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Event
NEFERTITI, QUEEN OF THE NILE (Nefertite, regina del Nilo)
Dir. Fernando Cerchio
Italy, 1961
In English
We know them by a few different terms: peplum films, sword and sandal films, neo-mythology historical epics. Call it what you will, the genre takes historical/mythological/biblical stories, fills them with as much cast-of-thousands epicness as they can afford for epic battle scenes and high melodrama. Mastered by the Italians, they've long been overlooked and ridiculed despite Hollywood aping this basic model every single summer. No more! Not on our watch! Behold in awe: ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?
It all starts so simply: in ancient Egypt, Tumos the sculptor (the great Edmund Purdom! PIECES! THE FIFTH CORD!) is in love with priestess-to-be Tenet (Jeanne Crain of STATE FAIR and LEAVE HER TO HEAVEN). Simple, right? Not when high priest Bekanon is set on keeping them apart! Did I mention Bekanon is played by Vincent Price? VINCENT PRICE! Bekanon splits up the couple, throwing Tenet in prison and condemning Tumos, who flees to the desert to gather help and hear revelations of the future. Meanwhile, Bekanon tells Tenet that he's...her FATHER, and so gives her the name by which history would know her...NEFERTITI, QUEEN OF THE NILE!
That's just the start: from here we have double-crosses, prophecies, lion maulings, the destruction of false idols and, perhaps most importantly, plenty of sardonic Price monologues. Director Fernando Cerchio was well-prepared for this kind of historical spectacle, having directed CLEOPATRA'S DAUGHTER and GODDESS OF LOVE earlier, and all of his stars make the most of the larger-than-life drama. Sword and sandal fans expecting something like the Firesign Theatre's HERCULES' BIG ARMS might hope for two hours of swordfights, but while there's action aplenty it's much more of a historical epic.
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LocationSPECTACLE THEATER (View)
124 South 3rd Street
Brooklyn, NY 11249
United States
Categories
| Kid Friendly: No |
| Dog Friendly: No |
| Non-Smoking: Yes! |
| Wheelchair Accessible: No |
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