Annibale 1960  N/R, 103 min.
Genre: Foreign / Adventure / Action / Drama
aka: Hannibal
Director: Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia, Edgar G. Ulmer
Cast: Victor Mature, Rita Gam, Gabriele Ferzetti, Milly Vitale, Rik Battaglia, Franco Silva, Terence Hill, Mirko Ellis, Andrea Aureli, Renzo Cesana, Andrea Fantasia, Bud Spencer, Franco Dominici, Enzo Fiermonte
Hannibal (Victor Mature) has crossed the Alps with his elephants and is advancing on Rome when he captures Sylvia (Rita Gam). The two fall in love, but love will not conquer all as Hannibal's failings prove his undoing–both with Sylvia and with the Romans.
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The Call of the Wild 1972  PG, 100 min.
Genre: Family / Adventure
Director: Ken Annakin
Cast: Charlton Heston, Raimund Harmstorf, Michele Mercier, George Eastman, Sancho Garcia, Rik Battaglia, Maria Rohm, Juan Luis Galiardo, Friedhelm Lehmann, Horst Heuck, Alf Malland, Alfredo Mayo, Sverre Wilberg, Olov Pedersen, Per Amvik
In this version of Jack London's story about gold prospecting during the Alaskan gold rush, mail carriers John Thornton (Charlton Heston) and Pete Smith (Raimund Harmstorf) deliver supplies across the Yukon in 1898. John buys a stolen German Shepherd, "Buck," that has been trained as a sled dog. John and Buck bond, but problems lie ahead when John decides to prospect for gold.
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Esther and the King 1960  N/R, 109 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Raoul Walsh
Cast: Joan Collins, Richard Egan, Denis O'Dea, Sergio Fantoni, Rik Battaglia, Renato Baldini, Gabriele Tinti, Daniela Rocca, Robert Buchanan, Folco Lulli
This is a weary, biblical tale set in fourth century B.C. Persia and tells the story of the Persian King (Richard Egan), his dealing with the Persian hatred of the Jews, and of Jewish woman Esther (Joan Collins) who was to become his bride. Director Walsh must have been tiring of his trade, or of the subject matter, since there is no conviction in the players.
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A Fistful of Dynamite 1972  PG, 139 min.
Genre: Western
aka: Duck, You Sucker
Director: Sergio Leone
Cast: Rod Steiger, James Coburn, Maria Monti, Romolo Valli, Rik Battaglia, Franco Graziosi, Antoine Saint-John, Vivienne Chandler, David Warbeck, Giulio Battiferri
Set during the Mexican Revolution, Rod Steiger is excellent in his role of Juan Mirando, a peasant bandit drawn into action with Irish explosives expert, John (James Coburn).
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The Great Battle 1978  PG, 97 min.
Genre: Drama
aka: Battle Force
The Greatest Battle
Director: Umberto Lenzi
Cast: Helmut Berger, Samantha Eggar, Giuliano Gemma, John Huston, Stacy Keach, Henry Fonda, Edwige Fenech, Ray Lovelock, Aldo Massasso, Venantino Venantini, Rik Battaglia, Guy Doleman
Narrated by Orson Welles, this German film relates the final tank battles of the Panzer Corps in Tunisia during World War II. Poorly made and poorly acted by big-name stars.
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Mannaja 1977 N/R, 100 min.
Genre: Foreign / Western
aka: A Man Called Blade
Director: Sergio Martino
Cast: Maurizio Merli, John Steiner, Donald O'Brien, Martine Brochard, Sonja Jeannine, Philippe Leroy, Rik Battaglia, Salvatore Puntillo, Nino Casale, Enzo Fiermonte
Bounty hunter Blade (Maurizio Merli) starts out in this late spaghetti Western by throwing his hatchet at, cutting off the hand of, and capturing bad guy Curt (Donald O'Brien). Things get even meaner when another bad guy blinds Blade (by burying him up to his neck and sewing Blade's eyes open). But Blade is saved by Burt, who Blade freed after not being able to get a reward. After learning to shoot by sound rather than sight, Blade gets his revenge.
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Nightmare Castle 1965 N/R, 90 min.
Genre: Foreign / Horror / Thriller
aka: Night of the Doomed
The Faceless Monster
Director: Mario Caiano
Cast: Barbara Steele, Paul Muller, Helga Line, Laurence Clift, Giuseppe Addobbati, Rik Battaglia
Mad scientist Dr. Arrowsmith (Paul Muller) uses his wife (Barbara Steele) and her lover (Rik Battaglia) in his experiments. He electrocutes both of them and preserves their hearts while using their blood to make his servant young and beautiful. Alas, things do not go as planned when his wife's fortune does not go to him but, rather, goes to her mentally unstable sister (also played by Barbara Steele). Watch out Doc, you may have trouble dealing with her.
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Sodom and Gomorrah 1962 N/R, 154 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Robert Aldrich
Cast: Stewart Granger, Pier Angeli, Stanley Baker, Rossana Podesta, Anouk Aimee, Claudia Mori, Rik Battaglia, Feodor Chaliapin Jr., Aldo Silvani, Gabriele Tinti
Good acting saves this very long version of the Bible story about God venting his wrath on the sinful cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.
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Treasure Island 1972 G, 94 min.
Genre: Family / Adventure
Director: John Hough
Cast: Orson Welles, Kim Burfield, Walter Slezak, Lionel Stander, Rik Battaglia, Paul Muller, Maria Rohm, Aldo Sambrell, Angel del Pozo, Jean Lefebvre, Michel Garland, Adolfo Thous, Alibe, Jose Luis Chinchilla, Victor Israel
Jim Hawkins' (Kim Burfield) treasure map is the key that gets him involved with the band of pirates headed by Long John Silver (Orson Welles) in this adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic tale.
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| 1. Annibale (1960)
aka: Hannibal
2. The Call of the Wild (1972)
3. Esther and the King (1960)
4. A Fistful of Dynamite (1972)
aka: Duck, You Sucker
5. The Great Battle (1978)
aka: Battle Force
aka: The Greatest Battle
6. Mannaja (1977)
aka: A Man Called Blade
7. Nightmare Castle (1965)
aka: Night of the Doomed
aka: The Faceless Monster
8. Sodom and Gomorrah (1962)
9. Treasure Island (1972)
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