Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		2.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		2.5

Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf January 17, 2018

For their third release, Touchstone Pictures (Disney’s PG-and-over distribution label) elected to make a movie about a baby dinosaur that wasn’t appropriate for little kids to see. 1985’s “Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend” makes a lot of odd creative and tonal choices as it assembles a jungle adventure, caught somewhere between trying to be cute and cuddly for family audiences and remaining surprisingly violent to keep adults interested in the survival of animatronic creatures (the tale open with a character getting knifed in the gut). Director B.W.L. Norton (who previously helmed the fascinating failure, “More American Graffiti”) finds himself overwhelmed with the job at hand throughout the feature, struggling to find storytelling clarity. “Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend” has a retro appeal to it, especially for those who enjoy displays of rubber suit-based antics, along with miniature work and puppetry, but the film as a whole spends so much time juggling light and dark material, it never has a chance to enjoy itself, becoming laborious and behaviorally confusion rather than engrossing, with touches of awkward Disneyfied adorableness.

A paleontologist working in Central Africa, Dr. Susan (Sean Young) is puzzled by recent fossil discoveries made in the area, bringing her findings to Dr. Eric (Patrick McGoohan), who recognizes the bones as evidence of a recent brontosaurus population, but keeps the clues to himself. Eager to discover more of the dinosaurs, Dr. Eric and lackey Nigel (Julian Fellowes, who went on to create “Downton Abbey”) head into the wild to collect evidence, eventually coming across two humongous specimens and their hatchling. With the father killed and the mother captured, the little Baby is left on his own, eventually finding help from Dr. Susan and her husband, journalist George (William Katt), who try to protect the dinosaur from trouble, navigating the dangers of the jungle, interest from local tribes, and Dr. Eric’s military chaperones to make sure the brontosaurus reunites with his imprisoned mother.

“Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend” concerns the protection of a hatchling, but actual dinosaur action doesn’t enter the film until the 30-minute mark, leaving the opening act to standard-issue characterization. Dr. Susan is curious and brilliant, but can’t quite wrap her mind around the possibility of a brontosaurus discovery. Dr. Eric is secretive, dismissing Susan’s evidence while setting out on his own expedition to find the dinos, securing a future of fame and fortune. And George is a restless guy who loves his wife, but prizes a job opportunity at the Washington Post more, urging his spouse to give up her research and return to the states to start a family. Conflicts are minimal, and most of the dated material in the movie is thankfully worked through quickly, including spousal abuse jokes. “Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend” is a Disney production and plays like one for a little while, setting up a mystery with the brontosaurus visitations, urging Susan and George to befriend the dino and prepare to fight those hoping to capture the little guy, because…um…er…nobody puts Baby in corner.

In true Disney fashion, Baby’s parents are treated horribly to create ultimate sympathy for the nearly-orphaned dinosaur. It’s bad enough to see Baby’s mother shot up with tranquilizer darts and transported, “King Kong”-style, to a boat for future exploitation, but dear old dad? He’s torn apart in a hail of bullets, showcasing enough squirting wounds and near-death groans to question Norton’s vision for family entertainment. The violence doesn’t stop here, finding gunplay and explosions taking over the climax, suggesting that perhaps, at one point during the screenplay’s development, “Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend” was intended for older viewers. It’s a theory supported by George’s character arc, which has the frustrated journalist so eager to start a family with Susan, he puts the bedroom moves on her whenever possible -- at one point preparing for sexual intercourse in the middle of the African jungle, covered in mud, and with Baby watching (it’s amazing this film didn’t get slapped with a PG- 13 rating). George has strange priorities throughout the movie, and he’s not much of a hero, but Norton doesn’t emphasize any superhero antics, with most of the picture keeping the couple helpless as Baby does his own thing and Eric’s military escort plans to kill anything that threatens them.

“Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend” seems like a slam-dunk production for Disney, but the Touchstone-ening of the production tends to blur whatever pure creature feature intent the production was aiming for. There are mild delights with the dinosaurs, who are stiffly manufactured but charmingly practical, giving the cast something to interact with, but opportunities for awe and adorableness are few and far between. Scoring by Jerry Goldsmith is also engaging, widening the film’s scope with a compelling mix of orchestral and electronic sounds.

Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Previously released seven years ago by Mill Creek Entertainment, Kino Lorber take a shot at bringing "Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend" to Blu-ray. Sadly, there's no upgrade to enjoy, with the AVC encoded image (2.35:1 aspect ratio) presentation working with an older scan, minimizing the potential for exceptional fine detail and a consistent filmic appearance. Clarity is merely passable at times, providing a look at jungle interactions, sweaty close-ups, and displays of dino activity. Textures are dulled on rubber effects. Colors are passable but fatigued, with green the dominate hue, working with jungle expanse, while costuming allows for livelier primaries. Delineation gets thick at times, but overt solidification isn't encountered. Source is in fine shape, without major elements of damage.

Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix isn't big on creating a circular presence (surrounds have moments of alertness, but nothing sustained), but it offers a compellingly forceful frontal listening event. Dialogue exchanges are clear and easy to follow, handling varied accents acceptably. Scoring is compelling, supplying crisp instrumentation and support when action sequences heat up. Percussive rumble delivers some low-end activity, joined by dino movement, which also delivers heaviness to sell the enormity of the creatures. Sound effects are appealing and loud, contributing sharp gunfire and explosive jungle commotion.

Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Interview (13:26, HD) with William Katt finds the actor in a lively mood, willing to share a few anecdotes from the film shoot. Katt recounts his casting, winning the role just after his stint on "The Greatest American Hero" ended, and discusses his relationship with co- stars, managing a few personality hiccups with Sean Young, while Patrick McGoohan struggled with his ill wife during production, leaving the set whenever possible. Shooting in Africa provides a wealth of stories, with Katt emphasizing the deadly heat, trouble from local tribes, and his fear of gathering crocodiles during a scene where George plays with Baby in the water. The best memories involve director B.W.L. Norton, who wasn't happy with the dino creations and became very sick during filming. Katt is pleased with the feature, but shares his understandable confusion with the effort's tone.

• Interview (10:22, HD) with B.W.L. Norton is a brief chat with the filmmaker in his home, where he quickly burns through his collegiate history and debut work on "More American Graffiti" before mentioning a few specifics about "Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend." Norton is candid about the movie's technical limitations, along with the general struggle of shooting in Africa, dealing with tribal influence and difficult atmospheric challenges. Norton shares a strange story about playing a joke on Young after a difficult scene, and mentions his transition to television, which offered him more work than a career in features.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (1:38, SD) is included.

Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend" has issues with misplaced intensity and sudden dramatic gravity, but its ineffectiveness isn't nearly as shocking as its inappropriateness for its target demographic. Come for the cute dinosaurs, stay for the bullet sprays that threaten their lives and the horndog reporter who needs a refresher on the concept of "pick your moment."