JANE AND THE LOST CITY
UK, 1987, 90 minutes, Colour.
Sam J.Jones, Maud Adams, Kirsten Hughes, Jasper Carrott, Graham Stark, Robin Bailey.
Directed by Terry Marcel.
Jane and the Lost City is based on comic strips appearing in the British Daily Mirror. The screenplay is designed as a visual comic strip - especially with the spoof of things British, memories of World War Two, poking fun at Nazi villains, action in Africa, espionage, as well as the stiff upper lip British types.
The film is amusing in a very broad way - it is not a film of any subtlety. Sam Jones (Flash Gordon) is the tough American hero who collaborates with Jane in the search for the lost city, the great white hunter who is able to confront the Nazi villainess. This Nazi villainess is played with great-gusto by Maud Adams (heroine of some of the James Bond films). She is surrounded by a gallery of inept Nazi spies - one (as three brothers) played by comedian Jasper Carrot. On the English side there is Kirsten as the blonde and intrepid Jane (often losing her dress). She is supported by Robin Bailey, enjoying himself as the Colonel, and Graham Stark as the dithering secretary.
The film is set during World War Two - Jane and the Colonel are the epitome of the British defence and the possibilities for British espionage. Their adventures take them to Africa to find the lost city and its diamonds (after humorous opening section satirising such stories as King Solomon's Mines). The Nazis are also enjoyable caricatures as there are comic book confrontations between both sides. There is also some satire on the African tribes - especially the very well educated Leopard Princess.
The film -is a spoof in the vein of the Superman films. However, it bears closer relationship to such African spoofs as the Richard Chamberlain King Solomon's Mines and Allan Quartermain and the City of Gold. Other such African films include Jake Speed, Sheena Queen of the Jungle and Chuck Norris in Firewalker.
1. The popularity of such comic strip films in the '80s? Humour, serious?
2. British and African locations? The editing - especially for comic purposes? Action and special effects?
3. The title, comic strip background, the quality of the screenplay, broadly drawn characters, farcical situations, caricatures and spoof?
4. The opening, Africa, echoes of King Solomon's Mines, the stiff upper lip British, the natives, the deaths, the diamonds, the Nazis? The setting of the plot?
5. The Nazis, Lola and her Germanic style, control, getting her assistants, Herman and his brothers and their murderous attempts? The campy satire on the Germans, the flying of the plane, the adventures in Africa, the confrontations with Jack? The attacks on Jane? Getting the upper hand, the final crash? Lola and her decorations - and surviving for another day? The spoof of the assassins, the scientists, the doctors?
6. Jane and Colonel, Jane and her losing her dress? The Colonel and the stiff upper lip? Tombs and his ironic comments? The mission, to Africa, confrontation with the Nazis, meeting Jack? The gung-ho adventures? Being bested by the Nazis? The final attack, survival, completion of the mission? The character of Jane, the blonde British heroine? The Colonel and his bumbling style as well as his stiff upper lip style?
7. Jack as the American hero - in the Jungle Jim, Allan Quartermain tradition? The great white hunter?
8. The spoof of things African, the natives, the well-educated and ambitious princess?
9. The popularity of this kind of spoof? The difficulties in carrying it off hot successful was this spoof?
