Gianni Di Segni, an Italian actor, made notable contributions to the realm of cult cinema during the 1960s and 1970s. He appears in The Golden Arrow (1962), where his performance adds a unique flair to the fantasy genre, and in The Grand Duel (1972), where he navigates the gritty landscape of spaghetti westerns. Di Segni's roles in Goliath and the Sins of Babylon (1963) and Revolt of the Praetorians (1964) further cement his place in the exploitation film canon, showcasing his versatility across different narratives and styles.
Goliath and the Sins of Babylon
After Crisa, an ancient ruler, conquers the neighboring city of Nefer, he demands twenty-four virgins as a tribute. Forest, the hero, frees one of the women and joins with Greci and Chevron to rescue the others. Bianchi, the mystery woman whom Greci loves, convinces him to enter a chariot race in which the first prize is Greci's daughter. He is wounded by Crisa's henchmen and is replaced by Forest who wins the race but is then accused of treason. They attempt to arrest him, but he escapes and leads a revolt that overthrows Crisa. At last, Greci marries Bianchi, who is really the princess of the land, and the two reign over Nefer while Forest returns to his country life. It's a confusing story with too many characters and plot twists, but the action is plentiful and fun to watch. In this dubbed English version, Forest is called Goliath, though his character's name is "Maciste" in the Italian original. Sword and Sandal star extraordinaire, Mark Forest, is the featured attraction in Goliath And The Sins Of Babylon (1964)... a buddy movie with muscles. When the evil ruler of Babylon demands twenty-four virgins for sacrifice, Goliath and his gang (including future Spaghetti Western star Giuliano Gemma) step in to save the day. Spectacular highlights include a large scale sea battle and that epic movie requisite, a chariot race...all in breathtaking widescreen and color. The bonus feature is the beefcake comedy Colossus And The Amazon Queen (1960) which stars Rod ("The Time Machine) Taylor and muscleman Ed Fury as a couple of Greek Geeks who end up on the island of the Amazons. Italian cheese-cake is served up in large portions by Gianna Maria Canale, Daniela Rocca, and an array of arresting Amazons.
