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Lost Horizon (14-Mar-1973)
Director: Charles Jarrott Writer: Larry Kramer From a novel: Lost Horizon by James Hilton Keywords: Fantasy
REVIEWS Review by D. Douglas (posted on 11-Mar-2008) I have read what others say about the remake of Lost Horizon and I must say some folks are really picky. I saw the film back in 1993 and found it refreshing. I recently obtained a copy on CD from ebay. My wife and I watched it with some friends and enjoyed the musical numbers all over again. Maybe it is the concept of Shanghai that appeals to me or perhaps the message of hope in a world gone mad. Whatever the case I find the film refreshing and look beyond the criticisms.
Review by anonymous (posted on 10-Jun-2006) This film is a disastrous musical
remake of the 1937 Frank Capra classic. When an uprising begins
somewhere in Southern Asia a group of English speaking foreigners
manage to escape the coup by flying off in a hijacked plane. We meet
Richard Conway (Peter Finch), a British diplomat; George Conway
(Michael York) Richardâs brother; Sam Cornelius (George Kennedy), an
American; Harry Lovett (Bobby Van), a not so-funny comedian; and Sally
Hughes (Sally Kellerman), a pill popping Newsweek reporter. No. We have
not landed on another Airport movie, even though the film was produced
by Ross Hunter of Airport fame. But as far as screen disasters go, Lost
Horizon is the mother of them all. The first 30 minutes or so is an
almost identical shot by shot remake of the original film and moves
along well. Then the plane crashes in the Himalayas, our happy crew is
rescued by a tribe led by Chan (Sir John Guielgud), an oriental who
studied at Oxford (how convenient) and we arrive to Shangrila, a
secluded lamasery hidden by the mountains. Chan describes Shangrila as
a place where âthe sun always shines and the air is blueâ. From then
on, the movie becomes a collection of corny melodramatic scenes,
endless philosophy lectures, and yes, lots of silly musical numbers.
The music by Burt Bacharach is actually fairly memorable. At times it
actually makes you forget the horribly inane and pedestrian lyrics by
Hal David. âShare the Joyâ, âThe World is A Circleâ and âLiving
Togetherâ have decent hummable melodies and have become regular
standards for the cabaret circuit through the years. But at times the
lyrics are so irresistibly silly that it is hard not to pay attention.
Sally Kellerman, overacting mostly with her long hair has two of the
most pathetic musical numbers. In one classic moment she jumps, vamps
and dances on a rock while singing to George Kennedy about âdoing
something for someone else, isnât really for someone else, it does
twice as much for you as just for yourselfâ (Ouchh!!!! It hurts my
ears!). In which George Kennedy comes up with the brilliant idea to
âIrrigate!â not Sally but Shangrila. In another musical number Sally
dances in a library with Maria (Olivia Hussey), another Shangrila
local. This duet is simply hysterical. As they both declare in their
song and dance routine of all of the things that they wonât miss , they
stomp on desks, swing from library ladders and manage to redefine the
concept of bad talent. âThe World is A Circleâ musical number plays
like a nightmarish version of âDo Re Miâ from The Sound of Music. In
this sequence Catherine (Liv Ullman), a Shangrila teacher sings to her
students that âthe world is a circle without a beginning, nobody knows
where the circle endsâ. So much for an education. But Liv Ullman is no
Julie Andrews and her studentâs are no Von Trapps. In this sequence,
the uninspired Hermes Panâs choreography comes across as an âUp With
Peopleâ show intertwined with the worst dancing in Cleopatra, Mr. Panâs
other monumental flop. The children and Ms. Ullman struggle to stay
synchronized as they wave their hands in unison, spin in circles and
roll down a hill while dangerously bouncing their heads against each
other. Never before has the choreography of any film been so ridiculed
and despised as Mr. Panâs work in Lost Horizon. Liv Ullman cannot sing
and neither does Peter Finch, for that matter. While having a picnic we
learn about their growing affection as we hear their thoughts in song
and we cringe at the horrible effect that these two untalented singing
voices bring to this so call poignant moment. Mr. Finch does not fare
any better in the acting department. He almost outshines Sally
Kellermanâs overacting via the reverse psychology of hardly acting.
There are times that he just stares, hardly present on his scenes, with
an occasional smile to remind us that he is getting paid for doing
this. Aside Mr. Bacharahâs tunes (excluding the lyrics), elaborate set
design and the sight of the miniature model airplane crashing in the
Himalayaâs a la Airport, everything else in Lost Horizon is truly lost.
Now, if they would have brought Helen Hayes to play the High Lama,
maybe that would have made a difference. ADDED NOTE: This movie is not
available in DVD or Video but on rare ocassions can be seen on pay TV.
I was able to purchase a rare "unnoficial" transfer on widescreen
format from lasedisc into DVD (with 3 added musical sequences that were
edited out after its premiere) on EBay. I may not consider Lost Horizon
high art either but is definitely one of those movies that are so bad
that they become almost good (i.e. guilty pleasures). I urge you
connoisseurs of bad cinema to find someone that has recorded it (as I
did) and enjoy!!!
Locate a copy of this film here.
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