The Lost World

The literary universe that Sir Arther Conan Doyle created is timeless as it is masterful. Doyle's most famous creation was Sherlock Holmes and his loyal friend Dr. Watson, but it was in his novel: The Lost World from 1912 where we're introduced to Professor Challenger. One could say he thinks outside the box. Others would say that this man is a crazed homicidal lunatic! But that's up for debate.

The first film adaptation came in 1925 entitled The Lost World. Without reading the novel (that's going to change soon) it's hard to comment on how faithful this adaptation is towards the material. I can say that the film excels in transporting the viewer in a world filled with adventure and danger. It begins with a journalist trying to please his girlfriend (what else is new) about living a dangerous lifestyle. So he tries to get on Challenger's expedition to the Amazon where Challenger states that Dinosaurs are still alive. Of course he's laughed right out of the building. After trying to kill the journalist whose name is Malone, he agrees to bring the young man on for the money that Malone's paper promises to give Challenger and along with other members including a very lovely Bessie Love they head off to the Amazon. This is where the movie starts to get going. Awesome stop motion Dinosaurs by Willis O' Brien highlight the film. The plot ends where the crew brings back a rather grumpy Brontosaurus (Apatosaurus) to London where it escapes and wreaks havoc on the city. A theme that would appear again in the movie King Kong (1933). A film that O' Brien also worked on. The Brontosaurus makes its escape through a river leaving Professor Challenger crushed.

A land mark film from a brilliant mind. There's one part of the film that stood with me. Professor Challenger was ridiculed and laughed at, but he stuck to his beliefs and didn't back down. That's something that I think everyone should take note of. Always believe in your vision no matter what other people say.