Overrated

It is not deep, but it is fun to watch. It does have a bit more of an edge to it than other similar films.

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

More an Arabian Nights adventure than a "Hercules" movie, this minor entry in the Sword-and-Sandal cycle lacks the verve, polish, and tongue-in-cheek humor needed to lift it above the level of the "forgettable." While the casting of Kirk Morris might lead one to expect generous servings of "beefcake," his initial appearance is the only scene in which he appears completely bare-chested. After that he's usually seen in a bolero jacket which shows off his arms and stomach but which, unfortunately, makes him look more like a comic side-kick than a two-fisted hero. Also, despite expectations to the contrary, Morris is not subjected to one of those torturous tests-of-strength which showcases his musculature in a bondage situation replete with homoerotic imagery. Instead, he's simply thrown into a pit with an irritated rhino -- a sequence which must have seemed better on paper than it proves to be on film. While not a bad movie -- it's passably entertaining in a Saturday matinée sort of way -- fans of this genre in general and of Kirk Morris in particular are advised to look for their satisfaction elsewhere.

The old Italian genre movies have the advantage of the fantasy set free, unleashed, unrestrained; on the other hand—there was not much to unleash, to set free. That fantasy itself was rather meager. Formally, those movies were free, daring; on the other hand, their freedom did not have much of a content. The conditions existed; the writers were lacking. Like the surrealism itself, they too sometimes bordered on stupidity. Freedom is a luxury; it advantages only the fittest. But then again ,those were wonderful times, a wonderful epoch, when so many things were filmed …. Some of the old Italian outings seem sensationally fancy, and in its best days the Italian genre cinema (which is quite a vague notion) achieved the best.

I don't know about you, but the first appearance of Anthar (Kirk Morris) and his mute friend seemed a bit disturbing, adding fuel to the argument that the genre has a special appeal for gay audiences. Their attire, if it can be called that, looks like over-sized diapers, and speaking from a non prurient perspective, they look embarrassing as all get out. Fortunately, the rest of the adventure calls for Greek warrior wardrobe, but it's not enough to save the flick from desert boredom.The print I viewed didn't help matters any, it was almost entirely washed out with shades of red as the predominant Technicolor hue, with an annoying bar that ran up and down the picture for most of it's run. Incessant desert sequences seemed to dominate the first half, but I'll give more than a fair share of credit for impressive costume design for all the slave traders, warriors and harem girls on hand. If the movie had been more than a beefcake film, it might have been a contender for Best Costune Design, won that year by "My Fair Lady".Hey, how about Gainor's glass cage chamber of death? I'm a little confused about how Anthar could have gotten so close to observe it's inner workings when Gainor dispatched Akrim the slave trader. Obviously it came in handy when it was his turn, giving new meaning to the phrase - "If it ain't fixed, break it".For his part, Kirk Morris provides one of the more agile characterizations of a Herculean namesake; a lot of his moves look like they came off of an off screen trampoline. I wouldn't be surprised to learn if that was the case. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it also seemed like whenever Anthar appeared ready for battle, he always wound up starting a fire. Perhaps with 'Devil' in the title, a fiery presence was deemed necessary to heat up the action.

This review is of the US TV print, THE DEVIL OF THE DESERT AGAINST THE SON OF HERCULES, which is probably edited. For some reason, a number of the sword-and-sandal films starring Kirk Morris put him in varied settings--Scotland, Atlantis,the Steppes of Russia, a generic "Arabic" setting. This one is set in the latter and does have some nice North African location shooting in a few scenes. It's the usual story of the daughter of nobility whose father is slain by an evil tyrant and who is sold into slavery, only to be saved by an honest, strong, brave man of common origin but renowned among the common people. Morris, who doesn't enter the film for at least ten minutes as the problem is established, is not usually given a lot of pages of dialogue in his films, and that's true here too, but like any stoic hero he doesn't need to say much because his actions speak louder than words and because all the words he speaks are of significance. The director here is Anthony Dawson/Antonio Marghetti, who has done many classics in the Italian Western and Horror fields. Here, he provides many unexpected visuals and keeps the pace moving quickly. The set design is vivid and unusual throughout also. This is an above average peplum film, fortunately in color (many US TV prints of sword and sandal films are B&W versions of films originally made and shown in Europe in color). I expect that someday these films will come to DVD in unedited form, letter boxed, in sparkling transfers, with original credits, such as has been done to Mario Bava horror films and various Italian westerns. But that day isn't here yet, so until then check the internet for VHS copies. If you like the genre, this one is worth seeing for the offbeat setting and the exciting pace. PS, Morris' mute sidekick is usually called Amute, but in one scene he is called, twice, something that sounds like "mosquito." Is that an Italian diminutive term of affection or a character name? Anyone know?