Event

HERCULES

a/k/s Ercole e la regina di Lidia
Dir. Pietro Francisci, 1959
Italy, 97min

How simple men are.

In the 3rd century BCE, Apollonius of Rhodes wrote The Argonautica, a retelling of the story of the Argonauts, derided in its time as a cheap reboot of Homer. One of the main reasons for this was the reinterpretation of Jason as less a mighty god than nearly an anti-hero, excelling not at fighting or bravery but cunning and manipulation, and now the main focus of the story, while Heracles (Hercules) is more a loveable but lunkheaded oaf.

1958, and Pietro Francisci delivers what even the opening credits call a loose interpretation of The Argonautica, putting Hercules back in the main role but keeping much of the original dynamic. No ones as ready to fill these particular shoes as the pride of Montana himself, Steve Reeves, who manages to be both a mighty slab of demigod and a hero who generally stumbles into trouble and fights his way out. Our opening, in which Hercules saves Iole (Sylvia Koscina, LISA AND THE DEVIL) and ends up travelling the world, fighting armies, unsuccessfully resisting the schemes of sorceresses and fighting pretty much everything that lives when all he wants to do is take a nap.

With gorgeous Technicolor cinematography and special effects by none other than Mario Bava, a truly jaunty score, a cast of thousands and plenty more, this was the film that led to the sword and sandal boom around the world. There have been many Hercs, but Steve Reeves is our personal favorite, and we hope you see why this July ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?