Tauchfahrt des Schreckens

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Abb. 1 Das originale Film-Poster von 'Warlords of Atlantis' (1978)

(red) Tauchfahrt des Schreckens ist der deutsche Titel des 96-minütigen, US-amerikanischen SF/Fantasy-Farbfilms Warlords of Atlantis aus dem Jahr 1978, bei dem Kevin Connor Regie führte. Das Drehbuch zu dieser Geschichte, bei der es tatsächlich um einen Besuch in der versunkenen Welt von Atlantis geht, stammt von Brian Hayles, und wurde später von Paul Victor zu einem Roman umgeschrieben.

Die Handlung

Eine ausführliche Inhaltsangabe von Warlords of Atlantis haben wir bei der englischsprachigen WIKIPEDIA entdeckt und ins Deutsche übersetzt: "Around the turn of the century, British archaeologist Professor Aitken and his son, Charles, have chartered a ship called the Texas Rose to take them out to sea. There, they plan to dive underwater in a diving bell designed by American engineer Greg Collinson. Although everyone aboard the ship, including Greg, thinks that the Professors Aitken are just going to look at fish, Charles and his father are secretly searching for proof of the existence of the lost city of Atlantis. He and Greg find it on their first dive - and then some. First they are attacked by a reptilian sea monster which comes through the bottom of the diving bell, but Greg is able to fend it off by sticking a live wire into its mouth, electrocuting it.

Abb. 2 Charles (links; Peter Gilmore) und Greg (rechts; Doug McClure) in der Tauch-Glocke.

Immediately following this, Greg and Charles discover a statue made of solid gold, which is then hoisted up to the Texas Rose. Deckhands Grogan, Fenn and Jacko desire the gold statue for themselves and hatch a scheme to steal it. Grogan cuts the line to the diving bell, trapping Greg and Charles at the bottom of the sea, and then someone (we don't see who but are meant to think it was one of the three mutinous sailors) shoots the elder Professor Aitken in the back. As Grogan goes to attack the Texas Rose's captain, Daniels, a gigantic octopus known as the Sentinel, sent by the inhabitants of Atlantis, attacks the ship. Daniels, Grogan, Fenn and Jacko are kidnapped by the octopus and taken to Atlantis along with Greg and Charles in the diving bell.

Abb. 3 Charles (Mitte; Peter Gilmore) mit Atsil (links; Cyd Charisse) und Atraxon (rechts; Daniel Massey)

The six castaways find themselves washed ashore within a vast, air-filled cavern beneath the ocean floor. Here they are greeted by Atmir, one of the Atlantean ruling class, and the helmeted, spear-wielding Guardians, who promise to take them "to safety." En route, Greg, Charles and the others are told by Atmir that Atlantis is not just one city but seven cities, the first three of which have been "lost beneath the waters of the outer limits forever." Atmir takes the surface-dwellers through the causeway, a prehistoric swamp inhabited by a millipede-like monster called the Mogdaan, and then on to Vaar, the fourth city. Once here, Greg and the others are thrown into a dungeon. All, that is, except for Charles. As a scientist, he is deemed intelligent enough to be granted an audience with Atraxon and Atsil, the king and queen of Atlantis in Chinqua, the fifth city. They wish to make Charles one of them, and explain how they originally came from Mars and are using their mind powers to shape human history.

Abb. 4 Die Begegnung mit dem Mogdaan

Meanwhile, Greg and the Texas Rose's crew make friends with Briggs, the captain of the Mary Celeste and the unofficial leader of the Atlanteans' human slaves, and his daughter Delphine. Briggs informs them they are to be slaves to protect Vaar from the constant attacks of creatures known as Zaargs. They will be given gills so they can never leave Atlantis and return to the oxygen-rich surface world (as the Atlanteans, being originally from Mars, breathe a different atmosphere). A convenient Zaarg attack allows Greg and the others to escape their cell but also claims the life of Briggs. Her father dead, a distraught Delphine helps Greg and the crew escape from their cells and shows them a way into Atraxon's palace in Chinqua through the sewers so they can rescue Charles."

Besetzung

Doug McClure als: Greg Collinson
Peter Gilmore als: Charles Aitken
Shane Rimmer als: Captain Daniels
Lea Brodie als: Delphine
Hal Galili als: Grogan
John Ratzenberger als: Fenn
Derry Power als: Jacko
Michael Gothard als: Atmir
Daniel Massey als: Atraxon
Cyd Charisse als: Atsil
Robert Brown als: Captain Briggs
Donald Bisset als: Professor Aitken

Bild-Quelle

(1-4) Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia, unter: Warlords of Atlantis (Stand: 05.12.09)