Rick_66
04-09-2009, 10:44 PM
Now we come to an episode which has some ups and downs, “Hot-Air Artist.”
And of course the Sci-Fi Channel made cuts. Some minor, some a bit more significant.
The first cut occurs after Jack has met Col. Post and the two of them encounter Grumpy. The Sci-Fi channel version does not include the brief scene of Jack distracting Grumpy by using small tree as a catapult to send a boulder crashing into the jungle. While the loss of that scene doesn’t affect the episode per se, it does undercut any degree of threat Grumpy might represent. In the Sci-Fi Channel version, Grumpy might well be a Sleestak trying to fire a crossbow bolt with any degree of accuracy.
The next cut takes place a moment later. The Sci-Fi Channel also excised Jack’s line regarding the headlines Post envisions: “Instead of strangers, could you make that ‘The Marshall family’?”
The Sci-Fi Channel also cut most of the dialogue between the Sleestak leader and the Skull of (dubious) Wisdom regarding this new intruder in the Land of the Lost. In the Sci-Fi Channel version, everything between the Sleestak leader saying “the Sleestak are frightened.” and his asking “How do we protect ourselves from his power?” is gone. This includes the questions and answers regarding whether this intruder is an “evil god” and whether he means the Sleestak any harm.
Personally, I think that scene shouldn’t have been included in the aired episode to begin with. As I said some years ago in another thread, not knowing why the Sleestak attacked would have been more in keeping with the element of the unknown they once represented.
The uncut version does provide a motivation of sorts that’s missing from the Sci-Fi Channel version: The Skull of (dubious) Wisdom gives double talk answers to the questions regarding whether Post is an evil god and whether he intends harm; answers which they interpret as “yes” to both questions.
In the Sci-Fi Channel version, no explanation is given as to why the Sleestak are frightened of Post’s “power.” And if that’s the case, they might as well have cut the whole scene. True, viewers of the Sci-Fi Channel version wouldn’t have known why the Sleestak attacked, but as I said, it maintains an aura of the unknown about them.
Besides, later scenes that were cut could then have been left alone.
The next cut come when Holly and Cha-Ka show Post the Lost City. Their lines stating that the Sleestak live underground and can’t stand light or heat anymore got the ax in the Sci-Fi Channel version. Frankly, the loss of those lines don’t hurt the episode.
The next cut comes in the scene when Post is telling Cha-Ka all about the wonders he’ll see. Everything is cut between Post saying ““Europe, South America, the mysterious Orient” and “wait till you see Paris, London and New York.” This includes the lines about meeting Kings and emperors; descriptions of technological marvels such as electric lights, cars that go 40 MPH (as fast as that?! Wow!), trains, 20-story skyscrapers; and Cha-Ka’s questions about whether Pakuni live in cities.
In the Sci-Fi Channel version, Cha-Ka hears a list of place names that would have no meaning to him. Col. Post could have listed the names of Department stores— say, Hudson’s, Kern’s and Jacobson’s— and gotten the same reaction. In the uncut version, Post entices Cha-Ka with descriptions of remarkable devices and talk of meeting people. In the Sci-Fi Channel version, beyond the fact that Cha-Ka likes it when people listen to him speak, why he would seem so interested in Post’s “sales pitch” isn’t clear.
The next cut comes when the Marshalls are getting ready to make their last meal in the LOTL. The Sci-Fi Channel excised Cha-Ka’s offer to make stone soup, along with Holly’s reply. A minor cut, all in all, but the “stone soup” line was an oblique reference to the pre-Jack era. That, the events of “After-Shock” and the reference to Rick in “Survival Kit” were pretty much the only indication (outside of the opening credits) that any of the events of the first two seasons ever took place.
Again, losing the “stone soup” line doesn’t affect the episode per se, but it is a nice reminder to the viewer that there is some degree of continuity between the first two seasons and the third; that season three isn’t entirely a stand-alone season, unconnected to what went before.
The next cut comes when Jack confronts Post about Cha-Ka. In the Sci-Fi Channel version, we lose Jack’s statement that he’s worried about Cha-Ka; that they can’t leave him in the Land of the Lost, unprotected, without any of his own kind. Instead, the conversation begins with the second part of Jack’s statement, that he understands Post plans to exhibit Cha-Ka.
The Sci-Fi Channel also cut Post’s reply beyond “you’ve mistaken my intentions.” Gone is his claim that his goals are purely scientific and altruistic.
The significance of this scene in the uncut version is that it explains why the Marshalls would consider taking Cha-Ka along in the first place (the 1970s probably wouldn’t have been very friendly to him, but the 1920s would have been even less so). In the Sci-Fi Channel version it’s just a given that Cha-Ka will go with them. Which doesn’t really make sense unless it’s made clear that the Marshalls don’t believe he can survive in the Land of the Lost on his own.
The final cut is Will’s line that he will never say last anything in his life, ever again. A minor cut, truth be known.
So, to summarize, short of leaving the episode entirely uncut, the Sci-Fi Channel should have cut the entire Sleestak/Skull of Wisdom scene and left the rest (especially the scenes with Post and Cha-ka and Post and Jack about Cha-Ka) intact.
