Maciste Contra o Vampiro

I am a peplum fan, especially in its original form. Did American International executives really think that they were improving Italian pepla by shortening and dubbing them, changing the Greco-Roman characters' names for those of Philistine and Jewish men from the Bible, and replacing the original scores with Lex Baxter's pastiches? The American version of this highly enjoyable wide-screen production is a fine example of the cheapening effect their strategy had. Starting with the substitution of the name Maciste, perhaps the father of all strong men in films since 1914 (when "Cabiria" was released), they had no idea of anything, just as well as Baxter with his atrocious pop cue for a belly dance in a tavern. Nevertheless, the good news is that Maciste is in good shape and in the very good and capable hands of American star Gordon Scott. He goes this time after a vampire tyrant called Kobrak, who is helped by a slave witch called Astra. Maciste lives many adventures with the assistance of Kurtik, a rebel fighter, and his not-very efficient army of blue men. But Maciste is Maciste and you know that he will win. Scott is helped by a fine cast that includes Jacques Sernas, Gianna Maria Canale and Leonora Ruffo. Hope one day someone will release the original version in Italian.