Four schoolboys go on an awe-inspiring expedition back through time, where they behold landscapes and creatures that have long since vanished from the earth.
Direction
Zeman's cut-out animation merged with live action
Practical Effects
Hand-painted prehistoric backdrops, no CGI needed
Production
Museum diorums brought to chaotic life

Director
Karel Zeman
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Zeman painted most of the prehistoric backgrounds himself, inspired by 19th-century paleoart by Charles R. Knight.
This film essentially invented Czech fantasy cinema and directly inspired Terry Gilliam's cut-out animation style in Monty Python.
No ratings yet
Sign in to join the discussion — comments are spoiler-gated to your watch progress.
Discussion starters