It may be winter, but there's a nice fall ahead, but don't worry. If you freeze to death among the snow coveted rocks of the Alps, the wolves have strong teeth. Your hair, unless it is orange, will remain in place. Okay, we're out of the Alps, so we'll make our descent. And don't worry about those other mountains ahead. That's just a painting done by the scenery department. And besides, you're Hannibal's men. When you follow a general that looks exactly like Samson from the Bible, you're in good hands, or in good trunks, considering the elephants.
That just covers the first five minutes of this Victor Mature historical epic, dubbed into English considering that most of the cast were Italian. This is just a blast to watch considering the fact that for a film set 200 years before Christ and the power of the Roman Empire, and the living conditions of this army makes them safe in togas in spite of frigid winter conditions. Gabriele Ferzetti, as Fabius Maximus, the Roman consul, makes a strong rival for Mature, and Rita Gam is the niece of Fabius whom Hannibal utilizes in send a message of demands through.
Colorful in a very garish way and extraordinarily silly, this does manage show how as weapons of war, the trained elephants were definitely a fearsome tool, not the passive gentle giants as displayed in circus movies. Mature's acting can best be describe as a combination of grinning assurance and smug determination, reciting his lines blandly. It's the type of film that would have been a hoot to see on a big screen with audience action. The audaciousness alone would create laughter as loud as the elephant's roars and turn it into an unintentional comedy.
That just covers the first five minutes of this Victor Mature historical epic, dubbed into English considering that most of the cast were Italian. This is just a blast to watch considering the fact that for a film set 200 years before Christ and the power of the Roman Empire, and the living conditions of this army makes them safe in togas in spite of frigid winter conditions. Gabriele Ferzetti, as Fabius Maximus, the Roman consul, makes a strong rival for Mature, and Rita Gam is the niece of Fabius whom Hannibal utilizes in send a message of demands through.
Colorful in a very garish way and extraordinarily silly, this does manage show how as weapons of war, the trained elephants were definitely a fearsome tool, not the passive gentle giants as displayed in circus movies. Mature's acting can best be describe as a combination of grinning assurance and smug determination, reciting his lines blandly. It's the type of film that would have been a hoot to see on a big screen with audience action. The audaciousness alone would create laughter as loud as the elephant's roars and turn it into an unintentional comedy.