A FILM REVIEW OF "TROY" (2004)

"Das Boot" director Wolfgang Petersen shuns the gods in "Troy" (*** OUT OF ****) but doesn't suffer the consequences. This loose, long-winded adaptation of Homer's spear-and-sandal classic "The Iliad," about the legendary siege of the eponymous city and the hard-bodied combatants, who clashed swords, conjures up not only spectacle on a grand scale but also delivers charisma on an even grander scale. Traditionally, when we think about the Trojan War, we think about the adulterous Helen, who started it all when she cuckolded husband Menelaus and skipped Sparta with youthful Paris. After all, Helen's claim to fame rests on her comely features that reportedly launched a thousand ships. On the other hand, this revisionist, 21st century rendition spends more time admiring the abs of its heroes rather than the eyes of its anorectic heroines. Consequently, "Troy" ogles Achilles more often than Helen, and for good reason, too. Not since John Travolta buffed up for Sylvester Stallone’s abysmal "Staying Alive" (1983) has an actor so conscientiously dedicated himself to a muscular makeover.  Reportedly, Pitt spent six months building up his body.  Ironically, he pulled his Achilles tendon during the production.  Meanwhile, the producers make sure Brad bares his body early and often to display his magnificently sculptured biceps and six-pack.  This is not Brad Pitt as we are accustomed to seeing him.  He has a signature lunge as Achilles when he delivers the death blow with his sword that he repeats at intervals against his opponents that is visually striking.

 

Meanwhile, Petersen and scenarist David Benioff omits scenes of the Greek deities who would have divulged too much and ruined the suspense and tension in this mortals-only account of events.  A blond, bluffed-up Brad Pitt portrays Achilles as a pugnacious prima Donna.  He thumbs his nose at Agamemnon and lives for the moment in combat when he can attain his dream of immortality.  Compelling plotting and memorable dialogue bolsters this lengthy, but satisfying 162-minute, epic rehash of history's most celebrated ancient war. Nevertheless, despite its marathon length, skillful storytelling, and its secular, down-to-earth, reimagination of Homer, "Troy" has more going for it than the sum of its shortcomings. An impressive cast, including screen veterans Peter O'Toole and Brian Cox, Nigel Phelp's astonishing production values, the seamless integration of computer-generated effects with live action footage and several superbly staged combat sequences that have no equal in ancient actioneers offset whatever flaws in this $175-million plus, English language extravaganza.

The larger-than-life action opens in 1200 B.C.  King Agamemnon (Brian Cox of "The Glimmer Man") leads his army out to confront Triopas (Julian Glover of "For Your Eyes Only") on the field of battle. Agamemnon is an avaricious, warmongering opportunist. Triopas suggests Agamemnon and he avoid needless bloodshed by pitting the best of their best against each other.  This amusing prologue shows the womanizing Achilles as the greatest warrior of his day, a "Rambo" of antiquity, who can whip any adversary.  In his first, on-screen scrap, Achilles takes down an imposing Goliath-like opponent who makes our protagonist appear puny by comparison.  Size counts for little, because the smaller Achilles displays his agility in slaying his adversary with a single blow!  "Perfect Storm" director Petersen choreographs the action sequences with considerable flair and imagination, thanks in part to veteran James Bond stuntman Simon Crane.

The hand-to-hand combat appears not only believable, but also the actors wield their swords, shields, and spears with credible ferocity.  Later battles qualify as more than just aimless mob warfare with splendidly clad extras roughhousing it with their counterparts. Watch the way Achilles and his mercenaries cover themselves with their shields to repulse wave after wave of arrows.  The participants wield their armor with as much savvy as their swords and spears.  Meantime, the dialogue scenes that intersperse the gritty action are just as memorable. The theme of immortality pervades this fine example of an ancient world epic.  Ultimately, anytime Hollywood handles ancient history, the dialogue possesses an ersatz quality, but the lines here are insightful.

Indeed, Homer’s classic “The Illiad” inspired this illicit romance that prompted this war. Anybody who survived the 1960s should remember the classic Greek sagas such as "Jason and the Argonauts" (1963) and "Clash of the Titans" (1981). Every action on Earth generated corresponding action in the realm of the gods with Zeus lording it over his supernatural peers. "Troy" ignores the gods but doesn’t rank as a lesser effort for this neglect, though one can imagine how many more millions of dollars and minutes of time inclusion of the gods might have required. Generally, scenes with the gods serve to clarify terrestrial conflicts and clue us in on what we might have missed on Earth.

