Atlantis the Lost Continent

**BoG** Sun Mar 18, 2012 7:18 pm

What's Happening: Greek fisherman journeys to Atlantis and finds both love and terror
Famous For: Worst feature film by George Pal
John Brosnan calls this film "a severe let-down", and indeed it is unless you watch it with low expectations as I did. Then, as long as you don't die of boredom during the first 20 minutes, you'll find a gorgeous if formulaic fantasy adventure. Characters are types, too obviously good (like Edward Platt's high priest) or evil (like John Dall's scheming minister). Simplistic family-oriented pandering (references to the "one true God") sits uneasily aside grotesque gore (people being transformed into animals via mad Atlantean science). Purposefully stilted dialogue (" Ill I have been, my dear, with grief and worry.") makes it difficult for the actors to shine. Missed opportunities are everywhere but, thankfully, the greatest opportunity of all - the destruction sequence - is very good. Jim Danforth (Equinox) created matte paintings and miniatures that surpass their Toho contemporaries . The volcano looks particularly great. The giant disintegrator is also fun. In the temple is an awesome six-horned minotaur statue. Bill Warren calls the film a "sorry mess" and even faults the destruction sequence for using too much stock footage. He might be right. His favorite image was the sea monster submarine.

Goldweber, David Elroy (2012-06-14). Claws & Saucers: Science Fiction, Horror, and Fantasy Film: A Complete Guide: 1902-1982 (Kindle Locations 3372-3396). David E. Goldweber. Kindle Edition.

Trivia of a Lost Continent:
very early role for William Smith (as Bill Smith) as a Captain of the Guards; very muscular and a weightlifter, he went on to star in a bunch of biker films about a decade later and was the villain in many seventies films, though he was heroic in Invasion of the Bee Girls (73). Ed Platt, who plays a high priest, became famous on sixties TV as Max Smart's boss on Get Smart