Starring Bob Mathias, Rosanna Schiaffino, Alberto Lupo, Rik Battaglia, Carlo Tamberlani
Directed by Silvio Amadio
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
The mighty mortal Theseus accompanies his friend Demetrius to the isle of Crete, where they find his family enslaved, and the daughter of the king a dead ringer for the woman Theseus loves.
An engaging Italian adaptation of the Greek myths of Theseus and The Minotaur, the film changes several details from the legend, making King Minos benevolent but forced by his priests to sacrifice young people to the Minotaur, and giving him a scheming daughter, who when she finds out she has a twin sister is eager to have her killed so she can ascend to the throne alone. Mathias, an American cast as Theseus after winning Olympic gold in the decathlon, is fine in the role, and his athleticism is showcased in a number of battle sequences. Schiaffino, playing the dual role of sisters Phaedra (the conniving evil daughter raised as royalty) and Ariadne (the good one, raised humbly in a small village), pulls off both parts well. Horror fans might also recognize Alberto Lupo and Susanne Loret, the stars of Atom Age Vampire, in supporting roles. The Minotaur is saved for the climax, when both Theseus and Ariadne find themselves in the labyrinth that houses the monster. Although the creature's hairy hide doesn't quite match the bull-like countenance described in the Greek myths, the creature's head is impressive, with expressive eyes and a massive jaw filled with sharp teeth and tusks. Overall, the film is worthwhile viewing, despite the changes to the myths, and not much footage of the title creature.
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