Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
→‎Criticism: NN blogs
Tag: references removed
Line 81: Line 81:
==Reception==
==Reception==
According to [[Rotten Tomatoes]], the film has received two positive and one negative review.<ref name="dvdtalk1">{{cite web|url=http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/9397/allan-quatermain-the-lost-city-of-gold/ |title=Allan Quatermain & The Lost City of Gold : DVD Talk Review of the DVD Video |publisher=Dvdtalk.com |date= |accessdate=2013-09-08}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/allan_quatermain_and_the_lost_city_of_gold/ |title=Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold |publisher=Rotten Tomatoes |date= |accessdate=2013-09-08}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Maslin |first=Janet |url=https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9B0DE2D81238F932A05752C0A961948260&gwh=255F28E1BF2DBAC01D4A6EBDE7685269 |title=Movie Review - Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold - FILM: 'QUATERMAIN,' STARRING CHAMBERLAIN - NYTimes.com |publisher=Movies.nytimes.com |date=1987-01-31 |accessdate=2013-09-08}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://articles.latimes.com/1987-02-02/entertainment/ca-78_1_allan-quatermain |title=Movie Review : Celluloid Fool's Gold In 'Quatermain' - Los Angeles Times |publisher=Articles.latimes.com |date=1987-02-02 |accessdate=2013-09-08}}</ref>
According to [[Rotten Tomatoes]], the film has received two positive and one negative review.<ref name="dvdtalk1">{{cite web|url=http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/9397/allan-quatermain-the-lost-city-of-gold/ |title=Allan Quatermain & The Lost City of Gold : DVD Talk Review of the DVD Video |publisher=Dvdtalk.com |date= |accessdate=2013-09-08}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/allan_quatermain_and_the_lost_city_of_gold/ |title=Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold |publisher=Rotten Tomatoes |date= |accessdate=2013-09-08}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Maslin |first=Janet |url=https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9B0DE2D81238F932A05752C0A961948260&gwh=255F28E1BF2DBAC01D4A6EBDE7685269 |title=Movie Review - Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold - FILM: 'QUATERMAIN,' STARRING CHAMBERLAIN - NYTimes.com |publisher=Movies.nytimes.com |date=1987-01-31 |accessdate=2013-09-08}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://articles.latimes.com/1987-02-02/entertainment/ca-78_1_allan-quatermain |title=Movie Review : Celluloid Fool's Gold In 'Quatermain' - Los Angeles Times |publisher=Articles.latimes.com |date=1987-02-02 |accessdate=2013-09-08}}</ref>

The ''Boston Globe'' film critic wrote " there's nothing new under the broiling afternoon sun. It's the same: washed-out scenery, stale dialogue and lackluster performances... Except for the presence of James Earl Jones doing a depressing turn as a native chieftain, "Allan Quatermain" is just for folks who don't mind mining for fool's gold."<ref>Blowen, M. (1987, Jan 31). 'LOST CITY' -- LACKLUSTER FOOL'S GOLD ALLAN QUATERMAIN AND THE LOST CITY OF GOLD -- A FILM DIRECTED BY GARY NELSON, WRITTEN BY GENE QUINTANO, BASED ON CHARACTERS CREATED BY H. RIDER HAGGARD, STARRING RICHARD CHAMBERLAIN, SHARON STONE AND JAMES EARL JONES. Boston Globe (Pre-1997 Fulltext) Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.sl.nsw.gov.au/docview/294442024?accountid=13902</ref> The ''New York Times''said the film was "of minor academic interest. Those who take the Spielberg special effects for granted are sure to learn a lot by watching these same tricks done badly... Fortunately, Richard Chamberlain is professional and then some, since the film would otherwise be virtually unwatchable."<ref>Maslin, J. (1987, Jan 31). FILM: 'QUATERMAIN,' STARRING CHAMBERLAIN. New York Times Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.sl.nsw.gov.au/docview/426372553?accountid=13902</ref> The ''Los Angeles Times'' said the "movie seems largely aimed at fans who can't wait for the next installment of "Raiders of the Lost Ark." Unfortunately, most of the battle scenes were... ineptly staged...
Chamberlain has none of the breezy, irreverence that made Harrison Ford's Indiana Jones such a delightful hero. In his Banana Republic khaki duds and a bullet-proof undershirt, he exudes the dashing spirit of a game-show host. The rest of the cast is good largely for unintentional laughs."<ref>Goldstein, P. (1987, Feb 02). MOVIE REVIEW CELLULOID FOOL'S GOLD IN `QUATERMAIN'. Los Angeles Times (Pre-1997 Fulltext) Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.sl.nsw.gov.au/docview/292650635?accountid=13902</ref>
==Reception==
The film debuted at number seven at the box office during its first week, earning $2 million.<ref>Platon marches to no. 1 at box office. (1987, Feb 04). The Ottawa Citizen Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.sl.nsw.gov.au/docview/239020580?accountid=13902</ref>

