The People That Time Forgot (1977)

Details: By Loron Hays; 29 May 2016

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The People That Time Forgot - Blu-ray Review

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When it comes to directing1970s fantasy/adventure films, Kevin Connor is definitely one of the genre’s mad geniuses. After showing a very versatile set of skills in bringing dinosaurs back to life with aplomb in The Land that Time Forgot, he flexed hardcore alongside returning star Doug McClure in At the Earth’s Core but it is with The People that Time Forgot in which his work becomes immortal. Full of more prehistoric monsters and threats to man than can be counted on fingers alone, the high adventure in The Land that Time Forgot’s sequel is definitely that of a timeless nature.

And it might all be due to the inclusion of David Bowie’s protégée Dana Gillespie and her fabulous cave girl outfit (if you can call it that), complete with her heaving sun-kissed bosom on full display. At least that’s the first thing I remember when I think about the film. Allow me to adjust myself for a second.

Based on not one but TWO works of fiction by Edgar Rice Burroughs, The People that Time Forgot is the straight sequel to The Land that Time Forgot and it sees Patrick Wayne (son of John Wayne) and the VERY attractive Sarah Douglas (Superman II) mounting a rescue mission for the missing American adventurer Bowen Tyler (McClure). After a British naval ship takes them to Tyler’s last known location, they board their amphibious airplane and take to the skies in their search for their missing mate and the fabled volcanic land of Caprona.

But the skies just past Caprona’s mountain wall are far from friendly and the crew – including a rather interesting paleontologist named Norfolk (Thorley Walters) and gunner/mechanic Hogan (Shane Rimmer) – couldn’t be more excited. Douglas as Lady Charlotte 'Charlie' Cunningham, hoping to run into some very ancient tribes, is there to take pictures for her Uncle (who is sponsoring the trip) and his magazine. But their mood takes a collective downturn as they face their first threat and are forced to make an emergency landing due to a pterodactyl attack.

Safely on the black sand surrounding the volcanic Caprona, the rescue party finds themselves hilariously in need of a rescue themselves. They hitch their hopes on the tail of a large Stegosaurus grazing nearby and, after a quick photo shoot, are pulled out of the trenches by the dinosaur. It’s supposed to be implausible, folks. It’s fantasy and it’s for kids, regardless of the cleavage that is soon to be on display.

As soon as you get over yourself and digest the laughably poor special effects, The People that Time Forgot becomes a living and breathing adventure that – especially for the younger dudes out there – absolutely captures the imagination. For you older fellows out there in B-movie land, your attention will be upon the very inviting bosom of Gillespie as our cave-girl Ajor. She leads our heroes across the very dangerous land of Caprona, knowing the location of Tyler upon his capture by the villainous volcano-worshipping tribe of the samurai-like warriors called the Nargas.

Led by the Executioner (David Prowse of Darth Vader fame) and Saballa (Milton Reid), the Nargos are not easily dealt with. Our group of heroes; however, are surprisingly resourceful. Fear not mere mortals! While McClure is essentially a cameo in this film – choosing death over a life with hottest cave chick ever – the continuing display of life on Caprona is a matinee marvel. The People that Time Forgot may be of a pulpy nature and it may be slight and cartoonish but every bit of Connor’s flick is well-timed, planned, and executed with a wink and a nudge that invites forgiveness of its cringe worthy dialogue.

Motel Hell aside, The People that Time Forgot is indeed a Saturday afternoon matinee favorite of Connor’s output. It might have been dwarfed by Star Wars, as both were released the same year, but the Americn International Picture is definitely due for a resurgence. The blu-ray release from Kino Lorber is a step in the right direction toward appreciation.

Can we have a release date for Warlords of Atlantis on blu-ray now?

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MPAA Rating: PG.
Runtime: 90 mins
Director: Kevin Connor
Writer: Patrick Tilley
Cast: Patrick Wayne, Doug McClure, Sarah Douglas
Genre: Fantasy | Adventure
Tagline: FIRST 'The Land That Time Forgot'. THEN 'At The Earth's Core'. NOW a fantastic incredible world of savage mystery...
Memorable Movie Quote: "Hogan? Yeah? If I don't get outta here you're gonna go bananas!"
Distributor: American International Pictures (AIP)
Official Site:
Release Date: July 6, 1977
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: May 24, 2016
Synopsis: A sequel to The Land That Time Forgot. Major Ben McBride organises a mission to the Antarctic wastes to search for his friend (Doug McClure) who has been missing in the region for several years. McBride's party find themselves in a world populated by primitive warriors and terrifying prehistoric creatures, all of whom they must evade in order to get back safely to their ship.

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The People That Time Forgot - Blu-ray Review

Blu-ray Details:

Available on Blu-ray - May 24, 2016
Screen Formats: 1.85:1
Subtitles: None
Audio: English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
Discs: Blu-ray Disc; Single disc (1 BD-50)
Region Encoding: A

Some fools out there will suggest to me that the 1080P transfer from Kino-Lorber is far superior to the film itself. Some would say that the MPEG-4 AVC encoded transfer is much better than the film deserves. Well, they don’t get it. This is a matinee flick that stands out above the rest and it absolutely glows on blu-ray. This is a dual-layered treatment with a highly charged bitrate and, hands down, is easily as good as the film has ever looked. There is a tightness and depth - skin tones and colors look balanced – and those hoping for a closer look on Gillespie’s outfit will appreciate the transfer’s attention to detail. The only real issue is that the high resolution further isolates the poor special effects that already marred the release. Contrast is layered with no noise or damage and overall the video is quite solid. The linear 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix does a competent job of exporting the film's sound and score without being weak.

Supplements:

Commentary:

Moderated by Brian Trenchard-Smith, the commentary provided by Kevin Connor, the film’s director, is a great listen for any fan of the movie.

Special Features:

Kino-Lorber provides two new on-camera interviews with the ladies of the movie. Both Dana Gillespie and Sarah Douglas heap praises upon the movie and the cast and reminiscence about the making of the movie and about Gillespie’s outfit, both with different reactions. A theatrical trailer completes the release.