Chillichap's Review - Jane And The Lost City 1987 Movie Starring Sam J Jones, Maud Adams & Jasper Carrot - A Film I've Watched

Hello!

YouTube really wanted me to watch this film, as it kept popping up. So I have and will furnish you with the benefits of my wisdom, wit, and acumen by reviewing it. Don't say I didn't warn you!


What I love about this kind of film is it's tongue-in-cheek and suitably vague-it has no pretenses and begins with the caption 'Somewhere in Africa 1940'. 

The film starts at a campsite where two Brits are awaiting the rerun of their colleague. The colleague arrives back in a beleaguered state, drops a massive diamond and utters the words 'I've found the lost city', and then croaks it. One of his colleagues then cops it with a poisoned dart and the remaining chap runs for his life. Sadly the diamond falls into the hands of the Germans.

The diamond makes it back to Germany and we meet Hitler's deadly agent Lola Pagola (played by Maud Adams) along with her sidekick hard man Heinrich (played by none other than the well-known British comedian Jasper Carrot!). Lola works out that the only place a diamond that size could come from would be The Lost City. They hear The Colonel (played by Robin Bailey) and Jane (played by Kirsten Hughes) are being sent to Africa by British intelligence to find The Lost City. Heinrich tells Lola not to worry as his twin brother in England will kill Jane and the Colonel. 

Jane and the Colonel meet Winston Churchill, who explains that finding the Lost City and the diamonds will ensure that the Germans are defeated. Jane inadvertently foils several attempts by Heinrich's brother to kill her and the Colonel and Jane fly to Africa with the Colonel's manservant Tombs (played by the wonderful actor Graham Stark, famous for playing Hercule LaJoy in the Pink Panther films). Meanwhile, in Africa, Lola enlists the help of Carl a rugged German hunter (played by Ian Roberts), and Heinrich, who's jealous of Carl, reveals that his other brother will avenge the death of his brother in England. This goes wrong as well and Jane manages to crash-land the plane. There's a great line where Tombs asks the Colonel 'whether sir would like him to pack his swimsuit' as they crash into the sea.

The next morning Jane and Co are caught by unfriendly natives. Fortunately, they are all saved by Jungle Jack Buck (played by Sam J Jones famous for being Flash Gordon in the classic 80's Film). The party meets more unfriendly natives, but outruns them and reaches the village of Abu Abu, where the German baddies are all waiting for them. Lola tells Heinrich to kill Jane and Carl to kill the Colonel. Lola herself plans to kill Jack, whom she drugs. There's a very comical moment where the customers at the hotel bar who are predominantly men, get up to dance. During a drunken stupor, one of the customers reveals the location of the Lost City. Nobody dies and everyone sets off for the Lost City. 

Tombs has a terrible hangover the next day and eventually remembers that the Lost City is located near a volcano. Jane and co are then captured by the Leopard Tribe. Jane hits it off with the Oxford-educated Queen, who reveals that all the diamonds are hidden somewhere in the Leopard Village temple. Jane discovers the entrance to the temple and the diamonds are discovered. Meanwhile, the volcano has started rumbling and the Germans have arrived to steal the diamonds. Jane and co become trapped in the temple and desperately try and find a way out.

I won't ruin the end of the film for you. This is quite a fun film despite rather a lot of ads. There are a lot of reoccurring jokes like Jane frequently losing her clothes, Heinrich and his brother's cocking things up and the Colonel arguing with poor Tombs (who knows his place albeit under constant protest). Lola's character could've been developed more.  For some reason, the characters just didn't quite gel together. This is a particular shame with regards to one of my comedy heroes-Jasper Carrot, who played his role of Heinrich well, but it wasn't memorable. Had the plot been worked upon, this could've been a springboard for greater things for him. No one actor steals the limelight-it's just a gentle romp through the African jungle.

I'm glad I watched the film, but it felt a little like a tame Carry-On film.

Thanks for reading

Matt AKA Chillichap




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