At the Earth's Core

Rating:
Summary: Another ERB movie brought down by fake monsters
Review: "At the Earth's Core" is the middle of a trio of films based on novels by Edgar Rice Burroughs. This 1976 film comes from the Pellucidar series, while the other two were based on a pair of novels from a trilogy on "The Land That Time Forgot." This only sounds confusing, especially since all three films were directed by Kevin Connor and stared Doug McClure. Why they did not turn to ERB's John Carter of Mars series is beyond me, but the Pellucidar series, about a land at the earth's core (hence the title) was a decent series. Unfortunately, the film has as many failings as he does assets.

The story starts with Victorian inventor Dr. Abner Perry (Peter Cushing) whose invention the "Iron Mole" has been bankrolled by American David Innes (McClure) to drill into the earth and open up all sorts of wonderful mining opportunities. Unfortunately the vehicle, with its rather lush intererior, has some problems turning and takes Perry and Innes down, down, to their apparent deaths. But then it breaks through into the land of Pellucidar, complete a lava sky for illumination (this is science fiction with the accent on the fiction, so be like Abner and David and go along for the ride).

The performances are fine, although while you suspect that from Cushing it is rather surprising from McClure, but the actor was finding his niche in these films. Add to the equation Princess Dia played by Caroline Munro (she was Victoria Phibes in the Dr. Phibes movies and followed this film as a Bond girl in "The Spy Who Loved Me") and the human beings are fine. It is the cheesy monsters and special effects that drag this film down. Too bad because Burroughs had come up with this sentient race of psychic pterodactyls, the Meyhas, who enslave the humans of Pellucidar for food. Of course the bad dinosaurs capture our heroes who them have to free themselves and every other human being in Pellcuidar (and do it all in 89 minutes). If the Meyhas were not so awful then this film might be halfway decent, but it is not even a close call. ERB deserved beter. If you check out one of these films, then do "The Land That Time Forgot," because it is the best of the bunch.

Rating:
Summary: Another ERB movie brought down by fake monsters
Review: "At the Earth's Core" is the middle of a trio of films based on novels by Edgar Rice Burroughs. This 1976 film comes from the Pellucidar series, while the other two were based on a pair of novels from a trilogy on "The Land That Time Forgot." This only sounds confusing, especially since all three films were directed by Kevin Connor and stared Doug McClure. Why they did not turn to ERB's John Carter of Mars series is beyond me, but the Pellucidar series, about a land at the earth's core (hence the title) was a decent series. Unfortunately, the film has as many failings as he does assets.

The story starts with Victorian inventor Dr. Abner Perry (Peter Cushing) whose invention the "Iron Mole" has been bankrolled by American David Innes (McClure) to drill into the earth and open up all sorts of wonderful mining opportunities. Unfortunately the vehicle, with its rather lush intererior, has some problems turning and takes Perry and Innes down, down, to their apparent deaths. But then it breaks through into the land of Pellucidar, complete a lava sky for illumination (this is science fiction with the accent on the fiction, so be like Abner and David and go along for the ride).

The performances are fine, although while you suspect that from Cushing it is rather surprising from McClure, but the actor was finding his niche in these films. Add to the equation Princess Dia played by Caroline Munro (she was Victoria Phibes in the Dr. Phibes movies and followed this film as a Bond girl in "The Spy Who Loved Me") and the human beings are fine. It is the cheesy monsters and special effects that drag this film down. Too bad because Burroughs had come up with this sentient race of psychic pterodactyls, the Meyhas, who enslave the humans of Pellucidar for food. Of course the bad dinosaurs capture our heroes who them have to free themselves and every other human being in Pellcuidar (and do it all in 89 minutes). If the Meyhas were not so awful then this film might be halfway decent, but it is not even a close call. ERB deserved beter. If you check out one of these films, then do "The Land That Time Forgot," because it is the best of the bunch.

