The Arena (1974)

Director:

Steve Carver

Writers:

John William Corrington
Joyce Hooper Corrington

Release Date:

January 1974 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure

Tagline:

Let the games begin!

Plot:

Two thousand years ago, the people of Rome are so blasée, so used to violence, that entertaining them becomes a political problem...

Plot Keywords:

Gladiator | Female Gladiator | Arena | Grindhouse | Slave Revolt

Cast

Margaret Markov	...	Bodicia
Pam Grier	...	Mamawi
Lucretia Love	...	Deidre
Paul Muller	...	Lucilius
Daniele Vargas	...	Timarchus
Marie Louise Sinclair	...	Livia (as Marie Louise)
Maria Pia Conte	...	Lucinia (as Mary Count)
Rosalba Neri	...	Cornelia (as Sara Bay)
Vassili Karis	...	Marcus (as Vic Karis)
Silvio Laurenzi	...	Priscium (as Sid Lawrence)
Mimmo Palmara	...	Rufinius (as Dick Palmer)
Antonio Casale	...	Lucan (as Anthony Vernon)
Franco Garofalo	...	Aemilius (as Christopher Oakes)
Pietro Ceccarelli	...	Septimus (as Peter Cester)
Jho Jhenkins	...	Quintus
Ivan Gasper	...	Wulfstan
Pietro Torrisi	...	Gladiator
Salvatore Baccaro	...	Winekeeper
Anna Melita	...	Gladiator Girl
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Tom Felleghy	...	Bidder at Slave Auction (uncredited)
Jann Fox	...	Centurion (uncredited)
Emilio Messina	...	Gladiator (uncredited)
Roberto Messina	...	Gladiator (uncredited)
Osiride Pevarello	...	(uncredited)
Mimmo Poli	...	Man at the Orgy (uncredited)
Claudio Ruffini	...	Gladiator (uncredited)
Sergio Smacchi	...	Gladiator (uncredited)

Directed by
Steve Carver		(english version)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
John William Corrington
Joyce Hooper Corrington

Produced by
Roger Corman	....	executive producer
Mark Damon	....	producer

Original Music by
Francesco De Masi

Cinematography by
Joe D'Amato		(as Aristide Massaccesi)

Film Editing by
Piera Bruni

Makeup Department
Antonio Mura	....	makeup artist
Emilio Trani	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Oscar Santaniello	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Joe D'Amato	....	second unit director (original version) (as Michael Wotruba)
Romano Scandariato	....	assistant director

Art Department
Mimmo Scavia	....	set designer

Sound Department
Alvaro Gramigna	....	sound effects editor
Franco Groppioni	....	sound recordist

Special Effects by
Sergio Chiusi	....	special effects

Stunts
Franco Pasquetto	....	stunt coordinator (as Gianfranco Pasquetto)

Camera and Electrical Department
Carlo Alberto Cocchi	....	still photographer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Renata Morroni	....	wardrobe

Music Department
Francesco De Masi	....	conductor
Francesco De Masi	....	music arranger

Other crew
Massimo Alberini	....	production assistant
Anita Borgiotti	....	continuity
Jann Carver	....	assistant to directors
Sergio Rosa	....	production assistant

Production Companies

• New World Pictures (English version)
• Rover Film

Distributors

• New World Pictures (1974) (USA) (theatrical)
• EMI Distribution (1974) (UK) (theatrical)
• Florida Cinematografica (1974) (Italy) (theatrical)
• International Film Distributors (1974) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Filmes Lusomundo (????) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (????) (USA) (VHS) (as "Naked Warriors")
• New Concorde Home Entertainment (????) (USA) (DVD)
• New Concorde Home Entertainment (????) (USA) (VHS)
• New Horizons Home Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Shout! Factory (2012) (USA) (DVD)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2004) (Australia) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Digitmovies Alternative Entertainment  soundtrack
• Fono Roma  sound re-recording

Also Known As:

"Naked Warriors" - USA (reissue title)

Runtime:

90 min | USA:83 min

Country:

Italy | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:(Banned) (1975) | Iceland:16 | New Zealand:R13 | Norway:16 | Portugal:M/18 | USA:R | UK:X | Australia:MA (DVD)

Filming Locations:

Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

New World Pictures

Trivia:

Leading lady Margaret Markov and producer Mark Damon, despite being attracted to each other, could not date during production as director Steve Carver had a strict rule regarding fraternization among cast & crew members.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Cover Girl Models (1975)

For Corman and Grier fans, but not for D'Amato and Neri ones

This an interesting mixture of two very different kinds of exploitation film. On one hand, it's basically a Roger Corman women-in-prison film (complete with lots of showers, catfights, and a big bust-out at the end)featuring WIP regulars Pam Greir and Margaret Markhof. On the other hand, it is an Italian "peplum" that was reputedly largely directed by its Italian cinematographer Joe D'Amato and which also stars the luscious Italian actress Rosalba Neri (aka Sarah Bay) as the villianess making her return to the peplum dramas that had made her (semi)famous in the 1960's.

As a Corman film it's not too bad. It has his usual trademark of faux feminism and gratuitous female nudity (by Grier, Markhof, and some of the other slave/prisoners)and it's very formulaic right down to the death of likable innocent(s) and the revenge plot at the end. Unfortunately, it's also a little too tame--it's certainly nowhere near as sleazy as what we've come to expect from the notorious Joe D. I was also personally disappointed at how much they wasted Neri. Not only does she not get naked (a lesbian scene with her and Grier or Markhof would certainly have been memorable), but as a villain she comes off kind of bland--not nearly what she showed she's capable of in films like "Amuck", "Top Sensation", and "Lady Frankenstein".

I guess whether you like this or not will depend on whether you're more of a Corman and Grier fan (in which case it's pretty OK) or whether you're a D'Amato and Neri fan (in which case you'll probably be a little disappointed).