Atlantis: End of a World, Birth of a Legend

not that bad

Hindi dubbed please

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Magandang pelikula!

The story of Atlantis is well depicted in the documentary 'Atlantis: End of a world, birth of a legend'. While some parts of Plato story are still a great mystery for us archaeologist, this movie has described almost to every detail the real story of the Atlantis. For some time, archaeologist have been trying to prove that Plat account of Atlantis is real story based on the real events, and trough this movie, eruption of Thera around 1620 B.C fits very well into the final days of Atlantis. As a archaeologist, I to newer believed that Atlantis had ever existed, but recent archaeological excavations conducted on town of Akrotiri, proved otherwise that Plato had indeed described the final days of Minoan civilization. Everything else is just a history.

Everything about this production screams labor-of-love by the producers. This is a low budget, made for BBC TV, quite reasonably accurate depiction of the volcanic destruction of Minos (modern day island of Thera) in circa 1630 BC. The depiction of bull-leaping and reconstruction of Minoan society is the best ever yet filmed and while many aspects of the ancient society is toned down for G-rated television, it is evocative and gorgeous. Watch it if you can. The Blu-Ray version is beautiful.

"Do you see what your gods have done, Bansabiri?" The question was issued to the high priestess from one of her victims after their Greek island Thera was brutally assaulted by a violent volcano, which viciously wreaked their prosperous Minoan society. The controlling priestess ruler believed 'Shaker' is punishing her people, prompting her to become a blood-thirsty seeker of sacrifices to appease the angry deity. In truth, Bansabiri (Isadora Verwey) leads a blood-guilty party misleading her citizens in false worship resulting in a significant loss of life. In a time of great peril and natural havoc, the wrong information may place you in grave danger. The UK producers of this successfully dramatic documentary gambled on an ancient, mysterious legend of a lost, advanced civilization of Atlantis mixing factual knowledge with myth and physiological evidence. From my viewpoint, they won their bet, even if all the facts don't tie in with a 4th-century tale coined by the Philosopher Plato. The film effectively linked the myth generated by surviving accounts of a super, ash-spitting volcano with a terrific fictional story about a young couple Yishhua and Pinaruti (Stephanie Leonidas and Reece Ritchie) experiencing the disaster. The characters are well developed and expertly performed by capable actors, aided by excellent scriptwriting (by Rhidian Brook with others, historians), direction (Tony Mitchell), and production standards. The CGI effects realistically applied in appropriate measures, some of it appear unrealistically animated. However, considering this is a documentary, not a Hollywood big-budget epic. It is easy to note that the BBC motion picture is better than many cheesy disaster flicks. The film contains disaster-rated deaths, injuries, and peril, mild violence. An individual catches on fire resulting in acute burnt wounds. There is a quick kiss, flirtatious expressions, suspicion of adultery but sensuality is non-existing, except for a bare-chested young man and cleavage-revealing attire worn by Minoan women.

This is one of those TV-movies that are supposed to teach you some history and scientific knowledge by way of dramatizing it. Maybe truly scientifically interested audiences will see the dramatization as a superfluous romantic distraction, while people who like a good and solid drama may be irritated by the prominent voice-over and the abundance of scientific facts. But when you've set your mind on the duality of this kind of production, this specific one is actually quite good. The subject of Atlantis (true or fiction? Was it really Santorini? What could have happened back then to destroy it?) is involving enough, as are the subjects aside of that: the wonderful Minoan culture, it's mysterious sudden evaporation, and the effects of a large scale volcanic outburst. Leave it to the BBC to use all the modern techniques and facilities to give you a convincing insight in the historical circumstances, and a mind-blowing account of the cataclysmic catastrophe that struck this little island, comparable to the effects of an atomic bomb. The simple story that is used to bind all this information together is hardly important, but it serves its purpose fine. This is helped by some decent acting of father-figure Langley Kirkwood and love-couple Stephanie Leonidas and Reece Ritchie. I was less impressed by the central figure of the high-priestess, who looked like Carol Burnett on a bad hair-day, unfortunately without her acting-abilities. Apparently they didn't dare to let the women wear the right Minoan clothes: namely with their breasts bare. And I also doubt if the ritual dances that the priestesses in this movie performed were based on any historical research; here it impressed me a bit like out-dated Mata Hari impressions. But otherwise: nothing but praise, I like this sort of educational dramatizations and this is a truly fine example.

This low budget TV movie was much more enjoyable than that dreadful big budget, all-star cast 'Pompeii'. The film has some really nice photography and effects. I found it captivating and fascinating, and loved the score, as well. This is a documentary style drama, and might be an acquired taste. The narrator at times tells the viewer what was to come, so this might be considered spoilers by some viewers, but I found it more interesting that way.