I’m so excited.

There are a few iconic shows from my youth where I look back and sigh with nostalgia and say “Now that was a show!” One of them was Land of the Lost. I dreamt myself as Holly, struggling to survive in a prehistoric wilderness, riding around on on a baby dinosaur (Junior?) and hanging out with my friend Cha-ka. At five or six or however old I was when Land of the Lost was my idea of television perfection, I was unbothered by lousy special effects or rubbery Sleestaks. The tell-tale asthmatic wheeze of a Sleestak was enough to guarantee me a nightmare that night, but I kept going back for more.

And so—although I typically sneer at the whole “let’s turn an old TV show into a movie” thing—I am thrilled to find out that Land of the Lost is being made into a movie… even if it is being turned into a comedy:

Universal is pushing the button on “Land of the Lost” for a March start.

Decision to greenlight the Will Ferrell project surprised observers, who are aware that U had a rough ride with its $160 million comedy “Evan Almighty.” Studio sources suggest the budget of “Land of the Lost,” described as an event comedy, was recalibrated from $125 million to $100 million in order to earn its start date.

Brad Silberling will helm the bigscreen adaptation of Sid & Marty Krofft’s children’s skein of the same name. Jimmy Miller is producing along with the Kroffts; Julie Wixson-Darmody and Daniel Lupi exec produce.

I can see how “event comedy” would make sense, I guess. But… what’s this? No Will and Holly?

Adaptation by Chris Henchy and Dennis McNicholas revolves around a disgraced paleontologist, his assistant and a macho tour guide who find themselves in a strange world inhabited by dinosaurs, monkey people and reptilian Sleestaks.

Hmmmm. The purist in me says no, but the Will Ferrell fan in me says yes. Mixing Sleestaks and macho sounds like comedy gold, frankly. I’ll have to wait for the buzz once the project nears completion to find out if it’s worth seeing in the theater, of course, but I can nearly guarantee I’ll rent this one at the very least.

When I was a child (yes, back when dinosaurs roamed the earth and we walked uphill four miles in the snow—barefoot!—both ways just to get to school and we liked it), my brother and I owned a modest collection of records.

There was the 45 that played They’re Coming to Take Me Away on the A side and played the entire song backwards on the B side; there was the soundtrack to Grease, and there was an Alvin and the Chipmunks record.

I don’t remember which one it was. Does it matter? They were all the same; some songs interspersed with high-pitched squealing and pleading (”Dave! DAAAAAVE!”) and then the only normal voice (Dave’s) getting progressively more agitated (”Simon! Theodore! AAAAAALVIIIIIIN!”) over something or other.

Yes, as a young girl I loved me some Chipmunks. Perhaps that was the start of my infatuation with imaginary bands.

Nowadays, of course, the Chipmunks make my ears rings and my eye twitch. Still, I was pleased to see that the trio managed to make it onto the Ten Best Bands That Never Existed list over at Earvolution.

True, several other favorites of mine made the list as well; most notably, The Blues Brothers at number 4 and Spinal Tap at number 2, but I can’t really argue for those being of interest to those interested in animation and other kids’ shows. (Though my children do understand that when something is really good, you say that “this one goes up to eleven.”) But for regular readers here the item of note is this: three of the ten bands mentioned fall squarely into the animation/kids camp.

First we have the Chipmunks, of course, sliding in at number 9. The article notes that they’ve now been around for nearly fifty years (!) and are still going strong.

In addition, props go out to Billy and the Boingers (fans of Berke Breathed’s Bloom County strip will recognize that one immediately) along with a bit of backstory on the band. That one really brought back memories.

And capturing the number 1 spot is Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem—the band from The Muppet Show. Their influence is masterfully summed up:

Over the course of their career, they played with luminaries like Elton John, Paul Simon, Dizzy Gillespie and Diana Ross and lent a weird aura to performances by Phyllis Diller, Sylvester Stallone and Tony Randall. Directly inspired from the classic rock music and personae of the late Sixties and early Seventies, Mayhem was the world of rock ‘n’ roll condensed and simplified for pre-teens. Think Jim Henson didn’t have an ear for rock ‘n’ roll? Check out 1979’s Can You Picture That? Given The Muppet Show’s target demographic, The Electric Mayhem indelibly imprinted the colorful world of rock and roll upon millions of young minds, easily making them the most influential rock band that never really existed.

Good stuff. Go read the whole thing, and if it makes you hanker for more imaginary goodness, Pop Candy not only highlighted the above-referenced article, it recommends FakeBands.com for more fun.

(Consider my hat tipped; that was quite the stroll down memory lane!)

