It's impossible not to compare the highly entertaining THE WITCH'S CURSE aka MACISTE IN HELL to the superior HERCULES IN THE HAUNTED WORLD. First, they're both Hercules (Maciste) movies in which our hero descends into the Underworld ... and second, it's a face off between arguably the two greatest Italian pulp directors of the 1960's, Riccardo Freda (HORRIBLE DR. HICHCOCK, THE GHOST) and the undisputed champion, Mario Bava (BLACK Sunday, KILL BABY KILL, LISA & THE DEVIL.) By any definition, THE WITCH'S CURSE is a very entertaining fantasy film: it opens with a prologue about witches in 18th century Scotland ... and then a bare- chested Hercules rides in. No explanation of how or why he's in Scotland -- WITH NO CLOTHES ON, and about twenty centuries late. That's what we really dig about mythological fantasy films -- they Never Have to Say They're Sorry. Or explain Anything. The Something Weird DVD is sadly not letter-boxed, and pretty fuzzy -- but still this comes across as one of the top 5 Hercules movies. Once Kirk Morris (juvenile, not a great Herc -- but who really cares?) gets into the Underworld, it's non-stop flaming brimstone nonsense. Even with a great transfer, this still wouldn't hold a candle to Bava's HAUNTED WORLD -- and in the end, that's the real difference between Freda and his pupil Bava, who far surpassed his master.
14 Reviews
Strangling lions was easy
unbrokenmetal4 July 2008
In the 16th century, a witch is burned at Scotland, not forgetting to leave a curse behind. A hundred years later, the curse drives people mad - some kill themselves, some see ghosts in the shadows, some suffer from ridiculous overacting (don't miss the fat woman yelling The witch is back again! It's the end for all of us!"). Suddenly Maciste rides into town, he looks like he came to the set of the wrong movie. It wasn't the only case of Maciste in the wrong millennium (see Zorro Contro Maciste" by Umberto Lenzi), but if he is in Scotland, he should get a proper costume instead of the stone-age loincloth that was outdated in ancient Greece already. He tries to put an end to hysteria and terror by going down to hell and find the witch! He can strangle the lion, but there's no man alive who can conquer the devil", they say, but where there's muscles, there's always a way. Director Freda knew what the public wanted, he made enough other movies including Maciste flicks - there even is a flashback to previous adventures -, so you get the fires, the beasts, the drama and all. My only regret is I had to watch this as a full screen copy with poor colors, because in the original wide screen format, it must be quite a show.
(Edit 2017) Nine years after my review above, I got the opportunity to watch a restored version in original scope format, running 88 minutes instead of 75 minutes (among the scenes cut from the old American DVD were a fight against a snake, Maciste crossing the rain of fire, and a flashback showing him in Ancient Egypt). I was right, it's quite a show in proper quality.
(Edit 2017) Nine years after my review above, I got the opportunity to watch a restored version in original scope format, running 88 minutes instead of 75 minutes (among the scenes cut from the old American DVD were a fight against a snake, Maciste crossing the rain of fire, and a flashback showing him in Ancient Egypt). I was right, it's quite a show in proper quality.
Decent Sword and Sandals movie nicely performed by ex-gondolier Kirk Morris and compellingly shot by Riccardo Freda
ma-cortes26 August 2015
Riccardo Freda's Mucleman great success is compellingly directed with startling visual content . Martha Gunt (Vira Silenti) is accused of witchery by a nasty judge (Andrea Bosic) and Maciste (Kirk Morris) attempts to free her and demonstrate her innocence . As Maciste travels to Hell to find a witch and make her undo a curse she put on the surface world . After the fires of Hades and frenzied attacks by ferocious beasts , there remained only the venom of 'The Witch's Curse' .
This classic Sword and Sandals movie gets an atmospheric and stunning direction from genre master Riccardo Freda . This is one of the many muscle men of Peplum who dominated Italian sword-and-sandal epics in the early 60s, it results to be a crossover of Greek Mythology , Peplum , witchery and necromancy , ordinary bare-chested bondage scenes , epic with adventures , struggles , bizarre scenarios and being quite entertaining . Here appears several mythological characters such as Prometheus , Cyclope , Sysifo , a demoniac serpent and several others . ¨Maciste all'inferno¨(1962) resulted in this film being one of the few in which the hero's name, Maciste, was used in the English dubbed version . for other films involving Maciste, when the English language track was recorded in the US, his name would usually be changed to a more familiar name such as "Goliath" or "Samson" . This movie , also known as "Maciste all'Inferno" or "The Witch's Curse" inspired a wave of Italian Peplum films blending mythological/fantastic/horror elements . The film belongs to sub-genre blending fantastic , horror and Peplum , like are : ¨Hercules in the core of earth¨ (Mario Bava) , ¨The conquest of Atlántida¨ (Vittorio Cottafavi , 1961) and ¨Maciste against the vampire¨ (Giacomo Gentilomo,1961) . Once the genre had lost its audience in the mid-60s, producers and filmmakers maintained for a few more years in war stories and westerns .
