The Land Unknown
Encyclopedia
The Land Unknown is a sci-fi, CinemaScope
adventure film
about a naval expedition trapped in an Antarctic jungle. The story was allegedly inspired by the discovery of unusually warm water in Antarctica in 1947. It starred Jock Mahoney
and Shirley Patterson
and was directed by Virgil W. Vogel
. The film is notable for its low-budget special effects, which include men in dinosaur suits, puppets and monitor lizard
s standing in for dinosaurs. William Reynolds
recalled the studio spent so much money on their mechanical dinosaur that they couldn't afford to shoot the film in colour as they first planned.
. During a helicopter
flight they are called back to their ship because of an unexpected storm. At first they try to fly around the storm, but low on fuel, they make a dash through the storm, where they rotor is damaged by a collision with a pterodactyl. Unable to stay in the air they start to descend, and are surprised when they end up landing well below sea-level in a warm volcanic crater
. Inside, they discover a steamy tropical jungle, dinosaurs, giant carnivorous plants, and human footprints. The crew encounter many dangers and perils in the jungle in a fight for survival.
The crew meet Hunter, the lone survivor of a plane crash from the 1947 expedition. He has learned to survive in this land with the aid of a sound machine that frightens these creatures off and by raiding Dinosaur Nests. He offers the remains of his plane to repair the helicopter, but only if the crew agree to leave Maggie with him. The crew refuses, but they also know that after 25 days their ship will have to leave before the Antarctic winter sets in. Unsuccessful in finding the remains of the plane, hidden by Hunter, crew debate leaving Maggie, or forcing the information out of Hunter by torture. Commander Roberts refuses to sink to either low. When Maggie is attacked by an Elasmosaurus
Hunter rescues her. After a fight and learning that the crew refuse to torture him for the location of the plane, Hunter gives them the map to its location.
After repairing the helicopter the crew have to take off in a hurry thanks to the attack of a Tyrannosaurus
. They fly to pick up Maggie, who is with Hunter at the time. Hunter is ambushed by a Giant Snake, and the crew come to his rescue. They fly out of the land with Hunter. Once clear of the crater they are able to radio their ship and are guided in. Their fuel exhausted, they crash into the water just before getting to the ship. They are rescued, and once safely on the ship Harold and Maggie fall in love.
The animal
s featured in this film include a Tyrannosaurus
, Elasmosaurus
, Giant Snakes/Monitor Lizards, Pterodactyls, a Man-Eating Plant. The mammal found by the crew then later eaten by the carnivorous plant is a tarsier
.
CinemaScope
CinemaScope was an anamorphic lens series used for shooting wide screen movies from 1953 to 1967. Its creation in 1953, by the president of 20th Century-Fox, marked the beginning of the modern anamorphic format in both principal photography and movie projection.The anamorphic lenses theoretically...
adventure film
Adventure film
Adventure films are a genre of film.Unlike pure, low-budget action films they often use their action scenes preferably to display and explore exotic locations in an energetic way....
about a naval expedition trapped in an Antarctic jungle. The story was allegedly inspired by the discovery of unusually warm water in Antarctica in 1947. It starred Jock Mahoney
Jock Mahoney
Jock Mahoney was an American actor and stuntman of Irish, French, and Cherokee ancestry. Born Jacques O'Mahoney, he was credited variously as Jock Mahoney, Jack O'Mahoney or Jock O'Mahoney. He starred in two television series, both westerns...
and Shirley Patterson
Shirley Patterson
Shirley Patterson, sometimes billed as Shawn Smith, was a Canadian born B-movie actress of the 1940s and 1950s.Patterson began her acting career after being a beauty contestant in pageants in California in 1940...
and was directed by Virgil W. Vogel
Virgil W. Vogel
Virgil William Vogel was an American film, television director and writer. His career spanned nearly sixty years directing episodes of Wagon Train, Bonanza, The Big Valley, and Mission: Impossible, among other series.-Career:Vogel was born Peoria, Illinois...
. The film is notable for its low-budget special effects, which include men in dinosaur suits, puppets and monitor lizard
Monitor lizard
Monitor lizards are usually large reptiles, although some can be as small as in length. They have long necks, powerful tails and claws, and well-developed limbs. Most species are terrestrial, but arboreal and semiaquatic monitors are also known...
s standing in for dinosaurs. William Reynolds
William Reynolds
William Reynolds may refer to:*William Reynolds , American movie and television actor*William Reynolds , English football defender of the 1890s...
recalled the studio spent so much money on their mechanical dinosaur that they couldn't afford to shoot the film in colour as they first planned.
