Alpha Video has paired up these two sword-and-sandal movies on one DVD. Umberto Scarpelli's The Giant of Metropolis is transferred from about as good a source as any other seen since the 1960's -- there's some fading to the full-screen (1.33-to-1) image, but it's passable, especially on a budget-priced release. Hercules And The Princess of Troy, which was the pilot for a proposed Hercules television series, is in somewhat better condition overall and, as a production designed for and intended to be shown on a small-screen, holds up somewhat better. Additionally, the movie was directed by no less a figure than Albet Band (I Bury The Living), and the class and quality of the work shows, in the shooting, editing, and acting. And the cast includes no less a name than Diana Hyland. The disc opens automatically to a simple single-layer menu offering easy access to both movies.
