Ator, the Fighting Eagle
| Ator, the Fighting Eagle | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster by Enzo Sciotti | |
| Directed by | Joe D'Amato |
| Produced by | Alex Susmann |
| Written by |
Joe D'Amato (as David Hills) Michele Soavi (uncredited) |
| Starring |
Miles O'Keeffe Sabrina Siani Ritza Brown Edmund Purdom |
| Music by | Carlo Maria Cordio |
| Cinematography | Joe D'Amato (as Federico Slonisco) |
| Edited by | David Framer |
Release dates | 1982 |
Running time | 98 minutes |
| Country | Italy |
| Language | Italian |
Ator, the Fighting Eagle (Italian: Ator l'invincibile) is a 1982 Italian adventure-fantasy film directed by Joe D'Amato, and the first film to feature the character Ator (played by Miles O'Keeffe). It is a mockbuster of the film Conan the Barbarian, which was released in the same year. It was released in Italy as Ator the Invincible.[1]
Plot
As the film opens, a baby named Ator is born with a birthmark that signals he will someday destroy the Spider Cult which currently holds power over the land. Fearing this prophecy, the leader of the cult - High Priest of The Ancient One, Dakkar (Dakar) - attempts to kill the baby. Baby Ator's birthmark is covered up, however, and he is whisked off to a village far away where he is given to a couple to raise as their own. Years later, Ator (O'Keefe) - now in love with his adopted sister Sunya (Brown) - asks his stepfather for permission to marry her. Ator's father reveals to Ator that he is adopted and can therefore marry his sister if he likes. On the day of their wedding, though, the village is raided by the spider cult's soldiers and several women are taken, including Ator's new bride.
After pursuing the soldiers, Ator soon finds himself training with Griba - a warrior who is an enemy of The Ancient One, and also the person who whisked him away at his birth. Griba disappears on him, though, after which Ator is kidnapped by Amazons, nearly seduced by a witch, and undergoes a quest to retrieve a magical mirrored shield. While kidnapped by the Amazons, Ator is "won" by Roon (Siani), a fierce blonde thief whom he helped earlier in the film. Roon is somewhat enamored with Ator, so she decides to flee with him and assist him during his quest. Ator is successful in obtaining the mirror, then uses it to fight and defeat Dakkar. His victory is somewhat muddied by the revelation that Griba - his mentor - is actually Dakkar's predecessor, and had trained Ator so that he could retake his position as High Priest. Ator defeats Griba, however, leaving him to be devoured by the offspring of The Ancient One - a giant spider which dwells within the temple. To ensure that the cult doesn't return, Ator then provokes and kills The Ancient One itself. Afterwards, with Roon having perished while infiltrating the temple, Ator & Sunya head back to their village, presumably to live in peace together.
Cast
- Miles O'Keeffe as Ator
- Sabrina Siani as Roon
- Ritza Brown as Sunya
- Edmund Purdom as Griba
- Dakar as High Priest of the Spider (as Dakkar)
- Laura Gemser as Indun
- Alessandra Vazzoler as Woman in the tavern (as Chandra Vazzoler)
- Nello Pazzafini as Bardak (as Nat Williams)
- Jean Lopez as Nordya
- Olivia Goods as Queen
Reception
Variety described the film as a "dull, incredibly silly fantasy adventure" and that the director "creates no atmosphere, with picture's exteriors never achieving any period feel."[2]
The Canadian magazine FFWD stated "There are four Ator movies in total, and each one is staggeringly awful." [3]
See also
Notes
- ↑ Jessica Winter; Lloyd Hughes; Richard Armstrong; Tom Charity. The Rough Guide to Film. Rough Guides UK, 2007. ISBN 9781848361256.
- ↑ Willis 1985, p. 460: "Review is from 1984"
- ↑ Terrible sequels to terrible movies Archived February 21, 2014, at the Wayback Machine.. by John Tebbutt. FFWD magazine, February 25, 2010. Retrieved October 6, 2013.
References
- Willis, Donald, ed. (1985). Variety's Complete Science Fiction Reviews. Garland Publishing Inc. ISBN 0-8240-6263-9.