King Solomon's Mines (1985)

This movie was so bad, it was ALMOST good in its badness, but not quite. It pulled only the very thinnest of plots from one of the best adventure novels ever written. In fact, if I hadn't read the novel or seen other movie adaptations of the story, I'd have been even more lost. I must admit, though, that the quality improved --somewhat-- toward the end. Sharon Stone's acting was just plain bad (she's gotten much better since this movie), but patient viewers are rewarded later in the movie by some nice views of her pretty legs as her costume gets mysteriously shorter and tighter as the story progresses. Richard Chamberlain seemed a bit like Pee-Wee Herman with a beard, wearing an Indiana Jones outfit. The rest of the characters are largely forgettable and unexplained, but John Rhys-Davies actually did a fine job. The musical score often seemed out of place, so much so that at times it was a distraction. See it if you must. There are worse ways one could spend two hours.

Fmovies: Ok i shall start by saying i am a huge Indiana Jones fan and when i saw this recently i thought it was a ghastly copy, but i think as the film progresses it gets better and some of the scenes late in the movie are very impressive - particurly when john rhys-davies forces the german guy to eat the diamonds. I liked most of the scenes with john ryhs-davies in but i was slightly disappointed to see him in rip-off of Indiana Jones as he was in Raiders of the Lost Ark. So overall this film isn't that bad to watch, its quite fun really but it is nothing compared to the mighty Indiana Jones.

This is such a blatant rip-off of Indiana Jones that it is a downright parody. And a highly enjoyable parody it is. So many sequences, set pieces and even the music are so similar to a point where it makes one wonder how they got away with making this without getting sued. They even got John Rhys-Davies for a role! This is yet another piece of highly enjoyable Canon schlock, a studio that I cannot help but adore. Golan and Globus always tried to cash in on hot trends and along the way made some of my favorite cheesy, hugely entertaining pictures from the 80s. This doesn't rank up there with Over the Top, Bolero, Cobra, Bloodsport, Death Wish 3 and others but it is close and proves once again that Canon made some of the most entertaining movies from the 80s and I am on a mission to watch all of them!

King Solomon's Mines fmovies. This new agreeable version from H. Rider Haggard adventure follows again Allan Quatermain played by a likable Richard Chamberlain . However , the original novel took place in the 1880s or earlier, but this film moves Quatermain's adventures to the era of World War I, in an unusual case of a semi-update . This is the adventure of a lifetime starred by a fortune hunter called Allan Quatermain (one of the members of the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen) who teams up with a resourceful woman (Sharon Stone , according to her memoirs Kathleen Turner turned down the role of Jesse) to help her find her missing father lost in the wilds of 1900s Africa while being pursued by hostile tribes , a rival German explorer (Herbert Lom) and a slaver Arab named Dogati (John Rhys-Davies who along with Richard Chamberlain starred TV-series "Shogun") . Allan is leading a safari in search of legendary diamond mines and to save the damsel's father . They are pursued by German soldiers and must confront natives , animals and several dangers and risks until they find the King Salomon's mines . The brave hunter and the elegant lady become fast friends, confronting magic rites and cannibals in search of legendary diamonds mines . While a native (Ken Gampu) is reclaiming his rights over throne of an African tribe next to King Salomon's mines .

This amusing spoof picture displays exciting action , thrills , humor with tongue-in-cheek , extraordinary adventures and outlandish cliffhanger situations abound . Richard Chamberlain as Quatermain is passable , though Stewart Granger in the classic of the 50s -by Compton Bennett, Andrew Marton and with Debora Kerr- is incredibly missed . Heat and ills affected the crew and main actors but Sharon Stone surprised for her resistance . Polished and colorful production design by Luciano Spadoni , though in low-budget and excessive transparency . The natives are played by a real ethnic people from Zimbabwe . Evocative as well as glowing cinematography by the Mexican Alex Phillips, being shot on location in Harare, Zimbabwe . Special mention to rousing and thrilling musical score by the great Jerry Goldsmith . The motion picture was middlingly directed by J. Lee Thompson , though filmmaker Tobe Hooper was attached to direct early in production . This film arrive in theaters in 1985, the year of the 100th anniversary of the first appearance of Allan Quatermain in the novel King Solomon's Mines in 1885. The sequel, Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold (1987), adapted the novel Allan Quatermain (1887), it was an impressive accomplishment that Quatermain had two films arrive in theaters for his centenary celebrations .

Other versions of this known story are directed by Robert Stevenson, a 1937 version in which the supreme role was performed by the singer Paul Robeson who proved his singing faculties. The best and classic version resulted to be directed by Compton Bennett, Andrew Marton with Stewart Granger and Debora Kerr . Kurt Neumann directed a rendition titled ¨Watusi¨ with George Montgomery and David Farrar . And TV adaptation directed by Steven Boyum with Patrick Swayze and Alison Doody, among others . Furthermore , ¨King Salomon's mines¨ was filmed concurrently with its sequel, "Allan Quatermain and the City of Gold" starred by same duo along with James Earl Jones and Henry Silva directed by Gary Nelson .

Jesse Huston (Sharon Stone) is on a mission to find her lost father, she enlists the help of legendary explorer Allan Quatermain (Richard Chamberlain) and both of them set off on their perilous journey.

Bland, routine and deserving of its reputation as an illegitimate sprog cash in of Indiana Jones. Director J Lee Thompson and his writers adapt H. Rider Haggard's classic novel and effectively hope that writing set piece after set piece will make for an exhilarating adventure movie. It doesn't. Bad script, bad acting, poor special effects, roller-coaster pacing, cringe-worthy dialogue and the sets look to have been knocked up overnight. It's not as if Chamberlain & Stone can't act, because they can, it's just that they are reduced to cartoon fodder and both look very uncomfortable in doing so. John Rhys-Davies adds some fun as Dogati but poor Herbert Lom phones it in as an ultimate caricature German villain. There's some interest in the pre-fame Stone's attire for the red blooded male, watch as her shorts grow steadily shorter during the film. And for the girls who like beards, well Richie Chamberlain sports a candidate for the world's tidiest beard throughout the adventure mockery; tho not quite as tidy as the frothy one worn by a big old fake spider.

Don't believe those who say it's in the "so bad it's good" category, it's just terrible and you are strongly advised to seek out either the 1937 or 1950 version instead. 2/10

This movie will forever be dogged by the shadow of elder brother Raiders of The Lost Ark, when in actual fact the movie far more resembles that movies little brother, Temple of Doom. Now O.K., this is typical Cannon material. A blatant attempt to imitate more succesful efforts, and if sometimes in this movie anyway, things dont come off as intended the movie will LOOK bad. However, when all is said and done this is one of the better Cannon movies. Richard Chamberlain is simply wonderful as an Adam West-Alike Quatermain. Oblivious to the world around him. Sharon Stone too does well, with what silly dialogue she is given, and the rest of the cast [ John Rhys Davies etc ] take things seriously, which helps the film. The one thing that does let the movie down is the direction. Which is a carbon copy of the Indiana Jones movies. Maybe Cannon encouraged this, but J. Lee Thompson is in all honesty an uninspired director,. Maybe a younger director would have spurned the chance to out Spielberg Steven, and we might have had a better movie. Jerry Goldsmith's Theme is also badly under-rated but adds to the excitement, and enjoyment. When watching this movie dont take too seriously and sit back and enjoy a campy, Batmanesque movie.