Hercule contre les fils du soleil

This peplum, set in Inca country, is one of a handful which tried to give novelty to the tired formula by changing the locale (or the era) in which they were set: similarly freewheeling entries in the genre took place in China (including Riccardo Freda’s SAMSON AND THE SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD [1961]), another in full 17th Puritan atmosphere (THE WITCH’S CURSE [1962], coincidentally also by Freda), etc.

However, it’s not enough to alter the background if the plotting remains the same old juvenile nonsense! In this case, Hercules is shipwrecked and immediately clashes with the locals yet helped by their rivals (led by Giuliano Gemma, still a year away from attaining genuine stardom with the first Ringo Spaghetti Western). Apparently, for all their architectural know-how, the Incas are still a backward people when it comes to warfare (given the surprising number on display here, they’re seemingly more interested in raising llamas than anything else) – so that it takes Hercules to update their weaponry and organize the surprise attack on the usurper!

As always, the faded pan-and-scan print and English dubbing do the film no favors – but it’s hurt all the more by a threadbare narrative (which extends merely to a princess being rescued from the sacrificial altar, naturally falling for the strapping foreigner at first sight, and the obligatory battle at the climax) padded with a couple of idiotic dances (which are interminable, to boot), and lifeless handling. Incidentally, the Hercules in this one – Mark Forest (who had already played the role in Vittorio Cottafavi’s minor but delirious GOLIATH AND THE DRAGON [1960]) – is atypically clean-shaven: apparently, the film-makers thought his customary bearded look would jar with the generally exotic ambiance!

For the record, I was unfamiliar with director Civirani or, for that matter, leading lady Anna Maria Pace – the former’s work here doesn’t indicate anything more than a journeyman talent but the latter, at least, has the (agreeably darkened) looks to counter a rather stilted performance! Another ‘fault’ I regularly notice in this type of low-brow entertainment (but which, more often than not, translates into a fun booster for the viewer) is that the action sequences tend to come across as unintentionally comical – in the enthusiasm, or lack thereof, displayed by the extras or stunt people!

So there's this mythical strongman, see, and he likes sailing the seven seas with his Greek buddies. One day a big storm comes along and WHAM: they're shipwrecked and get washed ashore in sunny South America! Everyone dies except Hercules who get's rescued by the natives who enlist his aid in overthrowing the local tyrant. There's some wacky homoerotic ritual sacrifices and lots of battle sequences, and to top it all off, the film ends with some spectacular travelogue footage of snowcapped Peruvian mountains and a llama! WOW!

Hercules is rescued by Prince Maytha (Giuliano Gemma) and his warriors . Athualpa (Franco Fantasia) , King of the Incas, is about to sacrifice Princess Yamara (Anna-Maria Pace) to the Sun God. Hercules must save her and defeat the King . He must use his strength to rescue his friends and attack the city of Tiguanaco and the woman he loves . As Hércules is up to his pecs in trouble as he fights nasty Incas in order to save the abducted daughter of a King Inca , Huascar . As the bare-chested warrior goes on an all-out rampage to save her . As he battles the evil King of the Incas by building unstoppable fighting machines . It deals with the deadly war between Huáscar and his half-brother Atahualpa . The battles reported by Spanish chronicler Juan Betanzos talk of Quizquiz (Atahualpa's commander) leading armies of 60,000 men against armies of 60,000 men supporting Huáscar. Betanzos's account also enlightens us on the bloody nature of Inca wars. Atahualpa's punishment of the Canares saw him rip the hearts from their chiefs and force their followers to eat them .Huascar was defeated in the battle of Chimborazo and the Battle of Quipaipan and he was made prisoner . The war had Atahualpa in the clear ascendancy on Pizarro's arrival. Furthermore , Atahualpa had Huáscar killed so that he was not in a position to offer Pizarro a larger ransom of gold than Atahualpa was offering for his own release .

