Posted on 06/04/2009 1:05:37 PM PDT by CMoran325
I'm not embarrassed to say it. I loooooooooooooved the tv show Land of the Lost. (Ok, maybe I'm a little embarrassed.)
I was 9 years old when it hit the small screen in 1974. I was a little younger than the golden-haired heroine, Holly. I wanted to experience the adventures and exhibit the bravada of the spunky Miss Marshall, in the face of a menacing T-Rex and the spooky Sleestaks.
So when I heard that this campy series was next in line for the Hollywood movie treatment, I was thrilled and looked forward to taking my daughters to see it. Then I heard that Will Farrell was the star, and I thought -- hmm, could go one of two ways here.
Will we have the goofy borderline fun of Elf and Kicking and Screaming, or will we get the really-not-for-kids edginess of Anchorman and Blades of Glory? When I saw a trailer last month, the MPAA rating had not been assigned yet. But what I saw led me to think what I feared.
For some reason, in a trailer that is "approved for all audiences" I saw Holly -- who apparently is considerably older in this incarnation (played by a 33-yr-old actress) -- introducing herself to the hairy caveman Cha-ka by placing her hands just below her collarbone and saying her name.
Of course, just below the collarbone is just above the bust -- so Cha-ka is then seen repeating her name and grabbing at her breasts. Hoo-boy, I thought, definitely shooting for the PG rating -- not.
I remained hopeful that perhaps after reviewing the box office receipts of Farrell's films -- as well as other adventurous PG movies -- that more family-friendly heads would prevail.
Come on -- Elf brought in $173M domestically, while the National Treasure films earned $173M and $219M. The original Night at the Museum grossed $250M, and the sequel has already earned $108M in less than 2 weeks. Pixar's Up has made $80M in just under a week. Heck, even a very similar, yet weaker movie like Journey to the Center of the Earth wound up with $101M.
But then they probably remembered that Kicking and Screaming only mustered $52M, while Blades of Glory raked in $178M. Hmmmm... this Land of the Lost is costing over $100M... hmmmm... what to do, what to do...
PG-13 it is!
So much for the nostalgia we all felt for a show aimed at pre-teens. The almighty box office gods have spoken -- and so has this mom.
My kids will not be seeing this movie. I hope you will join us -- we're going next door to see Up.
I was 12 when it came out, so my cheesiness tolerance was too low for the show.
I’ve been watching the original 1970’s series on SciFi all day.
It is very deep, well thought out, complex and internally pretty consistent. Kids might have enjoyed the SFX (cheesy as they may have been), but the Universe they paint and the nuances that flow therefrom are worth some serious thought.
Everything I have read says that Will Farrel (I quote someone else in saying “the current generation’s Steve Gutenberg”) trashed it in an unfunny and stupid approach.
8% on RT? People may not always agree with RT, but 8% puts it in Gigli territory.
Not as bad as when they had the Grinch have the hots for the Mayor’s wife in “The Grinch That Stole Christmas”.
Good thing Dr. Seuss wasn’t alive to see it.
My kids also did not pick up on “the key party” scene. Those Who’s sure did get around.
I was out when, in the trailer, Matt Lauer cites Al Gore’s Nobel Prize as evidence of his (Al’s) credibility. He doesn’t mention it was the PEACE prize so the implication is that it was scientific in nature. Yes that is a small thing but I abhor propaganda.
Plus I’m out on Farrel since he participated in that W bash on Broadway a few weeks back.
The original show was no great shakes, either. Hollywood is really bottom-fishing for ideas, lately.
I watched parts of it on HBO. Never mind my own prejudices....it just wasn't all that funny.
I mean, I have a decent sense of humor, and I usually can get the joke - even if it's on me. But Ferrel's show....just wasn't funny. It was just Ferrell doing an impression of what the left thinks George Bush is like. An impression of a mischaracterization of a person, with no comic material to work with......just doesn't cut it, IMHO.
Ferrell trades on the "I'm loud and much less important than I think I am" character far too much, IMHO.
Nothingh starring Will Ferrel is worth spending any money one. I put him and Jim Carrey in the same category. They don’t act. They mug.
I was a huge fan of the show, and there’s no way I’ll ever watch this movie, not in the theater, not as a rental, not at a friends house, not with green eggs and ham. While in general I’m OK with making movies from shows, some of them are actually OK, I HATE the ones that decide to do them as making fun of the show. LOTL wasn’t the best show in history, but it was good at what it was, an adventure show for kids, not too serious but also not “dumb guys and gross out humor” show like this movie.
Farrell seems to be stuck in that W. role. His appearance on SNL a couple weeks ago had him reprising his Harry Carey impersonation, and it seemed he was lapsing into W. during it.
As a Cubs fan, I find that Harry Carey gag hilarious. The best time was with Jeff Goldblum.
seen here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haAhdtDmsOw
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.