You can thank this epic for the slew of Muscleman Movies that hit the screen in the 1950s and 1960s.
This is a loose re-working of "Jason And The Golden Fleece," tailored for the Hercules character, with elements of the Samson story tossed in for good measure. Steve Reeves seems to enjoy himself in the title role. Most of the cinematography is striking. Future director Mario Bava is credited with lighting and special effects, which didn't hurt this picture one bit. The pace is leisurely but there are enough wild critters (aside from the heroes and villains), pretty women, fights and actors in dinosaur suits to keep things lively. HERCULES may not be quite as muscle-headed and bone-brained as its many imitators, but the off-kilter dubbing and a few dialog gems were definitely a sign of things to come.
This is a loose re-working of "Jason And The Golden Fleece," tailored for the Hercules character, with elements of the Samson story tossed in for good measure. Steve Reeves seems to enjoy himself in the title role. Most of the cinematography is striking. Future director Mario Bava is credited with lighting and special effects, which didn't hurt this picture one bit. The pace is leisurely but there are enough wild critters (aside from the heroes and villains), pretty women, fights and actors in dinosaur suits to keep things lively. HERCULES may not be quite as muscle-headed and bone-brained as its many imitators, but the off-kilter dubbing and a few dialog gems were definitely a sign of things to come.