Ted Bottomly here, with the BBC Special
News Service Bureau at London Airport.
Well, the midday transatlantic
jet has just landed.
A tranquil beginning to what could possibly
prove to be a highly explosive moment.
For this is the homecoming of that
indomitable zoological professor...
George Edward Challenger.
How dare you!
Gentlemen, please.
Allow the passengers to descend first.
- Professor, please. I'm from the Mirror.
- Are you indeed;
I'm Ed Malone, Global News.
I'd like a few words, if you don't mind.
- I have no doubt.
- We've heard some hair-raising
tales about your expedition.
- Would you care to say a few words;
- Anything I have to say...
about the expedition will be said tonight
at the institute and not before!
What about New York eight hours ago;
Why'd you punch that reporter on the nose;
- What provoked you to hit him;
- I'll tell you what provoked me, sir.
He made the same mistake
that you are making:
he invaded my privacy,
just as you are doing now.
Come now. This is all in the interest
of news making. Surely you realize-
- I realize that you're in my way, sir! Outrageous!
- Hey!
Hey, have you gone crazy;
Oh, my head. My back.
Fools! Imbeciles!
Have you no sense of decency;
Out of my way!
Hey, look out! Watch it! Careful!
Go away. Go away.
You're a pack of fools.
Is there no privacy anywhere;
Reporters- invaders of privacy.
How dare you! How dare you!
Fools! Will you get out of my way!
- Frosty. Here, Frosty.
Frosty, stop that.
Come back here. Stop that.
- I'm sorry. She-
- Yeah.
- She's crazy about men.
- Yeah, well, somebody's crazy.
I'll get even with that guy
even if it means losing my job.
Oh, don't get so
carried away, Mr. Malone.
The professor's merely eccentric.
Oh, sure. Eccentric enough
to be in a padded cell.
How'd you know my name;
''Ed Malone, Global News Service.''
- Oh, I'm afraid there goes your story.
- And there goes my bus!
- Oh, I'm sorry.
- Say, look. My car's right here.
I can give you a lift into town.
- I appreciate that.
I have to change these wet clothes and then
get out to that lunatic's meeting tonight.
That makes two of us.
I'm going also.
- You;
- My name is jennifer Holmes.
That's right.
Your boss's daughter.
You didn't really think I was in the habit
of picking up strangers, did you;
- Mr. Malone, you'd better come along.
I think so.
Examiner! Read all about it.!
Challenger assaults London newsman.!
Evening Forum. Read all about it.!
Fiery professor reveals secrets
to Zoological Institute tonight.!
Professor.
Ah. Summerlee.
Hmm.
- Who's he;
- That's Professor Walter Summerlee.
He's Challenger's bitterest critic.
The redhead is Challenger.
My lords, ladies and gentlemen,
your attention, please.
Thank you.
- Well, the man in the puddle. Hello.
- Hello.
Johnny, uh, this is
Mr. Edward Malone.
- Lord john Roxton.
- How do you do;
- Hi.
- That's the man on the front page.
Should be quite
a delightful evening.
- Shh!
Bless you.
I have been asked to introduce
our distinguished colleague-
whose international standing
as a zoologist is so highly regarded.
Such an introduction
poses no problem.
The professor has
a remarkable aptitude...
for getting himself in the headlines
by clashing with the press-
head-on, you might say.
As you know, the professor
has recently returned...
from a protracted trip
of the headwaters of the Amazon River-
a trip engendered by his desire
to verify certain conclusions...
which I myself had come to-
- Ha!
with regard to the Cucama Indians.
The professor has returned
with, uh, a report...
which he insists will turn
the scientific world topsy-turvy.
He claims to have seen
certain strange things.
- At least that's what he says.
But he has been known to exaggerate.
Therefore the institute
does not necessarily accept...
or endorse any opinions
expressed here this evening-
uh, that is,
by Professor Challenger.
But again, in fairness, we must all admit
that he has contributed much...
- although noisily-
to both zoology and anthropology.
And so, fearing the worst,
but with the pious hope...
that he may be persuaded to
refrain from using that, uh-
that lethal weapon with which
he so frequently punctuates his opinions...
I give you Professor
George Edward Challenger.
Ladies and, uh, gentlemen...
when my distinguished colleague implies
that we have been in disagreement...
he pays me a high compliment.
And when he expresses
reasonable skepticism...
he is not being unreasonable...
not in view of
the fantastic discovery...
which I shall not minimize
by any false modesty.
- That was not one of my fears, Professor.
Ladies and gentlemen,
prepare yourselves for a shock...
for I bring you news
of a discovery so staggering...
as to rate with
the feats of Columbus...
Edison and Einstein.
About 2,000 miles up-country...
on that still barely explored
outpost of civilization...
which is loosely described
as the headwaters of the Amazon...
on a wild and unscalable
jungle plateau so isolated...
as to insulate the area
from the laws of evolution...
there exists today
many forms of creatures...
long believed to be extinct.
- What sort of creatures;
For heaven's sake, not now.
The Indians call them Curupuri.:
''the terrible spirits of the woods.''
Although I have never reached the top,
from the base of that plateau...
I have seen these creatures
with my own eyes.
