Post on 11-Apr-2022
TheLostWorld:AStudy
SamuelCrehan
SirArthurConanDoyle
IntroductionTheLostWorldisaniconicadventurenovelfromthecelebratedauthorSirArthurConanDoyle,firstappearinginTheStrandMagazineseriallyduringApril‐November1912,andbeingpublishedinnovelformlaterthatyear.
ItistoldfromthefirstpersonbyEdwardMalone,areporterfromtheDailyGazette,who,inthesearchforamoreadventurousstorytoimpresshisfiancée,ispersuadedtojointhesomewhatridiculedProfessorGeorgeE.Challengeronanexpeditiontoalostplateau,whereChallengerclaimstherearelivingdinosaurs.
ConanDoylewasalreadyveryfamousforhischaracterSherlockHolmesandthemanynovelsandshortstoriesofhisexploits,andwouldcontinuewritingstoriesconcerninghimfor
manyyearsafterwards.
ProfessorChallengerwouldalsofeatureintwoothernovels,ThePoisonBeltandTheLandofMist,andintheshortstories‘WhentheWorldScreamed’and‘TheDisintegrationMachine,allinvolvingbizarrescientificdiscoveries.Forexample,in‘ThePoisonBelt’Challengerdiscoversthatabeltofpoisonous‘ether’willenveloptheEarthanddestroymankind.In‘WhentheWorldScreamed’ChallengertunnelstotheEarth’scoretodiscoveravast,sentientcreaturelivingthere,whichthendestroyshisexcavation.
TheLandofMistisdifferentinthatithasamore
Coveroffirstedition
Malone’sMapofMapleWhiteLand
supernaturaltone,reflectingConanDoyle’sbeliefinSpiritualism(thebeliefinanafterlifeandthatthedeadcanbecontactedthere)followingthedeathofhiswife.Interestingly,ConanDoylealsobelievedthattheinfamous‘CottingleyFairies’(supposedphotosoffairiestakenbytwoyounggirls,ElsieWrightandFrancesGriffiths)weregenuine,somuchsothathereproducedthephotosinabookinvolvingtheoriesaboutfairiesandthespiritworld,TheComingoftheFairies.
Atthetimeofpublishing,thegenreofdiscoveringprehistoriccreaturesinlostareasoftheworldwasnotwelldeveloped.ProbablythemostfamousexampleofthetimewasAJourneytotheCentreoftheEarth,byrenownedsciencefictionauthorJulesVerne.ItconcernsaGermanprofessorwhotravelsthroughaseriesofvolcanictubesextendingtowardsthecentreoftheEarthwithhisnephewAxelandguideHans,encounteringolderprehistoriccreaturesastheydescendfurther.Thescienceofthebookisobviouslydatednowadays,butit
remainsverypopular,spawningtwofilmsin1959and2008,andinfluencingpopularcultureeventoday.
ItmaybeduetoTheLostWorldthatthegenreexpandedgreatlyafteritspublication,leadingtoanotherclassicnovel,TheLandThatTimeForgot,anditssequelsThePeopleThatTimeForgotandOutofTime’sAbyss,aboutthelandofCaspak/Caprona,an
isolatedislandnearAntarctica,wherevariousformsoflifethroughtheEarth’shistoryallcoexist,sustainedbyatropicalriver.Thelostworld’ssuccessmayalsohaveinspiredSkullIsland,thehomeofthegiantapeKingKong,visitedbyfilmmakerCarlDenhaminthe1933classicandthe1976and2005remakes.
WhileIhadnotreadthebookuntilIwasaround11or12,Istillknewthestory,mostlyfromwatchingthe2001TVversion,andwasfascinatedbyit.Ihadbeeninterestedindinosaursfromaveryearlyage,mostlythankstotheBBC’SWalkingwithDinosaursseries,soit’sobviouswhathadinterestedmeatfirst,butthebookwaswhatintroducedmetotheconceptofa‘lostworld’andhelpedmediscoverKingKongandotherdinosaur‐relatedfilmsandbooks,includingJurassicPark.Thisstudyismytributetothebook,andIhopeyouwillfinditinformativeandenjoyable.
