Who Plays Who?

Will Ferrell Anna Friel Danny McBride Jorma Taccone John Boylan Matt Lauer Brian Huskey Ben Best Ana Alexander Moran Atias Jesse Golden Eve Mauro Pollyanna McIntosh Ania Spiering

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Dr Rick Marshall Holly Cantrell Will Stanton Cha-Ka Enik Himself Teacher BErnie Pakuni Woman #1 Pakuni Woman #2 Pakuni Woman #3 Pakuni Woman #4 Pakuni Woman #5 Pakuni Woman #6

The Inside Story In 1940, producer Sid Krofft’s father snuck his young son into a movie theater to see the Hal Roach classic adventure "One Million B.C." His life would never be the same. "This made such a huge impression on me, and ever since then I wanted to do a show with dinosaurs," recalls Krofft. "That is where we got the idea for Land of the Lost." Rick, Holly, Will and primate Chaka explore the surreal area. The television series "Land of the Lost": the fifth show from creators Sid & Marty Krofft, debuted in 1974. Over three years and fourty three episodes, young audiences grabbed their cereal bowls and eagerly followed the adventures of Rick Marshall and his children, Will and Holly. The park ranger, while on a routine canoeing expedition with his kids, fell over a waterfall and crossed a time portal; arriving in a land unlike anything television viewers had ever seen before. Dinosaurs, aliens and all things past, present and future collided to keep children glued to their sets every Saturday morning. Known for creating beloved series such as H.R. Pufnstuf, Lidsville, Sigmund and the Sea Monsters, The Bugaloos, Dr. Shrinker and Electra Woman and Dyna Girl, Sid & Marty Krofft attribute the success of their many shows, especially Land of the Lost, to one adage: Keep your concept simple. As Producer Marty Krofft explained: "We had ordinary people caught in this extraordinary land of creatures and three moons. We never lost track of how important the story was, and it was really important to us to give names and personalities to the dinosaurs: the first time dinosaurs were ever on television." "Land of the Lost" began its journey from small to big screen several years ago. Producer Jimmy Miller approached the writing team of Dennis McNicholas and Chris Henchy about translating Sid & Marty Krofft’s classic show into a feature film, with an eye for Will Ferrell to star in the project. Miller, who manages Ferrell and Henchy; as well as the Kroffts, knew that McNicholas and Henchy had the comic sensibility to make the project work as a comedy adventure. For more than a decade during their time together on Saturday Night Live, McNicholas had written for and with Ferrell, and the Krofft brothers were invaluable contributors in elaborating upon the intricate back-story as the team reimagined the world of "Land of the Lost". "I’d been jockeying for this job for the last eighteen years. I had the "Land of the Lost" lunch box when I was in kindergarten. When Adam McKay, Will and I were at Saturday Night Live, we made Sleestak jokes as frequently as possible. I jumped at the chance to work on this," says McNicholas. His writing partner has similar fond memories of the show. "I watched it as a child. My parents constantly told me on Saturday mornings to turn the television off, so it’s been brewing for years as well," Says Henchy. Die-hard fans of the property, the writers were adamant about respecting the series, but also updating "Land of the Lost" so it wasn’t a paint by numbers interpretation. The writers reintroduced Marshall, Will and Holly as three unlikely adventurers who must band together to survive in a surreal world. "Using our childhood "Land of the Lost" memories as our guide, we tried to have fun with the full cosmic complexity of the series and not limit ourselves to just dinosaur jokes," notes McNicholas. Knowing that Ferrell would be the film’s lead allowed them to push the comedy limits. Holly and Rick are shocked at what they find. Not only did the partners believe it would open up the comedy to change the characters from a family to three strangers forced to work together, they knew that the film needed to have all the constructs of an exciting action