The picture was well starred by Kirk Morris , he often dyed his pompadour-styled hair blond and he had a slight, sulky resemblance to Elvis Presley. Italian Kirk Morris -born Adriano Bellini- was born in the late 1930s and plucked from the canals of Venice for his go at moviedom . A gondolier when discovered by an Italian movie producer, he was deemed a perfect speciman to showcase their spectacles and a fitting hero to help offset the silly special effects and ridiculously dubbed dialogue and he was one of the very few Italian bodybuilders to achieve stardom in the sword and sandal/mythological . This also made him one of the few leading performers who was able to speak the Italian dialog from the script. Morris eventually migrated to the United States where he went into the advertising field . Years later he returned to Italy and the movies , this time as a producer . If one must try to distinguish Kirk from the rest of the mythical bodybuilders such as Steve Reeves, Gordon Scott , Alan Steel or Sergio Ciani , Richard Harrison , Dan Vadis, Reg Park , Rock Stevens , Brad Harris , among others . Other than that his stoic posing of Hercules, Samson, Maciste and the others were no better or worse . Besides , appearing famous Eurotrash babes such as Helene Chanel and Vira Silenti and notorious Italian secondary as Andrea Bosic .
Colorful cinematography in Mario Bava-Style by cameraman Ricardo Pallottini in gaudy colours and groundbreaking atmospheres . Being shot in the marvelous caves of Castellana Grotte, Bari, Apulia . Appropriate and eerie music score by Carlo Franci , including creepy chores . The motion picture was well directed by Riccardo Freda who used a number of aliases during his career, including Robert Hampton or George Lincoln and as screenwriter Riccardo Fedra . Riccardo Freda (¨Secret of Dr. Hitchcock¨ , ¨The ghost¨) along with Mario Bava (¨Planet of vampires¨, ¨House of exorcism¨) are the fundamental creators of Giallio genre . Freda worked in many popular genres, including viking films, Peplum, spaghetti westerns, action, and even Softcore, but it is his horror films and Giallo mystery films which stand out and for which he is best remembered . His artistic spirit led him to a strong belief in the importance of visual composition in filmmaking . Freda along with Vittorio Cottafavi continued to realize films in the historical-spectacular style , at which he developed a considerable skill and mastery . From the mid-50s Freda's liking make for atmospheric and colorful scenes of shock began to itself apparent , especially in such Musclemen epics as ¨Teodora¨ , ¨Spartacus¨ , ¨Giants of Thessaly¨ , ¨The seventh sword¨ , ¨Maciste all's inferno ¨, the latter a gripping/horror Peplum and of course ¨Maciste in the court of the Great Khan¨, one of his best films . In the early 60s , he was a pioneer in Italy of horror-fantasy films frightening audiences the world over , especially with ¨I Vampiri¨ and ¨L'Orrible Segreto del Doctor Hitchcock¨ as he combined with that wide-staring of actress , the British-born Barbara Steele . He also made adventures as ¨Black Eagle¨ , ¨The son of Black Eagle¨ , ¨White devil¨ , ¨Son of D'Artagnan¨ , and uncredited ¨Daughter of D'Artagnan¨ ¨. From there he went to melodrama and spy films as ¨¨Mexican Slayride¨and ¨Coplan FX18¨ and even made some western as ¨No killing without dollars¨ with Mark Damon and signed under pseudonym as George Lincoln . Freda's movies had popular appeal , and were usually commercial hits . Several were French/Spanish/Italian or other European co-productions . He has been called a filmmaker "who brings some style to exploitation pictures", and has something of a cult following . Rating : 6.5/10 , better than average Muscleman movie .
This classic Sword and Sandals movie gets an atmospheric and stunning direction from genre master Riccardo Freda . This is one of the many muscle men of Peplum who dominated Italian sword-and-sandal epics in the early 60s, it results to be a crossover of Greek Mythology , Peplum , witchery and necromancy , ordinary bare-chested bondage scenes , epic with adventures , struggles , bizarre scenarios and being quite entertaining . Here appears several mythological characters such as Prometheus , Cyclope , Sysifo , a demoniac serpent and several others . ¨Maciste all'inferno¨(1962) resulted in this film being one of the few in which the hero's name, Maciste, was used in the English dubbed version . for other films involving Maciste, when the English language track was recorded in the US, his name would usually be changed to a more familiar name such as "Goliath" or "Samson" . This movie , also known as "Maciste all'Inferno" or "The Witch's Curse" inspired a wave of Italian Peplum films blending mythological/fantastic/horror elements . The film belongs to sub-genre blending fantastic , horror and Peplum , like are : ¨Hercules in the core of earth¨ (Mario Bava) , ¨The conquest of Atlántida¨ (Vittorio Cottafavi , 1961) and ¨Maciste against the vampire¨ (Giacomo Gentilomo,1961) . Once the genre had lost its audience in the mid-60s, producers and filmmakers maintained for a few more years in war stories and westerns .
The picture was well starred by Kirk Morris , he often dyed his pompadour-styled hair blond and he had a slight, sulky resemblance to Elvis Presley. Italian Kirk Morris -born Adriano Bellini- was born in the late 1930s and plucked from the canals of Venice for his go at moviedom . A gondolier when discovered by an Italian movie producer, he was deemed a perfect speciman to showcase their spectacles and a fitting hero to help offset the silly special effects and ridiculously dubbed dialogue and he was one of the very few Italian bodybuilders to achieve stardom in the sword and sandal/mythological . This also made him one of the few leading performers who was able to speak the Italian dialog from the script. Morris eventually migrated to the United States where he went into the advertising field . Years later he returned to Italy and the movies , this time as a producer . If one must try to distinguish Kirk from the rest of the mythical bodybuilders such as Steve Reeves, Gordon Scott , Alan Steel or Sergio Ciani , Richard Harrison , Dan Vadis, Reg Park , Rock Stevens , Brad Harris , among others . Other than that his stoic posing of Hercules, Samson, Maciste and the others were no better or worse . Besides , appearing famous Eurotrash babes such as Helene Chanel and Vira Silenti and notorious Italian secondary as Andrea Bosic .
