At the Earth's Core is a 1976 British-American fantasy-science fiction film produced by Britain's Amicus Productions.
The film was directed by Kevin Connor and stars Doug McClure, Peter Cushing and Caroline Munro. It was filmed in Technicolor, and is based on the 1914 fantasy novel At the Earth's Core by Edgar Rice Burroughs, the first book of his Pellucidar series, in token of which the film is also known as Edgar Rice Burroughs' At the Earth's Core. The original music score was composed by Mike Vickers.
Plot
Dr. Abner Perry (Peter Cushing), a British Victorian scientist, and his US financier David Innes (Doug McClure) make a test run of their Iron Mole drilling machine in a Welsh mountain. While drilling underground, the extreme heat emanating from the magma around the Mole knocks the duo out and makes them temporarily loose control over where the machine is taking them. After it passes through the magma crust and gets closer to the Earth's core, the temperature inside the Mole starts to lower, and the duo regains consciousness. Perry and Innes eventually reach a surface where they can safely get out. The two quickly notice they are in a strange land filled with flora and fauna pf prehistoric times. They are quickly captured by the Sagoths, ape-like creatures, who aim enslave to enslave every human tribe there. The Sagoths are themselves ruled by a species of giant telepathic flying reptiles, the Mahars (Pterodactyls with parrot-like beaks).
The Mahars have the power of mind control. David falls for the beautiful slave girl Princess Dia (Caroline Munro). She is eventually chosen as a sacrificial victim in the Mahar city, while David is put to work in the magma mines and Perry visits the library. Worried about Dia, David incites and riot within the mine and gets eventually captured with Ra, another rebellious slave. The two are sent to the arena where a crowd of slaves watch. The Mahars send a giant dinausar to kill the duo, but with help of Perry (who shouts about the creature's weak point from the crowd), David and Ra survive. They not only kill the dinosaur but murder a Mahar as well, earning the respect of the slaves. David and Ra must rally the surviving human slaves to rebel and win their freedom. To achieve this, Innes, Ra and Dia organize the oppressed tribes and helps them work together while Perry teaches them how to build and use bows and arrows.
Their combined efforts are eventually successful. Together, the humans manage to kill the Mahars and subdue their minions. After repairing the Mole, Perry and Innes prepare to go back to the surface with Dia. However, despite how much Dia loves Innes, she believes she will not fit in the surface world, like Innes does not fit in her own world. A hurt Innes accepts her reasoning and decides to return alone with Perry to the United Kingdom.
Cast
Doug McClure as David Innes
Peter Cushing as Dr. Abner Perry
Caroline Munro as Princess Dia
Cy Grant as Ra
Godfrey James as Ghak the Hairy One
Sean Lynch as Hoojah
Keith Barron as Dowsett
Helen Gill as Maisie
Anthony Verner as Gadsby
Robert Gillespie as Photographer
Michael Crane as Jubal
Bobby Parr as Sagoth Chief
Andee Cromarty as Girl Slave
Production
The film was made following the success of The Land That Time Forgot.
Kevin Connor later recalled, "we tried to get the beasts bigger so as to interact better with the actors – more one on one. We had a somewhat bigger budget thanks to the success of ‘Land.’ The beasts were specially designed so that small stunt guys could work inside the suits in a crouched position and on all-fours. Needless to say it was very cramped and the stunt guys had to take frequent breathers. Some worked better than others – but we were experimenting and trying something different."
Release
The film premiered at the Marble Arch Odeon in London on 15 July 1976.
Reception
The film was popular, becoming the 18th most profitable British film of 1976. It made a profit.