The Lost World (1998 film)
Encyclopedia
The Lost World is a 1998
film, based on the book of the same title by Arthur Conan Doyle
.
, 1934.
The researcher Maple White (Jack Langedijk
), together with his assistant Azbek (Russell Yuen), discovers an unknown world populated by dinosaurs, situated on a plateau
in Mongolia
. After having found a dinosaur
's egg in a cave, White celebrates the discovery, with Azbek, uncorking a bottle of champagne and listening to classical music. Azbek is attacked and killed by Dimorphodon
s, which also attack White who falls from the plateau holding onto a rope; he survives but is seriously wounded, White is found again and taken care of by Myar and Djena (Gregorian Minot Payeur), respectively Azbek's brother and sister; White asks the two to bring him his friend George Challenger (Patrick Bergin
) to whom White gives an account of his adventures, proposing to Challenger that he should try to fully explore the plateau in his place.
Challenger returns to London
, and organizes a lecture to try to convince some people to finance an expedition to prove that dinosaurs still exist despite scientific belief to the contrary. During the lecture, Challenger is derided and humiliated, not only from the students but also from his colleagues Leo Summerlee (Michael Sinelnikoff
) and Lord Thomas (James Bradford
). However, Lord Thomas ultimately grants permission for the expedition, on the condition that Summerlee accompany Challenger to act as "a critical eye". Subsequently, a spectator at the lecture, Oscar Perreault (Jacques Lessard), proposes to pay the expedition's expenses to Mongolia
, on the condition that the scientists capture a living dinosaur
and to exhibit it to the public wherever he wishes; and that his associate John Roxton David Nerman goes along to represent his interests. Challenger unwillingly accepts the proposal. After concluding the lecture, Challenger bumps into the young journalist Arthur Malone, who he suggests joins the expedition as a documentor. After granting permission to Malone, Challenger is confronted by the same woman who had interrupted his lecture earlier- who reveals herself to be none other than the late Dr. White's daughter, Amanda, who also insists on joining the team in order to represent her father's interests.
In the following days, the team heads to Mongolia
, stopping on the journey to pick up their guides, including the young siblings Myar and Djena; as the journey goes on, Djena becomes very attached to Malone and strong connection is built between the two. Their transportation suffers a breakdown and the team is forced to continue the trip on foot. One of the guides is killed by what is presumably a prehistoric insect, however, despite misgivings on the part of the guides, the team continues on after conducting a funeral, according to the local rites.
The team finally reaches the foot of the plateau where Amanda White is abducted by two natives. Upon noticing Amanda's disappearance the team immediately goes in search of her. Challenger and Roxton quickly find her suspended from a ritual framework by her abductors. In rescuing her, they are also forced to face the native tribe - who are only defeated by use of modern weaponry. The team escapes the charging natives by use of a hot air balloon, in which they fly up the plateau.
Using binoculars Summerlee observes three Quetzalcoatlus
nearby; the animals prove to be hostile and immediately attack the balloon, knocking the young Myar from it and then causing an irreparable tear to the balloon itself, causing the whole team to plummet to the plateau below.
Upon arriving the team is amazed to see a Brontosaurus
. After a search the team find shelter in a cave, where they discover a series of intricate symbols on the walls. Roxton decides to return to the wreckage of the balloon to recover his supplies. Upon his return he presents the team with a small Centrosaurus
which he wants to sell for $100,000. Roxton the reveals to the team that he intends to make the plateau an area exclusively for high-risk game hunting, and has planned to do so all along. Roxton then orders Malone to tie Djena and Challenger to tie Malone. Taking advantage of Roxton's temporary distraction, Challenger succeeds in disarming Roxton instead and recovers the rifle. However, Roxton aims a knife Djena's neck, forcing Challenger to return the rifle to him. Djena once again distracts Roxton by biting Roxton's hand and Challenger attacks him; ultimately Challenger is able to render Roxton unconscious.
