Hercules in the Haunted World

Director: Mario Bava Mario Bava

Overview

Horrormeister Mario Bava helmed this entry in the series, in which Hercules (Reg Park) must journey to the bowels of Hell to recover a magical plant that is the only hope of a dying princess.

Product Details

Release Date:	03/31/2015
UPC:	0889290042750
Original Release:	1961
Rating:	NR
Source:	Filmrise
Time:	1:21:00
Sales rank:	51,593

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Reg Park	Hercules
Giorgio Ardisson	Theseus
Marisa Belli	Actor
Mino Doro	Actor
Ida Galli	Actor
Franco Giacobini	Telemachus
Christopher Lee	Lichas
Leonora Ruffo	Deianira

Technical Credits

Mario Bava

Sandro Continenza

Franco E. Prosperi

Duccio Tessari

Mario Bava	Director,Cinematographer,Screenwriter
Sandro Continenza	Screenwriter
Mario Giorsi	Costumes/Costume Designer
Franco Lolli	Art Director
Achille Piazzi	Producer
Franco E. Prosperi	Screenwriter
Mario Serandrei	Editor
Duccio Tessari	Screenwriter
Armando Trovajoli	Score Composer

Editorial Reviews

Hercules in the Haunted World is about as good a film as could be made on a budget in the "mythic hero" subgenre of action films. If that sounds like faint praise, it isn't intended to be, for while overall Hercules can't totally rise above the many limitations of its genre (and budget), it nevertheless will thrill fans of such movies and even give non-devotees a number of very worthwhile elements to ponder. First and foremost, Hercules is a Mario Bava movie. Not a name that means a great deal to mainstream moviegoers, but fans of Italian cinema and/or fantasy flicks know that with Bava at the helm, there's bound to be plenty of goodies. Bava is in especially good form for Hercules, as it was his first color film and he seems to have relished the opportunity to let his camera play with this new palette. While many of Hercules' sets -- especially its backdrops -- are quite phony, Bava uses lighting to create marvelous mosaics, dramatic pictures that create a hyper-reality of their own. The director gets a bit stodgy in some of the talkier scenes, perhaps trying to get as much in one shot as he can to accommodate the lack of funds; but when he gets to let loose, Hercules come sto vivid, exciting life. Reg Park looks the part of the title character, and his acting is perfectly fine for this sort of thing. Christopher Lee is on hand as well, but unfortunately not with his own voice, which is a disappointment. The script is silly but contains plenty of action, but Bava makes the most of it.

All Movie Guide - Craig Butler