Lost Horizon (1973)

User Rating:

4.4/10   

Director:

Charles Jarrott

Writers:

James Hilton (novel)
Larry Kramer (screenplay)

Release Date:

17 March 1973 (USA)

Genre:

Fantasy | Musical | Adventure | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Come to Shangri La!

Plot:

This retelling of the classic tale of James Hilton's Utopian lost world plays out uneasily amid musical production numbers and Bacharach pop music...

Plot Keywords:

Shangri La | Diplomat | Lamasery | Dancing | School

Cast

Peter Finch	...	Richard Conway
Liv Ullmann	...	Catherine
Sally Kellerman	...	Sally Hughes
George Kennedy	...	Sam Cornelius
Michael York	...	George Conway
Olivia Hussey	...	Maria
Bobby Van	...	Harry Lovett
James Shigeta	...	To Len
Charles Boyer	...	The High Lama
John Gielgud	...	Chang
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Michael Bernal	...	School Student / Dancer
Tybee Brascia
Paul De Lucca
Larry Duran	...	Asian pilot
Sharann Hisamoto	...	School Student / Dancer
Neil Jon
Virginia Ann Lee
Hedley Mattingly	...	Col. Rawley
Jessie Salve	...	Bridegroom / Dancer
Kent Smith	...	Bill Fergunson
Miiko Taka	...	Nurse
Jackie Tom	...	School Student / Dancer
John Van Dreelen	...	Dr. Verden

Runtime:

150 min (original release)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Mono (35 mm prints)

Certification:

UK:U | Iceland:L | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:11 | USA:G

Filming Locations:

Backlot, Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Pierre Cardin put out a line of costume jewelry, watches and belts "inspired by Lost Horizon". Likewise, Marrakech, Ltd. had a line of "Lost Horizon" shirts for men, Periphery a line of women's attire, Rijir a line of colognes and soaps, and Brown Jordan a line of rattan furniture all designed for that Shangri-La look. Craft Masters even put out a paint-by-number set and Saalfield marketed a "Lost Horizon" coloring book.

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: The library at Shangri-La is supposed to be a repository for the world's great literature. There is a number of "Readers Digest Condensed Books" on its shelves.

Quotes:

[considering possible reasons why their plane has been hijacked]
Sam Cornelius: For good measure, they've got two journalists and - by his own account - a famous comedian.
Harry Lovett: Very funny. But what about you, Cornelius? Maybe they want you? Who are you?
Sam Cornelius: I'm somebody flying in a strange plane with a lunatic pilot and I'm trying to find out why - that's who I am!

Movie Connections:

Version of "Hallmark Hall of Fame: Shangri-La (#10.1)" (1960)

Soundtrack:

IF I COULD GO BACK

The "director's" version was better, but ...

I was 19 or 20, years old at the time and living in Salt Lake City, Utah and I still remember the new dome theater, called the century 21. Layback chairs that rocked and a new sound system, large screen and huge open space between the screen and the packed theater. We felt all the excitement of a new preview screening of a film. Ta da da daa da ta da dada dada... I can still hear the opening music ringing trumpet and the crash of cymbals. I loved the interplay of characters and the filmed vistas. I know Peter Finch and Luv and Sally had some trouble with the lip-sink but hey, this was a feel good, go feel better about things film! What I regret is the way they cut the meaningful heart out of it, showed the cut version and then called it a flop. I saw the cut version and I can see it lost its view of the vision it had in the preview edition. Yes I wince a bit at Peter's effort to make love through music but, you know I didn't see it that way when I left the theater. when they surveyed us as we left I regret any comment I made that may have altered the original. I liked it then and still see it while I listen to the music on my LP. Most of my family has heard me sing much of the sound track and I can use the films monologues in our games of "what movie is this". I wish a director's cut on DVD was available. It is available on VHS but its not quite the same. I would particularly like a full serious lord of the rings style commentary about its origins, struggles and triumphs. Picky people should leave things well enough alone. Bring it back!!!!