Lost World (1925)

Published: Feb. 28, 2016, 7:34 a.m.

Before KING KONG, GODZILLA, or JURASSIC PARK, this ambitious 1925 silent film was the first feature to unleash ‘stop-motion’ animation on an astonished public, with a story adapted from the novel by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. This was the first feature-length film to present model animation as the primary special effect. And the dinosaurs are great fun! James appreciated how the film was pieced together for the restoration, Lara liked that people were making out in caves while wearing crisp linen shirts and khakis in the middle of the Amazon while being chased by strange creatures, and our Audience of One, attorney Tom Gehring, marveled that dinosaurs were real. THE LOST WORLD is a perfect movie for film buffs to see because of its importance in film history, or anyone who loves dinosaurs, although you might find yourself chuckling at the silent film overacting and effects from almost 100 years ago.