"Two French Foreign Legionnaires are lost amid the shifting sands of the Sarah Dessert when they stumble across the entrance to an underground world. Searching this new found subterranean passage, our heroes are surprised to find the lost city of Atlantis. Ruling over this fantastic underworld realm, an evil queen sets her sights upon these strangers to her kingdom," according to the DVD sleeve's synopsis.
To begin, Legionnaire John Stuart (as André de Saint-Avit) responds to modern speculation about the lost city of Atlantis by proclaiming he and partner Gustav Diessl (as Jean Morhange) actually visited the legendary city. A flashback recounts the men being kidnapped, and brought to Atlantis; it is still in existence, a labyrinth beneath the Sarah Desert. Beautiful and bewitching Brigitte Helm (as Antinea) is the city's ruler; descended from ancient queens, she has an insect-like agenda for the men caught in her web.
Extraordinarily directed (by G.W. Pabst) and photographed (by Eugen Schüfftan and Ernst Körner), "The Mistress of Atlantis" offers a lot of eye-appeal; but its storyline suffers considerably, in comparison. Searching for information on Pierre Benoit's original novel, "L'Atlantide", will uncover the sexuality buried in the mix. Ms. Helm and Mathias Wieman (as Ivar Torstenson) heat things up a little, however. "Die Herrin von Atlantis" (1932), the German version, must be considered definitive.
****** The Mistress of Atlantis (1932) G.W. Pabst ~ John Stuart, Brigitte Helm, Mathias Wieman
To begin, Legionnaire John Stuart (as André de Saint-Avit) responds to modern speculation about the lost city of Atlantis by proclaiming he and partner Gustav Diessl (as Jean Morhange) actually visited the legendary city. A flashback recounts the men being kidnapped, and brought to Atlantis; it is still in existence, a labyrinth beneath the Sarah Desert. Beautiful and bewitching Brigitte Helm (as Antinea) is the city's ruler; descended from ancient queens, she has an insect-like agenda for the men caught in her web.
Extraordinarily directed (by G.W. Pabst) and photographed (by Eugen Schüfftan and Ernst Körner), "The Mistress of Atlantis" offers a lot of eye-appeal; but its storyline suffers considerably, in comparison. Searching for information on Pierre Benoit's original novel, "L'Atlantide", will uncover the sexuality buried in the mix. Ms. Helm and Mathias Wieman (as Ivar Torstenson) heat things up a little, however. "Die Herrin von Atlantis" (1932), the German version, must be considered definitive.
****** The Mistress of Atlantis (1932) G.W. Pabst ~ John Stuart, Brigitte Helm, Mathias Wieman