User Reviews

This middling peplum is one of a myriad genre efforts which American actor Cameron Mitchell appeared in throughout the 1960s. As was the custom, the Italian names in the credits were Anglicized for the foreign market – sometimes comically so with, for instance, Lucky Stetson as cinematographer (even the director became Ferdy Baldwin)! Incidentally, the film is a German-Italian co-production – and the cast, apart from the obligatory American star, includes performers from both these countries (with a Rutger Hauer lookalike for the German villain, an allegedly legendary historical character, Antonella Lualdi – from Vittorio Cottafavi's splendid THE 100 HORSEMEN [1964] – as his lover and, again, a German actress providing Mitchell's tentative romantic interest).

The plot – to say nothing of the wintry settings – recalls THE FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE (1964), one of Hollywood's finest spectacles from this era; the result is equally glum and, similarly, features an ominous score atypical of the genre. The film, then, is highlighted by two spectacular (if uninspired) battle sequences – the first depicting the titular ambush by the Barbarians, and the other being the Romans' elaborate retaliation.

In the first half of the first century A.D., the Teutonic tribes join against the ruthles invader . After the famous defeat of Varus in ¨The Massacre in the Black Forest¨ that caused a big threat to the Roman Empire , because regarding the brutal uprising of Arminius the Terrible from Queruscos tribe ,a tough warrior who is so brutal and terrible who became a legend . Arminius vanquished Varo and his army , defeated in Teoteburg Woods . Then is assigned Tribune Consul Aulus Sessina , Cameron Mitchell, to vanquish Arminius , Hans Von Borsody , who massacred the Roman Army . While Arminius becomes a legend throughout the empire , provoking a general rebellion against Roman domination , as he rallies his people and tribes when they are threatened by an powerful Roman army commanded by Sessina . As Cameron Mitchell is sent by the Senate high hiearchy to subdue the invader German tribes and halt the murderous uprisings . At the beginning he tries to gain an allegiance from the rebel tribes , but subsequently Sessina attempts to stifle the upheaval at whatever means . Pursuing some Teuton barbarian fugitives and after a bitter battle , Marcus captures the daughter (Antonella Lualdi) of a Barbarian chief together with a number of women hostages. Meantime , Arminius massacres several Romans and has laid many traps against the cruel and conquering Roman Empire.

¨Massacre in the Black Forest¨ is a ¨sword and sandals¨ movie with action , adventures , fighting , blood curdling battles , duels and based on legendary deeds as well as historical events . Here there is romance , and blood curdling battles, as the barbarian tribes led by Arminius The Terrible and Roman Legions fight a violent war . This is a fairly Sword and Sandals standard from the 60s . It's made middling scale with some spectacular scenes staged with a lot of extras and in Peplum style . It concerns Consul Sessina and Arminus and their wars each other , including feats , fights , political events , betrayal , wars and lovers . Although the deeds described are historically inaccurate , some events are vivid and authentic , including a brutal war of attrition against Roman Legions . The action is regularly done and the story occasionally drags , however to be liked for hardcore Peplum lovers. Professionally played by Cameron Mitchell , Beba Loncar , Peter Carsten , Remo De Angelis , with nice technician experts , as cameraman : Riccardo Plalottini and as composer : Carlos Savina and filmmaker , Ferdinando Baldi or Freddy Baldwyn . ¨Massacre in the black forest¨ dealt with the German the tribes, led by Arminius The Terrible played by Hans Von Borsody , against the cruel and conquering Roman Empire led by Cameron Mitchell , this film is made in similar style to ¨In the Shadow of the Eagles¨ , a poor sequel to set in the first half of the first century A.D. , and after the death of a great emperor : Octavian Augustus , in Rome governs his successor : emperor Tiberio , then the rebellious Teutonic populations of Illyria and Pannonia . Both of them were shot at the same time , with similar artistic team , as actors . Stars Cameron Mitchell who gives a passable intepretation , he was an American prolific actor who started working in Hollywood : Carousel , They were expendable , Flight to Mars , and he then emigrated Italy where he played all kinds of genres , as he performed Western : Minnesota Clay , Tension at Table Rock , Last gun , Texas detour , Rebel rousers , The Andersonville trial , Ride in the whirlwind ; Adventure : Conquest of the Normands , Knives of the avenger , Julius Caesar the conqueror , Escapade in Japan , Desiree, and Terror : Slaughter , Blood and black lace , Toolbox murders , Nightmare in wax museum , Frankenstein island , The demon , Blooklink , Medusa , Haunts , Autopsy of a ghost , among others .