Next time, the penultimate episode in this series of reviews: “Timestop.”
Rick
And of course the Sci-Fi Channel made cuts. Some minor, some a bit more significant.
The first cut occurs after Jack has met Col. Post and the two of them encounter Grumpy. The Sci-Fi channel version does not include the brief scene of Jack distracting Grumpy by using small tree as a catapult to send a boulder crashing into the jungle. While the loss of that scene doesn’t affect the episode per se, it does undercut any degree of threat Grumpy might represent. In the Sci-Fi Channel version, Grumpy might well be a Sleestak trying to fire a crossbow bolt with any degree of accuracy.
The next cut takes place a moment later. The Sci-Fi Channel also excised Jack’s line regarding the headlines Post envisions: “Instead of strangers, could you make that ‘The Marshall family’?”
The Sci-Fi Channel also cut most of the dialogue between the Sleestak leader and the Skull of (dubious) Wisdom regarding this new intruder in the Land of the Lost. In the Sci-Fi Channel version, everything between the Sleestak leader saying “the Sleestak are frightened.” and his asking “How do we protect ourselves from his power?” is gone. This includes the questions and answers regarding whether this intruder is an “evil god” and whether he means the Sleestak any harm.
Personally, I think that scene shouldn’t have been included in the aired episode to begin with. As I said some years ago in another thread, not knowing why the Sleestak attacked would have been more in keeping with the element of the unknown they once represented.
The uncut version does provide a motivation of sorts that’s missing from the Sci-Fi Channel version: The Skull of (dubious) Wisdom gives double talk answers to the questions regarding whether Post is an evil god and whether he intends harm; answers which they interpret as “yes” to both questions.
In the Sci-Fi Channel version, no explanation is given as to why the Sleestak are frightened of Post’s “power.” And if that’s the case, they might as well have cut the whole scene. True, viewers of the Sci-Fi Channel version wouldn’t have known why the Sleestak attacked, but as I said, it maintains an aura of the unknown about them.
Besides, later scenes that were cut could then have been left alone.
The next cut come when Holly and Cha-Ka show Post the Lost City. Their lines stating that the Sleestak live underground and can’t stand light or heat anymore got the ax in the Sci-Fi Channel version. Frankly, the loss of those lines don’t hurt the episode.
The next cut comes in the scene when Post is telling Cha-Ka all about the wonders he’ll see. Everything is cut between Post saying ““Europe, South America, the mysterious Orient” and “wait till you see Paris, London and New York.” This includes the lines about meeting Kings and emperors; descriptions of technological marvels such as electric lights, cars that go 40 MPH (as fast as that?! Wow!), trains, 20-story skyscrapers; and Cha-Ka’s questions about whether Pakuni live in cities.
In the Sci-Fi Channel version, Cha-Ka hears a list of place names that would have no meaning to him. Col. Post could have listed the names of Department stores— say, Hudson’s, Kern’s and Jacobson’s— and gotten the same reaction. In the uncut version, Post entices Cha-Ka with descriptions of remarkable devices and talk of meeting people. In the Sci-Fi Channel version, beyond the fact that Cha-Ka likes it when people listen to him speak, why he would seem so interested in Post’s “sales pitch” isn’t clear.
The next cut comes when the Marshalls are getting ready to make their last meal in the LOTL. The Sci-Fi Channel excised Cha-Ka’s offer to make stone soup, along with Holly’s reply. A minor cut, all in all, but the “stone soup” line was an oblique reference to the pre-Jack era. That, the events of “After-Shock” and the reference to Rick in “Survival Kit” were pretty much the only indication (outside of the opening credits) that any of the events of the first two seasons ever took place.
Again, losing the “stone soup” line doesn’t affect the episode per se, but it is a nice reminder to the viewer that there is some degree of continuity between the first two seasons and the third; that season three isn’t entirely a stand-alone season, unconnected to what went before.
The next cut comes when Jack confronts Post about Cha-Ka. In the Sci-Fi Channel version, we lose Jack’s statement that he’s worried about Cha-Ka; that they can’t leave him in the Land of the Lost, unprotected, without any of his own kind. Instead, the conversation begins with the second part of Jack’s statement, that he understands Post plans to exhibit Cha-Ka.
The Sci-Fi Channel also cut Post’s reply beyond “you’ve mistaken my intentions.” Gone is his claim that his goals are purely scientific and altruistic.
The significance of this scene in the uncut version is that it explains why the Marshalls would consider taking Cha-Ka along in the first place (the 1970s probably wouldn’t have been very friendly to him, but the 1920s would have been even less so). In the Sci-Fi Channel version it’s just a given that Cha-Ka will go with them. Which doesn’t really make sense unless it’s made clear that the Marshalls don’t believe he can survive in the Land of the Lost on his own.
The final cut is Will’s line that he will never say last anything in his life, ever again. A minor cut, truth be known.
So, to summarize, short of leaving the episode entirely uncut, the Sci-Fi Channel should have cut the entire Sleestak/Skull of Wisdom scene and left the rest (especially the scenes with Post and Cha-ka and Post and Jack about Cha-Ka) intact.
Next time, the penultimate episode in this series of reviews: “Timestop.”
Rick