ALI BABA AND THE SEVEN SARACENS (1964)
(a.k.a. SINBAD AGAINST THE SEVEN SARACENS)
Article #852 by Dave Sindelar
Viewing Date: 7-15-2003
Posting Date: 12-12-2003
Directed by Emimmo Salvi
Featuring Gordon Mitchell, Bella Cortez, Dan Harrison

Ali Baba (or is it Sinbad) takes on the evil Omar. Somewhere in the plot are a mute with a map on his back, a mewling eunuch, a midget and Seven Saracens (I’m taking the last one on faith).

Title: No comment until tell someone tells me if that’s Ali Baba or Sinbad. I also think the Seven Saracens should either be given readily identifiable names (Sneezy, Dopey, Grumpy, etc) or at least wear t-shirts that say “Saracen Number One”, “Saracen Number Two”, etc., so I can identify them.

Even by sword-and-sandal standards, this one is lame. The fight scenes are some of the least exciting and most lethargic ever staged, one of the outdoor scenes is so obviously done inside a studio you can see the lights shining on the blue tarpaulin on the back wall. IMDB says Gordon Mitchell plays Sinbad (or Ali Baba), but unless I’m getting my musclemen confused, it sure looks like he’s playing Omar the bad guy here. The dubbing is also subpar (even for sword-and-sandal movies). Other than the existence of a character named Ali Baba (or Sinbad), there are no fantastic elements here. Those interested in investigating the genre should start elsewhere than here.