Colorful cinematography in Mario Bava-Style by cameraman Ricardo Pallottini in gaudy colours and groundbreaking atmospheres . Being shot in the marvelous caves of Castellana Grotte, Bari, Apulia . Appropriate and eerie music score by Carlo Franci , including creepy chores . The motion picture was well directed by Riccardo Freda who used a number of aliases during his career, including Robert Hampton or George Lincoln and as screenwriter Riccardo Fedra . Riccardo Freda (¨Secret of Dr. Hitchcock¨ , ¨The ghost¨) along with Mario Bava (¨Planet of vampires¨, ¨House of exorcism¨) are the fundamental creators of Giallio genre . Freda worked in many popular genres, including viking films, Peplum, spaghetti westerns, action, and even Softcore, but it is his horror films and Giallo mystery films which stand out and for which he is best remembered . His artistic spirit led him to a strong belief in the importance of visual composition in filmmaking . Freda along with Vittorio Cottafavi continued to realize films in the historical-spectacular style , at which he developed a considerable skill and mastery . From the mid-50s Freda's liking make for atmospheric and colorful scenes of shock began to itself apparent , especially in such Musclemen epics as ¨Teodora¨ , ¨Spartacus¨ , ¨Giants of Thessaly¨ , ¨The seventh sword¨ , ¨Maciste all's inferno ¨, the latter a gripping/horror Peplum and of course ¨Maciste in the court of the Great Khan¨, one of his best films . In the early 60s , he was a pioneer in Italy of horror-fantasy films frightening audiences the world over , especially with ¨I Vampiri¨ and ¨L'Orrible Segreto del Doctor Hitchcock¨ as he combined with that wide-staring of actress , the British-born Barbara Steele . He also made adventures as ¨Black Eagle¨ , ¨The son of Black Eagle¨ , ¨White devil¨ , ¨Son of D'Artagnan¨ , and uncredited ¨Daughter of D'Artagnan¨ ¨. From there he went to melodrama and spy films as ¨¨Mexican Slayride¨and ¨Coplan FX18¨ and even made some western as ¨No killing without dollars¨ with Mark Damon and signed under pseudonym as George Lincoln . Freda's movies had popular appeal , and were usually commercial hits . Several were French/Spanish/Italian or other European co-productions . He has been called a filmmaker "who brings some style to exploitation pictures", and has something of a cult following . Rating : 6.5/10 , better than average Muscleman movie .
Decent For What It Is
Michael_Elliott15 November 2017
Maciste in Hell (1962)
** (out of 4)
As our movie begins, a witch is being burned to death but before she croaks she puts a curse on the town. A hundred years later a tree grows from that very spot and Maciste (Kirk Morris) must travel to Hell to find the witch and make her break the curse.
If you're expecting anything like the 1925 silent film then you're going to be disappointed as this Italian production is pretty much in the same vein as their Hercules pictures. In fact, you've basically got that same type of character doing the same type of things but the only difference here is that they throw in the Hell setting for some entertainment value.
Is this a good film? Well, I guess that'll depend on your feelings towards the genre. I'm not the biggest fan of the genre but I must admit that I found there to be some slightly entertaining things here including that Hell setting. There are some good scenes where the hero must battle a variety of things including a large snake and some bulls.
Performances are pretty much what you'd expect out of a film like this but I honestly didn't care too much for Kirk Morris in the lead. The film at least looks very good with some nice set design and director Riccardo Freda at least manages to keep the film moving at a nice pace.
** (out of 4)
As our movie begins, a witch is being burned to death but before she croaks she puts a curse on the town. A hundred years later a tree grows from that very spot and Maciste (Kirk Morris) must travel to Hell to find the witch and make her break the curse.
If you're expecting anything like the 1925 silent film then you're going to be disappointed as this Italian production is pretty much in the same vein as their Hercules pictures. In fact, you've basically got that same type of character doing the same type of things but the only difference here is that they throw in the Hell setting for some entertainment value.
Is this a good film? Well, I guess that'll depend on your feelings towards the genre. I'm not the biggest fan of the genre but I must admit that I found there to be some slightly entertaining things here including that Hell setting. There are some good scenes where the hero must battle a variety of things including a large snake and some bulls.
Performances are pretty much what you'd expect out of a film like this but I honestly didn't care too much for Kirk Morris in the lead. The film at least looks very good with some nice set design and director Riccardo Freda at least manages to keep the film moving at a nice pace.
Where are we? Somewhere in 1600's Europe, or in the ancient lands of Greece or Rome?
mark.waltz9 April 2018
Warning: Spoilers
I can only recommend this gladiator horror film as a chance to visit Hades for the massively muscular Kirk Morris who hides little to the imagination after strolling in after the burning of a witch at the stake, then his heading into hell to prevent an ancestor of hers from being burnt thanks to a curse she put. It's obvious from the moment that Morris goes to the underground world here that he's entered Dante's Inferno, a superb rendering of what hell would look like, and it's up to the imagination to guess what's going on as he looks in on the tortured withering around in the rocky abyss. After aiding Greek king Sisyphus from the falling rock he has been condemned to eternity to push up the hill, Morris locates the location of the damned witch and heads through several dangers to get to her. Along the way, he has flashbacks of previous adventures and helps a bound man escape from a deadly vulture. Another demon tries to prevent him from crossing a canyon on a tree bridge, and other dangers including a fiery gate keep him from reaching his goal as well. But where there's a muscular hero, there's always a victory, and frankly, it isn't too interesting as to how he achieves his goal of reversing the curse. Without the hellish setting, this would have just been another dull and pointless sword and sandals movie. With it, though, it becomes almost artistic, even if made cheaply and featuring a print that is creaky and badly dubbed.
