Hércules Contra Gengis Khan

Maciste / Hercules has a new battle to face against the Mongol Empire lead by Genghis Khan in the 12th century. Hercules must help to free Poland from the clutches of Genghis Khan and his band of Mongols.

I find this one better than Samson and the 7 Miracles of the World (1961). "7 Miracles" has Gordon Scott running around in a loin cloth in the entire film. "Barbarians" has Mark Forest wearing a bit more. "Barbarians" is a better made and acted out film - it also has a little bit better story. Both films have Maciste (Hercules/Samson) in a strange place and time era.

Not a lot here for me to enjoy though. I was uninterested in the film even though "Barbarians" is better than "7 Miracles" - I still did not enjoy either film.

1.5/10

Sword and sandal film with Mark Forest as Maciste

In the German dub of this film by Domenico Paolella he is called Marko, but Mark Forest (1933-2022) actually plays Maciste, who has been haunting the Italian peplum genre since the monumental film "Cabiria" (1913) and helps out wherever a a very strong man is needed.

This time Marko/Maciste supports the Poles against the superior power of the Mongol ruler Genghis Khan (Roldano Lupi). In particular, it's about Maciste's love interest Arminia (Jose Greci (1941-2017), who played Jesus' mother Mary in "Ben Hur"), who turns out to be the Polish crown princess. The positive thing about this rather poorly made film is that Maciste has opponents on equal terms. Ken Clark (1927-2009), who was soon to start as Agent 077 alias Dick Malloy, spreads fear and terror as the nasty muscle man Kubilai. Howard Ross/Renato Rossini, born in 1941, is in no way inferior as Gason. Maciste has to face a really nasty fight to the death with a dark-skinned slave (the former football player Harold Bradley (1929-2021), who still had a long acting career ahead of him). And then there is the mysterious Arias (Gloria Milland/Maria Fie), who also causes surprises...

A not-so-well-done sword and sandal film from the late phase of the genre, which is interesting simply because the main actor Mark Forest (who trained as an opera singer during his time in Rome!) has to deal with three equal powerhouses.

The print I looked at was of variable quality. Some of it seems to have been 16mm. pan-and-scan with failing color, while the last half-hour was widescreen and beautifully presented both in color and clarity. It's all dubbed into English. That will affect this review!

So. Mark Forest, who is Maciste or Hercules, depending on what language you're watching it in is in Poland. He's in love with José Greci , a poor woodcarver's daughter, whose father is the most respected man in the village. Forest, whoever he is in this movie, has just turned back the Mongol Hordes singlehandedly, but they're coming on again. It turns out that Miss Greci is actually Queen of Poland and....

Oh, why bother? It's all nonsense, and the point of this movie is the costume design, the strong men with their oiled torsos and the big fight scene at the end. Because that was the part that was in pristine condition, it looked good.

The eternal Hercules in this film has gone way beyond his usual time and place in ancient Greece and is now helping Poland free itself of Mongol invaders in the 12th century. Mark Forest is the star of this peplum epic, Hercules Against The Barbarians.

Poland is having its dynastic problems, there is a king in exile, but there is a princess with a closer claim on the throne. She was hidden as an infant in a peasant village and not told of her lineage the better to protect her from the Mongols. Genghis Khan is having his problems as well with a pair of sons who both want to succeed dad and one of them is not too squeamish on what he has to do to take the throne.

Which is when Hercules enters the picture and sorts out everyone's problems. In this film besides human combat with the Khan's champion wrestler, Hercules has to defeat a really big snake and also wrestle a crocodile. Now this one had me floored because I do not think crocodiles are native to Poland or any other part of Europe. Still it was a good scene for the mighty Hercules.

My question would be did he get any kielbasa while visiting Poland?

This is a good movie. It is kind of scarier. It has a great story line. It also has great acting.See this movie. 4.7 is just underrating it. I give it 8 out of 10. See this movie. It is a great movies