (1970) ''La última aventura del Zorro'', Carlos Quiney
* ''Zorro the Avenger'' (1962) ''The Revenge of Zorro'', Frank Latimore
* ''
Zorro the Avenger
''Zorro the Avenger'' ( es, La venganza del Zorro), a.k.a. ''The Shadow of Zorro'', is a 1962 Spanish adventure western film directed by Joaquín Luis Romero Marchent, and starring Frank Latimore, María Luz Galicia, Howard Vernon, María And ...
'' (1969) ''El Zorro justiciero'' (1969) starring Fabio Testi
* ''Zorro the Fox'' (1968) ''El Zorro'', George Ardisson
* ''Zorro, the Navarra Marquis'' (1969) Nino Vingelli
* ''Zorro the Rebel'' (1966)
Howard Ross
* ''
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 ...
'' (1963) ''Samson and the Slave Queen'' (1963) starring
Pierre Brice
Pierre-Louis Le Bris (6 February 1929 – 6 June 2015), known as Pierre Brice, was a French actor, best known as portraying fictional Apache-chief Winnetou in German films based on Karl May novels.
Life and films
Brice was born in Brest, Brit ...
,
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'' ...
Gladiator films
Inspired by the success of ''
Spartacus'', there were a number of Italian peplums that heavily emphasized the gladiatorial arena in their plots, with it becoming almost a peplum subgenre in itself. One group of supermen known as "The Ten Gladiators" appeared in a trilogy, all three films starring
Dan Vadis in the lead role.
* ''Alone Against Rome'' (1962) ''Vengeance of the Gladiators''
* ''
The Arena
An arena is an enclosed area that showcases theatre, musical performances or sporting events.
Arena, ARENA, or the Arena may also refer to:
Places and jurisdictions
* Arena, Saskatchewan, Canada
* Arena, Iran
* Arena, Calabria, Italy
* La ...
'' (1974) ''Naked Warriors'', co-directed by Joe D'Amato, starring
Pam Grier, Paul Muller and
Rosalba Neri
Rosalba Neri (born 19 June 1939) is a retired Italian actress.
Early life
Born in Forlì, Emilia-Romagna, Italy, Neri was regarded for her beauty even in youth, winning a beauty pageant when she was still young. Eventually pursuing an acting ca ...
* ''Challenge of the Gladiator'' (1965) starring Peter Lupus ( Rock Stevens)
* ''
Fabiola'' (1949) ''The Fighting Gladiator''
* ''Gladiator of Rome'' (1962) ''Battle of the Gladiators'', starring Gordon Scott
* ''Gladiators Seven'' (1962) ''The Seven Gladiators'', starring Richard Harrison
* ''
Invincible Gladiator, The'' (1961) Richard Harrison
* ''Last Gladiator, The'' (1963) ''Messalina Against the Son of Hercules''
* ''Maciste, Gladiator of Sparta'' (1964) ''Terror of Rome Against the Son of Hercules''
* ''Revenge of Spartacus, The'' (1965) ''Revenge of the Gladiators'', starring Roger Browne
* ''
Revenge of The Gladiators
''Revenge of The Gladiators'' ( it, La vendetta dei gladiatori) is a 1964 Italian peplum film written and directed by Luigi Capuano and starring Mickey Hargitay and José Greci.Marco Giusti, Steve Della Casa. ''Il grande libro di Ercole. Il cinem ...
'' (1961) starring Mickey Hargitay
* ''Revolt of the Seven'' (1964) ''The Spartan Gladiator'', starring Tony Russel and Helga Line
* ''Revolt of the Slaves'' (1961) Rhonda Fleming
* ''
Seven Rebel Gladiators
''Sette contro tutti'' or ''Seven Rebel Gladiators'' is a 1965 Italian film directed by Michele Lupo.
Plot
Cast
*Roger Browne as Marcus Aulus (as Roger Brown)
*José Greci as Assuer (as Liz Havilland)
*Alfio Caltabiano as Vadius (as Al Northon) ...
'' (1965) ''Seven Against All'', starring Roger Browne
* ''
Seven Slaves Against the World
''Seven Slaves Against the World'' (Italian: ''Gli schiavi più forti del mondo''; also known as ''Seven Slaves Against Rome'') is a 1964 Italian sword-and-sandal adventure film, directed by Michele Lupo, produced by Elio Scardamaglia, written ...
'' (1965) ''Seven Slaves Against Rome'', ''The Strongest Slaves in the World'', starring Roger Browne and Gordon Mitchell
* ''Sheba and the Gladiator'' (1959) ''The Sign of Rome'', ''Sign of the Gladiator'', Anita Ekberg
* ''Sins of Rome'' (1952) ''Spartacus'', directed by Riccardo Freda
* ''Slave, The'' (1962) ''Son of Spartacus'', Steve Reeves
* ''Spartacus and the Ten Gladiators'' (1964) ''Ten Invincible Gladiators'',
Dan Vadis
* ''Spartan Gladiator, The'' (1965) Tony Russel
* ''Ten Gladiators, The'' (1963)
Dan Vadis
* ''Triumph of the Ten Gladiators'' (1965)
Dan Vadis
* ''Two Gladiators, The'' (1964) ''Fight or Die'', Richard Harrison
* ''Ursus, the Rebel Gladiator'' (1963) ''Rebel Gladiators'', Dan Vadis
* ''Warrior and the Slave Girl, The'' (1958) ''The Revolt of the Gladiators'', Gianna Maria Canale
Ancient Rome
* ''
Brennus, Enemy of Rome
''Brenno il nemico di Roma'' ( ''Brennus, Enemy of Rome'' and ''Battle of the Spartans'') is a 1963 film about the Battle of Allia, sack of Rome in 387 BC.
This film was written by Adriano Bolzoni, Arpad DeRiso and Nino Scolaro and was directed b ...
'' (1964) ''Battle of the Valiant'', Gordon Mitchell
* ''
Caesar Against the Pirates'' (1962) Gordon Mitchell
* ''
Caesar the Conqueror
''Caesar the Conqueror'' (Italian: ''Giulio Cesare, il conquistatore delle Gallie'') is a 1962 Italian film directed by Tanio Boccia. The scenario is based on Julius Caesar's ''Commentarii de Bello Gallico''.
The plot centres around Julius Caes ...
'' (1962) Cameron Mitchell, Rik Battaglia
* ''
Carthage in Flames
''Carthage in Flames'' ( it, Cartagine in fiamme) is a 1960 Italian historical drama film directed by Carmine Gallone and starring Pierre Brasseur, José Suárez, Daniel Gélin and Anne Heywood. It was shot at the Cinecittà Studios in Rome. The ...
'' (1960) ''Cartagine in fiamme'', directed by Carmine Gallone
* ''
Centurion The'' (1962) ''The Conqueror of Corinth''
* ''Colossus of Rhodes, The'' (1960) directed by Sergio Leone
* ''
Constantine and the Cross
''Constantine and the Cross'' (Italian: ''Costantino il grande'') is a 1961 historical drama film about the early career of the emperor Constantine, who first legalized and then adopted Christianity in the early 4th century. The fictionalised f ...
'' (1960) ''Constantine the Great''
* ''
Coriolanus: Hero without a Country'' (1963) ''Thunder of Battle'', Gordon Scott
* ''Diary of a Roman Virgin'' (1974) ''Livia, una vergine per l'impero romano'', directed by
Joe D'Amato (used stock footage from ''The Last Days of Pompeii'' (1959) and ''The Arena'' (1974))
* ''
Duel of Champions
''Duel of Champions'' (Italian: ''Orazi e Curiazi'') is a 1961 film about the Roman legend of the Horatii, triplet brothers from Rome who fought a duel against the Curiatii, triplet brothers from Alba Longa in order to determine the outcome of a w ...
'' (1961) ''Horatio and Curiazi'', Alan Ladd
* ''
Duel of the Titans
''Duel of the Titans'' ( it, Romolo e Remo, lit=Romulus and Remus) is a 1961 Italian / French film directed by Sergio Corbucci and starring Steve Reeves, Gordon Scott, and Virna Lisi. The film is about twin brothers revolt against tyranny in pre-R ...
