The Temple Pyramid of Kukulkan … Kings of the Sun … Part 3


Streisand / Somewhere

Kings of the Sun / 1963

Don’t know how they got permission to use the Pyramid of Kukulkan at Chichen Itza
Hope they got a some good gold out of it. But it shouldn’t happen. 

No doubt who the Star was.

In his career George Chakiris did have his moments in the Sun (West Side Story, Diamond Head …)

Shirley Anne Field – beautiful, but not very Mayan.

Brad Dexter? Where have we seen him before?
In The Magnificent Seven (1960) also with Yul Brynner.

In Kings of the Sun, Brad gets a new hat. 

Chichen Itza and the Pyramid of Kukulkan

Before CGI there was people!!!

Those steps are steep and jagged.

Here come the Toltecs.

Storming the Pyramid of Kulkulkan.
A dangerous stunt.

Many of the 91 steps are jagged and uneven – and over 12 inches in height.
The Pyramid of Kukulkan incline is also a steep 45 degree angle.
Combined with heat and/or wind and you can have a real problem here.
And a fall on these steps would not be a happy event.

Don’t know what pyramid this is, but it’s a typical Mayan Pyramid.
Coming down is even more treacherous than going up.
Imagine if this guy had fallen at the top.

Coming down the steps of the Pyramid of Kukulkan.
You can see it’s no joke – even if you’re young.
I have to  think that they stopped people climbing on the Pyramid for 2 reasons:
– It was destroying the Pyramid.
– Safety. People were getting hurt.

So look at this scene!!! This is insane!
I’m guessing they performed this slowly – then sped up the footage for the Movie??
But it doesn’t look like it.

The Temple Pyramid of Kukulkan … Kings of the Sun … Part 2


epic-jungle-music / the-legend-of-el-dorado / Keepo

Kings of the Sun / 1963

Several Posters – not bad either. 
Notice the Pyramid of Kukulkan at Chichen Itza
in the bottom image of the poster above.

Epic I tell ya!

Part 3 coming …

The Temple Pyramid of Kukulkan … Kings of the Sun … Part 1


Kings of the Sun Soundtrack / Elmer Bernstein

Kings of the Sun / 1963

Yes, there was more than one movie made about the Maya.

In 1963 Kings of the Sun ‘blazed across the screen’.
 In the 60’s they loved these huge Historical Epic style films with hundreds
of Extras fighting in large battle scenes.
Not much CGI in those days. 

Reviews were lukewarm. Yet I wonder if this won’t be one of those movies
that becomes more appreciated over time.

One thing you can say about the existing Studio systems of that era 
is that they found and developed great Stars.

One of those great Stars was Yul Brynner.
Even in a lousy Movie Yul’s charisma dominated the Screen.
And guaranteed Box Office.

Between 1944 and 1976 Yul made about 47 Movies –
many of them were Epic style Action productions.

Just a few of Yul’s Epics.

Looks invincible doesn’t he?
He wasn’t. 
Slain my lung cancer in 1985.
He was 65.

Next: Kings of the Sun / Part 2