Le Sous-marin atomique

"The Atomic Submarine" is rather surprisingly a release from the super-intellectual Criterion Collection. This surprised me, though after seeing it, I could see that the film was a very good B-movie--and there was a lot to admire.

The film begins by learning that various ships entering the Arctic region have been lost--so many that the government is sending their top submarine there to investigate. This ship discovers something that no one had anticipated...and I won't say more because I don't want to spoil the suspense--and there is quite a bit.

This film has several deficits--mostly due to its very low budget. Because they could not afford tons of special effects, a few shortcuts were used. Stock footage (often a bit grainy) of ships sinking, a rather silly creature near the end and sets that looked more like sets than a sub are all things you are bound to notice. And, the script is occasionally a bit clichéd. But, on the other hand, the film is pretty exciting and seemed to get the most out of its low budget and short filming schedule. Plus, the story underneath it all was quite creative and great. Clever and well worth seeing.

Yet another interesting, small-budget, black-and-white thriller gem from the 1950s. These pictures are being continually (and successfully) released to DVD, much more than the genre films from the 1960s through 1990s. Why? In these post Atomic, Cold War years, imagination ran rampant with so many new ideas that were fresh and innovative. They're charming in their antiquated way. Using inexpensive special effects, with a generally serviceable, attractive cast working with scripts that moved the action along, these sci-fi drama infused sex (tame for the time) and violence with effective results. "Atomic Submarine" tells the story of an alien spacecraft destroying subs in the Arctic. When Arthur Franz finally meets the creature, a giant cyclopean octopus-style thing, it states (via telepathic communication) "We finally meet face to face. Franz replies: "That's a face?" Later Franz relates to extraordinarily handsome hunk Brett Halsey, that he left his little black book on the alien spacecraft, which included the number of buxom blonde (Joi Lansing) that he had a rendezvous with earlier. Most enjoyable.

What a difference the three years separating ATOMIC SUBMARINE and VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA made! Of course, Allen's much larger budget sure helped too. Still, one can see The Tigershark as being the direct parent of The Seaview.

We have an advanced nuclear sub capable of firing missiles or torpedoes and equipped with a secondary submarine. The Seaview originally carried a small fleet of 2-man submersibles but they got eclipsed by the flashier Flying Sub. And of course you have the senior officer, the younger guy who actually handles the action scenes, and a couple onboard scientists just for the heck of it.

The plot itself is pretty much the model for many of the Voyages to the Bottom of the Sea. The hidden mystery at the heart of an otherwise normal mission, the unexpected monster.... Yeah, this could have been a VOYAGE episode. And in fact, eventually IT WAS! VOYAGE did an episode that adapted ATOMIC SUBMARINE pretty much straight, just changing the sub, the crew names, and a few details (and ditching Joi Lansing's character, alas!).

While ATOMIC SUBMARINE does look frightfully low budget compared to VOYAGE, let alone today's super-bloated budget busters, it works pretty well for a product of its time. And the minimalist, barely illuminated alien saucer interior is surprising effect. I know it creeped me out when I first saw this late one night in '66!

"Atomic Submarine" has two things to recommend it to viewers. It is adventure, with all sorts of dangerous situations, and a desperate battle against an undersea alien. And, it is unintentionally funny. Not hilarious mind you; but certainly funny enough for a few laughs as you enjoy its clumsy attempts at plot, acting and logic. Still, I like it, and I always watch it if it comes on cable. Its the adventure I guess. I get caught up in the idea of the powerful submarine; the crew at odds with each other; the "science-on-the-fly" they use to fight the monster. Its fun overall. I would venture to say that it is one of the classics of the 50's-60's low budget sci fi era.

This film is also notable for a brief appearance by Joi Lansing; the last, and prettiest, of the Hollywood "blonde bombshells". It's certainly worth watching if you're a guy, and a sci-fi fan. With a little imagination, "Atomic Submarine" is entertaining escapism.

**SPOLIERS** After some half dozen US Navy subs have been destroyed in the Arctic Ocean within 200-from 87 to 90 degrees North latitude-miles of the North Pole it's decided by the US Military to send it's most advanced atomic submarine The "Tiger Shark" there to see what's causing all this destruction.

With Camdr. Reef Holloway, Arthur Franz, and his second in command Capt. Dan Wendover, Dick Foran, put in charge of the nuclear sub "Tiger Shark" in a top secret mission to the North Pole things get a bit sticky when Dr.Carl Neilson joins the sub's crew. Despite his youth, he's in his late 20's, Dr. Neilson is one of the top oceanographers in the world.

Dr. Neilson is also an unashamed peace-nick who had his old man, Reef's mentor the top naval war tactician in Annapolis,and the person whom Reef worshiped the very ground he walks on,end up hospitalized with a career ending nervous breakdown! That resulted in Dr. Neilson insinuating to the press that his father is a warmonger in his obsession with the use of nuclear submarines- and their payload of Polaris nuclear missiles-in the defense of freedom.

This tension between Reef and Dr. Neilson goes on unabatedly during the entire trip to the North Pole until it's realized that what's been sinking US military vessels up there is a hostile 300 foot in diameter flying saucer!

This UFO identified as the Cyclops, because of its flashing blue light, is using the magnetic pull of the earth, centered at the poles, to regenerate itself with magnetic energy. At the same time the UFO in order to keep it's existence secret zaps any ship or underwater sub that's unfortunate enough to get in its way!

It's also later found out straight from the UFO's pilot's-a hairy one eyed alien- mouth, or subconscious, that it's planing to have it's fellow one eyed monsters colonize the world and enslave the earth's human population!

It takes a while, with a number of the "Tiger Sharks" crew members getting killed, to figure out how to handle this alien, or aliens, from space. But later with the help of the now, he finally saw the light, kill em first and don't ask questions later ex-pacifist Dr. Neilson the human race in the end prevailed.

The problem now, after destroying the Cyclops, is just how many more of these one eyed monsters are still out there in space watching and monitoring us! And also will we have the both strength and fortitude, as well as the military hardware, to combat and defeat them in the not so far off distance future?