Hercules Against the Moonmen (1964)
Director - Giacomo Gentilomo
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The Plot
Queen Samarra of the Land of Samar has enslaved her people with the aid of The Moon Master. Each month she offers a human sacrifice to the Mountain of Death. Hercules is summoned by the rebels to defeat the Queen and her monstrous allies. But before he starts tearing the mountain apart and winding up with the girl, he has a bit of a thing with the evil, sexy Queen.
Film Notes
Rock Men, Monsters, Spiked Torture
It took three writers to concoct this Hercules adventure. An bizarrely entertaining sci-fi fantasy melange, Hercules is played by Alan Steele (real name- Sergio Ciani). Jany Clair does her thing as the red hot Queen. Rock men, monsters, spiked torture machines, sandstorms and biceps and triceps to die for, it's all here.
Though often criticized for taking Hercules a bit too far out of his mythological milieu, the science fiction element actually provides the film with a hypodermic shot of space-age fun.
Facts and Fancies
Though the character is called Hercules in the American version of the film, he is called Maciste in the original Italian and French versions.
Take note of The Moon Master; he could very well have been the inspiration for George Lucas' Darth Vader
-- Ed Schneider
Cast & Production Credits
| Sergio Ciani | Hercules |
| Jany Clair | Queen Samara |
| Anna Maria Polani | Agar |
| Nando Tamberlani | Claudis |
| Delia D'Alberti | Billis |
| Jean-Pierre Honoré | Derax |
| Franco Morici | Timor |
| Director | Giacomo Gentilomo |
| Screenwriter | Arpad de Riso |
| Short Story Author | Angelo Sangermano |
| Screenwriter | Nino Scolaro |
For information on
Learn about ( and link to) Ingmar Ozu-Bresson's experimental film meditation on Hercules - Herculin/Feminin