Atlantis, the Lost Continent is a 1961 American science fiction film in Metrocolor produced and directed by George Pal and starring Sal Ponti (under the screen name of Anthony Hall), Joyce Taylor, and John Dall.

[2] The film's storyline concerns the events leading up to the total destruction of the mythical continent of Atlantis during the time of Ancient Greece.

The Greek fisherman Demetrios and his father rescue Princess Antillia from a shipwreck without knowing that she is from the technologically advanced civilization of Atlantis.

After they are picked up at sea near Atlantis by a giant fish-like submarine boat, Demetrios, expecting to receive a reward for returning Antillia, is instead enslaved and forced to work in the crater of the volcano that dominates the center of the continent.

[3] King Cronus is being manipulated by an ambitious usurper, Zaren, collaborating with the court sorcerer, Sonoy the Astrologer, who wishes to use the resources of Atlantis to conquer the known world.

Taken to the House of Fear, where a mad scientist turns slaves into mindless beast-humans, Demetrios is saved by being given the chance to undergo the "ordeal of fire and water".

Various groups of survivors, including Demetrios and Antillia, flee to Greece and other parts of the world, where they are absorbed into other cultures, and the legend of Atlantis is spread through the many peoples and nations that follow down through the centuries.

[5] In June 1960 Paul announced that Italian sword and sandal actor Fabrizio Mioni, best known for his portrayal of Jason in Hercules had been signed as the lead.

Props from other film productions were also reused, including the large temple idol from The Prodigal, Krell instrument gauges from Forbidden Planet, and wardrobes from Diane and Ben-Hur.

The film's prologue, describing the legend of Atlantis, utilizes stop motion animation by producer George Pal that he had developed earlier in his career for his innovative Puppetoons series.

[12] Author David Wingrove had similar criticisms in his Science Fiction Film Source Book: "No expense was spared in buying up footage from Quo Vadis to give it true period flavour.

One person, apparently recognizing the footage taken from Quo Vadis, wrote "The scene where Robert Taylor saved Deborah Kerr from the fire".