Synopsis

In fifth-century Italy, a small tribe of Lombard barbarians is robbed by Roman soldiers. Their leader, Ardarico, vows revenge and sets out for Rome with a handful of warriors. After a fortune-teller predicts the arrival of a devastating barbarian king named Attila, Ardarico embraces the name and blunders into a series of absurd encounters involving Romans, rival tribes, and his own eccentric followers.

Factoids & Trivia

• The film was released in Italian theaters on December 22, 1982, during the Christmas season.

• Although it was initially dismissed by critics and performed poorly at the box office, the film gradually developed a devoted cult following through television broadcasts and home-video releases.

• The story deliberately mixes ancient history with modern references and slang. Its characters are associated with Segrate and Milan, turning the legendary invasion of Rome into a parody of contemporary northern Italian life.

• The film was shot entirely in the Lazio region. Locations included the Caldara of Manziana, Vulci, the Roman amphitheater at Ferento, Torre Flavia in Ladispoli, and several sites along the Appian Way.

• The music was created by Franz Di Cioccio and Franco Mussida, members of the progressive-rock group Premiata Forneria Marconi, commonly known as PFM.

• The role of Uraia was reportedly offered first to Eleonora Giorgi before Rita Rusic was selected.

• Many of the film's most remembered jokes rely on deliberately distorted language, including the comic spelling of "Attila" and the title character's confusion between being the "scourge of God" and the "brother of God."