Reading Comprehension: Movies About Atlantis, The Mythical Island
Develop your reading skills. Read the following text about movies based on the Atlantis legend and do the comprehension task.
The Mythical Island of Atlantis
Atlantis, the legendary island first mentioned by the ancient Greek philosopher Plato, continues to capture the imagination with its mysterious existence. Said to have been a utopian civilization of advanced technology and unparalleled wealth, Atlantis was purportedly engulfed by the sea in a cataclysmic event. Descriptions vary, but it’s often depicted as a paradise lost beneath the waves, shrouded in enigma and allure. Scholars and enthusiasts alike have speculated on its possible location, with theories ranging from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean. Despite its elusive nature, Atlantis endures as a symbol of a golden age lost to time, inspiring countless tales and quests for discovery.
List of films about Atlantis
The mythical island of Atlantis has often been depicted in books, television shows, films, and other creative works of popular culture. The following table provides a list of movies about Atlantis.
| Date | The title | A brief description of the film |
|---|---|---|
| 1936 | Undersea Kingdom | Following a suspicious earthquake, and detecting a series of signals, Professor Norton leads an expedition, including Lt Crash Corrigan and Reporter Diana Compton, in his Rocket Submarine to the suspected location of Atlantis. Finding the lost continent they become embroiled in an Atlantean civil war between Sharad (with his White Robes) and the usurper Unga Khan (with his Black Robes) who wishes to conquer Atlantis and then destroy the upper world with Earthquakes generated by his Disintegrator. Thus he will rule the world unless he can be stopped in time. |
| 1959 | Journey to the Center of the Earth | In which the god-like race that commands the construction of a pyramid is believed by the slaves to have originated from a civilization that sank into the sea. Another scene in the film briefly shows a map depicting a large island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. |
| 1961 | Atlantis, the Lost Continent | Atlantis, the Lost Continent is a 1961 science fiction film, directed by George Pal and starring Anthony Hall, also called Sal Ponti, about the destruction of Atlantis during the time of Ancient Greece. |
| 1978 | Warlords of Atlantis | Warlords of Atlantis posits that there is not just one but seven cities of Atlantis. It is a 1978 British science fiction/fantasy film about a trip to the lost world of Atlantis. |
| 1979 | Island of Mutations | It features the explorers who are trying to reach the core of the earth coming upon the remains of Atlantis far below the earth’s surface. It is an adventure film adapted by Charles Brackett from the novel of the same name by Jules Verne. Journey to the Center of the Earth was directed by Henry Levin and stars James Mason, Pat Boone, and Arlene Dahl. |
| 1985 | Cocoon | About 10,000 years ago, peaceful aliens from the planet Antarea set up an outpost on the planet Earth, on an island later known to mankind as Atlantis. When Atlantis sank, twenty aliens were left behind, kept alive in large rock-like cocoons at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. |
| 1988 | Alien from L.A. | Alien From L.A. is a 1988 science fiction film that stars Kathy Ireland as a young woman who visits the underground civilization of Atlantis. |
| 2001 | Atlantis: The Lost Empire | Atlantis: The Lost Empire is a 2001 American traditionally animated science fiction action-adventure film created by Walt Disney Feature Animation. It featured some of the ideas of Edgar Cayce in which ships and aircraft were powered by a form of energy crystal. |
| 2008 | 10,000 BC | In which the god-like race that commands the construction of a pyramid are believed by the slaves to have originated from a civilization that sank into the sea. Another scene in the film briefly shows a map depicting a large island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. |
Comprehension
True or False?
- “Undersea Kingdom” is the oldest movie listed in the table. (…)
- “Journey to the Center of the Earth” is a documentary film about the search for Atlantis. (…)
- “Atlantis, the Lost Continent” is set during the time of Ancient Rome. (…)
- “Warlords of Atlantis” suggests there are seven cities of Atlantis. (…)
- “Alien from L.A.” features a visit to the underground civilization of Atlantis. (…)
More Pages about Atlantis: