“Svengoolie” to showcase the return of “The Medusa against the Son of Hercules” (1963), this Sat. on Me-TV

A happy/safe early Fourth of July to all fellow Svengoolie SvenPals and fellow readers of “Silver Screen Reflections” from coast-to-coast! –C.H.

Fellow SvenPals of Svengoolie  will be interested in the upcoming return of the English dub of an Italian “sword-and-sandal”/creature adventure feature from 1963.

“Svengoolie” presents the return of “The Medusa against the Son of Hercules” (1963)

Snippet of “The Medusa Against the Son of Hercules” (1963).

Opening still from the dubbed version of “The Medusa Against the Son of Hercules” (1963).

The legendary Berwyn/Chicago-based creature/horror/fantasy film host will present the return of “The Medusa against the Son of Hercules” (1963, a.k.a. “Perseo l’invincibile/“Perseus the Invincible”), this Sat., July 7 at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central on Me-TV.

The feature was directed by Alberto De Martino, who also directed two features that were later riffed on “Mystery Science Theater 3000;” “Operation Kid Brother/Operation Double 007” (1967, riffed on MST3K w/Joel Hodgson in 1993) and “The Pumaman” (1980, riffed on MST3K w/Mike Nelson in 1998).

The special creature effects for De Martino’s “The Medusa against the Son of Hercules” were done by legendary special effects artist Carlo Rambaldi, who would later work on special effects for two blockbuster Steven Spielberg features;  “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” (1977) and “E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial” (1982).

This will mark Sven’s second showcase of “The Medusa against the Son of Hercules” on Me-TV.  He previously showcased the North American dub of De Martino’s cult “sword and sandal”/creature epic back in Sept. 2017, as part of Sven’s move to primetime on the Me-TV airlanes.

Who was in De Martino’s “Hercules” entry?

The players who appeared in “The Medusa against the Son of Hercules” (1963) were Richard Harrison (as Perseo/Perseus), Anna Ranalli (as Andromeda), Arturo Dominici (as Acrisio), Leo Anchóriz (as Galenore), Antonio Molino Rojo (as Tarpete, a.k.a. “Molino Rojo”) and Roberto Camardiel (as Cefeo).

“Svengoolie” to showcase “Medusa against the Son of Hercules” (1963), this Sat. on Me-TV (in primetime)

Fellow Svengoolie pals will be looking forward to his upcoming primetime premiere of a 1963 creature/sword-and-sandal adventure film from Italy.

Svengoolie presents: “Medusa against the Son of Hercules” (1963)

1963 French poster art for “Medusa against the Son of Hercules/Persée l’invincible.”

The legendary Chicago/Berwyn-based horror film host will be showcasing “Medusa against the Son of Hercules” (1963), this Sat., Nov. 9 at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central on Me-TV.

Sven’s premiere of “Medusa against the Son of Hercules” will be part of his new Me-TV primetime slot during the network’s revamped “Super Sci-Fi Saturday Night” lineup.  The film was directed by Alberto De Martino.

Who was in “Medusa against the Son of Hercules?”

The players who appeared in De Martino’s feature were Richard Harrison (as Perseo/Perseus), Anna Ranalli (as Andromeda), Arturo Dominici (as Acrisio), Leo Anchóriz (as Galenore), Antonio Molino Rojo (as Tarpete, credited as Molino Rojo in the film) and Roberto Camardiel (as Cefeo).

Two years before production began on “Medusa against the Son of Hercules,” Richard Harrison appeared in De Martino’s “The Invincible Gladiator” (1961).  One of Harrison’s earliest feature film roles was in the 1958 film adaptation of the Richard Rodgers-Oscar Hammerstein musical, “South Pacific” (he played a co-pilot).