L'esclave d'Orient

APHRODITE, GODDESS OF LOVE is a straightforward costume drama from Italy. Bizarrely, the version I watched on Amazon Prime was dubbed into French with English subtitles. The film has more in common with the staged and old-fashioned costume dramas of the 1950s than the all-action sword and sandal excitement of the post-HERCULES peplum wave, but fans of Italian cinema will probably still enjoy it.

The film tells the intriguing tale of Antigone, a man obsessed with building a temple to the titular deity. Unfortunately his plans are thwarted by plague and a disgruntled populace, and he turns on the Christians in the vicinity as a result. The main character in the film, Demetrius, is a sculptor who falls in love with a Christian slave girl, with harrowing results.

This story is well mounted by genre standards and very colourful. The costumes look and feel authentic. Sergio Leone had a hand in the script and also worked on the story as assistant director. Fans of Italian cinema will spot the likes of Anthony Steffen as the skinny hero alongside bit parts from Paul Muller and Massimo Serato. Best of the lot is Ivo Garrani's delightfully scheming Antigone.