Hercules (1958)

Director: Pietro Francisci

Starring: Steve Reeves, Sylva Koscina, Fabrizio Mioni, Ivo Garrani

More info: IMDb

Tagline: See the seductive Amazons lure men to voluptuous revels and violent deaths! SEE the heroic Hercules rip down the Age of Orgy's lavish palace of lustful pleasure! SEE the Mightiest of Men fight the Mightiest of Beasts, the killer Cretan Bull! SEE Hercules fight off the savage love-starved Amazon women! SEE the seductive Amazons lure men to voluptuous revels and violent deaths! SEE the powerful Hercules crush the savage ape-men who guard the shrine of the Golden Fleece!

Plot: In Hercules, the granddaddy of all sword and sandal films, the mythical muscleman (played by former Mr. America and Mr. Universe Steve Reeves) joines the Argonauts on their quest for the Golden Fleece. Along the way, they encounter a bevy of buxom Amazons, hideous apemen, Italian sex goddesses Sylva Koscina and Giana Maria Canale, and a gigantic dragon.

My rating: 6.5/10

Will I watch it again? I think so, maybe?

#9 from SWORD & SANDAL TRAILERS VOL. 1. (part of the TRAILER TRASH PROJECT)

It's been probably 8 or so years since I saw this but I'd swear it was better then than it was the other night. Memories are fallible. I guess I wanted it to be better. That's not to say it's a bad movie, it's just not nearly as great as it should or could be. Steve Reeves makes a great Hercules. For all intents and purposes, he's the original and best. Many of those bodybuilders that took on the role (and others) in the many years after this picture did a great job but Reeves has that something extra that puts him over the top. Maybe it's the beard.




The story's OK but it needed more action - more Hercules hero action and tighter pacing. Even still, it's got some fun moments and it's mostly the outdoor stuff that I dig most. I love the Greek/Roman setting and I'd really dig seeing flicks like these on the big screen. The heroes and villains are bigger than life and they need to be seen that way. HERCULES is definitely worth seeing. After all, it's the movie that kicked off the Peplum (Sword & Sandal) genre. Go Italy!