Sword-and-sandal, also known as peplum, is a subgenre of largely Italian-made historical, mythological, or biblical epics mostly set in the Greco-Roman antiquity or the Middle Ages. These films attempted to emulate the big-budget Hollywood historical epics of the time, such as Samson and Delilah (1949), Quo Vadis (1951), The Robe (1953), The Ten Commandments (1956), Ben-Hur (1959), Spartacus (1960), and Cleopatra (1963). These films dominated the Italian film industry from 1958 to 1965, eventually being replaced in 1965 by spaghetti Western and Eurospy films.
Orgasmo is a 1969 giallo film co-written and directed by Umberto Lenzi and starring Carroll Baker, Lou Castel, and Colette Descombes. It follows a wealthy American socialite who finds herself preyed upon by two nefarious young siblings who indulge her in sex, drugs, and alcohol while she vacations at an Italian villa. This film helped launch the second phase of Baker's career, during which she became a regular star in Italian productions.
Umberto Lenzi was an Italian film director, screenwriter, and novelist.
Escape by Night, also titled Blackout in Rome, is a 1960 Italian–French war drama film directed by Roberto Rossellini.
The Tough Ones is a 1976 Italian poliziottesco film directed by Umberto Lenzi and first entry into the Tanzi/Moretto/Monnezza shared universe .
Eurospy film, or Spaghetti spy film, is a genre of spy films produced in Europe, especially in Italy, France, and Spain, that either sincerely imitated or else parodied the British James Bond spy series feature films. The first wave of Eurospy films was released in 1964, two years after the first James Bond film, Dr. No, and in the same year as the premiere of what many consider to be the apotheosis of the Bond series, Goldfinger. For the most part, the Eurospy craze lasted until around 1967 or 1968. In Italy, where most of these films were produced, this trend replaced the declining sword-and-sandal genre.
Agente S 03: Operazione Atlantide or Operation Atlantis is a 1965 Italian spy film adventure directed by Domenico Paolella.
Blood at Sundown is a Spaghetti Western film directed by Alberto Cardone. The film is notable as the primary inspiration for the Sartana film series, starring Gianni Garko as a antiheroic incarnation of the villainous character he previously portrayed in Blood at Sundown.
Espionage in Lisbon is a 1965 spy film directed by Federico Aicardi and Tulio Demicheli. It starred Brett Halsey, Marilù Tolo, Fernando Rey, Jeanne Valérie, and Alfredo Mayo.
Super Seven Calling Cairo is a 1965 Italian Eurospy film directed by Umberto Lenzi and adapted from his own novel of the same name written under the pseudonym "H. Humbert". It stars Roger Browne as the titular secret agent opposite Fabienne Dali, Massimo Serato, and Rosalba Neri. Shot mostly in Egypt, the film is heavily inspired by the early James Bond films starring Sean Connery. It is followed by The Spy Who Loved Flowers in which Browne reprises his role as Martin Stevens, and Lenzi returns to write and direct the film.
Tony Arzenta is a 1973 Italian gangster-action film directed by Duccio Tessari. The film was commercially successful.
Gang War in Milan is a 1973 Italian poliziottesco film directed by Umberto Lenzi.
So Sweet... So Perverse is a 1969 giallo film directed by Umberto Lenzi and written by Ernesto Gastaldi, starring Carroll Baker and Jean-Louis Trintignant. Set in Paris, it tells the story of a wife who plots to get rid of a rich and errant husband but is herself the victim of her accomplices.
The Spy Who Loved Flowers is a 1966 Italian/Spanish co-production science fiction-Eurospy film written and directed by Umberto Lenzi. Set in Paris, Geneva and Athens, it is the sequel to Super Seven Calling Cairo (1965). It starred Roger Browne and Yoko Tani.
Sartana's Here… Trade Your Pistol for a Coffin AKA A Fistful of Lead is a 1970 Spaghetti Western that is the third of the Sartana film series with George Hilton taking over the lead role from Gianni Garko. The film was shot in Italy and directed by Giuliano Carnimeo.
Tom Dollar is a 1967 comedic spy film written and directed by Marcello Ciorciolini and starring Maurice Poli in the title role. It is based on a fotoromanzo, starring the same Poli, published in over 30 countries. It was shot in Tehran.
Operation Poker is a 1965 Italian-Spanish spy film produced, written and directed by Osvaldo Civirani. The first choice for the main role was Ken Clark, who was replaced by Roger Browne a few days before the start of filming. It was mainly shot in Copenhagen.
The Magnificent Tony Carrera is a 1968 Spanish-German-Italian Eurospy film written and directed by José Antonio de la Loma and starring Thomas Hunter. It was originally shot in 70 mm. Roger Moore was initially cast in the title role, but he had to leave the set because of a car accident.
Spies Strike Silently is a 1966 Spanish-Italian Eurospy film written and directed by Mario Caiano and starring Lang Jeffries.
Rififi in Amsterdam is a 1966 Italian-Spanish crime-adventure film directed by Sergio Grieco and starring Roger Browne.
