The Lost Continent [DVD]

The Lost Continent was the second of three films Hammer Films adapted from novels written by Dennis Wheatley... and this has to be the strangest. When Hammer got it right, they did it brilliantly, and when they got it wrong it could be disasterous. The Lost Continent falls somewhere between the two, with a convoluted plot that veers from sea bound drama/disater to the Spanish Inquisition, with carniverous seaweed, killer crustaceans and a luminous cephalopod thrown in for good measure. Bearing in mind this was made in the late sixties, you could be forgiven for thinking that someone was feeding the cast and crew wacky dust - but for all it's sillyness, it still has it's good points and proves an enjoyable, if daft romp. The acting is a little dodgy at times, with Suzanna Leigh struggling to act sexy and get her lines out at the same time, and the late Hildegarde Neff managing to act through the entire film with virtually just one expression, as though she's had an early form of botox. There's also a turn from Dana Gillespie as the buxom damsel in distress, who positively oozes out of the outfit she is wearing - very Hammeresque. The music score also veers from dramatic orchestrated pieces to jazzy hammond organ that strangely suits the film, and a title song that is both catchy and off the wall - just listen to the lyrics. It's Hammer at it's most pantomimic, and a cult classic. This version is the diced and sliced cut version as seen on TV (the american Anchor Bay dvd release has the full version), but the cuts don't impair the film... so sit back and lose yourself for 86 minutes in The Lost Continent.

Well if you like the old style creature features from the 50's & 60's like me you will love this (strangely I don't remember ever seeing this one before can't think why) It's got an absolute bonkers plot featuring a despodic captain carrying an illegal cargo of explosives along with passengers who for one reason or another are desperate to leave where they are coming from, as you can probably guess mayhem them ensues onboard then to add to there woes the ship is surrounded and for want of a better word controlled by flesh eating seaweed that drags them to a ships graveyard around a mysterious island inhabited by strange mutant creatures/molluscs and previous shipwreck survivors who are enslaved by the Spanish inquisition living on-board a conquisadore ship, as I said its an absolutely bonkers plot, the effects/creatures are made from foam rubber and are REALLY cheesy even for the time this film was made. BUT that for me is what gives these film there charm, just put your feet up and smile I DID.

This is by far the silliest and strangest Hammer film in existence.Adapted from a Denis Wheatley novel it tells the story of a ship, crew and passengers who after a storm arrive on a 'lost continent'. The film should really be titled 'The Lost Man-Eating Seaweed' as much of the action takes place on boats with the said man-eating seaweed all around and the only bit of land you see is a bit of rock!Sillier and stranger still are the descendants of survivors from ages past who walk on the man eating-seaweed with the aid of balloons, led by a boy King come God while their spiritual leader looks like something out of the Ku Klux Clan, a giant mollusc, a giant scorpion and a giant octopus!Ray Harryhausen it is NOT!!!Still,it's great fun and had me laughing out loud on many occasions. You have to see it to believe it. It's so bad it's brilliant!!!

Fantastic really pleased to have found this cult movie on dvd perfect

What can you say about this movie Based on Dennis Wheatley Novel called the Uncharted Seas. The "monsters" are amusing when compared to today's CGI "monsters". But it is an original idea and well worth your time.

The dvd is lovely, and (unless I'm mistaken) it seems to be the extended version which was released in the States. Quality is good- the mono soundtrack sounds nice so that you get dialogue clearly spoken, the outlandish sound effects blaring, and the odd cocktail lounge-style musical score nicely balanced. There's also a trailer. Recommended for lovers of tongue-in-cheek cinema and outrageous Hammer fun.

Bought for my weird and wonderful collection not the best movie ever made but a from a classic era

I remember watching this film when it came on tv years ago and my memories of it made me want to watch it again.Sadly it's not quite as good as my memory had me believe. Very rubbery looking octopus and spanish soldiers withposh English accents along with a very basic story.This film was probably cutting edge when it was made .