Les derniers jours d'Herculanum

Italian sandal film with the unforgettable Brad Harris (1933-2017)

This work (created in 1962) of the peplum genre, which is worth seeing, should actually be called "In the Year 79 - The Destruction of Herculaneum" based on the original Italian title. Brad Harris, bearded this time, plays a victorious Roman general who, after all sorts of trials and tribulations, gets caught up in the volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius, which was supposed to destroy the ancient cities of Herculaneum and Pompeii. The female lead is played by the charming Italian actress Susan Paget. Giuseppe Mattei and the Slovenian actress Mila Kacic shine in striking supporting roles.

The muscle-bound lead actor Brad Harris, who was still at the beginning of a long film career in the European film industry of the 1960s and 1970s, impresses with some spectacular fight scenes. Gladiator fights, the persecution of Christians and even a fight with crocodiles are thrown into the mix to make the film an above-average contribution to the genre. Unfortunately, many scenes in the film are cut unnecessarily.

It was directed by the Italian genre specialist Gianfranco Parolini, who later directed several films in the German KOMMISSAR X film series and the entertaining brawler classic "THIS TIME I WILL MAKE YOU RICH / ZWEI SCHLITZOHREN IN DER GELBEN HÖLLE" (1974), in which the powerful Brad Harris and the handsome GOLDEN GLOBE nominee Antonio Sabato act as powerful bullies who beat up countless gangsters in Hong Kong.

"DIE LETZTEN STUNDEN VON POMPEJI / 79 AD / ANNO 79: La distruzione di Ercolaneo" (1962) is definitely recommended for fans of the Italian sandal film.

Another "adaptation" of Bulwer Lytton's famous novel,even if it takes place in Ercolano.Like Pompei,Ercolano was near the Vesuvius ,and the eruption really occurred in 79 AD .But when you visit Pompei today,the guides tell you it's impossible that survivors were able to escape,particularly by boats.

Like Mario Bonnard's "last days of Pompei" (1959) which featured Steve Reeves ,this work is completely incoherent:the plot is couldn't- care- less and the actors ' performances are minimal to say the least:a mixture of gladiators,political corruption,and the rise of Christianity with all the clichés you can think of,none of the story makes any sense.I would go as far as to write it's sometimes hard to catch up with the cock-and-bull story.

Of course ,when the "goods" are to be crucified (why ,anyway, do they crucify the hero who is a Roman citizen??),God punishes the villains as He makes the volcano erupt.As a result ,losses percentages:good guys:0% villains :100%.Anno Domini indeed.

I first saw this movie on TV back in the 1960s when Sword & Sandal movies were shown on TV almost every night of the week. This was the first time I ever heard of the old city of HERCULANEUM and this movie. Since then there has been several DVD releases of this title. The most complete has all the English soundtrack plus the left over parts from the original Italian release that were never translated into English. Brad Harris was a friend of mine and we spoke often. He had a fondness for this movie as it was one of the first movies he made after he went to Italy. Everyone has heard of Pompeii but few know of Herculaneum, which is a shame, as there is plenty to see there. Watch this great movie and take a trip into the past. There is a version on Y/T.

Acceptable and middle-budgeted Peplum with the corpulent Brad Harris as tribune Marco Tiberio. The starring of this ¨Sword and Sandals movie¨ is Marco, a Roman official, nephew of emperor Tito (from the dynasty Flavia along with Vespasiano and Tito) , returning to his house from barbarians wars and trying to clean up the doomed town of Herculano . Harris plays a newcomer to Herculano and he helps the Christians led by the preacher Nemesio who are pursued by the evil ruler named Tilteo (Jacques Berthier) who govern tyrannically the city. Marco is helped by a veteran soldier (Carlo Tamberlani) and a giant slave-gladiator named Samson . Tilteo wants to coup détat against emperor Tito (Philippe Hersent) , and prepares an attack at an aquatic circus where takes place a spectacular combat with Crocs included . Meanwhile Marco saves the damsel in distress(Susan Paget)and fall for each other . The Christians are accused of killings and Marco seeks justice. Marco is accused as traitor is condemned to death warrant in crucifixion. But the eruption of volcano threatens noblemen, slaves and Christians alike.

Brad Harris was a hunk man who made lots of roman epic films also called ¨Musclemen movies¨. Luck's Harris changed when an Italian producer persuaded him to go overseas to star lots of swords and sandals film . Brad was an American bouncing who emigrated Italy and created a true star-system based on pumped-up heroes. He along with Steve Reeves paved the way for others actors to seek their fame and fortune in Italy playing bouncing adventurers . Other stars by the time on this type of movies are Mark Forest, Gordon Mitchell, Dan Vadis ,Rock Stevens and 'Gordon Scott' who made him more important competence. Nobody, nevertheless, topped Steve Reeves in popularity. Brad Harris as Glaucus, a soldier who woo avenge, is solid, though uninspired, in the lead role as an honest officer caught up in the momentous deeds prior to eruption . Brad Harris who began to do stunt work, in the late 50s he traveled to Europe and he soon found himself working in Musclemen epics (Sansone,Goliath against the giants,Fury of Hercules) and he eventually moved into Spaghetti Western and spies . The film is a French/Italian co-production that were largely shot during the 60s in Italy. The film bears remarkable resemblance to ¨ Last days of Pompeii ¨ including the explosive spotlight when ground shaking and the town blows its top, this film was terminated by Leone because director Mario Bonnard suddenly died, though the great Sergio appears uncredited . ¨Destruction of Herculano¨ takes images and stock shots and the screenplay looks exactly like ¨Last days in Pompeii¨. This historic epic about Roman time and the eruption of Mount Vesuvius really bears no relation whatsover to Sir Edward Bulwer-Lytton's novel and much of the dialog is of the wooden variety . Mediocre performances though the acting honors go to Jacques Berthier as nasty ruler .

The film is middling directed by Gianfranco Parolini or Frank Kramer. He began directing Musclemen epics as ¨Rocha¨, ¨The Macabeos¨ with Brad Harris and ¨The ten gladiators¨ with Dan Davis and Gianni Rizzo , Parolini's usual actor. After that he continued with ¨commissioner X¨ series with Tony Kendall , fantastic with ¨three supermen¨ and warlike movie as ¨5 per l'Inferno¨ with Gianni Garco (Sartana) and Nick Jordan. His first Western was ¨Johnny West¨ and later on , he directed the ¨Sabata trilogy¨ . It's followed by ¨ Return of Sabata¨ with similar artistic and technician team and ¨Indio Black ¨ .