Starring Patrick Wayne, John Ashley, Leigh Christian, Sid Haig, Lenore Stevens
Directed by Eddie Romero
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A band of men and a lady archaeologist visit a Greek island seeking a fortune in pearls, and find evidence the bug-eyed natives may be descendants of the residents of Atlantis.
Like a number of Filipino filmmaker Romero's productions with American stars, this isn't a good film, and those interested in the Atlantis angle won't find much to satisfy them here. The movie is largely made up of lengthy underwater sequences featuring the skimpily attired Christian leading Wayne and Ashley in searches for the pearls. Although there are hints of more fascinating story elements, such as the natives' ability to survive underwater without oxygen, a temple containing Atlantean artifacts which is kept off limits by the natives, and a pressing need for Christian's princess to become pregnant by one of the outsiders, those elements are mentioned but frustratingly never explained. It was good to see Sid Haig have a meaty role as the cruel leader of the men, but few others in the cast stood out, although Ashley had a way different appearance than his clean-cut appearance in the 50s, with a mop of curly hair and a grizzled unshaven face for most of the film. George Nader, best known for his part in the ridiculed 1950s film Robot Monster, plays the leader of the island, but not memorably so. The story culminates in a violent confrontation between the natives and the outsiders but rather than providing a satisfying payoff for the film, I found it rather lackluster.
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