TheStoryEdwardMalone,areporterfortheDailyGazette,askshiseditor,McArdle,foramoreexciting,dangerousmissiontoimpresshisfiancée,GladysHungerton.HeissenttoProfessorGeorgeE.Challenger,notoriousforassaultingreporterswhoirritatehim.AfterabriefscuffleoutsideChallenger’soffice,theProfessorfinallyagreestotellMaloneofhistravelstoaSouthAmericanplateau,andgivesevidence,fromthefindingsofadeadAmericanexplorer,MapleWhite,thatprehistoriccreaturesexistthere.TheythenattendalecturewhereChallengerattemptstoconvinceothersofhisdiscovery,andtoorganiseanexpedition.HegainsthesupportofProfessorArthurSummerlee,adistinguishedpalaeontologist,andLordJohnRoxton,afamoussportsmanwhofoughtagainstslaveryinSouthAmerica.
TheyeventuallyreachtheplateauwiththehelpofnativeIndianguides.Whentheyfinallyreachthesummitoftheplateau,Gomez,anIndianwhosebrotherwaskilledbyRoxton,destroystheirbridgeandtrapsthemthere,butnotbeforebeingshotbyRoxton.Zambo,their‘devotednegro’,remainsthegroup’sonlycontactwiththeoutsideworld.
Decidingtoexploretheplateau,whichtheycallMapleWhiteLandafteritsoriginaldiscoverer,thegroupdiscoversthatdinosaursdoindeedsurviveinthis‘lostworld’andcomeacrossaherdofIguanodon,discoverapterosaurnestingsitefilledwithblueclaythatRoxtontakesaninterestin,andarenearlykilledbyacarnivorousdinosaur.Maloneheadsoutonenight,anduponreturning,discoversChallenger,SummerleeandRoxtonmissing.Roxtonreturns,however,andtellshowtheywerecapturedbyaraceofape‐men,andthathumansnativetotheplateauwerealsocaptured.
RoxtonandMaloneheadto‘Ape‐Town’andmanagetorescuetheirfriends,andthenatives,theAccala,wholeadthemtotheirvillage.Withthehelpofthegroup’sguns,theAccaladefeattheape‐men.
OurheroesspendawhilelivingwiththeAccala,whoarereluctanttoletthemgoafterwitnessingtheirpower.Eventually,however,theymanagetoescape
byvirtueofahiddencavesystem,andreturntoEngland.BackhometheypresenttheirfindingsaspicturesandanewspaperreportbyMalone,whichisdismissedasfakebymany.Challengerthenrevealsalivepterosaurhehadbroughtasaneggasproof,whichthenescapes,andtheteamarecongratulatedupontheirdiscovery.
MalonegoestoGladys,onlytofindthatshehasmarriedinhisabsence.Thefourhavedinner,andRoxtonrevealstheblueclayfromtheplateautocontain£200,000worthofdiamonds.Withthemoneyshared,Challengerfoundsaprivatemuseum,Summerleeretiresfromteachingtoclassifyfossils,andRoxtonfundsasecondexpeditiontoMapleWhiteLand.WithnothingleftforhiminLondon,Maloneagreestojoinhim.
ConanDoyleposingasChallengerforapublicitystunt
AnactorportrayingMalone
TheCharacters
EdwardMalone:AreporterfortheDailyGazette,thestoryistoldfromhisperspective.HeispersuadedtojoinChallenger’sexpeditioninordertobeabletowriteamoreexcitingstoryforthepaper,andtoimpresshisfiancée,GladysHungerton.MaloneisIrishbyheritage,asheoftenmentionstojustifyaspectsofhispersonality.
ProfessorGeorgeE.Challenger:Alarger‐than‐lifezoologist,heoriginallydiscoveredtheplateaufromthefindingsofMapleWhite,andbecameconvincedofitsexistence.Malonedescribeshimashaving‘thefaceandbeardwhichIassociatewithanAssyrianbull’,a‘hugespreadofshouldersandachestlikeabarrel’anda‘bellowing,roaring,rumblingvoice’.Overall,animposingfigure.
