Hercules and the Masked Rider

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01/15/2011 âGiant of Evil Island❠director Piero Pierottiâ(TM)s âHercules and the Masked Rider❠is another of those cheaply produced but entertaining Italian peplums that take place outside the standard Greek or Roman setting of the ancient world. Mind you, when American International released this 86-minute Eastman color epic, the hero was named Goliath. Italian body-builder Sergio Ciani plays Hercules. Presumably, the studio altered the title because Anglo-Saxon audiences remember Goliath as more of a villain than a hero based on his Biblical exploits. Specifically, this one occurs in Medieval Spain with our hero passing through town with a gang of gypsies. The eponymous âMasked Rider❠is none other than Zorro, but with a scarlet mask! Don Juan (Mimmo Palmara of "Johnny West")is a frustrated suitor who decides to join a band of gypsies and break up an impending marriage between the chief villain, Don Ramiro (Arturo Dominici of "Conquest of Mycene" and his bride. Of course, things are complicated because Don Juan and the bride are distant relatives, but they donâ(TM)t like genetics befuddle their thinking. Meanwhile, âHercules and the Masked Rider❠represents an unusual cross-fertilization of genres. This movie isnâ(TM)t the only example of this kind of hybrid storytelling, but the casual negligence with which Pierott and scenarists Arpad DeRiso, Ernesto Gastaldi, and Luciano Martino treat these legendary genre characters by freeing them from the confines of their separate time periods makes things more interesting. DeRiso was no stranger to peplums. He wrote several other Hercules epics, including âHercules Against the Moon Men,❠âHercules Against Rome,❠and âHercules and the Black Pirate.❠He wrote âGiant of Evil Island❠for Pierotti, too. An uncredited Ernesto Gastaldi contributed to the screenplay; he specialized in Giallo murder mysteries and Spaghetti westerns like âMy Name is Nobody❠and âThe Price of Power.❠Luciano wrote at least three peplums, âGoliath at the Conquest of Damascus,❠âHercules and the Tyrants of Babylon❠and âHercules Against the Barbarians.❠Ostensibly, the people that wrote, produced, and directed âHercules and the Masked Rider❠knew what they were doing when they crossed genres. Aside from the usual production values that weâ(TM)ve come to expect from peplums, âHercules and the Masked Rider❠benefits from a charismatic orchestral soundtrack by the dynamic Angelo Francesco Lavagnino who scored the John Wayne adventure âLegend of the Lost,❠the Gordon Scott peplum âGoliath and the Vampires,❠and Sergio Leoneâ(TM)s âThe Colossus of Rhodes.❠The action opens with Don Ramiroâ(TM)s army of soldiers on horseback pursuing farmers who are fleeing from his land because he has been selling them off for service to the king to help fight a war in Flanders. Don Ramiro and Captain Blasco are fiercely chasing a pair of newlyweds, Felipe (Piero Leri of âThe Condemned of Altonaâ) and his wife Dolores (Dina De Santis of âRomulus and the Sabinesâ) before they cross a river onto the estate of Don Francisco (Renato Navarrini of â1962 The Son of Hercules vs. Venusâ), but they donâ(TM)t stop them in time. Moreover, Don Francisco forbids Don Ramiro to cross over and capture them. During this exodus, we see Hercules (Alan Steel) wield a mean quarter staff and knock down several of Don Ramiroâ(TM)s ruffians. Anyway, Don Francisco doesnâ(TM)t like Don Ramiro, but he realizes that the villain has an army that he lacks. Don Ramiro relinquishes any claim to Felipe and Dolores when Don Franciscoâ(TM)s beautiful daughter Dona Blanca (Josà (C) Greci of âGoliath and the Sins of Babylonâ) rides up to witness the scene. Don Ramiro gives the newlyweds to Blanca as an admirer. Although they donâ(TM)t do an adequate job of explaining this complication, Pierroti and his writers have Don Francisco promise Blanca to Don Ramiro to prevent bloodshed between their families. When Don Juan returns alone from fighting in the war, he is angered to learn about his uncleâ(TM)s new marriage plans for Blanco, particularly because she was promised to him before he left for war a year ago. Don Francisco runs Don Juan off and the gypsies ambush him. They force him to fight Hercules with knives and the two battle to a stand-off. The gypsies befriend Don Juan and he joins them and Hercules. See more 05/25/2009 Hercules and the Masked Rider This is a little bit of a different Hercules Movie. Filmed in 1964 by Romana Film (Italy). Romana Film had Approximately 81 Films to there credit of witch very few are on DVD here in the United States (A Shame). They did a number of Pirate films and Hercules type films. In this one Hercules joins forces with the Masked Rider, and it seems that the masked rider is a bigger star the Hercules. The Masked Rider runs around in a red cape and red mask. There is more sword play in this movie which reminds me of Three Musketeers, Zorro, and Pirate Films. And this is one of the few movies where some beautiful big breasted Italian beauty isn't falling for ole Hercules. Movie is set in Mid Evil Spain. How Hercules arrives in Spain is beyond me, most times he's running around Italy or Greece. Hercules is played by Alan Steel aka Sergio Ciani, aka John Wyler who played in a number of Hercules movies. I believe though this is the first one I have seen him in, of all the actors who played Hercules he appears to be the least muscular (At least in this movie he was). The Masked Rider Don Juan (How Original is that) is played by Mimmo Palmara aka Dick Palmer who looks like a Young, better Built Sylvester Stallone except a little bigger nose. Anyway when it come to Hercules movies have to give this one a 2 1/2 stars. My copy came from the Mill Creek Warriors Collection 50 pack, these 50 packs put out by Mill Creek are worth the price. Best deal I have found is on Amazon. See more 10/29/2008 Wonderful spaghetti flick featuring Hercules as a gypsy helping a Spanish Robin Hood fight a civil war and save the princess. Gloriously fun. See more Read all reviews

Hercules and the Masked Rider

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