Atlantis: The Lost Continent

Atlantis: The Lost Continent

Year: 1961

Runtime: 90 mins

Language: English

Director: George Pal

FantasyAdventure

A Greek fisherman rescues an Atlantean princess and is taken to Atlantis, where he becomes a slave. The king is controlled by an evil sorcerer who wants to harness a crystal that stores sunlight. These crystals power heat‑ray weapons, and the enslaved workers must mine them, leading to a battle to stop the sorcerer's world‑dominating scheme.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – Atlantis: The Lost Continent (1961)

Trace every key event in Atlantis: The Lost Continent (1961) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Rescue at sea

Demetrios and his father rescue Princess Antillia from a shipwreck, unaware she belongs to Atlantis. The rescue binds them to a dangerous voyage and to a princess they barely know. This moment sets the events that will drive their intertwined fates.

Sea near Atlantis
2

Decision to escort Antillia home

After saving her, Demetrios must travel beyond the Pillars of Hercules to return Antillia to her homeland. He faces a perilous voyage across unknown seas and a web of Atlantean politics. The mission transforms him from rescuer into an unwilling voyager.

Sea beyond the Pillars of Hercules
3

Picks up by Atlantean submarine

A giant fish‑like submarine boat rescues them near Atlantis and carries them toward the sunken empire. Demetrios quickly realizes that Antillia's survival is tied to Atlantis's fate. The encounter drags him deeper into Atlantean intrigue.

Sea near Atlantis
4

Enslavement in Atlantis

Rather than a reward, Demetrios is enslaved and forced to work in the volcano’s crystal mines. He endures brutal confinement as Atlantis uses the crystals to fuel its weaponry. The experience hardens him and seeds his resolve to resist.

Atlantis volcano crater
5

House of Fear

Taken to the House of Fear, Demetrios witnesses a mad scientist turning slaves into mindless beasts. The institution embodies the cruelty of Atlantean rule. The setting foreshadows the continent’s looming catastrophe.

House of Fear, Atlantis
6

Ordeal of fire and water: the ogre

In the arena, Demetrios faces the ordeal of fire and water by fighting a giant ogre in a pit of burning coals. He uses skill and wit to outmaneuver the hulking foe and strands the ogre’s hair in flames. The match ends with him emerging from a rising pool of water, and the crowd’s laughter shifts to awe.

During the ordeal Coliseum, House of Fear, Atlantis
7

Freedom granted as citizen

For his prowess, Demetrios is declared a free citizen of Atlantis. The crowd’s laughter becomes respect as his victory forces a change in his status. He begins to contemplate a future shaped by his newly earned freedom.

Immediately after the fight Atlantis arena
8

Signs of the coming catastrophe

A sense of impending doom hangs over Atlantis as birds, animals, and even insects flee the continent. Azar the high-priest explains the omens and warns that catastrophe is near. Demetrios resolves to rescue Antillia and aid the enslaved.

Atlantis
9

Power crystals demonstrated

Azar demonstrates two small versions of the power crystals and explains that a massive ray projector is nearing completion. He warns that the weapon could devastate civilizations if misused. The moment crystallizes the moral stakes of Atlantis’s technology.

Temple of Azar
10

Sabotage plan begins

Demetrios pretends to ally with Zaren, posing as a loyal conspirator to ensure the crystal's schedule stays on track. In truth, he collaborates with the slaves to sabotage the production. This double game sets the stage for a climactic confrontation.

Atlantis
11

Crystal forms, doom nears

Crystals form deep within the volcano, accelerating the continent’s destruction. The weapon’s power grows closer to activation, forcing a race against time. Demetrios and the slaves work to derail the process.

Leading up to the full moon Volcano interior, Atlantis
12

Full moon display and eruption begins

On the full moon, the finished crystal ray projector is unveiled to the Atlantean people. The skies darken and the ground trembles as Atlantis begins to break apart. Demetrios and Antillia push through panic to escape.

Full Moon Atlantis capital
13

Zaren's attack and Azar's counter

Zaren attempts to kill Demetrios and Antillia with the weapon, but the device goes out of control and wreaks havoc. Azar battles Zaren, using his own knife to destabilize the beam. Zaren is slain as the weapon's energy destroys the usurper.

During the destruction Atlantis capital
14

Atlantis sinks and rises

The continent sinks beneath the waves as the sea floor collapses and the main crystal reactor floods. Atlantis disappears beneath the ocean, taking the remaining citizens with it. Survivors flee to Greece and other lands, spreading the legend of Atlantis.

Cataclysmic eruption Atlantis
15

Survivors' exile and legend

Demetrios and Antillia reach Greece and blend with new cultures as the Atlantis myth travels across civilizations. The tale of a vanished continent becomes a legend that shapes myths and histories for centuries. The survivors’ journey marks the birth of the Atlantis legend.

After the sinking Greece and other lands

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 10:49

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Atlantis: The Lost Continent Summary

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Atlantis: The Lost Continent

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