The Mayan civilization of Central America had achieved a level of sophistication beyond that of much of Europe of the time , creating the Mound Builder culture . It had been speculated on some fairly solid proof that when their cities in Yucatan ( Chichen Itza, Copan , Palenque , Dospilas ) suffered invasion by foreign tribes , Mayan refugees and surviving tribesmen escaped by means of their ships toward north across the Gulf of Mexico and influenced the savage Indians of the Southern United States on the barren lands . Starting with a vivid recreation of a Mayan ceremony shot at a restored pyramid in Chitzen Itza , it goes on a young Mayan named Balam (George Chakiris as unlikely leader) who is proclaimed king and standing on the pyramid is saluted by his people . Balam is obliged to marry a young princess Mayan (a gorgeous Shirley Anne Field ). The king and his followers ( Brad Dexter, Barry Morse , Armando Silvestre ) as their city, Chichen Itza , suddenly being conquered (by Leo Gordon) , then they flee north by sea and try to rebuild their culture on the northern Gulf coast . The Indian chief of a resident tribe named Black Eagle ( extraordinary physique presence of Yul Brynner who personifies the romantic myth of the noble savage ) is captured by the newcomers to his land and there is dissension in the community as to whether the should be sacrificed in the ordinary way demanded by high priest (Richard Basehart) , then Balam eventually forbids sacrifice in the new land and the two peoples try a agreement with some friction . They ultimately unite to fight the original invaders of Chichen , who have pursued the Mayans.
This adventure and colorful film is packed with impressive battle scenes, skin deep spectacle, a triangular love story and is pretty entertaining . Well filmed on location in Chichén Itzá , Yucatán, Mazatlán, Sinaloa, and Estudios Churubusco Azteca, Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico . The film uses the vast numbers of contemporary Mayan extras to good effect ; excellent camera-work by Joseph MacDonald and lighting on the more intimate scenes . Impressive ending battle , is as visually breathtaking , fought around and on the newly built pyramid by the Mayans . Furthermore an awesome musical score by the maestro Elmer Berstein .
This large scale motion picture is professionally directed by J. Lee Thompson who directed good Western ( McKenna gold) and all kind of genres as Sci-Fi (Conquest and Battle of planet of apes) , terror (reincarnation of Peter Proud, Eye of the devil), adventures (Kings of the sun, Taras Bulba) and Warlike ( Guns of Navarone, Von Braun). J. Lee Thompson working from the 50s in England, finished his career making Chuck Norris (Firewalker) and Charles Bronson vehicles (Evil that men do, Messenger of death, Death Wish 4 : Crackdown, Caboblanco, St Ives). Watchable results for this outlandish epic/adventure film .
This adventure and colorful film is packed with impressive battle scenes, skin deep spectacle, a triangular love story and is pretty entertaining . Well filmed on location in Chichén Itzá , Yucatán, Mazatlán, Sinaloa, and Estudios Churubusco Azteca, Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico . The film uses the vast numbers of contemporary Mayan extras to good effect ; excellent camera-work by Joseph MacDonald and lighting on the more intimate scenes . Impressive ending battle , is as visually breathtaking , fought around and on the newly built pyramid by the Mayans . Furthermore an awesome musical score by the maestro Elmer Berstein .
This large scale motion picture is professionally directed by J. Lee Thompson who directed good Western ( McKenna gold) and all kind of genres as Sci-Fi (Conquest and Battle of planet of apes) , terror (reincarnation of Peter Proud, Eye of the devil), adventures (Kings of the sun, Taras Bulba) and Warlike ( Guns of Navarone, Von Braun). J. Lee Thompson working from the 50s in England, finished his career making Chuck Norris (Firewalker) and Charles Bronson vehicles (Evil that men do, Messenger of death, Death Wish 4 : Crackdown, Caboblanco, St Ives). Watchable results for this outlandish epic/adventure film .