Hercules in the Haunted World (1961)

Hercules must journey in Hades itself to retrieve the magic stone that will free his love from the powers of darkness.

Director:

Mario Bava

Writers:

Sandro Continenza (story and screenplay) (as Alessandro Continenza), Mario Bava (story and screenplay)

Stars:

Reg Park, Christopher Lee, Leonora Ruffo

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Reg Park	...	Hercules
Christopher Lee	...	Lico
Leonora Ruffo	...	Princess Deianira
George Ardisson	...	Theseus (as Giorgio Ardisson)
Marisa Belli	...	Aretheuse
Evelyn Stewart	...	Persephone (as Ida Galli)
Franco Giacobini	...	Telemachus
Mino Doro	...	Keros
Rosalba Neri	...	Helena (credit only)
Ely Drago	...	Jocasta (as Ely Dracò)
Gaia Germani	...	Medea
Raf Baldassarre	...	Mercenary
Elisabetta Pavan	...	Tamar
Aldo Pedinotti	...	Sunis (as Aldo Padinotti)
Claudio Marzulli

Storyline

Upon his return from battle in the previous film, the great warrior Hercules learns that his lover, Daianara, has lost her senses. Acording of the oracle Medea, Dianara's only hope is the Stone of Forgetfulness which lies deep in the realm of Hades. Hercules, with two companions, Theseus and Telemachus, embarks on a dangerous quest for the stone, while he is unaware that Dianara's guardian, King Lico, is the one responsible for her condition and plots to have the girl for himself as his bride upon her revival.

---

Plot Keywords:

bare chested male bondage | muscleman | greece | ancient greece | hercules character | 

---

Taglines:

Superhuman Strength Versus Supernatural Evil!!

---

Genres:

Adventure | Fantasy | Horror

---

Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

A special U.S. DVD was rather unique. The viewer could switch between the English-dubbed track and the original Italian track.

---

Goofs

Re the above, for the record Pluto's daughter is not called Persephone in the original version, but 'Myosotide' (spelling not guaranteed). It's explicitly stated at one point that she's Pluto's daughter with Persephone. That mistake must have been added in the dubbing.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Medea: This is Italia, a kingdom city of ancient Greece in an age of myth and legend. It is a time when Olympian gods and demigods rule over the elements of nature and control the destinies of men.

---

Connections

Follows Hercules (1958)

User Reviews

Mario Bava's atmospheric peplum gets first-rate treatment on a new Fantoma DVD.

Sword-and-sandal afficionados will be happy to hear that this lush Mario Bava-helmed Hercules movie is getting a widescreen treatment on DVD. It's one of the more atmospheric Italian schlock epics, full of the imaginative and colorful set pieces distinctive to the renowned Italian filmmaker, Mario Bava. Reg Park was among the most impressive bodybuilders to ever play the mythical hero and he is given generous opportunity to strut his stuff. Hercules literally goes to Hell to defeat satanic villain Christopher Lee in this engaging muscleman movie, a definite kitsch classic of it's kind, now being made available in it's once-glorious Super Technirama format on videodisc.

Details

Country:

Italy West Germany

Language:

Italian English

Release Date:

April 1964 (USA)

Also Known As:

Hercules in the Haunted World

Filming Locations:

Italy

Company Credits

Production Co:

SpA Cinematografica, Omnia Deutsche Film Export

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min (Blu-ray)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1