Still, with the pre-sales I'd made we didn't lose nearly as much as we might have". Escape to Athena is a 1979 British adventure comedy war film directed by George P. Cosmatos. It starred Roger Moore, Telly Savalas, David Niven, Stefanie Powers, Claudia Cardinale, Richard Roundtree, Sonny Bono and Elliott Gould. [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. When The Saint Go Greek (01:54) (When The Saints Go Marching In) 4. It stars Roger Moore, Telly Savalas, David Niven, Stefanie Powers, Claudia Cardinale, Richard Roundtree, Sonny Bono and Elliott Gould. [5], Filming began in Greece on 21 February 1978. Mann, Roderick. Escape to Athena is a 1979 British adventure comedy war film directed by George P. Cosmatos. During World War II, the prisoners of a German camp on a Greek island are trying to escape. 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 … She is a married woman now... See full summary ». MCU fans, here are some streaming picks to watch while you wait for the next episode of "The Falcon and the Winter Solider. Rome, March 23, 1944: 33 German soldiers are killed by a bomb. Will he find the traitor before getting killed? Thrends (02:06) 6. Rat-Tat-Tat (02:50) 5. Zeno, the monks and the Americans escape the monastery before it explodes. Get a sneak peek of the new version of this page. New York Times 14 Oct 1977: 58. Dangaard, Colin. 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. The film is set during the Second World War on a German-occupied Greek island. 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. The music was composed by Lalo Schifrin. 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. Escape to Athena (1979) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Zeno, who is in contact with Allied Headquarters, is ordered to break the prisoners out of their camp and use them to help liberate the town and capture the nearby U-boat refuelling depot. It was filmed on location on the island of Rhodes. Escape to Athena is a 1979 British adventure comedy war film directed by George P. Cosmatos. Sonny Bono on a New Horizon Judson knocks out the control room with grenades, but one of the Germans survives long enough to activate the base's self-destruct mechanism. Mann, Roderick. ", Title: Not realising the danger immediately, Charlie and Rotelli scour the monastery for the treasure, while Judson frees the monks. It was directed by George P. Cosmatos, and is set during World War II is German-occupied Greek island. Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Escape to Athena The camp Commandant, Major Otto Hecht, a former Austrian antiques dealer, is sending some of the valuable pieces to his sister living in Switzerland. And what a motorcycle chase! Escape To Athena (02:20) 2. Athena base's self-destruct mechanism was activated, this is never explicitly shown. 2010 Preview SONG TIME Escape to Athena. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Escape to Athena (VHS, 1998) at the best online prices at eBay! [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]. Kilday, Gregg. [6] The bulk of the film was shot on the island of Rhodes. Grade's first five films had been made in partnership with General Cinema Corp, but Grade would finance this slate himself. I happened across this film at a used video sale, saw the cast list and immediately bought it. [3] David Niven Jr said "we had a lot of fun on that picture, I just wish it had been more successful. 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. Check if it is available to stream online via "Where to Watch". Just enough stuff to keep the jaded fan amazed. Escape to Athena is a 1979 British war adventure film directed by George P. Cosmatos. Whilst there I saw all the stills of the various films that had been shot here in Rhodes. Armstrong directed the motorcycle chase which he says took two weeks. Written by Your new favorite show is right here. Great Escape: First half of the film consists of half of the main character devising a way to escape the prison camp, so that they can take over the place from Nazis and raid the monastery on mount Athena … 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. Athena. Escape to Athena (1979) - IMDb Directed by George P. Cosmatos. Details include the date it was added to BritBox UK, any known expiry dates and new episodes/seasons, the ratings and cast etc. As a result, they send civilians: former soldiers who are about sixty years old. Add the first question. English and American POWs try to liberate a fortune in Greek art treasures from a Nazi camp. 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! The film was based on a script by Dick Lochte who was a former Playboy PR executive. "[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". 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. This FAQ is empty. It stars Roger Moore, Telly Savalas, David Niven, Stefanie Powers, Claudia Cardinale, Richard Roundtree, Sonny Bono and Elliott Gould. There were of course many from the film Escape to Athena. Unfortunately it wasn't. Escape to Athena is a 1979 British adventure war film (with several elements of comedy), directed and co-authored by George Pan Cosmatos and produced by Lew Grade 's ITC Entertainment. 2. He gets away from the cold blooded assassin twice. It stars Roger Moore, Telly Savalas, David Niven, Stefanie Powers, Claudia Cardinale, Richard Roundtree, Sonny Bono and Elliott Gould. Hi Dave. Norwegian resistance tries to stop German efforts to produce an atomic bomb component during World War II. Flatley, Guy. "[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 German plot to kidnap Sir Winston Churchill unfolds at the height of World War II. Roger Moore, David Niven, Telly Savalas, Stefanie Powers. He supervised the missile launches. In 1944, Allied prisoners at a POW camp on an unnamed Greek island are forced to excavate ancient artifacts. Los Angeles Times (10 Apr 1978: oc_c11. Zeno finds the self-destruct clock, but he cannot deactivate it. Prior to the launch, he was killed when Nat Judson threw grenades into the control room. Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. 1. They use the local brothel, run by his girlfriend, as an undercover headquarters. 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. Escape to Athena (84) IMDb 5.7 1h 59min 1979 13+ 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. Escape to Athena is the typical star-packed 1970s movie where directors fill their films with contemporary A-stars and hope that will dazzle the audience enough to hide a poor story. It was filmed on location on the island of Rhodes. During World War II, the British must attack a German ship, but it's safe in neutral Goa. 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. The film is set during the Second World War on a German-occupied Greek island. 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. 