KING SOLOMON’S MINES  (1985)—-dreadful 4th version of the classic H. Rider Haggard story is an embarrassment from start to finish: it can’t get to minute 100 fast enough.  Terribly directed by the once-formidable J. Lee Thompson, produced by the prolific rascals Golan-Globus (sign of anything but quality) for $11,000,000 on location in Zimbabwe, with a back-to-back followup of Allen Quatermain And The Lost City Of Gold, released two years later.

Trying to mimic the style and hopefully leech some of the success of Indiana Jones, it fails at wit and in the casting, and does so with a weird kind of verve.  Richard Chamberlain flails away with no conviction and zero charisma, registering zip for chemistry with Sharon Stone (they did not enjoy each other’s company).  It’s too silly to accept the stupid action scenes and not funny enough to enjoy the badness.  A sad waste of Herbert Lom, and it spouts more tired hot air from John Rhys-Davies. With Ken Gampu, an impressive figure brought low with this tripe.