I love this movie so much

Charming and brutal

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

The plot may involve the barbarians instead of the Romans but the story is much the same as a million other pepla: a hero fights against oppressive forces, wins out initially, is then captured, taken as a slave and forced to fight for his life before uprising and finally destroying the evil empire once and for all. TERROR OF THE STEPPES is a solid enough costume adventure yarn with a few impressive scenes of action, epic-sounding solemn singing for music, some beautiful photography of the Italian countryside and capable direction from Tanio Boccia.The muscleman leading this fray is Kirk Morris, one of my favourite from the era, and this time he's a blond-haired, moustachioed, leather waistcoat-wearing warrior who doesn't take no for an answer when fighting invading forces. Moira Orfei is the fragile and attractive love interest. The movie contains two gladiatorial arena bouts for action addicts; the first sees Morris up against two heavy, sweaty Mongol fighters in a tough and strenuous wrestling bout, the second is the finale and involves Morris and an opponent having two hulking great logs strapped to their shoulders and then each trying to knock the other man down to kill him. A bizarre spectacle highlight of what is a solid, yet indistinct, adventure yarn from good old Italy.

I did not expect much from this one, having been underwhelmed by previous efforts from both director and star (Kirk Morris); however, the end result was quite tolerable – indeed, highly entertaining, if mainly in an unintentional way (more on this later)! Thematically, the film presents the usual ingredients: villainous potentate, rebel-leader hero, heroine intended to be sacrificed for the common good but saved in the nick-of-time from a fate worse than death, duplicitous other woman, etc.As I said, this viewing was undercut – or, rather, eclipsed by – a constant stream of hilarity that met such priceless occurrences as: Morris' tents unaccountably being fitted with doors (also the fact when forced to make a run for it, they are able to re-erect the tents, doors and all, elsewhere at the drop of a hat!); genre regular Giulio Donnini's campy appearance as a vampiric adviser (dressed in a red-black cape which he never bothers to change, sporting wiry long moustache and with a sinister expression plastered on his face throughout, I kept expecting him to bare his fangs!); Morris' unceremonious disrespect for mistress Moira Orfei once he has been smitten with the heroine; her own betrayal of him and his sidekick in a tavern (when she cannot possibly have had knowledge of their whereabouts, having been banished from the clan some time before!); the ridiculously-elongated hat worn intermittently by Morris (making him look like a veritable gnome and decidedly conspicuous in enemy territory!); and the novel climactic showdown involving a duel with logs carried around like a cross by hero and villain alike (besides, when Morris – whom his opponent has never actually seen – offers this solution to the apparent battle stalemate, he blasts him with the unflattering remark to his official standing: "You think I'll listen to what the first scumbag who turns up before me has to say!").

Sandar Khan (Kirk Morris) and his crew kidnap Princess Samira from an evil empire as they want a ransom from her father the King. After an ambush in a forest by the King's soldiers, every one of Sandar Khan's men (except his friend Kublai) are killed (via quick-lime and water). Sandar Khan tells his villagers to burn everything and move out, which they do and hide in a cave from the Tartars. Sandar Khan gets a bit infatuated with Samira, which makes the brunette Malina (Moira Orfei) jealous. Samira nurses a sick child and Sandar Khan snogs her as a thank you - Malina sees this and is furious, "you shameless hussy" she calls her before trying to whip her ass. Sandar Khan breaks up the fight (shame) and throws poor Malina out of the camp for being a 'contemptible wretch'. The new lovers decide it's best if Samira goes back to her father as they want to get married...Back with the King, Samira tells him that Sandar Khan is a good guy who wants peace and an alliance between the clans and also that she wants to marry him. He's having none of this and says she must marry Altan Khan (Daniele Vargas), a truly evil man, so she's taken to his palace. There, she has some hand-maidens who understand how unhappy she is, but prepare her for the wedding. Sandar Khan and Kublai get into the palace grounds/city via disguise...Malina arrives (looking finer than ever) to inform Altan Khan that Sandar Khan and Kublai have arrived through the city gates, and points them out at a bar (this is done after the ubiquitous Peplum dance, you know what I mean, a female throws her legs around while dancing alluringly with a piece of silk!). Fight scene, Sandar Khan surrenders, (his friend escapes) and is taken to the palace, where he is forced to wrestle two guys to win his life. He does this but is sent to work as a slave in a mill. Meanwhile Altan Khan's army have started to wreak violence and destruction among the surrounding villages and the kingdom of Samira's father. Kublai manages to break Sandar Khan out along with the prisoners...Altan Khan and his army break into the King's city. Sandar Khan and Kublai fight them. The king gets hit by an arrow. Kublai catches Malina and tells his posse that she was the traitor - so they fire arrows at her and she dies with three stuck in her chest (brilliant death scene!). Sandar Khan challenges Altan Khan to a duel, and before you can say Zeus they both have enormous spiked tree trunks strapped to their backs (Kirk is topless again, showing his muscles). Of course Sandar Khan wins. The king lies dying and tells our hero how sorry he is and gives him the seat of the throne (how nice). Samira and her man walk out to a joyous crowd, who are chanting "long live Sandar Khan". The End (thank goodness, I don't think I could type another Altan Khan or Sandar Khan to save my life).What's to recommend? Well, you do get to see Kirk Morris with bleached hair, the hairdresser should have left the peroxide on longer though or at least given him a toner to stop it looking so brassy. Malina, who's played by Moira Orfei is so much better looking than the Princess, but as with all dark-haired ladies of the Peplum film, she has to die!