Arrivano i titani

This amusing Muscleman epic picture has mythological remarks , as it appears , ¨Los Titanes ¨, in Classical Greek mythology, they were members of the second order of divine beings, descending from the primordial deities and preceding the Olympian deities . Based on Mount Othrys, the Titans most famously included the first twelve children of the primordial Gaia (Mother Earth) and Uranus (Father Heaven). They were giant deities of incredible strength, who ruled during the legendary Golden Age, and also composed the first pantheon of Greek deities. As they had overthrown the primordial deities, the Titans were overthrown by younger gods, including many of their own children - the Olympians - in the Titanomachy (or "War of the Titans"). The Greeks may have borrowed this mythology from the Ancient Near East . The film deals with a nasty King called Cadmo (Pedro Armendáriz) makes a covenant with an evil devil in order to get away after murdering his wife , marrying his lover Ermione (Antonella Lualdi) and subsequently defies the Greek Gods . Likable Krios, (Giuliano Gemma) the youngest of the Titans, is assigned by the Olympian deities to punish Cadmo , as he may be the least strong of the seven brothers whose strength comes from their mother , earth-goddess Gaia . He arrives on Crete, the kingdom of the mighty king Minos , impresses him as gladiator , gains his trust, falls in love with his daughter , a gorgeous young called Antiope (Jacqueline Sassard) , joins forces with another gladiator , Rator , and faces off mortal soldiers as well as Medusa who has on head plenty of serpents . But then he is caught and chained to wall . With help his brothers , The Titans , Krios finds out both Minos's human sacrifice-cult and a dark conspiracy to seize power helped by hidden forces .

The picture is a fun sword and sandals epic with stirring adventures , struggles , absurd humour , irony , bizarre scenarios and turns out to be quite entertaining . This is a giant spectacle shot in Spain with acceptable production design , colourful cinematography and evocative soundtrack . There is plenty of action in the movie , guaranteeing some shots or stunts every few minutes . Funny and thrilling screenplay , including tongue-in-cheek, by prolific Ennio De Concini , adapted by the same filmmaker Duccio Tessari . The comic relief in charge of Crios/Gemma character was written by scriptwriter/director Duccio Tessari , who often uses humorous touches , for example , his various Spaghetti Western . Nice acting by Gemma as a sympathetic Titan , he is by far the smartest , and thus their natural leader . Giuliano is very fine , he ravages the screen , he jumps , bounds and leaps , hit and run . Gemma as a brave and two-fisted Titan is terrific , subsequently the would play similar role in other Péplum and Spaghetti . Gemma , along with Anthony Steffen and Gianni Garco , results to be one of the greatest stars of the Spaghetti genre . Gemma in his beginning worked as stunt-man , practiced many sports in his life, boxing, gymnastics, such as is well proved at the movie . Then the director, Duccio Tessari, gave him the first role as protagonist in the film " The Titani" and the first spaghetti western films where he often worked under the name of Montgomery Wood , playing Western as ¨A pistol for Ringo¨, ¨The return of Ringo¨ and others as ¨Adios Gringo¨, ¨Arizona Colt¨, ¨The price of power¨ , ¨Day of anger¨ and later ¨California¨. However, his first big opportunity came with the important Italian director, Luchino Visconti in ¨El Gatopardo¨ this was followed by important roles in "Angelica" , ¨Tenebre¨ , ¨Young Lions¨ and ¨The master touch¨. Then he played his most significant roles in ¨Il Deserto Dei Tartari¨ and ¨Il Prefetto Di Ferro¨ . In the movie appears usual support actors from Peplum as well as Spaghetti . Being a France/Italy/Spain co-production turns up several Spanish actors such as Fernando Rey , Rafael Albaicín and Fernando Sancho , Spaghetti Western regular . Besides , appearing famous Eurotrash babes such as Jacqueline Sassard , Antonella Lualdi Tanya Lopert and Ingrid Schoeller . As usual , colorful cinematography by Alfio Contini with gaudy colours and groundbreaking atmospheres . It was shot on location in Manzanares Del Real , Colmenar Viejo , Madrid , Spain , where in the sixties and seventies filmed a lot of Spaghetti/Paella Western . Agreeable music score being well conducted and splendid leitmotif ; it's full of enjoyable sounds and lively score by Carlo Rustichelli .