The motion picture in medium budget was regularly realized by Ferdinando Baldi . Direction by Ferdinando Baldi is middlingly crafted, here he is more slow and violent and packs too much dialogue , as well as some battle scenes . Baldi makes a passable camera work , including spectacular fighting , and brief masses movements . Baldi was a craftsman who directed all kind genres as Peplum and adventure : ¨Horaci and Curiazi¨ ,¨The Son of Cleopatra¨, ¨ David and Goliat¨, ¨Duel selvaggi a corte¨ , ¨Taras Bulba il Cosacco¨, ¨Pirates of the Green Island¨, ¨Pedro il Cruel¨ , but especially Western such as "Carambola's Philosophy: In the Right Pocket" , "Django, Prepare a Coffin" , ¨Adios Texas¨ , ¨Rita in the West¨ , ¨The stranger¨, ¨Get mean¨and of course ¨Il Pistolero dell'Ave Maria" or USA original title "Forgotten Pistolero" at his best . Massacre in the black forest (1966) is an uneven story, but will appeal to Peplum aficionados . Rating : 6, riotous Peplum in which there's too much dialog , action and battles and excitement enough .

Better-than-average Italian epic, considering that the average doesn't mean too much in this case. Rebel Germans, so-called barbarians, fight against the Roman Empire. Their leader, played by American actor Cameron Mitchell, is a former member of the Roman army. The film, also known as "Massacre in the Black Forest", has two long, violent battle sequences which are not bad (although you can see the same scenes repeatedly) and a surprisingly introspective, maybe shakespearean scene with Caesar pondering over power and glory, the meaning of life, or something like that. Another advantage: as the story is set in the winter, you don't have to see Roman warriors fighting in mini-skirts. Here they wear pants and it helps a lot...

The versions of this film I have are the Italian (Massacro della foresta nera) and U.S. (Massacre in the Black Forest). They differ in that not only is the US version dubbed in English, but the title and credits are in English as well. I have read elsewhere that the "Hermann der Cherusker..." titled version is actually a compilation of this and another film, "In the Shadow of the Eagles." But I digress...

Cameron Mitchell does not play the part of Arminius as the prior commenter states. That part is played by Hans von Barsody. Cameron Mitchell plays the Roman Consul Sessina...and he broods his way through from beginning to end. Maybe the attitude was borne of being stuck making films in Italy.

The production tries very hard to be epic and huge, but...no. Yes, there are lots of guys riding around on horses, and some of these scenes look big. But much of the soundtrack reminds one of an episode of Aesop's Fables (or is that Fractured Fairy Tales?) from the Rocky and Bullwinkle Show. And while the story of Arminius' massacre involved the slaughter of thousands of Roman soldiers, the actual depiction of that battle here in the flick doesn't seem to involve more than a couple dozen guys at best.

Still, anyone who knows the tale of Arminius will get a kick out of this film...if you can lay your hands on it. I rate the film a 7 just because it exists. If I were intellectually honest, it's closer to a 3-4.

This is actually one of the best Peplum films, although very late, maybe one of the last if not the very last. It tells the story of Arminius (Hermann) who rose in rank among the Romans as a great fighter and then chose to abandon his Roman career to return to his wild Germans and lead them against the Romans, not forgiving the Romans the racist humiliations he had suffered among them for not being a Roman. He successfully carries out the great slaughter of the Roman army at Teutoburgerwald, a Roman military defeat that Augustus never got over; and although the Romans eventually prevailed, the Germans ultimately overran the Roman Empire. In this very militant epic is involved a few love stories as well, the character Epamione being a key figure and the most interesting actor (not included in the cast), whose daughter Livia is a blonde beauty loved by the Roman consul Aulus Cecinus (Cameron Mitchell, very convincing as an honest Roman), while Antonella Lualdi is Herman's wife Thusnelda. The music by Carlo Savina is outstanding and adds to the general beauty of the film, which is well made, especially the first half, until the grandiose battle scenes take over for the grand finale. It's an interesting effort to bring to life a historical chapter that hardly ever has been filmed before, and the result is thoroughly convincing and satisfactory, especially regarding the clothes. It's not on par with the great epic blockbusters like Ben Hur and the King of Kings, but it is definitely worth watching, especially for one who is historically interested.