Just a loincloth in Scotland
a brave man indeed.
BA_Harrison31 July 2017
I've not seen a lot of peplum, but this has surely got to be one of the weirdest. The film starts in Scotland in the year 1550 where witch Martha Gaunt is sentenced to be burned at the stake by Justice Edgar Parrish (Andrea Bosic), who was spurned by the woman when she was young and beautiful. Before she dies, Martha places a curse on the land.
100 years later and the curse is in full effect, local women succumbing to madness and suicide, a gnarled tree sprouting a flower with each death. After newlyweds Martha (Vira Silenti ) and Charley (Angelo Zanolli) move into the local castle, the village folk get wind of the fact that Martha's maiden name was Gaunt, and decide that she is the reincarnation of the witch and must also be burnt at the stake.
So far, so fairly normal, but then things get totally bonkers
Out of nowhere, Maciste (Kirk Morris)—a muscleman wearing nothing but a loincloth—rides his horse into town to try and prevent the execution. Pushing the tree over, he leaps into the hole underneath and enters Hell, where he faces many challenges before confronting the witch, the only one who can break the curse.
First Maciste wrestles a lion (a drugged-up real lion for long shots and a really manky stuffed lion head for close ups); then he wanders past the tortured and the damned where he helps Sisyphus to push his giant boulder. A massive flaming door is opened using a pair of rocks, although Maciste burns his hands in the process. Next, he narrowly escapes a booby trapped tunnel with a spiked roof that slowly lowers. A beautiful woman, Fania, heals his hands. Maciste is attacked by snakes, and a troglodyte, Goliath, who wrestles with our hero when he rushes to Fania's rescue. Having defeated Goliath, Maciste uses a boulder to shield himself from hot sparks, and has a chat with Prometheus, who is condemned to have eagles peck at his innards for all eternity, learning that he has been put under a spell by Fania, who is really Martha the witch.
After clearing his mind by watching some clips from his other movies in a pool of water (the one with the cyclops looks like good schlocky fun), and steering a herd of stampeding cattle off the edge of a cliff, Maciste finally breaks Martha's curse by kissing her. On the surface, a rainstorm puts out the fire about to burn Martha and Charley, the locals seeing this as a sign of their prisoners' innocence. Meanwhile, Maciste ascends from hell, mounts his steed, and rides off to help some other poor people in need.
Even with its constant barrage of bizarreness, I found Maciste in Hell a bit of a bore, the action consisting of Morris unconvincingly straining as he lifts supposedly heavy prop boulders or wrestles with stuffed or doped-up animals. Stunning location work (the scenes of hell were shot in the picturesque caves of Castellana) and great lighting ensures that the film is aesthetically pleasing, but director Riccardo Freda fails to bring much life to proceedings, making the film strictly for the most avid of sword and sandal fans, or those just wanting to see something completely random.
100 years later and the curse is in full effect, local women succumbing to madness and suicide, a gnarled tree sprouting a flower with each death. After newlyweds Martha (Vira Silenti ) and Charley (Angelo Zanolli) move into the local castle, the village folk get wind of the fact that Martha's maiden name was Gaunt, and decide that she is the reincarnation of the witch and must also be burnt at the stake.
So far, so fairly normal, but then things get totally bonkers
Out of nowhere, Maciste (Kirk Morris)—a muscleman wearing nothing but a loincloth—rides his horse into town to try and prevent the execution. Pushing the tree over, he leaps into the hole underneath and enters Hell, where he faces many challenges before confronting the witch, the only one who can break the curse.
First Maciste wrestles a lion (a drugged-up real lion for long shots and a really manky stuffed lion head for close ups); then he wanders past the tortured and the damned where he helps Sisyphus to push his giant boulder. A massive flaming door is opened using a pair of rocks, although Maciste burns his hands in the process. Next, he narrowly escapes a booby trapped tunnel with a spiked roof that slowly lowers. A beautiful woman, Fania, heals his hands. Maciste is attacked by snakes, and a troglodyte, Goliath, who wrestles with our hero when he rushes to Fania's rescue. Having defeated Goliath, Maciste uses a boulder to shield himself from hot sparks, and has a chat with Prometheus, who is condemned to have eagles peck at his innards for all eternity, learning that he has been put under a spell by Fania, who is really Martha the witch.
After clearing his mind by watching some clips from his other movies in a pool of water (the one with the cyclops looks like good schlocky fun), and steering a herd of stampeding cattle off the edge of a cliff, Maciste finally breaks Martha's curse by kissing her. On the surface, a rainstorm puts out the fire about to burn Martha and Charley, the locals seeing this as a sign of their prisoners' innocence. Meanwhile, Maciste ascends from hell, mounts his steed, and rides off to help some other poor people in need.
Even with its constant barrage of bizarreness, I found Maciste in Hell a bit of a bore, the action consisting of Morris unconvincingly straining as he lifts supposedly heavy prop boulders or wrestles with stuffed or doped-up animals. Stunning location work (the scenes of hell were shot in the picturesque caves of Castellana) and great lighting ensures that the film is aesthetically pleasing, but director Riccardo Freda fails to bring much life to proceedings, making the film strictly for the most avid of sword and sandal fans, or those just wanting to see something completely random.
