Los titanes

Giuliano Gemma, another of the innumerable sons of Jove, wind sup wooing Antonella Lualdi, defeating the evil king Pedro Armendariz, and generally having a good time in this light-hearted peplum movie.

Anyone who went to see the American version expecting an outright comedy was bound to be disappointed; Mel Brooks directed the trailer for the movie, and it's a lot sillier than the actual movie. But then, swords-and-sandal flicks are rarely known for their depth. People went to see them for the combination of pretty girls in short chitons, and body builders dressed likewise. Even so, this movie never takes itself seriously, with Gemma being less musclebound and more clever than your average hero.

Cadmo, the King of Crete (Pedro Armandarez) has learned the power of immortality from his mistress. He kills his wife and takes his mistress as a wife. For this, the Oracle tells him he will `die' at the hand of infant young daughter's future love. Should King Cadmo kill his daughter, he will perish at the same moment. Cadmo locks his daughter away. The only man she can see is Cadmo. The Greek god Jove, visits Hades, where his children, the Titans, are bound in eternal torment for their transgressions. Like Hercules, the Titans are half-men, half god. Jove directs the youngest of the Titans, Krios (Giuliano Gemma), who is the savviest, but physically weakest of the Titans, to deliver Cadmo to Hades. In return, Jove will free all of the Titans.

Dubious subject matter for a comedy. But, after a slow start, that's just what this `sword and sandal' adventure is, largely thanks to a witty performance by Gemma as Krios, good `Jackie Chan' or `Crimson Pirate' style stunts and a few good sight gags, the funniest being the `sword' which Krios must use to fight Rator (Serge Nubret). In fact, the film bares a lot of resemblance to `Crimson Pirate,' right down to a mute sidekick. That is not to say `My Son the Hero' is as good as the classic `Crimson Pirate,' but it is DEFINITELY work a look.

Terrible dubbing, but good color cinematography, fine sets, fairly good special effects and amusing, tone-setting music.

The Turner Classic Movies print is pristine. Too bad they showed `My Son, The Hero' in `pan and scan.' Hopefully, they have a letterbox copy sitting in their vault somewhere.

Delightful sword and sandals comedy!

First and foremost, this is a comedy masquerading as and action fantasy. So, don't take it too seriously. Giuliano Gemma owns the screen as our hero, Krios. He is charming and incredibly likeable. Serge Nubret is his sidekick, and he is so ripped his muscles have muscles. Jacqueline Sassard is the breathtakingly beautiful love interest that needs to be rescued not once but twice.

The plot is really just a series of excuses to setup funny adventure scenarios. There are many references to ancient Greek and/or Roman gods and legends. There's a gorgon and a cyclops and some ancient depictions of hell. It's a good time!

To begin with, this was another early TV recollection though I recently saw snippets from it on the "Stracult" Italian TV program. The film cemented handsome and likable Giuliano Gemma's leading-man status, but also marked his first of a long-running and felicitous collaboration with the director that spanned 9 films (not counting the recently-viewed MESSALINA, IMPERIAL VENUS {1960} which Tessari only co-scripted and where the star had a small part). After looking high and low for a copy of the film (a recent Cable TV screening was obviously in Italian and widescreen but reportedly proved problematic), I landed a pan-and-scan edition of the English-dubbed version; still, being in a peplum frame-of-mind, I thought better of revisiting it in this manner rather than wait for a more congenial edition and which may never even happen!; incidentally, the English title is quite lame (the original translates to HERE COME THE TITANS). Anyway, while I had anticipated a low-brow and comedy-oriented offering, it emerged a superior and reasonably stylish genre effort.

The narrative involves the titular band, banished by the Gods who were jealous of their superhuman strength but now called upon to cut ruthless King (and self-proclaimed deity) Pedro Armedariz – making for a dry-run to his similar invulnerable character in the above-average and effects-filled fantasy-adventure CAPTAIN SINDBAD (1963) – down to size! He has killed wife Jacqueline Sassard in order to marry Antonella Lualdi (interestingly cast as a villainess but then served a dismally underwritten part!); the King is nonetheless bound by a prophecy which dictates that he is doomed to die when the child (also played, delightfully, as a grown-up by the waif-ish yet gorgeous Sassard) falls in love – so, when he tries to kill her, the Gods add another clause, as it were, that he will himself perish instantly if the girl does!; therefore, he tries to work his way around this by locking her up…only, when she reaches the age of 18, Sassard is to be presented as a Vestal Virgin to the Gods. It is in the temple that she happens to come face to face with Gemma – sent to pave the way for the Titans' 'atonement' in view of his cleverness and agility – since, at the time of the ceremony, he is a prisoner in the dungeons below (having deliberately insulted the King so as to be taken before him and lead his soldiers on an acrobatic roof-chase!) and decides to take a look!

To cut a long story short, he becomes a sort of gladiator (though the bouts take place indoors and only consist of wrestling matches) where he triumphs over his opponent by rubbing himself in oil and slipping his grip at every turn(!) and eventually wins favor with Armendariz (which naturally allows him to get close to his love); still, the latter turn-of-events obviously does not please the King and Gemma finds himself at the receiving end of his ire. Rallying support from some of his old prison/arena colleagues and later joined by the liberated and spoiling-for-a-fight Titans themselves, we get to the climax which sees Armendariz being literally whisked all the way down to Hades when the earth opens up beneath his feet…and Sassard is now left to govern the people of Crete with Gemma at her side. The highly-entertaining film (running for a hefty but fast-paced 111 minutes) looks very nice despite the misframing and is further blessed with a bouncy score by the ubiquitous Carlo Rustichelli (he has scored the lion's share of the peplums I watched throughout the month!).

Few years back my dad asked me if i can get him a dvd copy of Sons of thunder. Well, i was puzzled as there was no movie of this name showing on imdb. Lots of internet browsing n i finally concluded that Arrivano i titani aka My son, the hero aka Sons of thunder is one n the same movie. Had vague childhood memories of it. Revisted it recently on a dvd. It is a typical sword n sandal movie with humour n less fight sequences. The lead actor Giuliano Gemma did some amazing stunts, good gymnastics n free style running but his blond eyebrows were lol. In this we get to see a non scary Gorgon, funny Cyclops n competitive bodybuilder Serge Nubret.