The Minotaur, the Wild Beast of Crete (1960) User Reviews

Mythologic story based on well-known legend about Teseo , Ariadna and Minotaurio

[ma-cortes · 6/10 · 6 February 2008]

King of Crete named Minos (Carlo Tamberlani) has two daughters , one good named Ariadna and one evil named Fedra (Rosanna Schiaffino in a double role). Fedra orders Sciron (Alberto Lupo) to kill Ariadna , but the murderer fails thanks to Teseo , prince of Athens , and Demetrio (Rick Battaglia). Fedra rules over Crete and supported by Scirion wage war Athens . Athenians are defeated and obligated to tribute of fourteen maids for feed minotaur , a horrible monster , part human and part bull . Meanwhile , Teseo taking on Fedra and Sciron , when Ariadna goes into the cave of the monster and using the famous thread.

This ¨Sword and Sandals¨ movie packs adventures , fights , mythology , impressive battles , spectacular scenarios and results to be quite amusing . The film confronts ¨Greek culture¨ as pacific , civilized , luxurious and ¨Crete or Minoic culture¨ as cruel , brutal and worshipping Gods with human sacrifices included . However , from discovery Crete by archaeologist ¨Evans¨ is considered Crete a very developed civilization , above average the countries by that time . In fact , the palace of Knososs in Crete -partially reflected on the movie- was the greatest and luxurious for that time . Furthermore , the picture mingles wrongly the Crete setting from 1600 B.C. with Greeks dressed like V century . The film is starred by Bob Mathias , an US athlete , twice world champion decathlon and justifying his fans , he plays some scenes demonstrating his abilities , along with another starring , Rick Battaglia . The pic contains evocative cinematography by Giordani and atmospheric musical score by Carlo Rustichelli accompanying the usual dancing choreography . The motion picture was well directed by Silvio Amadio who filmed another Peplum set in Babylone titled ¨Seven thunderbolts¨ . Rating : Acceptable and passable . The film will appeal to muscle-man sub-genre buffs.

Fun Sword and Sandals Flick

[gavin6942 · 6/10 · 25 February 2014]

In ancient Crete, a monster called the Minotaur can only be satisfied by virgin sacrifices. The evil ruler of Crete is determined to keep the monster happy by sacrificing as many of the island's virgins as he can, but a pair of friends determine to kill the monster and stop the sacrifices.

Director Silvio Amadio is unfortunately not well known, perhaps best remembered for "Wolves of the Deep" (1959), and even that is rather obscure. Star Bob Mathias has a much more fascinating biography -- he was a two-time Olympic gold medalist, a Marine Corps officer, actor and Republican Congressman representing the state of California.

For movie buffs, the most recognizable might be Paul Mueller, who would go on to appear in a few 60s and 70s horror films by Jess Franco, including his version of "Count Dracula".

Anyway, that was all just to full space. You should watch this.

Nothing amazing about this maze

[dinky-4 · 4/10 · 17 September 2002]

The legend of Theseus finding his way through the Cretan maze in order to battle the Minotaur and rescue Ariadne is one of the great tales in Greek mythology. Alas, this version takes the tale and dilutes it into the standard "sword and sandal" plot. You know how it goes. The coldly-beautiful but evil queen lusts after the handsome, muscular hero. He already has a girlfriend and is a foe of tyranny and so spurns the queen. She's outraged, has the girlfriend imprisoned, and subjects the hero to a torturous trial. He triumphs, frees the girlfriend, and overthrows the tyrant. Grateful citizens cheer the happy couple. The End.

Steve Reeves might have been able to lift this mixture to a higher level but in his place we have ex-Olympics champion, Bob Mathias. Mathias is an affable sort and he's given an opportunity to show off his athletic prowess by engaging in a display of javelin throwing, pole vaulting, and discus throwing. He also looks pretty good with his shirt off, though not quite as good as you'd hope and he seems a bit self-conscious about baring his chest. On a more troubling note, however, his personality is bland, his acting ability no more than passable, and he lacks the swaggering sexuality needed to give his character that necessary edge.

Rosanna Schiaffino gets to play the evil queen as well as her virtuous twin sister. She's good at being bad but bad at being good. As for the Minotaur, traditionally represented with the head of a bull, it's poorly depicted here as a stunt-man dressed in sort of a King Kong suit, and the climatic battle between Theseus and the Minotaur doesn't deliver the expected thrills. Also, little is made of the strand of yarn which leads Theseus out of the maze, and the Minoan culture is only vaguely hinted at in the sets and costumes.

And once again, the movie bungles the torture scene. Theseus winds up in the queen's torture chamber, chained to a wall, but he's modestly allowed to keep on the top of his tunic! So when the torturer approaches with the red-hot iron, he must reach out and make a discreet rip in the hero's shirt in order to expose a bit of bare flesh next to the hero's left nipple. Hey, this is a "sword and sandal" movie featuring a muscular actor as its star. Why not rip that shirt all the way off and put the hero's sweaty torso on proper display?

