Review of 1001 Nights

It's hard to believe that Orientalist fantasies such as this were still being produced in 1968. It's harder still to imagine how the charisma-free Canadian actor Jeff Cooper got cast in the lead role of Omar, the vizier's son who swears vengeance against Hixxum (Raf Vallone), a wicked rotter who has usurped the throne of Granada. Luckily Lucianna Paluzzi shows up as the proverbial genie in a bottle, and besides looking lovely, she actually seems to be having fun, crummy low budget special effects notwithstanding. If like me you tuned in for Paul Naschy, he's readily identifiable, but doesn't have any dialogue. On a happier note, there's an excellent (albeit pan and scan) English-language print of this film circulating on the grey market.