The Vengeance of She Film Review

This Hammer sequel to She has sort of fallen into the nether region of nearly forgotten films, but I think I actually enjoyed it more than the first film. It is cheesy for sure beginning with an opening pop tune that should have been on Love American Style and then this cheap porn saxophone riff is heard throughout and the Czech actress Olga Schoberova is to acting what Kryptonite is to Superman - but she sure is an eyeful. It is so silly that it is fun. One of her co-stars Edward Judd said of her "Olinka had a physical resemblance to Ursula, except that Ursula could act a bit. Olinka's knowledge of screen craft was somewhat limited. It was impossible to work with her. I realized, 'Not a great deal between the ears here." But again she is an eyeful.

The events take place some forty years after She ended with poor Ursula Andress having a bad hair day. Hammer had hoped to get Ursula for this sequel but it didn't work out. Leo (played again by John Richardson) has become immortal and immortality doesn't wear on him well. He now goes by the name of Killikrates, who he was reincarnated from, and immortality seems to have turned him slightly psycho as he waits for the reincarnated Ayesha to come back to him. Living in a palace can be fun for a while but without friends, TV, books and fast food it can get pretty boring for eternity. People are always telling me that afterlife will be great and my response is it sounds really boring doing anything forever. Killikrates suffers from ennui and probably sexual deprivation. Heaven will be similar I expect.

But in far off Europe near the Rivera on a mountainous winding road a young blonde hottie with a mild resemblance to Ursula is being mentally driven in the direction of the ancient city of Kuma. A truck driver tries to rape her but his truck mysteriously runs him down. Then she sees a yacht in the harbor and strips down to her underwear and swims out to it where they take her in. If you saw her in her underwear, you would understand. Colin Blakely owns the yacht and is drunk most of the time. Judd is a business acquaintance who falls in love with her. She doesn't know why but she must go on - and Killikrates is waiting to give her immortality! Some decent paper Mache sets, soldiers in Roman gear, palace intrigue, a battle of wizards, that damn sax and a mannequin come to life are all part of the fun. The film is all over the place. Olga was primarily in European films that I have never heard of except for one of the Kommisar X films and she married one of the stars of the Kommisar X films, Brad Harris, for two years. The script is from Peter O'Donnell, most famous for creating the Modesty Blaise character.