adventure. "Our mantra was that if you stripped away the comedy, it would still be a good adventure and vice versa. That was very important to us," Henchy (TV'S "I'm with Her") explained. After initial discussions with his team, 2007 Teen Choice Award winner Will Ferrell ("Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby") was certain he wanted to be a part of the project. "Hands down, "Land of the Lost" was one of my favorite shows as a kid. When you think back to Saturday morning television in the 1970s, it was mostly Bugs Bunny and crazy cartoons. Then you had this realistic live-action show with a dad and two kids and dinosaurs and all this crazy stuff that was played as real. Of course, the effects looked amazing to my nine year old eyes," says Ferrell. But, there was a big question hanging over the production. "Did we go the route of the television series and show Sleestak where you can see the zippers up their backs, or do we take Jurassic Park and thrust comedy into it?" Fortunately for Ferrell, a meeting with a longtime colleague resolved that question. In spring 2007, old friends Ferrell and filmmaker Brad Silberling sat down for lunch. Ferrell told Silberling he was attached to "Land of the Lost" and wanted him to be involved. The director, who had several years earlier completed another large-scale adventure with "Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events", had his own fond memories of Marshall, Will, Holly, Chaka and the Sleestak. "I’m the age where I watched Land of the Lost on television in my pajamas every Saturday morning," Silberling recalls. "It sounded like a completely brilliant idea to make it into a movie. That you could be ballsy and go for it, taking the things you love and combining them with humor, were just the right ingredients." The director felt it was important to respect the original property while writing a new chapter for the world of "Land of the Lost". "You have to venture bravely into an undertaking like this. I was a dedicated viewer of the series as a child, and I had my own emotional response, so I feel I am a good ambassador," Silberling notes. He knew if he were to agree to the film, the cast and crew needed to share "a sense of humor about what the experience of the original show was" and understand that "Saturday morning television had its limitations," as he recalls Sid & Marty Krofft saying. Silberling met with Universal executives about helming the film and noted that if he was going to be involved, he wanted to use practical sets for as much of "Land of the Lost" as possible. The deal was signed, and stages on the Universal Studios lot were immediately reserved. By summer 2007, four time Oscar® nominated production designer Bo Welch (1986, '96, '97 & '98) came aboard and set construction was soon in full swing on six sound stages. Like Ferrell, Marty Krofft was quite pleased with the choice of director. "Brad Silberling has a very large heart. He has passion; he’s a pro and a stickler for detail. He was into every little corner of this thing: every nook and cranny. He’s just calm; he’s got a great attitude," notes Marty Croft. Recasting Marshall as a discredited 'quantum paleontologist', an imaginary discipline that blends particle physics with the study of dinosaurs; lent itself to the sci-fi bend of the show. "Our characters think aloud with the audience as they are stuck in these absurd situations, and that is what makes it so fun. Marshall is a fun character to play because he is the take-charge leader of the group, whether he is capable or not." Subtle nods to the series are seen throughout the story. "To play and enjoy with key elements of the series, that is what made it interesting to me," says Silberling. With the production greenlit, it was time to cast the additional roles that would allow Dr Rick Marshall to embark upon his epic adventure. To move the comedy adventure along, Silberling believed the script needed to show conflict among our trio of adventurers as they fumbled their way through the foreign land. "We created a group of characters much more impaired than the television series. We have