¨Arrivano i Titani" also titled "Sons of Thunder" or "My Son, the Hero" or "The Titans¨ was well directed by Duccio Tessari . This Italian writer / filmmaker Duccio Tessari so consistently mixed the good with the mediocre that it became quite impossible to know what to expect from him next . He wrote several Westerns as ¨A fistful of dollars ¨, ¨A train to Durango ¨Seven guns for McGregor¨ , ¨The return of McGregor¨ . He directed five Western with abundant touches of humor as ¨Vivi o Preferibilment Morti¨, ¨Don't turn the other cheek¨ and ¨Zorro¨ with Alain Delon and of course ¨Ringo ¨and sequel , mostly starred with his fetish actor Giuliano Gemma . Rating : 7 , entertaining and amusing movie that will appeal to ironic Peplum buffs .

Here's one entry in the sword and sandal cycle that is pretty enjoyable, as it blends fantasy elements into the standard strong man vs evil king story. It even manages to foreshadow the 'stranger' themes of spaghetti westerns in its final scenes. Giuliano Gemma is the likeable hero who takes on the evil King Cadmus of Crete, who has struck a deal with the devil (so to speak)in order to get away with murdering his wife. Director Tessari seems to have had a reasonable budget here: too bad the pan and scan print is what is currently available. Incidentally, the rumours attributed to both the Maltin guide and the Psychotronic Film Guide are wrong: there's no evidence that any of the dubbing was done to achieve comic effect (though there are some intentionally funny moments).

"Arrivano i Titani" is an Italian-made sword & sandal epic filmed by Duccio Tessari that would also be responsible for some westerns and even giallos.

It's a very entertaining film that tells a story extracted from the Greek mythology: King Cadmo (Pedro Armendariz), by his crimes and presumption, has provoked the wrath of the gods. They warned him through a messenger that the first time his daughter fell in love he would die, and it would be no use killing her, because in the minute her heart stopped beating, he would be no more. So Cadmo brings up his daughter Antiope (Jacqueline Sassard) in reclusion - she is destined to be a priestess in a temple. She has never met a man in her life.

Meanwhile one of the Titans (chained to the rocks in a cave of a mountain because of their rebellion against Jupiter) is released. He is Krios (Giuliano Gemma). His mission is to punish King Cadmo. Krios is divested of his divine powers - he's now a simple mortal and can only rely on his wits to succeed. If he's successful, he and his brother Titans will be forgiven......

"Arrivano i Titani" manages to mix action, fantasy, humor and even a naive sensuality and romanticism. Unlike the American epic films in which pretty women represent either sin or innocence, "Arrivano i Titani" (like other Italian epics) celebrates the joy of the senses - beautiful women and landscapes, ribald humor, action scenes that sometimes resemble circus acts and a joyous soundtrack that looks like a parody of "The Bridge on the River Kwai".

"Arrivano i Titani" was made on a low budget (if you compare it with the American epics), but it's certainly more creative and free than its American counterparts.

This was meant to be a serious sword-and-sandal epic. However, in NYC, the TV ads for the film were made, believe it or not, by Mel Brooks! Mel made it seem like a quickie satire of the genre rather than the more-or-less straight story it was meant to be. The ads were hilarious; sample voice-over while showing scenes from the movie: "See hand maidens, foot maidens, all kinds maidens (this with a Yiddish accent). See the crazy lady with snakes in her hair; see a nice Cyclops. See 'My Son, the Hero'." The movie is long forgotten, but anyone who heard Brooks' promos have never forgotten them. It was a preview of the inspired lunacy to come.

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.