'' (1962) ''Romulus and Remus'', Steve Reeves, Gordon Scott
* ''Fall of Rome, The'' (1961) directed by Antonio Margheriti
* ''
Fire Over Rome
''Fire Over Rome'' ( it, Il incendio di Roma) is a 1965 Italian ''peplum'' film directed by Guido Malatesta.
Plot
After successfully campaigning in Gaul for several years, Consul Marcus Valerius arrived back in Rome with his legion. He and his m ...
'' (1963)
* ''
Giants of Rome
''Giants of Rome'' ( it, I giganti di Roma) is a 1964 international co-production sword and sandal set in the Gallic Wars. It was directed by Anthony Dawson and starred Richard Harrison and Wandisa Guida. The film involves a handpicked group of e ...
'' (1963) directed by Antonio Margheriti, starring Richard Harrison
* ''
Gold for the Caesars
''Gold for the Caesars'' ( it, Oro per i Cesari) is a 1963 '' peplum'' film starring Jeffrey Hunter and Mylène Demongeot. Originally planned as an American production, the film was later became an Italian-French international co-production after ...
'' (1963) Jeffrey Hunter
* ''
Hannibal
Hannibal (; xpu, 𐤇𐤍𐤁𐤏𐤋, ''Ḥannibaʿl''; 247 – between 183 and 181 BC) was a Carthaginian general and statesman who commanded the forces of Carthage in their battle against the Roman Republic during the Second Puni ...
'' (1959) Victor Mature
* ''
Hero of Rome
''Hero of Rome'' ( it, Il Colosso di Roma) is a 1964 sword and sandal film set in Rome in 508 BC, and depicts the expulsion of the last kings of Rome and the legend of Gaius Mucius Scaevola. Plot
The city-state of Rome has just expelled its Etrus ...
'' (1964) ''The Colossus of Rome'', Gordon Scott
* ''
Kampf um Rom'' (1968) ''The Last Roman'', starring
Laurence Harvey
Laurence Harvey (born Zvi Mosheh Skikne; 1 October 192825 November 1973) was a Lithuanian-born British actor and film director. He was born to Lithuanian Jewish parents and emigrated to South Africa at an early age, before later settling in th ...
,
Honor Blackman,
Orson Welles
George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, known for his innovative work in film, radio and theatre. He is considered to be among the greatest and most influential f ...
* ''
Last Days of Pompeii
''The Last Days of Pompeii'' is a novel written by Edward Bulwer-Lytton in 1834. The novel was inspired by the painting '' The Last Day of Pompeii'' by the Russian painter Karl Briullov, which Bulwer-Lytton had seen in Milan. It culminates i ...
'' (1959) Steve Reeves
* ''Massacre in the Black Forest'' (1967) Cameron Mitchell
* ''Messalina'' (1960)
* ''Nero and the Burning of Rome'' (1955) ''Nero and Messalina''
* ''
Quo Vadis
''Quō vādis?'' (, ) is a Latin phrase meaning "Where are you marching?". It is also commonly translated as "Where are you going?" or, poetically, "Whither goest thou?"
The phrase originates from the Christian tradition regarding Saint Pete ...
'' (1951) assistant director Sergio Leone
* ''Rape of the Sabine Women, The'' (1961) Roger Moore
* ''Revenge of Spartacus, The'' (1965) Roger Browne
* ''
Revenge of the Barbarians
''Revenge of the Barbarians'' ( it, La vendetta dei barbari) is a 1960 film about the sack of Rome in AD 410 by the Visigoths.
This film was written by Gastone Ramazzotti and directed by Giuseppe Vari.
Cast
Production
Anthony Steel had moved ...
'' (1960)
* ''
Revolt of the Praetorians
''La Rivolta dei Pretoriani'' (AKA: ''Revolt of the Praetorians'') is a 1964 sword and sandal film about the conspiracy to assassinate the emperor Domitian in the year AD 96, though the historical facts have been heavily fictionized. This film was ...
'' (1965) Richard Harrison
* ''
Rome Against Rome
''Rome Against Rome'' ( it, Roma contro Roma) is a 1964 Italian ''peplum'' film directed by Giuseppe Vari.
Cast
* John Drew Barrymore as Aderbad
* Susy Andersen as Tullio
* Ettore Manni as Gaius
* Ida Galli as Rhama
* Mino Doro as Lutetius
* ...
'' (1963) ''War of the Zombies''
* ''
The Secret Seven
The Secret Seven or Secret Seven Society is a fictional group of child detectives created by Enid Blyton and based on the publisher’s children. They appear in one of several adolescent detective series which Blyton wrote.
The Secret Seven ...
'' (1965) ''The Invincible Seven''
* ''
79 A.D., the Destruction of Herculaneum
''79 A.D.'' ( it, Anno 79 - La distruzione di Ercolano, french: Les derniers jours d'Herculanum, also known as ''The Destruction of Herculaneum'') is a 1962 Italian-French Epic film, epic drama film written and directed by Gianfranco Parolini a ...
'' (1962) Brad Harris
* ''Sheba and the Gladiator'' (1959) ''The Sign of Rome'', ''Sign of the Gladiator'', Anita Ekberg
* ''
Sins of Rome
''Sins of Rome'' ( it, Spartaco) is a 1953 historical drama film directed by Riccardo Freda and loosely based on the life story of Spartacus. The rights of film's negatives and copies were bought by the producers of Stanley Kubrick's 1960 film ''Sp ...
'' (1952) ''Spartaco'', directed by Riccardo Freda
* ''
The Slave of Rome
''Slave of Rome'' ( it, La schiava di Roma, also known as ''Slave Warrior'') is a 1961 Italian peplum film written and directed by Sergio Grieco and starring Rossana Podestà and Guy Madison.
Plot
The peace treaty with Rome was broken when Gaiu ...
'' (1960) starring Guy Madison
* ''Slaves of Carthage, The'' (1956) ''The Sword and the Cross'', Gianna Maria Canale (not to be confused with ''Mary Magdalene'')
* ''Theodora, Slave Empress'' (1954) directed by Riccardo Freda
* ''Three Swords for Rome'' (1965) Roger Browne
* ''Virgins of Rome, The'' (1961) ''Amazons of Rome''
Greek mythology
* ''
The Avenger'' (1962) ''Legend of Aeneas'', Steve Reeves
* ''
Alexander The Great
Alexander III of Macedon ( grc, wikt:Ἀλέξανδρος, Ἀλέξανδρος, Alexandros; 20/21 July 356 BC – 10/11 June 323 BC), commonly known as Alexander the Great, was a king of the Ancient Greece, ancient Greek kingdom of Maced ...
'' (1956) U.S. film with music score by Mario Nascimbene
* ''
Antigone
In Greek mythology, Antigone ( ; Ancient Greek: Ἀντιγόνη) is the daughter of Oedipus and either his mother Jocasta or, in another variation of the myth, Euryganeia. She is a sister of Polynices, Eteocles, and Ismene.Roman, L., & Roma ...
'' (1961) ''Rites for the Dead'', a Greek production
* ''
Bacchantes, The'' (1961)
* ''
Battle of the Amazons'' (1973) ''Amazons: Women of Love and War'', ''Beauty of the Barbarian'' (directed by Alfonso Brescia)
* ''
The Colossus of Rhodes
The Colossus of Rhodes ( grc, ὁ Κολοσσὸς Ῥόδιος, ho Kolossòs Rhódios gr, Κολοσσός της Ρόδου, Kolossós tes Rhódou) was a statue of the Greek sun-god Helios, erected in the city of Rhodes, on the Greek isla ...
'' (1961) directed by Sergio Leone
* ''
Conqueror of Atlantis
''Conqueror of Atlantis'' (''Il conquistatore di Atlantide'', UK title: ''Kingdom in the Sand'') is a 1965 Italian fantasy film adventure directed by Alfonso Brescia. Although the main character is called Herakles, this film was not part of the ...
'' (1965) starring Kirk Morris
* ''
Damon and Pythias (''1962) Guy Williams
* ''
Fury of Achilles
''L'ira di Achille'', internationally released as ''The Fury of Achilles'', is a 1962 Italian historical drama set in the ninth year of the Trojan War and is based primarily on Homer's ''Iliad''. The film was directed by Marino Girolami and starr ...
