Ercole al centro della terra (1961)

Country of Origin: Italy
Year of Production: 1961
Running Times: 77 mins (UK)     83 mins (Germany)     91 mins (USA)
Length: 2900 metres
Format: 35mm/Totalscope Super/100
Colour Format: colour
Ratio: 2.35:1
Sound: mono

CREDITS

PRODUCTION
Production Company: SpA Cinematografica
Producer: Achille Piazzi

SCRIPT
Script: Mario Bava, Sandro Continenza, Franco Prosperi, Duccio Tessari

DIRECTION
Directors: Mario Bava, Franco Prosperi

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Mario Bava
Assistant Camera: Aristide Massaccesi (uncredited)
Lab: Technicolor

EDITING AND POST-PRODUCTION
Editor: Mario Serandrei

MUSIC
Music: Armando Trovajoli

SOUND
Sound: Luigi Puri
Special Sound Effects: Tonino Cacciottolo

MAKE UP AND COSTUMES
Make Up: Renzo Francioni, Franco Palombi
Hair: Nicla Pertosa
Costume Designer: Mario Giorsi
Wardrobe: Maria Luisa Onorati, Valeria Sponsali

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Production Designer: Franco Lolli
Assistant Set Designer: Antonio Sarzi-Braga

CAST
Reg Park (Ercole)
Christopher Lee (Lico)
Leonora Ruffo (Princess Deianira of Ecalia)
George Ardisson (Teseo)
Marisa Belli (Aretusa)
Ida Galli (Miosotide)
Franco Giacobini (Telemaco)
Mino Doro (Keros)
Rosalba Neri (Aegle)
Ely Dracò (Giocasta)
Gaia Germani (Medea)
Raf Baldassarre (leader of the cutthroats)
Elisabetta Pavan
Aldo Padinotti (Sini)
Claudio Marzulli
Monica Neri
Grazia Collodi (Elettra - uncredited)

Germany
Video Distributor: Astro Records und Filmworks

Greece
Video Distributor: Zodiac Video

International
Theatrical Distributor: Omnia Deutsche Film Export

Netherlands
Video Distributor: EVC

UK
Theatrical Distributor: Golden Era
Video Distributor: Skyline Video

USA
Theatrical Distributors: Woolner Brothers Pictures Inc; Fantoma Films
Video Distributor: Hollywood's Best; Image Entertainment Inc; Network Enterprises; Oktoberfest Video; Rhino Video; Saturn Video; Sinister Cinema; Something Weird Video
DVD Distributor: Image Entertainment (FAN1848DVD); Fantoma

Finland
Rating: K-16

UK
Rating: U

TIMELINE

1961
October
17: Italy – passed by the censor board

November
16: Italy – theatrical release

1962
April
27: Germany – theatrical release

June
8: Finland – theatrical release

November
Day Unknown: UK – theatrical release

1964
October
Day Unknown: USA – theatrical release

2002
August
6: USA - DVD release (Image Entertainment (FAN1848DVD))

ALTERNATIVE TITLES

Hercule contre les vampires – French title
Hercules at the Center of the Earth – US title
Hercules in the Centre of the Earth – UK title
Hercules in the Haunted World – US title
Hercules vs the Vampires
Herkules gegen die Vampire – Austrian title
Herkules voittaa helvetin – Finnish title
Vampire gegen Herakles – German title
The Vampires vs Hercules
With Hercules to the Center of the Earth

REFERENCES

BOOKS

aka: Joe D'Amato p.13
credits

The Illustrated Vampire Movie Guide by Stephen Jones p.50
credits, review

MAGAZINES

Daily Cinema no.8683 (5 November 1962) p.10 (UK)
review

Filmwoche 2 June 1962 p.11 (West Germany)
review

Kine Weekly no.2875 (8 November 1962) p.15 (UK)
review (by Josh Billings)

Monthly Film Bulletin vol.30 no.349 (February 1963) p.21 (UK)
credits, review

Monthly Film Bulletin vol.53 no.624 (January 1986) pp.17-18 (UK)
credits, review (by Philip Strick)

Motion Picture Herald vol.232 no.7 (30 September 1964) p.139 (USA)
review

KEYWORDS

apples, deities, gods, hell, hercules, magic, magic stones, mythology, oracles, peblum, sword and sandal, vampires

Last Updated: 15 October, 2008