three misfits needing to prove themselves and, in the process, they have to save the Earth." Holly would no longer be a little American girl with blonde pigtails, but a British expatriate who has been educated at Cambridge and moved to Los Angeles for work. She has been hired as a research assistant at La Brea Tar Pits, and her decision to seek employment there is more than coincidentally based on her attraction to Dr Rick Marshall and (what she considers) his brilliant mind. "Marshall is misunderstood and considered a joke in the scientific community, since he thinks there is an alternate universe." when actress Anna Friel was cast as Holly, Silberling insisted that she speak in her distinct Manchester accent. "On 'Pushing Daisies' I had an American accent, and most other projects I have had to speak with a posh English accent," Friel ("Goal!") remarked. "This is the first time I have used my own voice since I was twenty." One of her biggest challenges on the set was controlling her laughter. "I had to practice not laughing during a take. The boys would go off on a tangent, and I would do everything in my power not to laugh: including practicing my yoga breathing." When it came to casting the constant thorn in Dr Marshall’s side, redneck huckster Will Stanton, the filmmakers looked to a performer with whom two of them had previously worked. The two were Will Ferrell and "Land of the Lost" executive producer Adam McKay. In 2006 they saw Danny McBride in Jody Hill’s dark comedy "The Foot Fist Way" at Sundance. "Danny is unbelievable," says Silberling. "He feels like a found object. He does not seem like a guy that just walked out of a comedy club in Hollywood: more like a guy that just dropped in from North Carolina who happens to be incredibly funny." "We trade off in this film," says Ferrell I go between competent scientist and bumbling scientist, and Danny and I pass the ball back and forth." McBride ("Tropic Thunder" & "Pineapple Express"), who plays the manager of Devil’s Canyon Mystery Cave, has a theory about leading man Ferrell. "Audiences like a sexpot. They like somebody who exudes sexuality, and that’s definitely what Will does. Everything from the socks hiked up to his knees to the vest that’s littered with trinkets and trophies from past conquests in quantum paleontology. This is what the ladies are looking for." The team knew there could be no "Land of the Lost" film without a certain ape-boy creating mischief in the fantastic world. "Chaka freaked me out as a kid," Silberling recalls. "It was a combination of the makeup and the fact that there was a kid under there." The directors makeup and prosthetics team created what he refers to as "a character who is sketchy but loveable. He is a con man with heart." Saturday Night Live writer and performer Jorma Taccone was cast as Chaka. "When I was a kid, we used to role-play "Land of the Lost". I always ended up playing Chaka because I was the shortest. Plus, I looked like a freakish monkey-boy; that was the other reason. I’ve been preparing for this role my entire life," Taccone said. "Chaka is a bit of a rascal throughout the film, but in the end we come to an understanding," says Ferrell. "Marshall wants to think it is a master and servant relationship, but that is the farthest thing from Chaka’s mind." The Verdict "If you like sci-fi, journeys back in time, remakes of those old TV shows many of us grew up with, Will Ferrell and, oh yes, Dinosaurs, you should break even with "Land Of The Lost". Will Ferrell is as always, typical Will Ferrell. By now, cinemagoers know what that means. What saves "Land Of The Lost" from being a total flop is the terrific SFX, a cute rascally little creature (the Pakuni missing link) named Chacka and a fiercesome Dinosaur who steals the show every time it appears on screen. Interspersed amongst the humour and drama that makes up "Land Of The Lost" are: spectacular encounters with prehistoric creatures; blood sucking bugs, relics which have found there way into the time warp and, a bunch of 'sus' Aliens from another galaxy. Worth having a look at, especially if you have kids. 3 STARS." Synopsis

