Aux frontières du temps

When I read the synopsis in the TV listing for this Hallmark production, I thought it sounded awfully similar to "Lost Horizon", and sure enough that's exactly what it is, just updated and transplanted to Africa, with no credit given to James Hilton for the concept. The secret city (somehow unnoticed from the air) is beautifully designed-- it's the real "Palace of the Lost City" Hotel, a Sun City luxury resort in South Africa, and well worth a look. Without this setting the entire production would have looked pretty cheesy, I'm afraid, and even more like a TV movie, which it barely avoids. Cicely Tyson is of course marvelous (when wasn't she?) as the Guardian, who occupies the High Lama's place in the story. Once one knows that it's "Lost Horizon", one either looks forward to the familiar plot unfolding or is disappointed that the rest of the picture is then so predictable. Much of the tampering with details was not well thought out and leaves holes and loose ends to weaken the overall effect. Of course, if you've never read or seen "Horizon" it will furnish a few surprises, though the script is unimaginative enough to make much of it seem familiar anyway. You can be sure that the good characters will be likable and the bad unlikable. Susan Dey, a good and likable actress, manages to appear rather dazed throughout and looks bleary-eyed as though she's missed too much sleep, delivering a somewhat flat performance in a role calling for charisma and emotional depth to be convincing. I'm afraid that Sue's little TV feet aren't equal to filling Ronald Coleman's big-screen shoes. With a better script and production (plus some recasting) this could have worked; title it "Lost Opportunity". But I would have loved it when I was ten! As usual, the "If you like this title, we also recommend..." suggestion is completely off the wall; what on earth does this story have in common with "Rat Race", a comedy about a money race from Las Vegas to Silver City, New Mexico????

Not a bad movie but it was not a very good either. Beautiful scenes and backgrounds but the special effects were like a 1970's movie. The story had potential but wasn't creative enough. This script would have been great in 1950s. Bottom line a little dated movie with a decent cast but it's a shame that they didn't do more with the time and money spent to create this picture. Susan Dey is still an attractive lady well into her 40s and 50s. It was nice to see Ms. Tyson, she is still a striking screen presence, especially with the Guardian hairdo. The premise of this ancient city reminds me of The Phantom comic strip. A hidden paradise in the bowels of Africa. I wonder sometimes how money producers are able to convince investors to put up the money for such mediocre films. The kind of movie to watch when there is not much else on.

What can I say this is a "Lost Horizon" wantabe. The characters are all unknown hallmark level actors. The background music is that of a cheap romantic novel strain. The dialog is stilted and the story flow is jerky. Many things are missing or poorly expressed. If you have not seen "Lost Horizon" you will actually be lost in this slow pace and not well thought-out politically correct filler.

A woman of great passion and negotiating skill is kidnapped along with her ex and a man with a dubious background. She must eventually find the secret of this mysterious valley and its purpose.

One day couch potatoes with live peacefully with killer tomatoes. But my responsibility lies with the outside world.

There is a theory that those that live in Dublin Texas and drink Dr. Pepper with Pure Cain Sugar can never leave.

God, this would be a festival for MST3K. It is, as others have written, a complete knockoff of "Lost Horizon". Pompous, self-righteous, feminist and multicultural, wooden, hilarious, embarrassing, a hoot. I can't go on. I'm howling with laughter. (I tried to end my review, but you have to write ten lines minimum to be accepted!). People are all equal here, no one is more important than anyone else, everything is beautiful in its own way (Cotter Smith, for example) and they speak with the ghostly and sombre tones of the Truly Enlightened And They Know It. Are my ten lines up yet? God, I hope so. If Western civilization falls any time soon, it will be because of stuff like this movie!

I hate films like this. The producers must look through the top ten list of the all-time greatest films, pick one, and then decide to make a cheap copy.

Shame on Nigel Havers for taking part in this. He's a well known British TV actor and small time film actor. I guess he thought this would be a great film like the original "Lost Horizon" (1937) by Frank Capra.

Maybe Havers should've investigated the director's previous efforts. The current IMDb page for Jorge Montesi lists a huge number of second and third rate TV programmes and TV films directed by him.

As another reviewer said, this film was certainly a "Lost Opportunity". The goods news is, it was made 6 years after Frank Capra's death, so he couldn't have seen it.

RIP Frank.