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- DVD Box Set: Land of the Lost Complete Series
- Edition: Limited Edition Gift Set
- Rating: Unrated
- Starring: Wesley Eure, Philip Paley, Kathy Coleman, Spencer Milligan, Bill Boyd, Walker Edmiston, Ron Harper
- Written By: Sid and Marty Krofft, James L. Henderson, Dick Morgan
- Directed By: Bob Lally, Dennis Steinmetz, Gordon Wiles
- Distributor: Universal Studios
- Original Year of Release`: Original Series 1974 – 1977
- Extras: Trailers, Sneak Peek at new Land of the Lost
- Series:
Land of the Lost: Complete Series (Limited Edition Gift Set)
Cue that Banjo! By
Robert T. Trate
June 01, 2009
Land of the Lost Complete Series Collector’s Lunch Box
© Mania.com/Robert Trate
We have all either seen Land of Lost (1974 – 1977) or know of its existence. There are plenty of reasons to scoff at its, now, utterly ludicrous production values but it nonetheless had an impact on pop culture. With the big budget Will Ferrell version set to hit theaters Universal Studios is releasing the complete series in an awesome collector’s metal lunch box. I for one was too little to understand Land of the Lost when it originally aired. Later in re-runs I laughed at it because it was not nearly as good as Star Wars, forgive me I was only five, or any Saturday morning cartoon. Now that the big commercial movie is coming out I got the chance to watch the adventures of Marshall, Will and Holly on their routine expedition.
Land of Lost was and still is a great science fiction show. The premise is incredibly simple and the possibilities were limitless. Marshall (Spencer Milligan) the dad, was an archeologist that takes his older teenage son Will (Wesley Eure) and his early teenage daughter Holly (Kathy Coleman) on an expedition. While going down the rapids they experience the greatest earthquake that the world has ever known. Traveling down a huge water fall they get sucked into a strange land populated by dinosaurs. Early on Marshall deduces that they aren’t in the past but a small pocket universe. Their only hope is to find a way out. The great thing about establishing the show in a small alternate universe is that anything could happen. The writers weren’t limited to cave men and dinosaurs for their adventures. This is where the show got interesting and introduced the Sleestak, lizard people that were, as it later was revealed, cavemen-like decedents from a once rich dead society. Often playing the villains the Sleestak were usually the main problem for the Marshall family to overcome.
The problem with any show like this is that if the Marshall family does get home the show is over. The writers and producers weave an interesting mix of family support stories and intoxicating science fiction. Each episode didn’t always end or even pertain to the Marshall family almost getting home only to have the chance ripped away. The second season opens with “Tar Pit” and it features the Marshalls and many of their allies rallying together to save a dinosaur. Another episode dealt with a new Sleestak named Enik (Walker Edmiston) who like the Marshalls is trying to find his own way home. The revelation of where Enik comes from is the stuff that all science fiction junkies love. At its best Land of Lost combined these two types of stories. One of which is when Will and Marshall realize that if they are going to survive they have to put their trust in Holly, that she isn’t a little girl anymore. While lost and trying to save her father and brother Holly encounters her future self. The adventure foreshadows their collective fate but it is one that should make any science fiction fan crazy for this show.
The show also delivered a great twist to the end of the first season. This twist is so great that it will probably never be attempted again in television history. That twist was born out of programming the series and unfortunately influences like these shaped later stories. Eventually one cast member left and the producers introduce a new one, hello Uncle Jack (Ron Harper), taking an odd turn to finish the last season of the Land of the Lost.
Besides the collector’s lunch box these complete seasons are the same as the 2004 to 2005 individual releases. There is a sneak peak at the motion picture version of Land of the Lost but nothing you can’t see on a SyFy Channel first look type show. There is short interview with Sid and Marty Krofft that should have been much longer. The biggest thing missing, besides recent interviews or a retrospective, is a Thermos. There really should be a mail away offer included.
Since the show is over thirty years old our high end special effect expectations have to be put aside. This was a show for children but it nonetheless has a great sense of adventure and storytelling that any fan of the genre should appreciate. Thankfully much of the programming on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim has prepared us for low budget brilliance. Sure the cast is either running in front of a blue screen or on a palm tree covered set but just go with it. When you are all finished you’ll be happy that you spent some time living in the Land of the Lost.
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Any word on when/if the early nineties version will hit disc?