This peplum adventure has much to recommend it. Although occasionally veering into cheesy and trite territory, for the main part it's a tightly-plotted, fast-moving story with interesting characters, great villains, and lots of intrigue. The special effects are not particularly elaborate (red smoke is used to signal the entrance of the vampire) but used strikingly and to good effect. Things kick off with one of those amusing interludes designed to show just how strong and heroic our heroes are - here, Maciste jumps into the sea from a cliff to rescue a drowning child.The plot quickly sets things in motion, with exciting scenes of a village being pillaged and burnt to the ground. From then on it's one exciting situation after the next, as Maciste chases the pirates and finds an unknown opponent pulling strings behind the scenes. For the first half, the action is mainly court intrigue, with Maciste getting thrown into prison and proving his might by literally ripping the place apart with his bare hands. After a number of minor characters have been murdered, Maciste finds himself wandering in the desert with his beloved - that is, until a sudden sandstorm drives them into an underground cavern and they meet a race of blue-skinned men. Then the fun really begins! The blue-skinned soldiers turn out to be good blokes, so Maciste goes with them to the vampire's stronghold in the mountains in search of a vital ingredient for a potion. This potion has the ability to restore the faces of the zombified slaves, which is lucky considering that Maciste's girlfriend soon gets zombified too! In short, there's a massacre in the forest, Maciste is captured and taken to what looks like Hell; he escapes and then is followed by the vampire which takes the form of... Maciste! The scene is set for a final battle where we see the unique sight of Gordon Scott fighting...himself! This is well handled actually and a clever moment, done long before split-screen technology - here, clever editing makes us believe the two actors are one and the same.It's clear from the start that this ISN'T a kiddie film... there are some moments of very strong horror involved (the zombie corpses, the darkly-lit forest massacre). Things get quite gory considering the time this was made as well, with arrows being shot into eyes and people speared to death. My favourite scene has to be the "pole torture" moment where an unfortunate prisoner is made to climb up a greased pole while being whipped - suffice to say he loses his grip and slides onto some nasty-looking spikes below, leaving him a bloody mess! Gordon Scott, who previously essayed the role of Tarzan in a series of films in the late '50s, is very charismatic as Maciste and makes a good, solid hero. He's also very athletic in some scenes and you can believe the heroic acts he pulls off. It makes a change to have a muscular star actually acting, too. There are two female leads - the good one, and the bad. The good one is all sweetness and innocence, therefore rather boring; the villainess is quite hissable. The rest of the actors are all fine and good use is made of some exotic-looking scenery and costumes - I especially liked the kingdom of blue-skinned men! The action comes thick and fast and this film has one of the best prolonged sequences I've ever witnessed : Maciste fights off about a hundred guards and soldiers during a massive bust-up in a town centre, where he leaps off buildings, demolishes shacks, and uses giant poles to smack his enemies in the gob. So, if you're looking for a film which has women in chains; a strongman demolishing rooms and buildings; brief gore, torture by bell ringing; black-skinned pirates; and lots, lots more, then this is it! A marvellous classic, to be enjoyed time and again.

From the mid 1950s' too the mid 60s' there was a Tsunami of 'Sword and Sandal' films. In their native Italy they were referred too as 'pepla/peplum'. Heroic strongmen bestrode the land defeating Monsters, Evil Tyrants and rescuing Damsels In Distress (D.I.D.). They went under many names. Hercules, Maciste, Ursus, Samson, Goliath and even 'The Son's of Hercules'. Which had a catchy tune in the intro and exit of the film.Most of these films had either a brief appearance at the 'Drive-In' or went directly to T.V. in the U.S.A. Production values were not the equivalent of a film like SPARTACUS (1960) nor the star power. Though occasionally a name Actor needing a quick cash fix made a appearance, like BRODERICK CRAWFORD or ORSON WELLES. Most times the lead was played either by a Italian 'Body-Builder' with a Americanized name or a American such as STEEVE REEVES, MARK FORREST or in this film GORDON SCOTT.'Maciste contro il vampiro' (1961) made its appearance in the U.S.A. in 1964 as GOLIATH AND THE VAMPIRES or THE VAMPIRES. My Brother and I saw it on T.V. in a double feature of such movies that ran Saturday's during the Fall/Winter', circa 1966. Great Stuff! Our Hero 'Maciste' now 'Goliath' played by GORDON SCOTT was up too our expectations. As well as the Evil Villain, 'Kobrak' the Vampire. 'Goliath's' mission, save the abducted Women (D.I.D.) of his village. Restore the rightful ruler of Salmenak to the throne, 'Kurtik', JACQUES (Jack) SERNAS and rid the World of 'Kobrak' and his minions. Mission accomplished in a entertaining ninety-one (91") minutes.These films have a certain charm and nostalgic appeal, particularly for those who grew up with them. I remember them fondly and particularly my Mother's home made Pizza we were treated too while watching for lunch. Many are a pleasant surprise like this one which is credibly done. Rewatching this film and seeing JACQUES SERNAS was in itself a surprise. Remembering him from HELEN OF TROY (1956), IMDb********Eight. The main problem with these films is obtaining quality copies. In the U.S.A. most of the DVD's come from non-source material and that is reflected in their poor condition. If you can get by that you will find many worthwhile.

Leave your brain at home and give this a chance! Sheer fun, and how can you not love a film where in just the first three minutes a guy gets (very bogusly) nailed in the eye with an arrow? Yes, most of these sword and sandal "epics" really bit the big one, but this one has Gordon Scott kicking ass on all manner of monsters and bad guys. CHECK IT OUT!

Bizarre plot, hokey dialogue, primitive effects, tame action scenes. Believe me, you'll be anxious for this movie to end long before it finally does. Strictly for women who want to admire Gordon Scott's impressive physique; they'll get an extra bonus in the end, when the villainous monster takes his form and he gets to fight himself (!) in the movie's only memorable sequence. (*1/2)