Meanwhile, Amanda White and Professor Summerlee are busy trying to decipher the symbols on the cave walls. They are attacked by a dinosaur but are able to fight it off. At the same time, Challenger, Malone and Djena are returning with the tied-up Roxton, and are attacked by a giant crocodile. The crock manages to snap only Roxton, leaving the other three mostly unscathed.
Returning to the cave, Amanda White tells the Mongolia
's lost world history through the symbols; these tell of a tribe, the kerraks, that have adapted to the place, some dinosaur
s were chased by the kerraks, some of which were extinguished and, for this, the native precedents, the neanderthals, chased the kerraks to avoid the total destruction of the lost world, becoming the plateau's custodians. After the story, Professor Summerlee reveals to the team that he doesn't want to return to London
, deciding to pass the rest of his life in studying the plateau's environment. Shortly after this a neanderthal appears in the cave, and shoots Summerlee with a blow-gun. The dart causes Summerlee to become very disoriented and experience hallucinations. Under its influence he wanders from the cave and is killed by a Tyrannosaurus
.
The rest of the team finds the dead body of Summerlee, which they cover with a British flag; subsequently. Returning to the cave, Amanda White and Challenger discover that there is, in fact, a larger cave behind the first, the same one discovered by Maple White in the film's first scenes. Exploring the cave the two come across the skeleton of the unlucky Azbek and White's vinyal record. In the same instant, a battered John Roxton, reveals to Amanda White and to Challenger that the cave is full of explosive
and that the two cannot be not be saved once he lights the fuse. Roxton is also in possession of a Dimorphodon
, which frees itself and attacks him, causing him to fall from the plateau. Before falling however, Roxton manages to light the fuse and Amanda and Challenger barely succeed in escaping.
While trying to prepare a parachute
, Djena is attacked by small carnivorous dinosaur
s, which then attack the other team members. Later that night, a Tyrannosaurus
attacks the camp; the team tries to escape, but Djena is once again attacked by the small ones carnivorous dinosaur
s, when the disperse Deja is attacked and killed by the T-Rex.
Wanting to avenge Djena, Malone attracts the beast approaching with fire. He is ultimately able to kill the T-Rex with a large blast of fire. Amanda White and Challenger are saved from the hot flash by throwing themselves down from the plateau's frame with the parachute
that Deja had been preparing earlier.
Returning to London
, Challenger communicates the death of his companions to the students. On account of the dangerousness of the place, he chooses to state that the expedition found nothing, thus making sure that no one else goes looking for the plateau.
In the last scenes of the film, we see that Malone - the film's narrator - has remained on the plateau and adapted to life there.
1998 in film
-Events:* February 14 - Sharon Stone marries Phil Bronstein.* Former child star Gary Coleman is charged with assaulting a young female bus driver at a California shopping mall.-Top grossing films:...
film, based on the book of the same title by Arthur Conan Doyle
Arthur Conan Doyle
Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle DL was a Scottish physician and writer, most noted for his stories about the detective Sherlock Holmes, generally considered a milestone in the field of crime fiction, and for the adventures of Professor Challenger...
.
Plot
MongoliaMongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
, 1934.
The researcher Maple White (Jack Langedijk
Jack Langedijk
Jack Langedijk is a Canadian theatre director and actor.Langedijk received an acting education at Concordia University in Montreal and Sheridan College in Ontario. After graduation, he established a theatre company of his own and directed many plays, often by Shakespeare.Apart from his work at the...
), together with his assistant Azbek (Russell Yuen), discovers an unknown world populated by dinosaurs, situated on a plateau
Plateau
In geology and earth science, a plateau , also called a high plain or tableland, is an area of highland, usually consisting of relatively flat terrain. A highly eroded plateau is called a dissected plateau...
in Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
. After having found a dinosaur
Dinosaur
Dinosaurs are a diverse group of animals of the clade and superorder Dinosauria. They were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for over 160 million years, from the late Triassic period until the end of the Cretaceous , when the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event led to the extinction of...
