In many ways, 2014 was the year of Hercules.  Or, at the very least, it could have been the year of Hercules.  Neither one of the two Hercules film released this year exactly managed to set the American box office on fire.  Of the two, The Legend of Hercules was memorable largely for being forgettable while the Dwayne Johnson-starring Hercules was far better than any film directed by Brett Ratner has any right to be.

Neither one of them, however, can really hold a candle to the 1961 film, Hercules In The Haunted World.  In this Italian film, Hercules (Reg Park) discovers that his lover Princess Deianira has gone insane so he goes to Hades in order to get the Stone of Forgetfulness, so he can use it to cure her.  The story’s really not that important.  What is important is that this visually stunning film was the first color film to be directed by Mario Bava and that the film’s villain is played by Christopher Lee.

Enjoy!