(1958) Yvonne De Carlo, Jorge Mistral, Terrence Hill, Rossana Podestà, Massimo Serato. This Peplum epic tells the story of Mary Magdalene (De Carlo) and the twisted paths between her Jewish and Roman lovers.  Hill plays the Jewish noble who befriends the rebel Barrabas; while Mistral is the dashing Roman officer who captures De Carlo’s heart...  

(1962) Roger Browne, Jackie Lane, Massimo Serato, Linda Sini. Browne is the Roman god, Mars, who saves a city besieged by vicious warriors.  From the city is the beautiful Daphne, whom Mars goes ga-ga over; so he stays on Earth as a mortal, having “fun" with Daphne.  He also has three lightning bolts in his arsenal, courtesy of Jupiter, his dad...

(1960, Updated 3-18-25) Belinda Lee, Spiros Focás, Carlo Giustini, Arturo Dominici. The corrupt Roman Empress, Messalina (well-played by Lee), transforms from a Vestal Virgin to a power mad, sex-crazed killer. This film does a pretty good job portraying her depravity.  One memorable scene has a young would-be assassin ending up in Messalina’s bed...  

(1957) Francisco Rabal, Sylva Koscina, Gianna Maria Canale, Rik Battaglia.  It’s heroic European Christians pitted against a Muslim villain and his Islamic army. Look for some well-staged action sequences, including a big siege at the end of the film.  Great to see two beauties, Sylva Koscina and Gianna Maria Canale, pitted against each other as love rivals.  Battaglia, of course, is in the center of all the action—both kinds! Color, 35mm.

(1961) Ed Fury, Christina Gajoni, Mario Scaccia, Moira Orsei. Returning from war, Ursus learns his fiancée, Attea, has been taken to a mysterious island ruled by a pagan goddess. The mysterious tribe that lives there has a nasty habit of...

(1960) Bob Mathias, Rosanna Schiaffino, Alberto Lupo, Rik Battaglia.  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 whom she has hidden away to avoid giving one of the girls to the Minotaur... 

(1961) Mark Forest, Moira Orfei, Paul Wynter, Gianni Garko, Enrico Glori.  The son of Hercules—this time Maciste—aids survivors of a murderous raid by a war party of weird albinos that live inside Earth...

(1961) Jack Palance, Anita Ekberg, Antonella Lualdi, Franco Silva, Roldano Lupi.  This is probably the best best video edition of this sword and sandal classic released to date, now in anamorphic widescreen from a beautiful color 35mm print.  During the Mongol invasion of Poland, a conflict between Mongol Emperor Genghis Khan and his oldest son Ogotai ensues...

(1962, Upgraded 10-19-21) Jeanne Crain, Vincent Price, Edmund Purdom. A fine epic—overlooked for years. Crain, as Nefertite, is desired by Purdom, who is imprisoned by an evil high priest, played brilliantly by Price.  She weds the Pharaoh and after his death...

(1962) Richard Harrison, Anna Renal, Arturo Dominici.  Harrison, as Perseus, finds himself battling Medusa, her evil stone men, and an ugly dragon.  The scenes with the dragon are well-done.  Watch for the cool scene when Medusa’s stone victims return to life...  

(1962, Anamorphic Edition) Pascale Petit, Gordon Scott, George Ardisson, Rik Battaglia.  This sword and sandal opus covers the early life of Cleopatra. It chronicles the power struggles with her brother, her courtiers, her generals, and lastly, the Roman Empire...

(1960) Jack Palance, Milly Vitale, Guy Rolfe. Palance plays the son of a king. However, their island kingdom is taken over by the Carthaginians during the Carthage-Roman war. Jack is kidnapped and put on board a slave ship. He later...

(1964) Alberto Lupo, María José Alfonso, Beni Deus, Stephen Forsyth.  After his wedding to the beautiful Alfonso, Lupo sets out to join the crusades, leaving his beautiful new bride in the care of one of his trusted friends.  What he doesn’t know is that his “pal” has his own desires for the fair maiden...

(1961) Jose Greci, Mickey Hargitay, Livio Lorenzon, Andrea Checchi. Mickey is a Roman soldier who falls for the Emperor’s daughter. However, she is promised in marriage to the son of a Vandal king w