Both are phenomenal. Ted Post was the greatest most underappreciated film and TV director on the face of God's green Earth. He directed many Twilight Zone episodes to their greatest. Films like this and the Dirty Harry film 'Magnum Force' are so superbly directed that the actors are completely indistinguishable from their characters. Even legendary Clint Eastwood seems a cop and not an actor star in that. A documentary on the POTA films very wrongly claims actor James Gregory gave a rousing performance as Gen. Ursus but it was really all Post's great directing that brought us this tremendous character-- Gregory had about nothing to do with it. Now as for Linda Harrison as Nova. She defied the greatest director around as her superb performance in this movie is coherent and as great as the first time she played the silent human lady. But here is another catch!! Looks in her case actually matter as her performance is indistinguishable from her sexy body. They intertwine too magnificently. See looks are important!