Lost Horizon (1973)

Best movie of this year hands down!

Simply Perfect

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

I saw this movie in the theater in 1973, as well as a few times since. As I recall, the early 70's were pretty amazing times. People were protesting and getting involved in politics. It was an interesting time to be alive. So then, I have to wonder, why the hate on this film? It's my opinion that once a literary work is published, it's up for interpretation...and that interpretations can be different, but not "right" nor "wrong", because interpretations are subjective. This Ross Hunter 1973 Interpretation of "Lost Horizon" is a musical one. And I ask you, why not? What kind of person insists that there is only one possible interpretation of a literary work? Whenever I encounter critics of this film, I usually find people so dogmatically entrenched in their view that the only possible "right" portrayal of it is the 1937 (Black and White) Capra version. Scrolling through these reviews just confirms this bias. But one must wonder why...whether the reviewers are being true, or simply biased. This film has never portrayed itself as a "better than". It has only portrayed itself as an "Other", i.e: a musical rendition of Hilton's work. Cinematic and other adaptive works, once published, are offered up to the public for interpretation. I have yet to see this film critiqued honestly, as a 1973 stand-alone interpretation of a literary text framed in its own pop culture, rather than a comparison to a 1937 version (also borne of its own pop-culture.) There are too many cooks in this kitchen spoiling the broth! When evaluated in context, this movie stands out! To those of you who love the 1937 version, that's great. I'm happy for you. But please stop bashing this version because it's not 1937 all over again! I love musical theater and honestly, I fell asleep watching the 1937 Capra version of this film. Nevertheless, this whole fracas leaves me with one question: If Capra can be framed within the culture of his time, then why can't Ross Hunter, Burt Bacharach, and Hal David?

This film was rarely off the TV in Britain in the 70s and 80s (critically trashed films seem to get much more airtime, maybe because they're cheap? I don't know). I admit I haven't seen it as an adult, but to a naive mind, what could be more thrilling than discovering a secret kingdom, whether it's inside your TV, at the back of a wardrobe, or over the mountains. It was certainly one of the more memorable films from my childhood, very colourful, and some of the songs were great (of course I had no idea at the time they were from the legendary Bacharach and David, who are far too harsh on them). The World is a Circle I've never forgotten and I've added it to my Spotify.And any holes in the script (Larry Kramer!) could be compensated for by gazing on the eternal loveliness of Olivia Hussey.Maybe it'll be shown on TV again someday so I can see if it's as painful for grown-ups as they say.

The 1973 Lost Horrizon has an honored place on Michael Medved's Fifty Worst films of all time. I don't think it's quite that bad, but given the budget for this film on purely financial terms it has to be in the record setting elite.I think the biggest problem was making this a musical remake. The songs by Burt Bacharach and Hal David are some of the worst ever put in a film score. Worse than that they seem totally just grafted into the film and add nothing to the flow of the plot.Probably in a straight dramatic version Peter Finch would have been a marvelous substitution for the incomparable Ronald Colman for whom the Frank Capra 1937 version gave a him a role he was born to play. But I think that when doing a musical it might be a good idea to have both leads actually be singers. Both he and Liv Ullman were dubbed. James Shigeta who did do the film version of Flower Drum Song, Sally Kellerman and Bobby Van who actually was a musical performer did their own work.Lost Horrizon also is a story set during the time when the British actually had an empire. The lead character James Conway is a Cecil Rhodes type character, but with the best of his character and as the British liked to see themselves in their imperial days. Big mistake to have updated the story to the present. They did not update the character of Conway.Lost Horrizon is a passably entertaining film, but hardly worth the time and the money spent on it.

Everything you've heard about this movie is true, except the part about its awfulness being "enjoyable." To paraphrase Ghost World, "it's so bad it's gone past good and back to being bad." The movie begins promisingly enough, after a mundane folk ballad and long credits sequence, with a scene of intense conflict as a diplomatic crew attempts to flee a war torn country. Enjoy this scene while it lasts because it is the only genuine conflict you will see in this film. The pilot crash lands in a place called Shangri La, which despite being totally cut off from the outside world is well-maintained and full of food and all the worst of hippie New Age fashion. All of the characters, except one – Michael York – seem to enjoy living in Shangri La, and no source of menace or tension appears in the plot to dissuade them. Although this is a musical, the first non-integrated number appears about 50 minutes in. And it's a lousy rehash of Joni Mitchell's "The Circle Game." The musical staging appears to be that a character states a thought, and then a song begins that reaffirms the thought in the most glaringly obvious manner ("Am I in Shangri La, or is Shangri La in me?" "Different people have different points of view." You don't say). The staging of the numbers is very similar to The King and I; although it only serves to remind you that you should be watching that instead. As the characters decide either to stay in Shangri La, or to leave for no apparent reason (since the script has no villains or conflict), we are lead to a non conclusion that resolves nothing and says nothing. I suppose this was sold as some kind of Age of Aquarius, anti Vietnam, "Imagine no countries," type of deal, but it just comes off as a lame hippie high school production. I could literally have written better songs and staged better dances, and I have no rhythm or musical talent.