SuperHeroBooks - The Adventures of Hercules
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List Price: $34.98
Our Price: $120.00
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Manufacturer: Lions Gate
Starring: Steve Reeves, Juliette Mayniel, John Drew Barrymore, Arturo Dominici, Edy Vessel
Directed By: Alberto De Martino, Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia, Giorgio Ferroni, Osvaldo Civirani
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Average Customer Rating:   
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Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Binding: DVD
EAN: 9781573628846
Format: Box set
ISBN: 1573628840
Label: Lions Gate
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
Number Of Items: 4
Publisher: Lions Gate
Region Code: 1
Release Date: 2000-05-16
Running Time: 650
Studio: Lions Gate
Theatrical Release Date: 1962-07
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: Excellent package!
Comment: This now sold out DVD pack was worth every penny. 7 films, 4 of them which are pretty good, with two of them, Medusa vs the Son of Hercules and The Trojan Horse, being the best.
Here's a quick rundown:
1.The Trojan Horse: Very good retelling of the legendary tale of Troy, starring Steve Reeves. Much better than the recent film, Troy, and more successful in telling the story than Robert Wise's Helen of Troy, which was very good but had a terrible ending. John Drew Barrymore makes a striking villain.
2.Lion of Thebes: Mark Forest plays Arion who helps Helen (of Troy) escape the doomed city and the two end up in Thebes. Their presence causes a lot of trouble. The film is entertaining even if most of it is shot in a studio. Yvonne Furneaux is ravishing and Mark Forest is in top shape.
3.Hercules vs. The Sons of the Sun: In one of those improbable storylines, Hercules, played by buff and bulging Mark Forest, ends up in the land of the Incas. It's totally silly and a tad slow but the production values are colorful and the title is brilliant.
4.Hercules vs. The Moloch: very entertaining S&S flick starring Gordon Scott. I like this one but the film seems to rely a lot on stock footage.
5.Triumph of Hercules: the overlooked Dan Vadis stars as Hercules. I'm a big fan of Dan Vadis. The Ten Gladiators sequels are some of the best S&S films ever made so I really expected something on the same level but I was disappointed by it. Awful story squanders the talents of Dan Vadis. This film needs to be shown in widescreen since a lot of things on the far right or far left.
6.Medusa vs. The Son of Hercules: My favorite film of the whole pack. It's the retelling of the battle between Perseus and the Medusa, created here by Carlo Rambaldi, the same guy who created ET. I thought the Medusa looked cool. And Richard Harrison is much better than Harry Hamlin in Clash of the Titans, which, btw, is sorta an unofficial remake of this film. An overlooked fantasy film as it was made before all of them, including Jason & the Argonauts. BTW, the original title was Perseo l'invincibile or Perseus the Invincible, which makes more sense really.
7.Hercules vs. The Hydra: my least favorite of the pack. Jayne Mansfield is cool but Mickey Hargitay is a terrible actor and, dare I say it, looks bulky and clumsy. The story is terrible even if some of the production values are somewhat ok.
Customer Rating:
Summary: A long spectacle at low price
Comment: This pack has got the following seven movies:
1.Hercules vs. the Hydra.- Hercules (Mickey Hargitay, Mr. Universe) falls in love with the pretty and exuberant Queen Dianira (Jayne Mansfiel), he struggles with the Amazons and their wicked Queen Hippolyta, the death of this one is impressive when a previous lover, now reincarnated as tree, embraces her to death in a fantastic forest of former lovers, now trees. Here the Greek mythology is overflowing and Hercules must fight in a cave with a Hydra of three heads, later with a Cyclops, etc. Watch the force of the hero when he lifts a heavy trunk to throw down an enormous door and when he takes the heavy wheel of a cart to attack his enemies. The film does not have a moment of boredom. Plenty of action and...also love.
