Customer Reviews

Atlantis, the Lost Continent [VHS]

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I would love to see this film either on widescreen DVD or at a revival house screening somewhere. Anybody who knows this movie is probably familiar with its production background: George Pal wanted to make a larger scale movie about Atlantis but MGM didn't give him the budget he needed; leftover footage from "Quo Vadis" was used in the final scenes when Atlantis is destroyed; Anthony Hall (actually singer Sal Ponti) and Joyce Taylor apparently weren't strong enough actors to avoid being somewhat upstaged by Edward Platt and John Dall, whose campy arrogance as the corrupt warlord is a pleasure to behold; and finally, scenes of flying soldiers were not included in the final film when they tested poorly in test screenings. Still, this film holds some real treasures: Paul Frees' somber narration before the titles, the powerful Atlantis theme by Russell Garcia, the amazing fish-shaped submarine, that fantastic crystal death-ray weapon, and most of all, the striking depiction of an ancient, technologically advanced but corrupt civilization that was destroyed by a volcano. Perhaps the fact that this is still the most well-known Atlantis movie is an indication of its strengths. One final note: the giant crystal death-ray device reappears as a prop in the Man from U.N.C.L.E. episode "The Concrete Overcoat Affair"! Also, some footage of the destruction of Atlantis at the end of the film reappears 23 years later in the Lou Ferigno film "The Adventures of Hercules".

Update: the DVD of this film can be purchased on the WBshop website !! Also check out Joyce Taylor on the Bat Masterson episode "Cattle and Cane" on the AOL website.

A Greek fisherman named Demetrios rescues a shipwrecked princess. He helps her return home and finds himself a slave in the advanced civilization of Atlantis. Due to arrogant corruption and moral laxity, the country is an abomination before heaven. Unexpected religious overtones enter the story. Impending doom hangs heavy in the air. The birds and animals flee the approaching destruction. Eventually, the earth moves, thunder crashes, and the volcano rocks-n-rolls. Others complain that this is an inferior effort from director George Pal. Comparisons aside, this is a good fantasy adventure story. The MGM production values are above average for this type of film. The animal men are demonic in their transition from human to animal. Demetrios's ordeal of fire and water is exciting. Take a basic sci-fi plot of a lost civilization, add "The Island of Dr. Moreau," mix with "Spartacus," splice in some costume spectacle, enhance with crisp color photography and you have this movie. In fact, the director uses footage from historical film epics in the explosive and fiery climax. The death ray is lethal, albeit primitive. There is an unfortunate lack of a Ray Harryhausen type rampaging monster. The grim visage horned idol just sits there when special effects could have done wonders. Bottom line, this is a "G" rated adventure story fine for family viewing. Baby boomers may recall seeing this film back in the early '60s at a Saturday matinee double feature teamed with some Italian spear and sandal epic. Nostalgia rules. ;-)

I remember as a kid seeing "Atlantis the Lost Continent" along with "Giant of Marathon" with Steve Reeves in May 1961 at the Eastown Theatre in Detroit.
Two handsome leading men (Reeves and Anthony Hall) save their kingdoms from doom and gloom and win the love of a beautiful lady in the process.
"Atlantis" has been panned by critics over the years yet I loved this film as a 12 year old in 1961. It was science fiction at it's best with colorful costumes, ogres, wolf men, mad scientists, beautiful maidens and villains. How about the submarine shaped like a fish!!
Anthony Hall as the greek fisherman could have used a little weight training from Mr biceps - Steve Reeves - as he appears a little too thin for a hero. The staged scene of Demetrious on a boat with his maiden (Joyce Taylor - by the way what ever happened to her?) passing through the pillars of Hercules is hopelessly silly with fake water sounds and fog along with horned owls hooting! Best part of the movie is Demetrious's fight with a giant ogre in a pool of fire and water. The ogre appears to be about 350 lbs and Demetrious outmaneuvers him and lights his hair on fire with hilarious laughing from the massive crowd in the "coliseum"
Some spectacular special effects at the end of the film with Atlantis exploding and disappearing into the sea.
The laser ray gun turning hapless victims into skeletons excited the matinee crowd in 1961.
This is a fun film made at a time when fantasy films were in vogue such as "Seventh Voyage of Sinbad", "The magic Sword", and "Jack the Giant Killer" In fact Kerwin Matthews (Sinbad) would have probably been a better choice for Demetrious.
Enjoy this film with the kids and dont worry about swearing, beheadings, and explicit sex. Good family fantasy.

