Hercules and the Captive Women (1961)

Ercole alla conquista di Atlantide
Hercules and the Conquest of Atlantis

Cast:

Reg Park is Ercole (Hercules)
Fay Spain is Queen Antinea of Atlantis
Ettore Manni is Androclo, Re di Tebe
Luciano Marin is Illo
Laura Efrikian is Ismene, Antinea's Daughter

What the box says:

Hercules returns just in time to save a gorgeous damsel in distress from the clutches of a wicked monster. The grateful beauty takes him to her home in Atlantis. Hercules must intervene again to save her from her murderous mother and some unfriendly inhabitants. Hercules, his son, and the maiden escape before the city and its population are destroyed.

Plot:

King Androcleas of Thebes goes to see the prophets for the starnge things that have been happening lately. All he learns is some "danger from afar" warning. He tries to unite the other Kings of Greece. However, none of them will unite against the threat.

Hercules's wife, Ayonsara, doesn't want him or their son, Hyus, to go with Androcleas. Hercules refused the king and vowed to watch the kingdom instead. He goes to see his friend off. Hyus is hiding belowdecks (he always wanted to go off but didn't want dear old dad to know.) Androcleas and Timocleus, the midget, spike Hercules's drink. Several hours later, Hercules awakens and finds they took him on the boat with them.

A storm hits the ship, and Androcleas is thrown overboard. Before, Hercules can do anything, the ship gets torn apart. Hercules reaches an island and finds Ismene chained to a cliff. Proteus (or what looks like a deformed Gorn from Star Trek) attacks Hercules.

Captain Kirk will fight the Gorn a couple of thousands from now.. Proteus apparently can morph into various creatures like Animal Man. Proteus in a lion suit jumps the hero. Of course, Hercules defeats him.

Hercules and Ismene are teleported to Atlantis. He walks into the temple.

This is a lair for an evil queen. Antonea, Queen of Atlantis, isn't happy with Atlanis's cloaking field quitting or the fact that her daughter, Ismene, is among those of the living. The queen thanks Hercules.

The Queen knew all along that her daughter would have to be sacrificed so Atlantis would survive.

Hercules thinks he sees Androcleas.

Hyus and Timocleus reach the beach of Atlantis. They see soldiers tie Ismene to a pole.

We'll tie you to the stake and not let any Ray Harryhausen monsters get you. Well, these two decide they better do something about it and rescue the girl.

Hercules is enjoying the palace entertainment but refuses to stay and will start searching for Androcleas. That night, a guard attacks Hercules. He's shocked to discover that it's Androcleas rambling on the strength of Atlantis and the destruction of Greece. The Queen walks up and apologizes for the guard's insanity.

Queen learns that her daughter was rescued by some strangers. The bringer of the bad news gets dropped into a pit of acid.

All evil overlords need some torturing dungeon. That's not the Queen's only brilliant idea. She has been trying to create a new super race and those that don't cut the mustard are tossed in a pit.
No Stephen King's super flu remains in this area.

Timocleus, Hyus, and Ismene hide from the soldiers. They follow the soldiers after they realize Androcleus is with them and see the king dropped into a pit. Hercules catches up and discovers his friends on the island. He starts freeing the prisoners.

Apparently, a rock on Mt Death is what is being used for the Queen's eugenic program. Hercules heads off to destroy the rock and discovers the rock has the blood of Uranus. Queen wants to rule over humans and the Greek gods. Hercules is revealed the secret that sunlight may destroy the rock.

Hyus and Ismene of course fall in love. The freed Atlanteans decide now is the time to attack the city like any good angry mob would do.

The slaves mob the soldiers. Hercules discovers that the Queen has Hyus and offers to let Hercules to join her side. She siccs her super soldiers (who are as strong as Hercules) on Hercules when he refuses. He is imprisoned side by side with Hyus. They're able to lift the door to escape.

Hercules sends Hyus to get a boat ready for them while he finishes the rock. Hercules does the horse chariot version of the Molotov cocktail to set the super soldiers on fire. Reaching the mountain, he tears a hole in the roof of the cave so the sunlight may reach the rock.

Hyus finds Timocleus who tells him that the soldiers grabbed Ismene and Androcleus on the ship. Hyus reaches the ship and keeps it from being set afire.

Hercules jumps from the mountain and swims to the ship. The sunlight finally touches the rock which starts the stock volcanic footage. The palace collapses with the columns crushing the Queen to death. The island sinks into the ocean.

On the ship, Androcleas regians his memory but for the crazed Atlantean soldier, etc...

What I say:

The late 1950s saw Hercules which was the start of the Italian peplum movies. Through the 1960s, quite a few other movies were made. A number of them were dubbed into English with characters renamed Hercules or son of Hercules: Hercules and the Masked Rider and Mole Men Against the Son of Hercules.

Hercules movies aren't known for having deep plots or even having the kind of plots from really bad fanfic. The story in Hercules in New York is one of the most atrocious stories in most movies. Hercules Against the Moon Men and Hercules and the Tyrants of Babylon are just the typical heroic movies fighting monsters or soldiers. Any movie that has any kind of Iguana monster that resembles the Star Trek Gorn should be respected. If the monster can change into various animals a lion like Animal Man can, the movie should have some working for it. The monster morphing into various creatures may be the high point of the movie.

Hercules wants to stay home and not get involved in the fiasco. Unfortunately, he doesn't seem that angry about being drugged and kidnapped by his friends. Let alone how mad his wife is going to be when he gets back. Of course, she may automatically believe him when he explains how many times his drinks get spiked with roofies. Thankfully, Hercules isn't the one who loses his memory in this movie. Yes, he did in Hercules Unchained.

Are there enough movies with enough midgets? Not enough midgets are in Greek based mythological movies. This movie gives us, Timocleus. Unfortunately, he is the unfunny sidekick who runs around to deliver messages between main characters. In fact current day, he's the equivalent of an annoying ringtone on a cellphone.

I have to think that the way the movie was dubbed and edited must have cut the running ime on the movie. The queen trying to conquer the world, enslave the Greeks and their gods, and sacrifice her daughter to save Atlantis from being destroyed does seem to be quite a bit of the movie considering she doesn't appear for the first 30 minutes or so. It doesn't quite explain what Androcleas learns other than from a prophet speaking very mystertiously about an upcoming danger.

Quotable Dialogue
"Who would dare attack the Greeks?"
"What a waste for a fine throne!"
"Shut up, you little weasel!"
"Don't put me in the acid!"
"With dead men who walk unbelievable horrors..."
"You must protect us mighty Uraqnus!"
Morals of the Story
Spears shoud be used for map pointers.
Hercules is easily drugged on roofies.
Hercules loves to let midegets sit on his lap.
Hercules knows how others can easily drug him.
Steel doors easily catch on fire.