It was a box office disappointment, one of several that led to Cannon Films reporting a loss in the early 1987 (others included ''Assassination'', ''[[Hanoi Hilton]]'', ''Over the Top'' and ''Street Smart'').<ref>Cannon posts loss for its 1st period as films do poorly. (1987, Aug 07). Wall Street Journal Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.sl.nsw.gov.au/docview/398004510?accountid=13902</ref>

"I know it went through town pretty fast," said Richard Chamberlain. "I know my family didn't like it much. My father was too ill to see it, but my mother said, 'Richard, the advertising was all wrong. They should have told people it was funny.' But I don't think it hurt my chances for other movies. I know a lot of people who do a lot of movies, and some of them are good and some of them aren't. Michael Caine's one example. He's wonderful in some movies and forgettable in others. I think as long as you're doing generally good work that you enjoy, things will be okay."<ref>Henry Mietkiewicz, T. S. (1987, Feb 25). Chamberlain relished lusty libertine role. Toronto Star Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.sl.nsw.gov.au/docview/435541417?accountid=13902</ref>


==Criticism==
==Criticism==

Revision as of 21:33, 3 August 2017

Allan Quatermain and
the Lost City of Gold
Film poster
Directed byGary Nelson
Screenplay byGene Quintano
Lee Reynolds
Produced byYoram Globus
Menahem Golan
Starring
CinematographyFrederick Elmes
Alex Phillips
Edited byGary Griffen
Alain Jakubowicz
Dan Loewenthal
Music byMichael Linn
Distributed byCannon Film Distributors
Release dates
  • December 18, 1986 (1986-12-18) (West Germany)
  • January 30, 1987 (1987-01-30) (United States)
  • March 20, 1997 (1997-03-20) (Special Edition)
Running time
99 min.
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$3.8 million (USA) (sub-total)

Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold is an adventure comedy film directed by Gary Nelson and released in West Germany on December 18, 1986, and in the United States on January 30, 1987. It is loosely based on the novel Allan Quatermain by H. Rider Haggard. It is the sequel to King Solomon's Mines.

The role of Allan Quatermain is reprised by Richard Chamberlain as is that of Jesse Huston by Sharon Stone, who was nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actress for this role, for which she lost to Madonna for Who's That Girl. The movie also starred James Earl Jones as Umslopogaas, Henry Silva as Agon, Aileen Marson as Queen Nyleptha, Cassandra Peterson as Queen Sorais and Chamberlain's then real-life partner Martin Rabbett as Robeson Quatermain.

The film was made simultaneously with its predecessor, King Solomon's Mines, although it was released a couple of years later. Despite the tremendous liberties both movies took with the source material, being more similar in tone to the Indiana Jones film series, Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold was loosely based, mostly, on the book sequel of Haggard's King Solomon's Mines, entitled simply Allan Quatermain. In that book, which depicts Quatermain's last adventure (although it's just the second in the series of novels), the character and his associates go searching for a lost white tribe in Africa, and end up involved in a war between the rival queens of the kingdom. An opulent set was constructed for the movie just outside Victoria Falls.

Plot

After surviving their expedition to King Solomon's Mines, Allan and Jesse have settled down in colonial Africa. They are engaged to be married and Jesse plans that they will travel to America for the wedding. But Allan is restless.

A man chased by two strange masked men emerges from the jungle, and is recognised as one of Quatermain's friends. He is delirious and is cared for by Jesse and Allan, but at night, his pursuers return and kill him.

Before he dies, he tells Allan that his brother, supposedly lost, is alive, and that they have found the legendary 'Lost City of Gold'. Quatermain immediately starts preparing for an expedition to find his lost brother. Jesse is furious and stalks off, but then realises how important this is to Allan.

