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Have you bought the new BY THE GODS! magazine Spring 2024 issue? I cover the entire PEPLUM genre in one detailed, colourful and fun article. Here’ a small preview.
Make sure to purchase it. Click on the link below.
https://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/2740217?__r=1890728
Looking at the stats for the blog, I saw that one post was getting tons of clicks. So, I had to look for it. Here’s the source of the many clicks.
What’s highlighted in blue is a link to the article here at BY THE GODS!
Here’s the link to the BTG article!
Of all things from this blog, this is the one post that goes viral. It’s so odd since this information is publicly known for a long time. Oh well…
This is the final version of the cover for issue No 2 of BY THE GODS! magazine. It should be ready soon.
There are more projects for 2024 so keep your eyes peeled and visit the blog often for updates!
A German release of SLAVE QUEEN OF BABYLON is now available. You can choose your store of choice but they have it at Amazon.de
I like this film and I already have a HD copy of it but I wonder how good the new release is. The movie was already available on Blu-ray but the quality was disappointing. Hopefully this new release the transfer is better. Unfortunately, no English track including. Only Italian and German.
There are two different covers to choose from.
The cover above is an amalgamation of poster art taken from SAPPHO THE VENUS OF LESBOS (the fighting men with Kerwin Mathews) and JOURNEY BENEATH THE DESERT aka ANTINEA – L’AMANTE DELLA CITTA.
While examining the new German Blu-ray version of CONSTANTINE AND THE CROSS (1961), I’ve noticed many particularities. The movie was heavily cut not just for the US version but the French and German versions differ greatly from the uncut Italian version. It’s not just missing scenes but same scenes but shot differently. I’ve seen this in other movies such as QUEEN OF BABYLON (1954), in which a US version was filmed and edited that’s different to the Italian (European) version but this one is simply odd. Take the scene at Monte Gelato waterfalls. The new Blu-ray includes the uncut Italian version and also a DVD-quality version that’s in German. The Monte Gelato scene in both versions are basically the same but shot differently. With Fausto Tozzi and Christine Kaufmann.
Same scene, shot differently: notice how the towel is different. How the placement differs. How he hold is clothes. It’s very odd when one notices it. It’s the same scene but it’s also not the same. Even the clarity is different. BTW, this scene is cut from the French version.
The German and US versions are the Irving Rapper directed/edited one while the uncut Italian version was directed by Lionello De Felice. This is the main explanation but if the scene is basically identical why film it twice? Anyway, with QUEEN OF BABYLON, the Italian/European version felt like a rough cut while the US version felt tighter and more direct. The same thing can’t be said with CONSTANTINE AND THE CROSS. It’s more sprawling and has so many different sets and situations but the movie sorta feels, in both the uncut De Felice and Irving Rapper versions, cobbled together.
The new Kino Lorber release of MARCO POLO (1962) starring Rory Calhoun and Yoko Tani (below) will be available for purchase on February 7. It can be pre-ordered now. Even though the release is next week, no reviews or screenshots have been made available yet.
The passing of a legend. Gina Lollobrigida died on January 16 at the age of 95. She starred in a handful of PEPLUM movies, with SOLOMON AND SHEBA (1959) being her biggest movie. Yul Brynner also starred in it. You can check out a rundown of her PEPLUM movies at the main blog.
Rest in peace, Gina.
I hope you all have a wonderful and plentiful Christmas and joyous holidays!
KINO LORBER has announced the upcoming release of MARCO POLO (1962) starring Rory Calhoun and Yoko Tani (above) on Blu-ray. The movie will be available early 2023. It will be the US print, with opening credits in English, as opposed to KINO LORBER’s version of SAMSON AND THE 7 MIRACLES OF THE WORLD, which didn’t have a genuine new transfer of the US version but a Fan Dub they created. Hugo Fregonese is credited for the English version while Piero Pierotti is credited for the Italian one. Can’t wait to see this.
From the KINO LORBER Facebook account:
The release will only include one cut. The credits on our master are in English and Hugo receives directing credit, so I’m sure it’s not the Italian version where Piero is credited as the director. The running time is 104 minutes and 13 seconds.
At $61 at Amazon.ca. I like the Maria Montez – Jon Hall movie but that’s too much to pay…even it there are two additional movies with this collection.
If I buy it on Amazon.com, which goes for $31 US, plus shipping + the difference in currencies and we’re close to $61 Canadian.
