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Hercules (Mighty Saga of the World's Mightiest Man)
Director: Pietro Francisci
Product Group: DVD
Studio: Alpha Video
ISBN: B00005RERT
EAN: 0089218317896
UPC: 089218317896
DVD
Region Code: 1
Running Time: 105 minutes
Original Release Date: 1959-07-22
Theatrical Release Date: 1959-07-22
Release Date: 2002-01-22
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
SKU: 08030004
Condition: Very Good Very Good
Comments: DVD in very good condition with few light scratches. Very nice clamshell case with like new art and labels.
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Customer Reviews
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Silly, Maybe, but Still Entertaining!
Rating  (4)
Date: 2008-08-20
1 out of 1 customers found this reveiw helpful
"Hercules" ("La Fatiche di Ercole"), the French/Italian 'epic' that launched champion American bodybuilder Steve Reeves into meteoric, if brief, film stardom, is unabashedly low-budget, with laughable special effects, but it still holds up as entertainment surprisingly well, after 50 years, and, was the foundation of the 'sword and sandal' genre of films, that continues to this day.
While this edition of the film has problems (when will a digitally remastered version of "Hercules" be offered, in the widescreen format it was filmed in?), the print is the best I've seen. The story, loosely based upon "Jason and the Golden Fleece", offers a dubbed Reeves as demigod Hercules, who renounces his status as a deity (while keeping most of his superhuman strength) for the chance to help mankind, and win the love of young princess Iole (lovely Sylva Koscina). When he befriends Jason (Fabrizio Mioni), foretold to overthrow Iole's father (Ivo Garrani), the sly old ruler says he'll abdicate, IF the famous fleece can be recovered. With a crew of legendary heroes (including Gabriele Antonini as the young Ulysses), Jason and Hercules embark on their epic quest, aboard the 'Argos'.
Packed with battles with creaky mechanical 'monsters' and less-than-ferocious beasts (including a rather docile lion), Reeves' handsome face and incredible physique are displayed to great advantage; his acting skills, while not great, are certainly no worse than his successor in the genre, Arnold Schwarzenegger. Forget, too, the 'urban legend' that his voice was dubbed because it was tinny and high-pitched; it was actually quite close to the dubbed one (remember, Cecil B. DeMille nearly cast him as Samson, so it couldn't be THAT bad!)
If you're looking for superior fantasy, Don Chaffey and Ray Harryhausen's superb 1963 "Jason and the Argonauts" (featuring Nigel Green as an aging, less heroic Hercules) is certainly the film to choose; but I recommend "Hercules" if you want to just have fun, and enjoy the 'ride'. As a boy, I loved this film, and I still get a kick out of it, today.
And isn't that a great reason to own a copy?
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Sgt Nick
Rating  (2)
Date: 2008-07-16
These were great movies when I was a kid and I found this one in a store for only $4.99 a few years back. Movie Time tells you right up front that they have done the best that they can with the technology they had at the time. Well, that was several years ago and I just wanted to see if the technology had gotten any better, it hasn't, it still comes in horrible. I guess all those years ago in 1959, they never thought that anyone was going to digitaly reproduce their movies, ha ha. Anyway's it was and still is a great movie for kids and adults alike even if it is a bit rough around the edges. Thank you, Nick Donvito.
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Hercules and Hercules Unchained
Rating  (5)
Date: 2008-05-01
Brand new in original packaging . Perhaps only a real Steve Reeves can appreciate my satisfaction.
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Steve Reeves - Hercules
Rating (5)
Date: 2007-06-12
This Hercules film will remain a classic always and delight fans for all time. Discover or rediscover it for yourself and family.
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Steve Reeves as Hercules
Rating (5)
Date: 2007-02-12
One of the best Hercules movies of the day and starring Steve Reeves. Good story line and good effects.
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