Hercules Against the Moon Men (1964) Maciste e la regina di Samar (original title)

Director:

Giacomo Gentilomo

Writers:

Arpad DeRiso (screenplay)
Arpad DeRiso (story)
(more)

Release Date:

May 1965 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Fantasy | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Planets On Collision Course!

Plot:

Hercules is summoned to oppose the evil Queen Samara, who has allied herself with aliens and is sacrificing her own people in a bid to awaken a moon goddess.

Plot Keywords:

Moon | Alien | Queen | Hercules | Evil Queen

Cast

Sergio Ciani	...	Maciste (Hercules) (as Alan Steel)
Jany Clair	...	Queen Samara
Anna Maria Polani	...	Agar
Nando Tamberlani	...	Gladius
Jean-Pierre Honoré	...	Darix
Delia D'Alberti	...	Billis / Selene (as Delia d'Alberti)
Goffredo Unger	...	Mogol
Franco Morici	...	Timor
Attilio Dottesio	...	Remar
Roberto Ceccacci	...	Redolphis
Stefano Carletti	...	Mogol
Paola Pitti	...	Taris (as Paola Piretti)
Giuliano Raffaelli	...	Tirteo - tavernkeeper
Anna Maria Dionisi	...	Tavernkeeper's Wife
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Salvatore Borghese	...	Aggressor of Maciste upon his arrival (uncredited)
Antonio Corevi	...	Rubio - imperial guard officer (uncredited)
Angelo Sangermano	...	Bit part (uncredited)

Directed by
Giacomo Gentilomo

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Arpad DeRiso		screenplay
Arpad DeRiso		story
Giacomo Gentilomo		story
Angelo Sangermano		story
Nino Scolaro		screenplay
Nino Scolaro		story

Produced by
Luigi Mondello	....	producer

Original Music by
Carlo Franci

Cinematography by
Oberdan Troiani

Art Direction by
Amedeo Mellone

Special Effects by
Ugo Amadoro	....	special effects

Production Companies

• Comptoir Français du Film Production (CFFP)
• Governor Films
• Nike Cinematografica

Distributors

• Governor Films (1965) (USA) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• International Film Distributors (1965) (Canada) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• GoodTimes Home Video (1987) (USA) (VHS)
• Image Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Retromedia Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Something Weird Video (SWV) (2002) (USA) (DVD) (special edition)
• Alpha Video Distributors (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Alpha Video Distributors (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Reel Media International (2005) (USA) (TV)
• Reel Media International (2005) (USA) (VHS)
• Retromedia Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• FilmAnnex (2006) (worldwide) (all media)
• Mill Creek Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Reel Media International (2007) (USA) (all media)
• Something Weird Video (SWV) (????) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• NC Studios  sound recording (as N.C. Studios)

Also Known As:

"Maciste e la regina di Samar" - France (original title)
"Hercules and the Queen of Samar" - International (English title) (informal literal title)
"Maciste vs. the Moon Men" - International (English title)
"Maciste vs. the Stone Men" - International (English title)

Runtime:

90 min | USA:88 min

Country:

France | Italy

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

Cinecittà Studios, Cinecittà, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

Comptoir Français du Film Production (CFFP)

Trivia:

This would be the final film project for director Giacomo Gentilomo. He left the film industry to pursue a career as a full-time painter.

Quotes:

Queen Samara:And as for Hercules, I want him taken alive. He'll pay dearly for the trouble he's caused me.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Hercules Against the Moon Men (#5.10)" (1992)

Wow...that sandstorm sequence was rather long wasn't it?

Another in the Italian Hercule movies this time with another actor playing Herc and once again they at least get the casting right as he has the looks for the part. This one has a better plot than that of Hercules Unchained as it has Hercules trying to help this people who are living in a place where there children must be sacrificed to the creatures that live in the mountain of death. Why they need to sacrifice the kids and for what purpose is not really known...I don't think they are eating them or anything. Well Hercules comes to help, but the queen of this kingdom kind of works for the moon people so she tries her best to kill Herc every step of the way. The movie is not very good, but it does go at a rather fast pace, until one point near the end of the movie where it totally bogs down. You will feel you are watching the sandstorm sequence forever...it does not feel like it is going to end and you will swear the queen didn't take that long to get through it. Finally, Herc squares off against the moon people and quite frankly it is very anti-climatic.