Curupuri. To the Indians,
creatures of the supernatural.
And well they might be.
For we know them as gigantic creatures...
of the long dead
jurassic period.
In other words...
- live dinosaurs.
- You're a fake.!
- Ridiculous!
Liar!
- Who called me a liar;
You must forgive us, Professor,
but did you say dinosaurs;
Your hearing is excellent.
Were they big dinosaurs, Professor;
I do not deal in small dinosaurs.
I assume that you have photographs
of these dinosaurs, Professor.
No, sir.
I have no photographs.
On my way downriver the boat overturned
and all my equipment was lost.
- Hmm. Pity.
In 40 years as a scientist
I have never been known to lie.
I say that they were live dinosaurs.
Live dinosaurs! And I challenge
the world to dispute what I say.
- Can you prove what you say;
- Put me to the test, young man.
I further propose
that a new expedition...
consisting of Professor Summerlee
and myself...
together with two impartial
and acceptable members of this audience...
proceed at once to the Amazon...
to investigate my claim
of the existence of a lost world.
- Hear.! Hear.!
- Well said. Hear, hear.
The dry season in the Amazon
ends in November. So I further propose...
that the necessary extensive
preparations be undertaken at once...
in order that we may leave
not later than four weeks from today.
Professor, I would be the first to approve
of such an undertaking...
but the institute has limited funds.
- We have only-
- The money will be forthcoming...
by public subscription if necessary.
However, there is
something more important.
Professor Summerlee has implied
that I have been lying.
Is he ready to prove
or disprove my claim;
Will he join me
in this new expedition;
- Answer him, Summerlee.
I doubt that anyone would contribute
to such a wild scheme.
But if they do, I'll accept
your invitation.
- I'll go.
Provided that proper
financing is arranged...
and that the institute certifies
all other acceptable volunteers.
- Volunteers.! Volunteers.!
Yes. Volunteers.
May I call for qualified volunteers;
Ladies and gentlemen, volunteers;
- Here.
- And who are you, sir;
My name is Lord john Roxton. I've earned a certain
reputation as a big-game hunter, explorer.
Lord Roxton. Your eminence in the field
of exploration is well-known.
I feel sure the professors
will approve.
Oh, by all means.
You're welcome, sir. Summerlee;
For myself, I prefer a man
of less notoriety.
From what I hear,
Lord Roxton's more famous-
shall I call them escapades-
which have been so widely
reported in the gossip columns...
have hardly been
in the interest of science.
- However.
John, how wonderful.
I'm going too.
You're what;
You there, Professor.
And you too.
My name is jennifer Holmes, and I can ride,
fly and shoot better than any man I know.
- I want to go too.
- There will be no women on my expedition.
- But, Professor.
- That's final.!
- Hmph!
- May I hear from other volunteers;
- It's a man's world.
- Then why don't you volunteer;
May I hear from other volunteers;
What about it, Malone;
The climate's very good for colds.
You know, the professor owes me something
for that hit on the head.
- Good for you, Malone.
- You, sir.
Your name, please,
and your qualifications.
My name is Edward Malone.
I'm with Global News.
A fine collection of volunteers.
Women and reporters.
Didn't you have enough
at the airport, young man;
Must you continue
to invade my privacy;
I'll have no reporters on this trip!
- Not even for $1 00,000;
- Dad!
My name is Stuart Holmes.
I'm executive vice president
of Global News Service.
And I herewith authorize just such a contribution.
What about it, Professor;
Will $1 00,000 pay for
the passage of Edward Malone;
Very well put, my dear sir.
And since I was never a man
to resist logic... or cash...
I shall ignore my personal feelings and approve
Mr. Malone as a member of the expedition.
Summerlee;
An adventurer and a newspaperman.
Hardly a crew for
a scientific expedition.
Certainly not men of my choice.
But apparently, with public
appeal... and funds...
reluctantly I agree.
Then that settles it.
Now, may I suggest that this
public demonstration be adjourned;
Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you
for your indulgence. The meeting is adjourned.
- Well, that does it.
- For both of us, I guess.
Well, I'm afraid you'll both do only too well.
Oh, here comes Dad.
- Hello,johnny.
- Stuart.
-jenny.
- Hi, Daddy.
- Thank you, sir.
- Hello, Malone.
- Mr. Malone.
- My dear professor...
we of Global News
are perfectly delighted...
that one of our bright young men is going to
represent us on your epic-making expedition.
Delighted; I should
most certainly hope so.
Good evening.
Jnny, I'm sorry
they turned you down...
but delighted about Malone here.
And good for you,johnny. I'd appreciate it
if you'd look after my boy here.
I'd be glad to, Stuart.
But at the moment I'm looking after your girl.
- Excuse us.
- Good night.
What's wrong, Malone;
Read all about it.!
Challenger leaves for the Lost World.!
Challenger leaves
on safari.! Telegram!
Here's Worldwide News.
The latest bulletin from Ed Malone,
special correspondent for Global News Service...
reports the Challenger expedition
now flying over entirely unexplored wilderness...
en route to Professor Challenger's
still undisclosed destination-
his Lost World somewhere
in the endless rain forests.
