Amazon.com

The reigning masterpiece of Italian horror cinema, Mario Bava's Black Sunday remains one of the most stylishly photographed of all horror films, ranking with any other black-and-white film of lasting repute. This was the master cameraman's official directorial debut, and his striking compositions are the work of a genuine artist in peak form. Loosely adapted from a story by Nikolai Gogol, this chilling vampire tale begins in17th-century Moldavia, where the evil Princess Asa (Barbara Steele) is executed for witchcraft and vampirism, along with her brother Javutich (Arturo Dominici). Two centuries later, a pair of traveling doctors discover Asa's crypt and inadvertently revive the evil princess, whose scheme of vampiric revenge is aimed at her own identical descendant Princess Katia, an innocent beauty (also played by Steele) whose lifeblood will ensure Asa's immortality.

Influenced by Universal's classic horror films of the '30s and British Hammer films of the late '50s, Black Sunday (released in Italy as The Mask of Satan) is a dark fairy tale, with horror queenSteele as the definitive embodiment of erotic horror. With shocking violence (tame by today's standards) and visual emphasis on tombs, secret passages, ominous castles, and unseen forces, the film offers a wealth of memorable imagery and inventive technique. Redubbed, rescored, and harshly edited for its American release in 1961, Black Sunday is presented on DVD in the original English-language director's cut of The Mask of Satan, never before available in the U.S. The perfect movie to watch on a dark and stormy night, this timeless classic is the Citizen Kane of horror films, entirely worthy of its lofty reputation. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (58)

Classic Goth Guignol
The incredibly photogenic original Goth queen, Barbara Steele, couldn't have asked for a better film debut than this atmospheric black-and-white classic by famed director Mario Bava. She gets to play both the innocent and beautiful ingenue Katya, and Katya's evil twin ancestor, the diabolical witch, Asa.

Steele's performance is half the reason to watch this conventional black magic/ghost/vampire tale, the other half being Bava's cinematography and skillful direction. This is an especially violent film, opening on the execution of Asa and her evil manservant, Javuto, by the nailing of spiked devil masks to their faces (the original title of the film was Mask of Satan). The visuals in this, and all other, scenes in the film are archetypally perfect. The actual framing and composition of each shot is beautifully done, throughout. The scenery is lush, the makeups unsettling - especially the resurrected Asa, with the holes in her face from the mask - and many of the effects are equally disturbing, especially one in which Asa's naked ribcage is exposed.

European horror cinema of the 1960s was the best the genre ever produced, and this was one of its premiere features. Highly recommended not only for horror fans, but for serious film students as well.

Dark, gothic, evil fun
Let me start by saying Barbara Steele is just plain weird looking. She is not unattractive. She is just...disturbing. Maybe that is why she fits so well into the role of an ancient witch condemned to death, a horrible iron mask nailed to her face.

Time passes and some travellers wander into her crypt despite their coach driver's warning. And of course they manage to break the wards and symbols that keep her from returning to life.

Black Sunday features great set design and an oppressively dark mood that oozes evil and menace in every scene. Apparently the film is available in two versions. I think I got the bad one. One version is heavily edited but features voicework by the original actors in english and better overall sound quality. I bought the extended version which unfortunately has some pretty bad voice acting.

Buy Black Sunday if you like classic horror movies such as the old Universal monster films, but wish that they didn't pull their punches so much. I would have given Black Sunday 5 stars, but the voice acting in my version is going to cost it a star. Still, most people suggest this version (the full version) over the shorter version, so the choice comes down to your own preference.

The heavenly totality of Asa Vadya's eyes
(...)

This is certainly a minor stylistic masterpiece. It creates atmosphere that is thick, foreboding, and claustrophobic. The story, however, is not worthy of such a lush, lavish treatment. It just doesn't possess any emotional depth. The whole film is Barbara Steele's eyes. They possess power that the film as a whole simply does not. The fog the film is enveloped in is not pervasive enough to mask the bitter emptiness of the tale being conveyed. It is difficult to criticize the film on its cinematic qualities. Nevertheless, the story does not mesmerize, tantalize or excite beyond those moments when Asa is moaning in her blood ecstasy. Indeed, my grandest (futile) wish was for Asa to slaughter them all and then to hit the road looking for more victims to prey upon.

Barbara Steele weeps, shrieks, sighs, faints, screams, moans, gasps, and is undeniably fascinating to watch. She is far more interesting as Asa. As Katia, she is a cipher. She's drained of life and hysterical to boot. Asa has activated her will (if the undead can even be said to possess a will--the will of Satan?). Katia is receptive, helpless and boring. She's just a lonely princess longing for her prince (yawn). It isn't Ms. Steele's fault--the character is simply dismal. She's the "good" girl--she doesn't have to do anything, except mope about in a perfectly awful hairdo. The rest of the cast are perfectly plastic--save for Arturo Dominici as Javutich. He's a fine match for Ms. Steele and wondefully terrible. He has presence that the others lack.

Still, the film is simply gorgeous. The story might not be my glass of Absinthe, but the film is still visually stunning. It lacks emotion and depth--but it makes up for it somewhat in the sheer power of its images. Obvious films that clearly map out the binary opposites at play are just not that intriguing. When you know from the start that virtue will win and evil will be destroyed, it kind of takes the thrill out of the whole thing.

