Italian Sword and Sandal Films 1908-1990

<p> Produced in Italy from the turn of the 20th century sword and sandal or peplum films were well received in the silent era and attained great popularity in the 1960s following the release of <I>Hercules</I> (1959) starring Mr. Universe Steve Reeves. A global craze for Bronze Age fantasy-adventures ensued and the heroic exploits of Hercules Maciste Samson and Goliath were soon a mainstay of American drive-ins and second-run theaters (though mainly disparaged by critics). By 1965 the genre was eclipsed by the spaghetti western yet the 1960s peplum canon continues to inspire Hollywood epics. This filmography provides credits cast and comments for dozens of films from 1908 through 1990.</p>