Rating:
Summary: "You Can't Mesmerize Me.....I'm British!"
Review: AT THE EARTH'S CORE (based on a story by Edgar Rice Burroughs) never quite achieves good movie status but you have to give it credit for trying. Thankfully the film is set in motion the minute the credit sequence ends. Cushing and McClure (the latter shamefully getting top billing) are set to do a test run with their "iron mole", a great looking giant drill. Only minutes after their journey begins the two men are knocked out. Shortly after waking the mole has a power failure and the two men find themselves AT THE EARTH'S CORE.
For the uninitiated the Earth's core is full of giant plastic plants, bird beaked monsters, a tribe of human slaves (that speak English), some bizarre pasty faced creatures that serve a strange race of hypnotic pterodactyls. The core is bathed in pink light (which eminates from the magma above). At first the color scheme is quite neat but after awhile it becomes a nauseating experience.
It is of course Cushing and McClure's job to end the pterodactyls reign and free the humans, especially the most attractive human, the scantily clad Caroline Munro.
Munro sports an outfit similar to the ones she wore in The Golden Voyage Of Sinbad (One wonders if such races would ever be saved if it weren't for beautiful women with sweaty cleavage). Her character, Dia, is an enslaved queen looking for the right man. McClure steps up to the plate but doesn't follow through with the native's customs and nearly loses Dia. Cushing later informs the dullard to be "forceful." McClure is clearly bothered by taking on such a masculine role at first but he gets into it quickly enough after Dia shows her submissive approval.
The humans manage to destroy their evil rulers and eventually Cushing and McClure return to Earth's surface (one of the film's intentionally funnier moments).
Cushing is most endearing as a wacky British scientist. He adds a level of touching humor and professionalism not usually found in such a picture. McClure is a fine enough actor but he annoyed me to no end. I am not familiar with his career so I am quite surprised to see such unappealing person as the star of this film.
The truth is the special effects are the star of the picture. Being a fan of non-CGI effects it is always a pleasure to see a film like this. That said, some of the effects are laughably bad. A particular standout is when a bird beaked dinosaur eats a man. The man is clearly a stuffed dummy. Surprisingly the camera lingers on the hysterical carnage for some time.

The DVD is part of MGM's impressive budget priced Midnight Movies series. The enhanced widescreen picture is excellent. The source print is clean and vibrant (almost too much so). The film's keyboard soundtrack sounds very John Carpenterish. The mono sound is strong. The DVD also includes a theatrical trailer which is in fine shape.

Rating:
Summary: a good olde tyme for all!
Review: can you beat this? drill cars? the hollow earth? peter cushing?NO. Sure, it's stupid and the effects are lame... but, it is totallyentertaing... now, if I could only get my own "drill car" to drive (...) :)

Rating:
Summary: Burroughs still spinning in his grave
Review: Despite all the bad Tarzan films that have been made over the years, "At the Earth's Core" is unquestionably the worst adaptation of an Edgar Rice Burroughs' book ever made. I gave this turkey one star because that's the fewest I could give it, If there was a negative star I would use it. The producers of this film took a science fiction adventure classic and made it into pure schlock. From the cheesy sets and costumes, to the rediculous special effects, this movie is bad. Doug McClure is way too old and way too fat to play Burroughs' hero David Innes. Burroughs' inner world of Pellucidar, with its mountains, jungles, seas, and tiny central sun has been reduced to a series of day-glo caverns where rubber suited refugees from a Maurice Sendak book romp. The Mahars, Burroughs' super intelligent race of pterosaurs look like scaly Muppets in this dog, and their apish servants the Sagoths have become pig faced things that grunt like electronic feedback. Do not buy this film! Buy the book which was just re-released this year in an excellent trade paperback edition with the original illstrations by J. Allen St. John.