Did Kirk Morris wander into the wrong film?
bkoganbing5 December 2017
I swear I had to look twice to see if I was watching the wrong film. As The Witch's Brew aka Maciste alli'Inferno opened and I saw the cast members dressed like 17th century Puritans. The film continues for about 15 minutes and I'm wondering did Amazon get its signals crossed?
Just as some woman is about to be burned at the stake for being a witch in rides Kirk Morris on a horse and shirtless and buff. Certainly in a startling contrast to the solemnly dressed Scots.
Maciste is told about a cursed tree and he lifts it and discovers it's a gateway to the underworld. His mission was to find a woman burned at the stake and somehow persuade her to lift the curse she put on the place a hundred years earlier. Maciste does the usual feats of strength that are expected in a peplum picture.
The dubbing was bad in fact there are sections where there is no dubbing at all and we hear the original Italian this film was done in.
As a bad film this was one for the books. I mean Ed Wood and Arch Hall kind of bad.
Just as some woman is about to be burned at the stake for being a witch in rides Kirk Morris on a horse and shirtless and buff. Certainly in a startling contrast to the solemnly dressed Scots.
Maciste is told about a cursed tree and he lifts it and discovers it's a gateway to the underworld. His mission was to find a woman burned at the stake and somehow persuade her to lift the curse she put on the place a hundred years earlier. Maciste does the usual feats of strength that are expected in a peplum picture.
The dubbing was bad in fact there are sections where there is no dubbing at all and we hear the original Italian this film was done in.
As a bad film this was one for the books. I mean Ed Wood and Arch Hall kind of bad.
Very entertaining "hybrid"
Skragg12 August 2006
There's no way I could NOT like a combination Italian horror film (of the traditional kind) AND Italian "spear and sandal" film, including this one, which I never saw till two years ago. The "hell" scenes were worthy of "Hercules in the Haunted World," which I also never saw till recently. It seems to be a direct sequel to another "peplum" film (I don't know which), because of flashbacks and little references. As much as I like these movies AS movies, instead of as "camp," even I found it funny when the "Maciste" character arrived in this 17th (?) century Scottish town (and yes, in his loincloth), without anyone wondering anything about him.
Watching Maciste doing a bunch of silly stuff.
Boba_Fett113828 September 2010
As far as the genre goes, that pretty must got invented by the Italians in the first place, this movie is actually not being the worst or silliest. But this doesn't mean that this movie is pretty bad and silly on its own though unfortunately.
This is one of the many Maciste movies, that got made over the decades. The character was an heroic strong-man, like for instance the Hercules and Samson characters were in Italian movies. However the character never really got known internationally, so must of the movies featuring him got released under different titles and his character also got named differently.
This time the main character is being played by the muscle man Kirk Morris, who actually played the character a whole bunch of times, as well as some other strong-man in many different Italian sword-and-sandal productions. Can't really say I was much impressed with him. Of course nothing wrong with his physics but he was really lacking the right charisma and definitely the right acting skills. To be honest, he looked quite silly with his boyish haircut and pearly white teeth.
It's not really a remake of the 1925 movie with the same title, since the movie pretty much follows a totally different story. The only thing the two have in common is that it features the Maciste character who has to descent to hell itself.
And in hell Maciste has to endure a whole bunch of silly ordeals. Watch Maciste dramatically opening a large door with his bare hands, lifts large phony looking rocks, or dance with a whole bunch of animals, such as a snake, a lion and a vulture. He's just holding and moving some puppets around, pretending that it are some real life animals attacking him. Really this is all that this movie is. But yes, there are actually far worse and far more silly genre examples to watch out there. This movie is actually pretty much alright for must part, which makes it all the more a shame that the story did not got worked out just a tiny bit better and also had some more exciting and original moments in it.
It's a predictable, campy, sword-and-sandal, adventure movie, that you at times still can have some fun with but unfortunately is far from a great movie.
4/10
http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/
This is one of the many Maciste movies, that got made over the decades. The character was an heroic strong-man, like for instance the Hercules and Samson characters were in Italian movies. However the character never really got known internationally, so must of the movies featuring him got released under different titles and his character also got named differently.
This time the main character is being played by the muscle man Kirk Morris, who actually played the character a whole bunch of times, as well as some other strong-man in many different Italian sword-and-sandal productions. Can't really say I was much impressed with him. Of course nothing wrong with his physics but he was really lacking the right charisma and definitely the right acting skills. To be honest, he looked quite silly with his boyish haircut and pearly white teeth.
It's not really a remake of the 1925 movie with the same title, since the movie pretty much follows a totally different story. The only thing the two have in common is that it features the Maciste character who has to descent to hell itself.
And in hell Maciste has to endure a whole bunch of silly ordeals. Watch Maciste dramatically opening a large door with his bare hands, lifts large phony looking rocks, or dance with a whole bunch of animals, such as a snake, a lion and a vulture. He's just holding and moving some puppets around, pretending that it are some real life animals attacking him. Really this is all that this movie is. But yes, there are actually far worse and far more silly genre examples to watch out there. This movie is actually pretty much alright for must part, which makes it all the more a shame that the story did not got worked out just a tiny bit better and also had some more exciting and original moments in it.
It's a predictable, campy, sword-and-sandal, adventure movie, that you at times still can have some fun with but unfortunately is far from a great movie.