This is a decent spaghetti , myth-opera with action , love , battles and luxurious landscapes . The movie has not mythological accuracy neither expecting historical . Breathtaking scenes when take place spectacular Inca archers dances and overwhelming final battle with surprising and violent scenes . In the picture turns up Peplum ordinaries as the veteran Franco Fantasia who along with his brother Andrea Fantasia worked much as maestros of weapons in this genre , and uncredited Rosalba Neri . Being a Spain/Italy co-production here turns up some Spanish actors as José Riesgo as Huascar , Ricardo Valle , and Ángela Rhu as the Queen . It stars Mark Forest , he is perfect as the mythical hero who encounters many dangerous situations while trying to save a princess of numerous odds . Forest who played the mythic Maciste in great number of movies was randomly assigned the identity of Hercules , Goliath , Samson or Aron for U.S. viewing . Bouncing and strong Forest was the second American actor bodybuilder , after Steve Reeves , to be recruited by Italian producers to star in Peplum films . The muscle-man Forest left allegedly the sword and sandals genre for the Opera . He used the amount of money he made acting as hero and gladiator films in Italy to study Opera , he currently teaches in the Los Angeles zone . He was one along with Ed Fury , Dan Vadis,Brad Harris , Alan Steel , Reg Park , Gordon Scott whom to seek fortune acting absurdly as muscle mythological figures but nobody topped Steve Reeves in popularity . He only starred Peplum such as : 1964 Hércules against sons of sun , 1964 Lion of Tebas , 1964 Maciste Nell'inferno Gengis Khan , 1964 Maciste, Gladiatore Sparta , 1963 Maciste Contro i Mongoli ,1963 Maciste, l'Eroe più Grande del Mondo ,1962 Maciste, Gladiatore più forte Mondo , 1961 Maciste, the Son of Hercules , 1960 La Venganza De Ercole . This film titled "Ercole Contro I Figli del Sole¨ or "Hercules Against the Sons of the Sun" or "Hércules Frente Al Sol" belongs to a group of peplums attempting to change the ordinary formula by changing scenarios as ¨Samson and the treasure of the Incas¨ by Piero Pierotti with Alan Steel and Mario Petri and ¨Legacy of the Incas¨ by George Marischka by Rick Battaglia , Guy Madison , Fernando Rey .

Interesting screenplay by María del Carmen Martínez Román , a prolific writer who wrote a lot of Spaghetti , Gialli and Peplum . This spectacular Sword and Sandal movie displays a colorful and glimmer cinematography by Julio Ortas , filmed on location in Spanish/Italian exteriors and Elios Studios, Vides Cinematografica, Rome, Lazio, Italy , among others . Beiong necessary a perfect remastering because of the film copy is washed-out . Atmospheric and evocative musical score by Coroliano Gori . The motion picture was well directed by Osvaldo Civiriani . He was a craftsman who made several genres such as Western : ¨I due Figlio Di Trinitiy¨ , ¨I Figlio Dgango¨, ¨Died for a roller¨ , ¨Trusting is good shooting is better¨ ; Erotic movies as ¨Voodoo sex¨, ¨Sexy Prohibite¨, ¨Lucrecia¨, ¨Mayra Black Venus¨; Eurospy : ¨Case Becket¨ , ¨Operation Poker¨, and about car races as ¨Summer love¨, ¨2 Della Formula1¨ and adventure : ¨Kínder Lion of desert¨ and this one . Rating : 6/10 , acceptable muscle-men fodder and better than most muscles operas-spaghetti,thanks to Mark Forest and by Peplum specialist as is the director Osvaldo Ciriviani .He along with Vittorio Cottafavi ,Giorgio Ferroni and other professional filmmakers continued to realize films in the historical-spectacular style , at which he developed a considerable skill and mastery .

History takes another setback as Hercules finds himself in the land of the Incas, shipwrecked he meets the true king of the Incas who has been deposed by a tyrant luckily for him they all speak perfect English or dubbed Italian if you prefer,very badly filmed and acted even by Italian standards and the music score just does not fit in with the film,check the sacrifice ritual dance and you will see what I mean, the only redeeming feature is the colourful Inca costumes,very poor all round,curious also to find out that our hero played by the handsome Mark Forest only took these parts to finance his opera singing!, something he still does to this day.

Hercules gets shipwrecked on the western coast of south America and meets the rightful ruler of the Inca Empire. Hercules teaches the Inca warriors how to build war machines such as a giant siege tower that they use to take back their kingdom. Giuliana Gemma plays the rebel prince. Gemma became a big star in the Spaghetti Westerns and the producers of this movie changed all of their posters to show Gemma as the star and not Mark Forest. The entire story is a bit far fetched but the over all action and battles are very enjoyable. I recommend you see this entry into the Hercules franchise.