For a while there, before their well-publicized bankruptcy troubles,
MGM released a series on DVD called Midnite Movies, which featured a pair of
SF/horror/fantasy films from their extensive library on a single, flipper disc.
For those who may not know, "flipper" means a DVD which has content on both sides,
and the Midnite Movies series usually placed the two films in its double feature
on each side of the DVD. Relatively inexpensive, compared to DVDs with just one
movie, the Midnite Movies series were a great way to collect B-Movies, such
as the set that has The Land That Time Forgot and The People That Time Forgot, a
pair of fantasy movies from the 1970s that were based on the works of noted author
Edgar Rice Burroughs (who also created Tarzan).
The Land That Time Forgot (1975) stars Doug McClure as Bowen Tyler, a dashing
adventurer who finds himself cast adrift in a lifeboat with fellow survivor Lisa
Clayton (Susan Penhaligon) in the chilly Atlantic after their ship was sunk by a
German submarine during the First World War. Hooking up with a second lifeboat
filled with the ship’s British crew, Tyler (who knows a thing or two about
submarines) launches a daring plan to take over the German sub after it surfaces
to recharge its batteries. The first half hour of Land is actually quite good; it
works very well as strictly an action/adventure story, with control of the sub
teetering back and forth between the two groups, who constantly fight for dominance.
Thanks to a sabotaged compass, Tyler realizes they’ve been heading south for
several days, and wind up in uncharted waters, where they discover a lost
continent of dinosaurs and primitive cave men. Teaming up to fix the sub, both
crews must contend with the horror of cheesy rubber monsters. No joke; the dinos in
this film are largely rubber, such as the beastie that attacks Tyler and the
others on the sub’s conning tower. It looks like the film crew was simply
slapping it against the deck--where it bounces crazily--every time it swooped
down for the attack. The rest of the monsters are pretty much lame hand puppets
who’re so stiff, they make Kermit the Frog look lifelike in comparison.
And then there’s Ahm (Bobby Parr), the caveman/guide whom our heroes capture,
whose entire vocabulary consists of yelling his name and the names of the various
other tribes over and over and over again like a demented parrot. If you start a
drinking game while watching this dude, be wary; you’ll be smashed within the
first five minutes. But despite the silliness, Land is still an incredible amount
of fun. Would it have benefited from CGI, or even stop-motion animated effects?
Oh sure, but the low-rent puppet show is really part of the film’s charm for me.
Plus, the acting is halfway decent, making it easy to sympathize with these
characters as they battle the dino-puppet horrors. John McEnery is a standout as
Captain Von Schoenvorts, the thoughtful commander of the sub.
Two years later, in 1977, we got The People That Time Forgot, a sequel where a
rescue party led by Major Ben McBride (played by Patrick Wayne, John Wayne’s
son) try and find out what happened to Tyler. They got a lead on where he
might be from a message in a bottle that Tyler had thrown into the sea. Armed
with an amphibious airplane, they soar over the mountains, only to run into a
pterodactyl (looking more like a stiff kite), which forces them to crash land.
Setting out with fellow expedition members Norfolk (Thorley Walters) and Lady
Charley (Sara Douglas), McBride soon encounters more rubber dinosaur puppets,
including a big stegosaurs that looks like it was made from paper mache.
At least
the effects guys were trying out new material; which is always a good thing, I
guess. People That Time Forgot is more silly than Land (which, in and of itself
is pretty darn amazing), but the saving grace for me is the sight of Ajor (Dana
Gillespie) a lovely young woman in the heroic jungle girl mold who struts her
stuff quite nicely. Although extremely silly (the bad guys’ samurai-like dress
has to be seen to be believed) People is still just as much fun as Land, as long
as you don’t take it seriously. Both films, with each movie running at about 90 minutes each,
make for an entertaining evening when seen together.
The violence is low key, and there’s no cursing, making these flicks extremely
family friendly. It should also be noted that People has an interesting behind
the scenes fact: three of its cast members (Shane Rimmer, Richard LeParmentier
and David Prowse) would also appear in Star Wars,
which was also released the same year as TPTTF. Kevin Connor, who directed both
Land & People, does so in a highly professional style that keeps the pacing moving. If
only the effects weren’t as cheesy--but if old fashioned B-films are your passion,
or if you and yours are big fans of shows like Xena: Warrior Princess,
then these two lost world entries should provide a fun evening for you and the kids.
--SF
Main Review Page | Fantasy Films | The Land That Time Forgot/The People That Time Forgot