4/10
http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/
Kirk MORRIS as Maciste in Scotland
ZeddaZogenau6 January 2024
Kirk Morris as Maciste in the underworld
Director Riccardo Fredda just couldn't help it. And again he had to send Maciste on a journey through time and space. This time we even went to Scotland and the 17th century. It's unbelievable what the ancient muscle man was forced to do! It would definitely have been less rainy in Carthage! But whatever!
Our hero actually climbs through a witch tree into the underworld to remove the curse of a burned witch. Oh well!
The cast is interesting: Behind the name Kirk Morris is the Italian Adriano Bellini, born in 1942. The strapping Adriano was actually a gondolier in Venice and was discovered by chance for the sword and sandal film. What a story! The French actress Helene Chanel (born in Deauville in 1941) is also there.
In West German cinemas in 1962f. At least 340,000 tickets were sold. Only recommended for friends of the Hexenhammer!
Director Riccardo Fredda just couldn't help it. And again he had to send Maciste on a journey through time and space. This time we even went to Scotland and the 17th century. It's unbelievable what the ancient muscle man was forced to do! It would definitely have been less rainy in Carthage! But whatever!
Our hero actually climbs through a witch tree into the underworld to remove the curse of a burned witch. Oh well!
The cast is interesting: Behind the name Kirk Morris is the Italian Adriano Bellini, born in 1942. The strapping Adriano was actually a gondolier in Venice and was discovered by chance for the sword and sandal film. What a story! The French actress Helene Chanel (born in Deauville in 1941) is also there.
In West German cinemas in 1962f. At least 340,000 tickets were sold. Only recommended for friends of the Hexenhammer!
If you haven't seen the uncut version, you haven't seen it
Maciste_Brother5 October 2008
I saw a version of MACISTE IN HELL under the boneheaded title of THE WITCH'S CURSE. That version was OK but nothing really remarkable. While watching the film, I realized it was cut down to pieces, that I wasn't watching the original version but even so I thought, meh. Lo and behold, I got a hold of the original uncut Italian version in beautiful crystal clear widescreen and the difference was WOW!
MACISTE IN HELL is, suffice to say, a Peplum masterpiece. It's a stand-out S&S remake of the silent version, which, obviously doesn't look anything like this 1962 version. Aside from a few weak points and an ending that doesn't rise to the occasion, the rest is a visual masterpiece directed by maestro Riccardo Freda. 15 minutes were cut for the US version, THE WITCH'S CURSE, and those 15 minutes make a HUGE difference. What looked like amateur night suddenly looks like a super smooth atmospheric classic fantasy filled with at times jaw dropping visuals. By cutting those 15 minutes, the careful pacing and mood was destroyed/eliminated and what was left was a clunky simplistic adventure.
The film is, first and foremost, an atmospheric film. There's almost no plot and the film follows a lone Mascite (played to uber beefcake perfection by Kirk Morris, aka Adriano Bellini) going from one feat to another. In other words, except for the intro, the dialogue is minimal. Even the Scottish scenes, which looked somehow out of place and silly in THE WITCH'S CURSE suddenly look just right in the uncut version. The contrast between the somber gray, colorless prison setting with the colorful, eye-filling world of Hell is remarkable. Having Maciste appear almost out of nowhere half-naked in Scotland suddenly makes sense with the expanded scenes that show Maciste as some sort of Hero who's not bound by time and space, thanks mainly to stock footage taken from ATLAS IN THE LAND OF THE CYCLOPS, SAMSON AND THE 7 MIRACLES OF THE WORLD and MACISTE IN THE VALLEY OF THE KINGS (SON OF SAMSON).
This film looks so good in its original state that they should re-release it on the big-screen. It would be like seeing an all new film. Some might find some of the effects risible, like when Maciste fights with a giant, but I think they just add to the surreal aspects of an adventure that takes place in Hell. But there are several standout, beautifully realized effect scenes that would wow current moviegoers including a trail of flames following Maciste's footsteps, Maciste's walk through a landscape of damned people or Maciste holding a boulder over his head to protect him from a shower of flames. The latter is the film's highlight.
It's also a very sensual film. It's not just a standard S&S action film but it's a film of the senses. The way Kirk Morris (and Helene Chanel) is shot, the cave settings, the music, all add up to a wonderful experience that often transcends its Peplum root. In essence, the story is about Maciste, who represents spiritual and physical purity and how primordial it is for his spirit and (his clearly exposed) body to remain pure amidst all the temptations or dangers around him, such as Fania or whatever attacks him and tries to kill him. This new angle to a familiar story is, for a film made in 1962, cool and somewhat daring.
The uncut version of MACISTE IN HELL is a classic fantasy waiting to be re-discovered. It's a must see for fans of Peplum or any genre films.
MACISTE IN HELL is, suffice to say, a Peplum masterpiece. It's a stand-out S&S remake of the silent version, which, obviously doesn't look anything like this 1962 version. Aside from a few weak points and an ending that doesn't rise to the occasion, the rest is a visual masterpiece directed by maestro Riccardo Freda. 15 minutes were cut for the US version, THE WITCH'S CURSE, and those 15 minutes make a HUGE difference. What looked like amateur night suddenly looks like a super smooth atmospheric classic fantasy filled with at times jaw dropping visuals. By cutting those 15 minutes, the careful pacing and mood was destroyed/eliminated and what was left was a clunky simplistic adventure.
