Atlantis, the Lost Continent (1961)

Director:

George Pal

Writers:

Gerald Hargreaves (play)
Daniel Mainwaring (writer)

Release Date:

3 May 1961 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

SIGHTS NEVER BEFORE SEEN - Adventure never before experienced!

Plot:

A Greek Fisherman brings an Atlantean Princess back to her homeland which is the mythical city of Atlantis...

Plot Keywords:

King Neptune | Fall From Height | Torch | Insect Swarm | Moon

US TV Schedule:

Thur. July 31

10:45 AM

TCM

Cast

Sal Ponti	...	Demetrios (as Anthony Hall)
Joyce Taylor	...	Princess Antillia
John Dall	...	Zaren
William Smith	...	Captain of the Guard (as Bill Smith)
Edward Platt	...	Azor the High Priest
Frank DeKova	...	Sonoy the Astrologer
Berry Kroeger	...	Surgeon
Edgar Stehli	...	King Kronas
Wolfe Barzell	...	Petros, Demetrios' Father
Jay Novello	...	Xandros the Greek Slave
Paul Frees	...	Narrator / multiple voices (voice)

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #19705) | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Santa Catalina Island, Channel Islands, California, USA

Company:

George Pal Productions

Trivia:

One of the factors that led to MGM's green-lighting of this production was the recent success of the U.S. release of Pietro Francisci's Fatiche di Ercole, Le (1958) (US title: "Hercules"). This began the cycle of spectacle films about Greek and Roman mythological heroes.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Antillia steals the boat, the background shows the sea with normal waves. When Demetrios swims out to the boat the water is extremely calm. This also gives away the fact that the shot of Hall swimming was done in a studio tank.

Quotes:

Narrator: When Columbus discovered America, a series of mysteries arose to confound the scholars of Europe. Here are two continents, completely isolated from each other, yet they simultaneously developed similar cultures. For example, the Mayans measured time on the same principle as the Gregorian calendar of Europe...

Movie Connections:

References The Ten Commandments (1956)

Overlooked, hard to find and not too bad.

I agree that this is not one of George Pal's stronger efforts, but it does have merit. The sinking of Atlantis at the conclusion still looks good today even though some of the shots of the burning city were taken from "Quo Vadis."

Near the end of the film Russell Garcia's music repeats an easily remembered motif from his "Time Machine" score.

Edward Platt's performance as High Priest Azor is one of the best in the film although I kept expecting someone to call him "Chief."

The writing is a little stiff as it always seems to be in these ancient times epics. The only real awkward moment is the bizarre chant the slaves recite as they twist the giant drill in order to speed the eruption of the volcano.

Very colorful sets and costumes along with the usual amount of special effects mayhem you would anticipate from George Pal. The lead f/x man was A. Arnold Gillespie who worked on "The Wizard of Oz" and "Gone With the Wind." The miniature sets and explosions are especially good.

An overlooked, above average spectacle from one of the best showmen working in Hollywood at the time.