RAIDERS OF ATLANTIS, THE

aka I predatori di Atlantide (Fr), Atlantis Inerno (WG), Raiders of Atlantis (US)
1983
Italy
Massimo & Sandro Amati for Regency
Director: Roger Franklin [Ruggero Deodato]
Story: Vincenzo Mannino
Screenplay: Vincenzo Mannino, Dardano Sacchetti
Music: Guido & Maurizio De Angelis
Cinematography: Roberto D'Ettore Piazzoli {Telecolor}
Editor: Vincenzo Tomassi
Filmed: Exteriors shot in the US and The Philippines
Release information: Registered 10.11.83. Italy (25.11.83), France 15.10.86, Paris, 92 mins), West Germany (25.11.83, 92 mins)
Cast: Christopher Connelly (Mike Ross), Marie Fields [Gioia Maria Scola] (Dr. Cathy Rollins), Tony King (Washington, aka Mohammed), George Hilton (Professor Peter Saunders), Ivan Rassimov (Bill Cook), Mike Miller (Klaus Nemnez), Bruce Baron (head of the raiders), Michael [Michele] Soavi (James), John Blade [Giancarlo Prati] (Frank), Morris Fard [Maurizio Fardo] (Larry Stoddard), Mike Monty (George), John Vasallo (Manuel), Lewis A. Cianelli (commander of the oil rig), James Demby, Audrey Perkins
Uncredited: Ruggero Deodato (oil rig assistant)

Okay, get this for a plot. A Russian sub sinks and the radiation from its nuclear missiles causes Atlantis to resurface. Meanwhile, on all the neighbouring islands, formerly normal members of society shave the sides of their head, customise their motor vehicles and slaughter everyone who doesn't look like an extra from an Adam & The Ants video. A group of survivors led by two soldiers of fortune, Mike (Chris Connelly) and Washington (Tony King), are forced to fight for their lives and are (of course) slowly picked off one by one.

Amongst them is an expert in 'pre-Columbian dialects' (Gioia Scola) who seems to be of more than a passing interest to the post-apocalyptic party posse. Evidently she has managed to decipher some secret of their history that even they have forgotten and which holds the key to their power. She is soon captured and whisked off to the newly resuscitated continent (err, small island). Seeing that aggression is the best form of defence, the surviving members of the group decide to follow and strike at the heart of their opponents.

Well, I've heard some tall stories and watched some bizarre films in my time, but this one just about takes the biscuit. Don't get me wrong, I'm not putting Raiders of Atlantis down. It's a hugely enjoyable romp that bristles with kinetic energy and has a fair smattering of nicely effective moments. It's just that whoever came up with this plot is completely bezerk.

Generally lumped in with Mad Max (79) rip-offs such as Endgame (Endgame - Bronx lotta finale, 83), The Bronx Warriors (1990: I guerrieri del Bronx, 82) and The New Barbarians (I Nuovi barbari, 82), this actually steals from such a variety of sources that it becomes a concoction that has an identity all of it's own. Along with the preponderance of silly coiffures there are references to the zombie genre, Raiders of the Lost Ark (81) and the jungle escapades already popularised by Ruggero Deodata. Probably the most memorable sequence is that in which the heroes enter a coastal town to find it the subject of a massacre. With 'aesthetically arranged' corpses, burnt out cars and a jukebox that stutters as it is kicked by the feet of a strung up victim, this is most definitely the work of an above average filmmaker.

Along the way you can marvel at a selection of Miami Vice lookalikes wearing shiny suits with rolled up- sleeves. It also soon becomes apparent that the actual reason for the 'Atanteans' antisocial behaviour is that they need an endless supply of leather trousers and make-up, thereby forcing them to go on a mad looting rampage when they find the eyeliner stocks running rather low in the local Boots.

Merely adding to the fun is the excellent cast, all of who seem to be enjoying themselves immensely (if looking understandably confused at times). Chris Connelly is at his most likeable, American football star Tony King handles the physical stuff well, Gioia Scola provides some necessary glamour and those two old faves, Rassimov and Hilton (putting in a nicely understated, atypical performance as a rather cerebral professor) share quality screentime together again.

So come on then, everybody join in with the celebrated jolly (and jolly catchy) 'Oliver Onions' theme tune;
"Falling, falling…black inferno
Rolling, rolling…black inferno…"
Yeah, baby.

Matt B