The Lost Continent (1968)

The captain, crew, and passengers of an old freighter-all of them with dark secrets to keep-find themselves adrift in a mysterious land full of monsters, conquistadors, and killer seaweed.

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 help 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

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Certificate:

G

Did You Know?

Trivia

In interviews Eddie Powell claimed that Christopher Lee was going to play the part Powell played.

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Goofs

The containers of Phosphor B appear empty (considering how easy they are to lift and how they wobble when jostled)

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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 bravely ...
[...]

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Alternate Versions

The Warner / Seven Arts US release was pared down by 8 minutes or so, of slightly more adult material and released with a G rating. It would have otherwise gotten the M rating, which later morphed into GP and then PG. When Anchor Bay released the VHS and DVD editions, they found an uncut print and cut the material back into the film. You can notice these scenes as they are of slightly poorer quality than the bulk of the film.

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Connections

Featured in Cineficción Radio: Barcos fantasmas (2021)

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Soundtracks

Lost Continent
(over the credit titles)
Song by Roy Phillips
Sung by The Peddlers

User Reviews

Enjoyable Hammer lost world adventure

I have sometimes confused The Lost Continent to the 1951 dinosaur movie of the same name. It is rather enjoyable though.

A tramp steamer with a motley collection of passengers and plenty of barrels of a dangerous explosive goes on an expedition and ends on an uncharted island in the Sargasso Sea which seems to be a graveyard for ships. When there, they discover the land populated by giant crabs, a giant scorpion, man-eating seaweed and survivors of the Spanish Inquisition! After several of the party and Inquisition are killed by the monsters and the explosive chemical, they set off and head back to civilization, along with some of the Inquisition.

Hammer made this movie in 1968 and I taped it when it came on Channel 4 some years ago. Some of the monsters look rather cheap and the movie has a good theme song.

The cast includes Eric Porter, Suzanna Leigh, Nigel Stock and Dana Gillespie.

This movie is worth a look at. Enjoyable.

Rating: 3 and a half stars out of 5.

Details

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 June 1968 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Lost Continent

Filming Locations:

Elstree Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Seven Arts Productions, Hammer Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Color (Deluxe)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1