Search - Hercules The Avenger / Hercules And The Black Pirate on DVD

A Double Helping of Beefcake.

peterfromkanata | Kanata, Ontario Canada | 02/25/2005

(2 out of 5 stars)

"This DVD has two 1960s, Italian "sword and sandal " movies, one on each side. I remember seeing many of these types of films when I was a kid, and some of them--particularly if they star Steve Reeves or Gordon Scott--are still entertaining today. For me at least, the late Steve Reeves always was--and always will be--Hercules, even though he only made two films as the incredible "son of Zeus". However, other muscular "actors" were recruited to play Hercules, since, for a few years in the early sixties, these films--even though they were dubbed--were very popular with young audiences looking for colourful action and excitement.

"Hercules the Avenger" stars Britain's entry in the beefcake sweepstakes, Reg Park. Mr. Park certainly has the required physical presence, and the fact that he remains quite expressionless throughout the film is of minor importance
(these films were not made with "Oscar" in mind !). In "Avenger", Herc would like to relax and enjoy life with his wife and son--unfortunately a nasty goddess has it in for him. His son is badly mauled in a lion hunt, and to save him Hercules must again undertake a perilous journey and overcome one obstacle after another. He is also called upon to rescue the Queen of Syracuse from a villainous muscle man, who also calls himself "Hercules"--in fact, he is the no-good son of the aforementioned "nasty goddess". Yes--the plot is a bit muddled--continuity is questionable--the effects are very primitive
( wait until you see the "Lizard Man" that Herc must battle--unbelievable in more ways than one ! )--but some scenes are still good fun. On the whole though, you have the impression that, by this time, the Hercules movies were running out of ideas--and gas !

The picture is widescreen, colour, and quite variable in quality. To be fair, there is a disclaimer before the film indicating that different sources were used to provide the best possible image.

Flip the DVD over, and you can watch "Hercules and the Black Pirate" with Italy's own Sergio Ciani (aka Allan Steel) as Hercules. There is no way that this is a Hercules movie. It takes place during the 17th century, when an aging king is being menaced by pirates, led by--gulp--the dreaded Black Pirate himself. However, a dashing young swordsman comes to the rescue--clean-shaven Mr. Steel/Ciani--to defeat the pirates and win the hand of the king's beautiful daughter. Again there are holes in the plot that you could sail a galleon through, but there is plenty of action to keep things moving. Our hero is called Hercules--but remember this film is dubbed--I very much doubt that this was his original name.

This film is in colour, is full-screen and also of variable quality. Early in the film there are several annoying scene jumps--some parts of the film have more clarity than others. There are lines and general wear and tear in evidence throughout.

Both of these films have their moments if you are in the mood for some mindless action, but the picture quality leaves a lot to be desired. It is the kind of quality that you associate with much cheaper discs than this one.

Footnote--the cover art actually seems to depict Steve Reeves in "Goliath and the Barbarians"--I'd sure like to see a nice copy of that on DVD !"

Do not buy this DVD!

Bryce David | Cyberspace | 05/06/2008

(1 out of 5 stars)

"This DVD has two so-called Sword & Sandal flicks. Well, one of them is: Hercules the Avenger. The other film, Hercules & the Black Pirate, is NOT a Sword & Sandal films. It's a pirate film starring Alan Steel, who made some Hercules films before but here he plays a Spaniard. It's not worth your time at all.

But that's not the actual worst part of this DVD. The actual Sword & Sandal flick, "Hercules the Avenger", is one of the worst Peplums ever. That film is a combination of scenes taken from "Hercules and Captive Women" and "Hercules in the Haunted World" with some original scenes, badly edited together to create a thouroughly awful experience. Aside from the scene when Reg Park fights with his nemesis, the entire film is a complete ripoff and one of the reasons the genre died back in the 1960s.

Avoid "Hercules the Avenger" at all cost. It's dreadful."

Sword and Sandal flicks

P. Coyle | england | 01/16/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Fair quality considering the age of these films.The usual sword and sandal antics.Certainly not the best of this genre but nevertheless quite enjoyable.The second film is slightly more enjoyable although not set in the mythological age."