According to Mr. Malone-
The trading post
ofTarama, gentlemen.
The port of no return.
Hot, what, eh, Summerlee;
Triumphal music.
Seems appropriate.
Who are those two characters;
We'll soon know.
Senors, I am Senor Costa, in charge of
your arrangements here in Tarama...
and all the supplies necessary to make
your journey to whatever place the senors seek.
Please, may I have
the honor of your name, senor;
Lord Roxton, isn't it;
Why, yes. Have we met;
- We have now.
- Please, senor. This is Gomez, your helicopter pilot.
- Please, Gomez. Allow me.
- You talk too much.
As I said, uh, Your Lordship,
I am Senor Costa.
It gives me great pleasure
to welcome Your Lordship's party.
- It's not my party.
- Uh, not- not your party;
Oh, senor. Please pardon my
understandable error.
May- May I wish all good fortune
to your undertaking.
Thanks. But you'll still take your orders
from Professor Challenger.
Senor Challenger;
Ha!
Oh, Senor Challenger, please forgive me.
Let me help you. Here.
Your slightest wish is my command.
Ah, splendid.
That'll be a pleasant change.
So you're our helicopter pilot, eh;
Yes. Manuel Gomez. Very happy to be
at the service of such a famous person.
Oh. So you've heard of me, have you;
Since your last visit to the Amazon,
who hasn't heard of you;
When I was told of-
of your return...
I moved heaven and earth,
trying to be under your command.
Well, that's very understandable, Gomez.
Very understandable.
Is your aircraft ready;
Everything ready.
We spend the night here at the trading post.
In the morning we only have to
load your equipment.
- Which I have arranged.
- Oh, you have, have you;
- What are those;
- Those, Professor Challenger, are mine.
- What is this;
-johnny and Mr. Malone.
- What's she doing here;
- A girl like this, it's anybody's guess.
- Mr. Malone, your cold seems so much better.
- Well, how'd you get here;
I flew in with Senor Gomez.
- What do you mean by bringing this woman here;
- She said you were expecting her.
Oh, don't blame him.
He didn't have any choice.
David, you can come out now.
- David;
- Hi.
- Well, who is David;
- My brother. We're both going along with you.
Your bro- I told you in London
that there'd be no women on this trip.
-And I meant no children either.
-You can't mean me, Professor. I'm past 21 .
Professor...
may I remind you that my father
has invested $1 00,000 in this expedition;
Yes, indeed.
It was very generous of him.
But that paid for
only one passenger, not three.
In that case, what would you do;
Abandon us here in the jungle;
- You will go back on the same
plane that we came in on.
Sorry, Professor, but since there's only
one means of transportation...
I'm afraid we'll have to
borrow your helicopter for a week.
- For a week;
- That'll be quite a delay with the rains coming.
Well, we can't walk.
I'm not going to argue with you.
You heard him, Gomez.
We'll leave in the morning.
- It'll be a real pleasure.
- We'll try to get your helicopter back to you...
just as quickly as possible.
- Coming, David; Shall we pack;
- Uh- Uh- Wait a minute.
- Yes, Professor;
- ''Yes, Professor.'' These women.
- What do you say, Summerlee;
- Well, unfortunately, we have no choice.
- Gomez;
- Dangerous.
- Roxton.
- I'd say we'd be crazy to take any woman along.
-johnny.
- But knowing this one,
I'm afraid we're stuck.
- Thank you,johnny.
- Malone.
I say no.
It's much too risky.
Please don't be alarmed, Mr. Malone.
If things get too risky for you,
well, I'll just hold your hand.
Come on, David.
- Oh, uh, thanks, Professor. I know it'll be fun.
- Fun;
At the risk of all our lives;
We're on the verge
of positively confirming...
one of the world's greatest discoveries,
and you call it fun!
I'm sorry, Professor.
And dogs too!
You know, you'd better turn in too.
We're making an early start in the morning.
Yeah, I will in a minute.
Good night,jenny.
Oh, uh, thanks again
for voting me in.
Oh, I didn't.
I was neutral, remember;
Meaning you didn't want me along;
Meaning a woman's place,
my love, is in the home.
Whose home;
- Well, I-
- You know something,johnny;
You could do worse than marry me.
I think I'm one of the few girls
in the world that could put up with you.
- Thanks for the offer.
- I take it that's a polite refusal.
Well, no, but-
Jnny, I never commit myself
at 22 minutes past 1 1 :00.
You're ridiculous.
- You're beautiful.
Or maybe it's the moonlight.
One of these days.
- Good evening.
- Good night.
Oh, Roxton.
- Hello.
Something wrong;
That girl shouldn't be on this trip.
I agree- probably not
for the same reason.
Then why didn't you back me up;
You have no right to let a girl risk her life
just so she can prove she's as daring as a man.
- That why you think she's here;
- She said so herself.
Malone, you don't know
very much about the female of the species.
- Oh;
- If you must know...
Jnnifer's here for two
completely unrelated reasons.
First, she is daring.
She's as brave as a lioness.
But second, and more importantly,
she wants to marry a title- specifically mine.
- That's very modest of you, Lord Roxton.
- It's true.
