Son of Samson (1960) Maciste nella valle dei re (original title)

Director:

Carlo Campogalliani

Writers:

Oreste Biancoli (story)
Ennio De Concini (story)

Release Date:

24 November 1960 (Italy)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama

Tagline:

It's beyond belief!

Plot:

Maciste travels to Egypt, where he leads a revolt against an evil queen. |

Plot Keywords:

Queen | Egypt | Man Fighting Crocodile | Hypnotism | Blood

Cast

Mark Forest	...	Maciste (as Mark Forrest)
Chelo Alonso	...	Queen Smedes
Angelo Zanolli	...	Pharaoh Kenamun
Federica Ranchi	...	Nofret
Carlo Tamberlani	...	Armiteo I
Nino Musco	...	Senneka
Zvonimir Rogoz	...	Il gran Sacerdote
Ignazio Dolce	...	Un ministro
Andrea Fantasia	...	Il fabbro
Petar Dobric	...	Grand Visir (as Peter Dobri)
Vira Silenti	...	Tekaet
Ada Ruggeri

Directed by
Carlo Campogalliani

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Oreste Biancoli		story and screenplay
Ennio De Concini		story and screenplay

Produced by
Luigi Carpentieri	....	producer
Ermanno Donati	....	producer
Piero Donati	....	executive producer
Sam Schneider	....	producer (english version) (as Samuel Scheider)

Original Music by
Carlo Innocenzi

Cinematography by
Riccardo Pallottini

Film Editing by
Roberto Cinquini

Art Direction by
Oscar D'Amico		(as Oskar d'Amico)

Costume Design by
Maria De Matteis

Makeup Department
Galileo Mandini	....	hair stylist
Halid Redzebasic	....	assistant makeup artist

Production Management
Giorgio Baldi	....	production supervisor
Livio Maffei	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mario Bava	....	second unit director
Romolo Guerrieri	....	assistant director (as Romolo Girolami)
Mate Relja	....	assistant director

Art Department
Ennio Michettoni	....	property master

Sound Department
Leopoldo Rosi	....	sound

Special Effects by
Piero Mecacci	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Stelvio Massi	....	camera operator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Marisa Crimi	....	assistant costume designer
Marisa Crimi	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Ornella Micheli	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Carlo Franci	....	conductor

Other crew
Andrea Fantasia	....	master of arms
Tito LeDuc	....	choreographer
Leopoldo Rosi	....	choreographer
Benilde Vittori	....	continuity

Production Companies

• Donati e Carpentieri
• Films Borderie
• Gallus Films
• Dubrava Film (associate producer)
• Compagnie Industrielle et Commerciale Cinématographique (CICC)
• Jolly Film
• Panda Societa per L'Industria Cinematografica

Distributors

• Medallion Pictures (1962) (USA) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• Pallas (1960) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Performance (1980) (France) (VHS)
• Retromedia Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Something Weird Video (SWV) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• National Music, Milano  soundtrack (as Nazionalmusic)

Also Known As:

"Maciste nella valle dei re" - Italy (original title)

Runtime:

USA:89 min | Italy:94 min | West Germany:89 min

Country:

Italy | France | Yugoslavia

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | USA:Unrated | West Germany:12 (nf)

Company:

Donati e Carpentieri

Trivia:

In addition to his on-screen role, Andrea Fantasia also taught the other actors how to use the weapons and choreographed the fight scenes.

Quotes:

Queen Smedes:Feed him to the crocodiles.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Dusk to Dawn Drive-In Trash-o-Rama Show Vol. 7 (2002) (V)

Better than average Peplum thanks to robust Mark Forest and expert filmmaker Carlo Campogalliani

Mythological epic with a magnificent he-man as is Mark Forest and set in Under Egypt whose center is ¨Sais¨ while High Egypt the capitol is ¨Tanis¨ . The setting is the 11th century BC ancient Egypt , when the country is dominated by Persian occupiers who have enslaved the people . At the beginning appears some impressive images with slaves buried until neck and serpents surrounding and other frames with persons burn on poles . Pharaoh Armiteo I (Carlo Tamberlani) is planning a rebellion against Persians . But his gorgeous wife Smedes (Chelo Alonso) aware and kill him . The young prince Kenamus (Zanolli) becomes the new successor , but he is deceived and spelled by means of a potion who turns into slave to Smedes . The bouncing Maciste helps the youngster Kenamun and reunites an army of rebels to take on the Smedes troops . Our protagonist unhesitatingly goes into action and must use his strength to save the successor from villain Smedes and against the pharaoh's former counselor . Then Maciste becomes inextricably involved in a war between usurpers under the command the Egyptian troops against an army of helpless rebels . Along the way Maciste or Hercules or Goliath frees slaves , moves rocks and fights a lion and Crocs .

French/Italian co-production with haunting scenarios , wonderful outdoors and rousing production design . This is a good spaghetti , myth-opera with action , love , battles and luxurious landscapes . The movie has not mythological accuracy neither expecting historical . Breathtaking scenes when is elevated an Egyptian column and overwhelming final battle with surprisingly gory scenes . As usual ,the beautiful Cuban dancer/actress plays an erotic dancing with veil included before Maciste that was censored in Spain . In the picture turns up Peplum ordinaries as Vira Silenti , the veteran Carlo Tamberlani and Andrea Fantasia who along with his brother Franco Fantasia worked much as maestros of weapons in this genre . Interesting screenplay by Ennio De Concini , a prolific writer who wrote a lot of Spaghetti , Gialli and Peplum . This spectacular Sword and Sandal movie displays a colorful and glimmer cinematography by Riccardo Pallotini , filmed on location in Egypt including the pyramids and temples of Hatsetsup , Karnak , Luxor , among others . Atmospheric and evocative musical score by Carlo Innocenzi . The motion picture is well directed by Carlo Campogalliani who made many tales of this kind . He along with Vittorio Cottafavi and Giorgio Ferroni continued to realize films in the historical-spectacular style , at which he developed a considerable skill and mastery .

Mark Forest , in his first film, is perfect as the mythical hero who encounters many dangerous situations while trying to save a pharaoh of numerous odds . Forest who played the mythic Maciste in great number of movies was randomly assigned the identity of Hercules , Goliath , Samson or Aron for U.S. viewing . Bouncing and strong Forest was the second American actor bodybuilder , after Steve Reeves , to be recruited by Italian producers to star in Peplum films . The muscle-man Forest left allegedly the sword and sandals genre for the Opera . He used the amount of money he made acting as hero and gladiator films in Italy to study Opera , he currently teaches in the Los Angeles zone . He was one along with Ed Fury , Dan Vadis,Brad Harris , Alan Steel , Reg Park , Gordon Scott whom to seek fortune acting absurdly as muscle mythological figures but nobody topped Steve Reeves in popularity . He only starred Peplum such as : 1964 Hércules against sons of sun , 1964 Lion of Tebas , 1964 Maciste Nell'inferno Gengis Khan , 1964 Maciste, Gladiatore Sparta , 1963 Maciste Contro i Mongoli ,1963 Maciste, l'Eroe più Grande del Mondo ,1962 Maciste, Gladiatore più forte Mondo , 1961 Maciste, the Son of Hercules , 1960 La Venganza De Ercole . Rating : Above average muscle-men fodder and better than most muscles operas-spaghetti,thanks to Mark Forest and by Peplum specialist as is the director Carlo Campogalliani .