escape to athena

The Synopsis for Escape to Athena (1979) 720p. With Roger Moore, Telly Savalas, David Niven, Stefanie Powers. A World War II adventure, involving a group of Allied P.O.W.s, Nazis, black market priceless art treasures, Greek resistance, a Greek monastery, and a secret German rocket base. During World War II, the prisoners of a German camp on a Greek island are trying to escape. During a battle with the resistance, SS Major Volkmann escapes on a motorcycle with Charlie (played by Elliott Gould) chasing after him on a motorcycle with sidecar down narrow village streets. When terrorists take over two oil rigs, and threaten to blow them up if their demands are not met, an eccentric anti-terrorism expert volunteers his unique commando unit to stop them. Judson knocks out the control room with grenades, but one of the Germans survives long enough to activate the base's self-destruct mechanism. Armstrong directed the motorcycle chase which he says took two weeks. They use the local brothel, run by his girlfriend, as an undercover headquarters. Even though the movie can feel a little strange at times-Roger Moore plays a Nazi and he frequently jokes around with the POWs, and he treats Stephanie like a girlfriend instead of a prisoner-it's actually pretty good. Written by A World War Two comedy thriller, Escape To Athena is lazy, hazy, and tonally uncoordinated. The Unteroffizier was a Luftwaffe non-commissioned officer serving at Mt. Hi Dave. The camp Commandant, Major Otto Hecht, a former Austrian antiques dealer, is sending some of the valuable pieces to his sister living in Switzerland. Elliott Gould and Stephanie Powers are American entertainers, taken to the famous Stalag 17 prison camp, where veteran residents David Niven, Sonny Bono, and Richard Roundtree show them the ropes. he asks, referencing Bill's Oscar-winning performance in 1953's Stalag 17. He supervised the missile launches. Bishop, trusted advisor to the president, has shots fired at him when Pachenko comes to him about a traitor in highest level of government. 57. Extremely bizarre yet oddly endearing, Escape to Athena (1979) is a highly derivative all-star war movie with a strong undercurrent of incongruous broad comedy. If this type of quirky comedy appeals to you, you'll probably like it. It stars Roger Moore, Telly Savalas, David Niven, Stefanie Powers, Claudia Cardinale, Richard Roundtree, Sonny Bono and Elliott Gould. Add a … Grade gave the job of directing to George Costmatos who had just made The Cassandra Crossing for ITC and who Grade felt "would make a great action movie and as "action" was in vogue again I was confident we were on to a winner. Los Angeles Times 1 Oct 1978: o31. Flatley, Guy. The film was financed by Lew Grade's ITC Entertainment, who had previously made The Eagle Has Landed. Escape to Athena (1979) "The patriot, the professor, the comic and the stripper, were fighting for what they believed in. Get a sneak peek of the new version of this page. Athena base's self-destruct mechanism was activated, this is never explicitly shown. Grade had wanted an action film and felt it "did not live up to expectations of the script" turning out to be "a broad comedy with action-adventure sequences and the combination just didn't work." New York Times 14 Oct 1977: 58. Mann, Roderick. Professor Blake learns from one of the freed monks that their treasure — Byzantine plates made of gold — is safe, having been hidden in the brothel the entire time. Somehow, Escape to Athena manages to do both. [10], Producer Jack Wiener said during the shoot that the film cost $10 million and needed to make $30 million at the box office to recoup its cost. Whilst there I saw all the stills of the various films that had been shot here in Rhodes. It turns out, the gang is only pretending to behave and cozy up to their captors; they're involved in a secret plot to liberate the camp, with outside help from Telly Savalas and Claudia Cardinale. Impressive motorcycle stuntwork featuring some excellent jumps". Was this review helpful to you? However, he survived long enough to activate the base's self-destruct mechanism. (1979). Escape to Athena is a 1979 British war adventure film directed by George P. Cosmatos. [4] The film was also known as The Athena Crisis. "[11], According to a number of sources, this film's motorcycle chase scene is, as one critic said, "one of the most memorable motorcycle chase scenes in cinematic history". During World War II, the prisoners of a German camp on a Greek island are trying to escape. "[3], In October 1977 ITC announced what was then known as The Athena Boodle as part of a $97 million slate of movies Lew Grade was making which also included The Legend of the Lone Ranger, Movie Movie (then called Double Feature), The Boys from Brazil, Raise the Titanic, The Golden Gate from the Alistair MacLean novel (never made), Love and Bullets, The Muppet Movie and Road to the Fountain of Youth with Bing Crosby and Bob Hope (which was never made). A British banker hires a group of British mercenaries to rescue a deposed African President from the hands of a corrupt African dictator. Discover something for everyone this month with some choice picks for the best movies and TV to stream in April. It's 1944, and on an occupied Greek island Germany's Major Otto Hecht (Roger Moore) oversees an archeological dig. Directed by George Pan Cosmatos. 