Apr 14
Lost Horizon as inspiration
Today, I had the chance to finally watch Frank Capra’s Lost Horizon (wikipedia, buy), the 1937 film based on James Hilton’s novel from 1933.
A few years ago, I discovered this gem of early Hollywood film history while browsing John Clute’s Science Fiction: The Illustrated Encyclopedia. Pictured was a still from the film, a couple in front of a large reflecting pool - and the majestic Lamasery dramatically lit in the background. As I found out today, this still is from a scene that is actually not in the film. Capra decided to restage this particular sequence into a garden. Anyway - although you might find this tidbit of trivia interesting, there a two major things I noticed while watching the film that I haven’t expected. As it seems, this black & white milestone has influenced a number of movies. Some references are well known, others appear to be unresolved yet.
Lost Horizon and Indiana Jones
Lost Horizon and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom share a lot. This is no secret. There is the core group of adventurers: the worn hero Robert Conway, his comic sidekick(s) and a hysteric blonde. The ride begins with the group entering an old airplane, a DC-2 vs. a Ford Trimotor 5-AT-B in Indiana Jones. Flying over the mountains, they get a chance to take a nap, until all hell breaks loose and the plane goes down, crashing onto a sort of glacier. Later, after a good shower, they all meet again on a large dinner table.
Actually, I wasn’t prepared to discover yet another George Lucas source. Only a few days ago I wrote about analogies between 633 Squadron and Star Wars. I hope this chain breaks before it becomes a habit. One last thing: when Conway is dicovered by a group of Chinese villagers and carried away, doesn’t that remind you of the scene where C-3PO and R2D2 get carried away by the Jawa? OK, I’ll stop now…
Lost Horizon and The Black Hole
As Lost Horizon progresses, the overall atmosphere and pace began to remind me of another film - but I could tell which one. Then it hit me: Disney’s The Black Hole (wikipedia, buy)! There is crazy Dr. Reinhardt (Maximilian Schell) greeting the group in true Captain Nemo style, in his castle worthy dining room. They get to like each other, especially Harry Booth (played by Ernest Borgnine) is fascinated by the doctor.
A number of miraculous discoveries later, Booth is actually willing to stay on Reinhardt’s magical ship (doubling Conway in Shagri-La). He admires the scientific achivements (Conway in Shangri-La admires the Lama’s spiritual attitude). But despite of all enchantment, the group is finally leaving the place in a hurry. Although the promise of Shagri-La turns out to be true, while The Black Hole’s ship is an unholy graveyard, the parallels between these two films are striking.
A final word on Captain Nemo style dining:
Well, chandelier dinners and mysterious invitations aren’t trademarked yet and surely Lost Horizon hasn’t invented them. But as it seems, this type of “arrival and greeting of the group” is a common factor within the genre of travel-to-a-secret-place films. Hints of this can be found in multiple James Bond movies, they appear in Jules Verne type of films like 20000 Leagues under the Sea, Atlantis: The Lost Empire , Viaje al centro de la Tierra (The Fabulous Journey to the Center of the Earth) and more.
