(1962) Guy Williams, Don Burnett, Ilaria Occhini, Liana Orfei, Anroldo Foa.  Pythias (Burnett) is a high-ideal Athenian who comes to Syracuse to find Arcanos, an underground leader.  Damon (Williams) is the devil-may-care thief who agrees (for money) to find him for Pythias. Syracuse’s draconian ruler Dionysus (Foa) is determined to capture Pythias and Arcanos. The crisis comes when...

(1957) Ricardo Montalban, Carmen Sevilla, Gino Servi, Jose Guardiola. IN COLOR. Ricardo plays the son of a powerful Arabian sultan. When the sultan is murdered by a paid assassin, Ricardo’s prince

THE MIGHTY URSUS (1961) Ed Fury, Christina Gajoni, Mario Scaccia. Ursus learns that his fiancée, Attea, has been taken to an eerie island ruled by a evil pagan goddess. The strange tribe living there

GIANT OF MARATHON (1960) Steve Reeves, Mylene Demonget, Ivo Garrani.  This classic epic was directed by Jacques Tourneur of Val Lewton fame.  Reeves plays a courageous Greek hero whose muscle-bound heroics are a source of deadly frustration for the invading Persians.  PLUS:  GIANTS OF THESSALY (1960) Roland Carey, Massimo Girotti, Ziva Rodann,  Luciano Marin. A fine retelling of the Jason and the Golden Fleece tale.

DEFEAT OF HANNIBAL (1937/1960) Annibale Ninchi, Camillo Pilotto, Fosco Giachetti, Francesca Braggiotti.  A sprawling epic about the Carthage-Roman war. Lots of cool sword & sandal intrigue with big, awesome, battle scenes.  PLUS:  HERCULES AGAIN MACISTE IN THE VALE OF WOE (1961) Kirk Morris, Frank Gordon, Bice Valori, Liana Orfei.  In this wacky sword and sandal movie, a couple of boxing promoters use a time machine to travel back to ancient times...

MINOTAUR, WILD BEAST OF CRETE (1960, WIDESCREEN) Bob Mathias, Rosanna Schiaffino, Alberto Lupo.  King Minos sacrifices the “required” number of virgins to the monstrous Minotaur.  But as his wife is dying, she confesses that their daughter has a twin hidden away to avoid giving her to the Minotaur.  PLUS:  A LUST FOR DYING (1960, WIDESCREEN) Annette Stroyberg, Elsa Martinelli, Mel Ferrer. This retelling of Lefanu’s classic vampire tale, Carmilla, is a good one.  Carmilla’s obsession with her friend’s engagement leads her into the darkness of a female vampire’s tomb...

THOR AND THE AMAZON WOMEN (1963) Joe Robinson, Suzy Andersen, Harry Baird, Maria Fiore.  Thor takes on a bevy of Amazon women who have been enslaving men throughout the countryside (poor guys).  HERCULES AGAINST THE BARBARIANS (1964) Mark Forest, Ken Clark, Gloria Milland. Forest, as Hercules, saves a girl from the stake; bends jail bars to escape; carries huge logs and rocks; and duels before Mongol nobles.  But the best scene is where he battles...

THE BACCHANTES (1961, Anamorphic) Taina Elg, Pierre Brice, Alberto Lupo, Akim Tamiroff, Alessandra Panaro.  To ward off a drought, the king of Thebes plans the sacrifice a young virgin. But the god Dionysus intervenes, bringing Thebes a torrent of rain, sparing the girl’s life seconds before death.  SAMSON (1961, Anamorphic) Brad Harris, Walter Reeves, Mara Berni, Brigitte Corey, Alan Steel.  Samson attempts to restore a queen to her rightful throne... 

CASTLE OF BLOOD (1964) Barbara Steele, George Riviere, directed by Antonio Margheriti. An excellent horror film about a writer who spends the night in a sinister castle.  Plus: HERCULES IN THE CENTER OF THE EARTH (1961, aka HERCULES IN THE HAUNTED WORLD) Reg Park, Christopher Lee, directed by Mario Bava. Classic fantasy. Hercules searches Hades for a magic stone