The film is, first and foremost, an atmospheric film. There's almost no plot and the film follows a lone Mascite (played to uber beefcake perfection by Kirk Morris, aka Adriano Bellini) going from one feat to another. In other words, except for the intro, the dialogue is minimal. Even the Scottish scenes, which looked somehow out of place and silly in THE WITCH'S CURSE suddenly look just right in the uncut version. The contrast between the somber gray, colorless prison setting with the colorful, eye-filling world of Hell is remarkable. Having Maciste appear almost out of nowhere half-naked in Scotland suddenly makes sense with the expanded scenes that show Maciste as some sort of Hero who's not bound by time and space, thanks mainly to stock footage taken from ATLAS IN THE LAND OF THE CYCLOPS, SAMSON AND THE 7 MIRACLES OF THE WORLD and MACISTE IN THE VALLEY OF THE KINGS (SON OF SAMSON).
This film looks so good in its original state that they should re-release it on the big-screen. It would be like seeing an all new film. Some might find some of the effects risible, like when Maciste fights with a giant, but I think they just add to the surreal aspects of an adventure that takes place in Hell. But there are several standout, beautifully realized effect scenes that would wow current moviegoers including a trail of flames following Maciste's footsteps, Maciste's walk through a landscape of damned people or Maciste holding a boulder over his head to protect him from a shower of flames. The latter is the film's highlight.
It's also a very sensual film. It's not just a standard S&S action film but it's a film of the senses. The way Kirk Morris (and Helene Chanel) is shot, the cave settings, the music, all add up to a wonderful experience that often transcends its Peplum root. In essence, the story is about Maciste, who represents spiritual and physical purity and how primordial it is for his spirit and (his clearly exposed) body to remain pure amidst all the temptations or dangers around him, such as Fania or whatever attacks him and tries to kill him. This new angle to a familiar story is, for a film made in 1962, cool and somewhat daring.
The uncut version of MACISTE IN HELL is a classic fantasy waiting to be re-discovered. It's a must see for fans of Peplum or any genre films.
A HELL WITHOUT MONSTERS
giuliodamicone23 July 2023
Warning: Spoilers
A strange and unsuccessful mix between peplum and medieval film, with the people furious against an alleged witch condemned to the stake who sends the classic curse to posterity. Maciste arrives, with a low forehead and accentuated prognathism, always strictly bare-chested and in long johns, and he solves everything for some unknown reason (and without earning anything). Throughout the film we see his face contracted because he is busy lifting huge boulders, bending iron bars, fighting with wild beasts... and even avoiding a herd of oxen! In any case, this homemade hell (filmed in the caves of Castellana near Bari) is somewhat disappointing. And the solemn dialogue is stereotyped and consequently sounds fake, as it always is when a touch of irony is missing.
An amazing adventure!
Leofwine_draca16 September 2000
Warning: Spoilers
Engaging cross between witch-burning horror and heroic peplum sees Maciste, the film's muscle-bound, loincloth-clad hero, uprooting a tree and travelling into the depths of hell to lift a witch's curse and save an innocent woman's life. Along the way he has to battle various foes such as lions, eagles, giants, snakes, you name it. This is a thoroughly entertaining slice of escapism packed with action and cool special effects.
This unique film kicks off in a typical way: a witch, burned at the stake, calls on the power of the devil to curse those who have captured her. You might be forgiven for thinking this is CITY OF THE DEAD, or Italy's own BLACK Sunday. Immediately we're in the spooky Gothic territory of cobwebby castles and torch-wielding villagers, which comes as no surprise to the horror connoisseur when we find out that the director of this feature is Riccardo Freda, who also gave us the top-notch TERROR OF DR. HICHCOCK, as well as plenty of other Gothic chillers of the period.
An innocent woman is dragged to the stake the villagers are ready to light the fire at this point, it might be a good idea to stop the film and ask the question "what happens next?" to somebody who has no idea what this is about. For, unexpectedly enough, a man rides into the village on a horse, CLAD ONLY IN A LOINCLOTH! Okay, this is 17th century Scotland, and there's a naked man riding about on a horse. Never fear, for this man is Maciste, better known as Kirk Morris, who appeared in a fair few peplum back in these days.
Morris is as wooden as they come, seemingly having never bothered to learn the art of acting and retaining a single blank expression on his face throughout. Either he's been in a terrible accident which destroyed the nerves in his face, like Boris Karloff in THE RAVEN, or he's just a REALLY bad actor. But this matters not, as Morris is a man of steel, whose body has been sculpted in iron, whose strength can defeat an empire, whose loins well, you get the picture. The thing is that Morris looks good in his loincloth, and has the physique to make you believe he can do all manner of powerful things like lifting boulders on his back and bending iron bars with only his hands (and knee, at one point!).
Realising that he has just days to save the girl from being executed (due to some black-magic trickery, a bible she touches in court bursts into flame), Maciste discovers that the only way to save her is to destroy the witch's curse on the village, which somehow stems from a dead tree which grows new buds every time someone is killed. Heroically, he pushes the tree to one side and jumps into a burning pit (!), which just happens to be the entrance to Hell, to find the witch and revoke the curse. And then the fun really begins.
From then on, Maciste has to take on all manner of foes and all manner of dangerous, nigh on impossible stunts that would make Hercules gasp. The first thing he finds in the Stygian depths is a lion, which he immediately grapples with (getting a few of those designer Bruce Lee-style scratches over his torso in the process). This is actually a well choreographed fight, with the fake lion head edited in nicely with Maciste fighting a real lion. Amusement comes after he has killed the beast and we see it still blinking as it lays on the floor (you can just imagine some trainer shouting "play dead!" prior to filming that moment). After this, Maciste goes for a little walk and sees a few poor souls getting tortured by some demons or imps or something. Ignoring these, he makes his way to a burning door, which he must open using only a couple of rocks and his bare hands, getting them severely burnt in the process.