She tried to bring it off
for the last two years in London.
She's wonderful, but, uh, I'm not
in the marrying mood at the moment.
Oh, she's not quite
good enough for you, huh;
Let's say I know her
well enough to realize...
thatjennifer doesn't love me,
but she does love what I represent.
I don't believe a word of it.
- That's just because you're
interested in her yourself.
- I-
There's no need to deny it.
I knew it the first day we met.
But forget it. We've got much more
important things to worry about now...
like getting an early start
in the morning.
- Good night, Malone.
- Uh, Roxton.
Yes;
Lipstick.
That means nothing- to me.
Good night.
Good night.
Beautiful night, isn't it;
Where will we be tomorrow night;
Well, Professor Challenger
keeps his own counsel.
I have to fly wherever he directs.
Even into Curupuri land;
Even there.
What is Curupuri, Gomez;
Have you ever met
an Indian who'd seen it;
No Indian who's seen it
ever lived to tell.
It's always bumpy like this;
Usually.
Sit down back there.
That's an order.
The professor does not
seem to like you, Senor David.
He doesn't make it easy
for me to like him.
The bumpiness
makes my stomach feel funny.
Gomez.
- Gomez.
- Huh;
Hold it right there.
It isn't much further.
As you say, Professor.
Land ho!
Land ho;
- Are we there;
- Are we there;
This is the greatest moment
of your lives.
There it is, directly ahead.
You know, not too long ago,
I was at the base of that plateau.
High overhead, walking along
the cliff edge, was a live dinosaur.
Dinosaur.
I couldn't have been mistaken.
In any case, we'll soon know...
either way.
There is the plateau!
Doesn't look very big to me.
A body ofland...
uplifted by volcanic eruption
a hundred million years ago-
cut off from the march of time
by the unscalable nature of its cliffs.
A land where monsters live!
George Edward Challenger's Lost World!
I claim the honor
to be the first to set foot here.
- Unless-
- It's your plateau, Professor.
- I thank you!
- Wait, Professor.
- Oh, you don't mind, do you;
A great moment in history.
A picture of Challenger and his Lost World
might be in order, I think.
Have you got your camera, Malone;
It's right here, Professor.
You're so right about a picture.
- Reporters.
- There's only about one more hour of daylight left.
We'll camp over there.
Let's unload what we need for tonight.
- You two keep your rifles handy.
- You sure he knows how to use one;
Give me a hand, Gomez, will you;
All right.
- Sure you brought us
to the right plateau, Professor;
- Hmm;
Not a dinosaur in sight.
- Bah!
- What; What;
Whatever it is,
it's coming this way.
- Now get back- all of you!
- Come on! This way!
- Back, under the trees!
- This way, Professor!
Come on, Professor. Hurry!
- Run!
- I can't run faster.
Johnny!
Gomez, use your machete!
Johnny!
johnny.!
Malone, Gomez, pull it off!.
- Are you all right;
Get her out!
Go ahead, Professor.
What a plant.
Careful, Summerlee.
We rest here.
- Are you all right;
- Yeah.
Well, you disbeliever, you.
Summerlee, did you ever
see such a plant;
I didn't see anything.
- What;
Whatever it was,
it fell over the cliff.
- No. It's moving again.
- In another direction.
- Well, we've got to find out what it is.
- Not in the dark we don't.
- What could it have been;
Well, hazarding a guess,
I would say we've just been visited...
by a fully grown specimen of
Jrassic dinosaur of the order Sauropoda.
In other words, a brontosaurus.
- You, sir, are insane.
- And you, sir, are a lunatic.
- Quiet! Listen!
- No, please! Please! I will not stay here!
- You fool. Come back!
- Costa!
- Costa!
- Costa! The precipice! Costa!
- Now stop it!
Have you gone crazy or something;
Shut up now.
He went crazy for a moment.
He's all right now.
But something else is not, huh;
Oh, no. The helicopter's wrecked.
We've been running in circles.
We're back to the camp.
My helicopter.
The dinosaur, whatever it was,
whatever we heard...
smashed it and pushed it
over the hill.
Gone, somewhere far below.
And our radio's gone with it.
That's the last of my wire stories.
The end of outside contact.
The end of us.
Now wait there.
Malone, come with me.
Prehistoric vegetables, Summerlee.
At least we'll have breakfast.
Uh, I couldn't stand
the thought of it.
You're very difficult
to please, Summerlee.
Difficult I may be, but I cannot
understand why we're going inland.
Here we are on top of
an unscalable plateau...
our only means of flight
smashed and beyond reach.
Why we're not searching for another
avenue of escape completely eludes me.
- It eludes me too, senor.
- So much eludes you, Summerlee...
such as the fact that we actually heard
dinosaurs pass us in the night.
- But we didn't see one.
- Exactly.
And until we do see one,
with our own eyes...
I'm not going to discuss
any further method of escape.
Well, in that case, we could be here
for the rest of our lives. Dinosaurs. Really!
The rest of our lives, senor;
The rest of our lives, senor;
Well, Summerlee, you may not like vegetables...
but they're certainly
crazy about you.
- Get me out of this monster!
A very affectionate plant, Summerlee.
