This was included in Universal's second "Sci-Fi Collection" set and though it treads familiar territory ("The Lost World") still manages to engage the viewer throughout. Tellingly, the film is redolent of the probing attitude (i.e. heavier on science than thrills) which typified the genre at this time – resulting in a lengthy documentary-style exposition and rather missing out on the sense of wonder and adventure inherent in its theme (exemplified by such later outings as, say, THE LAND THAT TIME FORGOT [1975])! What is interesting here is the fact that the Prehistoric tropical world our heroes crash in (incidentally, no attempt is made to rescue them from their plight!) is situated deep in the bowels of Antarctica! Anyway, for director Vogel, this was certainly an improvement on his previous brush with the genre (THE MOLE PEOPLE [1956])
but his efforts are nonetheless undermined, in the long run, by a second-rate cast (all playing stock characters – including one intrepid female reporter and the crazed survivor of a prior expedition), not to mention the less-than-special effects – obvious magnified lizards, a T-Rex that is no more than a man-in-a-monster suit (its mouth hanging open at an exaggerated angle!) and the even-more-laughable sea serpent. For the record, this was one of 12 horror/sci-fi titles (all released by Universal) to be produced by William Alland – otherwise best-known as the interviewer of CITIZEN KANE (1941)!
Review of The Land Unknown
