Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

The Land That Time Forgot Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf June 9, 2015

1975’s “The Land That Time Forgot” is notable for being the hit film that kickstarted interest in bringing author Edgar Rice Burroughs’s lesser-known works to the screen. While followed by “At the Earth’s Core,” and a direct sequel in “The People That Time Forgot,” the original picture faced the challenge of tone and execution, with director Kevin Connor struggling to balance character and spectacle in a manner that respects budgetary limitation and viewer patience. While largely faithful to the Burroughs book, the feature has difficulty conjuring excitement, often working through long, dry patches of exposition and surveillance before something of note actually occurs. In a story that includes a visit to a mysterious land populated with dinosaurs and tribes of primitive man, it’s strange to feel restless while watching the effort, which shows tremendous difficulty summoning adventure.

The year is 1916, and a German U-boat commanded by Captain Von Schoenvorts (John McEnery) has successfully sunk a British supply ship filled with civilians. Managing to survive are Tyler (Dough McClure) and Lisa (Susan Penhaligon), along with a few British officers. Realizing their only hope for rescue is found with the Germans, Tyler and the group board and take over the U-boat, with plans to return to friendly waters. However, Von Schoenvorts isn’t easily toppled, with power struggles and violence leaving the ship lost at sea. As fuel is drained and supplies dwindle, hope is found with the discovery of Caprona, a hidden land filled with prehistoric inhabitants, offering the ailing and now allied crew temporary sanctuary. Exploring the island with hopes to collect enough oil to return home, the visitors are faced with unique challenges of survival against towering dinosaurs, while making friends with Ahm (Bobby Parr), a curious native eager to help the strangers.

It’s important to note that “The Land That Time Forgot” takes a considerable amount of screentime before the U-boat finds its way to Caprona. Poster art details raging dinosaurs, gurgling volcanoes, and deep sea catastrophes, but the story actually spends nearly half the film on the ship, studying Tyler’s efforts to overthrow German control and guide the U-boat to a British port. There are fights to stimulate excitement, with German and Brits battling for dominance in the middle of the ocean, but the majority of the opening act concentrates on heated banter between the warring sides and chart study, with Tyler trying to correct the path home after Von Schoenvorts messes with instrumentation and the compass. Characterization is passable, watching the German captain and biologist Lisa trade philosophies and accusations, while Tyler struggles to maintain control of the U-boat, eventually agreeing to a truce for survival purposes. While performances are capable, Connor is unable to summon any level of tension or excitement. “The Land That Time Forgot” merely keeps a low profile with tepid drama before arriving at Caprona. Despite Connor’s attempt to turn a submarine trip into suspense, much of the early going feels like padding to get the picture to 90 minutes.

Once in Caprona, “The Land That Time Forgot” wakes up, but only somewhat. The movie becomes a special effects display, with the crew studying their new surroundings, which showcase a volatile island populated with prehistoric creatures looking for fresh meat. And the dinosaurs are quick to sample from the German buffet, watching the visitors use guns to take down an enormous sea creature, finding the thrill of the hunt (and its prepared, heavily seasoned remains) getting the juices flowing again, finding the gang ready to explore and dominate. The alien landscape provides numerous challenges, with the key to the island’s secrets found in water, which reveals the land to be an evolutionary theme park of sorts. A friendly face arrives with Ahm, who’s ready to help his new friends with navigation, while his very appearance provides a clue to the island’s enigmatic power. The screenplay is careful to underline the devolution of Tyler and the men, who take to the hunt with glee, setting up camp with modern mechanics, reinforcing their savagery while dismissive of primitive man. “The Land That Time Forgot” isn’t subtle, but this pointed edge in an otherwise dull feature is welcome, giving the viewer something to chew on between blasts of noise.

The special effects aren’t extraordinary, but they retain a certain low-fi charm. Connor uses rear projection and careful timing to pit man against dinosaur, also using the technique to study Caprona vistas during hiking sequences. Creatures are puppets, and their battles are rough with impalements and guttural roars. And U-boat travel scenes are capably managed with miniatures, offering necessary exteriors to break up claustrophobia found in the steel coffin. There are limitations to spot, finding a late-movie pterodactyl attack tarted up with quaking camerawork and fast edits, failing to hide the seams. Connor dishes up the mayhem with increasingly regularity as the film unfolds, trying to work the effort into a lather as earthquakes arrives, dinos go crazy, and lava begins to flow. As an overall fantasy extravaganza, “The Land That Time Forgot” is acceptable, with plenty of craftsmanship to study. However, suspenseful escalation is rarely felt.

The Land That Time Forgot Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation doesn't have quite the colorful landscape to study as "At the Earth's Core," the previous BD release in this franchise. It's a darker film with less intensive hues, finding the opening submarine showdown kept to blues and whites. Colors are secure and more engaging as Caprona is explored, finding glowing orange volcanoes and greenish dinosaurs available for study. Skintones are natural. Softer period cinematography remains, but clarity is encouraging, finding nice detail on special effects and human reactions. Textures remain on design achievements and costuming. Grain is managed to satisfaction. Delineation handles low-light adventures well, with distances preserved. Speckling is detected, along with some mild judder.

The Land That Time Forgot Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD sound mix is best with scoring cues, which sound fresh and inviting, offering decent instrumentation that carries the adventuring mood of the story well. Dialogue exchanges are thicker, but everything remains intelligible, with accents and chaotic screen events appreciable. Atmospherics are generally alert, taking in the jungles of Caprona with screeching creatures and seismic activity, and dino action is permitted a heavier feel, adding to intended enormity.

The Land That Time Forgot Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features director Kevin Connor and fan Brian Trenchard-Smith.

• Making Of (12:03, SD) is a promotional piece from 1975, highlighting design efforts required to bring the Burroughs book to the screen. Select production personnel appear to explain their approach, and some BTS footage is shared.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (2:10, HD) is included.

The Land That Time Forgot Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

McClure does his matinee idol best to keep "The Land That Time Forgot" appealing, working overtime to offset the general lethargy of the picture. The ending promises more discoveries to come ("The People That Time Forgot" was released in 1977), but the film would be better off with all that future exploration, delivering a full sense of Caprona life and outsider awe. "The Land That Time Forgot" is only entertaining in small portions, unable to achieve a steady flow of screen activity that keeps Burroughs's influence alert and the movie awake.