Are you all right back there;
Yes. We're all right.
Go ahead. No harm done.
What do you mean ''no harm done'';
Come on.
Malone.
What the devil's that;
Challenger! Summerlee!
- What next;
- Oh, dear.
-johnny.
- Challenger.
- Yes.
- Frosty.
Look at that.
- Gomez.
- Quiet.
Summerlee.
- What is it;
- Very likely what we came to see in the first place.
Frosty. Frosty.
Come on, baby.
Come on, Frosty.
Come on. Aw, good.
-jennifer.
Johnny!johnny!
- Don't move,jennifer.
- There it is.
Big as life. I knew it was true.
I knew it!
Challenger.
Did you ever see such a monster;
- A dinosaur!
- I don't believe it.
Challenger,
how can I ever apologize;
And what'll they say
to this at home;
- They'll say you're a liar and a charlatan.
- In the face of Malone's photographs;
- ''Fakes,'' they'll say. ''Fakes.''
- Specimens then.
- Specimens;
But how could you get a gigantic creature
like that off this plateau;
Well, how do we get ourselves off,
senor; Our first thought surely-
- Challenger, run.! Run.!
Come on.
- Run, Professor!
- I can't.
- Well-
Look there.
- After her, Malone. Catch her.
- Hey!
- She's invaluable.
- I'll get her.
Hey!
Challenger. Malone.
David!
We're up here.
We found a good hiding place.
- Oh, David.
- Malone, where are you;
- Challenger, what happened;
- Are you all right;
- Yes, I'm all right.
- Where's Malone;
- Well, he's out there somewhere.
- I'll try to find him.
- Here you are, David.
- Where are you, Malone;
Here.!
Right here.
Good. You caught her.
- What in the world;
Quick. Up here.
Malone, hurry up.
- That's it. Come on.
- Quick. Come on, David.
- Ay. A girl.
- A real beauty.
We met informally in the jungle.
- Oh, oh, oh.
- Hey.
Can't you see
she doesn't understand you;
Poor girl. She probably thinks
we're trying to hurt her.
- Summerlee.
- Yes;
Interesting.
Native Indian.
Certainly not aboriginal.
Proving that her tribe must have
found a way up here to the plateau...
which also means there's a way down.
Yes, your theory makes sense...
except that, uh,
why would a tribe stay here;
Living with the dangers of this plateau
would be like pitching a tent in a cage of lions.
That's true. Uh, now, if the skull were cast
in a more primogenial mode-
- Careful, Summerlee. She bites.
- Oh.
Now, Summerlee. You were saying
that this young creature could be-
I'll tell you what she is.
She's a hundred pounds
of walking dynamite.
- Dynamite;
- She's explosive but lovely.
- And you dragged her in here.
Haven't you any sense at all;
- I told him to catch her.
The pantologic value here is incalculable.
This is a scientific expedition.
All right. It's a scientific
expedition.
But bringing this girl here
could result in all of us being killed.
But I don't see how.
Can't you understand, either of you;
This girl proves there's human life
on this plateau.
Her tribe will be
trying to find her.
Now, unless tracking is a modern art,
they'll find us too.
- But she'd already seen the both of us.
- And she followed you, eh;
Chased after the irresistible,
red-blooded American boy;
- But she wasn't after my title.
- What's this;
- Leavejennifer out of this.
- That's what I asked you to do- leave her out.
But you hedged. You had to
have her along to build up your ego.
- Mr. Malone!
- So you could go on boasting
that she was after your title.
Oh.!
Come on. Get up.
Get up.
What is it;
What'd you find;
What is it;
- Burton White's diary.
- Burton White;
Who is Burton White;
Or should I ask
who was Burton White;
You better read it for yourself.
Three years old.
''December the 1 0th.
''We're at the base of the plateau.
''Still no radio contact with...
- Roxton.''
- No contact with you;
- Were you here;
- Go on reading.
''The rains are coming.
We have to move fast.
We'll ascend to
the plateau tomorrow.''
- Ascend; How;
- White had a map showing the way up.
''December the 1 1 th,
reached the top of the plateau.
''No time to write now
of the marvels we've seen.
''Rain may come any day.
Heading for the diamonds tomorrow.''
''Diamonds,'' he said.
Diamonds, Gomez.
:Callate.!
''December the 1 2th.
Disaster has hit.
They came in the night.''
''They'';
''They've taken Colver,
Braddock, Santiago.
''Looks like they'll get me next.
''Still can't contact Roxton.
God help us all.''
Is that the last entry;
Professor.
- May I see it;
- Yeah. Me too.
Is there further mention
of the diamonds, Gomez;
I am not thinking of diamonds.
You've been holding out
on us, Roxton.
You knew about this plateau
even before Challenger.
- Oh, now,just a minute.
- I think you'd better tell us
the whole story,johnny.
I guess you're right,jennifer.
Actually, I suppose
it started centuries ago.
- The legend goes way back.
- The legend of Curupuri;
Of Curupuri, the terror...
and also of what Curupuri
seemed to guard.
The 16th century Spaniards
talked of it.
Voltaire wrote of it in Candide.
So he must have heard of it too.
El Dorado.