'' (1962) Gordon Mitchell
* ''
Giant of Marathon
''The Giant of Marathon'' ( it, La battaglia di Maratona) is a 1959 international co-production sword and sandal film, loosely based on the Battle of Marathon. It was directed by Jacques Tourneur and Mario Bava. It starred Steve Reeves as Pheidip ...
'' (1959) (''The Battle of Marathon'') Steve Reeves
* ''
Giants of Thessaly
''The Giants of Thessaly'' ( it, I giganti della Tessaglia (Gli Argonauti), french: Le Géant de Thessalie, released in the UK as ''Jason and the Golden Fleece'') is a 1960 Italian-French adventure-fantasy film directed by Riccardo Freda. It is ...
'' (1960) directed by Riccardo Freda
* ''
Helen of Troy
Helen of Troy, Helen, Helena, (Ancient Greek: Ἑλένη ''Helénē'', ) also known as beautiful Helen, Helen of Argos, or Helen of Sparta, was a figure in Greek mythology said to have been the most beautiful woman in the world. She was believe ...
'' (1956) directed by Robert Wise
* ''Hercules Challenges Samson'' (1963) ''
Hercules, Samson and Ulysses
''Hercules, Samson and Ulysses'', ( it, Ercole sfida Sansone) is a 1963 Italian Metrocolor ''peplum'' film directed by Pietro Francisci.
The costume designers for this movie used re-purposed Nazi helmets for the Philistine headgear.
Plot
In Ith ...
''
* ''
Lion of Thebes, The'' (1964) ''Helen of Troy'', Mark Forest
* ''
Mars, God of War
''Venus Against the Son of Hercules'' ( it, Marte, dio della guerra, also known as ''Mars, God of War'' and ''The Son of Hercules vs. Venus'') is a 1962 Italian peplum film written and directed by Marcello Baldi and starring Roger Browne and Jac ...
'' (1962) ''Venus Against the Son of Hercules''
* ''
The Minotaur
In Greek mythology, the Minotaur ( , ;. grc, ; in Latin as ''Minotaurus'' ) is a mythical creature portrayed during classical antiquity with the head and tail of a bull and the body of a man or, as described by Roman poet Ovid, a being "pa ...
'' (1961) ''Theseus Against the Minotaur'', ''The Warlord of Crete''
* ''
My Son, the Hero'' (1961) ''Arrivano i Titani'', ''The Titans''
* ''
Odyssey, The'' (1968) Cyclops segment directed by Mario Bava; Samson Burke played Polyphemus the Cyclops
* ''
Perseus the Invincible
''Medusa Against the Son of Hercules'' (it: ''Perseo l'invincibile'') is a 1963 Spanish-Italian sword and sandal film directed by Alberto de Martino and starring Richard Harrison. It is loosely based on the myth of Perseus and Medusa.
Plot
Med ...
'' (1962) ''Medusa vs. the Son of Hercules''
* ''Queen of the Amazons'' (1960) ''
Colossus and the Amazon Queen
''Colossus and the Amazon Queen'' ( it, La regina delle Amazzoni/ ''Queen of the Amazons'') is a 1960 Italian sword and sandal comedy film directed by Vittorio Sala.
Cast
*Rod Taylor as Pirro
*Ed Fury as Glauco
*Dorian Gray as Antiope
*Danie ...
''
* ''
Seven from Thebes
7 is a number, numeral, and glyph.
7 or seven may also refer to:
* AD 7, the seventh year of the AD era
* 7 BC, the seventh year before the AD era
* The month of
July
Music Artists
* Seven (Swiss singer) (born 1978), a Swiss recording artist
* ...
'' (1964) André Lawrence
* ''
Siege of Syracuse, The'' (1962) Tina Louise
* ''
Treasure of the Petrified Forest'' (1965) Gordon Mitchell (the plot involves Amazons)
* ''
Trojan Horse, The'' (1961) ''The Trojan War'', Steve Reeves
* ''
Ulysses
Ulysses is one form of the Roman name for Odysseus, a hero in ancient Greek literature.
Ulysses may also refer to:
People
* Ulysses (given name), including a list of people with this name
Places in the United States
* Ulysses, Kansas
* Ulysse ...
'' (1954) starring Kirk Douglas and Anthony Quinn
* ''
Vulcan, Son of Jupiter'' (1962) ''Vulcan, Son of Jove'', Gordon Mitchell, Richard Lloyd, Roger Browne
* ''Warrior Empress, The'' (1960) ''Sappho, Venus of Lesbos'', Kerwin Mathews, Tina Louise
Barbarian and Viking films
* ''
Attack of the Normans
''Attack of the Normans'' ( it, I normanni) is a 1962 Italian film set in England in the early 9th century. Viking incursions play a central role in the plot; "Normans" in the title is used in its original continental sense, meaning Viking.
This ...
'' (1962) ''The Normans'', Cameron Mitchell
* ''
Attila
Attila (, ; ), frequently called Attila the Hun, was the ruler of the Huns
The Huns were a nomadic people who lived in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Eastern Europe between the 4th and 6th century AD. According to European traditio ...
'' (1954) directed by Pietro Francisci, Anthony Quinn, Sophia Loren
* ''
The Cossacks'' (1960)
* ''Defeat of the Barbarians'' (1962) ''King Manfred''
* ''Dragon's Blood, The'' (1957)
''Sigfrido'', based on the legend of the Niebelungen, special effects by
Carlo Rambaldi
* ''
Erik the Conqueror'' (1961) ''The Invaders'', directed by Mario Bava, starring Cameron Mitchell
* ''
Fury of the Pagans
''Fury of the Pagans'' ( it, La furia dei barbari, also known as ''The Fury of the Barbarians'' and ''Toryok''), is a 1960 Italian adventure film directed by Guido Malatesta.
Cast
* Edmund Purdom: Toryok
* Rossana Podestà: Leonora
* Livio ...
'' (1960) ''Fury of the Barbarians''
* ''
Goliath and the Barbarians
''Goliath and the Barbarians'' ( it, Il terrore dei barbari, lit=Terror of the Barbarians) is a 1959 Italian peplum film loosely based on events of the Lombard invasion of Italy in AD 568. As with many Italian peplums of the time, the English ...
'' (1959) ''Terror of the Barbarians'', Steve Reeves
* ''
The Huns
The Huns were a Nomad, nomadic people who lived in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Eastern Europe between the 4th and 6th century AD. According to European tradition, they were first reported living east of the Volga River, in an area that wa ...
'' (1960) ''Queen of the Tartars''
* ''
Invasion 1700
''Invasion 1700'' ( it, Col ferro e col fuoco, french: Par le fer et par le feu, also known as ''With Fire and Sword'' and ''Daggers of Blood'') is a 1962 Italian-French historical epic film directed by Fernando Cerchio. It is based on the 1884 P ...
'' (1962) ''With Iron and Fire'', ''With Fire and Sword'', ''Daggers of Blood''
* ''
King of the Vikings'' (1960) ''
The Prince in Chains
''The Prince in Chains'' (Spanish: ''El príncipe encadenado'', Italian: ''Il principe dei vichinghi'') aka ''King of the Vikings'', is a 1960 Spanish-Italian historical film, historical adventure film directed by Luis Lucia.Bentley p.149
The film ...
''
* ''
The Last of the Vikings
''The Last of the Vikings'' (Italian:''L'ultimo dei Vikinghi'', French:''Le Dernier des Vikings'') is a 1961 French-Italian historical film directed by Giacomo Gentilomo and starring Cameron Mitchell, Edmund Purdom and Isabelle Corey.Elley p.202 I ...
'' (1961) starring Cameron Mitchell and Broderick Crawford
* ''
Marco Polo
Marco Polo (, , ; 8 January 1324) was a Venetian merchant, explorer and writer who travelled through Asia along the Silk Road between 1271 and 1295. His travels are recorded in ''The Travels of Marco Polo'' (also known as ''Book of the Marv ...
'' (1962) Rory Calhoun
* ''
Marco the Magnificent'' (1965) Anthony Quinn, Orson Welles
* ''
Michel Strogoff'' (1956) ''Revolt of the Tartars''
* ''
The Mongols'' (1961) starring Jack Palance
* ''
Revak the Rebel'' (1960) ''The Barbarians'', Jack Palance
* ''
Revolt of the Barbarians
''Revolt of the Barbarians'' (Italian: ''La rivolta dei barbari'') is a 1964 Italian film directed by Guido Malatesta.