One of the shortcomings lies in the source material and its lack of explanation.  For example, audiences not familiar with Trojan mythology might have a difficult time understanding why an arrow through Achilles' ankle would prove so fatal. Petersen and Benioff scale down the action to mortals-only, and "Troy" looks as close to what could have happened if it happened. The beachhead landing (lensed in Mexico) emerges as the ancient equivalent of the sixth of June, D-Day landings in Normandy in World War II, with an armada of oar-driven ships crowding the sea from horizon to horizon.  You finally get to see the famous Trojan horse in the final 45 minutes.  Ace lenser Roger Pratt gives "Troy" a big-screen magnitude with his awesome long shots of virtually anything beyond arm's reach. When the opposing armies march against each other on the level lands in front of Troy, the spectacle is breathtaking in its scale.

Although Petersen and Benioff have tampered with the venerable plot, the action is worth-watching from fade-in to fade-out.  Achilles emerges as more of a villain, but Hector (Eric Bana of "Hulk") looks like a wrongly slain hero. Paris and Helen emerge as the least effectual lovers in a long time.  Naturally,  Orlando Bloom wields a bow and arrow.  Altogether, "Troy" ranks as a joy to watch!

 

REVIEW OF ''WRATH OF THE TITANS" (2012)

If you applauded the larger-than-life heroics in “Clash of the Titans,” you’ll probably embrace the derivative exploits “Wrath of the Titans” (**1/2 out of ****) delivers in less time than the original.  Greek mythology tales have never really gone out of fashion. The spectacle of warriors wielding weapons forged by the gods against supernatural monsters reached its zenith during the early 1960s when the Italians produced a plethora of sword and sandal sagas about Hercules, Goliath, Maciste, and Samson.  These epic adventures didn’t take themselves as seriously as their contemporary counterparts have. Most recently, “Troy” (2004), “Alexander,” (2004), “300” (2006), “Clash of the Titans” (2010), and “Immortals” (2011) have been released. “Wrath of the Titans” qualifies as an above-average entry in the CGI special effects laden genre where gods, men, and monsters scrimmage.  Don’t confuse “Wrath of the Titans” with last year’s similarly themed “Immortals.”  Comparatively, the two PG-13 rated “Titans” spectacles are considerably less savage and sadistic than “Immortals.”  While “Clash of the Titans” served as an origins epic, “Wrath” concerns most of the same characters about ten years later. 

In “Clash of the Titans,” the infant demigod Perseus was condemned to die with his mother in a casket plunged into the sea.  Miraculously, Perseus survived.  A humble fisherman, Spyros (Pete Postlethwaite), rescued Perseus and adopted him.  As he grew up, Perseus shunned the gods until Zeus recruited him to save the city of Argos.  Hades, the cruel god of the Tartarus, loosened the legendary sea monster the Kraken with Zeus’ blessing to destroy the city of Argo if the citizens didn’t sacrifice Andromeda.  Defiantly, Perseus and several Argos soldiers embarked on a quest for anything which would enable them to kill the Kraken.  Ultimately, our resourceful hero tangled with the malevolent Medusa.  Half-woman and half-snake, this deadly dame had scores of vipers sprouting from her head rather than curls.  A mere glance at Medusa’s face would petrify any mortal.  Ingeniously, Perseus found a way to decapitate Medusa without eyeballing her.  Perseus saved Princess Andromeda from a fate worse than death and defeated the enormous creature with Medusa’s head. 

“Battle Los Angeles” director Jonathan Liebesman’s “Wrath of the Titans” emerges as a polished but predictable fantasy that imitates its predecessor.  Everybody who made “Clash” doesn’t show up for “Wrath.”  Happily, Sam Worthington returns as Zeus’ rebellious son Perseus who wants little to do with his all-powerful patriarch.  Instead of a boot camp cut, Perseus has a perm that makes him look like Gordon Scott of “Goliath” fame.  Perseus prefers to fish on the seas instead of parade around Mount Olympus.  Despite the tragic death of his wife Io (Gemma Arterton) in “Clash of the Titans,” Perseus has a son, ten-year old Helius (John Bell of “Battleship”), to raise alone.  Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, and Danny Huston reappear respectively as Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon.  Rosamund Pike replaces Alexa Davalos as Andromeda.  This time around Andromeda is more pugnacious.  Decked out in combat regalia, she leads her army into battle against the Titans.  The biggest difference now is that the gods are losing their power because humans aren’t praying to them.  Places of worship lay in ruins. When humanity doesn’t offer prayers to the gods, the power of gods wane, and “Wrath of the Titans” marks a turning point in the franchise.  

