Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.0

At the Earth's Core Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf January 24, 2015

With the movie industry on the prowl for adventure stories during the 1970s, the work of Edgar Rice Burroughs was mined on several occasions, with director Kevin Connor leading the filmmaking charge on efforts such as “The Land That Time Forgot” and “The People That Time Forgot.” “At the Earth’s Core” was Connor’s second round with Burroughs, with the 1976 endeavor using established creative momentum to plunge into the center of the planet, meeting all types of monsters and mayhem while keeping star Doug McClure employed as the go-to guy for Burroughs-inspired heroism. A B-picture with wonderful passion for the material, “At the Earth’s Core” has its issues with pace and repetition, but it’s immense fun at times, utilizing creative special effects and spooky villainy to support a run of gallantry and primal survival sequences, using the novel’s influence to jumpstart an endearingly set-bound extravaganza that, at one point, features a fire-breathing frog. It’s impossible to deny a movie that favors such a bizarre sight.

Scientist Dr. Abner Perry (Peter Cushing) has put the finishing touches on his “Iron Mole,” an immense drilling vehicle ready to enter the Earth, crawling its way to the core. Joined by financier David Innes (Doug McClure), Abner is ready to make history, commencing a bumpy ride that challenges the men with extreme heat and violent movement. Knocked unconscious, the duo awakens inside the planet’s core, surrounded by an ancient civilization that’s been enslaved by the Mahars, a nation of bird-like prehistoric creatures who use mind control to keep the weak in line. Entering the fire kingdom of Pellucidar, Abner is overwhelmed by the discovery, while David hunts for a way out, caught up in a personal situation with Princess Dia (Caroline Munro) that forces him into protection mode. Teaming up with Ra (Cy Grant), David becomes the focal point for a revolution, with the slaves ready to fight back against the Mahars and break their vicious rule.

Although the scope of the story demands a budget large enough to handle the appearance of enormous creatures and expansive landscapes, “At the Earth’s Core” manages to create its own visual identity with limited coin. Shot on sets, the picture provides a challenge to Connor’s directorial skill, forcing the helmer to dream up ways to explore Pellucidar that feel satisfying but remain manageable. It’s an interesting feature to study, with a recycling of sets and liberal use of rear-projection techniques to generate massive scale, making Abner and David feel appropriately insignificant as they navigate this strange world.

Connor does a commendable job generating the proper tone of adventuring (assisted by a sweeping score from Michael Vickers), sending David through the wringer when it comes to encounters with the enemy and the land itself, which involves winding through a labyrinth of mysterious cave tunnels, conquering creatures, and surviving an encounter with quicksand. Granted, there’s a great deal of padding going on in “At the Earth’s Core” to beef up the movie to 90 minutes, and action sequences always carry on longer than they should. However, Connor is clearly having fun here, staging battles with monsters to keep David’s testosterone flowing, and his treatment of the telepathic Mahars is sneakily frightening at times, spotlighted in an unnerving moment where the birds line up female slaves for dinner time, screaming bloody murder throughout their attack.

For those who enjoy such cinematic achievements, “At the Earth’s Core” does include extensive man-in-suit action, with rubber-clad stuntmen employed to bring the bird menace of Pellucidar to life. The land is also populated with horned creatures, the aforementioned fire-belching frog, a tentacled beast, and an angry lizard cooped up in a gladiatorial arena (forcing David into battle), showcasing a pleasing stomp that lends the feature a Godzilla-esque atmosphere at times. It’s certainly silly but always enchanting.

Some aspects of the 1970s pop out of “At the Earth’s Core,” most pointedly in the use of curly wigs on the native characters, making everyone resemble extras from a final season episode of “The Brady Bunch.” Thankfully, Connor keeps the era out of the period adventure as much as he can, depending on Cushing and McClure to communicate character detail with welcome exaggeration (Abner’s elderly wiring is elegantly played by the beloved actor), and Monro makes for pleasing eye candy as Dia, representing the only female element in a picture that could use a little more of a feminine touch.

At the Earth's Core Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation revives a nearly 40-year-old B-movie for BD with care, leading with a terrific sense of color, finding refreshed hues carrying intensity and stability as they bring out the picture's alien landscape. Shades of purple are the easiest to identify, showing welcome punch to sell the highlights of the cinematography. Detail is generally satisfactory, with a pleasing sharpness that brings out man-in-suit textures and acting passion in close-ups, while sets are largely open for pauseable inspection. Delineation isn't sacrificed, with strong blacks and secure distances. Some judder is detected, along with speckling.

At the Earth's Core Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix keeps up the energy of the picture with a limited but effective barrage of sound effects and dialogue exchanges, offering passable separation that doesn't snowball into clouded extremes. Heavy use of ADR guarantees that performances remain at least somewhat clear, with emphasis that carries over the chaos of the action. Scoring is bold and instrumentation adequate, sustaining the mood when required. Atmospherics with otherworldly exploration retain snap, and the monstrous presence is retained in distinct screeches and stomps.

At the Earth's Core Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features director Kevin Connor.

• Interview (28:43, HD) with star Caroline Munro offers quite a bit of BTS info on the making of "At the Earth's Core," with the enthusiastic actress recalling the charms of co-stars Cushing and McClure, while praising Connor's genial attitude on set. Munro also takes the time to walk through her filmography, discussing "The Golden Voyage of Sinbad," "A Talent for Loving," and her appearance in the Adam Ant video for "Goody Two Shoes."

• Interview (22:03, HD) with Connor covers the extent of his career, taking viewers back to his start as an editing room lackey, which taught him the ins and outs of film direction. Already well-versed in Burroughs-inspired moviemaking by the time he made "At the Earth's Core," Connor details his experience with efforts such as "The Land That Time Forgot," "The Land That People Forgot," and "Warlords of the Deep," with McClure returning to star in all three pictures.

• Making Of (5:43, HD) is a featurette from 1976 that focuses on the creation of the creatures that populate "At the Earth's Core." A brief but welcome look at the production in motion, the mini-documentary provides an appealing glimpse into the creative process.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (2:53, HD) is included.

At the Earth's Core Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"At the Earth's Core" is nearly wall-to-wall action, rarely interested in slowing down, possibly out of fear that any break will lose the attention of its young audience. Perhaps it's best to have the movie careening along, processing strange sights at top speed, as "At the Earth's Core" doesn't have the dramatic weight to fully inspect the wonders of Burroughs's novel. Instead, the feature emphasizes monster beat-downs and menacing birds, stuffed with enough acts of derring-do to satisfy as pure escapism.