Scientist Dr Rick Marshall believes he has found a way to travel through time. But when he fails to prove his theory, public ridicule ruins his career. Until his biggest fan, a younf woman named Holly, tracks him down and provides fossilized proof that he is right. At the site where the fossil originated from, Marshall, is sucked into a vortex and spat back through time. Way, way back, with no weapons, few skills and questionable smarts to survive in an alternate universe full of marauding dinosaurs and fantastic creatures. Sucked along with him are crack-smart research assistant Holly and redneck survivalist Will. Chased by T. Rex and stalked by painfully slow reptiles known as Sleestaks, Marshall, Will and Holly must rely on their only ally, a primate called Chaka to navigate out of the hybrid dimension. If they escape they'll be heroes: if they get stuck, they'll be trapped forever in this Land of the Lost.

What Do The Critics Say

"I don’t know why this ridiculous film works as well as it does. Possibly it has to do with Will Ferrell being fearless about making a complete idiot of himself that is just dumbfounding and eventually seductive. I’m starting to develop a strange affection for Will Ferrell, you have to admit he’s brave." Margaret Pomeranz ABC AT THE MOVIES "A Will Ferrell comedy comes with certain expectations, and the latest Hollywood adaptation of a beloved TV show does not disappoint on that front. Aimed at a family audience, the best thing about Land Of The Lost is that it's a film that both father and son will enjoy. Dad will reminisce back to Saturday morning TV kitsch and understand the drug and sexual references whilst son will get off on the slapstick, dinosaurs and fantastic premise." Dov Kornits FILMINK "Land Of The Lost is flimsy stuff, but in an appealing way. Its brainlessness and lightness of touch and ability to turn in a new direction in the blink of an eye keeps it ticking over and means it’d be churlish to say much bad about it. Ferrell and McBride ping off each other happily. As for Anna Friel, well, she’s pretty and stoic and English and fills out a Lara Croft-style costume nicely." Michael Adams EMPIRE MAGAZINE (AUST) "I mean, this guy is the most unlikely comedian really and he plays the same character in all his films, except occasionally when he goes serious. But that's fine. We're getting used to the character now and getting almost to love it. It's terribly tacky and terribly silly but it is very enjoyable. I was surprised. I had quite a good time with it." David Stratton ABC AT THE MOVIES "It's not a masterpiece - not even a Will Ferrell masterpiece - but it has charms that are profoundly unexpected. Anna Friel is quite good as the straight woman, though in some ways, Ferrell is more of a straight man here than usual. She is, obviously, a beauty. I had a good, dumb time. Not exactly brain surgery: but fun." David Poland MOVIE CITY NEWS

"As usual, Ferrell ("Blades of Glory") gets into his outlandish character with every fiber of his being. He gives Dr Marshall just the right combination of self-importance and cluelessness. Will the intrepid time travelers ever find their way back home? It’s hard to care. Because they’re so funny in their new environment, we start thinking they belong there." Betty Jo Tucker REEL TALK MOVIE REVIEWS "Embrace the inane wackiness that is Land of the Lost. Seriously, you need to chuck any rational thought and just let yourself enjoy this one; and don’t feel ashamed about it. So, the plot is pretty stupid, but there are individual moments that might make you laugh your ass off. , well, he continues to play the well-intentioned idiot like only he can, while McBride hones his well-intentioned local yokel." Kit Bowen THE MOVIE KIT "I didn't expect to like Land of the Lost. In fact, to be honest, I was dreading seeing it.Maybe those lowered expectations played some part, but I was very, very surprised by the actual movie. Possibly more shocking than the constant sexual humor and drug references is the fact that director Brad Silberling and screenwriters Chris Henchy and Dennis McNicholas have crafted a film that's actually quite faithful to the Sid & Marty Krofft original." Devin Faraci CHUD "Adapting "Land of the Lost" to the big screen was a relatively safe bet for Will Farrell and director Brad Silberling. With original producers Sid and Marty Krofft behind the film, "Land of the Lost" became exactly what it should have been: poppycock, hogwash and utter silliness. I'm a little embarrassed to admit it, but I had a blast watching it." Kevin Carr 7M PICTURES "You get a little more humanity in Marshall than the typical Will Ferrell character. He has a sense of failure that’s real. The action is no Jurassic Park or King Kong so the film really rides on the comedy. They run from a dinosaur, jump over stuff, swing on vines. It’s a little more than half and half, definitely fun to watch with some memorable parts." Fred Topel CAN MAGAZINE

The Production Team

Director Written by TV series by Producers Original Music Cinematography Film Editor Casting Production Designer Art Direction Set Decoration Costume Design

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Brad Silberling Chris Henchy & Dennis McNicholas Sid Krofft & Marty Krofft Marty Krofft/Sid Krofft/Jimmy Miller Michael Giacchino Dion Beebe Peter Teschner Avy Kaufman Bo Welch Maya Shimoguchi Lauri Gaffin Mark Bridges

Run Time 101 minutes Rated PG [AUST] ©2009 - Universal Pictures - All Rights Reserved ©1999-2009 All Rights Reserved The Movie Pages - Protected by Australian & International Copyright. Trademark laws applied.