Film 49/52: Warlords of Atlantis (1978)


Growing up, Doug McClure was a staple of weekday afternoon television thanks to three Amicus Studios fantasy films he starred in based on the works of Edgar Rice Burroughs (The Land That Time Forgot, The People That Time Forgot, and my favorite, At the Earth's Core, in which he starred opposite Peter Cushing and Caroline Munro). I was surprised years later to discover that he did a fourth fantasy film (not for Amicus, and from an original screenplay), Warlords of Atlantis. I've had a copy in the library for years, but after showing Vonna the trailer (which showcases several of the films interesting creatures), we selected this one for our 'W' film.

McClure is the creator of a diving bell helping a scientist and his son interested in finding the lost city of Atlantis. On their first dive, they're attacked by a sea creature, and after a narrow escape they find a golden statue — an artifact of Atlantis. The ship is attacked by a giant octopus, and several of the crew are dragged down to an underwater cavern where they encounter the surviving inhabitants of Atlantis. The Atlanteans, including dancer Cyd Charise (and her featured long legs), aren't the most compelling characters, but thankfully there are more monsters to keep things interesting. 

I was surprised to see John Ratzenberger (Cliff Claven from Cheers) in an early film role, which isn't odd considering just how many films he turns up in, except for the fact that he's actually present throughout the entire film, and not just a bit part as is more frequently the case.

The real stars that make the film worth watching are the creatures. While they are appropriately cheesy for a late 70s fantasy film (though no more so than having Doug McClure as a leading man), they also have a certain charm. My favorite is the sea creature who pops his head into the diving bell, though I think Vonna would give the edge to the giant octopus. 

While not a must-see film by any stretch of the imagination, I think it's fun for audiences that enjoy the similarly themed Burroughs films starring McClure. I'm glad we finally made a point of watching it.


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