's egg in a cave, White celebrates the discovery, with Azbek, uncorking a bottle of champagne and listening to classical music. Azbek is attacked and killed by Dimorphodon
Dimorphodon
Dimorphodon was a genus of medium-sized pterosaur from the early Jurassic Period. It was named by paleontologist Richard Owen in 1859. Dimorphodon means "two-form tooth", derived from Greek δι/di meaning 'two', μορφη/morphe meaning 'shape' and οδων/odon meaning 'tooth', referring to the fact that...
s, which also attack White who falls from the plateau holding onto a rope; he survives but is seriously wounded, White is found again and taken care of by Myar and Djena (Gregorian Minot Payeur), respectively Azbek's brother and sister; White asks the two to bring him his friend George Challenger (Patrick Bergin
Patrick Bergin
Patrick Connolly Bergin is an Irish actor and singer. He may be best-known internationally for playing the menacing husband of Julia Roberts' character in the thriller Sleeping with the Enemy and is also known for his role as Irish terrorist Kevin O'Donnell in the film adaption of Patriot Games....
) to whom White gives an account of his adventures, proposing to Challenger that he should try to fully explore the plateau in his place.
Challenger returns to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, and organizes a lecture to try to convince some people to finance an expedition to prove that dinosaurs still exist despite scientific belief to the contrary. During the lecture, Challenger is derided and humiliated, not only from the students but also from his colleagues Leo Summerlee (Michael Sinelnikoff
Michael Sinelnikoff
Michael Sinelnikoff is a British actor. He is most famous for his role as Professor Arthur Summerlee on the television series The Lost World, and has been seen in a variety of film roles.- Filmography :- External links :...
) and Lord Thomas (James Bradford
James Bradford
James Bradford may refer to:* James Bradford , American weightlifter and Olympic medalist* James C. Bradford , professor of history at Texas A&M University* Jim Bradford, politician...
). However, Lord Thomas ultimately grants permission for the expedition, on the condition that Summerlee accompany Challenger to act as "a critical eye". Subsequently, a spectator at the lecture, Oscar Perreault (Jacques Lessard), proposes to pay the expedition's expenses to Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
, on the condition that the scientists capture a living dinosaur
Dinosaur
Dinosaurs are a diverse group of animals of the clade and superorder Dinosauria. They were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for over 160 million years, from the late Triassic period until the end of the Cretaceous , when the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event led to the extinction of...
and to exhibit it to the public wherever he wishes; and that his associate John Roxton David Nerman goes along to represent his interests. Challenger unwillingly accepts the proposal. After concluding the lecture, Challenger bumps into the young journalist Arthur Malone, who he suggests joins the expedition as a documentor. After granting permission to Malone, Challenger is confronted by the same woman who had interrupted his lecture earlier- who reveals herself to be none other than the late Dr. White's daughter, Amanda, who also insists on joining the team in order to represent her father's interests.
In the following days, the team heads to Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
, stopping on the journey to pick up their guides, including the young siblings Myar and Djena; as the journey goes on, Djena becomes very attached to Malone and strong connection is built between the two. Their transportation suffers a breakdown and the team is forced to continue the trip on foot. One of the guides is killed by what is presumably a prehistoric insect, however, despite misgivings on the part of the guides, the team continues on after conducting a funeral, according to the local rites.
The team finally reaches the foot of the plateau where Amanda White is abducted by two natives. Upon noticing Amanda's disappearance the team immediately goes in search of her. Challenger and Roxton quickly find her suspended from a ritual framework by her abductors. In rescuing her, they are also forced to face the native tribe - who are only defeated by use of modern weaponry. The team escapes the charging natives by use of a hot air balloon, in which they fly up the plateau.
Using binoculars Summerlee observes three Quetzalcoatlus
Quetzalcoatlus
Quetzalcoatlus was a pterodactyloid pterosaur known from the Late Cretaceous of North America , and one of the largest known flying animals of all time. It was a member of the Azhdarchidae, a family of advanced toothless pterosaurs with unusually long, stiffened necks...
nearby; the animals prove to be hostile and immediately attack the balloon, knocking the young Myar from it and then causing an irreparable tear to the balloon itself, causing the whole team to plummet to the plateau below.
