Product Details

• Actors: Sal Ponti, Joyce Taylor, John Dall, William Smith, Edward Platt
• Directors: George Pal
• Writers: Daniel Mainwaring, Gerald Hargreaves
• Producers: George Pal
• Format: Color, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: MGM (Warner)
• VHS Release Date: September 1, 1998
• Run Time: 90 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6302804752
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #11,814 in Video (See Bestsellers in Video)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #7 in	Video > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy > Lost Worlds
  #15 in	Video > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy > Mythological
  #51 in	Video > Classics > Classic Sci-Fi

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Saturday matinee delight., March 25, 2002

By	Robert S. Clay Jr. (St. Louis, MO., USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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. ;-)

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars When is the widescreen DVD coming?, October 31, 2005

By	M. Okada (Pasadena, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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"!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Cheesy but fun sci-fi film with great effects for the time., September 21, 1998

By	Robert A. Stein "Posti" (Norfolk, VA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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