BRAVO BAVA AND STEELE
If you are a true horror connoseur of great horror films, BLACK SUNDAY or THE MASK OF SATAN, belongs in your repertoire of those films which defined what "horror" movies should be about.
Mario Bava's first film is full of eloquent imagery, darkly atmospheric sets and lighting, and an almost palpable sense of doom. Barbara Steele, who went on with Hazel Court, to be the true scream queens of the sixties, is perfect in the dual role of the witch and her descendant; Bava knew that Steele's beauty is not of the usual kind and he used his lens to soften some of her harshness, but yet to ignite those gorgeous eyes. Steele also knew how to handle the camera, how to peer not only into the eyes of her fellow actors, but into your eyes as well.
John Richardson's boyish handsomeness is a perfect contrast to Steele's dark beauty. (Only complaint about DVD is the obvious dubbing, with "radio dj" voices that at times lessened the impact of the movie). The silent stagecoach ride is as many readers have commented one of the eeriest scenes captured on celluloid.
This is a frightening movie, way ahead of its time, and maintains a crude brilliance that is still penetrating today.

Bava Lives!
BLACK SUNDAY (aka THE MASK OF SATAN) marks the directorial debut of prolific horror director Mario Bava, and what a debut! The story, a Gothic masterpiece about vampirism being an extension of Satan worship, is quite interesting. Barbara Steel, the first horror starlet, or scream queen, is amazingly beautiful and quite good as the evil Princess Asa, who curses her family after being condemned as a witch, and Princess Katia, her ancestor. A chairjumper every five minutes! It lulls you asleep and then slaps you awake with the next scary moment. True suspense is being built up as the plot goes along nice and slow (even under an hour and a half!) The whole film is gorgeous and really showed me that a black-and-white movie can be just as scary and cringe-inducing as one in bright color.
Yes, Mario Bava is the founding father of Italian horror as we know it! Not only is he a great director, but he is an excellent cameraman and special effects artist, just to name a few other things he did in his movies. Thanks to Bava, we have masterpieces from other great directors as Dario Argento (SUSPIRIA, DEEP RED, TENEBRE, INFERNO), Lucio Fulci (DON'T TORTURE A DUCKLING, ZOMBIE, THE BEYOND), and even Mario's own son Lamberto (MACABRE, A BLADE IN THE DARK, DEMONS 1 & 2). Hell, even the Bavas helped Argento on occasion (Mario directed that awesome underwater sequence in INFERNO, and Lamberto was assistant director on that and TENEBRE). So remember, when you think about how awesome Italian horror movies were back in the day and all the masterpieces that came out of that country, remember Mario Bava. And watch BLACK SUNDAY and all of his other movies! ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Did Disney ruin it forever, or was it already too late?
I will make frequent reference to my copy, a discounted version on the notoriously low-quality "Goodtimes Home Video", especially the trademark misrepresentation of the sleeve. SLEEVE: "The Best Heroic Action Movie Ever Made" TRUTH: Probably one of the most ambitious plots. By this print in 1990, there may well have been better action movies. SLEEVE: SEE Hercules single-handedly wrestle a man-eating lion! TRUTH: LAUGH at Hercules as he single-handedly wrestles down a shag carpet. SLEEVE: SEE Hercules beat the infamous Cretan Bull down with his fists! TRUTH: SEE footage of a bull! SEE Hercules struggle for ten minutes with a taxidermist's rendition of a different bull. Strangely enough, these encounters in the first half mean nothing to the plot...because they are about Hercules. The movie, it turns out, is not about Hercules, as he just ends up being an Argonaut stooge. While better dubbed than--say--a Bruce Lee movie, it tries to be a similar style of action (fighting) movie, and these scenes fail miserably by today's standards. It's a given that no child will ever choose this film over the cartoon. However, it was probably doomed to the classic nostalgia crowd anyway. It's a shame Disney got hold of him before there could be a Godzilla-ish remake. All the classics seem to go one way or the other.

The Great Steve Reeves as Hercules
I remember seeing this movie as a child and interestingly enough, now that it is on dvd, my son has bought this for his family.There are no great special effects. And don't look for any great acting, but Hercules is a fun movie and Reeves is the perfect Hercules with a sculpted physique, handsome and charismatic. I hope more Reeves movies become available on dvd. He was the original action hero.

Buff Beyond Belief -- The Original Sand and Sandal Epic
I just watched the Italian film Hercules staring Steve Reeves in the title role. First of all it was a pleasure to see Hercules call on his father Jupiter (and not Zeus as so many would have it).

Hercules travels to Jialco where he finds himself first welcomed by the Throne and then despised. After defeating the Cretan Bull, Hercules finds Jason, lost heir to the throne of Jialco. To prove Jason is who he says he is, Hercules, Jason, Argos and others set out to find the lost Golden Fleece.

Originally shot in Italian, this film does suffer from bad dubbing. This film, and particularly its sequel, Hercules Unchained, are some of the best interpretations of the Hercules legend.

Steve Reeves is wonderful as the hero and looks like he could defeat Kevin Sorbo without even trying. Reeves spends most of the film sans shirt showing off one of the finest builds ever filmed. For those who prefer looking at bodies with more curves, there are plenty of women in short Grecian robes.

What a great pity
This is without doubt the worst film transfer to DVD I have ever seen. I saw the film recently on TV and it was 10 times the quality of this DVD. Dont waste your money on this DVD.
It is an insult to modern technology and frankly a rip-off. Amazon should be ashamed of selling this product.

