Plot so thin, it passes unnoticed.

Overrated

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

In order to save his beloved "Princess Deianira" (Leonora Ruffo) from a delusional trance "Hercules" (Reg Park) must venture through the land of the Hesperides and into Hades itself in order to retrieve a sacred stone which will revive her sanity. On the way he and his two friends "Thesus" (George Ardisson) and "Telemachus" (Franco Giacobini) must battle all sorts of evil creatures in order to accomplish their mission and return to Icalia. And even then they must also endure the wrath of Pluto for the abduction by Thesus of his favorite daughter "Persephone" (Ida Galli). Anyway, as far as the merits of this particular Hercules film is concerned it had some good points and some bad points as well. First, I thought some of the dark and gloomy sets featuring plenty of smoke and good lighting effects were a very nice touch. Additionally, having two beautiful actresses like Leonora Ruffo and Ida Galli certainly didn't hurt either. On the other hand, some of the special effects during the action scenes were almost laughable. Likewise the acting wasn't exactly top-notch either. Still, it was a fun movie all the same and I give it an average rating.

Mario Bava is one of the greatest directors who ever lived, in my opinion, not only in Italian Horror cinema, but regardless of country and genre. The magnificent Italian Horror deity died thirty years ago this April, and yet he remains unequaled in his unique talent to create a beautifully haunting atmosphere, and gorgeously uncanny mood. Like no other Horror director, Bava 's wonderful repertoire includes such a wide variety of brilliant gems that it is hard to pick favorites. The man's most essential masterpiece is doubtlessly "La Maschera Del Demonio" ("Black Sunday" / "The Mask of Satan", 1960), which was also the first film he took full credit for as a director, and which furthermore rose the wonderful Barbara Steele, the unrivaled goddess of Gothic Horror cinema, to fame. However, his filmography includes a variety of other true masterpieces that range among Horror's all-time greatest, such as the brilliant anthology "I Tre Volti Della Paura" ("Black Sabbath" / "The Three Faces of Fear", 1963), the unspeakably eerie "Operazione Paura" ("Kill Baby Kill", 1966), the incredibly beautiful "La Frusta E Il Corpo" ("The Whip and the Body", 1963), or the proto-Gialli "La Ragazza Che Sappeva Troppo" ("The Girl Who Knew Too Much", 1963) and "Sei Donne Per L'Assassino" ("Blood and Black Lace", 1964) with which Bava single-handedly created the wonderful Giallo-sub-genre. And even when dabbling outside his most familiar Horror genre, Bava surpasses all the rest as his insanely brilliant Crime Thriller "Cani Arrabbiati" (1974) proves.Having adequately praised the master (as in any review on a Bava film that I write), I can finally come to this film. While "Ercole Al Centro Della Terra" aka. "Hercules in the Haunted World" aka. "Hercules Vs. The Vampires" aka "Hercules at the Center of the Earth" of 1961 isn't nearly en par with any of the man's masterpieces, it is yet another beautiful feast for the eyes that no lover of Gothic goodness could possibly resist. Co-directed by Mondo-great Franco Prosperi ("Mondo Cane"), this Hercules feature, which was inappropriately given a "Vampire" aka. title in order to cash in on Bava's Horror fame, is a Sword and Sandal film. However, it is a Sword and Sandal film by Mario Bava, and therefore has more to offer than the usual heroism, muscle-men, and beautiful nymphs in despair. "Hercules in the Haunted World" sends the eponymous Greek demigod (played by muscle-man Reg Park) to Hades. And who would be more predestined to bring the Greek underworld, the 'haunted' world of the dead to screen than Bava? No one, of course. Bava brings his wonderful Gothic style to ancient Greece here, and the underworld he creates is hauntingly beautiful as only Bava could do it. The almighty Christopher Lee, another great man whom I could praise forever, plays the villain in this film, but unfortunately has very little screen time. The female cast members are entirely beautiful, above all the gorgeous Ida Galli, who also had a part in Bava's own "The Whip and the Body" and many other Italian Cult productions. Overall, "Hercules in the Haunted World" is obviously a lot cheesier than Bava's Horror films, and certainly not his most remarkable creation. People unfamiliar with the great director should first see the masterpieces named in the first paragraph. However, my fellow Bava enthusiasts can not afford to miss this excursion into a haunted Hades of Bava's creation. Highly recommended!

HERCULES IN THE HAUNTED WORLD was directed by Mario Bava. I rented it. And I don't see what the fuss is all about. Physically, Reg Park fits the bill as Hercules but he simply can't act and has no charisma whatsoever. The story is very slight and after a while, the excellent cinematography can do so much with so little. Some scenes are beautiful and the whole golden apple moment was excellent, and the living dead attacking Hercules was equally fun but there's simply nothing much going on here to warrant this much attention. The problem with HERCULES IN THE HAUNTED WORLD is that, for an action film, it's very static. One only has to look at other Peplums, including those with Reg Park, and see how those film actually fit the bill as action films. HERCULES AND THE CAPTIVE WOMEN, though somewhat more cheesy than this Bava flick, was more fun to watch because it moved like a serial of yore. Reg was more animated in that film too. Mario Bava is a unique director, with a unique style, who was just not suited for action films.

In terms of story and plot, this HERCULES film is arguably every bit as good as(and quite often better than)many others. The main flaw being the common solution Hercules uses for every problem he faces.Still this movie is great fun to watch in either language(as the dub isn't too bad--only its too bad Christopher Lee didn't do his own) and features lots of terrific haunting color visuals from a master-Mario Bava. Any Gothic Horror fan will find much to enjoy here.