Minotaur, the Wild Beast of Crete
Encyclopedia
Minotaur, the Wild Beast of Crete is a 1960 historical drama film loosely based on the Greek legend of Theseus
, the Athenian
hero
who is said to have slain a minotaur
on Minoan Crete
around 1500 or 1450 BC. The film was directed by Silvio Amadio
and starred Bob Mathias
.
lives in fear of the Minotaur
, a dreadful beast trapped inside a labyrinth
under the royal palace
. The monster is venerated as a god, and to appease it, the Cretians regularly sacrifice a maiden to it.
One day, Minos
' wife Pasiphaë
is dying of natural causes. On her deathbed, she reveals that her daughter, the royal princess Phaedra
, was not their only child: A twin
sister, Ariadne
, lives in secrecy on the Greek
mainland in a humble village. She was brought there to save her from being sacrificed to the Minotaur
, but now the queen's last wish is to see her daughters united again. While Minos consents to his wife's last request, Phaedra, who is a powerhungry and evil schemer, does not want to share the throne and sends out her loyal retainer, Chirone, to kill Ariadne. Chirone raids the village with a group of hired brigands, killing Ariadne's foster parents, but Ariadne is saved by Theseus
, son of King Aegeus
of Athens
, and his Cretan friend Demetrio, who happen to pass by and drive away the brigands. Upon seeing her, Demetrio immediately notices Ariadne's striking resemblance to Princess Phaedra, but Ariadne knows nothing of her true heritage.
Theseus and Ariadne accompany Demetrios back to Crete, but Chirone returns before them, alerting Phaedra to their arrival. Phaedra has her soldiers go after the friends; Ariadne is captured, Demetrio killed, and Theseus is almost slain as well. Rescued by the sea goddess Anfitrite
, but refusing her offer to stay with her and become immortal, Theseus returns secretly to Knossos to free Ariadne. Phaedra has meanwhile prepared to dispose of her sister by throwing her into a pit with hungry dogs, but as Theseus attacks, Phaedra herself ends up in the pit, and to save Theseus, Ariadne is forced to take her sister's place. But Chirone notices that his princess has suddenly changed in her demeanor and reveals his knowledge to Ariadne, but promises to keep her secret as long as she surrenders herself to him.
In the meantime, however, Aegeus, presuming his son to have been murdered, has led a war against Crete and lost. As a tribute, the people of Athens must now surrender a group of young people in regular intervals as sacrifices to the Minotaur. As the first group, which is joined by Theseus, is about to be herded into the labyrinth, Theseus manages to procure a sword, kills Chirone, and voluntarily enters the labyrinth and slays the Minotaur. Ariadne, who has followed him, helps him out with a thread from her own gown whose other end she had bound to the labyrinth's entrance, and they return alive and to the jubilation of the Cretan people.
Theseus
For other uses, see Theseus Theseus was the mythical founder-king of Athens, son of Aethra, and fathered by Aegeus and Poseidon, both of whom Aethra had slept with in one night. Theseus was a founder-hero, like Perseus, Cadmus, or Heracles, all of whom battled and overcame foes that were...
, the Athenian
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
hero
Hero
A hero , in Greek mythology and folklore, was originally a demigod, their cult being one of the most distinctive features of ancient Greek religion...
who is said to have slain a minotaur
Minotaur
In Greek mythology, the Minotaur , as the Greeks imagined him, was a creature with the head of a bull on the body of a man or, as described by Roman poet Ovid, "part man and part bull"...
on Minoan Crete
Minoan civilization
The Minoan civilization was a Bronze Age civilization that arose on the island of Crete and flourished from approximately the 27th century BC to the 15th century BC. It was rediscovered at the beginning of the 20th century through the work of the British archaeologist Arthur Evans...
around 1500 or 1450 BC. The film was directed by Silvio Amadio
Silvio Amadio
Silvio Amadio was an Italian film director and screenwriter. He directed 24 films between 1957 and 1981. His film Wolves of the Deep was entered into the 9th Berlin International Film Festival.-Selected filmography:...
and starred Bob Mathias
Bob Mathias
Robert Bruce "Bob" Mathias was an American decathlete, two-time Olympic gold medalist, actor and United States Congressman representing the state of California.-Early life and athletic career:...
.
Plot
The island of CreteCrete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
lives in fear of the Minotaur
Minotaur
In Greek mythology, the Minotaur , as the Greeks imagined him, was a creature with the head of a bull on the body of a man or, as described by Roman poet Ovid, "part man and part bull"...