ProfessorArthurSummerlee:Adistinguishedpalaeontologist,heaccompaniesChallengertoverifyhisclaims,beingveryscepticalofhimfromthestart.Describedasathinmaninhis66thyear,Maloneatfirstregardshispresenceasanencumbrance,butheprovestobejustascapableastherestofthegroup.
LordJohnRoxton:Afamoussportsman,renownedforhishuntingaccomplishments,heagreestojointhegroupforthepromiseofadventure.WhenhetakesMalonetohisroomintheAlbany,itisdescribedasfilledwith
Actorsportrayingthecharactersforapublicitystunt
exoticornaments,testamenttoRoxton’stravels,aswellasvarioustrophies,rangingfromrowboatingtoboxingtotheheadsofmanyanimalsobtainedfromhishuntingexploits.Roxtonhimselfismiddle‐aged,anddescribedasatypicalEnglishcountrygentleman.
Thenovel’sIguanodon
TheCreatures
ConanDoyleobviouslytooktimetomakethevariouscreaturesinthebookasaccurateaspossible.Palaeontologywasalreadyaverypopularscience;thefirstdinosaurshadbeenscientificallynamedintheearly1800sandinterestinthemhadincreasedfromthenon.By1912manyspecieshadbeendiscoveredanddescribed,andbooksonthemhadbeenmadeavailabletothepublic.Itisworthnotingthat,atthetime,dinosaurswerethoughttobeextinctbecausetheyhadbecomeobsoleteandunabletocompeteagainstthequicker,moreintelligentmammals.ItisnowknownthatdinosaursweresupremelyadaptedtolifeonEarth,andthattheybecameextinctnotbecauseoffaultsintheirowndesignbutduetoaworldwidedisaster,commonlyacceptedtohavebeenanimpactfromanasteroid.Ifthiseventhadnotoccurred,itisreasonabletosuggestthatdinosaurswouldstillbethedominantvertebratespeciesonEarth.Also,itisincorrecttosaythatalldinosaursareextinct,asbirdsaretechnicallyakindofdinosaur,andarestillextremelysuccessful.
HereIwillexaminethevariousprehistoriccreaturesencounteredbytheChallengerExpeditioninMapleWhiteLand.
ThefirstcreaturestheteamseesareafamilygroupoffiveIguanodon,aspeciesoflargeornithopod.Ornithopodsweregenerallyplant‐eatingcreaturesthatwereprobablysocialtomakeupfortheirlackofarmour.Iguanodonwastheseconddinosaurspeciestobescientificallydescribed,andhadoriginallybeenthoughttoresembleanelephantinelizardwithahornonitsnose.ByConanDoyle’stime,thecreatureswereconsideredtolooklike,inMalone’swords:‘...monstrouskangaroos,twentyfeetinlength,withskinlikeblackcrocodiles’.
AmoreaccurateportrayalofIguanodon
Thenovel’s‘Pterodactyl’
Iguanodonswereindeedthought,atthistime,tohaveusuallywalkedontwolegs,balancingtheirweightwiththeirimmensetail,sometimesreferredtoasa‘tripodstance’.Itisnowknownthat,whiletheywerecapableofwalking
andrunningontwolegs,
Iguanodontypicallyusedallfour,andwhilethetailwasabalancingorgan,itwasheldstraightout,highabovetheground.ConanDoylemakesitclearthattheyarenotparticularlyintelligent,demonstratedwhenoneoftheparentspullsdownatreetogetatthefoliage,butcriesoutinalarmwhenthetreelandsonit.Laterinthebook,itisrevealedthattheIndiansusetheIguanodonformeat,markingthemwithasphalttomakeownershipclear.TheteamlaterfindtheremainsofanIguanodonthathadbeen‘...literallytorntopiecesbysomecreaturenotlarger,perhaps,butfarmoreferocious,thanitself’.Wewillexaminethethingthatdidthislater.
