Story of movie The Arena 1974 Film : This article needs additional citations for verification. (June 2015) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) |
The Arena (also known as the Naked Warriors) is a 1974 gladiator exploitation film, starring Margaret Markov and Pam Grier, and directed by Steve Carver. Grier and Markov portray female gladiators in ancient Rome, who have been enslaved and must fight for their freedom. This marks the second teaming of Grier and Markov; in 1972 they had starred together in the women in prison film Black Mama, White Mama.
| The Arena | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Steve Carver |
| Produced by | Roger Corman Mark Damon Franco Gaudenzi |
| Written by | John William Corrington Joyce Hooper Corrington |
| Starring | Margaret Markov Pam Grier |
| Music by | Francesco De Masi |
| Cinematography | Joe D'Amato (as Aristide Massaccesi) |
| Edited by | Jann Carver Joe Dante |
| Distributed by | Filmes Lusomundo New World Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 83 minutes |
| Country | United States Italy |
| Language | English |
Joe D'Amato, the film's cinematographer, has stated that he took over direction of the fight scenes in the film.
Screenplay
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The Arena, set in the ancient Roman town of Brundusium, is about a group of slave girls who are sold to a man named Timarchus (Daniele Vargas), the organizer of the events that take place in the town’s colosseum. After a fight breaks out amongst the girls, Timarchus gets the idea of putting the women in the ring to fight to the death. The recently captured Mamawi (Pam Grier) and Bodicia (Margaret Markov) realize they must stick together if they are to survive.
- Margaret Markov — Bodicia
- Pam Grier — Mamawi
- Lucretia Love — Deirdre
- Paul Muller — Lucilius
- Daniele Vargas — Timarchus
- Marie Louise — Livia
- Mary Count — Lucinia
- Rosalba Neri — Cornelia
- Vassili Karis — Marcus
- Sid Lawrence — Priscium
- Mimmo Palmara — Rufinius
- Antonio Casale — Lucan
- Franco Garofalo — Aemilius
- Pietro Ceccarelli — Septimus
- Jho Jhenkins — Quintus
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Martin Scorsese said that Roger Corman offered him the film to direct following Boxcar Bertha. However he elected to make Mean Streets instead.
Whereas Steve Carver is credited as the director in the American version of the film, the Italian version omits Carver and names "Michael Wotruba" as director instead. Michael Wotruba was a pseudonym then used by Joe D'Amato. D'Amato is credited in both versions as cinematographer under his birth name Aristide Massaccesi. In an interview, D'Amato said the Italian producer Franco Gaudenzi did not trust Carver, who was sent by Roger Corman, and sent D'Amato to take care of the cinematography and help Carver if needed. According to D'Amato, Carver ended up directing the scenes with dialogues whereas he himself took care of the fight sequences in the arena.
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A remake of this film was released directly to video in 2001. It was filmed in Russia by Russian director Timur Bekmambetov with a Russian crew, and it featured Playboy Playmates Karen McDougal and Lisa Dergan in their feature film debut.
- List of American films of 1974
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