Cast
* Roland Carey as Darius
*Maria Grazia Spina as Lydia
*Mario Feliciani
*Gabriele Antonini
*Andrea Aureli
*Susan Sulliv ...
'' (1964) directed by Guido Malatesta
* ''
Roland the Mighty
''Roland the Mighty'' ( it, Orlando e i Paladini di Francia) is a 1956 Italian film directed by Pietro Francisci. about the Battle of Roncevaux Pass in AD 778, where Roland, a knight in the service of Charlemagne was killed while defending the rea ...
'' (1956) directed by Pietro Francisci
* ''Saracens, The'' (1965) ''The Devil's Pirate'', ''The Flag of Death''
* ''
The Seven Revenges
''The Seven Revenges'' ( it, Le sette sfide, also known as ''Ivan the Conqueror'') is a 1961 Italian adventure film directed by Primo Zeglio. It features American actress Elaine Stewart and was filmed in Yugoslavia.
Plot
The leaders of Circassi ...
'' (1961) ''The Seven Challenges'', ''Ivan the Conqueror'', starring Ed Fury
* ''Suleiman the Conqueror'' (1961)
* ''
Sword of the Conqueror
''Sword of the Conqueror'' ( it, Rosmunda e Alboino) is a 1961 Italian adventure film written and directed by Carlo Campogalliani and starring Jack Palance and Eleonora Rossi Drago.
Plot
Cast
* Jack Palance as Alboin
* Eleonora Rossi Drago as ...
'' (1961) ''Rosamund and Alboino'', Jack Palance
* ''
Sword of the Empire
''Sword of the Empire'' ( it, Una spada per l'impero) is a 1964 Italian ''peplum'' film directed by Sergio Grieco.
Plot
In AD 190 Rome is in terror. The barbarians have crossed the Alps leaving Rome under threat. Emperor Commodus is becomi ...
'' (1964)
* ''Taras Bulba, The Cossack'' (1963) ''Plains of Battle''
* ''
The Tartars
''The Tartars''/''I Tartari'' is a 1961 Italian-Yugoslavian epic historical Technicolor film directed by Richard Thorpe and starring Victor Mature and Orson Welles. It is one of the sword-and-sandal genre films made in Italy in the 1950s and e ...
'' (1961) Victor Mature, Orson Welles
* ''
Terror of the Steppes'' (1963) ''The Mighty Khan'', starring Kirk Morris
* ''
Tharus Son of Attila
''Tharus Son of Attila'' ( it, Tharus figlio di Attila), also known as ''Colossus and the Huns'', is a 1962 Italian peplum film co-written and directed by Roberto Bianchi Montero and starring Jerome Courtland in the title role.Michele Giordano. ...
'' (1962) ''Colossus and the Huns'', Ricardo Montalban
* ''Zorikan the Barbarian'' (1964) Dan Vadis
Swashbucklers / pirates
* ''Adventurer of Tortuga'' (1965) starring Guy Madison
* ''Adventures of Mandrin, The'' (1960) ''Captain Adventure''
* ''Adventures of Scaramouche, The'' (1963) ''The Mask of Scaramouche'', Gianna Maria Canale
* ''
Arms of the Avenger
''I diavoli di Spartivento'' (also known as ''Weapons of Vengeance'', ''Weapons of War'', ''The Devils of Spartivento'', ''Arms of the Avenger'', ''Curse of the Haunted Forest'' and ''The Fighting Legions'') is a 1963 Italian adventure film direc ...
'' (1963) ''The Devils of Spartivento'', starring
John Drew Barrymore
John Drew Barrymore (born John Blyth Barrymore Jr.; June 4, 1932 – November 29, 2004) was an American film actor and member of the Barrymore family of actors, which included his father, John Barrymore, and his father's siblings, Lionel and E ...
* ''At Sword's Edge'' (1952) dir. by Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia
* ''
Attack of the Moors
''Attack of the Moors'' ( it, I Reali di Francia), also known as ''The Kings of France'', is a 1959 Italian adventure film directed by Mario Costa and starring Chelo Alonso, Rik Battaglia and Gérard Landry.
Plot
Cast
* Chelo Alonso as Sule ...
'' (1959) ''The Kings of France''
* ''Avenger of the Seven Seas'' (1961) ''Executioner of the Seas'', Richard Harrison
* ''Avenger of Venice, The'' (1963) directed by Riccardo Freda, starring Brett Halsey
* ''Balboa'' (Spanish, 1963) ''Conquistadors of the Pacific''
* ''Beatrice Cenci'' (1956) directed by Riccardo Freda
* ''Beatrice Cenci'' (1969) directed by Lucio Fulci
* ''Behind the Mask of Zorro'' (1966) ''The Oath of Zorro'', Tony Russel
* ''Black Archer, The'' (1959) Gerard Landry
* ''Black Devil, The'' (1957) Gerard Landry
* ''Black Duke, The'' (1963) Cameron Mitchell
* ''Black Eagle, The'' (1946) ''Return of the Black Eagle'', directed by Riccardo Freda
* ''Black Lancers, The'' (1962) ''Charge of the Black Lancers'', Mel Ferrer
* ''Captain from Toledo, The'' (1966)
* ''Captain of Iron, The'' (1962) ''Revenge of the Mercenaries'', Barbara Steele
* ''Captain Phantom'' (1953)
* ''Captains of Adventure'' (1961) starring Paul Muller and Gerard Landry
* ''Caribbean Hawk, The'' (1963) Yvonne Monlaur
* ''Castillian, The'' (1963) Cesare Romero, U.S./Spanish co-production
* ''Catherine of Russia'' (1962) directed by Umberto Lenzi
* ''Cavalier in Devil's Castle'' (1959) ''Cavalier of Devil's Island''
* ''Conqueror of Maracaibo, The'' (1961)
* ''The Count of Braggalone'' (1954) aka ''The Last Musketeer'', starring Georges Marchal
* ''Count of Monte Cristo, The'' (1962) Louis Jourdan
* ''Devil Made a Woman, The'' (1959) ''A Girl Against Napoleon''
* ''Devil's Cavaliers, The'' (1959) ''The Devil's Riders'', Gianna Maria Canale
* ''
Dick Turpin
Richard Turpin (bapt. 21 September 1705 – 7 April 1739) was an English highwayman whose exploits were romanticised following his execution in York for horse theft. Turpin may have followed his father's trade as a butcher ear ...
'' (1974) a Spanish production
* ''El Cid'' (1961) Sophia Loren, Charlton Heston, U.S./ Italian film shot in Italy
* ''Executioner of Venice, The'' (1963) Lex Barker, Guy Madison
* ''Fighting Musketeers, The'' (1961)
* ''Giant of the Evil Island'' (1965) ''Mystery of the Cursed Island'', Peter Lupus
* ''Goliath and the Masked Rider'' (1964) ''Hercules and the Masked Rider'', Alan Steel
* ''Guns of the Black Witch'' (1961) ''Terror of the Sea'', Don Megowan
* ''Hawk of the Caribbean'' (1963)
* ''Invincible Swordsman, The'' (1963)
* ''
The Iron Swordsman
''The Iron Swordsman'' ( it, Il conte Ugolino) is a 1949 Italian historical drama film directed by Riccardo Freda and starring Carlo Ninchi and Gianna Maria Canale. It is loosely based on real life events of Ugolino della Gherardesca.
Plot
Ugolin ...
'' (1949) ''Count Ugolino'', directed by Riccardo Freda
* ''
Ivanhoe, the Norman Swordsman
''Ivanhoe, the Norman Swordsman'' ( it, La spada normanna) is a 1971 Capa e spada film directed by Roberto Mauri.
Plot
After the death of King Henry I in 12th-century England, the throne is taken by Stephen Cunningham who claims to possess the m ...
