Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Creatures the World Forgot Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov October 8, 2022

Don Chaffey's "Creatures the World Forgot" (1971) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Indicator/Powerhouse Films. The supplemental features on the release include new program with film music historian David Huckville; new program with critic Jonathan Rigby; short films; vintage promotional materials; and more. With optional English SDH subtitles. Region-B "locked".

Is the awful reputation of Creatures the World Forgot deserved? Well, to get a credible answer to this question it is not a bad idea to consider the context in which this reputation is placed. It is not a bad idea to scrutinize the expectations of the critics that have argued that Creatures the World Forgot is a terrible film as well.

Don Chaffey completed Creatures the World Forgot five years after One Million Years B.C. with the obvious intent to replicate the box office success of the latter. The void left by Raquel Welch was filled by Julie Ege, an equally striking but virtually unknown Norwegian actress, who had appeared in a couple of films and played instantly forgettable secondary characters. Ege’s acting experience of course was utterly irrelevant because she already had a reputation as a Penthouse Pet and Hammer Films had carved a profitable niche for their Cave Girl films. This means that Chaffey began shooting Creatures the World Forgot with a crystal-clear idea of how the finished film should look and what type of entertainment it was supposed to deliver. This also means that Chaffey intended to meet the expectations of the same crowd that made One Million Years B.C. profitable.

What happened next? Did Ege look as ravishing before Chaffey’s camera as Welch did? And did Chaffey manage to make Creatures the World Forgot look as good as One Million Years B.C.?

This is where a proper evaluation of Creatures the World Forgot needs to begin placing a lot of crucial details in a proper context. First, it is important to remember that One Million Years B.C. was made with a modest budget and is not a very good looking film. (The people at Hammer Films whose opinion mattered the most considered it an experimental project, so a lot was done with minimal effort to minimize the financial effects of a potentially disastrous theatrical performance). It is precisely why in One Million Years B.C. Chaffey’s camera spent a lot more time observing Welch’s feminine curves than her environment and the special effects turned out quite mediocre. In Creatures the World Forgot, Ege looks terrific but Chaffey’s camera is not obsessed with her body. As a result, Chaffey had greater freedom to tell a better and more diverse story with a larger number of unique characters. Second, Creatures the World Forgot and One Million Years B.C. share the same setting but the former looks far more realistic. (The giant dinosaurs that emerge in the latter do not hurt its authenticity. Indeed, their impact on authenticity is identical to that of the giant erupting volcanos in the former). What makes a difference? The superior character arcs, which is quite an accomplishment considering that Creatures the World Forgot is dialog-free as well. (The drama between Tony Bonner and Robin John’s siblings alone elevates Creatures the World Forgot to an entirely different level).

What were the expectations of the critics that have dismissed Creatures the World Forgot over the years? Virtually all expectations are variations of the strange conclusion that Creatures the World Forgot does not tell a very exciting story, which reflects a disappointment with the lack of dinosaurs and visual trickery of the kind that is present in Ray Harryhausen’s projects. But this is precisely what strengthens the realism of its story and makes it look a lot more contemporary than the other Cave Girl films Hammer Films produced.

*Jean-Jacques Annaud’s Quest for Fire uses an almost identical blueprint to tell a similar story about survival. It is practically free of conventional cinematic special effects and all of its action was shot live. Its main omission is the reliance on a striking female star to spice up the story.

Creatures the World Forgot Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Creatures the World Forgot arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Indicator/Powerhouse Films.

The release is sourced from an old master that was supplied by Sony Pictures. The overall quality of the visuals is pretty decent, but it is not difficult to tell that some light denoising adjustments have been applied possibly to rebalance uneven areas. As a result, delineation and especially depth are not always as convincing as they need to be. Interestingly, some of the most uneven areas are during outdoor footage, while darker footage tends to look quite good. Color balance is stable. However, there are various areas where the primaries should have better saturation and supporting nuances need to be expanded. There are no traces of sharpening adjustments. Image stability is good. There are no distracting large cuts, damage marks, debris, warped or torn frames to report. All in all, the current master is serviceable, but if properly restored, this film can look quite impressive on Blu-ray. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Creatures the World Forgot Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: Music LPCM 1.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided, but they are not particularly helpful.

The film is free of conventional dialog, which means that the lossless audio services Mario Nascimbene's music and some small effects. I thought that the overall dynamic range of the audio is pretty good and there is quite a bit of action footage where memorable contrasts emerge. Can the audio be improved? At the moment, I don't think so. If there is any room for improvements, I have to speculate that they would be cosmetic.

Creatures the World Forgot Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Theatrical Trailer - presented here is a remastered vintage trailer for Creatures the World Forgot. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

• TV Spot - presented here is a VHS TV spot for Creatures the World Forgot. In English, not subtitled. (1 min).

• Radio Spot - presented here is vintage radio spot for Creatures the World Forgot. In English, not subtitled. (1 min).

• Image Gallery -
  
  1. Promotional materials
  2. Behind the scenes

• Primitive Rites - in this new program, film music historian David Huckville discusses Mario Nascimbene's legacy and soundtrack for Creatures the World Forgot. In English, not subtitled. (27 min).

• Jonathan Rigby: Signs of Change - in this new program, critic Jonathan Rigby discusses Hammer Films' production of Creatures the World Forgot and the film's unique qualities. In English, not subtitled. (25 min).

• Hammer's Women: Julie Ege - in this new program, critic Rachel Knightley discusses the modeling and film careers of Julie Ege. In English, not subtitled. (7 min).

• Commentary - this exclusive new commentary was recorded by critics Kim Newman and Sean Hogan.

• Short Films - three short films directed by Don Chaffey.
  
  1. Skid Kids (1953). The film can be seen with an audio commentary by critic Vic Pratt. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles. (49 min).
  
  2. A Good Pull-Up (1953). The film can be seen with an audio commentary by critic Vic Pratt. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles. (18 min).
  
  3. Watch Out! (1953). The film can be seen with an audio commentary by critic Vic Pratt. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles. (18 min).

• Book - exclusive 80-page book with a new essay on the film, archival interviews and articles, an overview of contemporary critical responses, and technical credits.

• Cards - five collectible cards. See screencaptures.

• Cover - reversible cover.

Creatures the World Forgot Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Not only is Creatures the World Forgot not the poor film various critics have described over the years, it it is actually one of the best of its kind. I think that it is unquestionably better balanced and more attractive than its famous predecessor, One Million Years B.C., and as realistic as Quest for Fire. To be honest, I think that Julie Ege routinely looks more ravishing than Raquel Welch does in front of Don Chaffey's camera as well. Indicator/Powerhouse Films' Blu-ray release is sourced from an old and somewhat inconsistent master that was supplied by Sony Pictures. However, at the moment it probably offers the best presentation of Creatures the World Forgot that you can get on disc. If you decide to pick it up for your library, please keep in mind that it is Region-B "locked". RECOMMENDED.