The Minotaur, the Wild Beast of Crete (1960)

“Receive, oh Minotaur, the sacrifice of our virgin youth in tribute to thy vast glory.”, 19 July 2019

The quick pitch:  On her mother’s deathbed, Princess Fedra learns she has a twin.  Her reaction is to order her lost sister’s death. Oh, and there’s a minotaur living below the palace that requires virgin sacrifices.

For a movie called The Minotaur, the Wild Beast of Crete, I expected a bit more Minotaur action.  The creature doesn’t really make an appearance until the last 10 minutes, so he’s hardly a factor.  In the age of CGI we live in, the Minotaur may look silly and stiff, but I found the look pretty effective.  Fortunately, with all the plotting and scheming of Princess Fedra, there’s enough here to at least be somewhat entertaining.  Rosanna Schiaffino does an acceptable job in the dual role of the evil Fedra and the kind-hearted Arianna.  In addition, Alberto Lupo is convincing as Fedra’s sinister sidekick. They really are an enjoyable pair. And, as I’ve already alluded to, much of the plot is entertaining - nothing groundbreaking, but I found myself drawn into the story.  If it weren’t for the clunky acting on the part of hero Bob Mathias and the even clunkier fight choreography, I could’ve seen myself rate this one much higher. Still, a 5/10 ain’t all bad.

5/10