Hercules Against the Barbarians

Maciste / Hercules has a new battle to face against the Mongol Empire lead by Genghis Khan in the 12th century. Hercules must help to free Poland from the clutches of Genghis Khan and his band of Mongols.

I find this one better than Samson and the 7 Miracles of the World (1961). "7 Miracles" has Gordon Scott running around in a loin cloth in the entire film. "Barbarians" has Mark Forest wearing a bit more. "Barbarians" is a better made and acted out film - it also has a little bit better story. Both films have Maciste (Hercules/Samson) in a strange place and time era.

Not a lot here for me to enjoy though. I was uninterested in the film even though "Barbarians" is better than "7 Miracles" - I still did not enjoy either film.

1.5/10

When the Mongols invade Europe, they are defeated at Krakow for the first time after many victories. Kubilai (Ken Clark), the responsible commander, asks his emperor Genghis Khan for a second chance. Kubilai has two ideas how to avoid another defeat. First, he wants to eliminate Maciste (aka Hercules in the American dubbed version), the hero of the Polish people, played by Mark Forest. And then, Kubilai holds a prisoner who reveals an important secret: the princess and future queen of Poland lives in a village under false identity. The Mongols want to capture her, but of course, Maciste is a guardian to any maiden in distress...

Maciste is wrestling with a giant snake and a crocodile (yes, in Poland!); there is also a fight in an arena with spikes (spears) similar to the famous scene in 'Flash Gordon' (1980). This is all smoothly directed and well photographed. People who liked similar movies of the genre shouldn't be disappointed.

The setting and time is odd, It feels like Hercules is walking around nearly naked amid much later European armor wearing troops. Another thing that may or may not be true is that there are some beautiful shots of lots of extras storming the castle, but when we are usually with the principal actors we rarely see anything of this scope and or are on interior sets with poor fake skies. So I'm saying there may be stock footage being used here.

Regardless of this the sets are quite well made and the photography in 2:35 is also frequently impressive and the film has a good music score as well. The story is decent but it's not heavy on fighting or action for the most part. The 2 fight scenes with animals are pretty bad, with the pretty big snake, or really bad, with the floppy pillow they call an alligator. And yeah why is there an Alligator in Poland or did the Huns bring it from Mongolia with them? Wait there aren't any alligators there either.

But the basic story, more of a kind of romance amid the barbarians is good and the women sexy. Mark Forest gets to do some acting and doesn't do it too badly. Despite what may, or may not, be stock footage the outdoor photography is good as is the interior costuming and photography. The weak and distracting thing is those bad set built "exteriors."

Still this is a real movie, not a super cheap or shoddy entry in this genre, nor is it a kind of hidden treat for beefcake fans--be they men or women. Music score and production design is above average and there are a lot of well done sets.

Not typical in good ways but low on action overall. Most of the action is in the final third of the film. Above average acting and casting in this one--the Mongols actually look like Mongols not Italians.

Can't say this is great. Can't say it's terrible either.

Sword and sandal film with Mark Forest as Maciste

In the German dub of this film by Domenico Paolella he is called Marko, but Mark Forest (1933-2022) actually plays Maciste, who has been haunting the Italian peplum genre since the monumental film "Cabiria" (1913) and helps out wherever a a very strong man is needed.

This time Marko/Maciste supports the Poles against the superior power of the Mongol ruler Genghis Khan (Roldano Lupi). In particular, it's about Maciste's love interest Arminia (Jose Greci (1941-2017), who played Jesus' mother Mary in "Ben Hur"), who turns out to be the Polish crown princess. The positive thing about this rather poorly made film is that Maciste has opponents on equal terms. Ken Clark (1927-2009), who was soon to start as Agent 077 alias Dick Malloy, spreads fear and terror as the nasty muscle man Kubilai. Howard Ross/Renato Rossini, born in 1941, is in no way inferior as Gason. Maciste has to face a really nasty fight to the death with a dark-skinned slave (the former football player Harold Bradley (1929-2021), who still had a long acting career ahead of him). And then there is the mysterious Arias (Gloria Milland/Maria Fie), who also causes surprises...

A not-so-well-done sword and sandal film from the late phase of the genre, which is interesting simply because the main actor Mark Forest (who trained as an opera singer during his time in Rome!) has to deal with three equal powerhouses.

The eternal Hercules in this film has gone way beyond his usual time and place in ancient Greece and is now helping Poland free itself of Mongol invaders in the 12th century. Mark Forest is the star of this peplum epic, Hercules Against The Barbarians.

Poland is having its dynastic problems, there is a king in exile, but there is a princess with a closer claim on the throne. She was hidden as an infant in a peasant village and not told of her lineage the better to protect her from the Mongols. Genghis Khan is having his problems as well with a pair of sons who both want to succeed dad and one of them is not too squeamish on what he has to do to take the throne.

Which is when Hercules enters the picture and sorts out everyone's problems. In this film besides human combat with the Khan's champion wrestler, Hercules has to defeat a really big snake and also wrestle a crocodile. Now this one had me floored because I do not think crocodiles are native to Poland or any other part of Europe. Still it was a good scene for the mighty Hercules.

My question would be did he get any kielbasa while visiting Poland?