21 reviews
- bensonmum2
- May 20, 2006
- Permalink
Based on the UK comic strip 'Jane.' Jane (Kirsten Hughes) and the Colonel (Robin Bailey) journey to find the lost city. That is the city that is lost and is said to have diamonds. It is WWII and the NSDAP's top cutie spy (Maud Adams) and her entourage are also in the trail.
Move over Indiana Jones; Jane is on her way. As cute as Jane is with her outer garments dispatched periodically in unpredictable ways, The Leopard Queen (Elsa O'Toole) can give Kirsten Hughes a run for her money when it comes to ogling.
So, are there diamonds?
And is there a possible sequel?
This film has just the right amount of campiness.
Lots of good references to knowable films and books.
Excellent evacuated character types.
Good disposable wardrobes.
A good plot and follow through.
Keeps your attention all the way through.
If you use fast forward you will miss it.
Move over Indiana Jones; Jane is on her way. As cute as Jane is with her outer garments dispatched periodically in unpredictable ways, The Leopard Queen (Elsa O'Toole) can give Kirsten Hughes a run for her money when it comes to ogling.
So, are there diamonds?
And is there a possible sequel?
This film has just the right amount of campiness.
Lots of good references to knowable films and books.
Excellent evacuated character types.
Good disposable wardrobes.
A good plot and follow through.
Keeps your attention all the way through.
If you use fast forward you will miss it.
- Bernie4444
- Dec 13, 2023
- Permalink
My introduction to the WWII character Jane was with the early '80s BBC TV series, which combined live action with drawings to create a retro comic-book style. The overall effect was kinda cheap, but it did feature sexy Glynis Barber in her silky underwear, so all was not lost. Jane and the Lost City dispenses with the stylised visuals, but retains the overall comic-book atmosphere, with preposterous adventure, OTT characters and deliberately corny jokes. Barber doesn't reprise her role, Jane played on this occasion by the also rather attractive Kirsten Hughes (who frequently flashes her gusset, bares her butt, and exposes her cleavage).
It's a good job that Hughes is so appealing, because without her pleasing physical attributes, Jane and the Lost City would be quite unbearable. I get that the film is deliberately camp, but it simply isn't very funny, with some truly terrible performances, Sam Jones making for a wooden hero, and TV 'funny-man' Jasper Carrott failing to launch a career on the big screen by playing three characters, all of them badly. It mightn't have been such a disaster if they had upped the adventure angle, but the budget was clearly too tight for any impressive Indiana Jones-style cliffhanger escapades. What we get is less Raiders of the Lost Ark and more Allan Quartermain and the Lost City of Gold (trust me, that's not a good thing).
3/10 for Hughes in her underwear, plus an extra point for Fritz the Dachshund - I'm a sucker for a sausage dog.
It's a good job that Hughes is so appealing, because without her pleasing physical attributes, Jane and the Lost City would be quite unbearable. I get that the film is deliberately camp, but it simply isn't very funny, with some truly terrible performances, Sam Jones making for a wooden hero, and TV 'funny-man' Jasper Carrott failing to launch a career on the big screen by playing three characters, all of them badly. It mightn't have been such a disaster if they had upped the adventure angle, but the budget was clearly too tight for any impressive Indiana Jones-style cliffhanger escapades. What we get is less Raiders of the Lost Ark and more Allan Quartermain and the Lost City of Gold (trust me, that's not a good thing).
3/10 for Hughes in her underwear, plus an extra point for Fritz the Dachshund - I'm a sucker for a sausage dog.
- BA_Harrison
- Jan 8, 2021
- Permalink
Jane was a very popular British comic strip that ran through the war years. Churchill hated it and wanted it banned, but it was too popular. The artist used to use the strip to make political points, and whenever it would be getting too dry for the readers, Jane would somehow lose her clothes.
The film version is played for camp, and brilliantly so by Kristen Hughes, Sam Jones (who also conveniently loses his clothes a few times in a nod to a later age), Maud Adams, and Elsa O'Toole as the Leopard Queen.
Yes, it goes over the top - it's meant to. Get giggly with a few friends and watch it.
