8mm Forum: Latitude zero

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Posted by Andreas Borutta (Member # 2311) on January 07, 2011, 08:04 AM:

This is a japanese science fiction film from 1969 with a interesting american cast. The story is about a crew of a diving bell,that comes in a teribble underwater storm. On board we find the famous japanese actor Akira Takarada and Richard Jaeckel.Cause the bell is damaged during the eruption of a underwater vulcano,help comes from two divers,who connect the diving bell with a rope. So the saved divers come on board a giant undersee submarine,the alpha. This great submarine was build during the last century from people,who founded their own society,far away from our world.They lives in a futuristic underwater world.The captain of the Alpha is Craig McKenzie,played by Joseph cotton. Their enemy is Dr.Malic,played by Cesar Romero. He lives together with his wife Lucretia,played by Patricia Medina on an dry island. They give order to their own submarine,U4000, to attac the alpha. After a underwater battle ,the alpha wins and comes home to the underwater world of the alpha men. Here we find many scientists,who are working on a better future for mankind.
In the meantime Dr.Malic has kidnapped a new scientist together with his daugter,who were on their way to the alpha world.
Our heros from the alpha comes to the Island of Dr Malic to save the scientist. Here they fight giant rats and a flying Lion with a brain of a human being. The U 4000 gets destroyed
by the flying giant lion and the alpha flys home with the saved scientist.

This craisy film came out in Germany at a two parter from ufa atb in 1975. The colors are not so bad,a lot of strong blue and red is still in the print. It is a fun movie for friends of japanese science fiction films, and I can recommend it full.
The German title is U 4000 Panik unter dem Ozean

Posted by Douglas Meltzer (Member # 28) on January 07, 2011, 08:51 AM:

Andreas,

Thanks so much for the review. Alpha men? Giant rats? Flying lions? I have got to see this! Any chance of posting a scan of the cover?

Doug

Posted by Pasquale DAlessio (Member # 2052) on January 07, 2011, 06:27 PM:

Doug

My interest was so stimulated that I went searching for some kind of art and found this DVD label. I also managed to find the movie to download. This looks very interesting.

Pat DAlessio

PS I have just watched this movie and it is one of the best Japanese sci-fi films. Very creative and of course terrific miniatures.

[ January 08, 2011, 07:11 PM: Message edited by: Pasquale DAlessio ]

Posted by Andreas Chmielewski (Member # 2208) on January 13, 2011, 05:01 AM:

U4000---here are the UFA German Covers

Posted by Douglas Meltzer (Member # 28) on January 14, 2011, 01:37 PM:

Andreas,

Thanks for the scans. I wish one of the UFA covers was a bit more like the artwork on the DVD!

Doug

Posted by Pasquale DAlessio (Member # 2052) on January 19, 2011, 07:42 PM:

There is a 16mm print of this on EBay right now.

http://cgi.ebay.com/16mm-film-LATITUDE-ZERO-scope-Toho-monster-sci-fi-Japan_W0QQitemZ160531699208QQcategoryZ63821QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp4340.m8QQ_trkparmsZalgo%3DMW%26its%3DC%26i tu%3DUCC%26otn%3D5%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D6489981237308271155

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