Upon arriving the team is amazed to see a Brontosaurus
Apatosaurus
Apatosaurus , also known by the popular but scientifically deprecated synonym Brontosaurus, is a genus of sauropod dinosaur that lived from about 154 to 150 million years ago, during the Jurassic Period . It was one of the largest land animals that ever existed, with an average length of and a...
. After a search the team find shelter in a cave, where they discover a series of intricate symbols on the walls. Roxton decides to return to the wreckage of the balloon to recover his supplies. Upon his return he presents the team with a small Centrosaurus
Centrosaurus
Centrosaurus is a genus of herbivorous ceratopsian dinosaurs from the late Cretaceous of Canada. Their remains have been found in the Dinosaur Park Formation and uppermost Oldman Formation, dating from 76.5 to 75.5 million years ago....
which he wants to sell for $100,000. Roxton the reveals to the team that he intends to make the plateau an area exclusively for high-risk game hunting, and has planned to do so all along. Roxton then orders Malone to tie Djena and Challenger to tie Malone. Taking advantage of Roxton's temporary distraction, Challenger succeeds in disarming Roxton instead and recovers the rifle. However, Roxton aims a knife Djena's neck, forcing Challenger to return the rifle to him. Djena once again distracts Roxton by biting Roxton's hand and Challenger attacks him; ultimately Challenger is able to render Roxton unconscious.
Meanwhile, Amanda White and Professor Summerlee are busy trying to decipher the symbols on the cave walls. They are attacked by a dinosaur but are able to fight it off. At the same time, Challenger, Malone and Djena are returning with the tied-up Roxton, and are attacked by a giant crocodile. The crock manages to snap only Roxton, leaving the other three mostly unscathed.
Returning to the cave, Amanda White tells the Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
's lost world history through the symbols; these tell of a tribe, the kerraks, that have adapted to the place, some dinosaur
Dinosaur
Dinosaurs are a diverse group of animals of the clade and superorder Dinosauria. They were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for over 160 million years, from the late Triassic period until the end of the Cretaceous , when the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event led to the extinction of...
s were chased by the kerraks, some of which were extinguished and, for this, the native precedents, the neanderthals, chased the kerraks to avoid the total destruction of the lost world, becoming the plateau's custodians. After the story, Professor Summerlee reveals to the team that he doesn't want to return to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, deciding to pass the rest of his life in studying the plateau's environment. Shortly after this a neanderthal appears in the cave, and shoots Summerlee with a blow-gun. The dart causes Summerlee to become very disoriented and experience hallucinations. Under its influence he wanders from the cave and is killed by a Tyrannosaurus
Tyrannosaurus
Tyrannosaurus meaning "tyrant," and sauros meaning "lizard") is a genus of coelurosaurian theropod dinosaur. The species Tyrannosaurus rex , commonly abbreviated to T. rex, is a fixture in popular culture. It lived throughout what is now western North America, with a much wider range than other...
.
The rest of the team finds the dead body of Summerlee, which they cover with a British flag; subsequently. Returning to the cave, Amanda White and Challenger discover that there is, in fact, a larger cave behind the first, the same one discovered by Maple White in the film's first scenes. Exploring the cave the two come across the skeleton of the unlucky Azbek and White's vinyal record. In the same instant, a battered John Roxton, reveals to Amanda White and to Challenger that the cave is full of explosive
Dynamite
Dynamite is an explosive material based on nitroglycerin, initially using diatomaceous earth , or another absorbent substance such as powdered shells, clay, sawdust, or wood pulp. Dynamites using organic materials such as sawdust are less stable and such use has been generally discontinued...
and that the two cannot be not be saved once he lights the fuse. Roxton is also in possession of a Dimorphodon
Dimorphodon
Dimorphodon was a genus of medium-sized pterosaur from the early Jurassic Period. It was named by paleontologist Richard Owen in 1859. Dimorphodon means "two-form tooth", derived from Greek δι/di meaning 'two', μορφη/morphe meaning 'shape' and οδων/odon meaning 'tooth', referring to the fact that...
