Title: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s The
Lost World
Stars: Bob Hoskins, James Fox, Tom
Ward, Matthew Rhys, Elaine Cassidy, Peter Falk, and Robert Hardy
Writers: Tony Mulholland and
Adrian Hodges
Based on the Novel by: Sir Arthur Conan
Doyle
Director: Stuart Orme
Part One Running Time: 84 minutes
without commercials
Part Two-Running Time: 86 minutes
without commercials
Media: A&E Network Studios Original
Television Miniseries (NTSC VHS Screener)
Premiere: Part One: Sunday, October 6,
2002, at 8pm (ET)/ 7pm (CT)
Premiere: Part Two: Monday, October 7,
2002, at 8pm (ET)/ 7pm (CT)
Network: Arts & Entertainment
Network Television (Check your local cable/satellite listings for channel)
TV Rating: TV-PG
Reviewer: Mark A. Rivera
There have been four filmed
adaptations, a TV series, and six radio dramatizations of Sir Arthur Conan
Doyle’s “The Lost World.” Now A&E and the BBC have co-produced this
new miniseries starring Bob Hoskins as maverick Professor George Challenger, who
in this version leads an early 20th century expedition deep into the
Amazon jungle where there is a plateau cut off from the rest of the world. Upon
getting there they discover a land filled with exotic wonders and primordial
dangers where various dinosaurs and early mammals as well strange and dangerous
tribes survive in a harsh and forgotten realm. The problem is twofold for our
heroes since they not only have to worry about getting back alive, but what will
happen when they do get back.
Bob Hoskins is simply excellent as
“Challenger.” He makes the role so much his own I almost feel that I could
not picture another actor playing the character. Another standout is Peter Falk
who shows great range as an American missionary obsessed with hiding and denying
the existence of the lost world because he believes it is an offense to his
biblical teachings and beliefs. Filmed on location in New Zealand and at
London’s Pinewood Studios, the production values are above average for a TV
miniseries and the special effects by Framestore and Crawly Creatures, whose
credits include “Walking With Dinosaurs” and “Dinotopia: The Miniseries”
are quite good especially for television though not quite as vivid as the
one’s created by ILM. At times it appears that dinosaur and even a prehistoric
creature bought to life in “Walking With Prehistoric Beasts” have been
recycled from the already existing computer generated models and then
re-animated into the new scenes. That withstanding, A&E Network Studio’s
miniseries premiere of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s “The Lost World” is still
very entertaining and worth seeing.
A&E is following up this
presentation with a World Premiere Documentary Special, “The Lost Dinosaurs Of
Egypt” on Tuesday, October 9, 2002, at 9pm (ET)/ 7pm (CT). There is a
companion website open now at http:/wwwaande.com/tv/shows/lostworld/
where an exclusive 30-minute documentary can be viewed and “The Lost World”
will then debut on DVD-Video as a “2-Disc Special Edition” on Tuesday,
October 29, 2002, featuring an anamorphic widescreen (1.78:1) presentation and
over 2 full hours of bonus materials and pre-orders can be made now by calling
A&E Home Video at (1-800-423-1212) or at various online retailers. Don’t
miss this miniseries when part one of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s “The Lost
World” premieres on Sunday, October 6, 2002, at 8pm (ET)/ 7pm (CT) with
part two following on Monday, October 7, 2002, at 8pm (ET)/ 7pm (CT) only on
A&E.
Those interested in more media reviews
related to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and “The Lost World” can read my review of
the restored silent
version, which aired last summer on Turner Classic
Movies, the TV series, which is only
available on VCD, and the upcoming USA Crime Friday “Sherlock Holmes” Movie
“Case Of Evil.”
© Copyright 2002 By Mark A. Rivera
All Rights Reserved.