SnoopyStyle
Robert Conway is England's "Man of the East". In 1935, he is tasked with evacuating westerners from war-torn Baskul, China. He flies out with the last of the group which includes his brother George, paleontologist Lovett, terminally-ill Gloria Stone, and Henry Barnard. The plane is hijacked by a villainous Chinese pilot. He flies them in the opposite direction and crash lands in the Tibetan wilderness. They are rescued and welcomed to the idyllic Shangri-La by Chang. Sondra is a lovely girl grown up in isolated kingdom. Soon, the outsiders wonder if they are imprisoned in a gilded cage. The High Lama reveals to Robert that the location gives a special longevity but later, local Maria counters the idea to George.The sets have a Hollywood exotic epic grandeur. There are Asian actors although they are relegated to minor villains or extras. The story itself is rather static. It's a lot of sitting and talking or standing around and talking. There is one big action scene with an avalanche although I don't understand why that guy is shooting his gun. The restoration has sections missing which are replaced with stills. A couple of the actresses do some big broad hysterical acting. This has the look of an epic but the story falls a little flat.
elvircorhodzic
LOST HORIZON is a fantasy adventure directed by Frank Capra. An adaptation, with certain modifications, the novel by British writer James Hilton. My first impression was a little strange. I think this film is a little too much so for Capra, and the studio too. Of course, I am aware of the restoration of the film. The story is not bad, but it's pretty quiet. Simply, in the adventure film has to be certain "adrenaline culmination". Photography is excellent. Obviously Capra gave attention almost every detail. Some scenes look impressive. I think that the characters in the film are not fully defined. Designed dialogue missing. Acting is kind of wooden at times. The chemistry between the actors is also not very high.Colman as R. Conway from the very beginning of the film easily accept things like that is something expected. In this relationship does not make sense. Horton (Lovett), Mitchell (Barnard) and Jewell (Gloria) are the embodiment of a bit confusing changes. Howard (G. Conway) is a rebel who does not want to accept the truth that brings peace and prosperity. I would say that he lacks faith. H.B. Warner (Chang) is moderate philosopher who with his power attracts people. Jaffe (High Lama) is vague and mystical character. I would say some kind of prophet.The movie is a bit boring. Capra in an attempt to create something magnificent. Overall, not too bad.
poindexter_mellon
I was probably 7 years old when I saw this on TV and it had a powerful effect on me. The search for Shangri-La where everything was peaceful and beautiful. The wise and ancient High Lama who knew all the answers to all of life's mysteries. I knew right then that I would be following in the footsteps of Ronald Colman.So yeah, I finally made it, I'm sitting here in the Valley Of The Blue Moon writing this movie review and having all my needs attended to by friendly native girls! What a life, and I owe it all to being inspired by this great film when I was just a young and troubled nitwit.You should show it to your kids too, but do it while they are very young, before they have seen too many action movies or video games, or else they might just roll their eyes and be bored with the lack of explosions, in which case you'll know it's already too late for them.
lewwarden
Last night I watched a DVD rental of the restoration of this classic movie, and was reminded of how I and the other students of San Luis Obispo High School had been privileged to watch what, in retrospect, was a pre-release test by the studio for teen-agers' reactions. This took place at the Elmo theater and probably occurred in 1936, the first half of my senior year. Which are deductions on my part resulting from the fact that in February 1937 our high school coach had ordered me to pay for my shiny new orange and black basketball uniform which the team's star had stolen from my locker, and sent me to the principal when I indignantly declined to do so. The principal ordered me to leave school and not return until I paid.In 1937 they mailed me my diploma and I was able to enroll at Cal Poly. In the meanwhile I had a number of jobs and wonderful days on the beach and evenings at the Stag pool hall and a voyage to Japan working on a Swedish oil tanker. Our high school also got to see Romeo and Juliet, which was released in 1938, and reinforces my conclusion that we were a testing location for the studios. I recall one of our high school wags, at the play's most dramatic scene, "Romeo,my Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo," calling out, "Heah ah is, Sunshine." Which brought down the house. God only knows what the studio execs made of this. Curiously, we are just about ready to publish a novel titled "Paper Doll," about a half baked psychiatrist who, along with several of his patients, lost their horizons in their struggles for dominance with a young hooker.
AD
