(1961) Kirk Morris, Cathia Caro, Ljubica Otasevic, Cesare Fantoni, Giulio Donnini. Sword and sandal movies are kind of like B-westerns, there were a gazillion of them made, all using the same half dozen scripts. This tale is probably the most common. An evil queen is suppressing her subjects and stealing young virgins to be sacrificed to an evil god (in this case, the god of a volcano). Naturally, Maciste intercedes. However, he soon falls under the magic spell of the queen, who lusts for his finely chiseled body. He is now a slave to her evil will. In the end Maciste is freed from the spell, but he must now save the life of the girl who saved him—and she is about to become the latest sacrifice to the volcano god! Unfortunately, a squad of monstrous, beast-like men (who look like they’re right out of Island of Lost Souls) stand between Maciste and his loved one. No classic, but lots of peplum thrills. Morris’s first big role. Great color, 35mm.
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