Peplum
The sword-and-sandal, or peplum film (pepla plural) is a genre of largely Italian-made historical or biblical epics (costume dramas) that dominated the Italian film industry from 1958 to 1965, eventually being replaced in 1965 by the Spaghetti Western.
The pepla attempted to emulate the big-budget Hollywood historical epics of the time, such as Spartacus, Samson and Delilah and The Ten Commandments.
The terms "peplum" (referring to the togas or robes which the ancient Romans wore) and "sword-and-sandal" were used in a condescending way by film critics. Italian director Vittorio Cottafavi called the genre "Neo-Mythology".
Info taken from wikipedia
The pepla attempted to emulate the big-budget Hollywood historical epics of the time, such as Spartacus, Samson and Delilah and The Ten Commandments.
The terms "peplum" (referring to the togas or robes which the ancient Romans wore) and "sword-and-sandal" were used in a condescending way by film critics. Italian director Vittorio Cottafavi called the genre "Neo-Mythology".
Info taken from wikipedia
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- DirectorSergio LeoneStarsRory CalhounLea MassariGeorges MarchalWhile holidaying in Rhodes, an Athenian war hero becomes involved in two plots to overthrow the tyrannical king: one from Rhodian patriots, and the other from sinister Phoenician agents.
- DirectorGiacomo GentilomoStarsSergio CianiJany ClairAnna Maria PolaniHercules is summoned to oppose the evil Queen Samara, who has allied herself with aliens and is sacrificing her own people in a bid to awaken a moon goddess.
- DirectorAlbert BandStarsGordon ScottPaul StevensMart HulswitThe mighty Hercules battles a sea monster to save the legendary city of Troy.
- DirectorDomenico PaolellaStarsMark ForestJosé GreciMaria Grazia SpinaThough Genghis Khan eventually sought peace with the West, his death in 1227 AD puts into power his three war-like sons: Sayan, Susdal, and Kin Khan. These sons quickly overrun the city of Tuleda and take prisoner Princess Bianca, though young Prince Alessio escapes. Hercules comes to the rescue of Bianca, winning her freedom in a tournament in exchange for becoming a slave himself. Forces from the West soon come to re-take Tuleda and Hercules -- freed from his bonds -- helps to dispatch Genghis Khan's three sons while again saving Bianca and reuniting her with her young brother.
- DirectorPiero PierottiStarsSergio CianiMimmo PalmaraJosé GreciIn 16th century Spain, Don Francisco reluctantly betroths his daughter, Blanca, to the arrogant Don Ramiro in order to preserve the lands in the family estate. Then Don Juan, Don Francisco's nephew and Blanca's true love, returns from the war in Flanders. Don Juan dons a mask and joins with a gypsy band led by Estella to fight against the forces of Don Ramiro. In this effort he's aided by a bare-chested muscleman and also by Captain Blasco who works for Don Ramiro but whose sympathies lie elsewhere.
- DirectorAntonio MargheritiStarsRichard HarrisonWandisa GuidaEttore ManniAn elite group of soldiers led by the courageous Claudius Marcellus are handpicked by Julius Caesar to embark on a desperate and dangerous suicide mission to destroy the Druids' secret weapon.
- DirectorAlberto De MartinoAntonio MompletStarsRichard HarrisonIsabelle CoreyLivio LorenzonA Roman warrior leads a revolt against an evil ruler.
- DirectorDomenico PaolellaStarsDan VadisGloria MillandJosé GreciIn order to persuade the Emperor to spare his village, the mighty Ursus is forced to fight the greatest gladiator in Rome in the Roman Arena.
- DirectorAntonio LeonviolaStarsSusy AndersenJoe RobinsonHarry BairdA race of Amazon warriors is enslaving the men of a country, and the mighty Thor is called upon to help them regain their freedom.
- DirectorVittorio CottafaviStarsMark ForestBroderick CrawfordGaby AndréA warrior returning home to his country must battle giant bats, three-headed dogs and a vicious dragon to save his wife, and his people, from the machinations of an evil ruler.