Nobody's ever been able to pinpoint it.
Always the word stood for
riches beyond compare.
Well, in our legend we have them both.
Curupuri and El Dorado.
A terror guarding riches.
Are you claiming
that this plateau is El Dorado;
I'm not claiming anything,
Professor...
except that, for me,
this story started three years ago...
when Burton White came to me.
He was an American.
He'd spent most ofhis life
tracking down...
ancient civilizations
and all that goes with it.
He told me ofhow, in some
Indian village out here in thejungle...
he'd met a fever-stricken
white man who...
babbled on about a plateau
with monsters and diamonds.
Curupuri. El Dorado.
Well, the man died.
He left a map- a map showing a jungle route
to the plateau and a way up to the summit.
What happened to the map;
White would never
let it out of his hands.
See, his interest was archaeological.
Mine was purely mercenary.
Diamonds were the only reason
I financed the expedition.
Burton White, jim Colver...
Jff Braddock.
And Santiago.
You knew him;
Many people along the Amazon
knew Santiago.
A very fine man.
Well, they started without me.
I promised to guide them, keep them
out of trouble, keep them from being killed.
- But you didn't.
- No, I never made it.
The rains were coming in a month.
White and his party pushed on...
expecting me to follow by means of
radio directions they were transmitting.
I was thousands of miles away.
- But why;
- A girl.
Oh, I told myself
I could catch up...
good old manana.
I never even started.
And;
None of them ever came back.
You abandoned them.
But even without a map
you could have tried to follow.
Yeah, I suppose I could.
But time passed. I ran out of funds.
Simple as that.
But when your chance did come,
Johnny, you did try to find them.
I'm afraid not, jennifer.
My reason was still the same:
the diamonds.
-johnny.
- Face the facts.
Three years in this country
is a lifetime.
You've heard the diary.
I admit there's a chance of them being alive,
but the odds are one in a million.
What do you say, Gomez;
I'm afraid you're right.
Well, now you know the kind of man
you've been traveling with.
I guess my title doesn't mean much
to you anymore, does it,jennifer;
I wish now I'd never come.
But we must find the-
the diamonds, senors.
More to the point,
we must get off this plateau.
- White's map showed a way.
- My helicopter is gone...
and with it,
all radio contact with the outside.
No way of escape.
Well, Challenger's monsters
are only too real.
Now this new threat
of unfriendly natives.
Well, Mr. Malone,
what do you suggest;
Roxton;
It's almost dark.
There's very little we can do today.
Tonight we all take turns
standing guard.
The first problem is keeping alive
until the morning.
You're fond of the guitar,
aren't you;
Yes, I am.
Santiago was pretty good on it too.
To me, he was the best.
- You knew him well;
- Yeah. Very well.
Poor boy.
Too bad.
- Well, that's fate.
- Maybe.
But he shouldn't have
died before his time.
I'd better check out back.
- Everything all right;
- So far.
- Cigarette,jennifer;
- No, thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Malone.
You're welcome.
Wait a minute.
Come on. Calm down.
Are you all right;
I'm sorry what happened in there.
We're not all like that Costa.
You know, you're kind of nice.
Have a chair, huh;
See; Isn't that better;
Hey, look.
Even though I know you don't know
what I'm talking about...
why don't we try
some sign language, huh;
You know what this is;
This is a rifle.
It shoots. Bang, bang.
You understand.
Hey, be careful.
Who taught you that trick;
How did you find out about a rifle;
Young idiot! Have you lost your wits;
Who let that girl out;
- She wasn't trying to escape, sir. She-
- She told you so, I suppose.
- In the language of love, undoubtedly.
- Never mind the language...
- but she did tell me something we ought to know.
- Senors.!
Here. Come here, young creature.
Summerlee! Miss Holmes!
Look after this young woman.
Malone! Challenger!
Here! Quick!
- Senors!
- Gomez;
- What is it;
- Something moved.
About-About 50 meters away.
Seems quiet enough now.
There was something there-
under those trees.
Be so kind as to keep me covered.
- I'll come with you.
- No, no, no. Please.
I go alone.
Malone! Roxton! Help!
- He's over there.
- I'm being attacked.!
Gomez, where are you;
Gomez! What happened;
Gomez.!
- Oh!
Roxton! I found Gomez.
He's hurt.
- Um-
- Was he shot;
- Uh-
- I don't know.
I'm all right.
I'm all right.
Some-
S-Something- S-
Someone grabbed me,
hit me from behind.
Struck my head.
Say, where's-where's my rifle;
- Is he badly hurt;
- No, no. I'm- I'm all right.
- Give- Give me a hand, eh;
- Let's get him back to the hideaway.
Give me a hand.
That's it.
I'm all right. I'm okay.
What's wrong there;
It's all right. Bullet ricocheted.
It's only a graze.
Well, somebody fired that rifle.
Which means that one of us
must be guilty.
- Who else on this plateau
would know how to handle a gun;
- But someone else does.
That's what I was trying
to tell you, Professor.
It might have been one of those men.
Burton White or Santiago- still alive.
What makes you say that;
Because someone taught that girl
how to fire a rifle. I'm sure of it.
Where is that girl;
Go after her!
