Peplum Paradise Part 3: International Historical and Fantasy films 1949 onwards.
This is a list of historical (set pre-1800) or historical-fantasy films produced Internationally from 1949 until the present day - including those made by Hollywood.
This list does NOT include any Italian productions or co-productions or any Asian or Animated productions which are included in separate lists. I have also now moved made-for-TV titles to Part 7 as this list was getting-and still is-very long.
The list is alphabetical using the most common English titles (where applicable), so the IMDb titles may appear to be over the place alphabetically.
This list is certainly incomplete and a work in progress, so I would welcome any suggestions of titles I may have omitted.
I have included a few additional titles at the end of the main list which bear some relevance to the subject.
I will be updating the list regularly with new and expanded reviews and any new titles that I may discover.
Latest Updates:
Review: Serpent Of The Nile (1953)
Review: 300: Rise Of An Empire (2014)
Review: Hercules Reborn (2014)
Review: Dragonheart (1996)
Review: Deathstalker IV: Match Of Titans (1991)
This list is a companion piece to my other lists:
Peplum Paradise Part 1: Italian Historical and Fantasy films 1949-1969 [link]http://www.imdb.com/list/9zpI-Wdt6pU/[/link],
Peplum Paradise Part 2: Italian Historical and Fantasy films from 1970 onwards [link]http://www.imdb.com/list/ZRRuOUh_u_o/[/link]
and Peplum Paradise Part 4: Asian Historical and Fantasy films 1949 onwards [link]http://www.imdb.com/list/EzDXbxNzBXI/[/link]
Peplum Paradise Part 5: Animated Historical and Fantasy films 1949 onwards [link]http://www.imdb.com/list/XHCOctNtVqg/[/link]
This list does NOT include any Italian productions or co-productions or any Asian or Animated productions which are included in separate lists. I have also now moved made-for-TV titles to Part 7 as this list was getting-and still is-very long.
The list is alphabetical using the most common English titles (where applicable), so the IMDb titles may appear to be over the place alphabetically.
This list is certainly incomplete and a work in progress, so I would welcome any suggestions of titles I may have omitted.
I have included a few additional titles at the end of the main list which bear some relevance to the subject.
I will be updating the list regularly with new and expanded reviews and any new titles that I may discover.
Latest Updates:
Review: Serpent Of The Nile (1953)
Review: 300: Rise Of An Empire (2014)
Review: Hercules Reborn (2014)
Review: Dragonheart (1996)
Review: Deathstalker IV: Match Of Titans (1991)
This list is a companion piece to my other lists:
Peplum Paradise Part 1: Italian Historical and Fantasy films 1949-1969 [link]http://www.imdb.com/list/9zpI-Wdt6pU/[/link],
Peplum Paradise Part 2: Italian Historical and Fantasy films from 1970 onwards [link]http://www.imdb.com/list/ZRRuOUh_u_o/[/link]
and Peplum Paradise Part 4: Asian Historical and Fantasy films 1949 onwards [link]http://www.imdb.com/list/EzDXbxNzBXI/[/link]
Peplum Paradise Part 5: Animated Historical and Fantasy films 1949 onwards [link]http://www.imdb.com/list/XHCOctNtVqg/[/link]
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- DirectorTurgut DemiragStarsTürkan SorayMurat SoydanTurgut ÖzatayThe story of Abbase Sultan, who ruled the country in the Abbasid Caliph.Even watching this in Turkish without subtitles, it is still surprisingly enjoyable, if a little difficult to follow. The storyline, as best as I could figure, concerns a woman who becomes Sultana when her husband is killed and the intrigues in her palace, and is apparently based on a true story, though I doubt it is very historically accurate. Leading actress Türkan Soray has big hair that would make Nashville women jealous, tends to emote rather than act and obviously wasn’t hired for her dancing skills. It appears to be quite a big budget affair by Turkish standards, though still pretty cheap by anyone else’s, with fabulously tacky and highly colourful costumes, and a country mansion doubling for a palace. It was apparently obligatory for all male cast members to wear glaringly obvious false beards and moustaches and there is also a fair amount of bad exotic dancing, including some topless save for pasties. Other attractions include a maniacally laughing witch, scenes of torture and whipping, a head on a plate, and a birth which comes across more like an orgasm. Worth checking out even if you don’t understand the language, this is constantly visually entertaining.