When Times Were Simpler and Steve Reeves Was Hercules!
Ah, yes! Those were the days! Disregard the dubbed-in dialogue and hokey plot lines. The orginal 1957 "Hercules" is a treasure of fantasy and fun. To those Americans who possess a sense of the past (what used to be known fondly as "nostalgia" prior to the MTV generation and its contemptuous stance toward anything that occurred prior to the maturation of Jennifer Lopez's big, fat posterior), Johnny Weismuller was Tarzen. Bela Lugosi was Dracula. Clayton Moore was the Lone Ranger. And Steve Reeves was Hercules. Long before Arnold there was Steve Reeves, the prototype body builder who in the 1940s and 50s surpassed what Charles Atlas initiated a generation earlier. A scrawny, unathletic kid who was teased unmercifully, Reeves decided to do something about his predicament. He made body building and fitness a way of life. Between 1945 and 1950, Reeves won every body building competition and award in the universe, and he did so without the use of steroids or any other drugs. It didn't take long for Hollywood to come calling. After being considered and then turned down for the role of Samson (for being "too muscular") in the 1949 MGM production of "Samson and Delilah" opposite Heddy Lamarr, Reeves spent a few years playing mostly forgetable parts in a number of films before achieving celluloid stardom in his adopted home, Italy. In 1957 Reeves portrayed the legendary Greek hero Hercules in the film of the same name, and repeated the role in its sequel, "Hercules Unchained," two years later. Reeves was extraordinarily handsome with black wavy hair and piercing blue eyes. With his beard and spectacular physique, Reeves looked exactly like the image of the Greek demigod as it had been depicted for thousands of years. So ingrained became his image in the minds of movie fans, that the names "Steve Reeves" and "Hercules" became synonomous. For a time in the late 1950s and early 1960s he was the highest-paid movie star in the world. To kids growing up in an innocent age of malt shops, high school dances, science-fiction comics, and "Father Knows Best," Reeves was the epitome of wholesome manliness. He became the idol and inspiration for a whole new generation of weightlifters and body builders, including Lou Ferrigno, Franco Columbo, Reg Park, and old Arnold himself. He enchanted young and old alike as Hercules and as a number of other legendary Greco-Roman characters. In the late 1960s while still fit as a fiddle, very popular, and only in his early 40s, Reeves was asked by Sergio Leonne to star in a series of Spaghetti Westerns. But Reeves decided to leave the acting business. His place was taken by Clint Eastwood, and the rest is history (there's that anachronistic word again). Reeves continued living in Italy where he could be spotted daily "power-walking" (rapidly walking while carrying light weights in his arms) around all the famous sites in Rome. By the 1990s he and his wife returned to America where they raised horses and lived quietly on a beautiful ranch in Southern California. Reeves still looked great into his seventies and remained a steadfast advocate of drug-free athletics. Which is why it was so shocking to hear of his sudden death from cancer in 2000. Supposedly, Reeves visited his physician and was diagnosed with an accutely malignant form of cancer. In two weeks, he was dead. Upon hearing the news, I couldn't accept the fact of his passing. "Steve Reeves dead? Can't be." He always seemed so invincible. How time marches on. But the image of Reeves as the prototype celluloid demigod will endure. In the hearts and memories of many a young boy in the 1950s and 60s, there was no more popular person in the world than Steve Reeves. In many ways, Reeves may well have been the last great role model of an America that used to be. Malt shops are gone. Early sci-fi classic films with thoughtful plots like Howard Hawks' "The Thing From Another World" and Robert Wise's "The Day the Earth Stood Still" are now considered archaic by a generation whose attention span is measureable in nanoseconds. High school dances long ago devolved into loud, coarse, uncivil environments known as "clubs." There are no TV shows even remotely resembling the quaint idealism of "Father Knows Best." Yet certain images from yesteryear remain transfixed eternally in the minds of those still thoughtful enough to remember. Steve Reeves will always be the one and only "Hercules." So long, pal. ... Read more

Description

Contains: The Giant of Marathon (1962).
Steve "Hercules" Reeves plays the musclebound hero who defends Athens from Persian forces.A horse with incredible stamina, a double-crossing siren, epic land and sea battles and Reeves' amazing physique highlight this sowrd-and-sandal winner.

"The Last Glory of Troy" (1962)
The majestically muscular Steve Reeves slings a lot of swords, in this action-filled tale of a fight for freedom between Etruscan slave drivers and oppressed Trojans. This movie is not to be missed.AKA: "The Avenger" ... Read more

Amazon.com

A rash of assassinations of prominent government officials occurred in Sicily in the late 1970s and early 1980s--including the president of Sicily--by the Cosa Nostra, better known as the Mafia.The Mafia had a name for these highly placed victims: cadaveri eccellenti, or excellent cadavers.Judge Giovanni Falcone (Chazz Palminteri), a Sicilian native investigating some routine bankruptcy cases, ended up on an obsessive crusade to bring down these killers, who had been getting away with murder for so long.The HBO docudrama Excellent Cadavers dramatizes Falcone's heroic efforts as he met with ferocious resistance from every quarter, even the Ministry of Justice.An essential witness came to Falcone's aid: Tommasso Buscetta (F. Murray Abraham), a former mob kingpin whose sons had been murdered by the Mafia.A special courthouse was built to hold the thousand lawyers and witnesses in the ensuing trial, with 30 steel cages for the 400 accused Cosa Nostra members.The script and direction of this movie lacks focus and originality at times, and Palminteri, Abraham,and the other fine cast members are not always used to best advantage, but the facts of this true story are so gripping in and of themselves that the film is worth the watch. --Laura Mirsky ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Gripping recreation of facts
Because "Excellent Cadavers" - or, as it's titled in Europe and Australia, "Falcone" - is a film based on facts, you begin to watch it knowing perfectly well just what is going to happen and what the ending will be. Nevertheless, it manages to be gripping and deeply involving. The story of judge Falcone and his self-sacrificial fight against the seemingly omnipotent mafia is faithully recreated (though perhaps a little too shortened for my liking) - if marginally fictionalized - and treated with respect it deserves. The script certainly does Falcone justice, as does Chazz Palminteri's portrayal of the relentless lawman. F. Murray Abraham delivers as well, and even though he obviously does not look anything like the real Tommasso Buscetta, he convincingly portrays an old-fashioned "man of honor", a relic of the mob era when the term had an actual meaning. Victor Cavallo as Salvatore Riina, shown here as a secondary character, is worth mentioning too - Cavallo, though his role has little screen time and is in fact reduced almost to a few dialogueless cameos, manages to create a memorable, truly frightening and malevolent screen personality, perfectly recreating the nature of the real "Toto". Though this is "only" a TV production, it can certainly stand tall and proud next to any cinematic giants of the mob film genre. Highly recommended.

