Despite of - or perhaps because of - its primitive special effects and man-in-suit monstrosities, I have a great affection for this movie, and have ever since catching it on network television back around 1977. It's actually fairly faithful to the Burroughs novel (abridged, of course), even if it presents truly fanciful monsters rather than the paleontologically accurate prehistoric beasties of the book. Cushing is a joy as Prof. Abner Perry, the brilliant but absent-minded inventor of the "Iron Mole," and Caroline is a perfect primeval princess. McClure is decent, too.
Sure, I wish it had a bigger budget and Ray Harryhausen-animated creatures, but it's a fun - and favorite - 70s Lost World flick.
This is one instance when I have to strongly disagree, Christopher. I thought this was a pretty bad movie for that sub-genre. I rewatched this movie only a few years ago and it didn't do anything for me. I preferred McClure's other "lost worlds" movie, The Land That Time Forgot, although probably because of the same reason, namely the cheap special effects. Also, the 1977 TV movie The Last Dinosaur was better than this, IMHO. I'd even rather watch the 1993 Journey to the Center of the Earth TV movie, which most people seem to hate.
ReplyDeleteIt's okay if you disagree. I still like ya.
DeleteReally? You do? Geez, it's true what they say. There's just no accounting for taste.
DeleteOk, this is just freaky. Everything on here is something I've been obsessing over for years while everyone I know looks at me funny.
ReplyDeleteThis movie just hit home hard enough that I felt the need to have to say something about it.
I didn't say something after all the Silent Running stuff. I didn't say anything when Shazam was posted. I didn't say anything when it was Salvage 1 showing up back in my life.
Hell, I spent two days once trying to figure out why I couldn't find anything on a "Project Blue Book" though I swore that was the name of the show I used to have to stop my family to watch.
In short, this blog rocks. Thank you.
You're welcome!
DeleteI still love this film, warts and all. When I was a kid, I saw this before I read Verne's JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH, and yes, ATEC blew my young mind away. It isn't perfect, and the effects do look dated, but it was exciting and pretty faithful to the original novel, in my view.
ReplyDeletePlus it had three great leads.
Maybe it's time to do a remake (or rather, a re-telling). Not sure if that will be a go, considering what happened to JOHN CARTER (great movie horribly assaulted by clueless critics).
I liked At the Earth's Core - great movie to watch on a rainy Sunday afternoon. And these posters are amazing. Although can't remember the exploding skyscrapers : )
ReplyDeleteA favorite then and a favorite now. Pretty faithful to the book unlike most Tarzan movies and the recent John Carter movie. It has neat monsters and lots of fire and lava. Peter Cushing is great as usual and Caroline Munro plays her role perfectly.
ReplyDeleteWhere do I begin? My model room is adorned with all four posters of this team of Doug McClure, John Dark, and Kevin Connor. These films are gems because of their puppet style creatures and fool the camera effects. They define what an enjoyable B-movie is in my opinion. At the Earth's Core best scene is in the pit with the winged creatures and their mind communication, glowing blinking eyes included. CGI can be a great tool but I prefer physically making the props as best you can with the budget the studio gives you any day. Thanks Chris.
ReplyDeleteDe nada.
DeleteI loved the flick as a kid and still laugh at Peter Cushing whenever I see it these days. Who else would try to shoo away a dinosaur with an umbrella? LOL. Yes, it's a BAD movie, but in a great way. It's imaginative, with colorful sets and playful costuming (and bad hair too). The man-in-suit factor is what makes the movie memorable though. Whether it's the giant dinosaurs or the silly "man-in-birdsuit-on-strings" shots, it all adds a bit of charm to these types of movies. It was a fun little era of film-making that we'll never see again. Doug McClure is truly in his element here. Always the hero, his performance doesn't disappoint one bit. In all of these movies, he looks like he's having fun making them (well, maybe with the exception of "The People that Time Forgot.")
ReplyDeleteAnd it's much more entertaining than "The Core." LOL
Saw this in the theater as a kid, and own it now on DVD. An incredibly fun romp through a dinosaur-laden lost world, enjoyable then & now. Caroline Munro was perfect for her role (stunning, sexy & savage) and Cushing was always a treat. McClure actually did pretty well in this one...not an acting stretch by any means, but he played the straight-forward, granite-jawed hero very well.
ReplyDeleteFirst movie I ever got to see by myself without any parental guidance. It was 1976 so I guess I was 8. Great film, love it still today. Great memories.
ReplyDeleteBig fan of this movie. First saw it on late-nite TV back in the late 70s on a Saturday night. I was about 12. Loved it then and still love it today. I have a Mexican lobby card in my collection. But, mine is signed by Caroline Munro. Still a beautiful lady.
ReplyDeleteGreat Blog!
Bobby
I just watched this a week or so ago. I really liked it and thought the creatures were pretty cool - that "sub-human" race, too! Am currently running a Hollow Earth Expedition RPG, so watching it was doubly awesome.
ReplyDeleteMy only question is this: why didn't she go back with him? That seemed a damned odd choice for the ending.