User Reviews

His is an average peplum dealing with Hercules attempting to keep peace and justice by combating an usurper Philip the Arab with a beautiful princess called Ulpia in the mix . This mythological movie is plenty of adventures , emotions , thrills , atmospheric settings and colorful scenarios well photographed . Don't expecting too much accuracy at the adventure/fantasy flick , as we get to watch a light and simple low-middle-budgeted Peplum or ¨swords and sandals¨ movie with the corpulent Alan Steel, or Sergio Ciani , accompanied by a multitude of Italian B-big name support cast such as : Mimmo Palmara , Livio Lorenzon , Daniele Vargas , Carlo Tamberlani , Wandisa Guida , Nello Pazzafini , Sal Borgese , among others . As the mighty Hercules (Alan Steel) to free the Roman Empire from an oppressive , evil ruler and surely all who stand in his way . As Hercules to keep wits and strength about him when he is deceived by astute traitors and imprisoned into dark undergrounds dungeons . In this rarely seen muscle epic , set in the reign of the gordians in which Hercules helped by Lucio Traiano (Mimmo Palmara) and friends , all of them take part in a battle royal against a heinous usurping king , as the latter killed an elderly Gordian to take the throne . This time the hero known as Hercules (renamed Samson for Americans) runs head-on into the forces of a cruel tyrant (Daniele Vargas ) who has thrown-out a King (Carlo Tamberlani) and ruled over the capital , a city called Ravena , along the way falling in love for a princess Ulpia (Wandisa Guisa) , to retrieve her throne . All the usual comes into play as the bad guys are eventually subdued . As Hercules survives long enough to battle a villainous in a final fighting .

This moving Peplum contains emotion , noisy action sequences incorporating breathtaking fights , spectacular battles with lots of sword-wielding warriors , court intrigue and many other things . There's a bit more intentional humor with tongue-firmly-in-cheek than usual in this Peplum opus . This is an ordinary spaghetti , myth-opera with noisy action , love , battles and luxurious landscapes . There was used sets left over from other films taking parts here and there of other Peplums , especially on the battle scenes in the end .The movie has not mythological accuracy neither expecting historical , as these events took place in Parthia border not in Ravenna , that's why the actual Philip the Arab murdered in reality Gordian III who was just a mere boy 14 years old back in 244 ad. It stars Sergio Ciani , a hunk man who made lots of roman epic films , also called ¨Musclemen movies¨. Sergio's luck changed when an Italian producer persuaded him to play Peplums similarly to Steve Reeves , who really paved the way for others actors to seek their fame and fortune in Italy playing bouncing adventurers . Other stars by the time on this type of movies are the followings : Mark Forest , Gordon Mitchell , Dan Vadis , Reg Park , Brad Harris , Samson Burke , Richard Harrison , Rock Stevens and Kirk Morris . Nobody, nevertheless , topped Steve Reeves in popularity , though Gordon Scott made him a important competence . Alan Steel started off his beefcake run off as a body double for Reeves in both the "Hercules" sequel ¨Hercules Unchained¨ (1959) and in ¨Giant of Marathon¨ (1959) , in which he also had bit roles . Within a couple of years Steel was posing front-and-center as Herk himself and entering in the star-system based on pumped-up heroes playing ¨Sansone or Samson¨ (1961) , opposite another physique-minded American import , Brad Harris in the title role . On numerous occasions Steel was asked to play the legendary Greek hero , as well as the equally well-built demigods Samson and Ursus, even though the film titles often fused (or confused) them in their titles . Steel starred as ¨Hercules in Ercole Contro Roma or Hercules Against Rome¨ (1964) , ¨Hercules Against the Moon Men¨ (1964) , ¨Sansone Contro Il Corsaro Nero or Hercules and the Black Pirate¨ (1964) , and ¨Hercules and the Treasure of the Incas¨ (1964) , the second movie mentioned being one of the only spectacles to actually incorporate science fiction into the genre. In contrast , his Hercules serves as a mere sidekick in the Zorro-like spectacle ¨Golia e Il Cavaliere Mascherato or Hercules and the Masked Rider¨ (1963) starring Ettore Manni . In addition , he performed Ursus , ¨Il Gladiatore Ribelle or Ursus , the Rebel Gladiator¨ (1962) opposite Dan Vadis . He also played the supporting role of Kaldos in ¨Rocha , son of Samson or The Fury of Hércules¨ (1962) when it was Brad Harris' turn to play the title role , and ¨Samson and his mighty challenge¨ (1964) . By mid-decade the Herculean phase had faded away and Steel went on, unlike others peplum stars, to other film styles such as dramas , thrillers , horror, oaters , even comedies and he eventually moved into Spaghetti Western and spies . In the late 1960s he and fellow movie musclemen Kirk Morris and Gordon Mitchell served up "spaghetti westerns" entitled ¨Sapevano Solo Uccidere¨ (1968) and ¨Fast hand¨ (1973). The film benefits itself from an acceptable secondary cast , full of familiar faces such as Carlo Tamberlani , Nello Pazzafini , Sal Borgese , Attilio Dotessio , Balsamo , Guarneri , and three gorgeous Eurotrash actresses as Wandisa Guisa and Dina De Santis. In spite of mediocre interpretations , the acting honors go to Daniele Vargas as Filippo Afro , the nasty usurper and Livio Lorenzo as his hoodlum Mansurio .