Must see for every mafia movie lover
For those that want something different from all those Sinatra loving american-born mafioso this is a must. The movie based on a true story and describes the life of Judge Falcone, a man dedicated in fighting the mafia in its nest, Sicily. I gave it 3stars as i find quite short and end very suddenly.

War against the Mafia: Raw and Brutal
This is a powerful film. The fact that it has only 1 "name" star( F.Murray Abraham,as Don/Godfather Tommaasso Buscetta) and uses multi-over-voice news casts, and actual newspaper clip/photo montages conveys an aura of documentary realism not often seen except perhaps in war films. EXCELLENT CADAVERS is a war film. It has been noted the film makes no effort at "Godfather glamorizing" of Dons and wise-guys of The Mafia. Nor does it opt for a meretricious cool that allows "The Good Fellows" to be thugs but tough-guy anti-heroes at the same time. The Sicilian mobsters are portrayed as demonic monsters; their "soldiers" as conscienceless killers. Chazz Palminteri is excellent as soft-spoken, courageous Judge Giovanni Falcone. He takes-on the thankless, almost suicidal mission of ferreting-out the 5th estate/Racketeer dominated infrastructure of his government and nation amidst an unbelievable reign of terror by Cosa Nostra. With assassinations of public officials and police occurring daily, the breaking of Omerta...the blood code of silence...by Don Tommasso Buscetta (in vengeance for mob killings of his family members by other Dons) "opens the ball" to mass indictments, arrests and convictions of literally hundreds of Mafia leaders and their tainted government cohorts. But the victory is not without terrible, final cost. This film is unfliching in its depiction of what a war against the Mafia is. Some would observe that the film "lacks" depth. However, how much of a hearing do terrorists merit? The Sicilian Mafia...also called The Octopus because its tentacles extend to virtually every major criminal enterprise on earth...is the government of Crime. In lands blessed by God, it will remain The Black Hand that curses men. Perhaps it can never be defeated. But EXCELLENT CADAVERS is an excellent film, raw and brutal, that demonstrates there are still heroic men and women willing to risk themselves to fight the Mafia...wherever it strikes... in unending War of attrition.

Gripping recreation of facts
Because it's based on facts, you begin to watch this movie knowing perfectly well what's going to happen and what the ending will be - nevertheless, it's gripping and deeply involving. The story of judge Falcone is faithully recreated - though too shortened for my liking - and does him justice. Chazz Palminteri plays Falcone much better than I expected, and while F. Murray Abraham does not look like the real Tommasso Buscetta, he does a fair portrayal of a "man of honour". The role and part of Toto Riina, while secondary, is worth mentioning too - it's truly frightening!

An excellent movie about real heros
While the American media was having a field day with publicity about "Teflon Don" John Gotti and the Gambino crime family, across the Atlantic, in the land where the Mafia began, a group of true patriotic heros were literally putting their lives on the line, trying to rid their country of Mafia stranglehold. By viewing this movie, we come in rather at the end of that battle, which is a pity, but understandable given the time restraints of a film.

By the time we are introduced to Giovanni Falcone (Chazz Palminteri) and Paolo Barsellino (Andy Lutto), they have lost fellow judges and magistrates to mob hits. When Falcone's investigation begins to turn up the heat under a few Sicilian Mafia kingpins, the very government office where he is employed confiscates the files containing his research--ironically claiming that they are needed for the investigation in the the most recent Mafia assassination of his fellow judge and friend.

The tentacles of the Mafia have reached into every stratum of Sicilian society by the time this movie begins. The mob controls literally everything. As the character Tommasso Buscetta (F. Murray Abraham) explains to Falcone when they meet, that's why Sicily had highways that went nowhere, dams without water, seaports without ships. If ever the taxpayers were being robbed to support organized crime, the people of Italy and Sicily were at this time and had been for much longer.

Opposing the Mafia in Sicily in the 1980's meant either political death from corrupt politicos or physical death from the mob, which makes it all the more amazing that so many brave men were willing to try their best and give their lives for their countrymen. It is abundantly clear in the movie that the people of Sicily were literally crying out to be saved from the mob, but were all too aware of the indifference, corruption and fear in high places that made that salvation all but impossible.

