Rainey Dawn This one isn't too bad. It's about the evil Il re Yotar who's planing on taking over the entire world, controlling weather, and more - plus he's got the secret to immortality. Our hero is muscle man Obro who is considered a terrorist to Yotar because he's trying to stop Yotar's evil, diabolical plans to concur and rule all with his super science! But is Obro and his god stronger than the science that might destroy all?! (I'm sure you know the answer already without watching the film.) LOVE will end up conquering all Ha-ha! Really, this isn't a horrible Peplum Sci-Fi film. It's got entertaining moments with some fun but silly dialogue and special effects to keep it interesting enough.6/10

Leofwine_draca This lively film is a weird combination of the peplum genre with science fiction, a sometimes successful effort which is worth a look to fans. Non-peplum fans would probably be put off by the stilted acting, painful dubbing, and the cheap and cheesy feel of the film, which of course are factors that make these more enjoyable to those in the know and who can appreciate Italian fantasy at its finest.For me, much of this film's interest lies in the futuristic city of Metropolis complete with its bizarre sets and death rays. The setting differentiates this film from many of the other, more typical peplum adventures which are set in ancient times and involve warring tribes, kings and queens and royal palaces. Here, Metropolis is depicted as a vast city, and there's an epic feel to it - no mean feat when you have a tiny budget like these guys did. Ignore the fact that they reuse a lot of the same sets over and over and you'll have a blast.The acting is serviceable at best, but the point of interest lies in the complex human characters who live in the city and their relationships. Yotar may seem to be a cruel, evil king, but he's also a loving father which makes him more than the stock villain of the film. Princess Mecede is a sweet, loving girl who is brought into conflict with her abusive father yet still retains enough compassion in her heart to forgive him for his sins. An amusing character named Elmos pops up. He was previously killed but has been returned to life before dying again - that sort of thing happens in this film. Gordon Mitchell may not be the most charismatic of heroes but his impassiveness and chiselled torso make Kirk Morris look like a weakling in comparison.In terms of action, this film is curiously uninventive when considering the obvious imagination used to construct the city of Metropolis and the costumes of its inhabitants. A handful of scenes see Mitchell fighting off numerous guards and opponents, which are fine in themselves, but an evil robot or two wouldn't have gone astray. Probably the most memorable of Mitchell's enemies are a gang of pygmies who rip the flesh from our hero with their teeth.The special effects may not be good but at least they are varied and they're obviously trying as best they can. Various beams torture people and others are turned into skeletons. There's also a squad of astronomers in the film who foretell death and destruction thanks to a cheesy alignment of the planets in space. The finale obviously tries to do for water what THE LAST DAYS OF POMPEII did for lava, with varying results. While the special effects of people being swept away by floods are not in themselves particularly convincing, the sheer quantity of them is impressive enough in itself.After viewing this movie, one question above all else comes to mind: how much can you dislike a film which has a scene of a man's skin frying under the beam of a red light, sorry, a death ray? The answer is obvious for fans of B-movies. THE GIANT OF METROPOLIS is a bizarre fusing of an adventure film with more literate science fiction and, as a result of this, is worth tracking down for those who find strange enjoyment from these type of films.

Woodyanders In the year 20,000 B.C. brave and heroic strongman Obro (brawny behemoth Gordon Mitchell) leads an expedition to find the city of Metropolis. When Obro discovers the fabled city he runs afoul of a cold pragmatic race of scientifically advanced beings who are lead by the cruel and wicked tyrant King Yotar (deliciously played with lip-smacking relish by Roldano Lupi). Yotar attempts to break Obro's will by subjecting him to a series of brutal tests and tries to conquer mortality in order to prevent his sickly son from dying. Meanwhile the other oppressed residents grow weary of Yotar's harsh reign and plan to revolt. Director Umberto Scarpelli ensures that the busy and colorful narrative moves along at a steady, snappy clip throughout. The fight scenes are rough, strenuous and thrilling: Obro pits his considerable might against both a hairy hulking caveman and a bunch of vicious cannibal pygmies. Sultry brunette Bella Cortez as the doubting, but compassionate Princess Mecede and delectably lissome redhead Liana Orfei as the fed-up Queen Texen supply scrumptious eye candy. Armando Trovajoli's robust, thunderous score, Oberdan Troiani's sharp widescreen cinematography and the nifty fog-shrouded elaborate sets are all up to par. A destructive last reel flood caused by a fierce storm concludes things on a stirring and satisfying note. Good, lively fantasy fun.

csdietrich GIANT OF METROPOLIS is pure unadulterated camp fun! Seconding the motion & comments by The Vid of Colorado Springs, this sword and sandal Italian import from the Sixties has just been released on DVD at long last. This was one of my childhood faves and showcases blond hunk Gordon Mitchell, sets by Bava protege Giorgio Giovannini, wild Sodomite dancing, feathered dancers, magnetic death rays, costumes right out of PLANET OF THE VAMPIRES, and this is a must-see for all lovers of Italian sci-fi! Pure guilty pleasure at its best!