AfterencounteringtheIguanodon,thegroupmovesonandcomesacrossasecondprehistoricspecies.Theyemergefromthewoodsanddiscoveravolcanicpit,whichMalonedescribesas,‘...bowlshaped,andatthe
Amoreaccuratepterosaur
bottom,somehundredsofyardsfromwherewelay,werepoolsofgreen‐scummed,stagnantwater,fringedwithbulrushes.Itwasaweirdplaceinitself,butitsoccupantsmadeitseemlikeascenefromtheSevenCirclesofDante’.The‘occupants’arehundredsofpterosaurs,flyingrelativesofdinosaurs,withthefemalesbroodingontheiryellowisheggs,andthemalesperchingonrocksabove.Theprofessorsareunderstandablyexcited,mostlyattheconfirmationofthetheorythatthecreaturesaresocial,andChallengermanagestoalarmthecreaturesbylookingovertherockstheyarehidingbehind.Themalesriseintotheairandbegincirclingthegroup,forminganevertighteningcircle.Asthegroupattemptstoescape,thepterosaursattack,andMaloneandSummerleeareinjured.Nooneiskilled,howeverandtheyrushbackintothewoods.
ConanDoylecallsthecreatures‘Pterodactyls’,asdomanypeopletoday,butthisisanoutdatedname.TheentiregroupiscalledthePterosauria,whichareseparatedintotwogroups:theRamphorynchoidea,whicharegenerallysmallerwithlongertails;andthePterodactyloidea,whicharegenerallylargerwithshortertails.ChallengerandSummerlee,aftertheencounter,argueastowhetherthecreatureswereofthegenusPterodactylusorDimorphodon,though,oddly,neitherseemstofitthedescriptioninthebook.TheyaretoolargeforanyspeciesofPterodactylusandtheirbeaksarethewrongshapeforDimorphodon.ConanDoyleemphasisesthehideousnessofthepterosaurs,describingthemalesas‘...morelikedeadanddriedspecimensthanlivingcreatures’.Interestingly,recentfossilevidencesuggeststhatpterosaursmaynothavehad
AmodernreconstructionofMegalosaurus
nests.Insteadtheyburiedtheireggs,andthenabandonedthem,similartocertainlizardspecies.
Uponreturningtothecamp,thegroupfinditransackedbysomecreatureofimmensestrength,andthenightafter,theyareawokenbyahorriblesound,describedbyMaloneas‘Allthewoesoftorturedlife...centredandcondensedintothatonedreadful,agonisedcry’,andthenanothersound:‘...alow,deepchestedlaugh,agrowling,throatygurgleofmerriment...’.Immediatelyafterthis,theircampisattackedbysomehorriblemonsterwhichisfendedoffusingafierybranch.Inthelight,Malonesees‘...ahorriblemasklikeagianttoad’s...allbeslobberedwithfreshblood’.Thenextday,asmentionedabove,thegroupfindstheremainsofanIguanodon,andtheprofessorsidentifythemonsteras
acarnivorousdinosaur,suggestingAllosaurusandMegalosaurusasspecies,bothofwhichwerelargecarnivoroustheropods.
Thetheropods,agroupincluding,inChallenger’swords:‘...themostterribletypesoflifethathaveevercursedtheEarthorblessedamuseum’,wereoneofthemostsuccessfulgroupsofdinosaurs,allbasedonthesamebasicbodyplan,butrangingfromtiny,featheredcreatureslikeMicroraptor,toimmensecarnivoreslikeTyrannosaurus,fisheaterslikeBaryonyx,andtheinfamousVelociraptor.Theywere
Thenovel’stheropod,oddlyportrayedasfour‐legged
AportrayalofatheropodmoretypicalofConanDoyle’stime:Allosaurus
thegroupthateventuallygaverisetobirds,andareprobablytheonesthathavecapturedtheimaginationofthepublicmostofall.
InConanDoyle’stime,alllargetheropodsweregroupedtogetherandcalledthe‘carnosaurs’,butitisnowknownthatTyrannosaurusanditskinwereofamoreadvancedgroupoftheropods,the‘coelurosaurs’,placingthemclosertosmaller,feathereddinosaursthancreatureslikeAllosaurusandMegalosaurus.
ConanDoylealsodescribesthecreaturesashavingthesamestanceastheIguanodon,standingontwolegs,withthetaildraggingonthegroundinatypicallyreptilianpose.JustliketheIguanodon,andallotherdinosaursinfact,theropodsheldtheirtailshorizontally,highabovetheground.