Giovanni Falcone entered the fight in what were to be the last seven years of his life. Palminteri plays this hero-next-door beautifully, showing his faults and fears as well as his incredible strength of character. The romance between Falcone and his soon-to-be wife Francesca (Anna Galiena) is beautifully portrayed with warmth and wit. As the two of them (she is a Sicilian magistrate) take on the mob, even as they take their vows, they do so as two mature, realistic adults who know all too well that their lives may be over soon. They learn to live and love surrounded by bodyguards even though they know, as Falcone tells Buscetta, "One should bring children into the world, not orphans."

At long last, Falcone gets to fulfill his dream, along with this friend Paolo Barsellimo (Andy Lutto) of completing his investigation into Mafia activity in Sicily, which ultimately leads to the indictment and conviction of more than 300 crime bosses and flunkies. Then we see the frustration build as yet another corrupt judge begins to set the covicts free from their life sentences on the slightest of technicalities. Finally, just as it appears that the government has captured and will prosecute "Toto" Reina, the mightiest of the mob bosses in Palermo, Francesca and Giovanni are assassinated themselves. Months later, Barsellino joins the group of martyrs to the cause of eliminating the Mafia. But by that time, all the people of Sicily were united in their demands that the government get serious about ending the Mafia domination of their country.

This movie will end for all times the idea that "the mob" is a glamourous, exciting entity. It leaves one asking, "Just what's so good about a goodfella?"

The scenery and settings in the movie deserve star billing themselves. We see Siciliy as a modern, beautiful city with a rich past--a place where most people genuinely want nothing to do with Cosa Nostra and have no respect whatsoever for those who do.

I would have liked to see more background on the history of the mob in Sicily and Italy, as well as a bit more on Falcone's own background. However, it is understandable that the addition of this material would have taken away from the story being told by "Excellent Cadavers." So I have ordered Alexander Stille's book from Amazon to satisfy my curiosity in that regard.

Altogether this is a very beautiful and satisfying film that proves that, after all, heroism is not a thing of the past. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Did Disney ruin it forever, or was it already too late?
I will make frequent reference to my copy, a discounted version on the notoriously low-quality "Goodtimes Home Video", especially the trademark misrepresentation of the sleeve. SLEEVE: "The Best Heroic Action Movie Ever Made" TRUTH: Probably one of the most ambitious plots. By this print in 1990, there may well have been better action movies. SLEEVE: SEE Hercules single-handedly wrestle a man-eating lion! TRUTH: LAUGH at Hercules as he single-handedly wrestles down a shag carpet. SLEEVE: SEE Hercules beat the infamous Cretan Bull down with his fists! TRUTH: SEE footage of a bull! SEE Hercules struggle for ten minutes with a taxidermist's rendition of a different bull. Strangely enough, these encounters in the first half mean nothing to the plot...because they are about Hercules. The movie, it turns out, is not about Hercules, as he just ends up being an Argonaut stooge. While better dubbed than--say--a Bruce Lee movie, it tries to be a similar style of action (fighting) movie, and these scenes fail miserably by today's standards. It's a given that no child will ever choose this film over the cartoon. However, it was probably doomed to the classic nostalgia crowd anyway. It's a shame Disney got hold of him before there could be a Godzilla-ish remake. All the classics seem to go one way or the other.

The Great Steve Reeves as Hercules
I remember seeing this movie as a child and interestingly enough, now that it is on dvd, my son has bought this for his family.There are no great special effects. And don't look for any great acting, but Hercules is a fun movie and Reeves is the perfect Hercules with a sculpted physique, handsome and charismatic. I hope more Reeves movies become available on dvd. He was the original action hero.

Buff Beyond Belief -- The Original Sand and Sandal Epic
I just watched the Italian film Hercules staring Steve Reeves in the title role. First of all it was a pleasure to see Hercules call on his father Jupiter (and not Zeus as so many would have it).

Hercules travels to Jialco where he finds himself first welcomed by the Throne and then despised. After defeating the Cretan Bull, Hercules finds Jason, lost heir to the throne of Jialco. To prove Jason is who he says he is, Hercules, Jason, Argos and others set out to find the lost Golden Fleece.

Originally shot in Italian, this film does suffer from bad dubbing. This film, and particularly its sequel, Hercules Unchained, are some of the best interpretations of the Hercules legend.

Steve Reeves is wonderful as the hero and looks like he could defeat Kevin Sorbo without even trying. Reeves spends most of the film sans shirt showing off one of the finest builds ever filmed. For those who prefer looking at bodies with more curves, there are plenty of women in short Grecian robes.

What a great pity
This is without doubt the worst film transfer to DVD I have ever seen. I saw the film recently on TV and it was 10 times the quality of this DVD. Dont waste your money on this DVD.
It is an insult to modern technology and frankly a rip-off. Amazon should be ashamed of selling this product.