If the third entry in the “Titans” franchise—“Revenge of the Titans”--materializes, Zeus and company may appear only as memories.  Presumably, Hades won’t be able to summon another colossal beast from the bowels of the Underworld.  Like its predecessor, “Wrath of the Titans” concerns father and son issues as well as brother versus brother scores.  We learn that Zeus and company endured quite a family feud that ended with them imprisoning their evil father Kronos in Tartarus.  Essentially, Kronos constitutes the equivalent of the Kraken.  Since all blockbusters struggle to top each other, “Wrath of the Titans” pits Perseus against Kronos. Kronos doesn’t want to demolish a single city.  He wants to wipe out mankind.  Whereas the Kraken was a giant sea beast, Kronos is a towering fire god.  Scenarists Dan Mazeau, David Leslie Johnson, and Greg Berlanti make Kronos the equivalent of a lava-spewing volcano.  Earlier, the Kraken made a pretty formidable foe.  One glance at Kronos, however, is enough to make you change your underwear . Imagine what Hellboy would look like if he were the size of Optimus Prime in the “Transformers” movies, and you’ll have a good idea how this immense fiend stacks up to ordinary mortals.

Perseus sets out with Poseidon's illegitimate offspring, Agenor (Toby Kebbell of “RocknRolla”), and Queen Andromeda (Pike) to not only rescue Zeus but also to destroy Kronos.  Earlier, the treacherous Hades and Ares (Édgar Ramírez of “Domino”) double-crossed Zeus and imprisoned him in the Underworld.  Our heroes embark on a scavenger hunt for items.  Along the way, they confront a couple of angry Cyclops and take a beating from them until they befriend them as they did with the giant scorpions named Scorpiochs.  Agenor helps Perseus find the fallen god Hephaestus (Bill Nighy of " Valkyrie "), and Hephaestus shows them the best way to enter Tartarus since he designed it. Eventually, Perseus learns that he must synthesize Zeus’ Thunderbolt, Hades' Pitchfork, and Poseidon’s Trident as a weapon to vanquish Kronos.  In “Star Wars” fashion, our protagonist must take a fiery ride on Pegasus down Kronos’ gullet to dispense the fatal blow.  

“Wrath of the Titans” is amusing hokum.  The stupendous CGI special effects make this 99-minute opus worth watching.  Perseus cuts his teeth on the Chimera. This two-headed, airborne beast with a snake head on its tail attacks him first and then he tackles a couple of towering Cyclops. The maze that our indestructible hero blunders through is more interesting than the Minotaur which he dehorns.  Liebesman stages these audacious battles with vim and vigor.  Perseus looks woebegone by the time he delivers the death blow to his adversary.  “Wrath of the Titans” tops “Clash of the Titans.”

FILM REVIEW OF ''GOLIATH AND THE SINS OF BABYLON" (ITALIAN-1963)

This superior sword and sandal spectacle benefits enormously from stunning production values, a solid cast, and a believable storyline. Nothing supernatural occurs in "Goliath and the Sins of Babylon" (*** out of ****), a Technicolor, Italian-produced opus distributed by American International Pictures. Our half-clad muscle-bound hero doesn't tangle with three-headed canines, fire-breathing dragons, or flying man-bats. As usual, this epic concerns an enslaved nation whose rebels plot to overthrow an tyrannical ruler, end palace intrigue, and allow a rightful heir to ascend to the throne. What sets “Goliath and the Sins of Babylon“ apart from most other ancient epics is the skillful use of irony and the surprises in the screenplay by Lionello De Felice of “Colossus of the Arena,” Roberto Gianviti of “Seven Slaves Against the World,” and Francesco Scardamaglia of “Seven Rebel Gladiators.” "Colossus of the Arena" director Michele Lupo draws on a dwarf for comic relief when he isn‘t orchestrating numerous fights between the heroes and the villains. Mark Forest registers as a sympathetic strongman hero, while Erno Crisa and Piero Lulli are sufficiently treacherous as the villains. Future Spaghetti western star Giuliano Gemma co-stars as Goliath’s friend and ally Xandros while fellow Spaghetti western actor Mimmo Palmara lends a hand.

