Maciste, l'eroe più grande del mondo (1963)

User Rating:

5.5/10   

Director:

Michele Lupo

Writers:

Lionello De Felice (writer)
Roberto Gianviti (writer)

Release Date:

25 December 1963 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure

Tagline:

See the thousand and one orgies of torture!

Plot:

Goliath battles for the freedom of the Babylonian people. |

Plot Keywords:

Goliath | Dungeon | Arena | Beefcake | Burning City

Cast

Mark Forest	...	Maciste / Marcellus
José Greci	...	Regia / Chelima
Giuliano Gemma	...	Xandros
Erno Crisa	...	Morakeb
Mimmo Palmara	...	Alceas
Livio Lorenzon	...	Evandro
Piero Lulli	...	Pergasos
Paul Muller	...	King Rukus
Eleonora Bianchi	...	Sacrifical Victim
Jacques Herlin	...	Merchant
Alfio Caltabiano	...	Meneos
Arnaldo Fabrizio	...	Goliath / Ninetto
Ugo Sasso	...	Babylonian
Harold Bradley	...	Regia's Servant
Joe Kamel	...	Gladiator

Also Known As:

Goliath and the Sins of Babylon (USA)
Maciste, the World's Greatest Hero

Runtime:

USA:80 min | Italy:92 min

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Leone Film

Trivia:

Mark Forest's bare-chested torture scene, in which he's spreadeagled beneath a cluster of dangling, about-to-drop spears, may have inspired two similar scenes. Robert Culp, in the 1967 episode "I Spy: A Room with a Rack (#2.21)" (1967), and 'Sam J. Jones', in the 1987 movie, Jane and the Lost City (1987), underwent similar ordeals.

Quotes:

Xandros: Are we men or a pack of women?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Killer Eye (1999)

Goliath and the Sins of Babylon

Pretty good sword and sandal "epic" if you will with using that term. Mark Forrest, who played second fiddle to the immortal Steve Reeves in most of the Hercules type films coming out of Italy, plays the legendary so called "Maciste" in the Italian version and is given the name "Goliath" in the American release of this film. Forrest as usual comes to the rescue of the populace in Babylon, where according to a peace treaty signed with warring Nephyr that 30 virgin girls a year must be either sent or sacrificed whatever as tribute. Naturally a secret band of rebels, led by the ever sword and sandal favorite, Livio Lorenzon with that patented bald head leads a revolt to stop the sacrifice. Forrest joins in with those bulging biceps on display throughout the film and leads the slaves to victory....pretty good chariot race, ala "Ben Hur" in the film with Goliath winning out over the Queen of Babylon, who by terms of the race must marry the winner. Goliath realizes that the queen is in love with another man, one of the slaves leading the revolt and he promises to get them back together at all costs. Plenty of action with fighting ships, and lions on the loose after being led out of dungeons in the city. Forrest displays some bulging pecs and biceps in one scene where he is pinned down on a table with dangling spears falling down one by one intent on keeping him guessing which one will inevitably kill him. Guess what, the biceps rip off the shackles and Goliath escapes...!! One of the better sword and sandal films. All it was missing was Steve Reeves or Gordon Scott to round out the cast.