MaloneencountersaMegalosaur/Allosaurwhen
hestealsawayfromthecampinthedeadofnight,imaginingthepraisehewouldgetfromGladysandtheGazetteifhemadeadiscoverybyhimself.AfterobservingtheCentralLake,heheadsback,buthearsdeepgrowlsbehindhim.Heturnsandlooksbacktotheclearinghehascrossed,andseesthedinosaur‘hop’outfromthebushes.Itisdescribedas‘...springingalonginanerectpositionuponitspowerfulhindlegs,whileitsfrontoneswereheldbentinfrontofit’.Malonepanicsandruns,thecreaturealmostreacheshimbeforehefallsintoadeeppitwithabloodstainedspikeatthebottom,dugbytheIndians.ThedinosaurforgetsaboutMaloneafterhedisappears,anotherexampleoftheacceptedviewofdinosaurintelligenceatthetime.
ThelasttimethegroupencounterstheAllosaurus/MegalosaurusisintheIndiantown,afterthevictoryovertheape‐men.Thegroupareenjoyingtheirlifeatthetown,andarebeginningtobelievethatmanhas‘ascendancy’over
AmodernStegosaurusreconstruction
theMapleWhiteLand.Theyareremindedthatthisisnottruewhentwocarnivorousdinosaursattackthetown.TheIndianscry‘Stoa’,presumablytheirnameforthebeasts.ThedinosaurskilltheIndiansbyfallingforwardontothem,crushingthemcompletely.Theexplorerstrytohelpbyfiringatthem,butitisarainofpoisoneddartsthateventuallykillsthemonsters.Theyafterwardscutupthepoisonedbodies,‘lesttheybreedapestilence’.
Afewothercreaturesarementionedinthebook.Iwilldescribetheminlessdetailhere.
Nearthestartofthenovel,ChallengershowsMaloneasketchbyMapleWhiteofaStegosaurus,eventhenafamousdinosaur.Itisdescribedthus:‘Theheadwasthatofafowl,thebodythatofabloatedlizard,thetrailingtailwasfurnishedwith
upwardturnedspikes,andthecurvedbackwasedgedwithahighserratedfringe...’.MalonelaterseesaStegosaurattheCentralLakeduringhisnight‐timeexploration.
Thenovel’sStegosaurus
‘Phororhacos’,byCharlesR.Knight
Plesiosaurus,inaccuratelydrawnwithitsneckabovethewater.
Inadditiontodinosaurs,afewextinctmammalsarementioned.MostnotableisthelargedeerMegaloceros,alsoknownastheIrishelk,knownforitsenormousantlers,andseenbythegroupfromadistance,andlaterbyMalone,
drinkingbytheCentralLake.AlsoattheCentralLake,Malonedescribescreaturesthatlookedlike‘enormousarmadillos’.ThecreaturesdescribedwereprobablyGlyptodon,whichdidindeedhavemassiveshellsthatmadethemaboutfourfeethigh.AlsomentionedistheToxodon,amassivemammaldescribedasa‘ten‐footguineapig’.FromthesametimeasthesecreaturesisthePhorusrhacos,an8‐foot‐tallflightlesspredatorybirdwithsmallclawedwings,longlegsandanaxe‐likebeak.OneofthesechasesChallengerbeforebeingshotby
Roxton.Itisincorrectlydescribedas12‐feettall,andcalled‘Phororhacos’,anowoutdatedname.
TheCentralLakeisalsohometomanybizarrecreatures.Onhisnight‐timeexploration,Maloneseesmany‘...signsoflife,sometimesthe
gleamofagreatsilversidedfishintheair,sometimesthearched,slate‐colouredbackofsomepassingmonster.’Later,whilethegroupwaitfortheApe‐Men,theysee‘serpentheads’risingfromthewater.Oneofthecreaturesclambersontoland,exposinga‘...barrel‐shapedbodyandhugeflippersbehindthelongserpentneck...’ItisaPlesiosaurus,depictedwithanunrealisticallyflexibleneck.AlsoseenlaterisanIchthyosaurus,‘...astrangecreature,halfseal,halffish...’Oddly,ConanDoylegivesitathirdeyeontopofitshead.
