Producer/director had scored in the fifties and early sixties with the Oscar-winning, special effects-laden hits "When Worlds Collide," "The War of the Worlds," and "The Time Machine." It would seem fitting that his track record would continue with "Atlantis, the Lost Continent." Unfortunately, "Atlantis" didn't do as well commercially or critically, partially due in part to the weak leads. Though both stars Anthony Hall and Joyce Taylor are "good on the eyes," they are not quite up to par in the acting department. Both seem stiff and ill at ease with their respective parts of hero and heroine.
The supporting players fare better. Jon Hall, who had starred in Hitchcock's "Rope" and Kubrick's "Spartacus" gets the chew scenery as the wicked "Zaren" while the future "Chief" from "Get Smart", Edward Platt, is sincere as "Azor the High Priest" and Taylor's father.
Like any Pal film, much of the "star power" is in the special effects and the aquatic submersible and death ray provide just the right touch of then-state-of-the-art technology.
The storyline is weak but for fans of the genre, this is not a bad way to spend an evening's viewing and comes mildly recommended.
The supporting players fare better. Jon Hall, who had starred in Hitchcock's "Rope" and Kubrick's "Spartacus" gets the chew scenery as the wicked "Zaren" while the future "Chief" from "Get Smart", Edward Platt, is sincere as "Azor the High Priest" and Taylor's father.
Like any Pal film, much of the "star power" is in the special effects and the aquatic submersible and death ray provide just the right touch of then-state-of-the-art technology.
The storyline is weak but for fans of the genre, this is not a bad way to spend an evening's viewing and comes mildly recommended.