| Hercules Unchained (Ercole e la regina di Lidia) |
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Original theatrical poster |
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| Directed by | Pietro Francisci |
| Produced by | Bruno Vailati Ferruccio De Martino |
| Written by | Ennio De Concini Pietro Francisci |
| Starring | Steve Reeves Sylva Koscina Sylvia Lopez |
| Music by | Enzo Masetti |
| Cinematography | Mario Bava |
| Editing by | Mario Serandrei |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. (USA) |
| Release date(s) | 14 February 1959 (IT) July 13, 1960 (US) |
| Running time | 105 min. |
| Country | Italy |
| Language | Italian |
Hercules Unchained (Italian: Ercole e la regina di Lidia, "Hercules and the Queen of Lydia") is a 1959 Italian epic fantasy feature film starring Steve Reeves and Sylva Koscina in a story about two warring brothers and Hercules' tribulations in the court of Queen Omphale. The film is the sequel to the Reeves vehicle Hercules (1958) and marks Reeves' last appearance as Hercules. The film's screenplay -- loosely based upon various Greek myths and dramas -- was written by Ennio De Concini and Pietro Francisci with Francisci directing and Bruno Vailati and Ferruccio De Martino producing the film. Hercules Unchained has been broadcast on American television, and is available in both VHS and DVD formats. The film's Italian title means "Hercules and the Queen of Lydia". The film was also the subject of mockery in an episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000.
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The plot draws character names from a mishmash of various Greek legends and plays, notably The Seven Against Thebes by Aeschylus and Oedipus at Colonus by Sophocles. The tale of Hercules and Queen Omphale is taken from myth. Hercules' line "I wove the threads [of my memory] together" is the film's sole reference to his task of spinning thread and weaving with Omphale's attendants in the myth. The film widely deviates from the source material, haphazardly mixing events and featuring characterizations varying from those depicted in the sources.
While travelling, Hercules (Steve Reeves) is asked to intervene in a quarrel between two brothers, Eteocles and Polynices, (Sergio Fantoni and Mimmo Palmara) over who should rule Thebes. Before he can complete this task, Hercules drinks from a magic spring and is hypnotized by a harem girl who dances the "Dance of Shiva", loses his memory and becomes the captive of Queen Omphale of Lydia (Sylvia Lopez). The Queen keeps men until she tires of them, then has them made into statues. While young Ulysses (Gabriel Antonini) tries to help him regain his memory, Hercules' wife, Iole (Sylva Koscina), finds herself in danger from Eteocles, current ruler of Thebes, who plans on throwing her to the wild beasts in his entertainment arena. Hercules slays three tigers in succession and rescues his wife, then assists the Theban army in repelling mercenary attackers hired by Polynices. The two brothers ultimately fight one another for the throne and end up killing each other; the good high priest Creon is elected by acclaim. Cast includes Fulvio Carrara as Castor, Willi Colombini as Pollux, Primo Carnera as the giant Antaeus, Gino Mattera as Orpheus, Cesare Fantoni as King Oedipus, and Carlo D'Angelo as High Priest Creon.
Colleen Bennett was the prima ballerina, who danced "The Dance of Shiva" which was used to hypontize Hercules as he drank the waters of forgetfulness.
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