An anonymous narrator establishes the setting: "Two hundred years before the birth of Christ, the small kingdom of Nefer in the Persian Gulf was forced to pay tribute to its conqueror Babylon. The people of Nefer trembled with outrage and fear as the soldiers came to collect the yearly price, thirty of the loveliest virgins of the land." As the film opens, a girl (Eleonora Bianchi of "Ulysses against the Son of Hercules") bids farewell to her tearful family before the soldiers of King Pergasos, wearing red outfits, appropriate her as one of the sacrificial thirty. She tries to escape. Just when she believes she had eluded Pergasos’s troops in the market place, however, she runs smack into the arms of more soldiers. Goliath (Mark Forest of "Son of Samson") objects to the way one soldier roughs up the girl and intervenes on her behalf. After Goliath displays his unarmed skills as a warrior against the armed soldiers, they flee like cowards in a panic.

A resourceful little person, the mischievous Ninneto (Arnaldo Fabrizio of "Samson and the Mighty Challenge"), emerges from his hiding place in a basket strapped to Goliath’s horse and warns our hero about the consequences of this act of defiance. Ninneto races to a nearby tavern and tells Alceas (Mimmo Palmara of "Kindar the Invulnerable") and his friend Xandros (Giuliano Gemma of "Day of Anger") about Goliath. When these two see Goliath surrounded by the soldiers, they ride to his rescue. They literally hoist the strong man up by his brawny biceps and carry him away between them with their horses at a gallop. An imperturbable Goliath threatens to unhorse them, but they dissuade him because all three of them would then be captured. Meanwhile, Pergasos’s soldiers pursue them on horseback. Ninneto cuts them off when he shuts the city gates before the Pergasos’s men reach it.

The next time we see Goliath, Alceas, and Xandros, they are behind bars in an arena watching gladiators practice. Initially, Goliath refuses to become a gladiator. Goliath has nothing but contempt for gladiators who fight to amuse a crowd. The leader of an underground movement against the monarchy, Evandro (Livio Lorenzon of "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly"), explains to Goliath that the men training as gladiators in the arena are a part of a conspiracy to overthrow their dastardly ruler. According to Evandro, Nefer fought a war with Babylon four years ago and lost. The king of Nefer was murdered, and his older brother, Pergasos (Piero Lulli of "My Name Is Nobody"), arranged an armistice with Babylon. Clearly, Pergasos is nothing but a puppet for the Babylonians. They demand thirty virgins annually and sacrifice them. When Goliath asks about the slain king's daughter, Regia (José Greci of "War Gods of Babylon"), Evandro explains that their law dictates Regia must take a husband before she can rule. A frustrated Evandro fumes: "Who knows when a marriage will take place." Xandros states that they have pledged to halt these shipments of slave girls to Babylon. Evandro invites Goliath to join them so they will be 42 in number. Goliath agrees to help them. Ninneto chimes in "42 and a half" and joins them, too. "Alright," Alceas chuckles, “we’ll make you our mascot." Indeed, Ninneto serves as splendid comic relief, and he is genuinely funny, a little guy who can knock out unsuspecting warriors three-times his own size. The pottery scene where he eludes the soldiers is better than you'd imagine, particularly because Ninneto outsmarts them!

The father of the sacrificial victim at the beginning of the movie bursts into King Pergasos’s court where Pergasos has gathered the thirty girls for Morakeb (Erno Crisa of "Passport for a Corpse") to see. During the inspection, the father charges Morakeb and tries to stab him to death. Pergasos thwarts the father and has the man fed to the lions in the dudgeon. Morakeb worries about the growing intolerance of Pergasos’s subjects toward Babylon. “The years go by Pergasos and I’m sure our battles are only a memory. I blame your people. They’re beginning to forget the reason for having to pay tribute to our king every year.” Morakeb tells Pergasos that the sacred trireme will arrive within two days time to pick up the girls. “Let there be no more such incidents while girls are being taken onto the ship,” Morakeb commands. The evil Pergasos plans to use the spring chariot races to distract the populace from the departure of the slave girls. Pergasos' niece, Regia, vows to marry any man who can defeat her in the races. Neither Lupo nor his trio of scribes explain why Regia would want to remain a mere princess when she could marry and become queen. Pergasos points out that Regia would never deliberately lose the race. Meantime, Xandros has a rendezvous with Princess Regia‘s lady-in-waiting, Chelima (José Greci in a dual role), at a remote water fall. Xandros doesn’t like Regia. “Any girl who decides to rely on the outcome of a race to decide the man she will live with the rest of her life is just stupid.” Chelima chides Xandros for his intolerance.