'' (1971) ''La spada normanna'', directed by Roberto Mauri
* ''Knight of a Hundred Faces, The'' (1960) ''The Silver Knight'', starring Lex Barker
* ''Knights of Terror'' (1963) ''Terror of the Red Capes'', Tony Russel
* ''Knight Without a Country'' (1959) ''The Faceless Rider''
* ''Lawless Mountain, The'' (1953) ''La montaña sin ley'' (stars Zorro)
* ''Lion of St. Mark, The'' (1964) Gordon Scott
* ''Mark of Zorro'' (1975) made in France,
Monica Swinn
Monica Swinn, (born Monika Swuine; 19 September 1948) is a Belgian actress, best known for her roles in European softcore pornographic films of the 1970s, particularly those of the sexploitation and horror film genres. She acted in 20 of Jesús ...
* ''Mark of Zorro'' (1976)
George Hilton
* ''Masked Conqueror, The'' (1962)
* ''Mask of the Musketeers'' (1963) ''Zorro and the Three Musketeers'', starring Gordon Scott
* ''Michael Strogoff'' (1956) ''Revolt of the Tartars''
* ''
Miracle of the Wolves'' (1961) ''Blood on his Sword'', starring Jean Marais
* ''
Morgan, the Pirate
''Morgan, the Pirate'' ( it, Morgan il pirata) is a 1960 Italian-French international co-production historical adventure film, directed by André de Toth and Primo Zeglio, and starring Steve Reeves as Sir Henry Morgan, the pirate who became th ...
'' (1960) Steve Reeves
* ''Musketeers of the Sea'' (1960)
* ''Mysterious Rider, The'' (1948) directed by Riccardo Freda
* ''Mysterious Swordsman, The'' (1956) starred Gerard Landry
* ''Nephews of Zorro, The'' (1968) Italian comedy with Franco and Ciccio
* ''Night of the Great Attack'' (1961) ''Revenge of the Borgias''
* ''Night They Killed Rasputin, The'' (1960) ''The Last Czar''
* ''Nights of Lucretia Borgia, The'' (1959)
* ''Pirate and the Slave Girl, The'' (1959) Lex Barker
* ''Pirate of the Black Hawk, The'' (1958)
* ''Pirate of the Half Moon'' (1957)
* ''Pirates of the Coast'' (1960) Lex Barker
* ''Prince with the Red Mask, The'' (1955) ''The Red Eagle''
* ''Prisoner of the Iron Mask, The'' (1961) ''The Revenge of the Iron Mask''
* ''Pugni, Pirati e Karatè'' (1973) ''Fists, Pirates and Karate'', directed by Joe D'Amato, starring Richard Harrison (a 1970s Italian spoof of pirate movies)
* ''Queen of the Pirates'' (1961) ''The Venus of the Pirates'', Gianna Maria Canale
* ''Queen of the Seas'' (1961) directed by Umberto Lenzi
* ''Rage of the Buccaneers'' (1961) ''Gordon, The Black Pirate'', starring Vincent Price
* ''Red Cloak, The'' (1955) Bruce Cabot
* ''Revenge of Ivanhoe, The'' (1965) Rik Battaglia
* ''Revenge of the Black Eagle'' (1951) directed by Riccardo Freda
* ''Revenge of the Musketeers'' (1963) ''Dartagnan vs. the Three Musketeers'', Fernando Lamas
* ''Revenge of Spartacus, The'' (1965) Roger Browne
* ''Revolt of the Mercenaries'' (1961)
* ''Robin Hood and the Pirates'' (1960) Lex Barker
* ''Roland, the Mighty'' (1956) directed by Pietro Francisci
* ''Rome 1585'' (1961) ''The Mercenaries'', Debra Paget, set in the 1500s
* ''Rover, The'' (1967) ''The Adventurer'', starring Anthony Quinn
* ''
The Sack of Rome'' (1953) ''The Barbarians'', ''The Pagans'' (set in the 1500s)
* ''Samson vs. the Black Pirate'' (1963) ''Hercules and the Black Pirate'', Alan Steel
* ''Samson vs. the Pirates'' (1963) ''Samson and the Sea Beast'', Kirk Morris
* ''Sandokan Fights Back'' (1964) ''Sandokan to the Rescue'', ''The Revenge of Sandokan'', Guy Madison
* ''
Sandokan the Great
''The Pirates of Malaysia'' ( it, I pirati della Malesia) is an exotic adventure novel written by Italian author Emilio Salgari, published in 1896. It features his most famous character, Sandokan, and is a sequel to ''The Tigers of Mompracem''.
Sy ...
'' (1964) ''Sandokan, the Tiger of Mompracem'', Steve Reeves
* ''Sandokan, the Pirate of Malaysia'' (1964) ''
Pirates of Malaysia
''The Pirates of Malaysia'' is a 1964 swashbuckler directed by Umberto Lenzi and starring Steve Reeves as Sandokan the pirate. This film was a sequel to Reeve's 1963 film '' Sandokan the Great'', also directed by Lenzi. Malaysian rebel, Sandokan, ...
'', ''Pirates of the Seven Seas'', Steve Reeves, directed by Umberto Lenzi
* ''Sandokan vs. the Leopard of Sarawak'' (1964) ''Throne of Vengeance'', Guy Madison
* ''Saracens, The'' (1965) ''The Devil's Pirate'', ''The Flag of Death'', starring Richard Harrison
* ''Sea Pirate, The'' (1966) ''Thunder Over the Indian Ocean'', ''Surcouf, Hero of the Seven Seas''
* ''Secret Mark of D'artagnan, The'' (1962)
* ''Seven Seas to Calais'' (1961) ''Sir Francis Drake, King of the Seven Seas'', Rod Taylor
* ''Seventh Sword, The'' (1960) Brett Halsey
* ''Shadow of Zorro'' (1962) Frank Latimore
* ''Sign of Zorro, The'' (1952)
* ' (1963) ''Duel at the Rio Grande'',
Sean Flynn
* ''Son of Black Eagle'' (1968)
* ''Son of Captain Blood'' (1962)
* ''
Son of d'Artagnan
''The Gay Swordsman'' ( it, Il figlio di d'Artagnan) is a 1950 Italian historical adventure film directed by Riccardo Freda and starring Carlo Ninchi, Gianna Maria Canale and Franca Marzi.
Synopsis
The son of d'Artagnan, the hero of ''The Three M ...
'' (1950) directed by Riccardo Freda
* ''Son of El Cid, The'' (1965) Mark Damon
* ''Son of the Red Corsair'' (1959) ''Son of the Red Pirate'', Lex Barker
* ''Son of Zorro'' (1973)
Alberto Dell'Acqua
Alberto Dell'Acqua (born 14 March 1938) is an Italian actor and stuntman. He appeared in more than forty films since 1955 mostly Italian Spaghetti Western
The Spaghetti Western is a broad subgenre of Western films produced in Europe. It emerge ...
* ''Sword in the Shadow, A'' (1961) starring Livio Lorenzon
* ''Sword of Rebellion, The'' (1964) ''The Rebel of Castelmonte''
* ''Sword of Vengeance'' (1961) ''La spada della vendetta''
* ''Swordsman of Siena, The'' (1961) ''The Mercenary''
* ''Sword Without a Country'' (1960) ''Sword Without a Flag''
* ''Taras Bulba, The Cossack'' (1963) ''Plains of Battle''
* ''Terror of the Black Mask'' (1963) ''The Invincible Masked Rider''
* ''Terror of the Red Mask'' (1960) Lex Barker
* ''Three Swords of Zorro, The'' (1963) ''The Sword of Zorro'',
Guy Stockwell
Harry Guy Stockwell (November 16, 1933 – February 6, 2002) was an American actor who appeared in nearly 30 movies and 250 television series episodes.
Life and career
Stockwell was born in New York City, the son of singer/dancer Elizabeth "B ...
* ''Tiger of the Seven Seas'' (1963)
* ''Triumph of Robin Hood'' (1962) starring Samson Burke
* ''Tyrant of Castile, The'' (1964) Mark Damon
* ''White Slave Ship'' (1961) directed by Silvio Amadio
* ''
The White Warrior
''The White Warrior'' ( it, Agi Murad, il diavolo bianco, lit=Hadji Murad, The White Devil) is a 1959 adventure film directed by Riccardo Freda. It is loosely based on Lev Tolstoy's posthumously published 1912 novel ''Hadji Murat (novel), Hadji Mu ...
