Overrated and overhyped

Simple and well acted, it has tension enough to knot the stomach.

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Mark Forest looks incredibly handsome and acts very competently in his first peplum outing. His physique is awesome and he handles the fights and action sequences with aplomb, even battling silly rubber monsters with passion and conviction.The two things that make so many peplum movies boring -- talky court intrigue and confusing, interminable battle scenes -- are kept to a minimum here, which make this faster-moving and more entertaining than most.The film serves up of a lot of what most of us watch peplum for: crazy monsters and imaginative, surreal action scenes like the one where Forest demolishes a palace by knocking down the stalactites in the cave beneath it.Definitely recommended for fans of the genre. One thing I don't understand, though. Goliath's wife dies near the end, but in the final shot we see her alive again, smooching with her husband. Was this contrived "happy ending" created by moving a shot from early in the film to the end? I haven't seen anyone else comment on this.

Why "The Vendetta of Hercules" was changed to "Goliath and the Dragon" is explained in the IMDb trivia section and you will immediately notice that Broderick Crawford is dubbed by someone other than himself--which is odd since he was an American. The guy who dubbed for him actually was somewhat close to Crawford's voice--all deep and grumbly. Goliath is sent on a mission that will surely kill him--to destroy the dragon and bring back the Blood Diamond. However, two things go wrong. First, instead of just a dragon, there is a funny looking guy in a bat costume that you just have to see to believe. Second, Goliath kills the goofy looking batty-thingie and gets the diamond and is NOT killed in the process. If he HAD been killed, you might have been spared a lot! Yes, the movie is that stupid! But, for fans of silly and stupid films, it's worth seeing this one through to the end.When Hercules, I mean 'Goliath' returns, his brother Illus is oddly indifferent. Apparently Illus is an annoying and pouty young man who is easily influenced by Thea--a bad girl who has twisted Illus' mind against Goliath. In addition, there are some other baddies (led by Crawford) who want to kill Goliath. I never really understood the intrigues and frankly I don't think this was really my fault--the plot was pretty crazy and confusing. Instead, watching Goliath fight against guys in bear suits and a lot of other stupid creatures is THE reason to watch this very bad film.Pathetic and stupid--this is among the worst of the Hercules/Goliath/Maciste films. If you enjoyed laughing at this mess of a film, also try "Hercules Vs. the Moon Men"--perhaps the only movie of this type that is even stupider than this one!

"King Eurystheus rules the land with cruelty and terror, using his monsters to keep the people under his control. Goliath returns home to find his wife and the people in peril from the monsters and vows to defeat the creatures and overthrow the wicked king. Our hero is faced with the task of fighting a three-headed fire-breathing dog, a giant bat, a centaur, and finally a dragon before he can confront King Eurystheus for the fate of the kingdom," according to the DVD sleeve's synopsis.Re-titled "Goliath and the Dragon" for American International Pictures release, this Italian film arrived as the Herculean "sword and sandal" genre was gaining steam. There are some good locations and sets; but, the overall production is nothing special. As mini-skirted Mark Forest (as Hercules aka Goliath) goes through the regular routine, the plot interest is on brother Sandro Moretti (as Illo aka Illus) and lover Federica Ranchi (as Thea), who is forcibly betrothed to... Broderick Crawford!*** La vendetta di Ercole (8/12/60) Vittorio Cottafavi ~ Mark Forest, Broderick Crawford, Sandro Moretti, Leonora Ruffo

I saw the Alpha Video DVD of GOLIATH AND THE DRAGON, which is from a well-preserved widescreen print, and it's dazzling to look at! To be sure, the color balance goes a bit wonky in a few outdoor scenes, but the aquamarine trees and purple skies almost seem intentional, given the strangeness of director Vittorio Cottafavi's vision. If all the old sword and sandal epics were in this good a shape, the genre would attract many more fans.The movie itself is a delirious muscleman fantasy from start to finish. A bearded Mark Forest shows off the biggest pecs and widest lats of his generation, and melts everyone with his smile (except scar-faced Broderick Crawford as the cranky villain). The costumes are beautiful, the sets are extravagant, the exterior landscapes are a lush paradise, the monsters are huge puppets, and just when you think the story can't become more bizarre...it does! An absurdly majestic music score by Les Baxter strives to match the melodrama of a hero who dares to revolt against the gods themselves.Cottafavi will try just about anything to dazzle and disorient the viewer. In one scene, as our hero approaches, looms above, and then passes over the camera, the point of view turns completely upside-down; the effect is so audacious I had to laugh out loud! This is fearless (and yes, perhaps sometimes mindless) film-making, and the result is truly dreamlike, if not downright mythic.