Hercules Against the Moon Men (1964) Original Title: Maciste e la regina di Samar Director: Giacomo Gentilomo Writers: Marcello Sartarelli, Giacomo Gentilomo Starring: Alan Steel (as Maciste/Hercules), Jany Clair, Anna Maria Polani Runtime: 89 minutes Country: Italy Language: Italian (dubbed in English for U.S. release) Genres: Fantasy, Adventure, Sword & Sandal, Sci-Fi --- 🧾 Synopsis In the ancient kingdom of Samar, alien Moon Men crash-land and begin enslaving the populace, demanding human sacrifices to bring their queen back to life. The strongman Maciste (renamed Hercules in U.S. versions) arrives just in time to defy the Moon Men and free the people, facing sandstorms, monsters, and the alien invaders' bizarre technology. --- 🎠Cast Alan Steel (Sergio Ciani) as Hercules/Maciste Jany Clair as Princess Billis Anna Maria Polani as Queen Samara Nando Tamberlani as Manata Delia D'Alberti as Agar --- 🎞️ Production Notes Part of Italy’s prolific peplum (sword-and-sandal) boom of the late 1950s and early 1960s. Though the main character is Maciste in the original Italian release, U.S. distributors rebranded him as Hercules to capitalize on the name's popularity. Known for its surreal blend of fantasy and science fiction, especially the inclusion of aliens and space-age technology in an ancient world. Famously featured on Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K), becoming a cult favorite due to its outlandish plot and overdubbed dialogue. --- 🧠Trivia The film’s sandstorm sequence is often cited as one of the longest padded sequences in a peplum film—used to extend runtime and create dramatic tension. Alan Steel appeared in multiple peplum films, often as Hercules or Maciste, sometimes both depending on international releases. The film’s mix of mythology and sci-fi makes it one of the more unique (and bizarre) entries in the genre. "Moon Men" were portrayed in shiny metallic suits with glowing eyes, giving the film a campy space-invader aesthetic. --- #Hashtags #HerculesAgainstTheMoonMen #Maciste #SwordAndSandal #AlanSteel #PeplumCinema #ItalianFantasy #1960sSciFi #MysteryScienceTheater3000 #CampyCinema #BMovieClassic #RetroSciFi #MoonMen #CultFilm #AlienInvasion #DubbedDelight