Land of the Lost

[Episode29]

I'll be going, but with low expectations.

Big-budget effects comedies are dubious prospects to begin with...

 

[The Lizard]

Were people seriously thinking they were going to make a SERIOUS adaptation of the Land of the Lost TV series? The only way to go is the comedy root. The old show is very funny... in an non-intentional way. The most memorable things from it are the dinosaurs and sleepstacks, which they've kept.

Here's the thing, though...

Back in the mid 1970s, Land of the Lost was unusual for Saturday morning TV because its stories were mostly straight-up science fiction and not goofy kid stuff. There were stories about parallel universes, the laws of time travel and civilizations that destroyed themselves. Many of the episodes were written by respected SF authors like Donald F. Glut, David Gerrold and Larry Niven.
Regardless of the low budget special effects, the stop-motion dinos were above-average TV effects for the time and the Sleestaks were scary to kids, so the show was not played for laughs despite the bad acting and other such things.

I realize that no modern movie could really capture the low budget, yet surreal atmosphere the show had in the 1970s, but I was hoping for something other than just a complete comedy spoof that has nothing in common with the TV show besides the first names of the main characters.
Maybe the movie isn't just slapstick comedy and Farrell's goofy improv -- I hope so.

 

[GhostPoet]

I'm really looking forward to this movie. I laughed at just about every scene in the trailer...I've been hoping for a good comedy. I don't remember the last GOOD one I saw...

 

[Figs]

Only thing I don't care for is why in the hell at this point in time do people who use CGI dinosaurs or primarily Tyranosaurus Rex(I'm also looking at you Journey to the Center of the Earth!)make them look cartoony with the colors and textures.

The CGI in the original Jurassic Park still owns most if not all other CGI dinosaurs I've ever seen since. Why can't these other films try to make it look a little less cartoony, at least darken the skin for christs sake. Looks like it jumped right out of a cartoon.

I also realize the argument that it might cost more but like most if not all things, as they advance the older methods/techniques become a bit cheaper. How many years ago was the first Jurassic Park made???

 

[K.B.]

it was released in 1993

 

[GhostPoet]

Only thing I don't care for is why in the hell at this point in time do people who use CGI dinosaurs or primarily Tyranosaurus Rex(I'm also looking at you Journey to the Center of the Earth!)make them look cartoony with the colors and textures.

The CGI in the original Jurassic Park still owns most if not all other CGI dinosaurs I've ever seen since. Why can't these other films try to make it look a little less cartoony, at least darken the skin for christs sake. Looks like it jumped right out of a cartoon.

I also realize the argument that it might cost more but like most if not all things, as they advance the older methods/techniques become a bit cheaper. How many years ago was the first Jurassic Park made???

for the same reason that the movie is using cheesy low-budget lizard-man costumes.

 

[dark_b]

Only thing I don't care for is why in the hell at this point in time do people who use CGI dinosaurs or primarily Tyranosaurus Rex(I'm also looking at you Journey to the Center of the Earth!)make them look cartoony with the colors and textures.

The CGI in the original Jurassic Park still owns most if not all other CGI dinosaurs I've ever seen since. Why can't these other films try to make it look a little less cartoony, at least darken the skin for christs sake. Looks like it jumped right out of a cartoon.

I also realize the argument that it might cost more but like most if not all things, as they advance the older methods/techniques become a bit cheaper. How many years ago was the first Jurassic Park made???

because the whole movie has a lot of colors. it fits inside. its about finding a color balance.

you can not have a grey t-rex inside a blue or orange enviorment.

 

[Figs]

for the same reason that the movie is using cheesy low-budget lizard-man costumes.

I usually take real life/tangible costumes and prostetics over CGI anyways.

It's just if your going to use a CGI creature, even if it's in a family type film at least make it look a bit more realistic rather than cartoony.

 

[K.B.]

for the same reason that the movie is using cheesy low-budget lizard-man costumes.

It is sad you think that way because I agree with Figs on real vs cgi. The Sleestaks look to be the best part of the trailer let alone the whole movie.

 

[Figs]

It is sad you think that way because I agree with Figs on real vs cgi. The Sleestaks look to be the best part of the trailer let alone the whole movie.

Nice to know someone doesn't just think I'm complaining for the sake of complaining. I am actually looking forward to the film because of Will Ferrel and as TNC put it, aside from Semi-Pro I like most of Will Ferrel's films.

 

[Timstuff]

They wanted to give the T-Rex some personality. AS cool as the dinos in Jurassic Park are, they are very "standard issue." This is a comedy, so they wanted their T-Rex to have more character. Simple as that!

 

[Figs]

They wanted to give the T-Rex some personality. AS cool as the dinos in Jurassic Park are, they are very "standard issue." This is a comedy, so they wanted their T-Rex to have more character. Simple as that!

I guess so...if giving it more character means making it look like it's straight from a cartoon.

 

[Timstuff]

Making the T-Rex a bit cartoony could be seen as a tribute to the source material, seeing as the dinosaurs in the show always looked like either sock puppets or play-doh.

 

[dark_b]

I guess so...if giving it more character means making it look like it's straight from a cartoon.

but you are aware that they wanted him to look more cartoony right?

 

[Figs]

but you are aware that they wanted him to look more cartoony right?

Yeah, for the most part after I realized a lot of the land in Land of the Lost is bright. I wish they kept it more like the TV show with a dense jungle though.

 

[The Lizard]

I wish they kept it more like the TV show with a dense jungle though.

I agree. Part of the cool weirdness in the TV show were scenes of the dinosaurs or the Marshalls moving through the thick prehistoric jungle and then coming across something bizarre like a time-pylon or a wrecked alien spaceship.