- DirectorCharles LamontStarsBud AbbottLou CostelloCharles LaughtonRocky and Puddin' Head are waiting tables at an inn on Tortuga when a letter given them by Lady Jane for delivery to Martingale gets switched with a treasure map. Kidd and Bonney kidnap them to Skull Island to find said treasure.Well this does what it says on the packet and little more, but if you’re a fan of the Abbott and Costello brand of slapstick then that’s certainly no bad thing. This comes in at about average among their output, placing Bud (as Rocky) and Lou (as Puddin’) back in piratical times where they discover a treasure map and end up aboard Captain Kidd’s ship. Charles Laughton reprises the role he’d played 7 years earlier and appears to be game for a laugh, if a little out of place among the mayhem, but it’s Hilary Brooke as rival pirate Anne Bonney who steals the show doubling up as Lou’s love interest. There are quite a few rather tuneless sea shanties thrown into the pot and it’s no Crimson Pirate (which came out the same year), but if it’s undemanding fun you’re after then you could do a lot worse.
- DirectorAnthony HarveyStarsPeter FinchLiv UllmannCyril CusackQueen Christina of Sweden abdicates and travels to Rome to embrace the Catholic Church.To be reviewed
- DirectorAlberto GoutStarsChristiane MartelCarlos BaenaAdam and Eve are placed by God in Paradise, but because of the world-famous boo-boo they committed, God cops an attitude and decides to teach them a lesson.ADAM AND EVE
To be reviewed - DirectorRaymond MizziStarsAndrei ClaudeLori MacFadyenJoseph CallejaA group of five surviving soldiers in the late 1300's are returning home, however along the journey they encounter an unforeseen turn of events.
- DirectorLadislao VajdaStarsLuis MarianoLolita SevillaJosé IsbertFigaro, a singing barber, gets caught by some bandits who use his abilities to attract travelers and assault them. To escape justice he joins the army where he meets no other than the bandits. They are shipped to Puerto Rico and fight pirates, returning to Spain in acclaim. Now he will know the rich salons and the bright side of life.THE ADVENTURER OF SEVILLE
To be reviewed - DirectorJerzy SkolimowskiStarsPeter McEneryClaudia CardinaleEli WallachBased on satirical short stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle about a vain, egotistical Etienne Gerard, a French brigadier serving during the Napoleonic Wars. He thinks he's the best soldier and lover that ever lived and intends to prove it.This is one of those curious counter-culture comedies that flourished briefly in the late sixties which someone obviously thought was very clever and which makes no sense at all, but is still somehow watchable (open-mouthed) in it’s oddity. Napoleon (Eli Wallach), who was apparently gay, seeks his most incompetent soldier to send on a mission during his invasion of Spain, and the man chosen is one Colonel Gerard (Peter McEnery). There follows much horseplay, slapstick and ridiculous situations and some kind of tomfoolery involving a Spanish Countess (Claudia Cardinale). If you can make any more sense of the plot you’re a better man than me, it probably makes perfect sense and is hilarious when watched under the influence of a certain kind of acid, but unfortunately I don’t think they make it anymore!
- DirectorRené JolivetRicardo Muñoz SuayStarsGeorges MarchalBarbara LaageSusana CanalesTHE ADVENTURES OF GIL BLAS
Wanted! - DirectorDon WeisStarsJohn DerekElaine StewartThomas GomezIn Ispahan, Persia, a barber mistakes an emerald ring as the prize to be delivered to a prince known far and wide, only to realize that a runaway Princess is the real treasure awaited, promising to escort her to her final destination.Colourful and fun Arabian Nights nonsense, with lightweight hero Hajji Baba (John Derek), who in the film is actually a barber (baba – geddit?), coming to the rescue of a bratty princess (Elaine Stewart), and having to contend with the usual run of slave traders, dancing girls and Amazon warriors along the way. No better or worse than most other entries in this sub-genre, but it’s all kept light hearted and moves along at a brisk pace so you never get bored. Both Derek and Stewart went on to appear in one genuine Italian peplum apiece.
- DirectorDerwin AbrahamsSpencer Gordon BennetStarsGeorge ReevesCharles KingWilliam FawcettSir Galahad, a knight of the Round Table, searches for the legendary sword Excalibur.
- DirectorCharles ShyerStarsHilary SwankSimon BakerJonathan PryceIn pre-Revolutionary France, a young aristocratic woman left penniless by the political unrest in the country must avenge her family's fall from grace by scheming to steal a priceless necklace.Entertaining tale of intrigue and deceit, based on fact but using considerable dramatic licence, in and around the court of Marie Antoinette (Joely Richardson). When her family is stripped of it’s noble standing, Jeanne St. Remy de Valois (Hilary Swank) attempts to scheme and cheat her way back into favour by whatever means possible, using and deceiving a succession of men along the way including Jonathan Pryce, Adrien Brody and Christopher Walken. Her affairs eventually backfire, tying in with the fall of the French monarchy. Performances are a bit of an issue but, given that this is played in the style of Dangerous Liaisons and not as a history lesson, this isn’t of great import, just go with the flow and enjoy it, though be prepared for a somewhat downbeat ending.