Greek salad

[dbdumonteil · 13 April 2009]

Fanciful rendition of one of the most famous Greek myths.To write that the movie takes liberties with the tale is to state the obvious:first of all,Phaedra and Ariadne are twin sisters both played by Italian beauty(and an usual sword and sandal heroine of the era)Rosanna Schiaffino : the former is the villain ,a wicked princess ,whereas the latter is an innocent clueless good girl .Theseus is still the king of Athenes ' son but his father won't throw himself into the sea which bears his name (Aegean sea);and if my memory serves me well,he marries Phaedra after abandoning her sister on an island.

People who are eagerly waiting for the Minotaur will be disappointed for the monster looks like King Kong and would not scare a four -year- old .They did include Ariadne's thread and she is devoted enough to go and meet him in the labyrinth.

Closer to Robert Siomak's "Cobra woman" than to Greek tales.

The twin princesses of Crete

[bkoganbing · 4/10 · 11 January 2019]

After having seen The Minotaur I'm surprised that no one recognized the plot elements from Alessandre Dumas's Man In The Iron Mask. Maybe there was no mask for Rosanna Schiaffino to wear, but she plays the twin princesses of Crete as both good and evil.

The star of this peplum epic is Bob Mathias two time decathlon champion and he gets to show off some of the prowess that got him that gold. He's a visiting prince from Greece who rescued good twin Schiaffino where she's been brought up by peasants to keep her safe from the Minotaur. He's one nasty looking 7 foot tall dude with the head of an American bison and teeth like a shark. Virgins are sacrificed regularly to him and royal virgins are his special delicacy.

Evil Schiaffino has overthrown dad with her boyfriend Alberto Lupo and they run things. Mathias as Prince Theseus from Athens is our hero.

I kind of liked the makeup done for the Minotaur. It's not Ray Corrigan in a gorilla suit, some care went into the creation of the beast.

Nothing too special in this peplum. It's a combination of the myth of the Minotaur with the plot The Man In The Iron Mask. Take it fromm there.

Better than average sword and sandal, with some Greek mythology thrown in...and a little bit of "Cobra Woman".

[mark.waltz · 5/10 · 10 July 2018]

It's not "King Cobra" that's being sacrificed for, but a giant mythological creature, unseen for all but the last few minutes of this entertaining action/adventure that features Rosanna Schiaffino in a delicious dual role. She's twin sisters, just as Maria Montez was in "Cobra Woman", separated at birth because of her father's concern of the Greek prophecy that any younger twin must be sacrificed to the notorious Minotaur, a horned and fanged giant gorilla like creature that could destroy all of Crete if unleashed out of the will of the Gods. Like Montez's campy 1944 cult classic, the one remaining in her homeland is evil and sinister, while the other, raised by foster parents, is sweet and kind. Upon discovering the existence of her twin, the evil Schiaffino sets into motion a plan to kill her so she won't end up a Minotaur sacrifice and become queen when her father (Carlo Tamberlani) dies. The evil queen's men kill the foster parents, but before they can do away with the good sister, she is rescued by Athenian prince Bob Mathias and his pal Rick Battaglia, determined to protect her. But with the evil Alberto Lupo by the evil queen's side, any attempt for good by her decent father and the attempts of the two heroes to protect the good sister are threatened, with the aide of some torturous intentions that are truly heart burning!

Some fantastic art direction and good photographic effects makes this Italian made sword and sandal film as close as you can get to a Ray Harryhausen masterpiece, minus that master's artistic touch that make those films classics. The "Cobra Woman" connection for me was instantaneous from the very beginning, and fans of "I, Claudius" will also delight in the similarities in the court intrigue of the Greek rulers here. The two heroes are both brave and handsome, willing to sacrifice their own lives to protect the good princess, and this leads to some shocking twists in the last 20 minutes, and some good endings for a few of the villains. The appearance of the actual Minotaur is a bit disappointing, although I had to turn my head as Mathias got the better of this huge ugly creature. I've had mixed reactions to the dozen or so Italian period fantasies of this nature, some ridiculously stupid and some surprisingly above average. None of them, outside perhaps the original "Hercules", are truly great, but this one is as close as you can come to one where all the pieces fit nicely together to make a very entertaining package. Schiaffino is added to my list of great screen villainesses for her portrayal of the very determined Fedra, although her performance as Ariadna, the good princess, seems lethargic in comparison. Not since Joan Collins creeped up on an unsuspecting victim in "Land of the Pharaohs" and schemed to become all powerful has there been such a fascinating ancient queen of mean, and thus with that characterization, Schiaffino steals the film.

