AdventureFantasyScience Fiction

The Lost World

- In the middle of the twentieth century, you fall off the brink of time!

Professor Challenger leads an expedition of scientists and adventurers to a remote plateau deep in the Amazonian jungle to verify his claim that dinosaurs still live there.

Release Date : 1960-07-13

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : 20th Century Fox

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Lord John Roxton

Original Name : Michael Rennie

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jennifer Holmes

Original Name : Jill St. John

Gender : Female

Character Name : Ed Malone

Original Name : David Hedison

Gender : Male

Character Name : Prof. George Edward Challenger

Original Name : Claude Rains

Gender : Male

Character Name : Manuel Gomez

Original Name : Fernando Lamas

Gender : Male

Character Name : Prof. Summerlee

Original Name : Richard Haydn

Gender : Male

Character Name : David Holmes

Original Name : Ray Stricklyn

Gender : Male

Character Name : Costa

Original Name : Jay Novello

Gender : Male

Character Name : Native Girl

Original Name : Vitina Marcus

Gender : Female

Character Name : Burton White

Original Name : Ian Wolfe

Gender : Male

Character Name : Prof. Waldron (uncredited)

Original Name : Colin Campbell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Stuart Holmes (uncredited)

Original Name : John Graham

Gender : Male

Character Name : Indian Chief (uncredited)

Original Name : Larry Chance

Gender : Male

Character Name : Reporter at Airport (uncredited)

Original Name : Bert Stevens

Gender : Male

Character Name : Man at Airport (uncredited)

Original Name : Al Bain

Gender : Male

Character Name : Guest at Zoological Institute Forum (uncredited)

Original Name : Bess Flowers

Gender : Female

Character Name : Guest at Zoological Institute Forum (uncredited)

Original Name : Kenner G. Kemp

Gender : Male

Character Name : Guest at Zoological Institute Forum (uncredited)

Original Name : Cosmo Sardo

Gender : Male

Character Name : Guest at Zoological Institute Forum (uncredited)

Original Name : Murray Pollack

Gender : Male

Reviews

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

Irwin Allen asks us politely to get lost in his world. The Lost World is directed and produced by Irwin Allen, who also co-adapts the screenplay with Charles Bennett from the novel written by Arthur Conan Doyle. It stars Michael Rennie, Jill St. John, Claude Rains, David Hedison, Fernando Lamas and Richard Haydn. A CinemaScope production in De Luxe Color, music is by Paul Sawtell & Bert Shefter and cinematography by Winton C. Hoch. A loose adaptation of Doyle's novel, this version was the first talkie to surface after the silent original back in 1925. The story pitches a diverse group of travellers/explorers onto an Amazonian plateau where it is hoped that proof of living dinosaurs can be made. Monster malarkey does follow. Given that it has a diverse reputation and average ratings on internet movie sites, you would be fooled into thinking this was a flop. Far from it! It made very good coin at the box office and it continues to be a well received fantasy favourite shown on TV schedules during holiday periods. In fact, there is a cult fan base out there whom steadfastly will defend the pic from violent attack! Irwin Allen used his average budget in areas other than for the creature effects, this is obvious, while it's true to say that most of the acting is from the school of ham and cheese sandwich. Yet the slurpasaur effects are engaging and effective. Oh for sure none of the creatures look like dinosaurs, which begs the question on why didn't they just write it as a new raft of undiscovered dinosaurs? But suspense and peril is eked out and the world created by the art design team is impressively interesting. The usual character stereotypes exist, including a surplus to requirements female character (St. John), who is attired in pink trousers and brings her pet poodle pooch along for the trip! The formula would get tired over the on coming decades (see Disney's Island at the Top of the World which would crib from this pic), yet there's still a lot of fun to be had with big creatures, big spiders, diamonds and a secret race of people with a specialist appetite - while you can't beat a good old chase finale topped off by peril and twisty strife. Sometimes cheap and cheerful, sometimes full of fun and frolics, all things considered, there's a good time to be had for the discerning creature feature/fantasy adventure film fan. 6.5/10