- DirectorGeorge ShermanDouglas SirkStarsErrol FlynnMaureen O'HaraAnthony QuinnBrian Hawke of the Royal Navy versus the pirates of Madagascar.Standard Hollywood swashbuckler featuring two big stars with their careers on the skids and one on his way up. Errol Flynn, looking his age, is too old for his role as an undercover naval officer, Maureen O’Hara is as feisty as expected but has little to do, Anthony Quinn is rather low key as a pirate captain, and Mildred Natwick steals every scene she’s in as the guardian of a bevy of captured maidens. Worth a look for fans of the stars, but nothing special.
- DirectorRyan LittleStarsDanny GloverVinnie JonesCorey SevierHerman Melville's classic novel Moby Dick, is recreated in a world where Captain Ahab and his crew search for a Great White Dragon.I wasn’t expecting much from this one and was pleasantly surprised. While it’s not about to win any Oscars, it has a simple and engaging storyline based directly on Moby Dick, reasonable acting from the largely unknown cast, and, most importantly, very realistic CGI dragons. It’s your basic revenge plot; The “White Dragon” burns and scars a young boy and eats his sister. Years later he has grown into a bitter old man (Danny Glover-suitably demented) who organises a team to go and hunt the beast. It can be a little slow moving at times and I would have liked to see more of the dragons, but you do have the decidedly odd sight of Vinnie Jones with a deerstalker and pipe to keep you entertained in the meantime.
- DirectorAlejandro AmenábarStarsRachel WeiszMax MinghellaOscar IsaacA historical drama set in Roman Egypt, concerning a slave who turns to the rising tide of Christianity in the hope of pursuing freedom while falling in love with his mistress, the philosophy and mathematics professor Hypatia of Alexandria.Set in Alexandria at the time of the last days of the Roman empire, this focuses on the conflict between the Jews and Christians and how this religious intolerance brought on the fall of that once great city. At the centre of all this is Hypatia (Rachel Weisz), a scholar, teacher and pagan, and also the weak link in the narrative. The most disturbing aspect is the realisation that the ridiculous religious conflicts depicted here are still present in the world today. The film is reasonably effective, but has pretentions to be a more epic production than it is in actuality, and would have been far more effective if it had been more carefully edited and been a half hour shorter.
- DirectorWerner HerzogStarsKlaus KinskiRuy GuerraHelena RojoIn the 16th century, the ruthless and insane Don Lope de Aguirre leads a Spanish expedition in search of El Dorado.Insanity is pretty much the keyword here, both in the project itself and it’s subject matter. The extremes to which Werner Herzog put his cast and crew through in order to achieve the degree of realism he sought are well documented, pretty much making them relive the actual experiences endured by the conquistadors, and it pays off with one the most believable historical portrayals ever captured on film. Detailing a journey down the Amazon, based on historical events but not, as claimed in the film’s opening, on an actual diary, in search of the mythical city of El Dorado, you can’t help but become engrossed even knowing it’s futility. Klaus Kinski’s performance as the renegade title character is insanity and megalomania personified. An undisputed masterpiece, but whether the end result justifies the means will be forever open to debate.
- DirectorJaime OriolAntonio TarruellaStarsEduardo BeaCharly BravoRalph BrownA romantic introduction to a remote province in today Spain. The setting took place.Wanted!
- DirectorLew LandersStarsJohnny SandsPatricia MedinaRichard ErdmanA poor young man finds a lamp with a genie trapped inside. The genie promises to grant the man three wishes if he frees him from the lamp.Wanted!
- DirectorBoris RytsarevStarsBoris BystrovDodo ChogovadzeAndrey FaytA poor young man accidentally becomes the master of a wish-granting genie. A colorful tale of magic and love.ALADDIN AND HIS MAGIC LAMP
Visually stunning Russian production with amazing sets and cinematography. The story is well told, and the magic effects, while simple, are also impressive. It is also debatably the most effectively told version of the Aladdin tale filmed so far (sorry Disney). Even the standard histrionic Russian style of acting is mostly appropriate for once, though you do have to make allowances for an Aladdin who wears more eye shadow and lipstick than the princess he falls in love with. Definitely one worth seeking out. - DirectorOliver StoneStarsColin FarrellAnthony HopkinsRosario DawsonAlexander, the King of Macedonia and one of the greatest army leaders in the history of warfare, conquers much of the known world.I must admit that on watching this film in it’s original theatrical cut I hated it, but revisiting it four years later in “The Final Cut” version on Blu-Ray I have been forced to reappraise at least some of my original opinions. The over-the-top performances and peculiar accents are still there, but I watched this immediately following the 1958 production Alexander The Great, and in comparison to Richard Burton’s portrayal, Colin Farrell’s actually comes across as fairly subtle and his badly bleached hair-don’t is far more natural than Burton’s orange wig. The battle scenes are truly epic and rank alongside those in Kingdom Of Heaven as some of the most impressive ever filmed. The cinematography and sets are uniformly excellent, and the entire film is visually stunning. The problem with the accents is one of the most obvious ones, and would have worked far better if the actors had used their natural voices across the board, but when some use their own while others attempt regional ones (stand up Angelina Jolie) it all seems quite odd. Other negative points are Anthony Hopkins largely unnecessary narration, the over-emphasis on the leader’s gayness, and the jumping backward and forward in time tends to lead to confusion. The box-office failure of this epic almost stopped the most recent resurgence of peplum-styled epics started by Gladiator in its tracks, but fortunately Rome and 300 were waiting round the corner. Not a masterpiece by any means (except visually), but definitely worthy of a critical reappraisal.
