Randolph Scott plays an American adventurer who, with Nigel Bruce as his sidekick, travels to the foreboding frozen wasteland above the Arctic Circle in search of a mythical flame. There he encounters She, queen of an unknown land who seems to defy time.
This film , based upon a novel, is straight from the fantasy/sci-fi world of Edgar Allan Poe and Edgar Rice Burroughs. The story is a simple one. While watching this film, I saw visual references to King Kong (1933)and Tarzan The Ape Man (1932). Helen Mack, who plays the love interest, was in Son of Kong (1933). Certainly there are parts of this film that may have inspired other films that followed: The Wizard of Oz, Journey to the Center of the Earth, or The Time Machine. I loved the scenery and the special effects. Some sets looked like a cross between a Maxfield Parrish painting and a Flash Gordon set.
Some of the pageantry and dance sequences were reminiscent of Busby Berkeley's work, which was probably an influence.
Some have criticized this film due to its failure to remain true to the original novel. The film should be judged on its own merits. As to why the setting was changed from Africa to the Arctic, I surmise that the Tarzan series of films might have seemed heavy competition for any film about Africa at the time. There was also a great fascination with the Arctic dating back to the early 19th century. They certainly did a magnificent job with the glacial scenery.
Though the film gets a little wordy and slow near the end, the visual imagery is a treat throughout. This film is well worth viewing.
This film , based upon a novel, is straight from the fantasy/sci-fi world of Edgar Allan Poe and Edgar Rice Burroughs. The story is a simple one. While watching this film, I saw visual references to King Kong (1933)and Tarzan The Ape Man (1932). Helen Mack, who plays the love interest, was in Son of Kong (1933). Certainly there are parts of this film that may have inspired other films that followed: The Wizard of Oz, Journey to the Center of the Earth, or The Time Machine. I loved the scenery and the special effects. Some sets looked like a cross between a Maxfield Parrish painting and a Flash Gordon set.
Some of the pageantry and dance sequences were reminiscent of Busby Berkeley's work, which was probably an influence.
Some have criticized this film due to its failure to remain true to the original novel. The film should be judged on its own merits. As to why the setting was changed from Africa to the Arctic, I surmise that the Tarzan series of films might have seemed heavy competition for any film about Africa at the time. There was also a great fascination with the Arctic dating back to the early 19th century. They certainly did a magnificent job with the glacial scenery.
Though the film gets a little wordy and slow near the end, the visual imagery is a treat throughout. This film is well worth viewing.