This movie was definitely overlooked by myself for a number of years. I either saw the trailer or maybe a piece of the film on televison. Whichever, I think I decided the dinosaurs looked so cheesy that the rest of the movie had to be just as cheesy. I just skipped it for a long time. Recently, Turner Classics ran it and I gave it a look. I knew it was based on the novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs and soon as I saw the script authors included Michael Moorcock, I sat up. This might not be as bad as I’d imagined.
And it wasn’t.
Make no mistake, not a great film. It still had problems, but a literate script was there. The dinosaurs were puppets and in a scene or two wires were actually visible. The pterodactyls were little more than gliders, stiff winged and looking not at all real. This was before Star Wars which changed everything in special effects. Still, stop motion might have been a better way to go.
I decided to reread the novel to compare changes as it had been a good many years since I had last been through it. A couple of incidents combined to make one scene, the love triangle, not exactly though, with the U-boat commander is gone. In fact, in the film, Von Schoenvorts is not nearly the despotic, German autocrat portrayed in the novel. Those characteristics were shifted to the first officer. The only woman character was named Clayton in the film, likely a nod to Burroughs.
The secret of the island of Caprona, Caspak to the natives, is never fully realized, though they begin to suspect, and the ending is quite different with a volcano erupting as a background for the betrayal that follows.
I did enjoy this one after all(I’m still a kid at heart and can enjoy suspending logic now and again). I know there was a sequel and mow want to see it. That logic tells me it will, as sequels generally do, fall short of the original.
an aside: in researching this post, I learned that Mr. Moorcock is, or was, facing surgery, an amputation. Some reports said a leg, others a foot. Maybe not as serious as some thought as Mr. Moorcock was making jokes about. J seems to have come through fine. I’m glad. I can empathize having been through a foot amputation myself. I hope he continues to do well.
Here’s the trailer:
Not The Baseball Pitcher 
You have me interested in seeing this one again. Last time was the early eighties and I have no recollection beyond the bad effects.
I remember this one. Had an awful crush on Doug McClure. Even had his photograph on my bulletin board when I was about 12. Of course, that was when he was a cowboy. By 1975, I was a mother of two but I think we watched it on VCR.
I am such a sucker for this show. I watch it every time I get a chance.
I remember Baird Searles being unimpressed, but he resented anything too kidsy…I shall have to try it sometime.
Did you also, like Moorcock, have diabetic complcations, Randy? Trying to stave them off for myself, though not as hard as I should. He definitely lost a toe some years back.
Yes, Todd, diabetes is the culprit. My left foot was removed about five years ago.
why is the actress with the big breasts uncredited
who is she?
Susan Penhaligon is likely the one you refer to. She was twenty-six at the time, sixty-two now. Hey, same age as me.
I seen this at a movie theatre when it came out and loved it!!!! I just recorded it on my DVR and I’m watching it right now, put a big smile on my face 🙂