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

Eddie Powell is dubbed by Eric Porter.

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Goofs

At the beginning of the film the captain performs the eulogy for El Supremo and they then bury him at sea. On top of the wrapped body lies a sword. Ss they tilt the body the sword falls towards the water. As the body hits the water there is no sign of the sword at all or the splash ripples it would have caused.

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Quotes

El Supremo: The choice is yours. It is simple. Either join us and tell your companions on the boat to do likewise, in which case all of your supplies will be turned over to us.
Nick, chief engineer: Or else?
El Supremo: We shall kill you. Then kill your companions and take the supplies.
Sarah: He'll kill us all anyway.
El Supremo: That is in the hands of God. But, if you pray to me, He may find it in His heart to--
Nick, chief engineer: I'll not pray to any man! Let alone a child who's hardly old enough to wipe his own bottom!

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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

Referenced in Quiet Days in Clichy (1970)

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Soundtracks

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

User Reviews

An Excellent Rainy Day Movie

One of my favorite rainy weekend movies, The Lost Continent also is one of the best ripe Hammer films of the Sixties.

A freighter is blown off course and finds itself in a fog-shrouded part of the ocean where the seaweed enjoys flesh and mutated creatures with claws scamper about. It's a mild horror version of the Sargasso Sea and Bermuda Triangle. Eventually the surviving crew and passengers encounter humans who scitter around the seaweed with paddle-like shoes and balloons. The ship these people are from is a Spanish galleon several hundred years old, the crew of which survived and bred into the generations, evolving an Inquisition-like culture on board.

It's really pretty good, thanks to the interesting ideas of seaweed that bites back and the evolved life on the Spanish ship, plus the skill of the two lead actors. And it has a great look. Eric Porter and Hildegard Knef were both heavyweights in the acting department. I'm not sure why they agreed to this film, but I assume the money was good. Porter is one of my favorite actors. He wasn't handsome enough to make a career as a movie leading man, but if anyone doubts his abilities to command watch him as Soames in the original BBC Forsyte Saga. Knef had a so-so career as a lead actress in a handful of American and British films, but returned to Germany for better stuff. She was sexy and self-confident.

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