, a dreadful beast trapped inside a labyrinth
Labyrinth
In Greek mythology, the Labyrinth was an elaborate structure designed and built by the legendary artificer Daedalus for King Minos of Crete at Knossos...
under the royal palace
Knossos
Knossos , also known as Labyrinth, or Knossos Palace, is the largest Bronze Age archaeological site on Crete and probably the ceremonial and political centre of the Minoan civilization and culture. The palace appears as a maze of workrooms, living spaces, and store rooms close to a central square...
. The monster is venerated as a god, and to appease it, the Cretians regularly sacrifice a maiden to it.
One day, Minos
Minos
In Greek mythology, Minos was a king of Crete, son of Zeus and Europa. Every year he made King Aegeus pick seven men and seven women to go to Daedalus' creation, the labyrinth, to be eaten by The Minotaur. After his death, Minos became a judge of the dead in Hades. The Minoan civilization of Crete...
' wife Pasiphaë
Pasiphaë
In Greek mythology, Pasiphaë , "wide-shining" was the daughter of Helios, the Sun, by the eldest of the Oceanids, Perse; Like her doublet Europa, her origins were in the East, in her case at Colchis, the palace of the Sun; she was given in marriage to King Minos of Crete. With Minos, she was the...
is dying of natural causes. On her deathbed, she reveals that her daughter, the royal princess Phaedra
Phaedra
Phaedra can refer to:*Phaedra *Various artistic works based on the legend:**Hippolytus by Euripides**Phaedra by Seneca the Younger**Phèdre by Jean Racine...
, was not their only child: A twin
Twin
A twin is one of two offspring produced in the same pregnancy. Twins can either be monozygotic , meaning that they develop from one zygote that splits and forms two embryos, or dizygotic because they develop from two separate eggs that are fertilized by two separate sperm.In contrast, a fetus...
sister, Ariadne
Ariadne
Ariadne , in Greek mythology, was the daughter of King Minos of Crete, and his queen Pasiphaë, daughter of Helios, the Sun-titan. She aided Theseus in overcoming the Minotaur and was the bride of the god Dionysus.-Minos and Theseus:...
, lives in secrecy on the Greek
Ancient Greece
Ancient Greece is a civilization belonging to a period of Greek history that lasted from the Archaic period of the 8th to 6th centuries BC to the end of antiquity. Immediately following this period was the beginning of the Early Middle Ages and the Byzantine era. Included in Ancient Greece is the...
mainland in a humble village. She was brought there to save her from being sacrificed to the Minotaur
Minotaur
In Greek mythology, the Minotaur , as the Greeks imagined him, was a creature with the head of a bull on the body of a man or, as described by Roman poet Ovid, "part man and part bull"...
, but now the queen's last wish is to see her daughters united again. While Minos consents to his wife's last request, Phaedra, who is a powerhungry and evil schemer, does not want to share the throne and sends out her loyal retainer, Chirone, to kill Ariadne. Chirone raids the village with a group of hired brigands, killing Ariadne's foster parents, but Ariadne is saved by Theseus
Theseus
For other uses, see Theseus Theseus was the mythical founder-king of Athens, son of Aethra, and fathered by Aegeus and Poseidon, both of whom Aethra had slept with in one night. Theseus was a founder-hero, like Perseus, Cadmus, or Heracles, all of whom battled and overcame foes that were...
, son of King Aegeus
Aegeus
In Greek mythology, Aegeus , also Aigeus, Aegeas or Aigeas , was an archaic figure in the founding myth of Athens. The "goat-man" who gave his name to the Aegean Sea was, next to Poseidon, the father of Theseus, the founder of Athenian institutions and one of the kings of Athens.-His reign:Upon the...
of Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, and his Cretan friend Demetrio, who happen to pass by and drive away the brigands. Upon seeing her, Demetrio immediately notices Ariadne's striking resemblance to Princess Phaedra, but Ariadne knows nothing of her true heritage.
Theseus and Ariadne accompany Demetrios back to Crete, but Chirone returns before them, alerting Phaedra to their arrival. Phaedra has her soldiers go after the friends; Ariadne is captured, Demetrio killed, and Theseus is almost slain as well. Rescued by the sea goddess Anfitrite
Amphitrite
In ancient Greek mythology, Amphitrite was a sea-goddess and wife of Poseidon. Under the influence of the Olympian pantheon, she became merely the consort of Poseidon, and was further diminished by poets to a symbolic representation of the sea...
, but refusing her offer to stay with her and become immortal, Theseus returns secretly to Knossos to free Ariadne. Phaedra has meanwhile prepared to dispose of her sister by throwing her into a pit with hungry dogs, but as Theseus attacks, Phaedra herself ends up in the pit, and to save Theseus, Ariadne is forced to take her sister's place. But Chirone notices that his princess has suddenly changed in her demeanor and reveals his knowledge to Ariadne, but promises to keep her secret as long as she surrenders herself to him.
