Showing posts with label steve reeves. Show all posts
Showing posts with label steve reeves. Show all posts

The White Warrior (1961) Review

The White Warrior (1961)
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"White Warrior" (aka "Agi Murad il diavolo bianco") is actually one of Steve Reeves' better films, thanks to having an actual plot and a bigger budget than usual. Although the film is Italian and thus badly dubbed, it is still enjoyable to watch if you're a Steve Reeves fan. Set in the early 1850's in Russia, Reeves stars as Hadji Murad, the brave and feared leader of a group of rebels that are trying to defend their land against the ruthless Czar Nicholas I and his army. When the czar gets nowhere by slaughtering innocent villagers he sends the beautiful Princess Maria Vorontsova (Scilla Gabel) on a journey to help her husband talk Hadji, "the White Warrior", into a peace treaty.
But of course, once she meets the famous rebel leader she falls in love with him and becomes committed to helping him win freedom for his people. Hadji is set up by one of his rivals and is captured by the czar's troops. It is up to Hadji to find a way to escape before his luck runs out and he's executed by his captors, who try everything, including torture, to get the headstrong rebel to sign the treaty (which Hadji knows is a trick). I won't spoil the ending, but don't get your hopes up: the fight scene at the end was clearly done with a body double instead of Reeves.
After viewing the horribly cropped-image version that's already been released by several dvd companies, I highly recommend the widescreen VCI version, which presents the only true way to watch and enjoy "The White Warrior", in its original format. Steve Reeves, who died May 1, 2000, left behind a legacy of enjoyable, low-budget action movies that fans have enjoyed for decades. This is lesser-known but is easily one of his best films, despite its flaws. It was adapted from the novel by Leo Tolstoy, but don't expect a lavish epic like "War and Peace". The Russian military uniforms look for the most part like World War 1/Russian Revolution era rather than mid-19th century, and I was hoping for more battles scenes. Still, it's a guilty pleasure for any Steve Reeves fan!

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In an unusual bit of casting, muscleman Steve Reeves plays aCaucasian, Hadji Murad, whom the natives call the "White Warrior", wholeads a small band of mountain warriors to victory over the superiorRussian army of Czar Nicholas I. Based on a story by Leo Tolstoy, this is aspectacular epic from Italy's "cult" director, Recardo Freda, withphotography by Mario Bava. Bonus Features: Movie Trailers| SceneSelection. Specs: DVD5; Dolby Digital Mono; 88 minutes; Color;1.85:1 Aspect Ratio; MPAA - NR; Year - 1961; SRP - $9.99.

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The Steve Reeves Collection Review

The Steve Reeves Collection
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Finally, these two Steve Reeves films are available in English and widescreen (2:35-1, anamorphic). GIANT OF MARATHON is arguably Reeves' best film, a depiction of the Persian invasion of ancient Greece. The spectacular battle spreads from land to sea, including some great underwater cinematography. This print has better color than all other American home video releases of this title, and the letterboxing shows off the battle scenes to greater effect.
WAR OF THE TROJANS (aka THE AVENGER, aka THE LAST GLORY OF TROY) is a lower budget sequel to THE TROJAN HORSE. Reeves again portrays the warrior Aneas, who flees from the sack of Troy and eventually founds the city of Rome on the banks of The Tiber River. The DVD print, while fully letterboxed, is not quite as good as the print for MARATHON. There is some brief debris, print scratches, and occasional reddish color. However, this release represents the only way to see the film in widescreen and in English, so it's very acceptable as a co-feature.

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Before Schwarzenegger there was Steve Reeves--heroic, tough, and overflowing with muscles. This double bill features Reeves at his most Olympic.In GIANT OF MARATHON, Reeves is Philippeides, an oversized warrior who defends Greece from their perennial nemeses, the Persians. While it may be an over-the-top muscle-fest, cinema junkies will be drawn in by B-film master Jacques Tourneur\'s direction along with cinematography by Italian horror legend Mario Bava.Next on the bill is another Greek adventure, WAR OF THE TROJANS, where Reeves plays Rome\'s mythical founder Aeneas who does his share of butt-kicking and chain smashing in another camp classic.

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