- DirectorRobert RossenStarsRichard BurtonFredric MarchClaire BloomThe life and military conquests of Alexander III of Macedon (July 20/21, 356 - June 10/11, 323 B.C.), commonly known as Alexander the Great.Well first you have to get over the bizarre sight of Richard Burton in an orange wig and even more orange skin, in fact these two take most of the acting honours here. The wig makes Burton’s head appear too big for his body, and his rather puny body would have benefitted from a few visits to the gym since it stands out clearly against the other more muscular soldiers. OK, Burton’s physical defects aside, the film is beautifully framed, colourful, and, despite being overly stage bound, makes full use of the cinemascope process in every shot. Burton is badly miscast and gives an overly earnest and pretty wooden performance. The largely British supporting cast do what is required of them and little more, and the performances are generally shouty rather than subtle. The film’s biggest falling point however is it’s lack of action, something which a would-be epic of this stature stands or falls on, and those that there are seem too tightly crammed, even in the cinemascope frame. Recommended as a good example of how to best use the cinemascope process then, but otherwise a bit of a damp squib.
- DirectorIgor KalyonovStarsAnton PampushnyyIgor BotvinPavel TrubinerYoung prince Aleksandr has to hold out against two enemies - the Horde in the east and the Teutonic order and Sweden in the west. He discovers that some boyars are plotting against him and are ready to betray Novgorod to the Swedes and the Germans to boost their trade. Meanwhile, his best friend falls under suspicion, as somebody tries to poison the young prince at his own wedding feast. Aleksandr has no way out - to defend his people against the invaders and to find the true poisoner.ALEXANDER: THE WARRIOR SAINT
To be reviewed - DirectorClive DonnerStarsDavid HemmingsMichael YorkPrunella RansomeWhile Old England is being ransacked by roving Danes in the ninth century, Alfred is planning to join the priesthood. But observing the rape of his land, he puts away his religious vows, to take up arms against the invaders, leading the English Christians to fight for their country. Alfred soundly defeats the Danes and becomes a hero. Although Alfred still longs for the priesthood, he is torn between his passion for God and his lust for blood.Alfred, first Prince then King of Wessex, has trouble with invading Danes in this interesting and neglected slice of British history. Both David Hemmings as the 22-year-old King and Michael York as Guthrum, the Danish chief, turn in strong performances from a good script. There is also good use of attractive Irish locations and effective battle scenes. Apparently there are many inaccuracies in the script, but nothing so major as to alter the course of history. This film seems to have been largely forgotten, remaining unreleased anywhere on DVD or video, and deserves to be restored and rediscovered.
- DirectorJacques BeckerStarsFernandelSamia GamalDieter BorscheRich oriental lord Cassim's cheeky servant Ali Baba was sent to buy a meaty girl-slave, but brings dancer Morgiane, whom he is enamored with. When he's part of a caravan robbed by Abdel's 40 thieves, Ali hides in a camel hive and thus learns the secret of Sesame cave. With stolen loot he buys Morgiane and his own residence for him and beggar friends. Cassim not only gets him drunk to learn his secret gold source but also plans to rob him at the grand wedding with Morgiane. But Abdel observed them too and invites his 40 robbers.ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES
Wanted! - DirectorNejat SaydamStarsCüneyt ArkinZeynep AksuTurgut ÖzatayAlparslan the Seljuk's Sultan who has aimed to end the sovereignty of the Byzantine Emperor Romanian Diogenes in Anatolia, is also fights with Hasan Sabbah. He calls for duty to Alpago to fight against them.
- DirectorRemzi A. JöntürkStarsSait SeyitÇeçilya DaymazNuri AlçoYoung Altar's family is massacred by the 'master of fire'. Before loosing his life his father manages to safe him. Altar grows up in captivity nevertheless and is forced to fight for money. But now that he's grown up, he lusts for revenge.