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. However the prisoners have discovered that they will be sent to other camps once the finds run out, so they arrange to keep "discovering" the same pieces. Lt. Col. Herbert Kappler is ordered to execute ten times that Italians. 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. Athena. However, on climbing to the monastery, the group discover a heavily armed garrison. Chris Makrozahopoulos . 4:40 PREVIEW Broken Ground. During World War I, a British aristocrat, an American entrepreneur, and the latter's attractive young daughter, set out to destroy a German battlecruiser, which is awaiting repairs in an inlet just off Zanzibar. He informed Hauptmann Lantz that their radio appeared to be dead. Directed by George Pan Cosmatos. Bishop, trusted advisor to the president, has shots fired at him when Pachenko comes to him about a traitor in highest level of government. Lewin, David. A man becomes destructively obsessed with killing a dangerous rat, which has taken residence in his, recently renovated, house. Take a look ahead at all the major movie releases coming to theaters and streaming this season. The music was composed by Lalo Schifrin. At the Movies: Producer Sets Hoffman's Sail For 'Popeye' 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. The Unteroffizier was a Luftwaffe non-commissioned officer serving at Mt. Soon he is searching for his teenage passion, Elena (Raquel Welch). A British banker hires a group of British mercenaries to rescue a deposed African President from the hands of a corrupt African dictator. However, he survived long enough to activate the base's self-destruct mechanism. Info Page: Escape to Athena Here is all the information you need about "Escape to Athena" on BritBox in the UK. Reistoffer: Volkmann's adjutant, This page was last edited on 3 March 2021, at 14:02. watching as Zeno receives a coded message, "Steven Spielberg And Duel: The Making Of A Film Career"; Interview With Author Steven Awalt, War films/TV shows available on Justwatch, Chris Makrozahopoulos . Zeno uses gas to knock out most of the soldiers, but not before their commander orders a V-2 rocket launch to destroy the invasion fleet. Hauptmann Schroeder was a Luftwaffe officer serving under Oberst Klaus Vogel at Mt. The music was composed by Lalo Schifrin. Impressive motorcycle stuntwork featuring some excellent jumps". Los Angeles Times 15 Oct 1977: b9. Pilot's Badge Although it's likely he died when the Mt. We should be used to it by now. [12], Another says: "Film is an uneven mix of comedy and military action, but includes a stand out motorcycle chase. The film is set during the Second World War on a German-occupied Greek island. And what a star studded cast Lew Grade assembled for this picture; Roger Moore, Telly Savalas, David Niven, Elliot Gould, Stefanie Powers, Richard Roundtree, Sonny Bono and Claudia Cardinale. Roger Moore stars as Major Otto Hecht, an anti … A South African gold mine manager discovers a plot hatched by the mine owners and London bankers to flood the mine in order to curb gold production and consequently manipulate its price on the stock markets. The music was composed by Lalo Schifrin. 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. Yanni (Renato Romano) returns to his homeland on a Greek island after several years in London. 'Anglo-Saxon Type Two-double-O-eight': The enduring, highly amused, and indomitably British style of David Niven. (1979). Los Angeles Times 25 Apr 1978: f8., https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Escape_to_Athena&oldid=1010035070, Films about World War II resistance movements, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Richard Wren as Capt. A World War Two comedy thriller, Escape To Athena is lazy, hazy, and tonally uncoordinated. Resistance to the Germans is led by Zeno, a former monk, and his few fighters. [1], The film was partly financed and produced by Lew Grade's ITC Entertainment. I'm not a chase fan, but this one is on par with some of the greats. I mean, Sonny Bono AND Richard Roundtree? Escape TO Athena (that's right, they aren't exactly escaping FROM the POW camp) isn't as bad as it seems. If only the emphasis had been on action throughout the film would have been a hit. The film is set during the Second World War on a German-occupied Greek island. [9], According to stuntman Vic Armstrong, the crew hated the director so much they stole his hat and nailed it to a mast. 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. 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. Add Escape To Athena to your Watchlist to find out when it's coming back. Cosmotos did a bang up job of translating the James Bond formula to the 1940's (though with the ocassional anachronism -- the word "groovy," Bono's haircut). Two captured USO artists, Charlie and Dottie, perform a concert as cover, while the Resistance takes over the camp. Was this review helpful to you? I'd forgotten how silly this movie was - but it does have some good action sequences. 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. Chicago Tribune 15 Oct 1978: h58. The international cast included many well-known actors of the 1970s, including Roger Moore, Telly Savalas … [7], David Niven agreed to be in the film because his son produced it and he liked the idea of returning to Rhodes, where he had made The Guns of Navarone. 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. Tony Curtis: Giving Novel a Shove 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. During World War II, the prisoners of a German camp on a Greek island are trying to escape. 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. FILM CLIPS: Lew Grade's $97 Million Projects It's 1944, and on an occupied Greek island Germany's Major Otto Hecht (Roger Moore) oversees an archeological dig. However Zeno tells Charlie that the treasures belong to the Greek people. [4] The film was also known as The Athena Crisis. The film was financed by Lew Grade's ITC Entertainment, who had previously made The Eagle Has Landed. 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. [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. 8 of 15 people found this review helpful. Free shipping for many products! View production, box office, & company info. 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." Grade thought ""the first eighty minutes were a failure because of these different elements but the last forty, action-packed minutes were wonderful. It plays like each of its four main stars was told theirs was the leading role. Add a … Escape to Athena (1979)PG | 2h 5min | Action, Adventure, Comedy | 6 June 1979 (USA)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.Director: George P. CosmatosWriters: Edward Anhalt (screenplay), Richard S. Lochte (screenplay) Stars: Roger Moore, … Los Angeles Times 1 Oct 1978: o31. MOVIES: DAVID NIVEN LIKES LIVING IN LUXURY 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. Overview 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. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. 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