Later that night, Alceas scrambles aboard a ship and begs for the merchant who owns the vessel to let him hide from Pergasos’s troops. Our heroes--Evandro, Goliath, and their followers--disguise themselves as soldiers, board the ship and confiscate it so they can stop the Babylonian trireme from coming to pick up the girls. Xandros wants to accompany Goliath and the rest of the men, but Evandro refuses to let him because he must participate in the forthcoming chariot race. Goliath, Alceas, and the others set off to attack the sacred trireme. Goliath chuckles at the sight of Ninneto who has strapped a bunch of cucumbers to his waist to serve as a life belt in case the ship should sink. Our heroes encounter the Babylonian trireme at sea and a battle ensues. During the free-for-all combat aboard the trireme, Ninneto wears a helmet equipped with a spike atop it that he sticks into various Babylonian soldiers. Interestingly, the Babylonians, who are clad in black outfits--seal their own fate when they launch flaming arrows at the ship bearing Goliath and company. Alceas swings aboard the Babylonian ship and kicks over the brazier that the enemy uses and their ship bursts into flames when the brazier tumbles below deck! Meanwhile, Xandros explains to Chelima at their special rendezvous that he must enter the chariot race where he will stake his life because he has no wealth. When she points out that he will have to marry Regia if he wins the contest, he explains that he will do it only to save their people from the Babylonian tyranny that they have suffered under Pergasos. “You must do what you feel is your duty,” Chelima concedes, “But you will always live in my heart.”

Little does Xandros realize that Chelima and Regia are one in the same. The crafty Pergasos sends assassins to kill Xandros after Chelima has departed. When Goliath and Alceas return in a long boat with the rest of their men from the sea battle, Evandro meets them at the shore and explains that Xandros is out somewhere with a woman. Goliath cannot believe that Xandros would jeopardize their plans in such a cavalier manner. part. Little Ninneto knows where to find Xandros and leads Goliath to there on horseback. shows up in the nick of time to save Xandros from certain death. Goliath shows up in time to thwart Pergasos's henchmen. Unfortunately, Xandros is wounded and cannot participate in the race. Pergasos is estactic until he discovers that somebody else--a stranger named Goliath--has replaced the ailing Xandros. There is irony in that Pergasos stopped Xandros from competing in the race, but opened the way for another contestant who ultimately defeats Regia. Regia isn't happy about the outcome of the race. Pergasos fumes about this reversal of events. "Well, now that he has had his victory in the arena, what's this Goliath up to?" One of the king's advisers replies, "This Goliath hopes to release all the slave girls. He intends to cancel our agreement with Babylon." Pergasos is incredulous with rage: "But if he does that Babylon with attack!" While Pergasos and his men brainstorm their alternatives, a lone survivor from the Babylonian trireme stumbles ashore. Three men pull him out of the water and a fourth helps them take him to the authorities. They believe that the man is a pirate.

Later,Goliath admits to Regia that he realizes he is not the man for her. He accuses her of setting a trap for Xandros and Regia convinces him that she had nothing to do with the plot to kill Xandros. Pergasos summons Goliath to the council room. "Your victory in the arena has earned you the right to voice an opinion within this council room," one of Pergasos's men, Meneos (Alfio Caltabiano of "Seven Rebel Gladiators") informs Goliath. "First, how much loyalty do have you to Nefer?" Goliath retorts, "Enough." Meneos challenges Goliath, "Then let us hear the names of every one of the conspirators who committed an act of treason." Goliath grows suspicious of Meneos's line of questioning. "Of what are you accusing him, Meneos? As far as I know, the sea doesn't speak." The lone survivor bursts into the council room and identifies Goliath without hesitation: "He attacked the trireme! He led the pirates that sank us!" Goliath fights his way out of the council room wielding the striker used to sound the gong to knock down the soldiers. He dives through the window and escapes. Meantime, Xandros learns the truth finally about Regia and Chelima. Regia didn't tell Xandros the truth because she feared that he would love her only for being a princess. "I wanted to be sure that you'd save my country." Xandros and she part on happy terms and he rejoins Evandos in the sity. No sooner has Xandros ridden off than one of his assailants who tried to kill him earlier seizes Regia and takes her hostage. The assailant hands Regia over to dastardly Morakeb.

