3 /10 1 Votes
Produced by Alex Susmann Edited by David Framer Director Joe D'Amato Music director Carlo Maria Cordio | 3/10 IMDb Music by Carlo Maria Cordio Initial release 7 October 1982 (Italy) Film series Ator | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Written by Joe D'Amato (as David Hills)
Michele Soavi (uncredited) Starring Miles O'Keeffe
Sabrina Siani
Ritza Brown
Edmund Purdom Cinematography Joe D'Amato (as Federico Slonisco) Screenplay Joe D'Amato, Michele Soavi, José María Sánchez Cast Miles O'Keeffe, Sabrina Siani, Ritza Brown, Edmund Purdom, Nello Pazzafini Similar Miles O'Keeffe movies, Directed by Joe D'Amato, Fantasy movies | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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.
Contents
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
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."
The Canadian magazine FFWD stated "There are four Ator movies in total, and each one is staggeringly awful."
