Leofwine_draca After their relative success with THE LAND THAT TIME FORGOT, Amicus were quick to run out this unofficial 'sequel' to that film, although a year later the proper sequel, THE PEOPLE THAT TIME FORGOT, turned up. AT THE EARTH'S CORE in fact is reminiscent of Jules Verne stories like JOURNEY TO THE CENTRE OF THE EARTH, although it is supposedly from a story by Edgar Rice Burroughs. The low-rent action and outrageous imagery make this film a must for any '70s fan. The decade's influence is clear, as a number of native tribesmen sport fetching afros! Although the film is cheaply made (it employs VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA-style shaking cameras to simulate movement), on the plus side it is a fast-paced adventure tale which never lets up and gives in to characterisation or depth of any sort. In essence it's a series of fight scenes, which take the form of monster vs. monster, man vs. man, man vs. monster. Tacky, ludicrous and awful, this is truly the nadir of British cinema. But...it manages to be exciting, hilarious and a damned good ride through a strange, psychedelic prehistoric land, enlivened by strong performances from two genre veterans.AT THE EARTH'S CORE has a number of spaced-out, obviously drug-induced sequences which are hilarious to watch. The first is the bit where Peter Cushing, no less, is being chased through the cardboard jungle by a giant bird man! I've seen some weird stuff in my time but this really takes the biscuit. The bird men are guys with huge rubber heads on, strange how they remain so motionless throughout the film. The second moment is when a group of people stop to watch some men in monster suits battle it out, kind of like a wacky GODZILLA moment which has been inserted in the film. For a start it's not for one minute believable or realistic, and also the bellowing noises these monsters make are hilarious! More wackiness ensues when a psychic connection between the bird and rodent men is revealed, with the bird guys blinking their green eyes to give commands, these birds are truly strange and yet wonderfully artistic. Especially the noises that are made, which are strangely computerised! Another hilarious moment comes when Peter Cushing shoots a fire breathing, pincushion-like monster with some arrows, it falls off a cliff and explodes in a rib-tickling scene, so cheap and yet so comic. You probably have to have a weird sense of humour like me to appreciate these admittedly dodgy delights. Other merry moments include a caveman with a blatantly cardboard weapon and bird men flying around on visible wires.You've probably grasped the kind of naïve charm this film holds for me by now, but the three main actors are also reasons to watch. Firstly we have low-budget British actress Caroline Munro as the token love interest in highly revealing costume, then there's Doug McClure as the American hero, sporting a disgusting striped jacket. McClure's charm is one which you have to view to really appreciate, but let's just say he's fun as the brawny, indestructible hero type. However it's Peter Cushing who steals the show, this time around being the comic relief, a major departure from his usually heroic or sinister roles. His doddering old man is a great creation, and his dialogue is along the lines of "they're so excitable, like all foreigners" and "You cannot mesmerise me, I'm British!" (reused from a similar line in HORROR EXPRESS). The novelty value of seeing him terrorised by these men in suits is great.You wouldn't get away with tackiness like this in a film anymore, that's for sure. Cheap, with atrocious back projection; rubbery, cardboard, yet fun, AT THE EARTH'S CORE is one for the child in all of us - the child who truly appreciate the delights of bad film making.

GusF The film is rather low budget and the sets, make-up and special effects are more 1956 than 1976 but, by God, it's enormous fun. Peter Cushing and the underrated Doug McClure, who have great chemistry, make excellent leads as Dr. Abner "Doc" Perry and David Innes respectively. Cushing plays Doc as a lovable, eccentric gentleman adventurer in the same mould as Dr. Who in the Dalek films and gets the lion's share of the best lines. Caroline Munro is a very appealing leading lady as Princess Dia while Cy Grant offers great support as Ra. The film has no pretence about scientific accuracy - even when the Edgar Rice Burroughs novel was written in 1914, the idea of a hollow Earth was considered pseudoscientific nonsense - but that's one of the things that I love about it. While it is quite derivative of "The Time Machine", it has a good storyline which rollicks along at a great pace.

ma-cortes This engaging adaptation is a special version of the Edgar Rice Burroughs adventure yarn . There are rip-roaring action, spirit of adventure, derring-do, thrills, and results to be quite entertaining. It's a brief fun with average special effects , passable set decoration , functional art direction and none use of computer generator. Fantastic adventures full of monsters in a lost continent on the center of earth . Searching for adventures, a Victorian professor (Peter Cushing acting against his usual type as the absentminded scientific) and his American supporter named David Innes( an impulsive Doug McClure who has a good time) set off in their new boring rocket with a short proof on a Welsh mountain. Unfortunately the things were wrong and less easy than expected and they end up in a large cavern at the centre of the earth. When they're watching how humans are dragged by an evil over-sized prehistoric bird , then they suddenly are attacked by a flying monster . It's a domineering world governed by a monstrous race which rules the human beings with extra-sensory abilities. There they meet a race of humans enslaved , being one of them a gorgeous and eye-catching cavern-girl ( the scream-girl Caroline Munro from Hammer Productions as film's chief attribute) in scantily clad .This fantasy picture produced by Max Rosenberg and Milton Subotsky packs thrills, action, weird monsters, lively pace and fantastic scenarios. The rubber monsters are the real stars of this production ,however being middling made . The fable is silly and laughable , though the effects and action are regularly made . Among the most spectacular of its visuals there are a deeply shrouded caverns full of monsters roaring menacingly towards the camera , a little tableau comprising attack of a giant monsters and the colorful backgrounds of the lost land . Some monsters are clumsily made but movie is OK . Some illogical parts in the argument are more than compensated for the excitement provided by Roger Dicken's monsters, though sometimes are a little bit cheesy. Filmed in glimmer and shimmer cinematography by Alan Hume in Pinewood studios , England , showing a colorful camp treat. Splendid and stirring musical score by Mike Vickers. This is the fourth collaboration between producer John Dark and director Kevin Connor who also made in similar style : ¨The land that time forgot(1975)¨, , ¨The people that time forgot(77)¨. ¨Warlord of Atlantis¨ , mostly starred by Doug McClure and with Dicken as the monster-maker. The film will appeal to adolescents who swallow whole and sit convulsed in their armchair. Older kids will enjoy the colorful sets and fire-breathing animals. Rating : Passable and acceptable film .

monji1126 Due to the fact that in 1976 there were no CGI I felt that the movie was quite watchable. The studio productions were very good and very elaborate. The background effects were very believable and always appeared as if they were part of the whole set. The actors did OK considering the premise of the film being set in a type of Jules Vern atmosphere where imagination and possibilities of future exploration were at most improbabilities. Had I watched this film in 1976 I probably would have been in awe of the ability of man to build a machine that could travel to the earths core. I still wonder to this day why we are not all flying around in our cars but I digress. McClure and Cushing have their funny moments, mostly from their facial expressions toward each other which of course makes the film somewhat campy which I loved. The 'monsters' left something to be desired but the story had a good premise although I feel as though some other sort of 'thing' could have been more believable under those circumstances. All in all quite watchable for its time and fun now.