When Times Were Simpler and Steve Reeves Was Hercules!
Ah, yes! Those were the days! Disregard the dubbed-in dialogue and hokey plot lines. The orginal 1957 "Hercules" is a treasure of fantasy and fun. To those Americans who possess a sense of the past (what used to be known fondly as "nostalgia" prior to the MTV generation and its contemptuous stance toward anything that occurred prior to the maturation of Jennifer Lopez's big, fat posterior), Johnny Weismuller was Tarzen. Bela Lugosi was Dracula. Clayton Moore was the Lone Ranger. And Steve Reeves was Hercules. Long before Arnold there was Steve Reeves, the prototype body builder who in the 1940s and 50s surpassed what Charles Atlas initiated a generation earlier. A scrawny, unathletic kid who was teased unmercifully, Reeves decided to do something about his predicament. He made body building and fitness a way of life. Between 1945 and 1950, Reeves won every body building competition and award in the universe, and he did so without the use of steroids or any other drugs. It didn't take long for Hollywood to come calling. After being considered and then turned down for the role of Samson (for being "too muscular") in the 1949 MGM production of "Samson and Delilah" opposite Heddy Lamarr, Reeves spent a few years playing mostly forgetable parts in a number of films before achieving celluloid stardom in his adopted home, Italy. In 1957 Reeves portrayed the legendary Greek hero Hercules in the film of the same name, and repeated the role in its sequel, "Hercules Unchained," two years later. Reeves was extraordinarily handsome with black wavy hair and piercing blue eyes. With his beard and spectacular physique, Reeves looked exactly like the image of the Greek demigod as it had been depicted for thousands of years. So ingrained became his image in the minds of movie fans, that the names "Steve Reeves" and "Hercules" became synonomous. For a time in the late 1950s and early 1960s he was the highest-paid movie star in the world. To kids growing up in an innocent age of malt shops, high school dances, science-fiction comics, and "Father Knows Best," Reeves was the epitome of wholesome manliness. He became the idol and inspiration for a whole new generation of weightlifters and body builders, including Lou Ferrigno, Franco Columbo, Reg Park, and old Arnold himself. He enchanted young and old alike as Hercules and as a number of other legendary Greco-Roman characters. In the late 1960s while still fit as a fiddle, very popular, and only in his early 40s, Reeves was asked by Sergio Leonne to star in a series of Spaghetti Westerns. But Reeves decided to leave the acting business. His place was taken by Clint Eastwood, and the rest is history (there's that anachronistic word again). Reeves continued living in Italy where he could be spotted daily "power-walking" (rapidly walking while carrying light weights in his arms) around all the famous sites in Rome. By the 1990s he and his wife returned to America where they raised horses and lived quietly on a beautiful ranch in Southern California. Reeves still looked great into his seventies and remained a steadfast advocate of drug-free athletics. Which is why it was so shocking to hear of his sudden death from cancer in 2000. Supposedly, Reeves visited his physician and was diagnosed with an accutely malignant form of cancer. In two weeks, he was dead. Upon hearing the news, I couldn't accept the fact of his passing. "Steve Reeves dead? Can't be." He always seemed so invincible. How time marches on. But the image of Reeves as the prototype celluloid demigod will endure. In the hearts and memories of many a young boy in the 1950s and 60s, there was no more popular person in the world than Steve Reeves. In many ways, Reeves may well have been the last great role model of an America that used to be. Malt shops are gone. Early sci-fi classic films with thoughtful plots like Howard Hawks' "The Thing From Another World" and Robert Wise's "The Day the Earth Stood Still" are now considered archaic by a generation whose attention span is measureable in nanoseconds. High school dances long ago devolved into loud, coarse, uncivil environments known as "clubs." There are no TV shows even remotely resembling the quaint idealism of "Father Knows Best." Yet certain images from yesteryear remain transfixed eternally in the minds of those still thoughtful enough to remember. Steve Reeves will always be the one and only "Hercules." So long, pal. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Did Disney ruin it forever, or was it already too late?
I will make frequent reference to my copy, a discounted version on the notoriously low-quality "Goodtimes Home Video", especially the trademark misrepresentation of the sleeve. SLEEVE: "The Best Heroic Action Movie Ever Made" TRUTH: Probably one of the most ambitious plots. By this print in 1990, there may well have been better action movies. SLEEVE: SEE Hercules single-handedly wrestle a man-eating lion! TRUTH: LAUGH at Hercules as he single-handedly wrestles down a shag carpet. SLEEVE: SEE Hercules beat the infamous Cretan Bull down with his fists! TRUTH: SEE footage of a bull! SEE Hercules struggle for ten minutes with a taxidermist's rendition of a different bull. Strangely enough, these encounters in the first half mean nothing to the plot...because they are about Hercules. The movie, it turns out, is not about Hercules, as he just ends up being an Argonaut stooge. While better dubbed than--say--a Bruce Lee movie, it tries to be a similar style of action (fighting) movie, and these scenes fail miserably by today's standards. It's a given that no child will ever choose this film over the cartoon. However, it was probably doomed to the classic nostalgia crowd anyway. It's a shame Disney got hold of him before there could be a Godzilla-ish remake. All the classics seem to go one way or the other.

The Great Steve Reeves as Hercules
I remember seeing this movie as a child and interestingly enough, now that it is on dvd, my son has bought this for his family.There are no great special effects. And don't look for any great acting, but Hercules is a fun movie and Reeves is the perfect Hercules with a sculpted physique, handsome and charismatic. I hope more Reeves movies become available on dvd. He was the original action hero.

Buff Beyond Belief -- The Original Sand and Sandal Epic
I just watched the Italian film Hercules staring Steve Reeves in the title role. First of all it was a pleasure to see Hercules call on his father Jupiter (and not Zeus as so many would have it).

Hercules travels to Jialco where he finds himself first welcomed by the Throne and then despised. After defeating the Cretan Bull, Hercules finds Jason, lost heir to the throne of Jialco. To prove Jason is who he says he is, Hercules, Jason, Argos and others set out to find the lost Golden Fleece.

Originally shot in Italian, this film does suffer from bad dubbing. This film, and particularly its sequel, Hercules Unchained, are some of the best interpretations of the Hercules legend.

Steve Reeves is wonderful as the hero and looks like he could defeat Kevin Sorbo without even trying. Reeves spends most of the film sans shirt showing off one of the finest builds ever filmed. For those who prefer looking at bodies with more curves, there are plenty of women in short Grecian robes.

