very good film


I consider this one of my top 100 movies, one of the best "Desert" movies of all times, 2nd only to Gunga din possibly. Boris Karloff's charecter is a bit over acted ( he's best with few lines, like in Frankenstien). hear there is some 8 minutes missing in the one out now, I recorded this off tnt about 18 years ago, and watch it about one a year, it really pulls you in with the simple plot and tension. special effects and alot of dialog often kills movies, this one has the right mix of action and building tension.

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I agree. The grim, relentless decimation of the patrol and the sense of hopelessness really gather steam until the final scene. Unfortunately, I thought the final scene, of the Sgt. simply mowing down the enemy snipers, was much too much of a "Rambo" moment for a film that has taken such pains up until then be fairly realistic in what ordinary men would really be able to do. I thought a more measured resolution, such as the relief patrol arriving to thwart the snipers rather than one man being a big conquerer, would have served the story better.

But yes, an incredibly good "desert' film. And interestly enough, this film also captures wonderfully the ambiance of old Hollywood itself, seeking to take a 1930s audience to an exotic locale.

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Like someone stated in an other thread this "Rambo" moment may be ordinary behavior in modern films, but for the 30's viewer it was clear he had gone mad.



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I just want you to know that based just on your comment I went and checked out Gunga Din, and I'm very glad I did. What a terrific film!

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Noticed ABC Television (in Australia) played this twice within eight months, so I finally sat down to watch the one I recorded on my hard drive last year. Good film! I've been recording all the Boris Karloff films they've been playing and this one will certainly be added to my library. Good old Boris, over playing his role... good to see. Kept me enthralled and watched all, first up on a Sunday morning.

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I just saw this movie for the first time. It was enjoyable, though hampered I felt by Karloff's "over the top" performance. I kept waiting for him to turn into The Mummy or Frankenstein. OK...not really. But the acting performance was very similar and the poor chap has unfortunately been typecast. The audio was also inconsistent which may have affected my view on it as well. Overall I give it a 6...maybe, maybe a 7.

But this statement has me baffled "one of the best "Desert" movies of all times, 2nd only to Gunga din possibly." I must ask the original poster - have you not seen Sahara (1943) with Humphrey Bogart, the original "Flight of the Phoenix" (1965), or dare I say it "Lawrence of Arabia" one of the greatest movies of all time (desert or not) which won 7 Academy Awards?

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I gotta agree with you darwinh. I thought this movie was pretty darn good, but then you mentioned the original "Flight of the Phoenix" with Jimmy Stewart and Ernest Borgnine. Oh man, that's such a good show! The remake of it was completely pathetic of course, but yeah the 1965 version of "Phoenix" is around the top of my personal favorites when it comes to "desert" films! :o)

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Yes I've seen all those, but I was saying that the Lost Patrol was one of my top 100 movies of all times (having watched it over 30 times), and then 2nd to my favorite desert movies. (my 3rd is Beau Gueste (1938?). I hope your not baffled because I prefer these films over others you may prefer?

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I don´t know, but poor acting, mostly ridiculous dialogue and improper pacing usually aren´t hallmarks of a "very good film". Add to that a serious lack of suspense, ferocity & atmosphere and you got another meager effort by the outrageously overrated Ford (of course, as is customary for him, there is once more a completely over-the-top goofball displaying idiotic antics added to the mix - this time the Karloff character. Ford seems to have purposefully undermined his films with such ludicrous stuff, as if out of fear that he might actually make a good movie one of these days). It is admittedly better than Lawrence Of Arabia, but that´s not saying much. 5/10 for this.



"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan

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For franzabuki- you either need to go back and watch this film again(as well as "Lawrence"- although I doubt you'll understand it) or stop posting.

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It's a terrific movie, with a great cast and amazing performances by everyone (though I must agree that Karloff overacted at times). I love how they were able to tell a story in barely 70 minutes back then.

Animal crackers in my soup
Monkeys and rabbits loop the loop

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