TheApemenandtheIndians
Toproduceamoreexcitingstory,ConanDoylealsodescribedhumaninhabitantsofMapleWhiteLand,orratherhumanandnear‐human.ThefirstseenoftheseracesistheApe‐Men.Atthetimeofwriting,thetheoryofevolutionwasstillnotasfullyacceptedasitisnow,andeventhosewhodidacceptitwereuncomfortablewiththeideathattheyweredescendedfromapes.Inaccordancewiththis,ConanDoyleportrayedthesecreaturesasutterlyinhuman,viciousandsadistic,inanattempttodistanceusfromthemasmuch
aspossible,andkeeptheideaofHomosapienssapiensbeingthepinnacleofevolution.Malonedescribestheindividualencounteredinthetreeashavingaface‘...farmorehumanthananymonkey’s’being‘...long,whitishandblotchedwithpimples...’andeyes‘...bestialandferocious...’.WhenChallenger,RoxtonandSummerleearekidnappedbytheApe‐Menandtakento‘Ape‐Town’,Roxtondescribesthecreatures’cruelpleasureinhurlingIndiansofthecliffontothebamboobelow,andhowtheyarecommandedbyahugemale,comicallycomparedtoChallenger.
Incomparison,alsolivingonMapleWhiteLandisaraceof‘Indians’,calling
themselvestheAccala.Theyliveontheoppositesideoftheplateau,inaseriesofcavessetabovegroundinthehillside.ThegroupenjoytheirtimewiththeIndians,despitethefacttheyareunwillingtosetthemfree,viewingthemasprotectors.
Theape‐menthrowinganIndianoffthecliff
Thetworacesareswornenemies,duetothefactthattheApe‐MenoftencaptureIndianmenandtorturethemforentertainment.Thegroupareabletoinstigateaviolentbattlebetweenthem,endinginvictoryfortheIndians,withthehelpofthegroup’sguns.Ape‐Townisdestroyed,themaleshurledofftheedgeofthecliffasrevenge,andthefemalesandyoungdrivenintotheforesttoserveasoccasionalslaves.
The1925filmposter
Inastillfromthe1925film,anAllosaurusattacksaTrachodon(nowknownasEdmontosaurus)
Filmadaptations
Thefirstwasthe1925silentfilmTheLostWorld,stillarguablyoneofthebest.ItwasdirectedbyHarryO.Hoyt,knownforsilentfilmsoftheera,andwithanimationperformedbyspecial‐effectspioneerWillisO’Brien,laterfamousforhisworkinthe1933KingKong.ConanDoyleshowedatestreelofdinosaurfootagetotheSocietyofAmericanMagicians,includinghisfriendHarryHoudini.Thespecialeffectsastoundedtheaudience,thoughDoylerefusedtorevealtheoriginofthefootage,andtheNewYorkTimescalledthedinosaurs‘extraordinarilylifelike.Iffakes,theyweremasterpieces’.Itisoddtothinkthattodaytheeffectsarethoughtcrude,andonecanonlywonderwhatthe
audiencewouldhavethoughtofdinosaursinfilmstoday.Takingadvantageofnewdiscoveriessincethebook’soriginalpublication,thefilmshowsotherdinosaurs,suchasBrontosaurus(nowknownasApatosaurus),Triceratops,and,inoneofitsfirstcinemaappearances,Tyrannosaurusrex.
The1960filmposter,typicaloflow‐budgetfantasy/sci‐fimoviesofthetime
In1960,anotherTheLostWorldfilmwasreleased,thistimeofmuchlowerquality.WhileitdoesboastClaudeRainsasProfessorChallenger,ituseslivereptileswithgluedonfinsasdinosaurs,atechniquereferredtoas‘slurpasaurs’byfans.
In1992,athird,morefaithfulversion,TheLostWorld,wasreleased,mainlyforafamilyaudience,byTimothyBond.Itincludesafewnewcharacters,toappealtoawideraudience,andhadasequelthesameyear,ReturntotheLostWorld.
A1998remake,TheLostWorld,tookafewlibertieswiththestory,settingitinMongolia,killingoffSummerleeandstrandingMaloneontheplateau.
