The performance of Pernell Roberts in this silly fantasy reminds me of George Sanders, playing a self-centered villain who desperately wants pictures of a magical world that only exists through the power of a mystical necklace that young Eddie Castrodad needs to return home, otherwise he'll die. He meets impish 13 year old Milla Jovovich who somehow ends up with the necklace that falls in the hands of Roberts, and a sweet friendship grows. Like other 13 year old girls, Jovovich has an unrealistic worldview of romance, and Castrodad (a good 4 years older than her) leads her to this mystical City with the promise that the decision of her to enter the city and disappear from the rest of the world is up to her. She's got typical non-understanding parents who don't listen to her, that is until it's too late and she's already on the journey.
So this is definitely a world audiences have seen through "Brigadoon", "Lost Horizon" and in another sense, "Tuck Everlasting", although I found absolutely no chemistry existing between the two young leads. She's gone on to more successful works, and he would follow this up by playing a gay teen in "Torch Song Trilogy", showing complete charm with his performance here, one dimensionally good in every way with absolutely no flaws, a teenage girl's dream of what a Disney prince should be. This is basically "Aladdin" without the magic carpet, and I concur with someone else's statement that this would have been a perfect part for Sabu in the 1940's. But it is filled with so many aspects of these types of teen fantasies that I just find to send poor messages, even if I was transfixed for most of the film. The photography is beautiful, and at least Robert's character isn't a nasty, violent one. He's definitely the Dr. Smith of Lost in Space type character, although the camp value is much more subtle. Definitely a popcorn movie to enjoy ones and move on from immediately afterwards.
So this is definitely a world audiences have seen through "Brigadoon", "Lost Horizon" and in another sense, "Tuck Everlasting", although I found absolutely no chemistry existing between the two young leads. She's gone on to more successful works, and he would follow this up by playing a gay teen in "Torch Song Trilogy", showing complete charm with his performance here, one dimensionally good in every way with absolutely no flaws, a teenage girl's dream of what a Disney prince should be. This is basically "Aladdin" without the magic carpet, and I concur with someone else's statement that this would have been a perfect part for Sabu in the 1940's. But it is filled with so many aspects of these types of teen fantasies that I just find to send poor messages, even if I was transfixed for most of the film. The photography is beautiful, and at least Robert's character isn't a nasty, violent one. He's definitely the Dr. Smith of Lost in Space type character, although the camp value is much more subtle. Definitely a popcorn movie to enjoy ones and move on from immediately afterwards.