MovieChat Forums > Ercole e la regina di Lidia (1960) Discussion > My favorite Peplum Film!

My favorite Peplum Film!

posted 20 years ago by clh-1
4 replies | jump to latest

I love the sword and sandal films of the late fifties and early sixties (they are called peplums). My favorite of the actors to star in these films os former Mr. America and Mr. Universe Steve Reeves. He is frequently credited with starting the whole genre when he starred in the mega-success Hercules (American Title). It launched his career and launched a movie fad that lasted for nearly a decade. He actually topped the first with this sequel which as one of the few examples of a the second being better than the first.
Sorry to break it to all of the Arnold, Stallone, Rock, and even the Lou Ferrigno fans out there, but if it weren't for Steve doing this in the fifties, then they wouldn't have been there in the seventies to present. In fact Arnold, Sly, and Lou all credit Steve as one of their major inspirations to get buff. So go to the store, get a copy of the DVD, take it home, make some refreshments, put the DVD in the player, sit down with your refreshments, get comfy, press the play button on your remote, and pay a little homage to the man who started it all with his best movie in what is actually a pretty good movie genre.

Your oppinions are always welcome and valid.
God Bless!

[–] Skye_Reynolds 17 years ago

Steve Reeves did pave the way for Arnold, Stallone, and the like. His film also brought about the peplum craze that made up 1/10 of all Italian cinema between 1958 and 1965. He also the look for the part. You had guys like Mark Forest and Reg Park who went on to play Hercules and Maciste, but Steeve Reeves was the one guy you could look at and say "That is Hercules." With everyone else, it was clear that they were simply playing Hercules. Even so, I think that Gordon Scott was a better Hercules actor. His acting was less wooden and, while he was every bit as muscular as Reeves, he was also light on his feet. The boxing exhibition in "Hercules and the Princess of Troy" showcased a level of agility unparalleled within the genre. The only problem with him as Hercules is that he didn't quite look the part in the same way that Hercules did. Then again, it may very well be because he was the first one to play the part and no one else.

As for Hercules Unchained, while I enjoyed the battle with Anteas, the duel between the rival brothers, and the beautiful women, I have to admit that it is a large step down from the first one and that was never a four star film to begin with. Really, however, none of the Italio-Franco films of the peplum era really stood out as head and shoulders above the rest. Some were more entertaining than others, but there was never really the yard stick by which they were measured. Every Hercules, Ursus, Goliath, and Maciste actor was compared to Reeves, whose name would forever be the first to come to mind in regards to the sword and sandal genre, but there was never a single film which was the definitive best in the genre.

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"Attempted murder? Now honestly, what is that? Do they give a Nobel Prize for attempted chemistry?"

[–] Boromir007 16 years ago

My favourite is Attila (1954) by Pietro Francisci with Anthony Quinn. There are some other nice films in the genre, I have found this one somewhere so I am going to give it a try very soon.

Martha? Rubbing alcohol for you?
Richard Burton, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf ? (1966)

[–] estebanelgato 16 years ago

Has anyone else noticed that "Omphale" means "navel" in Greek?

[–] phatpaidx 13 years ago

I had known of these genres of movies my whole .. But I never actually sat and watched one of them til tonight. Definetly entertained the whole way thru. I even popped in a 2nd one called Hercules and the captive women... Also highly entertaining.

Now i'm on here reading the threads and going ah yes there's alot more I need to see now. Good stuff and glad I finally got to watching some