Missing PEPLUM movie…and the Holidays!

Christmas and New Year’s Eve is upon us. 2024 is just around the corner.

2023 passed by so quickly I can’t believe we’re in December. I still feel like we’re in August. Anyway, there were many interesting things which transpired during the past year which, of course, is the publication of BY THE GOD! magazine.

But as Christmas approaches, I can’t help and think about all the stories from the Bible which haven’t been made into a film. Most notably THE THREE WISE MEN, THE THREE MAGI or THE THREE KINGS. The story would make a great PEPLUM movie. I can see it.

There’s an Italian movie starring Raoul Bova called THE FOURTH KING (above). It’s cute but an epic adventure of this quest would be cool.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

BY THE GODS! magazine issue 2…

I’m currently working on issue #2 of BY THE GODS! magazine. I wanted the issue to be available before Christmas but for now, it’s unlikely for a couple of reasons, the main one being shipping. It takes at least 2 weeks for Magcloud to print and ship the magazine and with the massive Christmas rush of packages being shipped in time before December 24, the magazines will be caught in the jam and will most likely be late. So, issue #2 should be available on the first or second week of January.

Here’s a sneak preview of the cover. There might be some last minute changes to it but that’s what I’m working on for the time being.

I like the gold and red look but I really like the black and red look of the first issue. Anyway, I have so time to figure it out.

In the meantime, for those who didn’t buy the first issue, you can purchase it at Magcloud with the link below. 20% discount with the code: HOLIDAYS20. Valid until December 11.

https://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/2574706

BY THE GODS magazine issue 2 + new upcoming projects…

I’m currently working on issue 2 of BY THE GODS! magazine. I don’t know when it will be available. Hopefully before Christmas. If not, then early January. I’m pleased with the response of the first issue and it warrants a continuation. I don’t have any images to share yet (it’s too early…) but it will be spectacular.

With that being said, I’m also working on a couple of other projects. I’ve completed a novel and I’m still in the finishing process. The other project will be a visual feast. I’ve uploaded an image (below) but the image doesn’t really have to do with it but, well, yes it’s directly like the image.

Stay tuned!

BY THE GODS magazine…digital?

Thank you to everyone who purchased the magazine! I’m happy with the results. Hopefully, more people will purchase it.

It’s cool to have a magazine dedicated solely to the PEPLUM genre. I’m currently working on issue 2. For now, issue 1 is only available to purchase in print form. I was thinking of making a digital version available as well but once a digital copy makes the rounds, no one will buy it and simply get the dupe.

My question is: would you buy a digital copy of BY THE GODS! ?

You can purchase the first edition at the link below.

BY THE GODS! at MagCloud

Got the completed edition of BY THE GODS! magazine…

Last week, I received the final version of the first BY THE GODS! magazine edition, with barcode and all. I examined it and it’s all fine.

I hope followers of the blog have purchased it. It’s cool to have a magazine dedicated exclusively to the PEPLUM genre.

You can purchase it at MagCloud or click the link below.

https://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/2574706

BY THE GODS! magazine…

You can get the new BY THE GODS! magazine at MagCloud.

Go to this link: https://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/2574706

A few things about this:

For now, subscriptions are not available. MagCloud doesn’t offer subscriptions. So the best way to know if there’s a new issue available is to visit this blog or PEPLUM TV on a regular basis.

You can preview the contents of the magazine but personally I would suggest not to. As to keep the element of surprise.

Shipping and handling: MagCloud are the ones who decide how much it will cost to ship to your address.

There’s currently a discount going on until Oct. 8. It’s 15% off the regular price. The code is OCT15. I don’t know if you need to have an account at MagCloud for the discount to work but personally I would create an account regardless as they’ll send emails with discounts that range from 10% to 25%.

Digital copies, or PDFs,  will become available in the future, once a good number of editions have been published.

MagCloud is not affiliated with online sellers such as Amazon, which is a bummer. Eventually, I would like the magazine to be available at Amazon but for now the only place you can purchase it is at MagCloud.

You can also donate via the donate button above right, to support the continuation of the blog and this new project.

Enjoy!

That new HERCULES UNCHAINED HD from RAI TV…

Like HERCULES (1958) recently, there’s a new RAI TV HD of HERCULES UNCHAINED (1959) making the rounds on the internet. Like the HERCULES one, the HERCULES UNCHAINED print is the same as the Japanese Blu-ray. It’s sorta nice but it’s not a new transfer. The biggest issue is that it’s cropped or zooming in. It doesn’t have the original aspect ratio which makes it pretty much worthless. Here’s are screenshots of the RAI TV broadcast and the German DVD (below, from my collection).

The screen shot above is from the German DVD. It’s the correct aspect ratio. Below is the one from RAI TV (and also the Japanese Blu-ray). The image is zoomed in or cropped.

Above is a screen shot from RAI TV version (and Japanese Blu-ray) and below is the same scene from the German DVD. Everything inside the red rectangle is what you see in the RAI TV version. Everything outside the red rectangle has been cropped out. That’s a lot of information.

I really don’t like this cropped print. The original framing should be available. If RAI TV can’t even show the correct version of this classic, I’m afraid the movie will never get released properly in HD.

SIGN OF THE GLADIATOR in English on DVD…

SIGN OF THE GLADIATOR (1959), or SIGN OF ROME, is available in English on this German DVD. The only legit DVD release in English of that movie. It’s heavily cut (over 10 minutes of scenes cut…) but it’s in English. The intro credits are in Italian. Not the English intro credits of the US release with SIGN OF THE GLADIATOR, which is a shame. Anyway, for those looking out for an English copy of this movie starring Anita Ekberg (below), this DVD is it.

I already had this version, which had even more cuts. It was broadcast in the UK via MOVIES 4 MEN. The Italian intro credits was removed and SIGN OF THE GLADIATOR title was added to it which faded to black and went straight to the movie. Aside from this, it’s the same print as the German DVD.

BY THE GODS! magazine…

The long delayed BY THE GODS! magazine was completed a few weeks ago and I got the first published edition. I examined the printed magazine, which is cool, to see if there were corrections to be made. Here’s a small preview.

Cover of the magazine.

Inside the magazine.

I found a couple of minor errors in the magazine and I’ve corrected them. I’m waiting for a few things to sort out. Once everything is done, the magazine will be available, hopefully in September. The magazine is a print on demand type. There will be a printed version and a digital version. I’m sorting out everything before it goes live.

Anyway, more on this in the near future!