2.Hercules vs.the sons of the sun.- Hercules (Mark Forest) arrives in a beach of the Inca Empire, his ship has sunk,(a journey through time?) suddenly he is attacked by a group of warriors and the prince Maytha (Giuliano Gemma) helps him fighting against the Atahualpa's warriors . Later Hercules instructs his new friends and teaches them the arts of war to defeat the cruel usurper Atahualpa and as they do not know the wheel yet, neither the catapults nor the towers of assault, he is the adviser, so that his friends build them. After rescuing the beautiful Princess Yamara, sister of Prince Maytha, who was on the verge of being sacrified by the wicked Atahualpa, Hercules leads the assault of the city walls with the new machines of war, defeating the tyrant Atahualpa after a duel to death in palace. Ultimately, as a symbol the condor flies freely over the Andes mountains.
3.Medusa vs. the S.O.H.- A myth-adventure epic, with Perseus (Richard Harrison) and his struggle against the Medusa, the Gorgon of Greek mythology, a female monster with snakes for hair, her only lighted eye turns men into stone when they gaze at her head. There is also another frightening monster, a man-eating dragon, also used in Fire monsters against the S.O.H. It is stunning, unforgettable that valley of petrified men, the victims of Medusa, that misty swamp and the awesome Medusa moving back and forward, all surrounded by lunar rocks. Richard Harrison performs the main role, he acted as gladiator in other films (The invincible gladiator, Messalina against the S.O.H.). All the cast is very convincing in this movie.
4.Lion of Thebes.- After the war of Troy, Menelaus and Helen (Yvonne Furneaux) return to Sparta but their ship crashes off the shore of Egypt. The beautiful Helen and her loyal guard Aryon (Mark Forest) manage to come to Thebes, where Pharaoh Ramses is on the edge of war with Menophis, master of the Lower Egypt. Ramses falls in love with Helen, but misfortune pursues Helen again, Ramses is murdered and Helen and Aryon are accused of the murder. Only the herculean force and skill of Aryon overcomes the intrigues of the sly councelor of Ramses, Tutmes (Massimo Serato), who plotted the assassination. Later Menophis' archers punish the greed of the reappeared Menelaus, who seems to be more intrested in getting the exchequer of the Pharaohs than recovering his wife Helen. And finally, the new Pharaoh Menophis says goodbye to the couple Aryon/Helen that return to Sparta, as true lovers.
5. The Triumph of Hercules.- Here Hercules is Dan Vadis, also seen in The Rebel Gladiator, that shows strength and dexterity like a boxer, flexibility and speed as a karateist. Watch his fights against the seven bronze men that the magician Pasiphae has conjured up. After, Hercules recieves again his lost strength from Jove (Jupiter) that he had lost before due to an unjust act, he succeeds in breaking the walls of the cave and destroys the bronze bunch for ever. There is an unexpected final scene, very thrilling, when the usurper Prince Milo and his mother, the witch Pasiphae, face up to a fatal destiny and gravity force punish them, while Hercules saves the life of the true Princess Ate (Marilu Tolo). The movie has a splendid color, an exciting tournament in the arena and from time to time a bit of humour.
6. Hercules vs. the Moloch.- The savage cult to Moloch was a former and Barbarian Carthaginian habit in the North of Africa and it takes place in Mycene (ancient Greek city) in this movie. The young and beautiful maiden offered to be sacrified is placed horizontally on a stone surface inside a grotto while a satanic priest begins the ceremony, later a very mad big fellow, the sadistic reincarnation of god Moloch comes in, he wears a wolf mask, inside the cave several young women, with morbid and sexy look, accompany him, then the masked man destroys the face of the laid woman with his long fingernails, and so is to loose her beauty and do not offend the sight of the maniac. This exciting scene and another one of the end when Hercules enters the cave, while there is an earthquake, to fight with the mask man are difficult to forget. Gordon Scott, seen also in Tarzan films, achieves an skilful performance with feats of strength, gladiatorial combats and military tricks to lead the rebellion against the evel Queen Demetra, mother of Moloch. Later the rightful heir to the throne Princess Medea falls in love with the film's heroe
7. The Troyan Horse.- This spectacular movie is based on The Iliada by Homero and narrates the history of the assault to the city of Troy (today NW of Turkey), after Hector's death. After months of siege, combats and internal struggles, Ulysses devises the stratagem of the empty wooden horse. Steve Reeves does the role of Aeneas and shows a splendid physique. He fights with Ayax (Mimmo Palmara) in a challenge. Afterwards he battles Aquiles, but a poisoned arrow hits Aquiles' ankle causing his death. The movie has magnificent sequences of battle, good photography and elegant designs of sets and wardrobes
It is worth having this seven DVD pack, the original plots, nice color and quality, although full frame. A collection of hard to find sword&sandal movies at a low price.