This is a wounderful movie and still holds up after all these years. Why one star? Well it isnt the movie, its fantastic!....Alot of people complain about the Special Effects. ....It dosent need any. The origional movie was filmed in "Super Panivision "more like: 2:35:1 aspect ratio, and has been reduced to 1:33 VHS. watching this version, will at best give you a headace. Can you imagine driving thru the Red Woods wearing horse blinders, your view would be drastically altered. The special effects are the Splendor, Grandios, and giant set pieces. When I saw this on VHS I got dizzy from all the Pan and scan needed to reduce it to VHS size. Most of the best set pieces are seriouslly cropped, and the destruction seen, is reduced to a mild storm. You are only seeing about 1/4 of the action, and magnificent sets that cover the entire screen. 1 star for the VHS release, but 5 stars for the movie..... Let us pray to the DVD Gods to give this movie the release it so deservedlly needs!

This film offers a mixed bag for sci-fi and old film buffs. George Pal created lavish sets and excellent special effects, and added carboard actors and a script that will make you wince at times. However, there is enough spectacle to make up for the bad dialog. The House of Pain, where slaves become beasts (long before Michael York found the Island of Dr. Moreau). Deadly Crystal Weapons. And of course, the destruction of Atlantis. Movie trivia buffs might recognize the final moments of Atlantis - they were reused in a later Tony Randall film! (I am Lo-the to say which one.) Great fun, if not a great movie. END

I have a particular warm spot in my heart for the films of George Pal, and ATLANTIS, THE LOST CONTINENT is my favorite. To me, the movie is what I call the "Ultimate Saturday Afternoon Matinee". It's got everything - a brave Greek hero, a beautiful Atlantean princess, the "House of Fear", the "Trial of Fire and Water" in the colliseum, a gigantic crystal death ray and an apocalyptic finale!!! Does our hero survive or perish on the doomed continent? Your in for a treat finding out! With great production and a marvelous music score by Russel Garcia. *****Atlantis: The Lost ContinentAtlantis: The Lost Continent

OK, so it ISN'T "Citizen Kane"!

"Atlantis the Lost Continent" is STILL more fun than sleds FULL of rosebuds!!!!

Any movie with despotic/hammy actor leaders, people being turned into animals, crystal/laser death ray machines running amok,huge tidal waves, and portentous voice-overs is AOK with me, BIG TIME!!(did I say this isn't a documentary?)

I can't WAIT for this to show up on DVD!! MAJOR FUN!!

Producer/director George Pal is responsible for two of filmdom's best sci-fi/fantasy films: 1953's "The War of the Worlds" and "The Time Machine" from 1960. Because of the excellence of those productions, it is inevitable that anything else done by Pal would suffer in comparison.

"Atlantis, the Lost Continent" sports some of the producer's trademark state-of-the-art special effects (the Nautilus-like ocean craft and the use of other superbly crafted miniatures). However, the film's shortcomings lie in the cast.

While stars Anthony Hall and Joyce Taylor are good to look at and compliment each other, they just don't cut it in the acting department. In the aforementioned classic films, Pal had the fortune of having accomplished actors Gene Barry, Ann Robinson, Les Tremayne (all in "War..."), as well as Rod Taylor, Yvette Mimieux, and Alan Young in "Time".

The supporting actors of "Atlantis..." score a little better. Edward Platt, later to be "The Chief" on the 60's sitcom "Get Smart" and Jon Dall, veteran of Hitchcock's "The Rope" and the epic "Spartacus", do well in their respective roles of "Azor" and "Zaren".

The great mystery is why several actors' voices were dubbed by voice great Paul Frees (who provided the pre-credit narration). Frees, who also appeared in Pal's "War of the Worlds" as the newscaster reporting the impending A-bomb drop, was a staple for many animated features and had only one rival: Mel Blanc. To hear Frees's voice coming from at least three of "Atlantis's" characters is a wee bit disconcerting.

Anyone that enjoys the older fantasy films like "Jason and the Argonauts" or the old Hercules movies should enjoy this movie. It is a well made adventure with the lost city of Atlantis, a fish shaped submarine, mutated animal men, a giant, a crystal ray gun, and beautiful women. What more could you ask for a great Saturday afternoon matinee. Sure it may not be as entertaining to adults as it once was but the kids will certainly love it. The whole family can watch this one. This is at least a couple notches above the B movies. I am surprised this isn't out on DVD since I am sure it would sell. I can't beleive I am the only one that would buy it.

All configurations at the movie are being recreated again in our world, like human cloning and or chromosome manipulation, strange powerful rays and government & religious confabulations and fall.