Traveling back to The Land of the Lost - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Marvo301 · 06-28-2009, 12:03 AM

I recently purchased Land of the Lost: The Complete Series. This series originally aired in the 70's. The budget was obviously small and it shows in the cheesy special effects and styrofoam sets. However the writing was actually pretty good and the acting not bad. I find myself really enjoying this show and being transported back to my childhood (I was about 10 when this show aired) when I watch these DVD's. In my opinion this is the best of the Sid and Marty Krofft shows.

Retro4Life · 06-28-2009, 03:43 PM

Totally agree.

LOTL is one of my great TV childhood memories, full of outlandish, bizarre and creative stories and characters. I didn't mind the supposed "cheesiness" of the effects since for the time they were quite good. My guess is that all of our current effects will seem similarly laughable to moviegoing audiences in 30 years; it's all relative so why do people even criticize something like that?
Poor effects can always be overlooked by strong writing and characterization and acting, but the most sophisticated effects in the world cannot undo or outweigh poor writing, so in the end I know what I'll always value more.

It's a true shame the way the memory of LOTL will now forever be associated with the idiotic bumblings of Will Ferrell in this film. Chaka a pervert, pee and boob jokes...what garbage! Why couldn't they have made a more serious film that kept the cherished "family" dynamic and respected the original? And why did they have to diss the original stars like they did?

Argh. Well, anyway, I loved the show too and will be grateful for all the fun, thought provoking Saturday mornings it provided!

dakert · 06-28-2009, 10:20 PM

I hope people STOP using the word cheesy when referring to classic and beloved shows--thank you

howilu · 06-29-2009, 10:06 AM

One thing I remember about the original Land of the Lost was the stop-motion photography that was used on the dinosaurs. In several TV books, I put in a joke credit "Rubber Dinosaurs-Themselves."

Marvo301 · 06-29-2009, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by howilu

One thing I remember about the original Land of the Lost was the stop-motion photography that was used on the dinosaurs. In several TV books, I put in a joke credit "Rubber Dinosaurs-Themselves."

I read somewhere (or maybe saw it somewhere) that the dinosaurs were shot on film and the live actors were shot on video tape and they had a very difficult time finding a way to marry the two together to create the finished episodes.

Retro4Life · 06-29-2009, 07:00 PM

I heard that in the YouTube interviews with the Krofft brothers, which I highly recommend by the way.

06-28-2009, 12:03 AM	#1
Marvo301 I'm NOT a Blockhead! Forum Celebrity Join Date: May 17, 2002 Location: The Great White North Posts: 21,450	Traveling back to The Land of the Lost I recently purchased Land of the Lost: The Complete Series. This series originally aired in the 70's. The budget was obviously small and it shows in the cheesy special effects and styrofoam sets. However the writing was actually pretty good and the acting not bad. I find myself really enjoying this show and being transported back to my childhood (I was about 10 when this show aired) when I watch these DVD's. In my opinion this is the best of the Sid and Marty Krofft shows.
	__________________ Only a life lived for others is worth living. Albert Einstein A life isn't worth living unless it has impact on other lives. Jackie Robinson Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man. Benjamin Franklin

06-28-2009, 03:43 PM	#2
Retro4Life Accept No Substitutes Forum Veteran Join Date: Feb 04, 2009 Location: IL Posts: 6,706	Totally agree. LOTL is one of my great TV childhood memories, full of outlandish, bizarre and creative stories and characters. I didn't mind the supposed "cheesiness" of the effects since for the time they were quite good. My guess is that all of our current effects will seem similarly laughable to moviegoing audiences in 30 years; it's all relative so why do people even criticize something like that? Poor effects can always be overlooked by strong writing and characterization and acting, but the most sophisticated effects in the world cannot undo or outweigh poor writing, so in the end I know what I'll always value more. It's a true shame the way the memory of LOTL will now forever be associated with the idiotic bumblings of Will Ferrell in this film. Chaka a pervert, pee and boob jokes...what garbage! Why couldn't they have made a more serious film that kept the cherished "family" dynamic and respected the original? And why did they have to diss the original stars like they did? Argh. Well, anyway, I loved the show too and will be grateful for all the fun, thought provoking Saturday mornings it provided!
	__________________ Alex Reiger :[Trying to convince Louie not to antagonize Bobby] "It's not hard to make people feel bad about their lives. What's hard is making people feel good about their lives."

06-28-2009, 10:20 PM	#3
dakert Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: May 10, 2007 Location: Altoona PA Posts: 3,410	I hope people STOP using the word cheesy when referring to classic and beloved shows--thank you

06-29-2009, 10:06 AM	#4
howilu Member Senior Member Join Date: Apr 20, 2003 Location: St. Louis Park, MN Posts: 1,958	One thing I remember about the original Land of the Lost was the stop-motion photography that was used on the dinosaurs. In several TV books, I put in a joke credit "Rubber Dinosaurs-Themselves."

06-29-2009, 07:00 PM	#6
Retro4Life Accept No Substitutes Forum Veteran Join Date: Feb 04, 2009 Location: IL Posts: 6,706	I heard that in the YouTube interviews with the Krofft brothers, which I highly recommend by the way.