Thefirsttelevisionseries,SirArthurConanDoyle’sTheLostWorld,beganin1999.Thoughitfollowedthepremiseofthebook,theplateauitselfwassomewhatdifferent,includingbizarrefantasycreaturesandanelaboratestorylinkingallthecharacters.Thefirstseasonwasnotthatpopular,andcertaincharactersleftastheseriesprogressed,meaningthatitnevergotpastathirdseason.Ithasretainedacultfollowing,however.
ThereisalsoaratherobscurecartoonseriescalledAdventuresinSirArthurConanDoyle’sLostWorld.Beingforchildren,ithadayoungboysearchingforhislostfatherasthemaincharacter,andanelementofmagic,aswellasMapleWhitehimselfasthevillain.
Therehavebeenseveralradioadaptationsthroughouttheyears.Thefirstin1944(incidentally,whilelisteningtothis,myfatherheardtheword
Thecastandmainantagonists,Allosaurus,ofthe2001BBCadaptation
‘pterodactyl’forthefirsttime),afewthroughthe1940s‐60s,andmostrecentlyin2011.
Inmyopinion,thebestofalltheseadaptationsisthe2001TVversion,TheLostWorld,producedintheUKbyAdrianHodges.Thiswasmyintroductiontothestory,andbecauseofthatIhaveafeelingofnostalgiaforit.Itfarexcelsalltheothersforitscompetentacting,excellentspecialeffects(fromthesame
companythatproducedtheeffectsforWalkingwithDinosaurs),butmostlyforhowitadjuststheplotformodernaudiences.Therearenodrasticchanges;thecharactersallfeelveryliketheirnovelcounterparts,butit
featuresafemalecharacter,thegroup’sguideAgnes,andratherthanthe‘villainoushalf‐breed’Gomez,theteamarestrandedbyAgnes’sfather,acreationistwhodoesnotbelievetheplateautobepartofGod’screation.Similarly,uponreturningandtheescapeofthepterosaur,thegroupmanagetoconvinceChallengerto‘admit’theirstoryisfake,thusprotectingtheplateaufromthepublic.Thereisalsoatongue‐in‐cheekreferencetotheoriginalstory,whenChallengerattendsSummerlee’slectureandderideshimfordescribingIguanodon’skangaroostance.
1912to2012,100yearsofTheLostWorld
TheLostWorldwaswrittenatatimewhenadventurestorieswerepopular,especiallyforyoungboys.TarzanoftheApeswaspublishedthesameyear,andthetitularcharacterhassincebecomeastapleoffiction.Manyadventurestoriesofthetimefollowedsimilarplotstooneanother,involvingtravelstodark,unknownlocations,butitwasTheLostWorldthatintroducedtheconceptofprehistoricworldstothegenre,expanding,asbeforementioned,onthepremisesetupbyJulesVerneinAJourneytotheCentreoftheEarth.Sincethen,theideahasbecomecommonplace,somuchsothat‘lostworlds’willoftenbethrownintoestablishedseries,simplyfortheinclusionofdinosaurs.
TheLostWorldalsohelpedtointroducescientificallyaccuratedinosaurstothegeneralpublic.Verne’sbookisnotoriouslyinaccurateinitsportrayalofprehistoricmarinereptiles,makingthemmorelikedragonsthanrealanimals,butConanDoyleprovedthatdinosaurscouldbebothexcitingandaccurate,similartohowJurassicPark,boththenovelandthefilm,revolutionisedhowdinosaurswereportrayedincinema,fromslow,lumberinggiants,toquick,intelligent,bird‐likecreatures.
Asidefromthis,thestoryhelpedtoinspiremyinterestindinosaurs,whichIhopetoretainfortherestofmylife,asIamsureithasdoneformanypeoplejustlikeme,youngandold,inthepresentdayandinDoyle’stime.Inthisway,Ifeeloddlyconnectedtoreadersonehundredyearsagoin1912,beingexcited,laughing,andstudyingthebookjustastheydid.Ihaveenjoyeddippingintothebookagain,andbeingabletotalkatlengthaboutthissubjectwhichIenjoysomuch.Ihopeyouenjoyedittoo.