Colorful cinematography in Eastmancolor , TotalScope 16 mm by Augusto Tiezzi , shot on location in Lacio , Rome and Elios Studios . Atmospheric and evocative Original music by Angelo Francesco Lavagnino who composed lots of Peplums and Spaghettis . The film was regular but professionally directed by Piero Pierotti . Piero continued to realize films in the historical-spectacular style , at which he developed an acceptable skill and mastery . He was a professional filmmaker , a craftsman who directed all kind of genres , and especially adventure and Peplum movie . Pierotti wrote/directed : ¨Zorro¨, ¨Hércules against Rome¨ , "Giant of the Evil Island" , ¨Rome against Rome¨, ¨Sansone Contro Il Corsaro Nero¨, ¨Erik the conqueror¨, ¨Pedro El Cruel¨, ¨Golia e Il Cavaliere Mascherato¨ , ¨Marco Polo¨ and many others . Rating 4,5/10 , passable though mediocre .

Sandals film with Sergio Ciani

Piero Pierotti (1912-1970) directed this Italian-French film. The script was written by Hungarian Arpad De Riso (1909-1983), who wrote countless scripts for a wide variety of Italian films. It was produced by Romana Film by Fortunato Misiano (1899-1976), who also financed "Caterina di Russia / Catherine of Russia" (1963) with Hildegard Knef and "Le calde notti di Poppea / Poppaea - Empress of the Gladiators" (1969) with Olga Schoberova and Brad Harris.

The story takes place during the time of Emperor Gordianus III (238-244), who resided in Ravenna, although the city only became the main residence of the Western Roman emperors from 402 to 476. However, you shouldn't expect historical accuracy from a sandal film.

When the market of a small village is brutally attacked, the extremely strong blacksmith Ercole (Sergio Ciani) successfully comes to the aid of the hopelessly inferior villagers around the brave Darius (Alberto Cevenini). He learns that there are big problems in his hometown of Ravenna. Without further ado, he visits his sister Arminia (Dina De Santis), who works as a maid for the beautiful emperor's daughter Ulpia (Wandisa Guida, born in 1935, acts as charming as usual). In fact, Emperor Gordianus (Carlo Tamberlani) is murdered by the sinister Mansurio (Livio Lorenzon) at the instigation of his opponent Philipp (Daniele Vargas). While escaping the palace, Ulpia suffers such a severe shock that she loses her memory. She only regains her memory while caring for her injured fiancé Lucius Trajanus (Mimmo Palmara), who was injured on the way to Pannonia, but is then kidnapped through an intrigue by the devious Rhodius (Andrea Aureli). Only at the last second is Ercole, who has had to endure many battles, able to save the fragile beauty from a forced marriage to the usurper.

