ag ano ▁silent ▁Mac iste ▁films ▁established ▁the ▁character ▁as ▁someone ▁who ▁could ▁appear ▁at ▁any ▁place ▁and ▁at ▁any ▁time . ▁ ▁Some ▁of ▁the ▁earlier ▁ones , ▁made ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁I , ▁had ▁the ▁distinct ▁flav our ▁of ▁propag anda , ▁and ▁cast ▁the ▁hero ▁in ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁a ▁soldier . ▁ ▁Later ▁films ▁in ▁the ▁series ▁return ▁to ▁fant asy , ▁but ▁the ▁fant asy ▁was ▁not ▁always ▁myth ological . ▁ ▁Mac iste ▁appears ▁as ▁an ▁Olympic ▁ath lete , ▁in ▁contemporary ▁settings , ▁or ▁in ▁the ▁after life . ▁ ▁His ▁character ▁and ▁his ▁plots ▁remained ▁consistent ▁in ▁whatever ▁setting ; ▁he ▁was ▁always ▁a ▁popul ist ▁Her cules , ▁using ▁his ▁physical ▁pro w ess ▁to ▁overcome ▁the ▁evil ▁r uses ▁of ▁eff ete ▁arist ocr ats ▁and ▁authority ▁figures . ▁ ▁Rev ival ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 s ▁The ▁character ▁was ▁rev ived ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 s . ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 7 , ▁Steve ▁Re e ves ' ▁Her cules , ▁an ▁Italian ▁production , ▁created ▁a ▁minor ▁bo om ▁in ▁Italian ▁dram as ▁featuring ▁American ▁body build ers ▁in ▁v agu ely ▁myth ological ▁or ▁classical ▁historical ▁subjects . ▁Mac iste ▁was ▁the ▁hero ▁in ▁ 2 5 ▁of ▁these ▁films . ▁Other ▁films ▁star red ▁such ▁hero es ▁as ▁Urs us , ▁Sam son , ▁Her cules ▁and ▁G oli ath . ▁ ▁Mac iste ▁was ▁never ▁given ▁an ▁origin , ▁and ▁the