Hercules Versus The Moon Men
Hercules Versus The Moon Men
Reels A, B & C are on Preview Cassette # 215827 (Pt 1 & 2) This is a fantastic low-budget Italian sword and sandal action/adventure film about the legendary exploits of the mythic and tragic Greek hero Hercules. Although not starring the oft-associated Steve Reeves, this is an admirable apendage to the series, here starring the bronzed musculature of Alan Steele. Also starring Jany Clair. Directed by Giacomo Gentilomo. A French and Italian co-production with all the necesarily poor overdubbing one expects. A: Set during the Golden Age of Rome. Opens with a mini-model set of an undeveloped Italian landscape being struck by a meteor which then causes all sorts of natural disasters like wanton fires, earthquakes and general destruction (very, very cheesy); and as a result of this cataclysmic, stellar event there must be an appeasement to the gods, a simple offering of human sacrifice on the "Mountain of Death". Tight LS's of Roman soldiers leading a daisy chain of adult sacrifices up the mountain. MS's and tight LS's of Hercules riding a white horse through a rugged and deserted mountainous landscape until--- avalanche! Herc spurs on but it's a trap set up by an unruly group of hill people. Tight LS of Herc and the horse taking a rather nasty spill but both are (hopefully) unharmed. Hercules then wages mighty battle against the bad hill dwellers; great series of MS's of Alan in well-choreographed fisticuffs; great fight scenes with all sorts of punches and wrestling moves. The story's evil queen wanders in a wind-blown, linen-billowing chamber of her castle; she gets visited by the Moon Man, a tall alien wearing robes and a leather skull mask. Tight LS and MS's of the young and beautiful princess meeting her equally young and handsome counterpart on the sly in a manicured courtyard on castle grounds. MS of the queen's soldiers marching through the halls of the castle, towards the camera; Hercules and a young woman follow stealthfully behind, then sneak into a chamber. MS's of Hercules and Claudius, an elder castle scribe, meeting and talking in the chamber. MS of Claudius opening a hidden door and entering a secret tunnel, Herc in tow. MS of a hidden peephole, a pair of evil eyes peering into the room. MS's of Claudius and Hercules wandering the tunnels and dark passageways. MS's of the young girl wandering after them. MS of Claudius walking along passageway only to spring a trap: several spikes pierce the old man. CU of Herc falling into a pit, also a sprung trap. High angle MS of Hercules in the pit as gallons of water come rushing in, filling it. Great CU of the girl screaming at the sight of her dying her father, then running to his side. REEL A ENDS AT 645'. B: 0' to 600'.......... MS's of Hercules in the pit, getting soaked, struggling to find a way out. MS's of the girl wandering the tunnels in search of Herc, calling out his name. Herc breaks through one of the pit's walls only to face a hideous tunnel monster-- okay, some guy in a gray ape suit with sabertooth fangs glued to the mouth's lower palette; good MS of the monster waiting in anticipation, then a series of MS's as the two fight in the cave. Herc kills the beast then, in MS, bends the steel bars holding him inside the cave. High angle MS of a balding centurion, a blazing torch in hand, climbing ladder. 600' to 1000'.... tight LS's of the Queen's Roman soldiers riding horses through desolate landscape. MS of the good Prince getting an arrow to the chest. MS of the Prince and bad soldiers talking with swords but the Prince gets overwhelmed unitl Hercules saves the day, beating the baddies senseless. High angle MS of the Prince lying on his back and babbling while others attend to his chest wound (ew!). MS's and tight LS's of the Queen's soldiers dragging men and women peasants from their homes. Excellent fight sequence (in MS) of Hercules battling the soldiers in a tavern: Herc bodyslams, gorilla presses, punches and throws the bad guys through furniture and into barrels of water (very well choreographed; Alan has a magnificent smile the whole time he fends them off). Cut to MS's of the sacrifices being led up a winding mountain path by the queen's soldiers. 1000' to 1375'..... MS of Hercules leaping from a 20' cliff to the sand below, an act meant to surprise the soldiers but they throw a net over him instead. Wide MS of the Moon Man , the Queen and the captive Princess in an underground lair. Great MS of 2 rock soldiers (yep, that's right, they're tall and lumbering and made of rock-- okay, it's 2 guys in rubber costumes but it sure looks convincing) ambling towards the camera. Wide MS of several rock soldiers, a veritable rock army, surround the recalcitrant Princess. CU's of the Moon Man talking, his leather mask moving with his jaw. MS's and tight LS's of Hercules bound and chained in a Venus Flytrap-like death device being run by a millstone helmed by slave; the Queen and her soldiers watch; CU's of Hercules' bare and flexing chest and arms as he fights the device; CU of a rope fraying, then snapping; MS of a heaving and victorious Hercules. REEL B ENDS AT 1375'. C: 0' to 400' ........... MS of the Queen taking Hercules' hand and placing it at her throat. MS of Herc pretending to pass out on the Queen's bed, as if drugged. After she leaves he smiles and falls happily asleep. MS's of soldiers breaking into a house, killing a man, then capturing the Prince and Claudius' daughter. 400' to 850'......... MS's of Hercules fighting the Queen's soldiers: punches, slams, presses, kicks, swords, spears, etc.: very acrobatic, very well choreographed, great fights, well paced, very quick... he even lifts a steel wall from its hinges and drops it unceremoniously on 20 or so soldiers! Cut to a MS of the Moon Man sending his rock soldiers to wobble over to the Queen and (eventually) kill her; MS of the Queen getting crushed to death by the circle of rock soldiers. MS's of the good guys wandering through a thick dust storm atop the mountain of death. 850' to 1130'....... MS of the Moon Man slowly opening his arms while watching the ancient ritual before him (okay, it's only a blood transfusion). Low angle MS of the moon as seen through a craggy rook in the cavern's ceiling. Montage of furious weather changes: stormy seas, rolling storm clouds, lightning, volcanos, lava, etc. MS's of Hercules battling the rock soldiers (lifts one over his head and tosses him away), fighting the Moon Man, breaking one of the supporting columns and destroying the secret lair; Hercules pushes an idolatrous statue of the goddess being reborn and halts the transformation process. Ends with MS of Hercules and the love interest (Claudius' daughter) riding a white horse onto a sunset-soaked beach. END AT 1130'.