LOST HORIZON
US, 1972, 143 minutes, Colour.
Peter Finch, Liv Ullmann, Sally Kellerman, George Kennedy, Michael York, John Gielgud, Charles Boyer, Olivia Hussey, Bobby Van, James Shigeta.
Directed by Charles Jarrott.
It is easy to rubbish this kind of film - it is big and booming; at times empty, sentimental, silly or cliché-ridden. On the other hand, it is not all that bad, an excursion into a Utopia, the dreamworld of every harassed person: an escapist musical that keeps reminding us of the ugly world we live in outside Shangri La. Fortunately the stars are skilled enough to give some substance to the dialogue and situations, especially Peter Finch, Sally Kellerman, Michael York and John Gielgud. A perpetually grinning Liv Ullmann is a bit hard to accept. Bacharach's tunes are only catchy. A relaxing, glossy, popular piece of hokum and philosophising.
1. An enjoyable film? Why?
2. Was it just another Hollywood musical given the Hollywood treatment?
3. Did the theme of Shangri La add to the musical?
4. The atmosphere created by the credits ? snow, beauty. another world, the therm song and its themes, and the words of the son, especially about the pounding guns?
5. The impact and importance of the songs: did they add to the meaning as well as to the enjoyment of the film? The Welcome to Shangri La; The World is a Circle; Question Me An Answer; Reflections; Growing Together; I'll Put Them On My List; the sung dialogue between Richard and Catherine.
6. How well was the turmoil of the world presented - the context of war, race hatred, destruction, the need for people to escape? How did this symbolise the meaning of the film? The hostility of people at the beginning of the film? The dram of the escape?
7. How well portrayed was the drama of the actual escape? hurrying to the plane, takeoff, riots, decisions as to who was to go and how, the drama of the flight in such a small, old aircraft? The fact that the audience knew they were being kidnapped?
8. The significance of the kidnapping? The role of fate? The death of the pilot? The relationships that grew on the plane? The tentative nature of relationships, clashes. wanting to be alone, grouping together for survival?
9. The impact of their being found to quickly and mysteriously?
10. Why were people in Shangri La so happy? Was it too pretty a place? Why were people content to be there? How did Shangri La show how people could live? What was needed for happiness?
11. How was the significance and happiness of Shangri La shown by the characters' response to it? Richard: his importance in his world. his yearning for higher things, his discovery of peace and contentment, of love, of waning in life?
Sally: Her job. cynicism, drug taking, contemplating suicide, her response to life, to peace and happiness, to love for Sam, the enterprise?
Sam: his past, mistakes, a new chance, love for Sally, response he made to irrigating Shangri La, his being changed by this?
Harry: typical American comedian; not being particularly successful? Getting used to Shangri La? Not putting on so many masks, finding a genuine response in the children, finding true ambitions and peace?
George: Why could he not settle? Why could Shangri La not affect him? His falling in love with Maria? Why could he not let others be happy in Shangri La? Why was he so dependent on 20th century comforts?
12. The people of Shangri La:
Chang: role of administrating the Lama's will; his enigmatic courtesy; was he an interesting character? What values did he stand for, his various speeches?
High Lama: significance of his story and the origins of Shangri La; the significance for human willpower, survival, goodness? Why had he chosen Richard for his successor? Was the drama of his death well done or exaggerated?
Catherine: a conventional heroine? As a happy heroine? Why did Richard fall in love with her? Why could she not hold him in Shangri La?
Brother To Lim and the others in Shangri-La: happy people, good, listeners etc.?
Maria: Why did she want to leave? Did you believe her about her age? Did her love for George excuse her lying? Were you shocked by her ageing and death?
13. Why did Richard eventually decide to go? What motivated him?
14. The dramatic impact of their escape and George's and Maria's deaths?
15. Was the recovery of Richard credible? It was very short -? did this spoil the effect of the film? Was it credible that he wanted to go back and did so?
16. What is the significance of the popularity of this film with audiences (although panned by critics)?