What a great pity
This is without doubt the worst film transfer to DVD I have ever seen. I saw the film recently on TV and it was 10 times the quality of this DVD. Dont waste your money on this DVD.
It is an insult to modern technology and frankly a rip-off. Amazon should be ashamed of selling this product.

When Times Were Simpler and Steve Reeves Was Hercules!
Ah, yes! Those were the days! Disregard the dubbed-in dialogue and hokey plot lines. The orginal 1957 "Hercules" is a treasure of fantasy and fun. To those Americans who possess a sense of the past (what used to be known fondly as "nostalgia" prior to the MTV generation and its contemptuous stance toward anything that occurred prior to the maturation of Jennifer Lopez's big, fat posterior), Johnny Weismuller was Tarzen. Bela Lugosi was Dracula. Clayton Moore was the Lone Ranger. And Steve Reeves was Hercules. Long before Arnold there was Steve Reeves, the prototype body builder who in the 1940s and 50s surpassed what Charles Atlas initiated a generation earlier. A scrawny, unathletic kid who was teased unmercifully, Reeves decided to do something about his predicament. He made body building and fitness a way of life. Between 1945 and 1950, Reeves won every body building competition and award in the universe, and he did so without the use of steroids or any other drugs. It didn't take long for Hollywood to come calling. After being considered and then turned down for the role of Samson (for being "too muscular") in the 1949 MGM production of "Samson and Delilah" opposite Heddy Lamarr, Reeves spent a few years playing mostly forgetable parts in a number of films before achieving celluloid stardom in his adopted home, Italy. In 1957 Reeves portrayed the legendary Greek hero Hercules in the film of the same name, and repeated the role in its sequel, "Hercules Unchained," two years later. Reeves was extraordinarily handsome with black wavy hair and piercing blue eyes. With his beard and spectacular physique, Reeves looked exactly like the image of the Greek demigod as it had been depicted for thousands of years. So ingrained became his image in the minds of movie fans, that the names "Steve Reeves" and "Hercules" became synonomous. For a time in the late 1950s and early 1960s he was the highest-paid movie star in the world. To kids growing up in an innocent age of malt shops, high school dances, science-fiction comics, and "Father Knows Best," Reeves was the epitome of wholesome manliness. He became the idol and inspiration for a whole new generation of weightlifters and body builders, including Lou Ferrigno, Franco Columbo, Reg Park, and old Arnold himself. He enchanted young and old alike as Hercules and as a number of other legendary Greco-Roman characters. In the late 1960s while still fit as a fiddle, very popular, and only in his early 40s, Reeves was asked by Sergio Leonne to star in a series of Spaghetti Westerns. But Reeves decided to leave the acting business. His place was taken by Clint Eastwood, and the rest is history (there's that anachronistic word again). Reeves continued living in Italy where he could be spotted daily "power-walking" (rapidly walking while carrying light weights in his arms) around all the famous sites in Rome. By the 1990s he and his wife returned to America where they raised horses and lived quietly on a beautiful ranch in Southern California. Reeves still looked great into his seventies and remained a steadfast advocate of drug-free athletics. Which is why it was so shocking to hear of his sudden death from cancer in 2000. Supposedly, Reeves visited his physician and was diagnosed with an accutely malignant form of cancer. In two weeks, he was dead. Upon hearing the news, I couldn't accept the fact of his passing. "Steve Reeves dead? Can't be." He always seemed so invincible. How time marches on. But the image of Reeves as the prototype celluloid demigod will endure. In the hearts and memories of many a young boy in the 1950s and 60s, there was no more popular person in the world than Steve Reeves. In many ways, Reeves may well have been the last great role model of an America that used to be. Malt shops are gone. Early sci-fi classic films with thoughtful plots like Howard Hawks' "The Thing From Another World" and Robert Wise's "The Day the Earth Stood Still" are now considered archaic by a generation whose attention span is measureable in nanoseconds. High school dances long ago devolved into loud, coarse, uncivil environments known as "clubs." There are no TV shows even remotely resembling the quaint idealism of "Father Knows Best." Yet certain images from yesteryear remain transfixed eternally in the minds of those still thoughtful enough to remember. Steve Reeves will always be the one and only "Hercules." So long, pal. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Did Disney ruin it forever, or was it already too late?
I will make frequent reference to my copy, a discounted version on the notoriously low-quality "Goodtimes Home Video", especially the trademark misrepresentation of the sleeve. SLEEVE: "The Best Heroic Action Movie Ever Made" TRUTH: Probably one of the most ambitious plots. By this print in 1990, there may well have been better action movies. SLEEVE: SEE Hercules single-handedly wrestle a man-eating lion! TRUTH: LAUGH at Hercules as he single-handedly wrestles down a shag carpet. SLEEVE: SEE Hercules beat the infamous Cretan Bull down with his fists! TRUTH: SEE footage of a bull! SEE Hercules struggle for ten minutes with a taxidermist's rendition of a different bull. Strangely enough, these encounters in the first half mean nothing to the plot...because they are about Hercules. The movie, it turns out, is not about Hercules, as he just ends up being an Argonaut stooge. While better dubbed than--say--a Bruce Lee movie, it tries to be a similar style of action (fighting) movie, and these scenes fail miserably by today's standards. It's a given that no child will ever choose this film over the cartoon. However, it was probably doomed to the classic nostalgia crowd anyway. It's a shame Disney got hold of him before there could be a Godzilla-ish remake. All the classics seem to go one way or the other.

