Alexander Zass (1934)

Titles read: “Now Pathetone presents Alexander Zass - The Original Modern Samson. The toughest man on earth“. (may not be correct - timecode obscures title on vhs copy.) Location of events unknown (could be London, Pathe studio). M/S of strongman Alexander Zass putting a heavy chain of 800 lbs around his chest. By flexing his chest muscles he breaks the chain! He then takes and iron bar, bends it over his head and spends quite a lot of time twisting it round and curling it over, until it is a small triangle of curved iron. Next we see Alexander lies across some metal apparatus, with just his neck and ankles supported (there is nothing supporting his back). A piece of fabric and a metal board are placed over his stomach and two men take turns to hit the board with large mallets - youch! Alexander gets up and says to camera “Come and try your punch - good for indigestion!“. A man comes up and punches him several times in the stomach - Alexander barely moves! Another man breaks a piece of wood over Alexander’s head from behind; Alexander just scratches his head and looks round. FILM ID: A VIDEO FROM BRITISH PATHÉ. EXPLORE OUR ONLINE CHANNEL, BRITISH PATHÉ TV. IT’S FULL OF GREAT DOCUMENTARIES, FASCINATING INTERVIEWS, AND CLASSIC MOVIES. FOR LICENSING ENQUIRIES VISIT British Pathé also represents the Reuters historical collection, which includes more than 136,000 items from the news agencies Gaumont Graphic (1910-1932), Empire News Bulletin (1926-1930), British Paramount (1931-1957), and Gaumont British (1934-1959), as well as Visnews content from 1957 to the end of 1984. All footage can be viewed on the British Pathé website.