Allan and Jesse are assisted by Umslopogaas, a fearless warrior and old friend of Allan's, to put together an expedition. Swarma, a spiritual guru, and five Askari warriors, accompany them. The group crosses the Sahara desert; two Askari are lost when Swarma trips a trap that opens a pit under the road to the city. Another member of the party is lost when savage Esbowe warriors attack the group. Many spears get thrown at Quatermain and his friends, but Umslopogaas deflects most of them by with his giant axe.

Quatermain and his friends indeed discover the city. The inhabitants, both black and white, are friendly, and Allan meets his brother Robeson, seemingly in good health and at peace in the society. The city boasts two queens—the noble and beloved, Nyleptha and her power-hungry sister, Sorais. But the real leader is the evil High Priest, Agon, feared by all.

Allan raises the population against Agon and Sorais, who musters an army to recover the city by force. Allan realizes that they can make all the weapons they need out of gold, which is mined by the population. The final battle ends when, atop the temple, during a lightning storm, Allan uses Umslopogaas' axe to channel the lightning and melt the gold (into liquid form) causing it to flow off the side of the structure and pour over the attacking horde, turning Agon and his army into gold statues.

Cast

Music

The movie features just over half an hour of original music written by Michael Linn; for financial reasons, the producers reused material composed by Jerry Goldsmith for the first movie (although Linn's score does use Goldsmith's main theme), supplemented with music composed for other productions from Cannon Films.[1]

The score was initially released by Silva Screen in 1988 on a CD with cues from Manifesto (scored by Nicola Piovani), Making the Grade (Basil Poledouris), Doin' Time on Planet Earth (Dana Kaproff) and The Seven Magnificent Gladiators (Dov Seltzer); in 2009 it was issued on its own album by La-La Land Records. Cues in italics contain material composed by Jerry Goldsmith.

  1. Train Delivery/Don’t Fool With Quatermain (1:48)
  2. Quatermain Shows Off (1:53)
  3. Quatermain Meets Swarmi/Dumont Dies (3:20)
  4. The Ruse (2:53)
  5. Jessie Fingered (2:07)
  6. Umslopogaas (3:27)
  7. Earthquake (2:57)
  8. Quatermain Leaves Akawi (1:40)
  9. Worms (1:12)
  10. Love Scene (3:02)
  11. Agon Wants Revenge (5:04)
  12. Dumont’s Gold City/Coda (3:11)

Reception

According to Rotten Tomatoes, the film has received two positive and one negative review.[2][3][4][5]

The Boston Globe film critic wrote " there's nothing new under the broiling afternoon sun. It's the same: washed-out scenery, stale dialogue and lackluster performances... Except for the presence of James Earl Jones doing a depressing turn as a native chieftain, "Allan Quatermain" is just for folks who don't mind mining for fool's gold."[6] The New York Timessaid the film was "of minor academic interest. Those who take the Spielberg special effects for granted are sure to learn a lot by watching these same tricks done badly... Fortunately, Richard Chamberlain is professional and then some, since the film would otherwise be virtually unwatchable."[7] The Los Angeles Times said the "movie seems largely aimed at fans who can't wait for the next installment of "Raiders of the Lost Ark." Unfortunately, most of the battle scenes were... ineptly staged... 

Chamberlain has none of the breezy, irreverence that made Harrison Ford's Indiana Jones such a delightful hero. In his Banana Republic khaki duds and a bullet-proof undershirt, he exudes the dashing spirit of a game-show host. The rest of the cast is good largely for unintentional laughs."[8]

Reception

The film debuted at number seven at the box office during its first week, earning $2 million.[9]

It was a box office disappointment, one of several that led to Cannon Films reporting a loss in the early 1987 (others included Assassination, Hanoi Hilton, Over the Top and Street Smart).[10]

"I know it went through town pretty fast," said Richard Chamberlain. "I know my family didn't like it much. My father was too ill to see it, but my mother said, 'Richard, the advertising was all wrong. They should have told people it was funny.' But I don't think it hurt my chances for other movies. I know a lot of people who do a lot of movies, and some of them are good and some of them aren't. Michael Caine's one example. He's wonderful in some movies and forgettable in others. I think as long as you're doing generally good work that you enjoy, things will be okay."[11]