The plot is relatively confusing and unnecessarily complicated. The great thing about the film is that Sergio Ciani (1935-2015), who started out as Hercules' Steve Reeves' double and second fiddle to Brad Harris in his Sandals films, has a lot of great fight scenes. Lucilius' (Tullio Altamura) tavern also collapses. Sometimes it gets surprisingly brutal, as the muscle-bound warrior throws his anvil at an opponent who is already lying on the ground. It was definitely something special that an Italian bodybuilder like Ciani was allowed to play leading roles that were otherwise filled with American or at least English-speaking muscle men for better marketing reasons. After the end of the Peplum wave of success, Sergio Ciani also played in the Milanese Piccolo Teatro of the successful theater director Giorgio Strehler, where the recently deceased Italian singer Milva was one of his great colleagues.

Mimmo Palmara (1928-2016), who, as a veteran of the Italian sandal film, had already appeared in front of the camera alongside Steve Reeves, Brad Harris and Reg Park, was also able to continue his film career after the end of the golden Peplum era. Nello Pazzafini and Sal Borgese (also seen in the Dudu films) are there in smaller roles as opponents who are easy to beat up, and they were given many a beating in later Bud Spencer films.

Certainly not the most important sandal film from the Italian series production, but definitely worth seeing because of the many fight scenes!

This is a worthy peplum dealing with the reign of the gordians and their successor Philip the arab with Hercules in the mix. don't expect much accuracy as we get to see that Philip the arab killed an elderly Gordian to take the throne while in reality Gordian III was just a mere boy 14 years old back in 244 ad. his two elderly gordians relatives were put to death by 238 AD . also these events took place in Parthia border not in Ravenna but u know peplum films are more fiction than real events. anyhow even the mention of the gordians and Philip the arab for the first time in a film is enough to watch this film and the inclution of....Hercules is a lot of fan. a decent peplum which is worth by it's low standards to be in your dvd collection. there are beautiful women and a bunch of roman politics in the mix. sadly there is no English dvd audio so u have to see this in a dvd-r or in you tube if u don't know Italian or Spanish audio.

A childhood friend enlists Hercules to protect the Roman Emperor Gordiano, who is in danger from his own mutinous Praetorian Guards. By the time the hero reaches Italy and the temporary Roman capital of Ravenna, the guards have already murdered the mild and scholarly Emperor, replacing him with their chief officer Filippo Afro. Gordiano's daughter Ulpia faces the prospect of marrying Filippo's worthless son Rezio, linking the usurper to the imperial family. Hercules undertakes to set the situation right, rescuing Ulpia and helping the great Roman general Lucio Trajano Decio seize the throne.

Alan Steel stars as Hercules, tackling crooked emperor who usurped the previous one who was a good guy. It's decent enough, though a little routine and complicated in parts. But some spirited action - Steel is quite physical in the sword fighting stakes - keeps thing bubbling. Plus there's some nice looking women. There's a bit of humour in the form of the idiotic son of the villain who wants him to marry the emperor's daughter.

For its time, this must have been a slightly bigger production for the genre (péplum), with hundreds of extras involved in battle scenes, and perhaps a higher budget than the usual moneys assigned to these projects. Unfortunately it is partially betrayed by the little charm of Sergio Ciani (aka Alan Steel) as Hercules --although he is more than physically adequate for the title role--, and almost ruined by a romantic subplot involving a young girl (Erika, played by Simonetta Simeoni) infatuated with the hero Otherwise, it is the usual fun found in any of these Italian epic fluffs, this time with a score by maestro Angelo Francesco Lavagnino.