The Lost Continent (1968)

On their way to South America, the passengers and crew of an old freighter face many challenges. The captain has taken on illegal cargo - a dangerous consignment of phosphorous that will ... See full summary »

Directors:

Michael Carreras, Leslie Norman (uncredited)

Writers:

Michael Carreras (screenplay) (as Michael Nash), Dennis Wheatley (novel)

Stars:

Eric Porter, Hildegard Knef, Suzanna Leigh

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Eric Porter	...	Capt. Lansen
Hildegard Knef	...	Eva Peters
Suzanna Leigh	...	Unity Webster
Tony Beckley	...	Harry Tyler
Nigel Stock	...	Dr. Webster
Neil McCallum	...	First Officer Hemmings
Ben Carruthers	...	Ricaldi (as Benito Carruthers)
Jimmy Hanley	...	Patrick, the Bartender
James Cossins	...	Nick, Chief Engineer
Dana Gillespie	...	Sarah
Victor Maddern	...	Mate
Reg Lye	...	Helmsman
Norman Eshley	...	Jonathan, the Prisoner
Michael Ripper	...	Sea Lawyer
Donald Sumpter	...	Sparks, the Radioman

Storyline

On their way to South America, the passengers and crew of an old freighter face many challenges. The captain has taken on illegal cargo - a dangerous consignment of phosphorous that will explode if it comes into contact with water - something that worries the crew but less so for the passengers who all seem to have good reasons to continue their trip. When the ship takes on water some of the crew mutiny and eventually abandon ship. For those who stay aboard, they soon find themselves trapped in a huge bed of living seaweed and find a several centuries old Spanish galleon that has been trapped for all of that time - now manned by the descendants of the original crew. They will have to them if they are to survive.

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Plot Keywords:

psychotronic film | ship | seaweed | water | galleon | 

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Taglines:

A living hell that time forgot!

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Genres:

Adventure | Fantasy

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Certificate:

G

Details

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 June 1968 (USA)

Also Known As:

Lost Island

Filming Locations:

Elstree Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hammer Films, Seven Arts Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Dennis Wheatley reportedly couldn't even remember his 1938 novel on which the film was based.

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Goofs

Harry's drink (which is laced with booze) changes level between the bar and the table.

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Quotes

[facing down the Grand Inquisitor]
Capt. Lansen: We're getting out. Now we can noisily, or we can go quietly. The choice is up to you.
The Grand Inquistor: Where are you going? You're trapped here like the rest of us. There's no escape.
Capt. Lansen: How do you know? Have you ever tried?
The Grand Inquistor: Our ancestors tried.
Capt. Lansen: I'm not talking about them, I'm talking about you.
The Grand Inquistor: It's God's will!
Capt. Lansen: It's your will, because you want it this way! You do it in the name of God through this child here because you haven't got the guts to do your own dirty work!
The Grand Inquistor: You speak ...
[...]

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Alternate Versions

Most of the extra 9 minutes that was cut from the US version is not 'adult material' but exposition. Obviously, Warner wanted a release than ran less than 90m as well as the G rating. For example, an entire scene was removed in which the mutinous crew tell the first officer that there are explosives on board the ship (as the first officer later tells the captain that the crew know about the explosives the scene was doubtless considered superfluous). However, there was some mild sex and gore cut (a close shot of the dead radio operator for example).

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Connections

Referenced in Quiet Days in Clichy (1970)

User Reviews

Odd & Unusual Hammer Voyage

You know what a typical Hammer production looks like, and "The Lost Continent" definitely doesn't fit that picture. It doesn't feature any old Gothic castles or torture dungeons, any cloaked vampires or mad Barons and it doesn't even star Christopher Lee or Peter Cushing. Surely Hammer also produced other mythologist films and stories revolving on time warps, but "The Lost Continent" is an entire league on its own and the complete opposite to what you expect. Right after watching this movie, you can't even properly determine for yourself whether it's good or bad … just plain weird. "The Lost Continent" is an outrageously plotted but awkwardly coherent film with two entirely different main story lines rolled into one. The titular continent (although it's merely just a small island) actually doesn't get reached until the twenty last minutes and, before that, it is just a suspenseful thriller set on a boat. The ambiance on the ancient and leaky cargo ship is rather tense and sinister. The captain ignores safety warnings and advice from his personnel and the passengers prefer facing a terrible sea storm rather than to return to the coast, even though they have been informed about the potentially explosive cargo. Suffice to say these aren't normal tourists, but people with dark secrets or even fugitive criminals. There are a lot of intrigues going on-board, but the sea is mightier. The captain and his passengers have to abandon ship, but they recover another one slowly drift towards uncharted regions. There they encounter ravenous seaweed and a lot of other things that don't make the least bit of sense, like gigantic crab-creatures, a native tribe under the impression that the Spanish Inquisition isn't finished yet and a local girl with the most gorgeous pair of breasts in the universe. In order to set food on land, they have to put watery pillows on their feet and attach balloons on their shoulders, which forms another very ludicrous sight to behold. "The Lost Continent" is an incredibly silly film, but all cast members perform their roles with a poker straight face, like as if they were starring in the greatest & most budgeted epic adventure in the history of cinema. The effects and monsters designs are extremely dodgy and laughable, but also somewhat charming. The film hasn't got a real ending, but (fortunately?) Hammer never bothered to make a sequel. Crazy little Brit-film, but I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to open-minded fans of cult cinema.