Movie Review: Ursus in the Land of Fire

Ursus in the Land of Fire (Ursus nella terra di fuoco) 

Starring: Ed Fury, Luciana Gilli, Adriano Micantoni, Claudia Mori, Nando Tamberlani, Giuseppe Addobbati, Pietro Ceccarelli, Diego Pozzetto, Giulio Mauroni, Nino Fuscagni 

Director: Giorgio Simonelli 

Cine-Italia Film, Splendor Film, Italy, 1963. 

This movie is published as a part of Warriors 50 movie pack box published by Mill Creek Entertainment. 

Princess Diana (Luciana Gilli) is riding and her horse gets scared by a snake. Ursus (Ed Fury) saves the unconscious girl while Mila (Claudia Mori) and Lero (Pietro Ceccarelli) just watch. General Hamilar (Adriano Micantoni) is angry for Ursus is the leader of Shepherds and they should not cross the border. Mila is the king's evil niece and he wants to take Ursus as her slave. Ursus escapes and swims into a cave. By the way in the kingdom it is in fashion to carve huge grinning faces in stone walls. 

Mila and Lero

Ursus

Huge stone face

Hamilar tries to conquer Shepherd's land and he lies to King Lothar (Giuseppe Addobbati) that Ursus tried to kidnap Diana. Hamilar plans a trap using Diana as a bait. They must go through the sacred land of the Fire God Ayat. Hamilar uses specially trained soldiers against Ursus. They can lift and throw big rocks. However the volcano erupts (the people built their city next to a very active volcano!) and the enemies think that Ursus is dead. The soldiers then go to kill the Shepherd villagers. 

King Lothar

Princess Diana (left)

General Hamilar

The people of the Fire Mountain are not happy with Hamilar killing one of their priests. Lero and Hamilar are taken to their temple for judgement. Mila's soldiers storm the temple and kill the priests but leave high priest (Nando Tamberlani) alive. (there is a mistake in IMDB, Lothar is credited to be Nando Tamberlani, but Tamberlani looks more like the high priest while King Lothar's actor should be Giuseppe Addobbati). Hamilar then murders the king. He goes after the princess who escapes. Our sheepskin clad hero Ursus returns to his destroyed village. 

High priest of Ayat

The princess asks help from Ursus, but Ursus does not trust her first. But sure he will help her, because she is his old childhood friend. The surviving Shepherd are taken as slaves and push some rotating stone wheels. To please his people, Hamilar organizes a tournament. Winner may ask one favour. Ursus wants to take part in tournament and organize a revolt. 

Disguised Ursus must fight against the king's champion Lero. He has already beaten all opponents (he cheats a lot). To prove his worth for tournament Ursus must first endure two chariots pulling to opposite directions. Also the princess is tied to the ropes so she will be ripped apart if Ursus fails. But luckily Ursus is stronger than four horses! Special mention must be made about the weird triangle-helmets that the tournament assistant's are using.

Chariot pulling test

Triangle helmets

I challenge YOU!

The people start to cheer Ursus. Ursus challenges Hamilar to duel. Okay, says Hamilar but he chooses the five weapons. The "weapons" are five strong guys (maybe the ones that threw rocks earlier). There is also a Mortal Kombat- style pit full of sharp spikes. Before anyone even has time to shout "Finish him" Ursus has already thrown two of the guys into the pit. The rest follow soon. Then Ursus fights Lero and some lesser enemies. Lero cheats again and Ursus falls into the pit. However he hangs on the wall and climbs up. Into the pit Lero goes.

Ursus against the remaining of the Five

Spiked pit of doom

As his prize Ursus demands punishment for the murderer of King Lothar. Hamilar responds by putting Ursus to push the stone wheel-thingy, Conan-style. Maybe it's a mill, because there are some sacks being carried around. Mila goes to taunt and whip the captured Princess Diana. However Hamilar does not know that they have captured Diana(!?) Mila and Hamilar go to decide what to do with her. As a twist Hamilar decides to make Diana a puppet ruler because the people like her. Hamilar must kill Mila first.

Ursus tries to escape but fails. Next he must support a descending stone slab while standing on a spiky floor. The guards leave before Ursus gets flattened. Diana escapes and sees Ursus in danger before being captured again. Ursus uses his strength and hurls the stone against the prison door. Ursus uses also the chains on his wrists for beating the guards. There was a bit similar scene in Hercules (1958). Hmm, and also Kratos from God of War video games uses chained weapons.

Ursus supporting a stone slab

Chain whipping the guards

Mythic heroes who are known to use chain weapons

Ursus fights his way to save Diana. The survived high priest helps them escape. The citizens start to revolt and Hamilar kills the high priest. The Fire God Ayat gets angry and the volcano starts to erupt again. Ursus throws Hamilar into fiery pit. The people select Diana as their new queen.

Ursus can also throw big stones

Temple of Ayat

The sound and picture qualities are bad, so sometimes it is hard to understand what the characters are saying. The movie is quite silly low-budget peplum, but offers some fun and good action scenes. The sets and props add to the hilarity. The plot is very typical and there is not much (intended) humour in the story.

Rating: Average