Plot
A small crew led by Commander Harold Roberts and woman reporter Maggie Hathaway are on an expedition into Antarctica for the United States NavyUnited States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. During a helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
flight they are called back to their ship because of an unexpected storm. At first they try to fly around the storm, but low on fuel, they make a dash through the storm, where they rotor is damaged by a collision with a pterodactyl. Unable to stay in the air they start to descend, and are surprised when they end up landing well below sea-level in a warm volcanic crater
Volcanic crater
A volcanic crater is a circular depression in the ground caused by volcanic activity. It is typically a basin, circular in form within which occurs a vent from which magma erupts as gases, lava, and ejecta. A crater can be of large dimensions, and sometimes of great depth...
. Inside, they discover a steamy tropical jungle, dinosaurs, giant carnivorous plants, and human footprints. The crew encounter many dangers and perils in the jungle in a fight for survival.
The crew meet Hunter, the lone survivor of a plane crash from the 1947 expedition. He has learned to survive in this land with the aid of a sound machine that frightens these creatures off and by raiding Dinosaur Nests. He offers the remains of his plane to repair the helicopter, but only if the crew agree to leave Maggie with him. The crew refuses, but they also know that after 25 days their ship will have to leave before the Antarctic winter sets in. Unsuccessful in finding the remains of the plane, hidden by Hunter, crew debate leaving Maggie, or forcing the information out of Hunter by torture. Commander Roberts refuses to sink to either low. When Maggie is attacked by an Elasmosaurus
Elasmosaurus
Elasmosaurus + σαυρος sauros 'lizard') is a genus of plesiosaur with an extremely long neck that lived in the Late Cretaceous period , 80.5 million years ago.-Description:...
Hunter rescues her. After a fight and learning that the crew refuse to torture him for the location of the plane, Hunter gives them the map to its location.
After repairing the helicopter the crew have to take off in a hurry thanks to the attack of 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...
. They fly to pick up Maggie, who is with Hunter at the time. Hunter is ambushed by a Giant Snake, and the crew come to his rescue. They fly out of the land with Hunter. Once clear of the crater they are able to radio their ship and are guided in. Their fuel exhausted, they crash into the water just before getting to the ship. They are rescued, and once safely on the ship Harold and Maggie fall in love.
The animal
Animal
Animals are a major group of multicellular, eukaryotic organisms of the kingdom Animalia or Metazoa. Their body plan eventually becomes fixed as they develop, although some undergo a process of metamorphosis later on in their life. Most animals are motile, meaning they can move spontaneously and...
s featured in this film include 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...
, Elasmosaurus
Elasmosaurus
Elasmosaurus + σαυρος sauros 'lizard') is a genus of plesiosaur with an extremely long neck that lived in the Late Cretaceous period , 80.5 million years ago.-Description:...
, Giant Snakes/Monitor Lizards, Pterodactyls, a Man-Eating Plant. The mammal found by the crew then later eaten by the carnivorous plant is a tarsier
Tarsier
Tarsiers are haplorrhine primates of the genus Tarsius, a genus in the family Tarsiidae, which is itself the lone extant family within the infraorder Tarsiiformes...
.
Cast
- Jock MahoneyJock MahoneyJock Mahoney was an American actor and stuntman of Irish, French, and Cherokee ancestry. Born Jacques O'Mahoney, he was credited variously as Jock Mahoney, Jack O'Mahoney or Jock O'Mahoney. He starred in two television series, both westerns...
(Cmndr. Harold 'Hal' Roberts) - Shirley PattersonShirley PattersonShirley Patterson, sometimes billed as Shawn Smith, was a Canadian born B-movie actress of the 1940s and 1950s.Patterson began her acting career after being a beauty contestant in pageants in California in 1940...
(Margaret 'Maggie' Hathaway) (as Shawn Smith) - William ReynoldsWilliam Reynolds (actor)William Reynolds is a retired American television and film actor. He is best known for television roles in the 1960s and 1970s....
(Lt. Jack Carmen) - Henry Brandon (Dr. Carl Hunter)
- Douglas KennedyDouglas Kennedy (actor)Douglas Richards Kennedy was an American supporting actor who appeared in over 190 films between 1935 and 1973. He was born in New York City.-Career:...
(Capt. Burnham) - Phil Harvey (Machinist's Mate Steve Miller)
- Tim Smyth (Tyrannosaurus Rex)http://books.google.com/books?id=5WH9RnfKco4C&pg=PA414&lpg=PA414&dq=%22tim+smyth%22+t.+rex&source=bl&ots=058OWV3IIr&sig=Xiqh5vzXIYMVhxFayDU-eWbgDg0&hl=sl&ei=sYnVSujqGIbEsAbH15n_BA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CAcQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=%22tim%20smyth%22%20t.%20rex&f=false