Remember when I pointed out that both Ty’s Toy Box VP George Stolpe and DC Comics’ Dan Didio are fans of ReBoot? I guess the legions of fans rallying for the return of the series have finally been heard and heeded; it looks like ReBoot is slated to return in a trilogy of feature-length films:

Originally produced in 1994, the series was created by MainFrame Entertainment, which was acquired by and renamed Rainmaker in 2006. “ReBoot” aired for several seasons on ABC, YTV and Cartoon Network.

“The idea is to relaunch the brand in a new way,” said Rainmaker Animation executive vp Paul Gertz, who will oversee the project.

Launch it in a new way? He’s not kidding. Yesterday marked the unveiling of the brand new Zeroes 2 Heroes site, which contains—among other things—what is currently a placeholder for what will become a giant ReBoot focus group. This is audience involvement of the highest order; fans will have the opportunity to shape development based upon their feedback and even on their own submitted work.

Rainmaker is the sort of production company fans dream about, really.

” ‘ReBoot’s’ legions of fans have been incredibly loyal and continue to keep the property alive on dozens of fan sites,” Gertz said. “We’re very enthusiastic about how we’re reconceiving this classic series by creating an innovative way for those fans — who were kids when the series started — to use new technology to help guide us.”

Zeros 2 Heroes president Matt Toner sees the Internet as a democratizing medium. “It takes away gatekeepers,” he said. “We want to connect the fans with the producers … and let them determine what the next hits will be. When it comes to long-standing genre entertainment properties, the fans are the real experts.”

You can check out the beta version of the Zeroes 2 Heroes site right now, and possible future ReBoot material will be available starting on Thursday, July 26th (to coincide with the opening of San Diego Comic-Con International).

Though I didn’t watch ReBoot the first time around, I think their approach on this is going to prove to be groundbreaking. I can’t wait to see what comes next from these guys.

[Hat tip: Animated News]

I started to write something about the upcoming (last! suspenseful!) Harry Potter book and I just couldn’t do it. You can read about that everywhere. I wanted to offer something else.

And then I stumbled across a lovely diversion over at retroCRUSH. When you think about your first, fondest comic book memories, what comes to mind? The triumph of good over evil? The complicated plots? Or is it that awesome outfit that you sort of wished you had?

(It’s okay, guys. I won’t tell anyone. It doesn’t make you less of a man. Honest!)

You have to love this rundown of The Top 10 Greatest Super Villain Costumes of All Time, whether you look back fondly on Catwoman’s accessory choices or not.

Be warned: Some of the commentary is really not suitable for children. Let’s just say that if you were around when these characters and their associated comic books first came out, you’re old enough to appreciate the piece.

I especially loved this:

Only The Riddler could wear this green spandex number with such studliness. The Riddler also had some cool variants including a green blazer version for the more formal occasions. Plus, the outfit inspired various other super villains, most notably…

Matthew Lesko!

(If that doesn’t make you giggle, you have no soul. I’m just sayin’.)

I’ll confess to being a wee bit disappointed that Galactus only made #4 on the list. That’s quite the outfit, you know. The hat alone should’ve given him a spot in the top 3, dude.

Anyway, if you’re tiring of Potter-anticipation, you may find the piece a welcome respite. Enjoy!

As a general rule, I keep a tight rein on what my kids watch on television. This is very different than how I grew up; I was a latchkey kid for many years (as were most of my friends) and we watched whatever we wanted. (We also walked uphill in the snow four miles barefoot to get to school, but that’s a different story altogether.)

When my kids were tiny, they didn’t watch television at all. I was one of those mothers. And then one day I discovered that the magical shiny box would occasionally give me a few moments to myself, and thus began our love affair with children’s programming. Still, I don’t let them watch programs I consider objectionable, or even stuff that I just plain don’t like… usually.

The exceptions list is growing, as my kids get older. They’re developing their own preferences, and if I find a show objectionable simply on the basis that “it’s dumb” I’m less inclined to forbid it.

Still, I had to chuckle when I saw this MSN article on the worst cartoons ever. One of the targeted offenders is my son’s favorite thing in the entire world: Pokémon.

“Pokémon” had no story, only a Darwinist premise: Ash Ketchum, a young man and aspiring “Pokémon master,” travels around with his pet Pikachu, advancing levels as he goes. Ash has a bunch of young friends, and they wander aimlessly, looking for adventure. As a genre, anime cartoons are held in high regard — for character development, mature themes, complex plots and either smooth animation or really scenic backgrounds. “Pokémon” had none of these qualities.