'' (1959) ''Hadji Murad, the White Devil'', Steve Reeves
* ''Women of Devil's Island'' (1962) starring
Guy Madison
* ''Zorro'' (1968) ''El Zorro'', ''Zorro the Fox'', George Ardisson
* ''
Zorro'' (1975)
Alain Delon
Alain Fabien Maurice Marcel Delon (; born 8 November 1935) is a French actor and filmmaker. He was one of Europe's most prominent actors and screen sex symbols in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. In 1985, he won the César Award for Best Actor for h ...
* ''Zorro and the Three Musketeers'' (1963)
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 ...
* ''Zorro at the Court of England'' (1969)
Spiros Focás
Spiros Focás ( el, Σπύρος Φωκάς; born 17 August 1937) is a Greek actor.
Selected filmography
* (1959) - Giannos
* (1959) - Tasos Lygos
* (1959) - Alekos
* ''Death of a Friend'' (1959) - Bruno
* (1960) - Lucio Massimo
* ''Rocco a ...
as Zorro
* ''Zorro at the Court of Spain'' (1962) ''The Masked Conqueror'', Georgio Ardisson
* ''Zorro of Monterrey'' (1971) ''El Zorro de Monterrey'', Carlos Quiney
* ''Zorro, Rider of Vengeance'' (1971) Carlos Quiney
* ''Zorro's Last Adventure'' (1970) ''La última aventura del Zorro'', Carlos Quiney
* ''Zorro the Avenger'' (1962) ''The Revenge of Zorro'',
Frank Latimore
Franklin Latimore (born Franklin Latimore Kline, September 28, 1925 – November 29, 1998) was an American actor.
Life and career
Latimore was born in Darien, Connecticut. He came from a well-to-do family, and was able to trace his lineage ba ...
* ''
Zorro the Avenger
''Zorro the Avenger'' ( es, La venganza del Zorro), a.k.a. ''The Shadow of Zorro'', is a 1962 Spanish adventure western film directed by Joaquín Luis Romero Marchent, and starring Frank Latimore, María Luz Galicia, Howard Vernon, María And ...
'' (1969) ''El Zorro justiciero'' (1969)
Fabio Testi
* ''Zorro, the Navarra Marquis'' (1969)
Nadir Moretti
The nadir (, ; ar, نظير, naẓīr, counterpart) is the direction pointing directly ''below'' a particular location; that is, it is one of two vertical directions at a specified location, orthogonal to a horizontal flat surface.
The direct ...
as Zorro
* ''Zorro the Rebel'' (1966)
Howard Ross
* ''
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 ...
'' (1963) ''Samson and the Slave Queen'' (1963) starring
Pierre Brice
Pierre-Louis Le Bris (6 February 1929 – 6 June 2015), known as Pierre Brice, was a French actor, best known as portraying fictional Apache-chief Winnetou in German films based on Karl May novels.
Life and films
Brice was born in Brest, Brit ...
,
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'' ...
Biblical
* ''
Barabbas'' (1961) Dino de Laurentiis, Anthony Quinn, filmed in Italy
* ''Bible, The'' (1966) Dino de Laurentiis, John Huston, filmed in Italy
* ''
David and Goliath'' (1960) Orson Welles
* ''Desert Desperadoes'' (1956) plot involves King Herod
* ''
Esther and the King
''Esther and the King'' ( it, Ester e il re) is a 1960 American-Italian religious epic film produced and directed by Raoul Walsh and starring Joan Collins as Esther, Richard Egan as Ahasuerus, and Denis O'Dea as Mordecai. Walsh and Michael Elkins ...
'' (1961) Joan Collins, Richard Egan
* ''Head of a Tyrant, The'' (1959)
* ''
Herod the Great
Herod I (; ; grc-gre, ; c. 72 – 4 or 1 BCE), also known as Herod the Great, was a Roman Jewish client king of Judea, referred to as the Herodian kingdom. He is known for his colossal building projects throughout Judea, including his renov ...
'' (1958) Edmund Purdom
* ''Jacob, the Man Who Fought with God'' (1964) Giorgio Cerioni
* ''Mighty Crusaders, The'' (1957) ''Jerusalem Set Free'', Gianna Maria Canale
* ''Moses the Lawgiver'' (1973) aka ''Moses in Egypt'', Burt Lancaster, Anthony Quayle (6-hour made-for-TV Italian/British co-production) also released theatrically
* ''
Old Testament, The'' (1962) Brad Harris
* ''
Pontius Pilate
Pontius Pilate (; grc-gre, Πόντιος Πιλᾶτος, ) was the fifth governor of the Roman province of Judaea, serving under Emperor Tiberius from 26/27 to 36/37 AD. He is best known for being the official who presided over the trial of J ...
'' (1962) Jean Marais
* ''
The Queen of Sheba
The Queen of Sheba ( he, מַלְכַּת שְׁבָא, Malkaṯ Šəḇāʾ; ar, ملكة سبأ, Malikat Sabaʾ; gez, ንግሥተ ሳባ, Nəgśətä Saba) is a figure first mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. In the original story, she bring ...
'' (1952), directed by
Pietro Francisci
* ''
Samson and Gideon
''Gideon and Samson'': ''Great Leaders of the Bible'' (or ''I grandi condottieri'') is a 1965 Italian historical film directed by Marcello Baldi and Francisco Pérez-Dolz. Consisting of two segments, the first half tells the story of Gideon, whi ...
'' (1965) Fernando Rey
* ''
Saul and David
Saul (; he, , ; , ; ) was, according to the Hebrew Bible, the first monarch of the United Kingdom of Israel. His reign, traditionally placed in the late 11th century BCE, supposedly marked the transition of Israel and Judah from a scattered tri ...
'' (1963) Gianni Garko
* ''Sodom and Gomorrah'' (1962) Rosanna Podesta, U.S./Italian film shot in Italy
* ''Story of Joseph and his Brethren, The'' (1960)
* ''Sword and the Cross, The'' (1958) ''Mary Magdalene'', Gianna Maria Canale
Ancient Egypt
* ''
Cleopatra's Daughter'' (1960) starring Debra Paget
* ''
Legions of the Nile
''Legions of the Nile'' ( it, Le legioni di Cleopatra, french: Les légions de Cléopâtre, es, Las legiones de Cleopatra) is an Eastmancolor 1959 Italian-French-Spanish historical epic adventure film written and directed by Vittorio Cottafavi.
...
'' (1959) starring Linda Cristal
* ''
Pharaoh's Woman, The'' (1960) with John Drew Barrymore
* ''
Queen for Caesar, A'' (1962) Gordon Scott
* ''Queen of the Nile'' (1961) ''Nefertiti'', Vincent Price
* ''
Son of Cleopatra
A son is a male offspring; a boy or a man in relation to his parents. The female counterpart is a daughter. From a biological perspective, a son constitutes a first degree relative.
Social issues
In pre-industrial societies and some current c ...
'' (1964) Mark Damon
Babylon / the Middle East
* ''
Ali Baba and the Seven Saracens'' (1962) ''Sinbad Against the 7 Saracens'', starring Gordon Mitchell
* ''
Anthar, The Invincible
''Devil of the Desert Against the Son of Hercules'' is a 1964 international co-production filmed in Algeria and directed by Anthony Dawson.
Plot summary
An evil and ambitious usurper named Ganor seizes a kingdom by assassinating the Sultan and ...
'' (1964) ''
Devil of the Desert Against the Son of Hercules
''Devil of the Desert Against the Son of Hercules'' is a 1964 international co-production filmed in Algeria and directed by Anthony Dawson.
Plot summary
An evil and ambitious usurper named Ganor seizes a kingdom by assassinating the Sultan and ...
'', starring Kirk Morris, directed by Antonio Margheriti
* ''
Desert Warrior'' (1957) ''The Desert Lovers'', Ricardo Montalban
* ''
Falcon of the Desert
''The Falcon of the Desert'' (Italian:''La magnifica sfida''/ ''The Magnificent Challenge'') is a 1965 Italy, Italian adventure film directed by Miguel Lluch.
Cast
*Kirk Morris as Kadir
*Aldo Sambrell
*Dina Loy
*Tomás Picó
*Erika Jones
*Juan ...
