Why, oh why, won’t someone please release a new, remastered, restored, wide-screen version on DVD of my all time favorite Steve Reeves movie The Thief of Baghdad! I cannot understand why the Powers That Be (whoever holds the copyright) won’t re-release this movie for the people who hold its memory fondly in their hearts in the chambers reserved for childhood.
I first saw this picture when it first came out in 1961 at the Cinelli’s in the Fordham/Belmont neighborhood of the Bronx (now the Belmont Library and the Enrico Fermi Cultural Center). It had a great adventure, a classic romance, a vile villain and crafty vizier, terrific music, and most of all, Steve Reeves as the hero, all filmed in Tunisia! It is one of Joseph E. Levine’s best.
Before the days of video, I would always hunt my TV Guide to see when it might be playing on the Million Dollar Movie. Now, in English, you can only score a pan and scan VHS/DVD copy that does not do the film justice. Thankfully the music soundtrack exists in all its glory for downloading. All things Steve Reeves can be found at the Steve Reeves International Society.
And, holiest of grails, and greatest quest, somewhere out there must be the lost footage of Steve fighting the GIANT CRAB!
Now, what about the Sons of Hercules!……
MGP
Is this the one with the snap-together flying horse?
The snap together horse was in the Thief of Baghdad with Sabu!
MGP
Ah.