The Land That Time Forgot
The Land that Time Forgot seems to be one of those films that entirely missed the target audience. I personally remember watching it with my dad who took me out to watch it in our local single screen as a 9 year old boy. Ever since then Doug McClure became my action hero or role model. 44 years later, I witness a wonder of a Blu-ray release of the film from Umbrella Entertainment and almost jump off my seat like that 9 year old once again. I just really wish my dad could have seen us, me and Tina absolutely loved the film and he knows that I have inherited this love from him.
In the context of the first world war, a British ship is sunk by a German U-boat, and only a few survivors manage to escape and find shelter on a poorly maintained lifeboat. Exposed on the ocean and with almost no ration at all to feed them, the survivors notice that the U-boat is not so far away from them and it’s deploying. Using the element of surprise, the survivors go for an offensive as the German crew opens the submarine’s doors and capture the vessel. How long the controls of the submarine would last was never thought by them and before long, they are left with no option but to negotiate with the German commanders as they are also trapped in the ocean with no provisions and food.
Immersed in dinosaur history, the movie begins as the main characters find themselves searching through the waters for an uncultivated island. Finding themselves in a beautifully unexplored land filled with dinosaurs and primitive men is an intriguing circumstance. Indeed this is a place where even in history there are a few remnants of the era, so the animation “The Land That Time Forgot” is incredibly accurate.
They expect to collect and clean crude oil that they have just discovered, construct a submarine, then stock it with food, water, and fuel, and begin the journey home. Battering dinosaurs, primitive humans, AND a volcano which can, well, explode at any time, yes they have to escape the island before everything goes up in flames.
As already said, I am perhaps the greatest fan of this film, and this is in fact, the best I have ever watched it. For those who are unfamiliar with the movie however, there are some caveats that should be made for you.
Unlike the other movies of the period that incorporated animated techniques perfected by Ray Harryhausen and others, The Land That Time Forgot uses crude puppets for all its air and land-based monsters. It is very evident that strings are being used in the scene where a pterodactyl grabs a man in its mouth as the dinosaur spins around in an awkward stiff manner. I wouldn’t have been shocked if Muffin the Mule came sauntering through the background. At the same time, this is all simply loads of fun because the courage and horror orchestrate the actions beautifully.
Let me add one more thing: I guess it came to me only when I was watching the film from a more mature point, the last surviving members of the human race shown are real dinks! Many a times they kill dinosaurs not because being attacked by the same but “Hey look at the dinosaurs far away, get a rifle, we need to kill them”. Prehistoric man does little better either, getting shot at just because his head was turned in their general direction. Tina and I were simply in stitches over the things that we saw like this and did bear in mind when we were children.
The cast is impressive, especially Doug McClure who plays Bowen Tyler in a very commanding way. Susan Penhaligon is more than just the sad love interest and goes into battle herself. Keith Barron as the Captain of the ship made me forget his role in ‘Duty Free’ in just a short while for the better! John McEnery playing the German U-Boot captain has a great character development; he starts as a cold man whisking his crew to fight the British, and develops into a warm-hearted man who wishes all the inhabitants of the island to get away unhurt.
However, it is Anthony Ainley who plays German officer ‘Dietz’ that steals the movie for me yes even above my action hero of the day! He is the very definition of a villain and if he wasn’t so bad, I’d say he was nasty enough to have a twirlable moustache! Every time he was on screen, I almost felt like screaming “BOOOO” or even “HISSS”.
The Land That Time Forgot is a feelgood family fantasy adventure movie. You do kind of wish you could wean your kids/grandkids off today’s CGI drenched summer blockbusters, and show them how your imagination brought far more to the action on the screen than can be managed with computer graphics. You can call me old (and many have) but I actually enjoy these kinds of movies, especially this one because of the childhood memories that come with it.
Thank you Umbrella Entertainment for releasing The Land Before Time with an excellent picture and 9 years old again each time I put the Blu Ray in the player.
Let’s forget the up coming Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom for now, but let us go treat ourselves to a dinosaur adventure right now.
Review by Dave (host of 60 Minutes With) from a disc provided thanks to Umbrella Entertainment.
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