Scatter.
That'll give us a better chance.
Malone, try that way.
David, up here.
Roxton! Roxton!
I found her!
- Where;
- Over here. I'll get her.!
Malone!
Where are you;
Where are you;
Malone.! Malone;
You lost her, didn't you;
I didn't have a chance.
That kid can run.
All right;
Come on!
It's like a toy against them.
- Come on.
- Come on, jenny.
Roxton!
- There's no one on guard.
- David;
Gomez!
David!
Oh, no.
Looks like a cyclone hit the place.
My brother-
Johnny-
That was the shooting we heard.
That girl's tribe must have
been waiting for their chance.
David-
They're all gone.
Roxton! Challenger!
They're all probably dead.
Oh, Frosty!
Oh, it's all my fault.
Oh, poor David.
I persuaded him to come.
- He thought it was going to be fun.
- Oh, come on.
- Come on. It's not your fault,jenny. Come on.
- All I wanted was johnny.
Frosty.!
Frosty, come- Oh! Oh, Frosty!
- That's it.
- David.
- Oh, David!
- Where are the others;
- They've got them.
- Who's ''they'';
- War-painted natives. They dragged us off.
- I only escaped by the skin of my teeth.
- How'd they get here;
- They dropped on us from the rocks up-
- Ed!
Ed.
Jnnifer.
-johnny.
- Are you all right, David;
So they got you too, eh;
Well, that's that.
What do we do now, Professor;
Well, what do we do now, Professor;
Perhaps the only thing to do
is to pray.
The-The drums are beating faster.
- It's getting on my nerves.
- Well, they would. No doubt.
Those guards still outside, Malone;
They're still there.
Jst a little touchy.
But the ones below
are really getting nervous.
Ay. They must be planning
something terrible.
Wh-What can it mean;
It means that the news of my great discovery
will never be known to the outside world.
They undoubtedly intend to kill us.
- Kill us;
- Why not;
An invasion of privacy gives a man
the right to kill. We are the invaders.
Besides, they are obviously
cannibals.
- Ay, cannibals. No!
- Costa. :Costa, callate.!
No.!
- The last tenant, no doubt.
- Ha!
- I don't want to die. Not me.
- Shut up.
- But why should I die;
What have I done; Why should-
- Will you shut up;
- David, look!
- David, look!
- Huh;
- Look who's here. A friendly enemy perhaps.
Must be a passage
up there in the roof.
She's asking David to go with her.
But I can't come without the others.
You must take all of us.
All of us!
No, he- he must come too.
All right then. Let's all go up.
Somebody help Summerlee.
- I'm perfectly capable of helping myself, Professor.
- Ah!
Oh. Who is it;
Who is it;
White. Burton White.
- Who is it;
-johnny.
-johnny;
- He must be the one who shot you,
Professor Summerlee.
He couldn't have.
- This man is blind.
- Oh!
- There it goes again. Third time tonight.
One day it'll blow its head off.
Burton, listen to me. Don't you
recognize my voice; johnny Roxton.
Roxton;
Johnny Roxton;
I made it- three years too late.
- Senor White.
- Yes;
You do not know me.
My name is Gomez.
There were others with you.
Among them, Santiago. Is he alive;
No. I'm sorry.
I'm the only one left.
Then...
Santiago dead.
Ah. So that's it.
If what she says is true,
you're really in trouble.
- How bad;
- Will they kill us, senor;
Of course- if they can.
Except she doesn't want you to die.
Ah. That rumble was stronger.
Burton, you had a map showing the way
on and off this plateau. Can you help us;
- Uh, maybe.
- Well, can you;
The answer is still maybe.
And you'd have to risk the Cave of Fire.
The Cave of Fire;
This whole mountain is honeycombed
with volcanic passageways...
most of them leading to dead ends.
But one of them-just one-
goes from the top of the plateau...
down through the heart
of the mountain...
and out through a cave exit
more than a mile from its base.
Oh, but that one passageway
leads you right through the Cave of Fire.
Jst what is this Cave of Fire;
The reason the natives
came to the plateau many years ago.
And it's why they stay, even though death
and terror constantly threaten them.
It's the altar of sacrifice
to their fire god.
- Sacrifice;
- Yes. The place they
undoubtedly plan to kill you.
- No! Not me! Please!
- Costa!
All of you-as soon as they catch up.
Burton, listen.
It's johnny again.
Is there a chance
through this Cave of Fire;
If you can beat them to it and close
the great swinging rock behind you...
a boulder might hold it shut.
Then, if you're real lucky,
the fire god will be sleeping.
- But, see, senor-
- How do we find the cave;
That way. There.
Follow the passage down through a place
the natives call the Graveyard of the Damned.
You'll find a ledge
across the cliff face.
Follow it if you can.
The entrance to the fire cave is beyond.
You're coming with us.
No, no.
Too old. Too tired.
If the natives think he helped us,
they'll kill him.
They won't hurt me. Killing a blind man
is one of their taboos.
- What about the girl, Mr. White;
- Yes, yes.
You must take her with you. They'll kill her
if they find out she helped you escape.
- Yes.
Johnny, now!
Mr. White, my name is Challenger.
