Title: Goliath and the Dragon Original Title: La vendetta di Ercole Year: 1960 Director: Vittorio Cottafavi Producers: Achille Piazzi, Gianni Fuchs Production Companies: Achille Piazzi Produzioni Cinematografica, Produzione Gianni Fuchs, Comptoir Français du Film Production (CFFP) Runtime: 87 minutes Countries: Italy, France Language: Italian (original), English (dubbed) Format: Color (Eastmancolor), Mono Sound Genres: Sword-and-Sandal, Fantasy, Adventure --- Synopsis: In this mythological adventure, Hercules (renamed Goliath for the American release) embarks on a perilous journey to retrieve the Blood Diamond from the underworld, confronting formidable creatures like Cerberus and giant bats. Upon his return, he discovers that his son, Hyllus, is entangled in a forbidden romance with Thea, the daughter of King Eurystheus—Hercules' nemesis. As Eurystheus schemes to conquer Thebes and eliminate Hercules, familial bonds are tested, leading to a climactic battle involving a fearsome dragon. --- Cast: Mark Forest as Hercules/Goliath Broderick Crawford as King Eurystheus Leonora Ruffo as Deianira Gaby André as Ismene Philippe Hersent as Androclo Sandro Moretti as Hyllus Federica Ranchi as Thea Wandisa Guida as Alcinoe Giancarlo Sbragia as Tindaro Claudio Undari as Centaur Carla Calò as Sibyl Ugo Sasso as Timocleo Salvatore Furnari as Midget --- Production Notes: Originally titled La vendetta di Ercole (The Revenge of Hercules), the film was retitled Goliath and the Dragon for its American release by American International Pictures (AIP). To capitalize on the success of Goliath and the Barbarians (1959), AIP rebranded the main character from Hercules to Goliath. Additionally, AIP incorporated a stop-motion animated dragon sequence, created by Wah Ming Chang, which was not present in the original Italian version. The film was shot in Eastmancolor and utilized the Totalscope widescreen format. --- Legacy: Goliath and the Dragon is emblematic of the sword-and-sandal genre that gained popularity in the late 1950s and early 1960s. While it may not have achieved critical acclaim, the film is noted for its ambitious special effects and has garnered a cult following over the years. Its blend of mythology, adventure, and fantasy elements continues to appeal to fans of classic peplum cinema. --- Trivia: The film's original title, La vendetta di Ercole, translates to The Revenge of Hercules. Due to Universal Pictures owning the rights to the name "Hercules" at the time, AIP changed the protagonist's name to "Goliath" for the U.S. release. The dragon sequence was specifically added for the American audience and was not part of the original Italian film. The film is listed in John Wilson's book The Official Razzie Movie Guide as one of the 100 Most Enjoyably Bad Movies Ever Made. --- Curated Hashtags: #GoliathAndTheDragon #SwordAndSandal #PeplumCinema #MarkForest #BroderickCrawford #MythologicalAdventure #1960sFilms #CultClassic #FantasyFilm #Eastmancolor