The Giant of Marathon
by Jacques Tourneur, Mario Bava
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Actor: Daniela Rocca, Mylčne Demongeot, Philippe Hersent, Sergio Fantoni, Steve ReevesDirector: Jacques Tourneur, Mario Bava
Brand: Alpha Video
Producer: Bruno Vailati
Writer: Bruno Vailati
Writer: Alberto Barsanti
Writer: Augusto Frassinetti
Writer: Ennio De Concini
Writer: Raffaello Pacini
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language)
Format: Black & White, Color, DVD, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 90 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2003-09-09
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Platform: DOS
Studio: Alpha Video
DVD Reviews of The Giant of Marathon
DVD Review: Applause for Apha Video
Summary: 4 Stars
UPDATE AGAIN:
RetroMedias release looks fantastic! It's called The Steeve Reeves Collection, and it is a double-feature release with Giant of Marathon and War of the Trojans. Check out my review on the newer release.
UPDATE:
Retromedia is planning a new dvd release of this movie (release date TBA), using the original 35 mm widescreen print! It will be anamorphic, and should by all accounts be a very nice release. Check out Retromedia's website for more details!
This is an exceptional sword and sandle Italian production, with Jacques Tourneur (Night of the Demon) directing, and Mario Bava as second unit director (as well as mop-up director). This is my first outing with a Steve Reeves movie, and I see why he became such a hit during his reign in Italian fantasy films. He had a masculine charisma that lent itself perfectly to the role of bigger-than-life hero.
Reeves plays Philippedes, a Greek warrior and hero that must stand against traitors to Greece, political intrigue, self-serving politicians, and eventually an invading Persian Army. The film must have been spectacular on the big screen, when the film was still young and bold with color. Even on this somewhat faded, and damaged reproduction, the film is exciting to watch. And here is where I commend Alpha Video.
This small company is well known for producing public domain films that are, by and large, better quality than your likely to get from say, Madacy Entertainment or Front Row Entertainment. The price of their DVDs is so low, that you never feel jilted by taking a chance on some old horror or sci-fi film you may never have seen before. Generally speaking, the Alpha Video DVDs that I've purchased have all been full-frame. But this little gem is presented in Letterbox, and for that I am extremely thankful to these people.
The quality of the print, as I mentioned earlier, is not of the caliber you'd ever accept from a high-priced DVD release. The colors have faded, and the clarity of this print has become soft with age. It would take major work to clean this up, which I hope we'll see someday. There are some definate video dropouts and jumps in the soundtrack. And the aspect ratio, though letterbox, is not quite correct. The film is definately wider than what is presented on this DVD, as can be seen during the beginning credits, when the first and last letters of the director's name are cut off on both ends. However, this all aside, it is for the low price, a rare jem for a Steve Reeves sword and sandle picture. I don't have either of the Hercules DVDs starring Mr. Reeves, but I've read enough reviews to realize they have suffored far worse transfers to DVD than this picture.
So if you like sun-drenched landscapes, with absolutely gorgeous women, full of action and adventure, an heroic leading man who himself was heroic in proportion, then you can do a lot worse than this DVD.
One more word on the subject: If ever a DVD studio would take the time to find the best print of this film (including a five to seven minutes of missing film) and clean it up, remaster it, and release it in its original bold colors and widescreen aspect ration, I and many others like myself who have a soft spot for Italian sword and sandle epics, would stand in line with my hard-earned cash to buy it. It would be well worth the price.
Description of The Giant of Marathon
Platform: DVD MOVIE Publisher: ALPHA VIDEO Packaging: DVD STYLE BOX A Persian horde is poised on the plains of Marathon set to massacre the population of Athens. Led by the bloodthirsty dictator Darius the invading army outnumbers the defenders six to one. Despite these insurmountable odds Athenian champion Philippides refuses to abandon hope. Embarking on an arduous journey to Sparta the hero tries to enlist the help of the neighboring army before taking to the battlefield to defend his people. Betrayal cunning and bloodshed mark the final epic clash as the armies rage across the battlefield to the seas and underwater. The Giant of Marathon (released in Europe as La Battaglia De Maratona) stars Steve Reeves a pillar of the sword and sandal genre as the hero Philippides. Director Jacques Tourneur's long-spanning career included such genre classics as Cat People I Walked With a Zombie and Curse of the Demon. Italian horror legend Mario Bava is responsible for the stunning cinematography which propels the gruesome battle scenes. Starring: Steve ReevesCinematography by: Mario BavaDirected by: Jacques TourneurScreenplay by: Bruno Vailati Ennio De Concini & Agusto Frassinetti DVD Details: Run Time: 85 minutesNumber of Discs: 1Originally Released in 1959ColorNo region encoding; For global distribution.Bestsellers in DVD
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