10 of 13 people found this review helpful. Two captured USO artists, Charlie and Dottie, perform a concert as cover, while the Resistance takes over the camp. A German plot to kidnap Sir Winston Churchill unfolds at the height of World War II. Thrends (02:06) 6. In 1979, Powers starred with Roger Moore, Telly Savalas, David Niven, Sonny Bono and Elliott Gould, in the British adventure feature film Escape to Athena, in which a group of Anglo-American prisoners of the Germans scramble to liberate themselves and some Greek art treasures. Yanni (Renato Romano) returns to his homeland on a Greek island after several years in London. He gets away from the cold blooded assassin twice. The patriot, the professor, the comic and the stripper, were fighting for what they believed in. Kilday, Gregg. While Hecht is content to sit out the war, the SS Commandant of the nearby town, Major Volkmann, brutally enforces discipline, including reprisal executions of civilians. Details include the date it was added to BritBox UK, any known expiry dates and new episodes/seasons, the ratings and cast etc. They don't want only their freedom, but they also seek for an ineffable treasure hidden in a monastery at the top of the island's mountain. During the victory celebration in the village, Hecht, Charlie, and Dottie plan after the war to capitalise on treasures Hecht has already looted, by making copies to sell to Americans. It was filmed on location on the island of Rhodes. It stars Roger Moore, Telly Savalas, David Niven, Stefanie Powers, Claudia Cardinale, Richard Roundtree, Sonny Bono and Elliott Gould. The film was based on a script by Dick Lochte who was a former Playboy PR executive. They don't want only their freedom, but they also seek an ineffable treasure hidden in a monastery at the top of the island's mountain. Lewin, David. Escape to Athena sounds less like a war movie and more like a travelogue, which is in itself quite apt given that the stars of this were clearly having a lovely holiday in Rhodes! A man becomes destructively obsessed with killing a dangerous rat, which has taken residence in his, recently renovated, house. View production, box office, & company info. Escape to Athena Rating: 2.5 of 5 In the large subgenre of men-on-a-mission war movies, 1979's Escape to Athena ranks somewhere in the middle of the pack, joining other WWII stories in which a motley band of all-star international character types band together for a caper or a suicide assignment (think: Kelly's Heroes or The Guns of Navarone ). Escape to Athena (1979) PG | 2h 5min | Action, Adventure, Comedy | 6 June 1979 (USA) A World War Two adventure involving a group of Allied POW's, Nazis, black market priceless art treasures, Greek resistance, a Greek monastery and a secret German rocket base. Critic Reviews for Escape to Athena All Critics (1) | Fresh (1) It's quite mindless, but no worse and perhaps a bit more palatable than some of the other recent multi-starred international efforts. Hauptmann Schroeder was a Luftwaffe officer serving under Oberst Klaus Vogel at Mt. Unfortunately it wasn't. It's not one I'll watch over and over again, but I did enjoy it. Mann, Roderick. It's really tough to make a comedy out of a POW movie, and it's even tougher to make the most predominant Nazi character likable. The film is set during the Second World War on a German-occupied Greek island. Chicago Tribune 15 Oct 1978: h58. They not only want their freedom, but also seek an ineffable treasure hidden in a monastery at the summit of the island’s mountain. Will he find the traitor before getting killed? The international cast included many well-known actors of the 1970s, including Roger Moore, Telly Savalas and Elliott Gould. During World War II, the prisoners of a German camp on a Greek island are trying to escape. I have been living here on Rhodes for 5 years and was fortunate to be invited to the offical opening of the renovated Kallithea Springs in June 2007. The film is set during the Second World War on a German-occupied Greek island. [8], William Holden was visiting his girlfriend Stefanie Powers during filming and was persuaded to make a cameo in the prison camp scene, presumably reprising his role as Stalag 17 escapee Sergeant Sefton. By far, my favorite part of the movie is when Elliott and Stephanie arrive. Norwegian resistance tries to stop German efforts to produce an atomic bomb component during World War II. Searching