Customer Rating:
Summary: It,s that man again
Comment: I think if you put all the films that have been made about Hercules, they would probably reach around the world.
This may sound like a complaint but beleive me they can't make enough of them.
What can you say about a box set as cheap as this. Wonderful sword and sandals. If like me, your a nut for them. Go Buy!
Keep the Hercules films coming.
Customer Rating:
Summary: great price.....what a bargain.
Comment: For the price i brought this set for how can i complain.You get for what you pay for,they are all watchable and action packed.If you want them widescreen and cleaned up you will probably have a long wait.The packaging is nice and presentable,a worthy edition to my collection.If you like sword and sandal/fantasy films and know how corny they can be you won`t be disappointed,7 films in one box,and the mighty steve reeves in one.Believe me,if you like epic battles get this box set,you`ll thank the gods you did.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Good Sword'n'Sandal starter set, but needs to be WIDESCREEN!
Comment: This 4-disc set includes 7 movies:1.The Trojan Horse
2.Lion of Thebes
3.Hercules vs. The Sons of the Sun
4.Hercules vs. The Moloch
5.Triumph of Hercules
6.Medusa vs. The Son of Hercules
7.Hercules vs. The Hydra This set is not bad at all and would receive a 4-star rating from me if it were not for the fact that yet again we have our favourite WIDESCREEN Sword'n'Sandal genre movies not being taken seriously and just being given a very shoddy panned and scanned release. But even so, I liked the movies in this collection so much I had to give it at least 3 stars. "The Trojan Horse" stars Steve Reeves and is one of the very best Sword'n'Sandal movies I have ever seen, recounting the well known story of the seige of Troy. Well worth watching -- and probably more to many people's taste than the current pretty-boy Brad Pitt version! "Lion of Thebes" is another very strong entry here. Mark Forest plays an excellent lead and this is quite a decent movie, taking place partly in Egypt. "Hercules vs. The Sons of the Sun" is not quite as good, but I just loved the whole very goofy premise of the film: shipwrecked at sea in some battle, Hercules clings to some wreckage and is washed clear across the Atlantic to South America, where he proceeds to have an adventure with some Inca-like people. Lots of evil priestesses and kings and all the usual goodies. This one is lots of fun! "Hercules vs. The Moloch" and "The Triumph of Hercules" are pretty much your standard fare for Hercules movies, with Hercules battling a terrifying and undefeated masked warrior in the first, and seeking justice for a treacherous wrong in the second. Not bad. "Medusa vs. The Son of Hercules" features Richard Harrison as the son of Hercules and has a catchy li'l theme song you'll be humming for days. The Medusa is a far cry from Harryhausen's creation in "Clash of the Titans", but it's good in a very cheesy kind of way. -- Hey, nobody watches these kind of films for the high production values, right? And speaking of production values, well, the previous movie looks advanced in comparison to "Hercules vs. The Hydra". You really get a whole new appreciation of just how far our special effects technology has come in the past 40 years after watching this one. But as compensation for the laughably mechanical Hydra, it has B-movie greats Jayne Mansfield and her hubby Mickey Hargitay in it. -- How can you resist? I have seen stores in Canada trying to sell this set for over $100 because "it was unreleased here". But I picked up mine used for about $15, and I feel I got my money's worth. I really hope that DVD makers will start taking these kind of films more seriously and realize that there ARE fans of this genre out here who would love to see them released in proper widescreen format. Meanwhile, if you can pick this set up cheap someplace and don't mind the fact that it's panned and scanned, it's okay for fun till they release proper versions.
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