Genre:
Adventures + fantasy

Synopsis:
Sword and sandal films (or peplums from a Latin word for a sort of tunic that was easy to make and favored by the costume departments for these films) are a genre of adventure or fantasy films that have subjects set in Biblical or classical antiquity, often with contrived plots based very loosely on mythology or history. More specifically, however, the sword and sandal film genre usually refers to a low-budget Italian movie on a gladiatorial, Biblical or mythological subject, often with a professional bodybuilder in the principal role; the genre occupied much of the popular segment of Italy's movie industry from 1960-1964, before the creation of the spaghetti western. Several famous Italian directors such as Mario Bava and Sergio Leone got their start in the genre as well.

A series of 19 Italian Hercules movies were made in the late 50's/ early 60's. The actors who played Hercules in these films were Steve Reeves, Gordon Scott, Kirk Morris, Mickey Hargitay, Mark Forest, Alan Steel, Dan Vadis, Brad Harris, Reg Park, Rock Stevens and Michael Lane.

Casts:
Steve Reeves ... Ercole
Gordon Scott ... Ercole
Kirk Morris ... Ercole
Mickey Hargitay ... Ercole
Mark Forest ... Ercole
Alan Steel ... Ercole
Dan Vadis ... Ercole
Brad Harris ... Ercole
Reg Park ... Ercole
Rock Stevens ... Ercole
Michael Lane ... Ercole

The Complete Movie Serie:
Le Fatiche di Ercole (1957)
Ercole e la regina di Lidia (1959)
La Vendetta di Ercole (1960)
Gli Amori di Ercole (1960)
Ercole alla conquista di Atlantide (1961)
Ercole al centro della terra (1961)
Maciste contro Ercole nella valle dei guai (1961)
Ulisse contro Ercole (1962)
La Furia di Ercole (1962)
Ercole sfida Sansone (1963)
Ercole contro Molock (1963)
Ercole l'invincibile (1964)
Il Trionfo di Ercole (1964)
Ercole contro Roma (1964)
Ercole contro i figli del sole (1964)
Ercole contro i tiranni di Babilonia (1964)
Ercole, Sansone, Maciste e Ursus: gli invincibili (1964)
Ercole e la Principessa di Troia (TV movie) (1965)
Sfida dei giganti (1965)

Superheroes:
Hercules

The mytological character inspired many comics:
"Hercules" Marvel Comics & DC Comics

Internal links:
Hercules (1983) (movie series 1983-1985)
Ursus (1961) (movie series 1961-1964)
Maciste (1960) (movie series 1960-1965)

External links:
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