Hercules in the Haunted World (1961) Ercole al centro della terra (original title)

Directors:

Mario Bava
Franco Prosperi

Writers:

Mario Bava (screenplay)
Mario Bava (story)
(more)

Release Date:

April 1964 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Fantasy | Action | Horror

Tagline:

An All New Height in Fright and Might!

Plot:

Hercules must journey in Hades itself to retrieve the magic stone that will free his love from the powers of darkness.

Plot Keywords:

Hercules | Oracle | Magic Stone | Warrior | Disarming Someone

Cast

Reg Park	...	Hercules (Ercole)
Christopher Lee	...	King Lico (Licos)
Leonora Ruffo	...	Princess Deianira
George Ardisson	...	Thesus (Teseo)
Marisa Belli	...	Aretusa
Ida Galli	...	Persephone
Franco Giacobini	...	Telemachus (Telemaco)
Mino Doro	...	Keros
Rosalba Neri	...	Helena (as Rosalba Neri c.s.c.)
Ely Drago	...	Jocasta (as Ely Dracò)
Gaia Germani	...	Medea
Raf Baldassarre	...	Leader of the cutthroats
Elisabetta Pavan	...	Tamar
Aldo Pedinotti	...	Sunis (as Aldo Padinotti)
Claudio Marzulli
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Monica Neri
Grazia Collodi	...	Electra (uncredited)

Directed by
Mario Bava
Franco Prosperi

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Mario Bava		screenplay
Mario Bava		story
Sandro Continenza		screenplay
Franco Prosperi		screenplay
Duccio Tessari		screenplay

Produced by
Achille Piazzi	....	producer

Original Music by
Armando Trovajoli

Cinematography by
Mario Bava

Film Editing by
Mario Serandrei

Production Design by
Franco Lolli

Art Direction by
Franco Lolli

Costume Design by
Mario Giorsi

Makeup Department
Renzo Francioni	....	makeup artist
Franco Palombi	....	makeup artist
Nicla Palombi	....	hair stylist (as Nicla Pertosa)

Production Management
Danilo Marciani	....	production manager

Art Department
Antonio Sarzi-Braga	....	assistant set designer
Italo Tomassi	....	manager of art department (uncredited)

Sound Department
Tonino Cacciottolo	....	special sound effects
Luigi Puri	....	sound

Special Effects by
Tonino Cacciottolo	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Joe D'Amato	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Maria Luisa Onorati	....	wardrober
Valeria Sponsali	....	wardrober

Music Department
Luca di Silverio	....	soundtrack album producer

Other crew
Emilio Cigoli	....	voice dubbing: Reg Park (Italian version)
Lauro Gazzolo	....	voice dubbing: Christopher Lee (Italian version)

Production Companies

• SpA Cinematografica

Distributors

• Omnia Deutsche Film Export (1962) (worldwide) (theatrical)
• Golden Era Film Distributors (GEF) (1962) (UK) (theatrical)
• Comptoir Français du Film (CFF) (1962) (France) (theatrical)
• Woolner Brothers Pictures Inc. (1964) (USA) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• International Film Distributors (1964) (Canada) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• Astro Distribution (1999) (Germany) (VHS)
• Fantoma (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Image Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Ryko Distribution (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Sinister Cinema (2007) (USA) (DVD) (DVD-R)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2007) (Germany) (DVD)
• Astro Records & Filmworks (Germany) (VHS)
• European Video Corporation (EVC) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Hollywood's Best (video)
• Network Enterprises (video)
• Oktoberfest Video (video)
• Rhino Home Video (19??) (USA) (VHS)
• Saturn Productions (video)
• Skyline Video (UK) (VHS) (Betamax)
• Something Weird Video (SWV) (video)
• Zodiac Video (Greece) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Digitmovies Alternative Entertainment  soundtrack

Also Known As:

"Ercole al centro della terra" - Italy (original title)
"Hercules at the Center of the Earth" - International (English title) (literal title)
"Hercules in the Center of the Earth" - International (English title)

Runtime:

France:76 min | Italy:91 min | UK:77 min

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | UK:U | West Germany:12

Company:

SpA Cinematografica

Trivia:

Christopher Lee's voice was dubbed by another actor for the English-language version.

Goofs:

Continuity: Near the beginning of the film Thesus tosses his lover (Dania?) in to a river to keep her safe from their attackers. But moments later, after Hercules rescues them, she is completely dry and not a hair out of place.

Quotes:

Thesus:You know, I didn't think Hades would be anything like this.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Reg Park: The Legend (2009) (V)

It is the best Hercules film.

Fantoma has done an incredible job of bringing this film to light and I look forward to their Kenneth Anger compilation that is supposed to be coming out this summer.

I have read on and off over the years that this Hercules film by Mario Bava was supposedly the best one of all and after finally getting a copy, sat down to watch it and was truly knocked out by the visuals. I've never really been interested in the Herc. series, I've tried watching a few of them but they are soooo boring! Mario Bava lovingly designed this film and it has all of his special touches.

Fantastic set pieces are shown during the treks through Hades and a very creepy atmosphere that goes beyond smoke and mirrors draws you in. Film obsessives who appreciate interesting cinematography and lighting will definitely want to own a copy of this. I understand why in various genre film magazines, articles, etc. this film has been rated as the better of the Hercules films.

Without ruining it for anyone, I'd like to mention some of the most beautiful scenes include the visits Hercules makes to The Oracle, just breathtaking in its composition, lighting, and framing and when the zombies rise to battle Hercules (Truly Creepy! and these Zombies run! which surprised me especially since the film was made in the early sixties.) My advice to viewers is to watch the film in Italian with English subtitles. The dialogue just sounds more intense and the film in English just sounds incredibly stiff and cheesy and really distracts you. This release by Fantoma is definitely worth having in your film library.