Hercules vs the Hydra

As campy as it is stupid, Hercules vs the Hydra (or The Loves of Hercules depending on which title it’s listed under) is the type of swords-and-sandals bargain basement entertainment that’s built for cult appreciation. Is it so bad that it’s good? Not quite, but it’s so bad that it’s…something? I’m not sure what, but it’s something.

Buried underneath the poor production values, bad acting, even worse dialog, and preposterously fake looking makeup effects, Hercules vs the Hydra contains some kernels of good ideas. If it’s imagination exceeds its modest budget then that explains why it remains endearing for its cult audience(s). If the scene of the Amazon’s forest of mutated tree-men had been given the lurid, vibrantly colored decadence of, say, a Mario Bava or Dario Argento it would have turned out much better. Same could be said for the titular battle in which Mickey Hargitay is clearly swinging a fake sword at a papier-mâché looking Hydra.

These poor film-making flourishes pile-up, each more flabbergasting than the last, until they mutate into something resembling sweet and endearing. Jayne Mansfield is still a taste I haven’t entirely acquired outside of her films with Frank Tashlin and Raoul Walsh. It’s refreshing to hear her natural speaking voice instead of sounding like she’s sucking helium and letting out air at the same time. She's got a dual role, but she does nothing to differentiate the two parts from each other. Mickey Hargitay sure looks hunky, but he’s not much better an actor than any of the creature effects. Is it worth a worth? Only for fans of Mansfield or people who get off on bad cinema. I assume those two groups have a bit of overlap.