Rating:
Summary: "Come on Doc.....it can't be much further!"
Review: Despite some of the more negative reviews for this movie, I found it really enjoyable! Sure, the monster special effects technology is not comparable with Jurassic Park, but keep in mind that this movie was made in the 1970's! Doug McClure and Peter Cushing made a very good team in this action-packed adventure film! The movie starts out in the Victorian age as scientist; Dr. Abner Perry (Peter Cushing) and his Geologic Engineering student; David Innes (Doug McClure) are embarking on a mission to test a manned underground drilling machine called "The Iron Mole". When the "Iron mole" goes off-course, the teacher and student duo end up in a place "like nothing on Earth", as stated by David Innes.
David and Dr. Perry end up getting captured and enslaved with humans, by Sagaths, the soldiers for the Majars who rule in the city of Pellucidar.
After finding a way to escape from the caves of the Sagaths, David, aided by a new human friend; Rah, returns to free the slaves and rescue Dr. Perry. The human tribes unite and Dr. Perry trains the tribesman on the skills of Archery, in order to revolt against the Majars and Sagaths, and destroy them.
I loved the comradery between David and Dr. Perry, and the protective nature that David showed for the doctor when they were being roughly treated by the Sagaths and all through the movie. David even, helped physically hold the doctor upright, on the long trip into the caves as they were being pulled along on a long chain of human captives, saying "Come on doc,...it can't be much further". David is a real gentleman, and he also was very courageous and protective for the woman he fell in love with, Princess Dia. He even fought for her protection against ugly men who attempted to "man handle" her!
The movie was filled with humor that may have been unintentional, by the "air-headed" character of Dr. Perry, and the "serious natured character" of David Innes. The antics of Doug McClure and Peter Cushing in this film, for example, when they were being chased by a giant "eagle-looking" bird, after crash landing at the earth's core, was comparable to the antics of the "Three Stooges". I couldn't help but laugh! I enjoyed this movie so much, I watch it frequently! It seems that I pick up on things that I did not previously notice before, the more times that I watch it! A fun and entertaining movie overall! Andrea Lynn Burcham

Rating:
Summary: Swiss or Cheddar?
Review: Dinosaurs with telepathic powers, huh? Well, this flick, at first, gives the impression it's gonna be good, what with the Iron Mole drilling thru the earth and all, but once they arrive at earth's core-ville things take a turn for the nasty. Watching these guys in rubber monster suits for an hour makes the dinosaur puppets from 'Land That Time Forgot' look like CGI. On the flip side, Peter Cushing creates a marvelous character in the proper englishmen, Professor Livingston, or whatever his name was, and the Iron Mole part at the beginning is cool. This is definatley better thought out than 'People That Time Forgot' but McClure was never able to recapture the combination of great story/great acting that it takes to make a great adventure movie with a small budget/cheesy effects. That is why 'Land that Time Forgot' will forever remain McClures best movie. By the way - speaking of cheeseball classics - why isn't McClure's 'Warlords of Atlantis' available?

Rating:
Summary: Sid and Marty Krofft forever!
Review: Hey!Cheesy and low-budget as heck,this drive-in movie from 1976 is nonetheless a lotta fun!I can't help comparing it to Sid and Marty Krofft's saturday morning shows of the early 70s,especialy LAND OF THE LOST.VERY entertaning!

Rating:
Summary: As Bad As They Come!
Review: I can appreciate a campy. low tech sci-fi "B" flick as much as the next guy, but this movie is about as bad as they come. I watched about twenty minutes of this movie, then I actually threw away the disc along with the artwork, saving the case as a replacement! Yep, I threw it in the trash! Absolutely no redeeming value here, no matter how you look at it.

My rating would be zero stars if that was an option.

Rating:
Summary: A very Cheesy film.
Review: I don't why they said the effects work in this film is so good, Quite the opposite in fact. They look fake. You can tell that fake models are explodeing and the monsters are really actors in cheap rubber suits. Even Peter Cushing and Doug McClure look bored with the parts they play.