Magnificent Gladiator/Revolt of the Barbarians [Import]

Mark Forest,a former Mr.USA,is one of the true greats of the sword and sandal genre.He got his start in show biz working in ecdysiast Lilli Christine's stage act and when the gladiator movies came into vogue he packed his muscle shirts and moved to Europe where he starred in more than a dozen of these films.This is a good one.He plays a character called Hercules.But it's not that Hercules.He's a captured soldier made to fight in the arena for the amusement of his Roman captors,who never seem to get the irony of his name.Ceasar is here also,but he's not the villian that he's usually portrayed as in other films from this genre.He's a rather jovial character who even approves of the romance between the captive gladiator and his daughter,played by beautiful Marilu Tolo.This movie uses the same actors and sets as THE TERROR OF ROME AGAINST THE SON OF HERCULES and is a lot of fun.TTORATSOH features the hero battling a gorilla which puts it a notch above this movie,but I still recommend The Magnificent Gladiator to any fan of the genre.The second film in this package,Revolt Of The Barbarians,is a more straight forward Roman centurion epic.It's good but there are no feats of superhuman strength to be found here.And that after all is what I watch these films for.And if you're a fan of this genre I suspect that's why you watch these films too.

Mark Forest (Brooklyn bodybuilder Lou Degni) stars as Hercules in the 1964 sword-and-sandal film, "Magnificent Gladiator." With his broad shoulders; huge, bulging pecs; and perfectly tanned skin, there is no mistake that Forest has a magnificent physique. Unfortunately, it is not utilized to its fullest in "Magnificent Gladiator." Throughout the film, he wears a leather harness, which forms a distracting "X" across his massive chest. This, however, may appeal to fans of leathermen.

The plot is slightly above average. Hercules is captured by the Roman soldiers of Emperor Caesar Galienus and forced to fight in the arena. The emperor's gorgeous daughter, Velida, is smitten by his handsome face, muscular physique and physical prowess. The wise, good-natured emperor seems to be fine with his daughter falling in love with Hercules. However, the emperor's evil counsel, Zullo, is infuriated; he plots to kill Hercules, marry Velida and become emperor. There is one twist involving switched identities that distinguishes this peplum from some of the others.

The production values scream, "Low budget!" The sets are small in size and minimal in quantity. However, the romance is sweet and Hercules and Velida are an extremely attractive couple. Comic relief is provided by a shepherd and his love of sheep. This may shed some light on the origin of syphilis. There is some suspenseful violence. However, it would have helped if Hercules had been more vicious in the arena.

The restoration of this film is very inferior compared to other peplum films released by Retromedia, an imprint of Image Entertainment. It is presented in a widescreen format with an aspect ratio of 2.35:1; however, there are numerous vertical and horizontal lines and splotches throughout the film. The added bonus feature of "Revolt of the Barbarians" on the flip side of the disc was humdrum. I never did finish watching it.

Overall, the magnificent torso of Mark Forest doesn't save "Magnificent Gladiator" from being another mediocre sword-and-sandal film. It is only recommended for diehard fans of the genre, specifically fans of physique model/actor Mark Forest.

I highly recommend the Retromedia releases of "Son of Samson" (Son of Samson/Son of Cleopatra) and "Goliath and the Sins of Babylon" (Goliath and the Sins of Babylon/Colossus and the Amazon Queen). Both features star Mark Forest in all of his magnificent, bare-chested glory, especially the latter which is a beefcake bonanza of Italian musclemen. Both films have been given a superb restoration compared to "Magnificent Gladiator."

Nevertheless, my favorite Mark Forest film is "Hercules Against the Mongols" (Hercules Double Feature: Hercules Against The Mongols (1964) / Hercules & The Masked Rider (1960)). I only wish Retromedia would give it a proper restoration. In this film, Hercules fights three other muscle hunks, performs impossible feats of incredible strength, is the center of a tragic love triangle, and is barely clothed throughout most of the storyline.

Joseph B. Hoyos

01/07/12

I reveived the dvd in a timely manner and in good condition. Both movies were fine and are a part of my collection.