The film version is played for camp, and brilliantly so by Kristen Hughes, Sam Jones (who also conveniently loses his clothes a few times in a nod to a later age), Maud Adams, and Elsa O'Toole as the Leopard Queen.
Yes, it goes over the top - it's meant to. Get giggly with a few friends and watch it.
Whoever made this nonsense completely missed the point. Jane is a silly comic strip to titillate without being sleazy.
This giant mess tries to be funny and exciting but is just a shambles. There is not one decent performance in it..even the usually reliable Jasper Carrott is painfully unfunny.
The American bloke whose name escapes me is just as rubbiush as he was in flash gordon.
Maud Adams tries as a villianess but she is a bit long in the tooth for this type of thing. All of these things would not matter if the girl was sexy or funny or likable.She is not. Kirsten Holmes faded into obscurity after this and so much the better.
I've flushed more entertaining things than this down the toilet. Avoid
This giant mess tries to be funny and exciting but is just a shambles. There is not one decent performance in it..even the usually reliable Jasper Carrott is painfully unfunny.
The American bloke whose name escapes me is just as rubbiush as he was in flash gordon.
Maud Adams tries as a villianess but she is a bit long in the tooth for this type of thing. All of these things would not matter if the girl was sexy or funny or likable.She is not. Kirsten Holmes faded into obscurity after this and so much the better.
I've flushed more entertaining things than this down the toilet. Avoid
- shaunmahaffey
- Mar 11, 2009
- Permalink
Patterned after the book by H. Rider Haggard "King Salomon's Mines" follows along the lines of the original first 3 films but this one has used a comedic theme to help it along ... i found jane to be plenty erotic enough for heroine and defender of god and country ... i had a feww good laughs
- sandcrab277
- Feb 2, 2019
- Permalink
The idea of the pin-up poster was never a bad thing. It was very helpful for the morale of homesick soldiers, stuck on the front lines, fighting for their lives, during WWII. Jane grew out of that era and was the creation of a British author. She too was created to help morale during the terrors of WWII and even the wars that followed that. We flash to 1987 and British filmmakers, along with New World Pictures, decide to reboot Jane, with this really bad effort. In Jane and the Lost City (1987), Jane (Kirsten Hughes), is basically working for the British government, helping her friend, the Colonel (Robin Bailey), protect diamonds from the bad-guys. Jane's super-power is her clothes fall off, just in time, which distracts enemies (and sometimes friends, if need be), until she is able to escape or attempt to apprehend them. It's not dirty. It's not in poor taste. Jane and the Lost City (1987), has a PG rating, so that tells you that there is nothing to fear about the pin-up nature of this IP. It's everything else in Jane and the Lost City (1987), that makes it bad. I wanted to rate this film, even lower than, a "4", but in my book, any film rated less than four is unwatchable and I want people to see Jane and the Lost City (1987), in order to believe it, so I stayed at "4". You won't.
PMTM Grade: 4.0 (F+) = 4 IMDB.
PMTM Grade: 4.0 (F+) = 4 IMDB.
To its credit, many of the supporting roles are played so well, we almost have a decent Indian Jones type movie.
Everything everyone says here is true, which just shows how subjective enjoyment of a film can be. Comparison is made to the Carry On films, which is close ... but the Carry On films really relish their everything-is-about-sex undertone, while Jane And The Lost City prefers the innocence approach. Yes, Jane loses her clothing half-a-dozen times, but it always feels a bit out of place -- as if they really wanted to go Indiana Jones, but were saddled with this pinup-girl concept.
For me, there were just enough good comic moments to sustain through the ones that fell flat (mainly Jasper Carrott's endless mugging). I've seen my share of not-very-good jungle films; this ranks just about right, with the occasional clothes-ripped-off seemingly punched in for novelty. I think it would have been funnier to make that a more central concept -- even to play with audience expectation by having it almost happen, then partially happen, then not happen when you expect it to, then happen to someone else, etc -- you see? A running gag should be explored for all of its possibilities, not just the same gag used as window dressing, then sold as main attraction.
Everything everyone says here is true, which just shows how subjective enjoyment of a film can be. Comparison is made to the Carry On films, which is close ... but the Carry On films really relish their everything-is-about-sex undertone, while Jane And The Lost City prefers the innocence approach. Yes, Jane loses her clothing half-a-dozen times, but it always feels a bit out of place -- as if they really wanted to go Indiana Jones, but were saddled with this pinup-girl concept.
