Burroughs

 

 (imdb)

THE LAND THAT TIME FORGOT-1974-A sailor finds a bottle with a message in it. Thus is related in 1916 a German U-boat torpedoes an English ship. 2 survivors Bowen Tyler (Doug McClure) and Lisa Clayton (Susan Penhaligon) are rescued by some of the crew who survived. The survivors take over the U-boat. Later the Germans retake the sub and going off course they wind up in the south pole, landing in the thought to be legend land of Capuria. They encounter a pterodactyl, sea monsters and a bunch of cavemen. Eventually the German crew revolt but are all killed when a volcano erupts. Only the two survive and Tyler writes his message in a bottle. 

This Amicus co-production was director Kevin Connor's second film and it's not bad with the exception of some cheap looking SFX. It's based on a novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs with the screenplay by fantasy artist James Cawthorn and fantasy writer Michael Moorcock. Connor made a sequel AT THE EARTH'S CORE two years later.

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Undersea City

 

 (wikipedia)

WARLORDS OF ATLANTIS-1978-A British exploring vessel sponsored by an English prof. Aitkin (Donald Bisset) and his son Charles (Peter Gilmore) and commanded by Capt. Daniels (Shane Rimmer) get more than they bargain for when they go exploring in a special diving belt designed by American Greg Collins (Doug McClure). When a gold statue is found, the crew decides to mutiny and strand Charles and Greg underwater. But before that can happen the ship is attacked by a giant octopus. The duo, Daniels and a few others are "rescued" by Atmir (Michael Gothard) and his troops. They are taken to "the fourth city" where many English speaking people reside. No sooner do they get there when Greg starts a fight after meeting Delphine (Lea Brodie). Later, after they are put in prison, Charles is introduced to Atsil (Cyd Charrisse), who shows him the real hidden Atlantis because she admires his intellect. She explains how her race came from another planet (Mars). Delphine's father Briggs (Robert Brown) explains that he and everyone else are from other missing ships (his was the Mary Celeste) and they are controlled because of an operation performed on them. King Atraxon (Daniel Massey) says "the ruling class must always survive" while everyone else battles giant lizard-like creatures. He wants to create a utopia on Earth using science and force. 

Not the greatest sfx but overall, it's good. Director Kevin Connor was an old hand at this kind of production having already made THE LAND THAT TIME FORGOT (1974), AT THE EARTH'S CORE (1976) and THE PEOPLE THAT TIME FORGOT (1977) (all three featuring McClure).

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"It takes all kinds of critters to make Farmer Vincent's fritters"

 

MOTEL HELL-1980-At the Hotel Hello where the “o” burns out Farmer Vincent (Rory Calhoun) rescues Terry (Nina Axelrod) from a motorcycle crash and brings her to his hotel/farm where he lives with his sister Ida (Nancy Parsons; later in the PORKY'S series of movies). A nosy animal doctor finds out the farmer's secret. He's “harvesting” kidnapped people to make his famous sausage products. He sets traps that make a rock band's van crash, then plants them. The same goes for an S & M couple (Elaine Joyce and Dick Curtis) while a TV preacher (Wolfman Jack) is on TV. Jealous Ida tries to drown Terry but Vincent saves her (it looked like an accident) and Terry agrees to marry him! Bruce (Paul Linke; later a regular on the TV show CHiPs) the stupid sheriff discovers Vincent is up to no good. Some of the victims get loose and kill Ida. Bruce fights Vincent (in a pig mask) in a chainsaw battle finale. He kills Vincent and saves Terry before she's chopped up. A clip from THE MONSTER THAT CHALLENGED THE WORLD shows up on TV. 

This weird horror comedy was directed by Kevin Connor (THE LAND THAT TIME FORGET, THE PEOPLE THAT TIME FORGOT) who went on to direct many US TV shows and movies (He made GOLIATH AWAITS with Christopher Lee and John Carradine the next year).

Star Rory Calhoun had been in the successful TV western "Tales Of Welles Fargo" (1957-1962). 

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