'' (1965) ''The Magnificent Challenge'', starring Kirk Morris
* ''
Golden Arrow, The'' (1962) directed by
Antonio Margheriti
* ''
Goliath at the Conquest of Baghdad
''Goliath at the Conquest of Damascus'' ( it, Golia alla conquista di Bagdad, lit=Goliath at the Conquest of Baghdad) is a 1965 Italian ''peplum'' film directed by Domenico Paolella.
Plot
The king of the Kurds has kidnapped the daughter of the ...
'' (1964) ''Goliath at the Conquest of Damascus'', Peter Lupus
* ''
Goliath and the Rebel Slave
''Goliath and the Rebel Slave'' ( it, Goliath e la schiava ribelle), also known as ''The Tyrant of Lydia Against the Son of Hercules'', is a 1963 Eastmancolor adventure peplum film directed by Mario Caiano.
Plot
Cast
* Gordon Scott as Goliath ...
'' (1963) ''The Tyrant of Lydia vs. The Son of Hercules'', Gordon Scott
* ''
Goliath and the Sins of Babylon'' (1963) ''Maciste, the World's Greatest Hero'', Mark Forest
* ''
Hercules and the Tyrants of Babylon
''Ercole contro i tiranni di Babilonia'' (English Translation: ''Hercules and the Tyrants of Babylon'') is a 1964 Italian sword-and-sandal film directed by Domenico Paolella and starring Peter Lupus.
Plot
Asparia, Queen of the Hellenes, has ...
'' (1964)
* ''
Hero of Babylon
''The Beast of Babylon Against the Son of Hercules'' ( it, L'eroe di Babilonia, french: Héros de Babylone, also known as ''Heroes of Babylon'', ''Hero of Babylon'' and ''Goliath, King of Slaves'') is a 1963 Italian-French peplum film written and ...
'' (1963) ''The Beast of Babylon vs. the Son of Hercules'', Gordon Scott
* ''Kindar, the Invulnerable'' (1965) Mark Forest, Rosalba Neri
* ''Missione sabbie roventi'' (''Mission Burning Sands'') (1966) starring Renato Rossini, directed by Alfonso Brescia
* ''
Red Sheik, The'' (1962)
* ''
Scheherazade
Scheherazade () is a major female character and the storyteller in the frame narrative of the Middle Eastern collection of tales known as the ''One Thousand and One Nights''.
Name
According to modern scholarship, the name ''Scheherazade'' deri ...
'' (1963) starring Anna Karina
* ''
Seven Tasks of Ali Baba, The'' (1962) ''Ali Baba and the Sacred Crown'', starring Richard Lloyd
* ''
Slave Girls of Sheba
''Slave Girls of Sheba'' ( it, Le verdi bandiere di Allah, lit=The Green Flag of Allah) is a 1963 adventure film directed by Giacomo Gentilomo and Guido Zurli.
Cast
* José Suárez: Omar
* Linda Cristal: Olivia
* Cristina Gaioni: Ursula
* ...
'' (1963) starring Linda Cristal
* ''
Slave Queen of Babylon
''Io Semiramide'' (AKA: ''I Am Semiramis'', AKA: ''Slave Queen of Babylon'', AKA: ''Duelo de Reyes'') is a 1963 film about Semiramis, a queen of the Neo-Assyrian Empire. It was directed by Primo Zeglio. The legends are in part based on the historic ...
'' (1962) Yvonne Furneaux
* ''
Son of the Sheik
''The Son of the Sheik'' is a 1926 American silent adventure/drama film directed by George Fitzmaurice and starring Rudolph Valentino and Vilma Bánky. The film is based on the 1925 romance novel ''The Sons of the Sheik'' by Edith Maude Hull, ...
'' (1961) ''Kerim, Son of the Sheik'', starring Gordon Scott
* ''
Sword of Damascus, The'' (1964) ''The Thief of Damascus''
* ''Sword of Islam, The'' (1961) a.k.a. ''Love and Faith''; an Italian/ Egyptian co-production
* ''
Thief of Baghdad, The'' (1961) Steve Reeves
* ''
War Gods of Babylon
''Le sette folgori di Assur'' (English title: ''War Gods of Babylon'') is a 1962 Italian film set in ancient Mesopotamia, which anachronistically portrays several figures as contemporaries who historically lived hundreds of years apart.
Plot
Mir ...
'' (1962) ''The Seventh Thunderbolt''
* ''
Wonders of Aladdin, The'' (1961) Donald O'Connor
The second peplum wave: the 1980s
After the peplum gave way to the
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 ...
and
Eurospy films in 1965, the genre lay dormant for close to 20 years. Then in 1982, the box-office successes of
Jean-Jacques Annaud
Jean-Jacques Annaud (; born 1 October 1943) is a French film director, screenwriter and producer, best known for directing ''Quest for Fire'' (1981), ''The Name of the Rose'' (1986), '' The Bear'' (1988), '' The Lover'' (1992), '' Seven Years in ...
's ''
Quest for Fire ''Quest for Fire'' may refer to:
* ''The Quest for Fire'', a 1911 novel by J. H. Rosny
* ''Quest for Fire'' (film), a 1981 film adaptation of the 1911 novel
* "Quest for Fire", a song by Iron Maiden from 1983's ''Piece of Mind''
* ''Quest for Fir ...
'' (1981),
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger (born July 30, 1947) is an Austrian and American actor, film producer, businessman, retired professional bodybuilder and politician who served as the 38th governor of California between 2003 and 2011. ''Time'' ...
's ''
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) and ''
Clash of the Titans (1981 film)'' (1981) spurred a second renaissance of
sword and sorcery
Sword and sorcery (S&S) is a subgenre of fantasy characterized by sword-wielding heroes engaged in exciting and violent adventures. Elements of romance, magic, and the supernatural are also often present. Unlike works of high fantasy, the tale ...
Italian pepla in the five years immediately following. Most of these films had low budgets, focusing more on barbarians and pirates so as to avoid the need for expensive Greco-Roman sets. The filmmakers tried to compensate for their shortcomings with the addition of some graphic gore and nudity. Many of these 1980s entries were helmed by noted Italian horror film directors (
Joe D'Amato,
Lucio Fulci,
Luigi Cozzi, etc.) and many featured actors
Lou Ferrigno,
Miles O'Keeffe
Miles O'Keeffe (born June 20, 1954) is an American film and television actor. O'Keeffe got his first big break playing the title role in the 1981 version of '' Tarzan, the Ape Man''.
Youth
O'Keeffe was born in Ripley, Tennessee. A star footb ...
and
Sabrina Siani
Sabrina Siani (born Sabrina Seggiani in Rome, 1963) is an Italian film actress. She also used pseudonyms such as Sabrina Sellers and Sabrina Syan. She starred in numerous films, mostly violent cannibal films and sexy barbarian "sword-and-sandal" m ...
. Here is a list of the 1980s pepla:
* ''Adam and Eve'' (1983) ''Adamo ed Eva, la prima storia d'amore'', contains stock footage from ''One Million Years B.C.'' (1966)
* ''
Ator, the Fighting Eagle
''Ator, the Fighting Eagle'' ( it, Ator l'invincibile; translated: "Ator the Invincible") is a 1982 Italian adventure- fantasy film directed by Joe D'Amato, and the first film to feature the character Ator (played by Miles O'Keeffe).
Plot
As th ...
'' (1983) ''Ator the Invincible'', starring
Miles O'Keeffe
Miles O'Keeffe (born June 20, 1954) is an American film and television actor. O'Keeffe got his first big break playing the title role in the 1981 version of '' Tarzan, the Ape Man''.
Youth
O'Keeffe was born in Ripley, Tennessee. A star footb ...
and
Sabrina Siani
Sabrina Siani (born Sabrina Seggiani in Rome, 1963) is an Italian film actress. She also used pseudonyms such as Sabrina Sellers and Sabrina Syan. She starred in numerous films, mostly violent cannibal films and sexy barbarian "sword-and-sandal" m ...
, directed by
Joe D'Amato
* ''Ator 2:
The Blade Master'' (1985) ''Cave Dwellers'', starring Miles O'Keefe, directed by Joe D'Amato
* ''
Ator 3: Iron Warrior'' (1986) ''Iron Warrior'', starring Miles O'Keeffe, directed by
Alfonso Brescia
Alfonso Brescia (6 January 1930 – 6 June 2001) was an Italian film director. Brescia began working in film against his father's wishes, and eventually directed his first film '' Revolt of the Praetorians'' in 1964. Brescia worked in several gen ...