The Great Steve Reeves as Hercules
I remember seeing this movie as a child and interestingly enough, now that it is on dvd, my son has bought this for his family.There are no great special effects. And don't look for any great acting, but Hercules is a fun movie and Reeves is the perfect Hercules with a sculpted physique, handsome and charismatic. I hope more Reeves movies become available on dvd. He was the original action hero.

Buff Beyond Belief -- The Original Sand and Sandal Epic
I just watched the Italian film Hercules staring Steve Reeves in the title role. First of all it was a pleasure to see Hercules call on his father Jupiter (and not Zeus as so many would have it).

Hercules travels to Jialco where he finds himself first welcomed by the Throne and then despised. After defeating the Cretan Bull, Hercules finds Jason, lost heir to the throne of Jialco. To prove Jason is who he says he is, Hercules, Jason, Argos and others set out to find the lost Golden Fleece.

Originally shot in Italian, this film does suffer from bad dubbing. This film, and particularly its sequel, Hercules Unchained, are some of the best interpretations of the Hercules legend.

Steve Reeves is wonderful as the hero and looks like he could defeat Kevin Sorbo without even trying. Reeves spends most of the film sans shirt showing off one of the finest builds ever filmed. For those who prefer looking at bodies with more curves, there are plenty of women in short Grecian robes.

What a great pity
This is without doubt the worst film transfer to DVD I have ever seen. I saw the film recently on TV and it was 10 times the quality of this DVD. Dont waste your money on this DVD.
It is an insult to modern technology and frankly a rip-off. Amazon should be ashamed of selling this product.

When Times Were Simpler and Steve Reeves Was Hercules!
Ah, yes! Those were the days! Disregard the dubbed-in dialogue and hokey plot lines. The orginal 1957 "Hercules" is a treasure of fantasy and fun. To those Americans who possess a sense of the past (what used to be known fondly as "nostalgia" prior to the MTV generation and its contemptuous stance toward anything that occurred prior to the maturation of Jennifer Lopez's big, fat posterior), Johnny Weismuller was Tarzen. Bela Lugosi was Dracula. Clayton Moore was the Lone Ranger. And Steve Reeves was Hercules. Long before Arnold there was Steve Reeves, the prototype body builder who in the 1940s and 50s surpassed what Charles Atlas initiated a generation earlier. A scrawny, unathletic kid who was teased unmercifully, Reeves decided to do something about his predicament. He made body building and fitness a way of life. Between 1945 and 1950, Reeves won every body building competition and award in the universe, and he did so without the use of steroids or any other drugs. It didn't take long for Hollywood to come calling. After being considered and then turned down for the role of Samson (for being "too muscular") in the 1949 MGM production of "Samson and Delilah" opposite Heddy Lamarr, Reeves spent a few years playing mostly forgetable parts in a number of films before achieving celluloid stardom in his adopted home, Italy. In 1957 Reeves portrayed the legendary Greek hero Hercules in the film of the same name, and repeated the role in its sequel, "Hercules Unchained," two years later. Reeves was extraordinarily handsome with black wavy hair and piercing blue eyes. With his beard and spectacular physique, Reeves looked exactly like the image of the Greek demigod as it had been depicted for thousands of years. So ingrained became his image in the minds of movie fans, that the names "Steve Reeves" and "Hercules" became synonomous. For a time in the late 1950s and early 1960s he was the highest-paid movie star in the world. To kids growing up in an innocent age of malt shops, high school dances, science-fiction comics, and "Father Knows Best," Reeves was the epitome of wholesome manliness. He became the idol and inspiration for a whole new generation of weightlifters and body builders, including Lou Ferrigno, Franco Columbo, Reg Park, and old Arnold himself. He enchanted young and old alike as Hercules and as a number of other legendary Greco-Roman characters. In the late 1960s while still fit as a fiddle, very popular, and only in his early 40s, Reeves was asked by Sergio Leonne to star in a series of Spaghetti Westerns. But Reeves decided to leave the acting business. His place was taken by Clint Eastwood, and the rest is history (there's that anachronistic word again). Reeves continued living in Italy where he could be spotted daily "power-walking" (rapidly walking while carrying light weights in his arms) around all the famous sites in Rome. By the 1990s he and his wife returned to America where they raised horses and lived quietly on a beautiful ranch in Southern California. Reeves still looked great into his seventies and remained a steadfast advocate of drug-free athletics. Which is why it was so shocking to hear of his sudden death from cancer in 2000. Supposedly, Reeves visited his physician and was diagnosed with an accutely malignant form of cancer. In two weeks, he was dead. Upon hearing the news, I couldn't accept the fact of his passing. "Steve Reeves dead? Can't be." He always seemed so invincible. How time marches on. But the image of Reeves as the prototype celluloid demigod will endure. In the hearts and memories of many a young boy in the 1950s and 60s, there was no more popular person in the world than Steve Reeves. In many ways, Reeves may well have been the last great role model of an America that used to be. Malt shops are gone. Early sci-fi classic films with thoughtful plots like Howard Hawks' "The Thing From Another World" and Robert Wise's "The Day the Earth Stood Still" are now considered archaic by a generation whose attention span is measureable in nanoseconds. High school dances long ago devolved into loud, coarse, uncivil environments known as "clubs." There are no TV shows even remotely resembling the quaint idealism of "Father Knows Best." Yet certain images from yesteryear remain transfixed eternally in the minds of those still thoughtful enough to remember. Steve Reeves will always be the one and only "Hercules." So long, pal. ... Read more