I watched the American print of this movie, where inexplicably the title was changed to ATLAS IN THE LAND OF THE CYCLOPS - despite the fact that the hero's name is clearly Maciste in the film, and Atlas doesn't come into it! Also, somewhat amusingly, the credits list Mitchell Gordon as the main star instead of Gordon Mitchell. Those crazy Americans! These oddities aside, whatever the title, MACISTE IN THE LAND OF THE CYCLOPS is a example of the peplum genre at its monster-slaying, boulder-throwing finest! Packed with incredible feats of strength and action throughout, plus a mythical creature for Maciste to battle at the end, this would be a brilliant film if it wasn't for a few pacing problems in the second half, where nearly nothing happens for around half an hour. As it stands, it's still a very good and highly recommended film which all fantasy lovers should seek out.
The rugged and dependable peplum stalwart Gordon Mitchell (The Giant of Metropolis) leads the way as strongman Maciste here, and he looks like he's having a great time. Mitchell is given lots of material to work with and is hardly ever given time to stand still - he's just too busy righting wrongs or fighting evil! This gives the film a frenetic pacing which makes it more than watchable and also makes the time fly by. The supporting cast of Italian actors and actresses are fairly undistinguished, although it's interesting to see fellow American black bodybuilder Paul Wynter as another strongman, this time on the opposite side (and yes, they do fight). One exception is the actor playing the baby in the film - it's none other than Fabio, apparently a quite respected male model these days. What a way to start a career! Director Antonio Leonviola (just credited as "Leonviola" in the American release) is no Mario Bava, or even Riccardo Freda, but all scenes are well-shot and competently handled. The skillful editing also hides the low budget of the film, thus by splicing frames of a model ship quickly with images of people supposedly inside a ship (although you never actually see them above deck from a distance) you get a realistic effect. The plot is simple but packed with incident, as is the way with the best of the genre like MACISTE AGAINST THE VAMPIRE.
As an aside, the Cyclops himself is pretty good, thanks to a neat makeup job which gives him the solitary eye and some snappy editing which makes him look three times the size of the not-inconsiderable Mitchell. At the end of the film, they have a titanic battle, Maciste blinds him with a sword (ouch) before pulling off his final trick, causing a cave-in. Ta-da! Everybody is saved, the evil have been punished and Maciste lives to fight another day. The end. One other thing: we learn that apparently the name "Maciste" means "made of rock", an apt description if ever I heard one for Mitchell's granite-hewn, super-human muscleman. As you may have already guessed, I give this film the thumbs-up!
The rugged and dependable peplum stalwart Gordon Mitchell (The Giant of Metropolis) leads the way as strongman Maciste here, and he looks like he's having a great time. Mitchell is given lots of material to work with and is hardly ever given time to stand still - he's just too busy righting wrongs or fighting evil! This gives the film a frenetic pacing which makes it more than watchable and also makes the time fly by. The supporting cast of Italian actors and actresses are fairly undistinguished, although it's interesting to see fellow American black bodybuilder Paul Wynter as another strongman, this time on the opposite side (and yes, they do fight). One exception is the actor playing the baby in the film - it's none other than Fabio, apparently a quite respected male model these days. What a way to start a career! Director Antonio Leonviola (just credited as "Leonviola" in the American release) is no Mario Bava, or even Riccardo Freda, but all scenes are well-shot and competently handled. The skillful editing also hides the low budget of the film, thus by splicing frames of a model ship quickly with images of people supposedly inside a ship (although you never actually see them above deck from a distance) you get a realistic effect. The plot is simple but packed with incident, as is the way with the best of the genre like MACISTE AGAINST THE VAMPIRE.
As an aside, the Cyclops himself is pretty good, thanks to a neat makeup job which gives him the solitary eye and some snappy editing which makes him look three times the size of the not-inconsiderable Mitchell. At the end of the film, they have a titanic battle, Maciste blinds him with a sword (ouch) before pulling off his final trick, causing a cave-in. Ta-da! Everybody is saved, the evil have been punished and Maciste lives to fight another day. The end. One other thing: we learn that apparently the name "Maciste" means "made of rock", an apt description if ever I heard one for Mitchell's granite-hewn, super-human muscleman. As you may have already guessed, I give this film the thumbs-up!