Criticism

Based on a 19th-century novel that, though progressive for its time, reflected some racist attitudes, the film itself has been criticized for conveying some of these same racist themes.[12] The book Africans and the Politics of Popular Culture provides a harsh critique saying it reached "levels of racism unachieved since the 1930s."[13] Though the film has been portrayed as a comedy and a satire not all critics have been satisfied that the racist themes are excused under this pretense.[14]

Releases

MGM released the film on DVD on February 10, 2004.[2] A Blu-ray edition followed in March 2015.[15]

Un-produced Sequels

The Cannon Group originally planned a trilogy of films, the third film to be an adaptation of She and Allan but this was ultimately abandoned after the extreme negative reception of Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold, coupled with the financial difficulties of the company at that time.

In 2011, a new sequel was proposed by Menahem Golan called Allan Quatermain and the Jewel of the East. The script was written by Menahem Golan and Richard Albiston and was to be directed by Golan himself. The plot concerned Quatermain attempting to rescue his daughter from Chinese treasure hunters in the Congo. According to the 2015 documentary Golan: A Farewell to Mr Cinema, Richard Chamberlain had agreed to return as the title character but Golan died before the film began shooting.

References

  1. ^ http://sdtom.wordpress.com/2009/09/02/allan-quatermain-and-the-lost-city-of-goldlinn/
  2. ^ a b "Allan Quatermain & The Lost City of Gold : DVD Talk Review of the DVD Video". Dvdtalk.com. Retrieved 2013-09-08.
  3. ^ "Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2013-09-08.
  4. ^ Maslin, Janet (1987-01-31). "Movie Review - Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold - FILM: 'QUATERMAIN,' STARRING CHAMBERLAIN - NYTimes.com". Movies.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2013-09-08.
  5. ^ "Movie Review : Celluloid Fool's Gold In 'Quatermain' - Los Angeles Times". Articles.latimes.com. 1987-02-02. Retrieved 2013-09-08.
  6. ^ Blowen, M. (1987, Jan 31). 'LOST CITY' -- LACKLUSTER FOOL'S GOLD ALLAN QUATERMAIN AND THE LOST CITY OF GOLD -- A FILM DIRECTED BY GARY NELSON, WRITTEN BY GENE QUINTANO, BASED ON CHARACTERS CREATED BY H. RIDER HAGGARD, STARRING RICHARD CHAMBERLAIN, SHARON STONE AND JAMES EARL JONES. Boston Globe (Pre-1997 Fulltext) Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.sl.nsw.gov.au/docview/294442024?accountid=13902
  7. ^ Maslin, J. (1987, Jan 31). FILM: 'QUATERMAIN,' STARRING CHAMBERLAIN. New York Times Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.sl.nsw.gov.au/docview/426372553?accountid=13902
  8. ^ Goldstein, P. (1987, Feb 02). MOVIE REVIEW CELLULOID FOOL'S GOLD IN `QUATERMAIN'. Los Angeles Times (Pre-1997 Fulltext) Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.sl.nsw.gov.au/docview/292650635?accountid=13902
  9. ^ Platon marches to no. 1 at box office. (1987, Feb 04). The Ottawa Citizen Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.sl.nsw.gov.au/docview/239020580?accountid=13902
  10. ^ Cannon posts loss for its 1st period as films do poorly. (1987, Aug 07). Wall Street Journal Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.sl.nsw.gov.au/docview/398004510?accountid=13902
  11. ^ Henry Mietkiewicz, T. S. (1987, Feb 25). Chamberlain relished lusty libertine role. Toronto Star Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.sl.nsw.gov.au/docview/435541417?accountid=13902
  12. ^ Foden, Giles (2007-11-17). "Boy's own adventure". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2017-06-05.
  13. ^ Falola, Toyin; Agwuele, Augustine, eds. (2009). Africans and the Politics of Popular Culture. University Rochester Press. p. 231.
  14. ^ "Of Dreck & Drink: Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold and Straight to Ale Illudium". pastemagazine.com. Retrieved 2017-06-05.
  15. ^ http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/18502/allanquatermainthelostcityofgold.html

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Allan_Quatermain_and_the_Lost_City_of_Gold&oldid=793775611"