“…), Popular European Cinema (London and New York: Routledge 1992) 163-80; Richard Dyer, White (London and New York: Routledge 1997) 145-83; Maggie Günsberg, "Heroic bodies: the cult of masculinity in the peplum", in Italian Cinema: gender and genre (New York: Palgrave Macmillan 2005) 97-132; Robert Rushing, "Gentlemen prefer Hercules: desire/identification/beefcake", Camera Obscura 23.and 306-approaches, and one might add the further categories of the catalogue,20 and of 'scholarly journalism', not aimed at an academic audience though replete with useful detail 21. Despite this wealth of discussion, however, very few commentators make explicit reference to the Prodikean Choice: apart from Shahabudin (above), I have only found one brief reference in a footnote of James Clauss' paper on Hercules Unchained, and Luigi Spina's comment on the significance of the Choice as "a crucial feature" of the hero's ancient career, which is not developed by any specific reference to the films 22. Indeed, some commentators appear to be unaware not just of the particular story, but of the whole tradition of a more reflective, even philosophical hero -Bondanella, for example, summarises the mythological background by listing the twelve labours, concluding that Hercules was "considered to be more brawn than brain" 23.…”