Goliath and the Dragon

Original title: La vendetta di Ercole

1960
Approved
1h 27m

IMDb RATING

5.3/10

648

YOUR RATING

Mark Forest, Wandisa Guida, Sandro Moretti, and Leonora Ruffo in Goliath and the Dragon (1960)

Action Adventure Fantasy Romance

A warrior returning home to his country must battle giant bats, three-headed dogs and a vicious dragon to save his wife, and his people, from the machinations of an evil ruler.A warrior returning home to his country must battle giant bats, three-headed dogs and a vicious dragon to save his wife, and his people, from the machinations of an evil ruler.A warrior returning home to his country must battle giant bats, three-headed dogs and a vicious dragon to save his wife, and his people, from the machinations of an evil ruler.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

5.3/10

648

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Trivia
Originally titled "Hercules' Revenge", but since Universal owned the rights to Hercules at the time, the title was changed and the name of the main character was changed to Goliath.

Goofs
In the beginning of the film, when Goliath climbs down into the cave, a thin rope can be seen tied to him.

Quotes
Ercole: Collapse like my shattered dreams!
[as he pulls down columns supporting a building]

Alternate versions
The American International Pictures version has a different editing, new musical score, additional scenes - namely stop motion animation of the dragon done by Jim Danforth and Wah Chang.

Connections
Edited into The Mighty Gorga (1969)

User reviews25

Featured review

I waited thirty years for this!

I saw the poster for GOLIATH AND THE DRAGON outside a theater when I was a kid and was dying to see it. Unfortunately I had to wait over thirty years until just the other day when I found a cheap VHS copy in a video store. Was it worth the wait? Absolutely --- but not for the reasons I'd expected. In addition to the cool poster what intrigued me about the film were the Jim Danforth stop motion sequences added for the American release. Pictures of the dragon made it look pretty good. Unfortunately the model is poorly used in the film itself, and nowhere is it shown off to such good advantage as in the publicity stills. Animation-wise the film was a major disappointment.

And other-wise? Well, you gotta give this movie a big A for Ambition. Hercules (excuse me, GOLIATH) doesn't just duke it out with soldiers, he battles a three headed dog, a bat monster, a centaur, a bear, and at one point even wrestles an elephant to the ground! Unfortunately none of these conflicts is handled with anything like the skill needed to really bring them off, but you've gotta love them for trying. And the movie, goofy and slipshod as it is, never bores. Peplum fans should check it out.