A
lavishly costumed and handsomely appointed adventure tale which recalls "The
Arabian Nights". Actually, it's supposedly set in Baghdad,
but the US version doesn't mention this and opens with the "Sons of
Hercules" song in an attempt to relate it to the successful Hercules
series. Anthar (Kirk Morris) is the friendly strongman who helps to
liberate a desert kingdom after its ruler, Sandor, is assassinated by the
ambitious Ganor, who is holding Sandor's son and daughter hostage. The
exotic sets by Ottavio Scotti and the atmospherics location cinematography
by Alejandro Ulloa would have to be seen in a cinema or in a properly
letterboxed version to be fully appreciated.
Some
highlights include the many battle scenes involving acrobatic sword
fighting, the attack on the city, the fight between Anthar and a
Rhinoceros (which is unintentionally amusing today),
and the final confrontation between Ganor and Anthar in a labyrinth
of mirrors (cf the hall of mirrors climaxes of "Wild,
Wild Planet" and "And God
said to Cain", Margheriti must have been impressed with
Orson Welles' "Lady from Shanghai").
A
fun, unpretentious and fast paced peplum with a good supporting cast
including Renato Baldini and Michele
Girardon.
Ruggero Deodato was the
assistant director and the desert exteriors were shot on location in
Algeria.
Reviewed
by: Robert Monell