(Joe D'Amato disowned this entry in the ''Ator'' saga, since it was done without his involvement)
* ''
Ator 4: Quest for the Mighty Sword'' (1989) ''
Quest for the Mighty Sword'', starring
Eric Allan Kramer
Eric Allan Kramer (born March 26, 1962) is an American actor and fight choreographer. Kramer has appeared in numerous feature films and television programs including ''True Romance'' and '' Robin Hood: Men in Tights'' and is also known for his ...
(as the son of Ator),
Laura Gemser and
Marisa Mell
Marisa Mell (born Marlies Theres Moitzi; 24 February 1939 – 16 May 1992) was an Austrian actress. Typecast as a femme fatale in European arthouse and genre films, she is best regarded for her performances as Eva Kant in Mario Bava's critically ...
, directed by Joe D'Amato
* ''
Barbarian Master
''The Sword of the Barbarians'' ( it, Sangraal, la spada di fuoco/ ''Sangraal, the Sword of Fire'') is a 1982 sword and sorcery film written and directed by Michele Massimo Tarantini and starring Peter McCoy and Sabrina Siani. The film is als ...
'' (1984) ''Sangraal, the Sword of Fire'', ''
Sword of the Barbarians
''The Sword of the Barbarians'' ( it, Sangraal, la spada di fuoco/ ''Sangraal, the Sword of Fire'') is a 1982 sword and sorcery film written and directed by Michele Massimo Tarantini and starring Peter McCoy and Sabrina Siani. The film is als ...
'', starring
Sabrina Siani
Sabrina Siani (born Sabrina Seggiani in Rome, 1963) is an Italian film actress. She also used pseudonyms such as Sabrina Sellers and Sabrina Syan. She starred in numerous films, mostly violent cannibal films and sexy barbarian "sword-and-sandal" m ...
* ''
The Barbarians'' (1987) ''The Barbarians and Company'', semi-comedy starring Peter and David Paul, directed by
Ruggero Deodato
* ''
The Cantabrians'' (1980) ''Los Cantabros'', directed by
Paul Naschy
Paul Naschy (born Jacinto Molina Álvarez, September 6, 1934 – November 30, 2009) was a Spanish film actor, screenwriter, and director working primarily in horror films. His portrayals of numerous classic horror figures— The Wolfman, ...
in Spain
* ''Conqueror of the World'' (1983) ''I padroni del mondo'' / ''Fathers of the World'', ''Master of the World'' (a barbarian movie set in prehistoric times) directed by Alberto Cavallone
* ''
Conquest
Conquest is the act of military subjugation of an enemy by force of arms.
Military history provides many examples of conquest: the Roman conquest of Britain, the Mauryan conquest of Afghanistan and of vast areas of the Indian subcontinent, t ...
'' (1983) ''Conquest of the Lost Land'', starring Sabrina Siani, directed by
Lucio Fulci
* ''
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 ...
'' (1983) starring
Lou Ferrigno and
Sybil Danning, directed by
Luigi Cozzi
* ''
Hercules 2'' (1984) ''The Adventures of Hercules'', starring Lou Ferrigno, directed by Luigi Cozzi
* ''
Hundra
''Hundra'' is a 1983 Italian-American-Spanish fantasy film co-written and directed by Matt Cimber and starring Laurene Landon.
Plot
Hundra belongs to a tribe of Amazons. She is the only tribe member of her age who has never been with a man. ...
'' (1983) Italian/ Spanish Conan ripoff directed by
Matt Cimber[http://www.tcm.turner.com/tcmdb/title/78700/Hundra/. ]
* ''The Invincible Barbarian'' (1982) ''Gunan, the Warrior'', ''Gunan, King of the Barbarians'', starring Sabrina Siani, directed by Franco Prosperi
* ''Ironmaster (film), Ironmaster'' (1983) ''The War of Iron'', co-starring Luigi Montefiori, directed by
Umberto Lenzi
* ''The Seven Magnificent Gladiators'' (1983) starring Lou Ferrigno and
Dan Vadis
* ''She (1982 film), She'' (1982) starring Sandahl Bergman and
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 ...
* ''Sinbad of the Seven Seas'' (1988) starring Lou Ferrigno, directed by Luigi Cozzi
* ''Thor, the Conqueror'' (1983) directed by Tonino Ricci
* ''The Throne of Fire (film), The Throne of Fire'' (1983) starring Sabrina Siani, directed by Franco Prosperi
* ''Yor, the Hunter from the Future'' (1983) starring Reb Brown, directed by
Antonio Margheriti (a barbarian film that has science fiction elements in the story)
A group of so-called "porno peplum" films were devoted to Roman emperors, especially - but not only - to Caligula and Claudius' spouse Messalina:
* ''Caligula (film), Caligula'' (1979) directed by Tinto Brass
* ''A Filha de Calígula'' (1981) directed by Ody Fraga
* ''Caligula and Messalina'' (1981) directed by Bruno Mattei
* ''My Nights with Messalina'' (1982) directed by Jaime J. Puig
* ''Nerone and Poppea'' (1982) directed by Bruno Mattei
* ''Caligula... The Untold Story'' (1982) directed by Joe D'Amato
* ''Orgies of Caligula'' (1984) ''Caligula's Slaves'', ''Roma, l'antica chiave dei sensi''
See also
* Cinema of Italy
*
Greco-Roman antiquity
Classical antiquity (also the classical era, classical period or classical age) is the period of cultural history between the 8th century BC and the 5th century AD centred on the Mediterranean Sea, comprising the interlocking civilizations of ...
*
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
* The Bible in film
References
Further reading
* Diak, Nicholas, editor. ''The New Peplum: Essays on Sword and Sandal Films and Television Programs Since the 1990s''. McFarland and Company, Inc. 2018.
* Richard Dyer: "The White Man's Muscles" in R. Dyer: ''White'': London: Routledge: 1997:
* David Chapman: ''Retro Studs: Muscle Movie Posters from Around the World'': Portland: Collectors Press: 2002:
* Hervé Dumont, ''L'Antiquité au cinéma. Vérités, légendes et manipulations'' (Nouveau-Monde, 2009; )
* Florent Fourcart, ''Le Péplum italien (1946–1966) : Grandeur et décadence d'une antiquité populaire'' (2012, CinExploitation; )
* Maggie Gunsberg: "Heroic Bodies: The Culture of Masculinity in Peplums" in M. Gunsberg: ''Italian Cinema: Gender and Genre'': Houndsmill: Palgrave Macmillan: 2005:
* Patrick Lucanio, ''With Fire and Sword: Italian Spectacles on American Screens, 1958–1968'' (Scarecrow Press, 1994; )
* Irmbert Schenk: "The Cinematic Support to Nationalist(ic) Mythology: The Italian Peplum 1910–1930" in Natascha Gentz and Stefan Kramer (eds.) ''Globalization, Cultural Identities and Media Representations'' Albany, NY: State University of New York Press: 2006:
* Stephen Flacassier: "Muscles, Myths and Movies": Rabbit's Garage: 1994 :
External links
; Films
''The Avenger''by Georgia Rivalta.
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 ...
stars as Aeneas.
''Hercules Unchained''(
Pietro Francisci, director.)
''The Giant of Metropolis''(starring
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 ...
; Umberto Scarpelli, director)
''Hercules and the Tyrants of Babylon''(Domenico Paolella, dir.)
; Images and discussion
''The Many Faces of Hercules'' at Brian's Drive-In TheatrePEPLVM - Images de l'Antiquité, par Michel Eloy(in French)
Cinéma & Histoire: L'Antiquité au Cinéma(in French), by Hervé Dumont.
Vincent Price, B Movies, Film Noir, Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Peter Cushing,Christopher Lee,Barbara Steele,horror,sci-fi,B westerns,sword & sandal(source of peplum DVD's)
Something Weird Video(source of peplum DVD's)
Santo And Friends(filmography of Mexican muscleman films)
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Film genres
Historical fiction
Peplum films,
Italian films by genre
20th century in Italy
Fantasy genres
Classical antiquity in modern art and culture
Sword and sandal,