Hercules (1958)

The muscular Hercules performs his Labors, sails with the Argonauts, and romances the fair Iole.

Director:

Pietro Francisci

Writers:

Apollonios Rhodios (poem) (as Appollonius of Rhodes), Pietro Francisci (adaptation)

Stars:

Steve Reeves, Sylva Koscina, Fabrizio Mioni

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Steve Reeves	...	Hercules
Sylva Koscina	...	Iole, Daugher of Pelias
Fabrizio Mioni	...	Jason
Ivo Garrani	...	Pelias, King of Iolcus
Gianna Maria Canale	...	Antea, Queen of the Amazons
Arturo Dominici	...	Eurysteus
Mimmo Palmara	...	Iphitus, Son of Pelias
Lidia Alfonsi	...	The Sybil (as Lydia Alfonsi)
Gabriele Antonini	...	Ulysses
Aldo Fiorelli	...	Argos
Andrea Fantasia	...	Laertes
Luciana Paluzzi	...	Iole's Maid (as Luciana Paoluzzi)
Afro Poli	...	Chironi
Gian Paolo Rosmino	...	Aesculapius (as G.P. Rosmino)
Willi Colombini	...	Pollux (as Willy Colombini)

Storyline

In this melange of characters and events from separate mythological stories, Hercules, demigod and superman, arrives in the ancient Greek kingdom of Iolcus to tutor Iphitus, son of king Pelias; immediately on arrival, he falls in love with the king's delectable, briefly clad daughter Iole. Before he can win her, he must succeed in a series of quests, in the course of which he teams up with Jason, true heir of Iolcus, whom he accompanies on the famous voyage of the Argonauts.

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Plot Keywords:

greece | psychotronic film | camp | campy | jason character | 

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Taglines:

See the heroic Hercules rip down the Age of Orgy's lavish palace of lustful pleasure! See the seductive Amazons lure men to voluptuous revels and violent deaths!

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Genres:

Adventure | Fantasy

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Certificate:

G

Did You Know?

Trivia

The original U.S. release in 1959 was done through Warner Bros. This was before Joseph E. Levine's Embassy Pictures was able to set up its own distribution network.

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Goofs

After Hercules kills the lion and drops it to the ground, the dead lion blinks.

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Quotes

The Sybil: As the worm eats the fruit that matures, as men stalk their prey, he will come here for you. When you see the man, he will wear one sandal. Wait no longer! That man would slay you.

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Alternate Versions

Has been available in the U.S. in three different versions.

• (98 minutes) This has the poorest dubbing job. The Italian "fine" appears at the end.
• (103 minutes) This version restores some footage and contains a superior dubbing job. The Italian "fine" as replaced with "The End."
• (104 minutes) This version contains yet a third dubbing job. The main title was replaced with an animated title showing a starfield and the constellation Hercules. The bulk of the original credit sequence was moved to the end of the film. During this movie's first release in the United States in 1959, the material issued by Embassy and Warner Brothers (who handled the physical distribution) listed the running time as 107 minutes. This is still listed as the running time by most sources. The 107 minute version is believed to be the original uncut and uncensored Italian version which probably showed more flesh than was permitted on U.S. screens at the time.

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Connections

Referenced in Mario Bava: Maestro of the Macabre (2000)

User Reviews

Unforgettable !

I saw this film in Brazil when I was 10 and I never could forget it. It is amazing even today. Well produced and directed, it is may be the best of all the Sword and Sandal genre. Steve Reeves was not the awful creature the critics said. And Gianna Maria Canale, the queen of the amazons, deserves the title she once had as the most beautiful woman in the world.

Details

Country:

Italy Spain

Language:

Italian

Release Date:

22 July 1959 (USA)

Also Known As:

Hercules

Filming Locations:

Titanus Studios, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Box Office

Budget:

$2,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Embassy Pictures, Galatea Film, O.S.C.A.R.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min 98 min (Retromedia DVD)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Fono Lux-Westrex System)

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1