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The Lost World | Year: 1925 Classification: Classics (Silents/Avant Garde) Directed: - Harry O. Hoyt Actors/Actresses: - Vince Vaughn - Bessie Love - Lewis Stone - Wallace Beery - Lloyd Hughes A Superb DVD of The Lost World When I first heard that Image Entertainment was doing a DVD restoration of The Lost World, I knew I wanted to get it. Well, with my family's recent purchase of a DVD player, this was one of the first titles I bought. I'll tell you, this DVD is worth it. This edition is the most complete version of The Lost World released since 1925. Unlike most versions, which are about an hour in length, this version is an hour and a half. The picture has been cleaned up and looks crystal clear. It's possible that this movie may have never looked better. There's no sound because, hey, it's a silent movie. But there is a choice of two film scores: A traditional Orchestra or a modern day Orchestra. The modern day Orchestra includes sound bites in the scoring (Gunshots, dinosaur roars). Most of the scenes have been tinted according to where they are set (Blue for night, red for fire, light brown for indoor, etc.). There is also a commentary track from Roy Pilot, author of The Annotated Lost World. About half an hour worth of new footage has been added in. There are establishing shots in London, where Edward Malone is told by his fiancée that she won't marry him unless he does something courageous. Here's a bit of trivia: The first shot in the film (A tugboat sailing in front of the London skyline) parallels the same opening shot of King Kong eight years later. Many other scenes that were removed from the movie have been included back in. Many fans will be delighted to know that the scene were the Brontosaurus, after rampaging through London and falling off a bridge, swims past an Ocean liner has been included. There is even a brief shot of the legendary scene were the Brontosaurus interrupts the Poker Game. There are also scenes that take place at an outpost in South America before the explorers head to the Lost World as well as scenes which better establish the rivalry between Professor Challenger and Professor Summerlee. After the movie, there are thirteen minutes worth of "Animation Outtakes". This is mostly test footage of the stop-motion models of the dinosaurs. Nevertheless, it's still fascinating stuff (Look for Willis O'Brien in a couple of the frames). In addition, a reproduction of the 1925 souvenir booklet is included along with the package. After watching The Lost World, some people may laugh at the Special Effects. It's easy to tell that some of the clay models are nothing but clay models. But many of the other great dinosaur films owe a little gratitude to this pioneer. Willis O'Brien was later able to perfect his craft of stop-motion photography and made King Kong the great film it is. Jurassic Park, The Godzilla series and The Lost World: Jurassic Park owe some inspiration to this movie. I say it's about time that this important dinosaur movie gets the respect it deserves in a version which will undoubtedly be chariest for years to come. Fantastic job by Image makes The Lost World fully satisfying I just finished watching Image's restored edition of the 1925 Lost World, prepared for DVD issue, but thankfully also released on very high quality VHS tape for luddites like me. This is one case where the VHS tape was not just an afterthought--the quality of the tape is exceptional, and mine had absolutely NO tracking problems, tape glitches, or audio dropouts whatsoever--something that has become all too rare these days. This version restores many lost scenes and many lost parts of scenes, restoring much character development, as well as some truly-impressive dinosaur footage. Compared to previous abridged versions, this one runs over half an hour longer, thanks to footage from *eight* prints, especially a Czech print found in the 90's from which most of the lost scenes come from. Anyway, I'm absolutely stunned by the quality of the film. It's never looked better, and for the very first time, it no longer seems like merely an important FX historical curiosity, but is now a fully satisfying adventure/fantasy film. The pacing no longer feels rushed, and Willis O'Brien's groudbreaking stop-motion and matte FX work is still simply amazing today. There's a restored dinosaur stampede and aftermath that features far more fully-articulated dinosaurs than anything in Jurassic Park. I am a fan of dinosaur films generally, and I can honestly say that in its restored form, the 1925 Lost World is simply the best dinosaur film I have ever seen. The image looks fantastic for such an old film too, and the color-tinting is very intelligently used--blue for night, brown/sepia for indoor, green for jungle--but it never comes across as intrusive. The new percussion-heavy modern musical score (by the Alloy Orchestra) commissioned for this version may be a bit untraditional, but it fits the film perfectly. The 12 min. of animation outtakes following the film were fascinating too, and helped to underscore how much detail and care went into the FX work on the film--there are some cool moments in the outtakes where freeze-frames actually show the animators at work in the frame. Anyway, fantastic film, stunning restoration. You've never seen the 1925 Lost World like this until you've seen Image's restored edition--and this is one restoration you can safely buy on either DVD or VHS. A Original standard-8 version in the vaults! I was unaware that The Lost World (1925) had been subject to so much trimming. Stored in my attic somewhere I have what must be a pretty complete print of the film, since it consists of 5 or 6 reels, running time as far as I recall was indeed 80 or 90 mins. And at least some of the 'missing scenes' mentioned by people are definitely included in the print I have (case in point - the head through the window scene is definitely in there). Wow. Must get the Image DVD and run them side by side, something new might turn up. Have to oil the projector up!! I'm not sure when my the print I have same out, but the packaging is very old, and 8mm goes back to the turn of the '30s, which is only shortly after the original revisited the splicing room. Will share my findings. 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