Ottavio Poggi Movies
- 1966
Ken Wood portrays Italian comic strip wrestler Superargo in this lively sci-fier. The gargantuan grappler is forced into combat with mad scientist Gerard Tichy, who plans to rule the world, or at least Italy. Tichy hopes to go the "Goldfinger" route by crippling the world's economy; his plan involves the manufacture of artificial gold. But with Superargo on the case, Tichy's plans blow up in his face (literally, as it turns out). Nobody is expected to take this imbroglio seriously, so if you go with the flow, you'll have a good time with this Italian live-action cartoon. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
In this mystery, a gang of drug smugglers kidnap the ex-girlfriend of a journalist. The journalist begins looking for her. When the woman is found dead, the journalist gets some help and eventually justice prevails. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1965
In this Italian swashbuckler ruthless pirates threaten the rule of the Doge of Venice. Fortunately, his brave son puts on a mask, calls himself "The Lion of St. Mark," and rallies together a regiment of mercenaries to stop them. After a few skirmishes with the pirates, the Lion finds himself falling in love for a female pirate. When his mercenaries capture her, he must save her. The grateful woman offers her thanks, but refuses to give up on her pirates. When she learns the Lion's real identity, she rethinks her position. Meanwhile the pirates are vanquished, and the hero's uncle adopts the pirate woman so that she and his nephew may continue their courtship. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1964
A British officer's daughter is kidnapped by an island cult near India. Fifteen years later, he returns with an expedition to find her. Meanwhile, a snake hunter who has fallen in love with the girl is captured by the cult and ordered to kill the officer. But he and the officer team up, defeat the cult, and rescue the girl. ~ Steve Huey, All Movie Guide
- 1963
Set in medieval Venice, this swashbuckler chronicles the courage of an executioner and his godson as they attempt to show that the Grand Inquisitor is in league with murderous pirates. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1962
The Secret Mark of D'Artagnan borrows a handful of the characters and little else from the works of Dumas. Like many Italian films of the early 1960s, this swashbuckler stars an American actor, George Nader, in hopes of broadening its market. Nader plays D'Artagnan along more mature lines than most actors; he's even something of a ladies' man, a fact which very nearly gets him killed on several occasions. Confounding D'Artagnan's efforts to work on behalf of Louis XIII is Magali Noel as a buxom Milady De Winter. The Secret Mark of D'Artagnan became an American TV standard in the late 1960s thanks to its sumptuous color photography. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1962
In this swashbuckler, a sensuous female pirate takes over her retired father's ship and sails off for high-seas adventure and romance. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1961
Italian swashbucklers have high seas adventures in this pirate outing that tells the tale of a handsome former slave who returns to San Salvador to eradicate anyone who makes money at the expense of another's freedom. Unfortunately, the pirate's schemes go awry and he ends up in prisoner by a treacherous secretary of the nation's governor. Fortunately, a love affair with the governor's daughter sets things to rights, but not without a lot of exciting hijinks in the interim. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1961
In this 16th-century swashbuckler, the trouble begins when a sea captain is unjustly sentenced to hang by the evil ruler of the Duchy of Doruzzo and his daughter. Meanwhile, the comely lass who believes herself the doomed captain's daughter is about to be sold to a harem when they are freed by a handsome hero whom the captain hopes will marry his daughter. Father and daughter then become pirates, and the hero is obligated to catch them, but when he falls in love with the girl, he switches allegiance and helps her attack the ruler's palace. The two then lead the other pirates, and the angry peasants in a revolt, resulting in the eventual death of the ruler, who confesses on his deathbed that the female pirate (the captain's supposed daughter) is his real daughter and heir to the Duchy; he then goes on to tell her that years before he had ordered the captain to kill her, but he refused and raised her instead. This confession so angers the other daughter that she goes into a convent; meanwhile the pirate lovers prepare for their wedding. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1961
In this Italian costume epic chronicles the exploits of an innocent maiden who lives near Thebes. She is in love with a sculptor but cannot marry him when a high-ranking reveals that he is her father and that she was betrothed at birth to a mentally ill prince slated to soon take over the country. The father then hands down a death sentence for the sculptor, but fortunately he escapes to find the prince, who happens to be a friend of his. There he asks for and is granted a pardon. Time passes and the prince becomes king; meanwhile, the maiden undergoes a ritual purification and changes her name to "Nefertiti." The sculptor is now with a gypsy. Unfortunately, he is again imprisoned by Nefertiti's father who threatens to kill him unless his unwilling daughter marries the new king. After the wedding, the sculptor does a bust of his beloved, and she tells him that while she still loves him, she fears for her husband's mind if she leaves. Her manipulative father is well aware of the king's instability and is hoping that eventually he will have all the power. To get closer, he kills the king's best friend, a rival priest, which pushes the king to suicide. Suddenly Nefertiti becomes queen. With the sculptor's help, she rallies the army and wins her power. In the end, the jilted gypsy gets her revenge by killing Nefertiti's father. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Yet another in a spate of historical costume dramas by Italian filmmakers, Hannibal tells the story of the famous general's battles and his ill-advised march across the snowy Alps. To make life that much more interesting, violence, gore, sex, love, and personal issues are thrown in for good measure. The great general is played by Victor Mature and his main love interest Sylvia by Rita Gam. As Hannibal's successes in battle increase, it seems like he is fated for ultimate victory, but his own failings are his undoing in the end. Unevenly paced and unconvincing in parts, this offering by director Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia (best-known for the "Toto" series of comedies) is geared more for audiences out for spectacle and entranced by history, no matter how it is interpreted. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Victor Mature, Rita Gam, (more)
- 1949
At the time of its release, this filmization of Verdi's opera Il Trovatore was praised for its "cinematic" qualities: that is, it didn't look like just another photographed stage play. Director Carmine Gallone even expanded upon the battle sequences that are usually sketchily presented on stage. At 102 minutes, the film takes a lot less time getting to the tragically ironic finale than the original opera, which runs four full acts. The leading roles of gypsy woman Azucena and Conte di Luna are sung and acted by opera favorites Gianna Pederzini and Enzo Mascherini; on the other hand, hero and heroine Manrico (Gino Sinimberghi) and Leonora (Vittorina Colonello) appear to be dubbed. The choral numbers are performed by members of the Rome Opera House. One word of warning: anyone who's seen the Marx Brothers' Night at the Opera may have trouble getting through The Anvil Chorus with a straight face. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gino Sinimberghi
- 1949
At the time of its release, this filmization of Verdi's opera Il Trovatore was praised for its "cinematic" qualities: that is, it didn't look like just another photographed stage play. Director Carmine Gallone even expanded upon the battle sequences that are usually sketchily presented on stage. At 109 minutes, the film takes a lot less time getting to the tragically ironic finale than the original opera, which runs four full acts. The leading roles of gypsy woman Azucena and Conte di Luna are sung and acted by opera favorites Gianna Pederzini and Enzo Mascherini; on the other hand, hero and heroine Manrico (Gino Sinimberghi) and Leonora (Vittorina Colonello) appear to be dubbed. The choral numbers are performed by members of the Rome Opera House. One word of warning: anyone who's seen the Marx Brothers' Night at the Opera may have trouble getting through The Anvil Chorus with a straight face. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
