Best movie ever!

Bad Acting and worse Bad Screenplay

This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

I was 15 years old at the time, and I loved the message of the movie. There are some songs better than others, but the message is simple and so the music is simple. Why was this movie gone from circulation? I have no clue. There are blockbusters a lot worst than this movie. I'm giving it a 10 in context with the year when it was released. I thought was a beautiful movie.

Lost Horizon (1973)** (out of 4)A plane full of people head off for Hong Kong but the plane is hijacked. They end up crash landing on a snowy mountain but soon a group of people come to their rescue. After a long walk through the mountains the people land in Shangri-La.This remake of Frank Capra's 1937 classic was released into theaters with an already negative buzz surrounding it. The film had an extremely large budget for the time and it was clear from early screenings that no one was going to like it. The movie was a disaster at the box office and it gained not only the reputation of one of the worst movies ever made but many people blame it for killing off the musical genre. How's that for a reputation? I should add that in a funny twist, it was one of the only major Hollywood movies that never even found a VHS release. While this isn't nearly the disaster it was made out to be, you still have to wonder what on Earth they were thinking.This movie was released during the disaster film era so you've gotta think that they could have cut out all the musical numbers and been left with something that could have at least been thrilling or entertaining. The movie could have been a straight remake with current special effects and an all-star cast and ended up much better. I actually thought the first portion of the movie was pretty good. We got a decent action sequence to get things going and for the most part I thought the cast were entertaining. The conversations and scenes on board the plane were at least entertaining. Once they get to Shangri-La things still weren't that bad. The locations and scenery were actually very good and the film at least looked terrific. The cinematography was also extremely good, which was another plus.With that said, nothing that happens in Shangri-La can be taken serious because of the awful and downright embarrassing songs from Burt Bacharach and Hal David. Roger Ebert even started off his review asking how much Ross Hunter had to pay them and added whatever it was it was too much. I'd certainly have to agree because these songs appear to be aimed at 5-year-old kids and even they would probably be bored by the length and subject of the movie. Clocking in just under 140-minutes, it's doubtful any kid would make it through this thing and for the adults watching you can't help but look at the screen wondering what they were thinking.LOST HORIZON will always been known for everything wrong with it but perhaps time has been a little friendly to it. It's certainly no where near the original but fans of "bad" movies or poorly received movies will want to check it out.

In the midst of an explosive revolution are leader-type Peter Finch (as Richard Conway) and his way younger brother Michael York (as George Conway). They escape in an airplane with a small group, headed for Hong Kong. Unfortunately, the plane is hijacked and crashes in a remote area of the Himalayas. Fortunately, the travelers make it to Shangri-La, a paradise where people live in perfect health and age very slowly. It's not exactly Hollywood, but there is an all-star cast. On board are song and dance man Bobby Van (as Harry Lovett), uptight photographer Sally Kellerman (as Sally Hughes) and gold prospector George Kennedy (as Sam Cornelius)...Mr. Finch is attracted to singing schoolteacher Liv Ullmann (as Catherine) while Mr. York prefers pregnant dancer Olivia Hussey (as Maria)...Wise old Dalai lamas John Gielgud and Charles Boyer are befriended by Finch. He moves closer to the secret of Shangri-La. York mostly wears regular clothing. This is symbolic because he wants to leave with Ms. Hussey, though she may revert to her true age. Many people felt older after sitting through "Lost Horizon". To make it a musical for producer Ross Hunter, the popular songwriting duo Burt Bacharach & Hal David contribute some of their least memorable songs. Charles Jarrott directs with catatonic seriousness. Picturesque photography by Robert Surtees is a relative strength. All told, this re-make of "Lost Horizon" is a lost cause.*** Lost Horizon (3/14/73) Charles Jarrott ~ Peter Finch, Michael York, Olivia Hussey, Liv Ullmann

Okay, I admit it, this musical Lost Horizon is not a good movie. However, I don't think it deserves to be trashed as badly as it has been. I have seen far worse movies, and also much worse musicals, Xanadu, Can't Stop the Music, Mame, Grease 2, A Chorus Line and The Wiz( At Long Last Love like this is more so bad it's good quality rather than just bad) are all worse than this in my opinion.I will get the good things out of the way. The scenery and cinematography are beautiful, and while it doesn't completely fit with the movie the score and songs aiming for the glossy sophistication of the 1937 film, are lovely and are memorable. The cast also try their best, with Sally Kellerman and Michael York faring best. Liv Ullman is decent, as are Peter Finch and Olivia Hussey.George Kennedy however gives a performance that feels rather phoned in, and the normally excellent John Gielgud struggles with a character that in my opinion is little more than a caricature. The dialogue in general is trite, and the story this time around with the fanciful ideas done so well in the Frank Capra movie(which is not a masterpiece but very charming) only risible here very thin for the running time, with little charm and heart. The singing/dubbing in all honesty is not great, Mame and At Long Last Love are much worse with this, but the singing does sound strained and pitchy.All in all, an example of so bad it's good. 5/10 Bethany Cox