, which frees itself and attacks him, causing him to fall from the plateau. Before falling however, Roxton manages to light the fuse and Amanda and Challenger barely succeed in escaping.
While trying to prepare a parachute
Parachute
A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag, or in the case of ram-air parachutes, aerodynamic lift. Parachutes are usually made out of light, strong cloth, originally silk, now most commonly nylon...
, Djena is attacked by small carnivorous dinosaur
Dinosaur
Dinosaurs are a diverse group of animals of the clade and superorder Dinosauria. They were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for over 160 million years, from the late Triassic period until the end of the Cretaceous , when the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event led to the extinction of...
s, which then attack the other team members. Later that night, a Tyrannosaurus
Tyrannosaurus
Tyrannosaurus meaning "tyrant," and sauros meaning "lizard") is a genus of coelurosaurian theropod dinosaur. The species Tyrannosaurus rex , commonly abbreviated to T. rex, is a fixture in popular culture. It lived throughout what is now western North America, with a much wider range than other...
attacks the camp; the team tries to escape, but Djena is once again attacked by the small ones carnivorous dinosaur
Dinosaur
Dinosaurs are a diverse group of animals of the clade and superorder Dinosauria. They were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for over 160 million years, from the late Triassic period until the end of the Cretaceous , when the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event led to the extinction of...
s, when the disperse Deja is attacked and killed by the T-Rex.
Wanting to avenge Djena, Malone attracts the beast approaching with fire. He is ultimately able to kill the T-Rex with a large blast of fire. Amanda White and Challenger are saved from the hot flash by throwing themselves down from the plateau's frame with the parachute
Parachute
A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag, or in the case of ram-air parachutes, aerodynamic lift. Parachutes are usually made out of light, strong cloth, originally silk, now most commonly nylon...
that Deja had been preparing earlier.
Returning to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Challenger communicates the death of his companions to the students. On account of the dangerousness of the place, he chooses to state that the expedition found nothing, thus making sure that no one else goes looking for the plateau.
In the last scenes of the film, we see that Malone - the film's narrator - has remained on the plateau and adapted to life there.
Cast
- Patrick BerginPatrick BerginPatrick Connolly Bergin is an Irish actor and singer. He may be best-known internationally for playing the menacing husband of Julia Roberts' character in the thriller Sleeping with the Enemy and is also known for his role as Irish terrorist Kevin O'Donnell in the film adaption of Patriot Games....
: Professor George Challenger - Julian Casey: Arthur Malone
- Michael SinelnikoffMichael SinelnikoffMichael Sinelnikoff is a British actor. He is most famous for his role as Professor Arthur Summerlee on the television series The Lost World, and has been seen in a variety of film roles.- Filmography :- External links :...
: Professor Leo Summerlee - David Nerman: Lord John Roxton
- Jayne HeitmeyerJayne HeitmeyerJayne Heitmeyer, b. October 30, 1960 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, is a Canadian actress appearing in many science fiction and horror movies and TV shows. She is best known for playing Lt. Briony Branca in the second season of Nightman, Jessie Jaworski in the 1990s TV series Sirens and Renee Palmer...
: Amanda White - Gregoriane Minot Payeur: Djena
- Russell Yuen: Azbek/Myar/Neanderthal
- Jack LangedijkJack LangedijkJack Langedijk is a Canadian theatre director and actor.Langedijk received an acting education at Concordia University in Montreal and Sheridan College in Ontario. After graduation, he established a theatre company of his own and directed many plays, often by Shakespeare.Apart from his work at the...
: Maple White - Tamara GorskiTamara GorskiTamara Gorski is a Canadian actress. She was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba.- Filmography :-External links:*...
: Jenny Nielson - James BradfordJames BradfordJames Bradford may refer to:* James Bradford , American weightlifter and Olympic medalist* James C. Bradford , professor of history at Texas A&M University* Jim Bradford, politician...
: Lord Thomas - Jacques Lessard: Oscar Perreault
- Martin Sims: Studente
- Gouchy Boy, Michael Gurman, Michel Perron, Sam Stone, Richard Zeman: the Neanderthals