The Seven Magnificent Gladiators (1983)

Original title: I Sette Magnifici Gladiatori

Peplum/Fantasy. Italy. Starring Lou Ferrigno, Sybil Danning, Brad Harris, Dan Vadis & Carla Ferrigno. Directed by Bruno Mattei & Claudio Fragasso.

Syme Video Gold (Australia). English dubbed. Widescreen.

In the Conan-crazed days of the early eighties a few (way too few if you ask me) italian films were made that tried follow the trend while looking back at the roots: the Hercules and Maciste films of the fifties and sixties. And for some reason they all starred everybody's favorite deaf bodybuilder Lou Ferrigno - perhaps not the world greatest actor but a well-oiled bundle of Belgian Blue charm none the less! This very cheezy by the infamous C-movie Gods Mattei & Fragasso movie is not what many would call a good film, but shoot me: it entertains me a lot! Ferrigno returned with two even more entertaining Hercules-films by Luigi Cozzi (a man with a great talent for childish sci-fi pulp). 3/5

Spartacus and the Ten Gladiators (1964)

Original title: Gli Invincibili Dieci Gladiatori

Peplum. Italy. Starring Dan Vadis, Helga Liné, Alfredo Varelli, Sal Borgese, Jeff Cameron. Directed by Nick Nostro.

Worldwide Video (Holland). English dubbed. Fullscreen.

A bunch of really gay gladiators who all look like Chippendales-dancers and refuse to use shirts team up with Spartacus to overthrow and evil king. Cheezy but fun peplum that must be one of Dan Vadis' best. 3/5

Hercules the Invincible (1964)

Original title: Ercole L'invincibile

Peplum. Italy. Starring Dan Vadis, Carla Calò, Ken Clark & Howard Ross. Directed by Alvaro Mancori & Lewis Mann.

VTC (Sweden). English dubbed. Widescreen.

Trashy peplum in which wooden broiler Dan Vadis saves the population from a dragon, a lion and an evil underground queen. You know me, I like my pepla with fantastical ingredients, they don't even have to be good... 3/5

Ten Gladiators (1963)

Original title: I Dieci Gladiatori

Peplum. Italy. Starring Dan Vadis, Roger Browne, Susan Paget, Mimmo Palmara & Franca Parisi. Directed by Gianfranco Parolini.

MV (Greece). English dubbed. Fullscreen.

The Triumph of Hercules (1964)

Original title: Il Trionfo di Ercole

Peplum. Italy/France. Starring Dan Vadis, Marilù Tolo, Moira Orfei, Howard Ross & Pierre Cressoy. Directed by Alberto De Martino.

Global Video / Videce (Sweden). English dubbed. Letterboxed.

Bizarre peplum in which dull beefcake actor Dan Vadis defends the people against a witch and some gold-painted musclemen. It may not be "good" but at least it's fun! 3/5