His journey underground is forever becoming more fiery and dangerous, and there's even one of those spiky lowering-ceiling traps lying in wait for our plucky hero. His hands may have been destroyed, but what is most painful for the viewer is watching Morris try to convey the agony he is supposedly in! Luckily for us a beautiful love interest is then introduced who heals Maciste's hands to let him carry on with the job in progress. After this it's typical adventure territory: Maciste battles snakes, makes giant leaps, carries out amazing feats of strength, kills a giant named Goliath, and uses a rock as a shield to get through a rain of fire. All in a day's work for our intrepid hero.
Basically, the film at this point is just one obstacle after another for Maciste, and is VERY entertaining. It's rare that I have so much fun watching films but this is definitely one of the best times I've ever had. Some Greek mythology is also thrown into the brew when Maciste discovers a man named Prometheus, doomed forever to have an eagle devour his entrails (a superb horrific image), and single-handedly stops a stampede of raging cattle (nicked from HERCULES, I think). MACISTE IN HELL is solid escapism all the way, filled with action, excitement, and all manner of varied special effects. The scenery is dramatic and a classic image of Hell is portrayed with burning pools, rocky caverns, and a thick, almost sulphurous atmosphere of doom and evil. The music is stirring, and Freda brings his horror elements into the fun which are added bonuses for me. A truly excellent film.
This unique film kicks off in a typical way: a witch, burned at the stake, calls on the power of the devil to curse those who have captured her. You might be forgiven for thinking this is CITY OF THE DEAD, or Italy's own BLACK Sunday. Immediately we're in the spooky Gothic territory of cobwebby castles and torch-wielding villagers, which comes as no surprise to the horror connoisseur when we find out that the director of this feature is Riccardo Freda, who also gave us the top-notch TERROR OF DR. HICHCOCK, as well as plenty of other Gothic chillers of the period.
An innocent woman is dragged to the stake the villagers are ready to light the fire at this point, it might be a good idea to stop the film and ask the question "what happens next?" to somebody who has no idea what this is about. For, unexpectedly enough, a man rides into the village on a horse, CLAD ONLY IN A LOINCLOTH! Okay, this is 17th century Scotland, and there's a naked man riding about on a horse. Never fear, for this man is Maciste, better known as Kirk Morris, who appeared in a fair few peplum back in these days.
Morris is as wooden as they come, seemingly having never bothered to learn the art of acting and retaining a single blank expression on his face throughout. Either he's been in a terrible accident which destroyed the nerves in his face, like Boris Karloff in THE RAVEN, or he's just a REALLY bad actor. But this matters not, as Morris is a man of steel, whose body has been sculpted in iron, whose strength can defeat an empire, whose loins well, you get the picture. The thing is that Morris looks good in his loincloth, and has the physique to make you believe he can do all manner of powerful things like lifting boulders on his back and bending iron bars with only his hands (and knee, at one point!).
Realising that he has just days to save the girl from being executed (due to some black-magic trickery, a bible she touches in court bursts into flame), Maciste discovers that the only way to save her is to destroy the witch's curse on the village, which somehow stems from a dead tree which grows new buds every time someone is killed. Heroically, he pushes the tree to one side and jumps into a burning pit (!), which just happens to be the entrance to Hell, to find the witch and revoke the curse. And then the fun really begins.
From then on, Maciste has to take on all manner of foes and all manner of dangerous, nigh on impossible stunts that would make Hercules gasp. The first thing he finds in the Stygian depths is a lion, which he immediately grapples with (getting a few of those designer Bruce Lee-style scratches over his torso in the process). This is actually a well choreographed fight, with the fake lion head edited in nicely with Maciste fighting a real lion. Amusement comes after he has killed the beast and we see it still blinking as it lays on the floor (you can just imagine some trainer shouting "play dead!" prior to filming that moment). After this, Maciste goes for a little walk and sees a few poor souls getting tortured by some demons or imps or something. Ignoring these, he makes his way to a burning door, which he must open using only a couple of rocks and his bare hands, getting them severely burnt in the process.
His journey underground is forever becoming more fiery and dangerous, and there's even one of those spiky lowering-ceiling traps lying in wait for our plucky hero. His hands may have been destroyed, but what is most painful for the viewer is watching Morris try to convey the agony he is supposedly in! Luckily for us a beautiful love interest is then introduced who heals Maciste's hands to let him carry on with the job in progress. After this it's typical adventure territory: Maciste battles snakes, makes giant leaps, carries out amazing feats of strength, kills a giant named Goliath, and uses a rock as a shield to get through a rain of fire. All in a day's work for our intrepid hero.
Basically, the film at this point is just one obstacle after another for Maciste, and is VERY entertaining. It's rare that I have so much fun watching films but this is definitely one of the best times I've ever had. Some Greek mythology is also thrown into the brew when Maciste discovers a man named Prometheus, doomed forever to have an eagle devour his entrails (a superb horrific image), and single-handedly stops a stampede of raging cattle (nicked from HERCULES, I think). MACISTE IN HELL is solid escapism all the way, filled with action, excitement, and all manner of varied special effects. The scenery is dramatic and a classic image of Hell is portrayed with burning pools, rocky caverns, and a thick, almost sulphurous atmosphere of doom and evil. The music is stirring, and Freda brings his horror elements into the fun which are added bonuses for me. A truly excellent film.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
