Lost World, The (DVD)

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In the early going, the narrative actually has a head of steam, and we can forgive some of the miscues and obvious "Lost in Space" re-steps. But as those re-steps start to mount and become missteps, the expedition (and the plot) really lose steam around the two-thirds point of the film. When a feature about dinosaurs doesn't hold the attention of juveniles, you know you've got a problem. It slows down and gets talky just about the time we crave more action, and bogs down further when "natives" are introduced--including a girl who looks about as prehistoric as Raquel Welch did in "One Million Years B.C." Oh, yeah, and they speak English and shoot rifles because of an earlier expedition. And that's not even considering the diamonds that further muddy the plot. Kids may forgive a slow start (it takes 34 minutes before we hear the first guttural roar), but when a film slows down after it gets going, young viewers are going to start fidgeting.

Still, this version of "The Lost World" might be a welcome addition to family video libraries because there are so few adventure films out there that aren't frightening for the youngest children. This one is pretty tame in all respects, with a G rating.

It's brave of the studio to include, as one of the bonus features, the first film adaptation of Doyle's novel, because the black-and-white 1925 silent movie actually has some special effects that are more interesting than Allen's baby lizards and caiman. And the dinosaurs LOOK like recognizable dinosaurs, rather than made-up creatures from another planet. The entire film is included, and it might be a great way to introduce children who know how to read to that part of America's movie history.

Video:
"The Lost World" is presented in 2.35:1 widescreen. There's a slight graininess throughout, but the colors, as you'd hope, are bright and fully saturated.

Audio:
Audio options are an English Dolby 4.0 Surround, and English 2.0 Stereo, and a French or Spanish Mono track. Subtitles are in English (CC) and Spanish. For 4.0, the sound is actually pretty decent.

Extras:
The big treat here is the complete 1925 black-and-white version of "The Lost World" starring Wallace Beery, Bessie Love, Lloyd Hughes, and Lewis Stone. Slow in spots, it's nonetheless fascinating, with some memorable scenes (as when a brontosaurus takes the log-bridge the explorers used to cross into the lost world and drops it down a huge crevice, stranding them, or when a group of small dinosaurs feed on another).

The other extras that relate to the Allen film really don't amount to much. The original theatrical trailer is included, along with a comic book (that you can't read--too small) and still gallery. A making-of featurette is only so-so. The best of this bunch is actually a Fox Movietone Newsreel showing a busload of kids being taken to see "The Lost World."

Bottom Line:
If you (and your kids) like "Lost in Space," you're going to like Irwin Allen's version of the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle adventure. But be warned that it's hokey, and your juvenile dinosaur experts will get quite a laugh.

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