- DirectorAntonio LeonviolaStarsMark ForestMoira OrfeiPaul WynterMaciste arranges for himself and his new friend Bangor to be captured by a mysterious band of white-clad marauders and taken to an underground city. There the two are forced to turn an enormous wheel along with other captives as part of a gold-and-diamonds mining operation. The underground city's queen, Halis Mosab, takes note of the handsome, muscular Maciste and chooses him to be her consort if he can meet such challenges as saving the kidnapped Princess Saliura from a gigantic ape. Maciste kills the ape and carries Saliura back to the aboveground world. The white-clad marauders can't follow them if it means being caught in the sunlight which instantly dissolves them. Maciste then returns to the underground city to save the other captives. Meanwhile, high priest Kahab informs his son, Katar, that their queen is not one of them but, unbeknownst to her, was kidnapped as a small child from the "world above." If Katar can marry her, their children can be "normal" and can live in the world of sunlight. Katar sees Maciste as his enemy and is pleased when the re-captured Maciste is now subjected to a test of strength which will not only kill him but also Bango and another captive named Loth who is in love with the Princess Saliura.
- DirectorCarlo CampogallianiStarsSteve ReevesChelo AlonsoGiulia RubiniWhen barbarians invade his village and kill his father, a local man wages a one-man war against them.
- DirectorSergio CorbucciStarsSteve ReevesJacques SernasGianna Maria CanaleDuring the power struggle between Caesar and Crassus, a Roman centurion, who is the lost son of Spartacus, is dispatched to Crassus' camp to observe his movements and keep Caesar informed.
- DirectorMichele LupoStarsMark ForestJosé GreciGiuliano GemmaGoliath battles for the freedom of the Babylonian people.
- DirectorPedro LazagaStarsRichard HarrisonLoredana NusciakLivio LorenzonFramed for the escape of five gladiators from the arena, the son of one of Sparta's leading citizens is sentenced to the arena as gladiator himself and forced to fight for his life in the Roman Colosseum. Years later he manages to escape and return to Sparta, only to find out that his father has been murdered--even though it was ruled a "suicide"--and the woman he loves is about to marry the evil king who has usurped the throne. He sets out to find six of his fellow gladiators and return to Sparta to save his woman and place the rightful king on the throne.
- DirectorGuido MalatestaStarsReg LewisMargaret LeeLuciano MarinWandering strongman Maxxus comes upon two warring tribes, the Sun worshipers and the Moon worshipers. He saves the leader of the Sun tribe from a sea monster, then later on when the Moon tribe attacks and kidnaps the Sun tribe's women, they call upon Maxxus for help.
- DirectorGuido MalatestaStarsKirk MorrisLaura BrownDemeter BitencMaciste and his people flee their volcano-ravaged island. They end up caught in between two warring tribes.
- DirectorEmimmo SalviStarsBella CortezIloosh KhoshabeLiliana ZagraA superhero battles lizard men and other monsters that are terrorizing the countryside.
- DirectorMario BonnardStarsIsabelle CoreyAnthony SteffenIrène TuncThe construction of great temple dedicated to the goddess Aphrodite, followed by new and high taxes and the arrival of a plague, create discontent in the population, and threatens the love between a sculptor and a slave.
- DirectorJacques TourneurBruno VailatiMario BavaStarsSteve ReevesMylène DemongeotSergio FantoniA Greek soldier leads the fight against an invading Persian army.
- DirectorViktor TourjanskyStarsEdmund PurdomSylvia LopezMassimo GirottiHerod, King of Judea, is made a prisoner by the Romans. Convinced the King is dead, his faithful lieutenant, Aaron, is nevertheless unable to keep his promise to kill the Queen if something untoward happened to the King. He leads the young woman out into the desert. Herod's pleas to Augustus are successful and he returns to his palace. His son, Antipater, informs Herod that Aaron has betrayed him.
- DirectorCarlo Ludovico BragagliaStarsJayne MansfieldMickey HargitayMassimo SeratoHercules decides to avenge the death of his wife, murdered at the hands of Éurito, king of Ecalia, but everything is a plot of an ambitious courtier. Hercules ends up falling in love with Deyanira, who is now a good queen.
- DirectorCarlo Ludovico BragagliaEdgar G. UlmerStarsVictor MatureGabriele FerzettiRita GamDuring the Second Punic War in 218 BC, Carthaginian general Hannibal attacks the Roman Republic by crossing the Pyrenees and the Alps with his vast army.
- DirectorTanio BocciaStarsGianna Maria CanaleRik BattagliaIrène TuncCenturies ago in the Orient, the fiscal exactions on the people lead to a revolt against the usurper of the throne, and the empowerment of a new leader.
- DirectorMario BonnardStarsSteve ReevesChristine KaufmannFernando ReyA demobilized centurion returns home to Pompeii to find his father murdered by a gang of black-hooded Christian robbers that terrorizes the city and he decides to investigate the matter while the nearby volcano threatens to erupt.