For me, there were just enough good comic moments to sustain through the ones that fell flat (mainly Jasper Carrott's endless mugging). I've seen my share of not-very-good jungle films; this ranks just about right, with the occasional clothes-ripped-off seemingly punched in for novelty. I think it would have been funnier to make that a more central concept -- even to play with audience expectation by having it almost happen, then partially happen, then not happen when you expect it to, then happen to someone else, etc -- you see? A running gag should be explored for all of its possibilities, not just the same gag used as window dressing, then sold as main attraction.
- skinnybert
- Feb 23, 2021
- Permalink
- Leofwine_draca
- Mar 16, 2021
- Permalink
Anybody unfamiliar with British comic strips of the 40s and 50s might find this movie trite and contrived, but that was the way the strips played. Lost cities, buried treasure, wicked Eurotrash countesses, etc. etc., all of the usual comic strip clichés are here. The movie's creators worked hard and generally succeeded in capturing the original strip's silly tone and obvious contrivances - Jane loses her dress about every other scene and has to cavort about in embarrassment in her lingerie, and her hunky Jungle Jack boyfriend gets hit on the head or chained to a wall and needs rescuing by his distaff partner almost as often. The cast play the silly lines and sight gags with appropriately straight faces, and the result is a fairly obvious but entertaining comedy of an older fashion, rather like a vintage Carry On movie but in color.
I have watched some bad and questionable movies but this is truly the first time I have felt like I've lost a portion of my life. Sorry but it really, in my opinion, is rubbish. In today's pc world it is nothing short of sexist dribble. Go and wash the cat or polish the lawn, it truly will be a more satisfying use of life.
For someone who remembers Jane in the Daily Mirror strip cartoon, viewing this film is an exercise in nostalgia. In that context it is wonderful, but younger viewers would undoubtedly find the comedy limp and would miss the point that the actors are cartoon characters. The plotline is also a bit limp for today's audience, but reflects the naivety of the 40s and 50s very well. Jane, you must remember, was part of the escapist fantasy of the wartime years, created to boost the morale of the troops. She gave a double meaning to the "strip" in strip cartoon.
The story has something in common with the tales of Edgar Rice Burroughs and Rider Haggard. The theme would have been a familiar one to readers in that era, a bunch of bumbling Nazis thwarted by a few equally bumbling Englanders, and set in the African jungle of course.
For Jane fans, a must see. For the rest of you, a damp squib.
The story has something in common with the tales of Edgar Rice Burroughs and Rider Haggard. The theme would have been a familiar one to readers in that era, a bunch of bumbling Nazis thwarted by a few equally bumbling Englanders, and set in the African jungle of course.
For Jane fans, a must see. For the rest of you, a damp squib.
- mvincent-12339
- Feb 6, 2021
- Permalink
This film begins during World War 2 with both Great Britain and Germany locked in a death struggle and each one desperately needing money to finance their conflict. So, when a large deposit of diamonds is rumored to be located in a mysterious "lost city" in Africa, both countries send out a small party to retrieve them. Heading the British party is a bumbling Army "Colonel" (played by Robin Bailey) his servant "Tombs" (Graham Stark) and an attractive female employee named "Jane" (Kirsten Hughes). Not to be outdone, however, the Germans also send a party commanded by an SS officer named "Lola Pagola" (Maud Adams) who is extremely determined and ruthless. And she is willing to do whatever it takes to bring these diamonds back to Berlin. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this was a peculiar comedy which lacked the necessary humor to be very effective. Campy but not very funny. Likewise, there were repeated attempts at titillation involving Kirsten Hughes which weren't that impressive either. Even so, I suppose it wasn't a terrible film by any means, and for that reason I have rated it accordingly. Slightly below average.
I remember watching this year's ago on T.V. one quiet Sunday afternoon. This is one of those films that are so bad their good. I can't imagine why all involved thought this would be a good idea. It looks cheap and is terribly edited (there's a plane crash early on where you don't actually see crash). Every single performance is appalling though Jasper Carrot has to be singled out as worst offender (shouting your every line in a awful German accent just isn't acting). The whole thing is just so terrible you can't help but laugh at it, trying to guess what the next plot contrivance will be to allow Jane's clothes to be ripped off her yet again. I highly recommend this film and suggest you all try and watch it as soon as possible.