Goliath meets up with Evandro and the rest of the men, and they launch a revolt to free the slave girls from the underground dudgeon. Meneos and his men rush into the corridors to battle them, and Ninneto releases lions and leopards from their cages. These predatory beasts attack Pergasos's men. Eventually, Goliath and company enter the palace and find Pergasos face down on the floor. When they rouse him, the mortally wounded Pergasos reveals that Morakeb killed his men and assaulted him. The rebels bring Meneos into the palace and Xandros and he square off in a sword fight. Xandros manages to kill him by slashing him across the stomach. Meneos dies dramatically when he smashes into the gong. A man who saw Regia delivered to Morakeb by the black assailant who tried to kill Xandros brings news about her abduction. Evandros hatches a grand scheme to get Regia back safely. "It's very clear what we have to do," he explains. "We must destroy Babylon before Morakeb can send his armies here so he can destroy Nefer. Now, I have a plan,a daring, desperate plan. If you approve the plan, I will need several men and one of them is sure to face certain dead." Goliath volunteers to be the expendable person in the plan.

In the next scene, four ambassadors from Nefer appear in Babylon at the king's palace to plead for leniency from King Cafaus (Paul Muller of "Avenger of the Seven Seas")for their people. Among the ambassadors are Xandros and Alceas and they assure Morekab and Rukus that none of the rebels survived the battle in the underground dungeon. When the Cafaus demands the whereabouts of the thirty virgins, Xandros reveals that the rebels killed all the slave girls. Xandros tries to convince the Babylonians that they are still allied to Babylon. To prove it they turn Goliath over to King Cafaus. The monarch stares grimly at the muscle-bound champion and vows: "Goliath, he's going to pay well." In the next scene, Goliath is shown strapped down spread-eagle to a slab. Morakeb supervises Goliath's torture. He wants to determine the loyalty of the ambassadors. Goliath's friends are forced to cut the ropes that will send spears plunging out of the ceiling down at him. Morakeb relishes the moment with the lines: "I know of only one thing worse than physical pain, and that's waiting to be killed. Yes, he might suffer badly waiting for the mortal blow, or he might be lucky and receive it from the first spear." Morakeb watches as the spears fall and barely miss Goliath and leaves him to his fate. The ambassadors and he leave. Little does Morakeb know that Evandro has mobilized the army of Nefer. They attack and repulse the Babylonian army and set the city ablaze. King Cafaus cries that the gods have abandoned Babylon. Our muscular hero relies on his brute strength to pull a Houdini and lead the revolt. The evil Morekab has King Cafaus stabbed to death in the back while he and his closest associates prepare to flee the city by the catacombs. They are surprised when they run into Goliath and Alceas. Goliath cuts off Morakeb's flight and the latter has to fight an unarmed Alceas. Alceas reverses Morakeb's knife and plunges it into him, killing him. At fade-out, Regia and Xandros plan to wed and rule over Nefer. The resourceful little Ninneto introduces everybody to his diminutive wife.

Lupo stages a boisterous sea battle, a careening chariot race, and several clashing sword fights with aplomb. Mind you, the chariot race is nothing compared to "Ben-Hur," but the arena setting is spectacular enough for an Italian peplum. Lupo is particularly adept at creating interesting transitions, and the one involving the gong being struck is really effective. The only thing lacking is the typical trials that the Herculean hero endures to prove his strength. Displays of brawn do not appear as often as they do in other better peplum movies. One of the big scenes shows Goliath chained to a slab in the dudgeon. Above him are several holes and each hole conceals a wicked looking spear. The spears are released by means of cutting the rope holding them and then these pointed weapons travel downward toward its victim. It is a cop-out that none of the spears actually strike our hero. The spears stop several inches from his important body parts while he patiently waits and then later rips out the irons restraining him.

Overall, Lupo does a good job with "Goliath and the Sins of Babylon." This widescreen Retromedia presentation qualifies as above-average despite some flaws in the print. This is one of the most polished looking Peplums ever with its pristine looking sets. The sea battle ranks as above-average, too, with scenes of the two full-size ships and actors swarming between them. This marked lenser Mario Sbrenna's debut as cinematographer, and he makes everything appear larger-than-life. Unfortunately, we never witness any of the sins of Babylon, short of people being fed to lions. For the record, the hero's name in the European releases was Maciste instead of Goliath. This Goliath movie is neither a sequel nor a prequel to the other Italian produced Goliath movies. Interestingly, in a departure from the formula, "Goliath and the Sins of Babylon" doesn't contain the beautiful but mendacious queen character that maps out most of the palace intrigue and at some point slips the strong man hero a drugged goblet of wine. In a sense, Regia is a substitute for this stock character but she is on the side of the good guys.