Grab your sword, put on your sandals, and cut the bull

[jamesrupert2014 · 5/10 · 14 January 2019]

Theseus of Athens (Bob Mathias, an actual Olympian) and his companion Demetrio (Rik Battaglia) rescue beautiful Ariadne (Rosanna Schiaffino) from brigands, only to discover that she is the twin sister of wicked Phaedra, princess of Crete (also Rosanna Schiaffino), who has no filial love for this potential rival for the throne. The malignant princess' power in Minos is maintained by fear of the Minotaur, a fearsome beast imprisoned in a labyrinth beneath the palace in Minos, a God to whom Phaedra sacrifices dissenters and their families. As Italian sword and sandal quasi-epics go, this one is not too bad. Decathlete Matthias has a heroic physique (although not quite as impressive as that depicted in the posters), the fight scenes are entertaining (despite numerous unconvincing armpit stabbings), and the women, especially Ariadne have skimpy outfits and very big...hair. The final showdown with the titular monster comes very late in the film and is somewhat anticlimactic as the film's Minotaur does not much resemble homo-bovine hybrid of myth. The film is a simple adventure that would appeal to kids but does contain some grim scenes of torture. I watched an adequately English-dubbed version on TCM which was OK, but there were some very abrupt cuts (when a woman's blouse is pulled off during the attack on Ariadne's village or when a character gets a red-hot poker in the eye) that suggests that a more 'adult' version may have been lensed. Entertaining but not great (but 'great' is not what the genre is known for).

"Receive, oh Minotaur, the sacrifice of our virgin youth in tribute to thy vast glory."

[bensonmum2 · 5/10 · 20 July 2019]

The quick pitch: On her mother's deathbed, Princess Fedra learns she has a twin. Her reaction is to order her lost sister's death. Oh, and there's a minotaur living below the palace that requires virgin sacrifices.

For a movie called The Minotaur, the Wild Beast of Crete, I expected a bit more Minotaur action. The creature doesn't really make an appearance until the last 10 minutes, so he's hardly a factor. In the age of CGI we live in, the Minotaur may look silly and stiff, but I found the look pretty effective. Fortunately, with all the plotting and scheming of Princess Fedra, there's enough here to at least be somewhat entertaining. Rosanna Schiaffino does an acceptable job in the dual role of the evil Fedra and the kind-hearted Arianna. In addition, Alberto Lupo is convincing as Fedra's sinister sidekick. They really are an enjoyable pair. And, as I've already alluded to, much of the plot is entertaining - nothing groundbreaking, but I found myself drawn into the story. If it weren't for the clunky acting on the part of hero Bob Mathias and the even clunkier fight choreography, I could've seen myself rate this one much higher. Still, a 5/10 ain't all bad.

5/10

Rubbish

[bens_dream · 1/10 · 7 June 2008]

This opera was played on 7 June 2008, it is bad. I watched it with my family and we laughed at it, calling it "compulsive viewing", due to it being laughably bad... Do not watch this, I will never get that hour of my life back. Every "song" sounds the same, and when the writers cannot find anything that works, they chuck in a bit of Greek. If you like "opera", do not watch this. If you don't like "opera", don't watch this. Only watch this if you want something to laugh at. Terrible. The orchestra managed to chuck in every note that exists, and then some. Get a book, like Macbeth, and just sing the words to it in an "operatic" style, and you will get what The Minotaur sounds like. Don't let anyone convince you that it is too sophisticated for you to understand. IT IS STUCK UP TOSH!!!

Theseus Should've Taken Amphytrion's Offer

[boblipton · 6/10 · 11 January 2019]

This is a pretty good peplum film, based on the Theseus legend. It leaves out the ball of yarn gimmick that I recall from Bullfinch, alas; that made it a better story for me, showing Ariadne not only looked good in a short chiton, but had some brains.

Still, that's not what people watch swords-and-sandals flick for. The costume design is handsome, and there's some very nice photography under the supervision of Aldo Giordani, particularly the sequence with Theseus' rescue from drowning and Susanne Loret as Amphytrion. Bob Mathias plays Theseus and there's a bit with him throwing the discus. His principal claim to fame was winning Decathlon Gold at two Olympics, and he played himself in a cheap Allied Artist biopic, but his acting career was uninspiring.

Entertaining Sword And Sandal Yarn

[jadflack-22130 · 7/10 · 22 July 2017]

Well made, good looking " Sword And Sandal" fantasy with famed athlete Bob Mathias in his sole acting role and he gets to show off some of his athletic skills.Rosanna Schiaffino is lovely in both twin sister roles and for it's time and aimed as a family entertainment. it is at times quite violent.The actual monster itself, isn't seen fully until the film's last four minutes and although it does not have the Bull head as in the legend, it is a passable effect. Entertaining film.

Somewhere Between Epic and Peplum

[JungleJeffyGoesToMars · 7/10 · 6 February 2021]

Dug up a copy of this overlooked, nearly forgotten Italian fantasy/adventure because I had the vaguest recollection of watching it on Super Scary Saturday with Grampa Al Lewis in the 1980s.

I had forgotten almost everything about the movie, and I was expecting one of those cheap peplum latter day Hercules films. The movie is actually much more. The story is interesting instead of just an excuse to move between various fight scenes (though there's plenty of those), large crowd and battle scenes, vivid colors, and above average special effects for 1960s Italian films. The scenes are all wonderful to look at, and there's lots of beautiful women.

Highly recommended.