Friday, February 4, 2022

Juliano Mer-Khamis in Night Terrors

A woman visiting her father in Egypt becomes involved with Marquis De Sade's descendant and his terrifying cult.


This piece actually began with the gif below.  I came across it last summer, while I was putting together a piece on actor Christo Spyropoulos in Love On A Horse (HERE:) You never know what you'll find when searching Google for cinematic nude scenes of naked actors riding horses.  I saved the gif of course, and later discovered that it came from the film Night Terrors


I found the 1993 film on-line and quickly gave it a watch.  The film starred actor Robert Englund, still in demand after his turn in the Nightmare on Elm St series of films. Englund had the dual role, playing both Chevalier and the Marquis de Sade. The film was originally set to be shot in Egypt, which later was changed to Tel Aviv Israel. .


The change in location however, led the original director to quit the feature and the production company to hire director Tobe Hooper, a favorite of Englund's, to join the project.  There were other changes however, that Englund wasn't so happy about. The script was changed so that it was no longer about de Sade, but based on a collection of his erotic short stories.  This addition of eroticism, and the move to Tel Aviv did however lead to Israeli/Palestinian actor Juliano Mer-Khamis being cast to strip down and mount that horse


I loved reading about the life of actor, director, filmmaker, and political activist Juliano Mer-Khamis.  He led a fascinating life before his tragic assassination by a masked gunman in 2011. Born in Nazareth, when he was old enough,Mer-Khamas served in the Israeli Defense Forces as a combat soldier in the Paratroopers Brigade. He served as a volunteer and was eager to fight for his country.


After his release, he enrolled in an acting school and discovered his passion for the craft.  One of the actors early roles was in the 1984 Diane Keaton film, The Little Drummer Girl.  The film deals with  Palestinian terrorism and was partially shot in Israel.  During most of the 80's and 90's, Mer-Khamas divided hi time between acting, traveling and his political activism. 


Mer-Khamas devoted himself to allaying everyday problems: driving pregnant women to Israeli hospitals, supporting children's issues and helping to provide providing medicines and food. Continuing his passion for helping children, in. 2006 Mer-Khamis opened a community theater for children and adults in Jenin, called The Freedom Theatre.  

The Freedom Theatre is a community theatre that provides opportunities for the children and youth of the Jenin Refugee Camp by developing skills, self-knowledge and confidence and using the creative process as a model for social change. In 2011 he joined the faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts, Tel Aviv, where he taught acting until his assassination.


Mer-Khamis just oozes sexual energy and I don't think I've ever seen a more erotic horse ride on the beach.  The clip below is a little disturbing with the sound on.  There is continual whipping sound heard along with the music.  It's disturbing as it's meant to coincide with the characters whipping of his horse. I think it's actually used more a sound effect to add intensity to the sex scene and it doesn't appear the horse was actually being whipped or hurt during Mer-Khamis' naked ride.  If you want to download the clip, I added it to SendSpace HERE:


Mer-Khamis had one other nude scene that I could find, this one in the 1989 film Berlin-Jerusalem.  You can check out caps and a clip from that scene on the NEXT PAGE HERE:

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