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.