for treasure until the last minute, Charlie escapes the explosion with the only treasure the Germans left behind — tin plates adorned with Hitler's face. Chris Makrozahopoulos . At the Movies: Producer Sets Hoffman's Sail For 'Popeye' The final scene cuts to the modern day, by which time Zeno's former headquarters have been turned into a state museum housing the treasures of Mount Athena. After completing the mission, Charlie asks Zeno to lead him and two other prisoners, Judson and Rotelli, up to the monastery on Mount Athena to steal Byzantine treasures kept there by the monks. Roger Moore stars as Major Otto Hecht, an anti-Nazi German who presides over a World War II POW camp. However, on climbing to the monastery, the group discover a heavily armed garrison. Add the first question. The original British version of Escape to Athena ran 125 minutes; American prints were judiciously cut to 101 minutes, emphasizing the action content and neutralizing the duller dialogue sequences. TMDb Score. Rat-Tat-Tat (02:50) 5. Escape to Athena is a 1979 British adventure comedy war film directed by George P. Cosmatos. Getting rich!. There were of course many from the film Escape to Athena. FILM CLIPS: Lew Grade's $97 Million Projects Escape to Athena (1979) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Zeno now receives word from Allied intelligence that the planned invasion of the islands has been brought forward, and so the German garrison in the monastery atop Mount Athena must be neutralised. Pilot's Badge Although it's likely he died when the Mt. Getting rich!" Rome, March 23, 1944: 33 German soldiers are killed by a bomb. It was directed by George P. Cosmatos, and is set during World War II is German-occupied Greek island. In 1944, Allied prisoners at a POW camp on an unnamed Greek island are forced to excavate ancient artifacts. "You're still here?" It plays like each of its four main stars was told theirs was the leading role. Sonny Bono on a New Horizon MOVIES: DAVID NIVEN LIKES LIVING IN LUXURY They don't want only their freedom, but they also seek for an ineffable treasure hidden in a monastery at the top of the island's mountain. The music was composed by Lalo Schifrin. Use the HTML below. A World War II adventure, involving a group of Allied POWs, Nazis, black market priceless art treasures, Greek resistance, a Greek monastery, and a secret German rocket base. "Steven Spielberg And Duel: The Making Of A Film Career"; Interview With Author Steven Awalt, BEST MOVIES ABOUT GREEK HISTORY-MYTHOLOGY, Chris Makrozahopoulos . The film is set during the Second World War on a German-occupied Greek island. Grade's first five films had been made in partnership with General Cinema Corp, but Grade would finance this slate himself. During World War II, the British must attack a German ship, but it's safe in neutral Goa. Zeno finds the self-destruct clock, but he cannot deactivate it. We should be used to it by now. [3] David Niven Jr said "we had a lot of fun on that picture, I just wish it had been more successful. With the choice of being killed by Zeno or helping them, Hecht joins forces with the Allies, helping them eradicate Volkmann's troops as well as capturing the fuel depot. Athena. Tony Curtis: Giving Novel a Shove Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Overall, cinema-goers much prefer the movie, giving it an average score of 65%, compared to film critics, who gave it a considerably lower average score of 0%. Los Angeles Times 15 Oct 1977: b9. Escape to Athena was released in 1979 and has generally received mixed reviews. It starred Roger Moore, Telly Savalas, David Niven, Stefanie Powers, Claudia Cardinale, Richard Roundtree, Sonny Bono and Elliott Gould. [6] The bulk of the film was shot on the island of Rhodes. They don't want only their freedom, but they also seek an ineffable treasure hidden in a monastery at the top of the island's mountain. Escape to Athena (1979) - IMDb Directed by George P. Cosmatos. During the World War II, the prisoners of a German camp in a Greek island are trying to escape. Lt. Col. Herbert Kappler is ordered to execute ten times that Italians. Grade thought ""the first eighty minutes were a failure because of these different elements but the last forty, action-packed minutes were wonderful. Escape to Athena is a 1979 World War II adventure comedy movie starring Roger Moore, Telly Savalas, David Niven, Stefanie Powers, Sonny Bono, and Elliott Gould. [13] Author Mark Hinchliff of Motorbike Writer ranks the chase in Escape to Athena as 3rd, only after those in The Great Escape (1st) and Skyfall (2nd).[14]. It seems worse than it is because with the actors involved, the physical setting and the plot idea, most of us watched it expecting more than it delivered. Online reviewers have written 22 reviews, giving Escape to Athena (1979) an average rating of 48%. 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