FILM REVIEW OF ''GOLIATH AND THE VAMPIRES" (1961)

Italian composer Angelo Francesco Lavagnino permeates "Hercules Against the Moon Men" director Giacomo Gentilomo with a flavorful, atmospheric score for his above-average, but predictable spear and sandal saga "Goliath and the Vampires" (*** OUT OF ****), starring muscle-bound Gordon Scott as the legendary champion. Like the Reg Park outing "Hercules in the Haunted World," Goliath confronts a supernatural adversary named Kobrak. Pirates from a distant kingdom attack a defenseless village without mercy. They raze the village, slaughter the men, abduct the nubile young women and transport them across the sea into slavery. These heartless sea raiders are so wicked that they feed the older women to the sharks. The eponymous strongman follows the pirates to their faraway island to rescue the women. Outnumbered as always, Goliath tangles with dozens of soldiers, but he exploits his strength to triumph over these greater numbers. No, Kobrak doesn't qualify as the standard vampire with fangs, a regal wardrobe, and beguiling eyes. Kobrak materializes like an apparition from nowhere, kills with ugly clawed fists, and reduces his victims to lifeless mummies. Moreover, the evil Kobrak shows no qualms about dispatching his own subordinates. Gentilomo and scenarists Sergio Corbucci of "The Mercenary" and Duccio Tessari of "Duck You Sucker" have contrived one of the better peplums, with several elaborately staged combat scenes. Indeed, a couple of counterfeit looking little monsters cheese up a scene or two, but they are quickly forgotten. Meantime, our brawny hero has his hands full most of his time struggling with his opponents. Bare-chested Gordon Scott is appropriately stalwart and purpose-driven as the male lead. The beautiful, hour-glass shaped women wear big hair. Gianna Maria Canale looks as gorgeous as she is treacherous, and producer Dino De Laurentiis seems to have spared no expense.

The opening scene solidly establishes the protagonist's character. Goliath (Gordon Scott of "Tarzan's Great Adventure") trudges behind two oxen and a plow, gouging grooves in an inhospitable field. Typically, the peplum hero is an outsider, sometimes a wandering adventurer, who enters a society and delivers it from tyranny, but Goliath is not an outsider here. Later, when he enters Salminak, he is an outsider. Gentilomo depicts Goliath as a peaceful farmer, using his incredible strength to uproot and remove a stump from the field. Clearly, though the most convincing but mundane scene, this modest display of brute force illustrates Goliath's determination to let nothing stand in his way. He uses his brawn to solve his problems. No sooner has Goliath gotten rid of stump than he hears cries of alarm. The young boy, Ciro (Rocco Vitolazzi), that Goliath brought with him, is drowning. Plunging from a high mountain cliff, Goliath saves the lad from a watery grave. Some kind of sea monster may have figured in Ciro's near drowning, but the fight has been mysteriously edited. As he takes Ciro back to their village on his white horse, Goliath reminds the youth that his sister would never have forgiven him if Goliath had let him die. Ciro chastises Goliath because he has kept putting his impending marriage to sister, Guja (Leonora Ruffo of ""Goliath and the Dragon") on hold. Gentilomo and his scenarists sketch more depth into Goliath's character than the typical peplum.

As they approach the village, they see clouds of dark smoke gathering. They arrive too late to thwart the pirates. Ciro's mother and father lay dead, while Goliath's mother (Emma Baron of "Aphrodite, Goddess of Love") dies in his brawny arms. "I shall avenge them," Goliath vows. "I shall free Guja and the others and those responsible will pay for their crimes." Moreover, Goliath is puzzled by the raiders. "Their ferocity and cruelty make no sense. Why do they murder like this without plundering. Why take nothing from the houses? Only the women are kidnapped and the men are thrown in the fire." An elderly man who survived the carnage informs Goliath that the raiders hail from the faraway island Salminak. Meanwhile, aboard their ship, the pirates slash the women, drawing plasma from all them but Guja, to fill a goblet for Kobrak to quench his thirst for blood. Kobrak's initial appearance aboard the ship is rather sinister. The leader of the raiders, Amahil (Van Aikens of “Revolt of the Slaves”) enters a chamber and a hideous hand wreathed in smoke emerges from behind a curtain and grasps the goblet. Gentilomo heightens the tension as the interior turns blood red and the curtain billow after Kobrak has drunk the blood. The captain scrambles out of the room, happy to be alive.