I'd like to help you.
Is there anything-
Forget it.
Quick. On your way.
- S-Senor-
- Costa-
One little matter. Diamonds.
There was talk of diamonds.
- You'll see them on the way.
- See them;
If you make it that far.
Go on.
- Diamonds.
Johnny! Guns.
Wait. Here. Here.
Maybe these will help you.
- Burton-
- Go!
No, Gomez. Not now. I saw the picture.
I understand. But don't kill him now.
- He's responsible for Santiago's death.
- Si, si. I know.
- But there will be a better time.
- What better time than now;
After they help us
find the diamonds.
I don't care about the diamonds.
But there might be a better time.
- Si.
- Vamos.
Burton White was correct.
This plateau is
in danger of blowing up.
Let's hope he was equally
correct about a way of escape.
Ay.! We cannot pass!
- Go!
Excuse me.
Vamos.!
Look at the size of that skeleton!
It must be the oldest cemetery in the world.
The old man was right.
It is the graveyard of the damned.
Pray heaven it won't be ours.
White said to keep left.
That's that skeleton down there.
Let's keep moving then.
These fumes are deadly.
Careful now. Watch your step.
Go ahead.
- What's the matter up there;
- I don't know.
What's the matter with that girl;
She's afraid.
It must be the native taboo.
One of us had better take the lead.
You go ahead.
I'll keep an eye on the others.
All right.
Professor.
- No. Give her a minute.
- jennifer.
Come on, Professor.
I'll take that.
- I think I can reach him.
- Hold this.
- I think I can reach him.
- Hold this.
- Hang on!
- Oh, David-
No! Get back up!
That's an order!
Hang on, Professor.
They'll get you. Give me your hand.
You young lunatics.
Have you seen what's below;
Come on. That's it.
All right. Hold on, boy.
- Oh, David, David!
- Hang on!
- Give me your hand, boy.
- I can make it.
- Professor;
- Yeah.
Give me that.
All right. Let's keep moving.
Hurry!
- Gomez;
- Coming.!
- My fire won't hold them very long.
- Help me with this.
Push! Push!
- Now jam that boulder against the rock.
- Yeah.
- Come on now.
All right. This might stop them.
Oh. Are you all right, Professor;
Oh, I'm all right, Summerlee.
I have to thank you all
for saving my life.
Malone, I never did apologize for hitting you
on the head with my umbrella.
That's okay, Professor.
What now;
Look.
A lake ofboiling lava.
Dammed in by the natives.
Fixed so it can be broken.
See that log;
It breaks, and we're covered in hot lava.
Why should the natives
wish to break the dam;
One more quake, it'll come down anyway.
Let's try and find a way out of here.
- If the escape passage still exists.
- It does! Right there!
Let's go!
Wait! The diamonds! We are rich forever!
- Diamonds.
- Challenger, look.
- Look.
- Dinosaur eggs.
Summerlee, what unbelievable luck.
Not so lucky.
This is the end of thejourney.
Roxton, drop your rifle.
Gomez, have you taken leave
of your senses;
No, Professor, no.
I almost wish I had.
But this is something I have to do.
Don't move, Costa.
Gomez, am I not your partner;
You never were.
You wanted the diamonds
for yourself.
I want your life, Roxton.
In exchange for that
of a man you sent to his death...
when you deserted Burton White.
- But White's alive.
- I don't mean White.
I mean Santiago- my brother.
- Your brother;
- Put that gun down, Gomez.
There'll be no killings here.
It is my vow, Professor.
I tried it before.
My bullet struck the wrong man.
- Then it was you who shot at me.
- That's right.
Gomez, be reasonable.
What have these people done to hurt you;
Nothing.
- Unfortunately, I have-
- Gomez, don't kill me. I beg you.
Gomez!
- We've gotta find another way out!
- There's one chance.
Be ready to run for it.
I'll break the dam.
Eaten alive.
- Horrible. Horrible.
Gomez.
Gomez.
Roxton, I-
We are even now.
A life for a life.
The young fool.
What's he doing now;
I'm in your debt now.
It was my shot
that awakened the monster.
Gomez.
Come on, Gomez!
That's enough!
- It's not enough!
- Gomez, come on! It's breaking!
You go ahead!
Gomez! Let go!
Gomez!
Jmp, Gomez!
Come on!
Run for the cave!
- Professor-
- Ed! Ed!
Malone.! Gomez.!
- Where's Gomez;
- Look!
My Lost World.
Lost forever.
Now we'll never prove
anything in London.
Oh, yes, we will.
I thought this might help.
One of the dinosaur eggs.
Hardly worth the lives of all those men.
But then nor were these.
-johnny!
- How'd you manage those;
No fire monster's big enough
to deprive you of a wedding gift.
Well, ''Mrs.'' is still
the best title for a girl.
But, uh, don't you want any of them;
Well, I, uh- I kept a few
for the rest of us.
A baby dinosaur.! Ha.!
Tyrannosaurus rex. Ha!
But will it live, Professor;
Will it be all right;
It'll live long enough to grow as big
as a house and terrify all London.
- Then what'll we do;
Well, we'll move out of London
as fast as possible!