Reviews

Certainly one of the more obscure adaptations, here is a film that may be overlooked by even the most thorough film scholar. It takes place shortly after the Third Crusade. While returning home from the war, King Richard the Lionhearted is captured by the Germans and held for ransom. While he is being imprisoned, his conniving brother, Prince John, takes control of the regency and plans to oust Richard from the throne. Meanwhile, Robin Hood and his men are trying to collect enough money to get their king back from the Germans. However, the evil sheriff of Nottingham, Baron Elwin, attempts to stop them. Various plots and sub-plots abound in this film, which is very good at times. The only drawback I can think of is its annoying slapstick elements, which seem to detract from the overall enjoy-ability of the film; albeit, not too much!

This film is an historical adventure/drama, which takes place in Europe in 1855. It concerns a fugitive (Fernando Lamas) who is on the run after killing someone. While in hiding, he is discovered by a band of outlaws, who force him to become an accomplice to their crimes. After he saves a beautiful young woman from one of their indiscretions, the gang vows revenge against him, and he and the boss of the outlaws duel in an old barn. This is a film that certainly deserves to be seen by serious fans of the genre.

Obscure thriller, concerning a couple who meet in Egypt under strange circumstances, and end up having to hide a dead body. Not only that, but someone is trying to kill them also. As an extra twist, it seems that during an archaeological expedition, some cases of gold were stolen, and now the thief is attempting to cover up his crime.

After a strange amulet is stolen during a voodoo ceremony, the mouldering corpses of dead slaves arise in the Brazilian coffee fields. This almost reminds me of some of the high profile Italian gore films of the late '70's or early '80's. Director Lenzi shows that, after 30 years of film-making, he hasn't lost his touch for creating memorable horror films. A very good film which will keep you on the edge of your seat.

This film is actually quite good. Robert Ginty stars as a cop who is hired to escort a rich woman and her kid to an awards ceremony on the tropical island of San Cristobal (this film was actually shot in Miami and Santo Domingo). While there, her daughter is kidnapped by a group of seedy South American thugs, and is held for ransom. Ginty begins to get official "orders" to leave the case to the FBI, but he decides to do his own investigating. He finds that the crime may have had political motivations. This film reminds me of something you'd see on late-night TV. Although it in no way compares to Lenzi's earlier works, it stands up well, and is quite enjoyable to watch.

This is the story of a female corsair, Mary Read, who takes over a ship of pirates and wreaks havoc on the high seas. Later, she squares off against an old nemesis. This is a very colorful, adventurous film, which looks as if it were inspired by the films of Raoul Walsh (in fact, the director, Umberto Lenzi, is known to be a big Raoul Walsh fan). It's too bad that they don't make films like this anymore.

Richard Harrison stars as a master thief who attempts to steal a priceless jewel from the head of a sacred statue. Wall-to-wall action and intrigue make this film an unforgettable experience. I enjoyed this film because of its exotic locales, great costumes, and superb plot. A real treat, if you can find it.

This action-packed adventure/jungle film starts out when three British soldiers stationed in Malaysia are sent to Fort Madras to help the commandant fight off an elusive bandit who is terrorizing the countryside. They have several adventures (or, shall we say, misadventures) along the way.

This high-spirited adventure yarn features Steve Reeves in the role of Sandokan, a Malaysian rebel who kidnaps the niece of a British general who is planning to execute Sandokan's father, the sultan of Moulker. He and his men traverse sweaty jungles, poisonous swamps, and strange lands filled with fierce native headhunters! An unforgettable experience.

Five German commandos are parachuted into the Sahara desert, and must make their way to Casablanca, where Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin are holding a top-secret meeting. Then, they must kill them! This film is quite bizarre; but it contains alot of action-packed scenes and some good suspense. Worth a good viewing.

This is a wonderful film! Shot on location in Singapore, it is the story of a Malaysian rebel, Sandokan, who, with his group of fanatic renegades, tries to thwart an evil British general from forcing the good king Hassim to resign in favor of the Imperial crown. I enjoyed this film quite a bit. The cinematography is lush, and the sets lavish. In one of my favorite scenes, a gang of rebels is attacked by bloodthirsty natives! Another scene finds a captive about to be fed to a hungry alligator. If you enjoy high-end historical adventure romances, this should whet your palate.

This rare costume adventure differs from other Italian films made in the same era, for it actually takes place in a setting highly reminiscent of 16th century Spain. When the king of Nogara dies of the plague, his two nieces, Malva and Isabella, find themselves in a bitter deadlock for the throne. Malva, the evil one, gets Garcia, the captain of the guard, to intercept the king's troops and confiscate the scroll-case containing the king's will. To this end, Garcia employs Samson (Alan Steel) to steal the scroll-case and deliver it to Malva. Of course, Samson does not know what she has in mind. Meanwhile, Isabella enlists the aid of Zorro (Pierre Brice) to get the scroll-case himself, and thus thwart Malva's evil plans. I really enjoyed this film because it contains lots of action and vibrant colors, as well as a nicely done soundtrack. Alan Steel is at his best, and Pierre Brice is perfect in his role as Zorro. Lenzi has created a worthy film, and it will survive many viewings. It is a shame that this is unavailable on VHS or DVD. Well, maybe soon!