David and Goliath (DVD)

Orson Welles plays King Saul, who faces the imminent threat of the Philistines, determined to slaughter his people. At the heart of the Philistine army is the giant Goliath, infamous for his strength and brutality. King Saul is convinced that his land is doomed, until a prophet tells him that a young shepherd is destined to defeat their colossal foe and become ruler of the Israelites. As the enemy army approaches Saul's kingdom, David accepts his fate and goes forth to confront the unstoppable Goliath in a legendary battle of good and evil.

Filming on location in Jerusalem, director Ferninando Baldi departed from a series of spaghetti westerns to coordinate this spectacular epic. David's righteous fury is precisely executed by Ivo Payer while Orson Welles' brooding, distraught persona perfectly fits King Saul. Muscular Italian circus star Kronos plays Goliath as a subhuman brute, striking fear into all but his righteous executioner.

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