- Gareth_Hacking
- Mar 13, 2003
- Permalink
- BandSAboutMovies
- Aug 15, 2021
- Permalink
- hwg1957-102-265704
- May 24, 2023
- Permalink
The British also has their own Pin Up heroin as American has Bettie Page, Jane portraits a glorious blonde girl with hearty air bags on front, fabulous legs on sexy way whenever she appears, now at black continent during WWII against the Nazi seeking for diamonds at lost city somewhere, as assistant of the powerful Colonel of British Army and their sidekicks, singularly the clever but questionable drinker Tombs, meanwhile gets help from the American jester Jack Buck, in other hand another eye-candy Nazi leader Lola Pagola dully escorted by the muddled Gestapo officer Heinrich and the stronger goofy Carl, in this endeavor thru the Africa's heart to find out the lost city both sides struggle which is less worst will win the diamonds as war efforts.
Having a robust cast as the famous Brummie entertainer Jasper Carrott (Jeff Lynne's closest pal) playing three characters altogether and the priceless Graham Starks who actually stolen the picture aside the sexy and breathtaking presence of Kirsten Hughes, without forget of Maud Adams as well, this picture is pretty silly on gruff black humor oriented, although faraway to be regard bad as the ratings implied, a fabulous landscape of the Mauritius Island help too much as backdrop as supposedly Africa, fine canyons, rivers, waterfall and so for, on the closest takes of Jane's stri.pping scenes to catch the slobbering audience is non-negligible whatsoever, sadly this picture never reach here as far I know, it will be welcome quite sure.
Thanks for reading
Resume:
First watch: 2023 / How many: 1 / Source: Yutube / Rating: 7.
Having a robust cast as the famous Brummie entertainer Jasper Carrott (Jeff Lynne's closest pal) playing three characters altogether and the priceless Graham Starks who actually stolen the picture aside the sexy and breathtaking presence of Kirsten Hughes, without forget of Maud Adams as well, this picture is pretty silly on gruff black humor oriented, although faraway to be regard bad as the ratings implied, a fabulous landscape of the Mauritius Island help too much as backdrop as supposedly Africa, fine canyons, rivers, waterfall and so for, on the closest takes of Jane's stri.pping scenes to catch the slobbering audience is non-negligible whatsoever, sadly this picture never reach here as far I know, it will be welcome quite sure.
Thanks for reading
Resume:
First watch: 2023 / How many: 1 / Source: Yutube / Rating: 7.
- elo-equipamentos
- Nov 4, 2023
- Permalink
The Comic Strip meets Rider Haggard meets (to a lesser extent) Monty Python.
The movie has the same cheesiness (and level of excuses for Jane to lose her clothes) as the long-gone 'Daily Mirror' cartoon strip with a similar level of improbability as many similar strips and of the Saturday Morning serials of the same period.
Don't expect serious dialogue or anything less than real ham acting - but that is not because the cast are poor actors (just look at their credits on IMDB), it truly is deliberate. And there are enough fun references to make you pay attention - I am only surprised that Toombs wasn't playing "As Time Goes By" when he is on the piano.
Witty, silly, humorous and GREAT FUN. Thoroughly loved it as a piece of pure entertainment.
Don't expect serious dialogue or anything less than real ham acting - but that is not because the cast are poor actors (just look at their credits on IMDB), it truly is deliberate. And there are enough fun references to make you pay attention - I am only surprised that Toombs wasn't playing "As Time Goes By" when he is on the piano.
Witty, silly, humorous and GREAT FUN. Thoroughly loved it as a piece of pure entertainment.
- EdeBorrett
- Feb 27, 2021
- Permalink
- mark.waltz
- Jul 1, 2023
- Permalink
A dazzling performance from director, Terry Marcel.
What could be called, "A demonstration of GENIUS", this will thrill all viewers regardless.
Excellent.
10/10 from Paco.
What could be called, "A demonstration of GENIUS", this will thrill all viewers regardless.
Excellent.
10/10 from Paco.