A weird combination of Jules Verne and Edgar Allan Poe, with a bit of Creature of the Black Lagoon thrown in - the story really owes more to Verne, being about a mad genius who runs a secret underwater civilisation... but it's done with AIP Poe treatment: lots of dark creaky corridors, shots of waves crashing on rocks, Vincent Prince being mad, Susan Hart being beautiful, a handsome juvenile (Tab Hunter), plus some Poe quotes.
The basic plot has Hart living in 1903 Cornwall being kidnapped by gil creatures and Hunter and David Tomlinson go to investigate. They come across a hidden civilisation consisting of Price, some old sailors and gil people.
Some people hate this film and it's certainly got a lot of flaws - the last act basically consists of our heroes in helmets swimming in water with a remarkable lack of tension, there's minimal relationship between Hunter and Hart, characterisation feels undeveloped, far too much time is spent on a comic chook, the plot is a mess (it's a combination of Price wanting to save his civilisation and being obsessed with Hart).
And yet... Price is always fun in these sort of roles, Hart is beautiful, the art direction is atmospheric (a lot of it is set late at night or underwater in darkened rooms, which adds to the charm), the photography is enjoyable. I had a lot more fun than I thought I would.
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