Maciste nella terra dei ciclopi [Atlas Against the Cyclops] ** (1961, Gordon Mitchell, Chelo Alonso, Vira Silenti, Dante DiPaolo, Aldo Bufi Landi) – Classic Movie Review 13,997

The 1961 Italian colour and widescreen epic adventure film Maciste nella terra dei ciclopi [Atlas Against the Cyclops] stars Gordon Mitchell as Maciste and Chelo Alonso as Queen Capys.

Director Antonio Leonviola’s 1961 Italian Eastmancolor and Dyaliscope epic adventure film Maciste nella terra dei ciclopi [Atlas Against the Cyclops] [Atlas in the Land of the Cyclops] stars American muscleman Gordon Mitchell as the hero Maciste and Cuban beauty Chelo Alonso as Queen Capys.

The evil Queen Capys is doomed to a life of slavery by the Powers of Darkness until the last descendant of Ulysses is put to death to please the one-eyed Cyclops monster that is ravaging the land of Sadok. Strongman Maciste must battle the one-eyed Cyclops monster and save Queen Penope (Vira Silenti) and her little child, the rightful heir to the throne.

There are a lot of wasted opportunities in this moderate peplum movie, with even the climactic Maciste versus Cyclops battle clumsily handled.

Maciste nella terra dei ciclopi [Atlas Against the Cyclops] is fairly cut price and cut to formula, nothing unusual or special. Gordon Mitchell certainly has the physical presence, and certianly looks the part. But doesn’t show much charisma or acting style, but then it’s a no acting required role, so he’s fine. The one-eyed Cyclops monster is a bit of a disappointment, frightful rather than frightening. Couldn’t they have made him look more terrifying? The women’s roles are purely decorative, so Chelo Alonso as Queen Capys and Vira Silenti as Queen Penope don’t have much of a chance. The distinguished full-on score by Carlo Innocenzi played exuberantly by the Rome Philharmonic Orchestra is the best, classiest thing about it.

The screenplay is written by Oreste Biancoli and Gino Mangini, based on a story by Oreste Biancoli. Tne dialogue in the English language version is by John Davis Hart. Both Italian and English language versions are hideously dubbed, as is the tradition.

Atlas Against the Cyclops was released in Italy on March 29, 1961, running 94 minutes, and was released in the US on April 14, 1963 with a 100-minute running time.

It is shot in the studio at Istituto Nazionale Luce, Rome.

No mention or sign of Atlas is to be found in the Italian or the English dubbed film versions. In Greek mythology, Atlas is a Titan deity condemned to hold up the heavens for eternity, another story entirely.

Cast: Gordon Mitchell (as Mitchell Gordon) as Maciste, Chelo Alonso as Queen Capys, Vira Silenti as Queen Penope, Dante DiPaolo as Ifito, Aldo Bufi Landi as Sirone, Giotto Tempestini as Aronio, Raffaella Carrà [Raffaella Pelloni] as Eber, Paul Wynter as Mumba, Massimo Righi as Efros, Tullio Altamura as captain of the guard, Antonio Meschini as a soldier, Fabio as Penope’s child, Germano Longo as King Agisandro, Aldo Pedinotti as Cyclops, and Italian circus performer Moira Orfei as an Italian peasant girl.

Denver-born Charles Allen Pendleton arrived in Rome, became Mitchell Gordon, then Gordon Mitchell, and worked first in sword and sandal films such as Maciste nella terra dei ciclopi [Atlas Against the Cyclops] (1961), Seven Slaves Against the World (1964), and Treasure of the Petrified Forest (1965), then in Spaghetti Westerns such as 3 Bullets for Ringo (1966), Kill or Be Killed (1966), and Born to Kill (1967). He also appeared in Fellini Satyricon (1969).

© Derek Winnert 2026 – Classic Movie Review 13,997

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com