The setting shifts to the market place in Salminak as the soldiers force a man against his will to ascend a wooden pole about as high was a telephone pole. At the square-shaped base of the pole is an area laid out with spikes. The man reaches the top of the pole but loses his grip on the pole and plunges to his death. This is the same area where the women from Goliath’s village are about to be sold into slavery. An observant man named Kirtik (Jacques Sernas of “"Duel of the Titans"), who drapes himself from head to toe in apparel as if he were in an Arabian Knights adventure, stands in the crowd and takes an interest a new arrival. Goliath and Ciro ride into the market place and Ciro spots some of the village girls. Our hero goes into action, helps the girls escape. Magna (Annabella Incontrera of “"A Bullet for Sandoval"), slips away from the crowd with Kirtik. Later, they meet Goliath and Ciro in a hidden place while the army searches for the strongman. News of Goliath’s amazing exploits have swept through the city and alarmed not only Sultan Abdul (Mario Feliciani of "Devil of the Desert against the Son of Hercules") but also Astra (Gianna Maria Canale of “"The Lion of St. Mark"). We learn that he wants to destroy Kobrak: “There exists here a beast who is more evil than a fiend. You can repay me by helping me defeat him.” In the palace, the Sultan worries about both Goliath and Kobrak. One of his older advisors confides in the Sultan: “A monster dominates the country with his hooded murderers and diabolical forces. The time has come to act. The last hope of the people is you.” The advisor urges the Sultan to lead a rebellion against Kobrak, but he gets nowhere. “Impossible,” the Sultan snaps. “Remember we are slaves ourselves.” The advisor suggests Goliath might be convinced to work with them against Kobrak. Meanwhile, Astra eavesdrops on the Sultan and the advisor and kills the advisor after he is leaving by the hallway. She hastens to her altar and summons Kobrak. The huge entity in a hood with horns on its head emerges amid red smoke. Astra urges Kobrak to kill Goliath. But the vampire has no such plans for the strongman. “I want him alive. His magnificent body can serve as a model for the army of slaves with which I shall conquer the earth. An army of indomitable giants subservient to my will.”

Goliath and Kirtik venture out into the city under the protection of darkness and avoid the Sultan’s army. Initially, Goliath regards Kirtik with suspicion. “I only trust my shadow,” Goliath states. Kirtik tries to convince Goliath that they share the same enemy. “I do know that mine is a murderer who lurks and hides in the dark.” Kirtik relishes the challenge, “We’ll see if I can’t make him come out.” While our heroes skulk through the darkened streets, Magna rummages through Kurtik’s documents. She stumbles onto one with a serpent drawn on it. She reads it: “And from the serpent born in the depths of the kingdom of evil sprang the monster that nourishes itself on human blood to generate an army of automatons. Only the proud and noble people—the race of the blue men—will have the courage to combat the monster and restore face to each of those he has deprived.” Magna latches onto the name of the monster. “Kobrak is the name of the monster.” Predictably, the evil Kobrak materializes in a cloud of red smoke before Magna. He wastes no time and rakes his powerful claw across Magna’s screaming throat and kills her. At this point, “Goliath and the Vampire” has gotten just over a half-hour into its sprawling plot.

Peplum lenser Alvaro Mancori of "Ulysses against the Son of Hercules" captures the larger-than-life splendor and savagery of "Goliath and the Vampires" with his widescreen cinematography. The violence is somewhat abrasive, but it remains primarily bloodless during the commission of the act with blood visible afterward. One scene shows a marauder firing an arrow into a man's face, while other shows a spear hurled into the villainess' stomach. The Corbucci & Tessari screenplay boasts a surprise or two, especially during the finale when Goliath confronts a foe that matches his strength. The filmmakers put our hero in several tight spots. One fantastic scene has Goliath with his wrists shackled to a huge wooden yoke behind his neck and across his shoulders. Goliath's captor challenges him to escape. Exerting his superhuman strength, Goliath snaps the yoke in half, removes the shackles, and then dislodges a pillar that brings part of the dungeon crashing down on his captors. An earlier scene in the town square has our hero dismantles a torture device with giant spikes in it and wields it as a weapon against armed horsemen. According to the Wild East blurbs, Corbucci helped out Gentilomo helming a scene or two, but Gentilomo directed the lion's share of the action. He keeps the action moving briskly along in this trim 91-minute opus.

"Goliath and the Vampires" ranks as a better-than-average peplum.