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The Lost World |
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Seven decades before Michael Crichton borrowed the title of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's classic adventure tale, The Lost World was the movie sensation of 1925. (The film is not to be confused with Steven Spielberg's sequel to Jurassic Park.) Just as Spielberg's dinosaur thrillers would advance the technology of computer-generated spectacle, Doyle's classic story provided a perfect opportunity to exploit the illusions made possible by stop-motion animation. Eight years before he stunned audiences with the amazing special effects of King Kong, pioneering stop-motion animator Willis O'Brien created the dinosaur stars of this classic silent-film fantasy. Following Doyle's plot, the film plays like a dress rehearsal for King Kong and establishes a now-familiar scenario: Wallace Beery plays a visionary scientist who returns to the remote South African plateau where he'd earlier discovered a jungle haven of prehistoric creatures. Determined to introduce this discovery to the world, he returns to London with a captive brontosaurus, which later escapes and goes on a destructive rampage through the city. Though somewhat quaint by modern standards, this silent classic remains a milestone of fantasy filmmaking, and Lumivision's splendid collector's edition DVD presents the film in near-pristine condition. Accompanied by a newly composed musical score, the film is supplemented by a series of still photographs to illustrate the legendary missing scenes from the original (and long-lost) 10-reel version. To further showcase the animation work of O'Brien (who would later inspire and mentor Ray Harryhausen), the disc also includes several excerpts from his pioneering films from the early 1920s. Included too is a still-frame library and an informative onscreen essay by film historian Scott MacQueen. If you're a silent-movie buff or a fan of imaginative movies, consider this an essential addition to your DVD library. --Jeff Shannon
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