Jayne Loves Hercules

 

 (imdb)

THE LOVES OF HERCULES-1960-When Hercules (Mickey Hargitay) finds out his wife has been killed, he crashes the castle of Queen Deianira (Jayne Mansfield), the daughter of the king who ordered Mrs. Hercules's murder. After a bizarre ritual where Herc has to throw axes at the bound queen, they become friends. Later, Herc is accused of a killing and has to fight the three headed dragon, Hydra (bad effect). He's rescued by some Amazons whose queen turns men into trees. 

This movie, obviously inspired by HERCULES (1958), is the worst with the leads pretty pathetic and Mansfield in two roles, bad dubbing and terrible sfx. Filmed in Italy, (where it was a big hit) by director Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia who died in 1998 at the age of 103. It's said Mansfield would only accept the role if her bodybuilder husband Hargitay was cast as Hercules.

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The Last Usher

 

USHER-2000-A would be poet Truman Jones (Sean Napita) visits reclusive poet Roderick Usher (Curtis Harrington who wrote and directed this) at his home where he lives with his French servant (Fabrice Uzan), his dog Lucifer and his dying sister Madeline (also played by Harrington with a dubbed voice). They talk poetry and Usher gives a masquerade party. At the party Madeline dies. Later she comes back and accuses her bro of burying her alive. ("We both have the same soul") She hugs him and he dies. Truman leaves. 

This bizarre short is the last film work of the under appreciated Harrington (NIGHT TIDE, QUEEN OF BLOOD) and was filmed in his actual home. Gary Graver (who died in 2006) was the cinematographer. Harrington financed the film himself. He passed in 2007.

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