Peplum: The 80s
After the peplum gave way to the Spaghetti Western and Eurospy films in 1965, the genre lay dormant for close to 20 years. Then in 1982, the box-office success of Arnold Schwarzenegger's Conan the Barbarian spurred a second renaissance of sword and sorcery Italian pepla in the five years immediately following. Most of these films had low budgets, focusing more on barbarians and pirates so as to avoid the need for expensive Greco-Roman sets. The filmmakers tried to compensate for their shortcomings with the addition of some graphic gore and nudity. Many of these 1980s entries were helmed by noted Italian horror film directors (Joe D'Amato, Lucio Fulci, Luigi Cozzi, etc.) and many featured actors Lou Ferrigno and Sabrina Siani. Here is a list of the 1980s pepla:
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- DirectorEnzo DoriaLuigi RussoStarsMark GregoryAndrea GoldmanÁngel AlcázarGod casts Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden because Eve decided to eat a forbidden apple that a talking snake told her to eat. The disgraced couple find themselves battling a coterie of various creatures.
- DirectorJoe D'AmatoStarsMiles O'KeeffeSabrina SianiRitza BrownThe son of Torren learns of his heritage, goes to avenge the deaths of his fellow villagers, and rescue his sister from the evil Dakkar and his spider cult.
- DirectorJoe D'AmatoStarsMiles O'KeeffeLisa FosterDavid BrandonMuscle-bound Ator and his mute East Asian sidekick travel from the ends of the earth to save his aged mentor from the evil, mustachioed Zor.
- DirectorAlfonso BresciaOvidio G. AssonitisStarsMiles O'KeeffeSavina GersakElisabeth KazaAtor and his brother are separated as children by the evil witch Phaedra. 18 years later she takes over the kingdom with the help of a masked warrior. Ator and Princess Janna prepare for the final fight.
- DirectorJoe D'AmatoStarsEric Allan KramerMargaret LenzeyDonald O'BrienOnce upon a time a god gave a mighty sword to the king of Aquiles to bring justice to his people. Now he wants it back - but the king rather gives his life than the sword.
- DirectorMichele Massimo TarantiniStarsPietro TorrisiYvonne FraschettiMario NovelliA swordsman's wife is murdered by followers of the evil Goddess Rani. He vows vengeance upon the cult and journeys to the Ark of the Templars to get a magic crossbow that will help him accomplish his mission.
- DirectorRuggero DeodatoStarsDavid PaulPeter PaulRichard LynchTwo twin barbarians seek revenge from the warlord who massacred their tribe and captured them when they were small children.
- DirectorAlberto CavalloneStarsSven KrugerSasha D'ArcViviana Maria RispoliPrimitive humans had to adapt to their brutal and savage environment or disappear into oblivion. For Bog, a great warrior, this struggle means conquering the land and gaining supremacy over his rivals.
- DirectorLucio FulciStarsJorge RiveroAndrea OcchipintiConrado San MartínA young man, armed with a magical bow and arrows, embarks on a mystical journey through a mystical land to rid it of all evil and joins forces with an outlaw to take down an evil witch bent on claiming the magic bow for evil.
- DirectorLuigi CozziStarsLou FerrignoBrad HarrisSybil DanningThe story of the Greek mythological figure, updated in this '80s version.
- DirectorLuigi CozziStarsLou FerrignoMilly CarlucciSonia VivianiHercules searches for the Seven Thunderbolts of Zeus, which have been stolen by renegade gods.
- DirectorMatt CimberStarsLaurene LandonCihangir GaffariMaría CasalBorn in a tribe of fierce warrior women, the archer and sword fighter, Hundra, has been raised to despise the influence of men. Superior to any male, Hundra takes a vow of revenge until one day she finds love.
- DirectorFrancesco ProsperiStarsPietro TorrisiMalisa LongoGiovanni CianfrigliaThe peaceful countryside village of Solmen is savagely assaulted by wild Ungats led by bloodthirsty Magen. In the midst of battle, two baby boys are miraculously saved by a tribe of Amazon warriors known as the Kuniats. The warriors nurture and train the boys for future struggles. The stronger of the two is named , Gunan The Invincible. It is up to Gunan to avenge the annihilation of his people. Gunan stages a spectacular one man war of vengeance against his enemy the Ungats, but they prove to be a formidable enemy, and much bloodshed ensues.
- DirectorUmberto LenziStarsSam PascoElvire AudrayGeorge EastmanA violent man is ejected from his tribe after killing two of its elders, but he discovers a way to make weapons out of iron, and begins waging war against all the tribes in the region. His arch rival manages to escape and vows to stop him.
- DirectorLorenzo OnoratiStarsRobert GligorovSandra VenturiniAldo RalliYoung, sadistic and uncharacteristically introspective Caligula falls for a black slave girl who serves as exotic dancer at his court. However, she's secretly working for his cousin who plans to overthrow him. Will love conquer all?
- DirectorBruno MatteiClaudio FragassoStarsLou FerrignoSybil DanningBrad HarrisA bandit leader endowed with supernatural powers by his sorceress mother makes yearly raids on a peasant village. However, the women of the village come into possession of a magic sword, and go in search of a hero who is able to wield it and save their village from the evil bandit.
- DirectorAvi NesherStarsSandahl BergmanDavid GossQuin KesslerIn a post-apocalyptic America, She, a fierce warrior who leads a women's cult, teams up with two brothers searching for their kidnapped sister. They come across weird cults before standing against the odds to defeat the evil Norks.
- DirectorEnzo G. CastellariLuigi CozziStarsLou FerrignoJohn SteinerRoland WybengaSinbad and his shipmates aid a young prince, who must battle an evil wizard to gain the hand of a beautiful princess.
- DirectorTonino RicciStarsBruno MinnitiMaria RomanoMalisa LongoIn the vein of CONAN THE BARBARIAN and Lucio Fulci's CONQUEST comes a tale of mythology and magic, of how THOR, a legendary god, triumphs over overwhelming odds to great victory and the destruction of his foes. After both his parents are brutally murdered by his father's rival Gnut and his men the new born Thor is placed in hiding by the physical embodiment of the god Teisha. Raised in secret under the guidance of Teisha, Thor comes to maturity and goes on a quest to avenge the death of his parents and return peace to his lands, in the process he discovers a woman to take as his wife. Taking the beautiful warrior virgin, Ina, as his companion, his exploits lead to a confrontation with Gnut, the slayer of his father. He finds and uncovers his father's sword and masters the art of combat, all under the ever watchful eye of the amorphous Teisha. How can Thor overcome Gnut and his horde? Watch the story of Thor, The Conqueror, to this day recalled in legend and in rock drawings!
- DirectorFrancesco ProsperiStarsSabrina SianiPietro TorrisiHarrison MullerA mighty hero battles the son of Satan and his evil witch ally to save a kingdom from being taken over by the duo.
- DirectorAntonio MargheritiStarsReb BrownCorinne CléryJohn SteinerA warrior seeks his true origins in a seemingly prehistoric wasteland.