Verdict
Summary
A fun, if slightly disjointed Italian sword and sorcery film with an appealing Reg Park in the title role, Hercules and the Captive Women (a.k.a. Hercules Conquers Atlantis) has just about everything a movie like this should have, including a muscular hero, mythological creatures, impossible feats of strength, beautiful women, and all the good stuff kids should grow up on, no matter the decade.
Plot:
Hercules goes to Atlantis and saves a woman meant to be sacrificed, which causes upheaval in the realm.
Review:
Hercules (Reg Park in his first of several appearances as the titular hero) goes on a voyage with some allies and ends up on a little island where he battles a lizard creature, who is actually the son of Uranus. By defeating the monster, he frees a pretty maiden named Ismene (Laura Efrikian) from captivity, and she leads him and his small crew to Atlantis, her homeland. Once there, Hercules is met with consternation from the population there – namely Ismene’s mother, and evil queen who offered her daughter to Uranus as a sacrifice years previously. The realm is enraged by Hercules and his affront to their gods, but they have no idea that he’s the son of Zeus and is more powerful than they can imagine. They create a race of men just as strong as Hercules with the hope to defeat him, but he’s just too good to vanquish. Meanwhile, Hercules’s son comes on the heels of his father and gets mixed up in the adventure, but he’s captured – along with entire generations of men who were offered as sacrifices to the Atlantean gods – and Hercules has to rescue them all and help them overthrow the evil Atlanteans. The war they ignite causes a volcano to erupt, destroying Atlantis forever.
A fun, if slightly disjointed Italian sword and sorcery film with an appealing Reg Park in the title role, Hercules and the Captive Women (a.k.a. Hercules Conquers Atlantis) has just about everything a movie like this should have, including a muscular hero, mythological creatures, impossible feats of strength, beautiful women, and all the good stuff kids should grow up on, no matter the decade. It was filmed in beautiful color, and is thoroughly enjoyable. From director Vittorio Cottafavi. Hercules in the Haunted World was next.
The Film Detective has just released a premium Blu-ray edition of Hercules and the Captive Women, and the 4K restoration looks and sounds wonderful. New special features include liner notes by C. Courtney Joyner, a new audio commentary by Tim Lucas, a new documentary, the Mystery Science Theater 3000 version of the film, and a new intro.
