Latitude Zero (Atragon II) (Ido zero daisakusen) (1969)

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(315 ratings)

Godzilla maven Inoshiro Honda helmed this quaint, old-fashioned fantasy adventure (loosely styled after 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea) about the crew of a damaged deep-sea craft who are taken aboard a high-tech atomic submarine dubbed "Alpha," commanded by the Nemo-like Captain McKenzie Joseph… More Godzilla maven Inoshiro Honda helmed this quaint, old-fashioned fantasy adventure (loosely styled after 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea) about the crew of a damaged deep-sea craft who are taken aboard a high-tech atomic submarine dubbed "Alpha," commanded by the Nemo-like Captain McKenzie Joseph Cotten. The Captain then transports them to the underwater city of Latitude Zero, whose inhabitants are dedicated to monitoring and protecting human civilization. Cotten's next mission involves the rescue of a Japanese doctor from the clutches of the diabolical Dr. Malic Cesar Romero, whose scientific experiments include the transplanting of human brains into various animals. Mindless fun, with some marginally effective underwater model effects, and Honda even throws in a few giant rubber-suit monsters for old times' sake. ~ Cavett Binion, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 39 min.
Directed By: Ishirô Honda
Genres: Action & Adventure, Horror, Art House & International, Science Fiction & Fantasy

In Theaters: Jul 26, 1969 Wide
On DVD: Dec 11, 2007

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El Hombre I

The legendary director Ishiro Honda brings Joseph Cotten (Citizen Kane, The Third Man) with um...Cesar Romero (best known as The Joker from the very kitschy 60's Batman) and Richard Jaeckle (fill in the blank) along with top Japanese special effects man Eiji Tsuburaya together… More
The legendary director Ishiro Honda brings Joseph Cotten (Citizen Kane, The Third Man) with um...Cesar Romero (best known as The Joker from the very kitschy 60's Batman) and Richard Jaeckle (fill in the blank) along with top Japanese special effects man Eiji Tsuburaya together for one of the most high-budgeted, unusual, science fiction/fantasy films ever. The story is sort of a 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea (or Meters in this case) meets The Island of Dr. Moreau. The miniature models and special effects are on par with some of the best Godzilla films, but the monster costumes really leave a lot to be desired. Cesar Romero plays the evil Dr. Malic who, in his leather knee-high boots and cape, is in a constant battle to the death with the flamboyant Captain McKenzie, played by Joseph Cotten who looks as if he just stepped off the set of a Swedish Erotica film. A brilliant scientist, a leather-clad asian henchwoman, gold bikinis and go-go boots, a lion with a human brain and surgically attached vulture wings, man-bats, and so on. The film itself is incredibly juvenile, but the awesome sets are done in a flashy 1960's psychedelic style. The costume designs are also out-of-this-world. A feature thrown off balance by budget cuts during filming and effects man Tsuburaya's failing health during the filming process. Still fun if Toho productions are your thing. They are mine. <a href="http://s273.photobucket.com/albums/jj203/goji9000/?action=view¤t=LatitudeZerogoldandgoggles.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj203/goji9000/LatitudeZerogoldandgoggles.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>