Raiders of Atlantis aka Atlantis Interceptors-
an HD(Remastered in 4K) Bluray from Severin-your senses will never be the same….
The film starts off with a rousing song from the writing/composers/singers/producers duo -Guido & Maurizio De Angelis* see more this duo in the bonus section…
And then we are thrown right into a kidnapping pulled off by Tony King(ex-Buffalo Bills player-Bronk TV series)and Christopher Connelly(Peyton Place). These two chew up the screen and you can tell had a tremendous amount of fun making this WTF Scifi actioner. In fact much for the dialog between Tony and Christopher was ad libbed.
Raiders is almost a take on alternate futures*discussed in Science Fiction Italian Style. Maybe what might happen if we happen to disturb an sunken Russian nuclear sub if one just was found resting atop Atlantis’ resting place. Would be Atlanteans having mixed with “human” society in the past. Waiting for a day when she would rise from the sea. These would be conquerors just biding time and when the day comes digging out their modified bikes(motorcycles) with armor and lances, arrows and flame throwers to attack the citizens of the surrounding carribean islands/ Miami.
Well this may all sound fantastic and it is. But it is all up on the big celluloid screen to view or at home on your new 4K UHD TV. But what the title does not indicate but none the less we are treated to one WTF piece of ooozing , over the top battles, with stunts galore and explosions and an underground lair hidden in what had been a submerged tropical island now risen from the sea floor.
We are talking punk rocker bike fiends in outlandish leather outfits with pink and orange hair and one guy who rides around in a clear bubble type helmet commanding all authority. (shades of Road Warrior aka Mad Max II).
The kidnapped scientist-
Will she become one of them? What is her connection to the Atlantean race?
Will our heroes end up like this?
- ***And do they offer 401K and Dental Floss? I for one hope so…just wanted to see if yop were paying attention…
- The ancient tablet found on the sea floor-?Where does it fit in to all of this?
Well you’ll just have to wtach to find out…no spoilers here.
Directed by Rugerreo Deodato. Providing an action packed,suspenseful thrill ride into what very well maybe our destined future…
offering a stunt-laden filled immersion with psychodelic overtones along with awesome locales and sets. A highly entertaining of grindhouse cult cinema.
Severin has packed this bluary collectors edition with lots of cheeky extras, which the highlight of the day is the charming and often hilarious audio commentary by Tony King. An interview with Director Ruggero Deodato and Cinematographer Roberto D’Etorre Piazolli is also included. Make sure you take in this excellent insight to filmmaking. Especially in the glory days of pop culture-the New Wave MTV generation-the “80s. Italian Style.
Deodato was an experienced assistant/director well before the ’80s. He cutr his teeth on thje original all time-iconic Euro(“spahegtti)Western-Django. What a place to begin but with Sergio Corbucci. He helped reboot the cannibal/jungle genre in the later ’70s.
And one of my favs The Barbarians(Kino Lorber recently released on Bluray*link below) starring the “Barbarian” brothers & Mr Villain himself -Richard Lynch(The Sword and the Sorceror out soon in 4K_Shout Factory** see below).
Great sets-look to the swamp scenes smoke fog and creepy crawly slimey things, funny dialog swapped between brothers-Peter and Dave Paul, undisputed action and of course stunts with Eva La Rue (All My Children & CSI:Miami) as the herione.
Stunt Gallery-
For now I leave the with means to stimulate you senses both visually and auratorically… I just hope you make back from this journey beyond and maybe -just maybe this was only a dream …
Doc, standing by til next time ….
Bonus-
The theme from Your Hunter From the Future by Guido and Maurizio De Angelis
This prolific song writing team made a name for themseleves scoring for another duo- Terrence Hill and Bud Spencer as they chewed up the Italian Box-office during the ’70s through the early ’80s making some of the funniest action comedies including All The Way Boys(one of my favorites)and Watch Out We’re Mad. And ofcourse Zorro is Back for the 1975 film starring Alain Delon .. give that one a listen. People could not get enough of them …
Guido and Maurizio had a distinct way of adding funk in to what ever they were working on. Guitars and synthesizers. especially when it came to action … comedy you could always hear player paino sound with more traditional intruments-banjos, horns.
Other film projects included —Thrillers- Killer Fish(Lee Majors) & The Last Shark(James Franciscus), more Action Comedies -Bomber & Flatfoot film series(Bud Spencer), Watch Out We’re Mad(Hill & Spencer), Giallos — Torso. Even a take on US film releases as in Convoy Buddies(Think Convoy(Kris Kirstofferson)and all those Trucker films in the ’70s to early ’80s Highballin(Jerry Reed) and White Line Fever(Jan Michael Vincent).***see my salute to the Trucker genre below-
If you are going to look in to their body of work make sure you also search Oliver Onions-which Guido and Maurizio were also known to write and produce music under. It is extensive. Currently Amazon Music has many of their hist avaialble as MP3 and avaiable to stream as part of the service…
Related material-links.
Science Fiction Italian Style by Matt Blake(Eurospy Guide)
Published by Wild Eye
As a reference book this is must for filmmaking students & aficionados. Loaded with lobby cards, posters and stills. Broken down in to sub-genres or categories with in these chapters-Alternative Futures, Science Goes Mad, The Aleins are Among Us! Italians in Space- and more.
Spanning the years 1958–2000 Matt starts off with the precursor to the real boom during the space race to the moon in real vs reel: the ’60s. Hercules Against the Moon Men(Alan Steel & Jany Clair) and The Giant of Metropolis(Gordon Mitchell) peplum/scifi. And moving to the Eurospy genre with Danger Diabolik(Dir Mario Bava & John Phillip Law), Danger!Death Ray(Gordon Scott-Tarzan) & even Dr Goldfoot played by Vincent Price in delish films one with Girl Bombs and the other a Bikini Machine.
If it’s space travel then look no further than Planet of the Vampires and Starcrash plus Humanoid starring Richard Kiel(Moonraker) to the almost pornographic Beast in Space. Exploitation-Grindhouse in nature at times.
Our lead film above Raiders of Atlantis is here too as well as my favorite- Yor hunter From the Future starring Reb Brown*see my tie in article …
Conquering Atlantis-
Kino Lorber- It’s truly Barbaric!!!! … it took more than one barbarian to tame a land from long ago…
Shout Factory-
Get ready for a icon of pop culture and cult cinema —It’s legendary!!! coming in 4K
And here’s something to bite on while you endure through all that anticipation is about….
