Roma contro Roma (1964)

User Rating:

4.0/10   

Director:

Giuseppe Vari

Writers:

Ferruccio De Martino (story) &
Massimo De Rita (story) ...

Release Date:

March 1965 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Adventure | Fantasy | Horror

Plot:

A fantastic yarn about a plot to conquer the world with an army of zombies! |

Plot Keywords:

Ancient Rome

Cast

John Drew Barrymore	...	Aderbad
Susy Andersen	...	Tullia
Ettore Manni	...	Gaius
Ida Galli	...	Rhama
Mino Doro	...	Lutetius
Ivano Staccioli	...	Sirion
Philippe Hersent	...	Azer
Andrea Checchi
Livia Contardi
Mathilda Calnan		(as Matilda Calman)
Rosy Zichel
Antonio Corevi
Giulio Maculani

Also Known As:

Night Star: Goddess of Electra (USA) (TV title)
Rome Against Rome (USA)
War of the Zombies (USA)

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Galatea Film

Movie Connections:

Featured in Dusk to Dawn Drive-In Trash-o-Rama Show Vol. 9 (2002) (V)

Dark sword & sandal zombie adventure

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

The fusion of Gothic horror and peplum had already been attempted as early as 1961 in Mario Bava's lush 'Ercole al centro della terra' and Sergio Corbucci's 'Maciste contro il vampiro', 1962 had seen 'Maciste all'inferno', dwelling on an idea already used in a homonymous silent (1925).

In 1964, there came 'Roma contro Roma'. Director Giuseppe Vari is one of the more talented sort in Cinecitta, and he delivers the goods, even builds in some moments of exploitative and sleazy fun.

The story (English dub) goes thus: In a deliberately non-defined pseudo-historical setting in the Roman Empire, the Sarmatians attack and defeat a Roman legion, stealing the gold they had with them. Since Rome doesn't hear of the legate in the region, it sends a consul (Ettore Manni, the hero) to inquire. He soon finds out that the Sarmatians are manipulated by an evil magician (his name Adherbad is similar to a North-African one, Adherbal...) and priest of the 'daughter of Osiris', a three-eyed goddess which seems to demand human sacrifice. The Roman legate happens to be a traitor, and so is his wife Tullia (Susy Anderson). The consul catches her interest, but he falls in love with her slave (Ida Galli), who happens to be a priestess of the goddess...

Apart from some competent and well-paced story-telling which involves some handsome spooky stuff such as a deadly (voodoo) doll, walking virgins on charcoals and a group of disgusting leprous henchmen at the bad guy's disposal (including an old hag) - they nearly rape Galli's character at one point -, we also get a dark and energetic score by Roberto Nicolosi and some fine make-up and lighting. There are only a handful of sets at the director's disposal, and only a couple of outside shots (much of the movie plays in a cave, and there is no Russian or Ukrainian scenery, to be sure), but Vari and his cinematographers use them with a great sense for variety. Night scenes are a bit on the dark side, though.

The film is memorable for his zombie army, a myriad of dead Roman soldiers resurrected by Adherbad (they rise from the tomb) and marching against the capital. Effects are rather on the cheap side, though. The spookiness of the army as it approaches in a 'black cloud' is suggested by psychedelic (i.e. violet and pink) smears superimposed over the stock footage of combating Roman armies. The soundtrack's spooky mode is cool, though, sporting some weird and eerie chorus vocals. That's what the movie is maybe best at, creating atmosphere. There's plenty of it. On the down side, the stock footage battle scenes do get tiring, since they have been put together in an uninspired and seemingly haphazard way - and they take far too long. The finale, however, delivers again, as the hero stands up against Adherbad, Tullia and the goddess to save his beloved slave and priestess.

Blonde Susy Anderson is a great femme fatale here - as opposed to the good queen she played in 'Le Gladiatrici'; her wardrobe accents her buxom shapeliness. Ida Galli's appearance is aptly virginal. John Drew Barrymore's Adherbad is very fine; passing right through his excessive makeup, he delivers a credible and enjoyable sorcerer whose demise is deliciously humiliating. Ettore Manni plays the hero with stern rigidity, which is fine, given he's playing a Roman consul.

In addition, the film doesn't have any humorous or light-hearted note, the consul's servant Satyrus being the only exception; his character, which was, as the name indicates, designed for comic relief, luckily is given (negligible) room only in the movie's final shot.

All in all, an enjoyable Italian peplum ride, known mostly for the concept of the army of zombie Romans marching against their own capital, but turning out to be a fine and creative sword & sandal adventure in its own right.