In the meantime, however, Aegeus, presuming his son to have been murdered, has led a war against Crete and lost. As a tribute, the people of Athens must now surrender a group of young people in regular intervals as sacrifices to the Minotaur. As the first group, which is joined by Theseus, is about to be herded into the labyrinth, Theseus manages to procure a sword, kills Chirone, and voluntarily enters the labyrinth and slays the Minotaur. Ariadne, who has followed him, helps him out with a thread from her own gown whose other end she had bound to the labyrinth's entrance, and they return alive and to the jubilation of the Cretan people.
Cast
- Bob MathiasBob MathiasRobert Bruce "Bob" Mathias was an American decathlete, two-time Olympic gold medalist, actor and United States Congressman representing the state of California.-Early life and athletic career:...
as "TheseusTheseusFor other uses, see Theseus Theseus was the mythical founder-king of Athens, son of Aethra, and fathered by Aegeus and Poseidon, both of whom Aethra had slept with in one night. Theseus was a founder-hero, like Perseus, Cadmus, or Heracles, all of whom battled and overcame foes that were...
" - Rosanna SchiaffinoRosanna SchiaffinoRosanna Schiaffino was an Italian film actress. She appeared on the covers of Italian, German, French, British and American magazines.-Early life:...
as "AriadneAriadneAriadne , in Greek mythology, was the daughter of King Minos of Crete, and his queen Pasiphaë, daughter of Helios, the Sun-titan. She aided Theseus in overcoming the Minotaur and was the bride of the god Dionysus.-Minos and Theseus:...
"/"Phaedra" - Alberto LupoAlberto LupoAlberto Lupo was an Italian film and television actor best known for his roles in swash-buckling and actions films of the 1960s....
as "Chirone" - Rik BattagliaRik BattagliaRik Battaglia is a retired Italian film actor. He was born at Corbola, near Rovigo, Veneto....
as "Demetrio" - Carlo TamberlaniCarlo TamberlaniCarlo Tamberlani was an Italian film actor. He appeared in 127 films between 1931 and 1976.He was born in Salice Salentino, Italy and died in Subiaco, Italy.-Selected filmography:* La Damigella di Bard...
as "MinosMinosIn Greek mythology, Minos was a king of Crete, son of Zeus and Europa. Every year he made King Aegeus pick seven men and seven women to go to Daedalus' creation, the labyrinth, to be eaten by The Minotaur. After his death, Minos became a judge of the dead in Hades. The Minoan civilization of Crete... - Nico PepeNico PepeNico Pepe was an Italian film actor. He appeared in 89 films between 1936 and 1981.He was born and died in Udine, Italy.-Selected filmography:* Bellezze in bicicletta * Accidents to the Taxes!!...
as "Gerione" - Nerio BernardiNerio BernardiNerio Bernardi was an Italian film actor. He appeared in 192 films between 1918 and 1970.He was born in Bologna, Italy and died in Rome, Italy.-Selected filmography:* The Avenger * Vanina Vanini...
as "AegeusAegeusIn Greek mythology, Aegeus , also Aigeus, Aegeas or Aigeas , was an archaic figure in the founding myth of Athens. The "goat-man" who gave his name to the Aegean Sea was, next to Poseidon, the father of Theseus, the founder of Athenian institutions and one of the kings of Athens.-His reign:Upon the...
" - Paul MüllerPaul Müller (actor)Paul Konrad Muller is a Swiss character actor. Notice: In fact his real name is "Muller" not "Müller". It seems that it is not possible to change the false written name in the headline of this article.- Theatre :...
as "Medico di Corte" - Tina LattanziTina LattanziTina Lattanzi was an Italian actress and prominent voice artist, dubbing some of the greatest movie stars of all time.A native of Alatri, Tina Lattanzi died in Rome less than two months before her 100th birthday....
as "Queen PasiphaëPasiphaëIn Greek mythology, Pasiphaë , "wide-shining" was the daughter of Helios, the Sun, by the eldest of the Oceanids, Perse; Like her doublet Europa, her origins were in the East, in her case at Colchis, the palace of the Sun; she was given in marriage to King Minos of Crete. With Minos, she was the...
" - Milo Malagoli as "The MinotaurThe MinotaurThe Minotaur is a novel by British writer Ruth Rendell, written under the pseudonym Barbara Vine. It was first published in 2005.- Plot summary:...
"