Thursday, October 02, 2014

 

Dinotopia

Dinotopia was a fantasy series shot around the year 2000 as a mini-series and a 13 episode TV Show. The TV Show flopped after 6 episodes leaving 7 unbroadcast. It is interesting that the two projects were shot by different producers with different casts and differing storyline scenarios.  I will comment on the mini-series shot it seems with a budget of $80 million.

Waterfall city reminds me in concept of the capital of Nabu in Star Wars or Rivendell in Jackson’s Lord of the Rings. The “boys” who accompany their father are played by men of 25 and 30, the older Wentworth Miller of Prison Break fame. The show is intended to be child-friendly but the lad’s lack of grief at the supposed death of their father seems absurdly callous. David, ever the diplomat accounts for the brother’s similarity in age to their father’s active social life, they’re half brothers.

The show is emphatically high concept asking the viewer to accept the idea of talking dinosaurs that read, write and go to school. A utopia where weapons and killing are forbidden and everyone is vegetarian. If you can accept these conventions it isn’t a bad flick.

The TV Series starts off where the mini-series ended with the same sets and creature puppets but with an entirely new cast. It was still-born out of the gate, failing to capture the charm of the original. Inserting a new cast broke the audience’s suspension of disbelief and left the audience bored.

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