I also liked the creepy, moaning unseen monster in the misty pit that the Sleestak worshipped. Every time the Marshalls got tossed into that pit as sacrifices, the fact that the monster could only be heard but not seen as it drew closer was pretty tense for this little kid.

 

[Figs]

I agree. Part of the cool weirdness in the TV show were scenes of the dinosaurs or the Marshalls moving through the thick prehistoric jungle and then coming across something bizarre like a time-pylon or a wrecked alien spaceship.

I also liked the creepy, moaning unseen monster in the misty pit that the Sleestak worshipped. Every time the Marshalls got tossed into that pit as sacrifices, the fact that the monster could only be heard but not seen as it drew closer was pretty tense for this little kid.

Exactly!!

Do you remember the episode with that really huge alien they were trying to avoid? He had some kind of helmet on if I can remember correctly. That was one of the coolest episodes.

 

[terry78]

The T-Rex looks and acts like that because it's basically the one from the show called Grumpy. He was somewhat of a running gag antagonist that always showed up in every other ep. to just bug the **** out of the family.

 

[The Lizard]

Exactly!!

Do you remember the episode with that really huge alien they were trying to avoid? He had some kind of helmet on if I can remember correctly. That was one of the coolest episodes.

Hmmm.... was it a season 3 episode (Uncle Jack instead of Marshall)?

The first thing that comes to mind is the sparkly alien Zarn's robot dinosaur, but I don't know if that's what you mean. I think that was from season 2.

 

[The Lizard]

Seeing advance screening of LOTL on Tuesday. Will post review then.

 

[Spyder07]

Seeing advance screening of LOTL on Tuesday. Will post review then.

gerr mines for thursday.

 

[The Lizard]

The Lizard's Review

The new "Land of the Lost" film momentarily flirts with being a clever spoof of the 1970s kids' show before becoming a standard dumb Will Ferrell comedy. Rating 5/10.

The new film stars Will Ferrell, Danny McBride and Anna Friel as Marshall, Will and Holly respectively, who are not related to each other in this version. There are other elements that are radically different from the '70s show, but there are also many well-visualized homages to the TV series featured too. The Sleestak reptile-men, the too-briefly-seen prehistoric jungle and the odd time-bending pylons are all worthy updates and fun special effects. However, the film is weighed down by the constant reminder that it is first and foremost a comedy vehicle for Ferrell.

Certain amusing exaggerations of the 1970s show soon give way to dorky frat-boy humor such as breast grabbing and Ferrell cavorting in his underwear. One lengthy sequence depicting Marshall, Will and the ape-boy Cha-ka getting stoned on psychedelic fruit is particularly annoying, cliche and obviously ad-libbed in parts. Diehard fans of Ferrell's improv might appreciate this, but I found myself longing for the more controlled, script-bound Ferrell seen in previous films like "Elf" and "Stranger Than Fiction". By the time an awkward romance is introduced between Rick Marshall and Holly (who were father and daughter in the TV series...creepy!) and Ferrell rockets down the gullet of a T-rex for laughs, all pretense of wry sci-fi cleverness is gone. It's a shame, because there are places where the film truly has potential to be both a loving tribute to a creative '70s show as well as a fun spoof, but it ultimately succeeds at neither.

5/10

 

[Episode29]

The Lizard's Review

The new "Land of the Lost" film momentarily flirts with being a clever spoof of the 1970s kids' show before becoming a standard dumb Will Ferrell comedy. Rating 5/10.

The new film stars Will Ferrell, Danny McBride and Anna Friel as Marshall, Will and Holly respectively, who are not related to each other in this version. There are other elements that are radically different from the '70s show, but there are also many well-visualized homages to the TV series featured too. The Sleestak reptile-men, the too-briefly-seen prehistoric jungle and the odd time-bending pylons are all worthy updates and fun special effects. However, the film is weighed down by the constant reminder that it is first and foremost a comedy vehicle for Ferrell.

Certain amusing exaggerations of the 1970s show soon give way to dorky frat-boy humor such as breast grabbing and Ferrell cavorting in his underwear. One lengthy sequence depicting Marshall, Will and the ape-boy Cha-ka getting stoned on psychedelic fruit is particularly annoying, cliche and obviously ad-libbed in parts. Diehard fans of Ferrell's improv might appreciate this, but I found myself longing for the more controlled, script-bound Ferrell seen in previous films like "Elf" and "Stranger Than Fiction". By the time an awkward romance is introduced between Rick Marshall and Holly (who were father and daughter in the TV series...creepy!) and Ferrell rockets down the gullet of a T-rex for laughs, all pretense of wry sci-fi cleverness is gone. It's a shame, because there are places where the film truly has potential to be both a loving tribute to a creative '70s show as well as a fun spoof, but it ultimately succeeds at neither.

5/10

Can`t say I`m surprised. The trailers and advertising have been awful, and the early reviews have been pretty unkind.

I`ll probably be seeing it next tuesday...

 

[SUPER SAIYAN D]

I'm going to see it also, but it's a shame they made it into a comedy instead of straight up SciFi . Speilberg should have directed this, Jeffrey Dean Morgan should have been Marshall, Dakota Fanning should have been Holly, and Justin Long should have been Will.

 

[GhostPoet]

It is sad you think that way because I agree with Figs on real vs cgi. The Sleestaks look to be the best part of the trailer let alone the whole movie.

I thought it was pretty obvious they were using the cheesy costumes as part of the humor of the film. Same with the way the T-Rex looks.