Thank you. I’ve had a lot of people trying to explain to me over the years why Pokémon is so brilliant, really, but I just do not feel the love. Not that I’ve mentioned that before, or anything. Ahem.

Other offenders include Transformers and Scooby Doo, and the entire commentary is worth a read. Yes, Virginia, sometimes really annoying and dumb cartoons become popular, and no one knows why.

Here’s another one for the “gosh I loved that when I was a kid, and now it’s back” files:

Variety reports that Speed Racer is zooming to the small screen:

Lionsgate will announce today plans for its first animated series, a new version of the 1960s toon “Speed Racer.” Nickelodeon’s 24-hour cartoon channel, Nicktoons, is aboard to run the initial 26 episodes.

The new “Speed Racer” cartoon is set to launch next year, around the same time that Warner Bros.’ live-action “Speed Racer,” directed by the Wachowskis, hits theaters.

“It seemed like the right time to do a revival,” said Ken Katsumoto, exec VP of family entertainment at Lionsgate. “When this opportunity arose to revive such a classic property, we jumped.”

Will the series stay true to the original? Well, yes and no:

In the new franchise, young Speed Racer enters a racing academy for the fastest kids on Earth — and discovers that he’s the son of the legendary (and original series’) Speed Racer. He also finds out in the first few episodes that he has a brother — the new Racer X — whom he never knew existed.

Speed Racer wows the school with his Mach 6 (an updated version of the original show’s Mach 5) — the most advanced vehicle in the universe, which doesn’t run on gas. Speed and X team together to prevent villains from stealing the Mach 6 and to find out who’s behind the mysterious disappearance of their father.

Other characters returning include original Speed Racer’s younger brother Spritle, now headmaster of the racing academy. And chimpanzee Chim-Chim is now a mechanical robot.

(For the record, they had me right up until the bit about Chim-Chim now being a robot. What was wrong with a chimp??)

Perhaps most interesting to me was the fact that his project comes from Lionsgate, given that I thought Lionsgate was still the production company of angsty, edgy flicks rather than children’s entertainment. But apparently I’ve not been paying attention while they’ve reached out to grab another market segment:

The new “Speed Racer” comes as Lionsgate continues to expand its family entertainment biz, with a live-action “Bratz” movie coming out this August, as well as two more feature films on the docket: “Foodfight!” and “Sylvester and the Magic Pebble.”

After I read the part about Bratz having a live-action movie I had to go lie down, but still, there’s news to be followed, here. And really—chimp turned robot aside—anyone who brings back Speed Racer is okay in my book.

You already know how I feel about The Muppets. I adore them. You might say I am very firmly pro-muppet. Yes.

But I have to say that I’m a bit confused by this latest bit of news regarding The Muppets’ possible upcoming gig as purveyors of information about technology. It seems there was a very interesting survey put out. Well… just look for yourself:

* Do you want to see the Muppets return to television?
o Yes
o No
o Don’t know

Yes, please.

* Would you find humor in watching Kermit trying to help Miss Piggy and the other Muppet characters learn all about technology?
o Yes
o No
o Don’t Know

Kermit: Miss Piggy, I got you an iTunes gift card.
Piggy: Oh, Kermie! But I still don’t know how to synch my iPod with my laptop!
Gonzo: Rattop? Did somebody say RATTOP?

Yeah, I guess that could be funny.

* Would you enjoy seeing the Muppets introduce special guests on their show that would encourage kids to learn about science and technology?
o Yes
o No
o Don’t know

Kermit: Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, please put your hands together for Stephen Hawking!
Fozzie: Did you hear the one about the theory of relativity?

But what this survey suggests and what Jim Hill has been able to ferret out just don’t mesh:

Those are rather intriguing questions, don’t you think ? Ones that suggest that the Mouse may now have a bold new plan in the works for the Muppets.

Well, here’s the thing : Last Friday, I spoke with someone who’s in the know over at Muppets Studio, LLC (I.E. That division of the Mouse House that actually controls all Muppet-related projects). And they flat-out denied that any project like this is currently in the works.

Verrrrrrry interesting. You should probably read the whole thing.

[Hat tip: Animated News]

To properly read a Nancy Drew book, you need to be under the covers with a flashlight. It also helps to be a slightly geeky pre- pubescent girl, though it’s not required.

To properly view the Nancy Drew movie, it’s starting to sound like you have to be completely unfamiliar with the books. Which is really a shame.

As a confirmed bibliophile, I’m always a little sad when a book or series I love is made into a film. There’s just no way—no matter how much you spend on special effects or big-name Hollywood types—that what appears on the screen is going to mesh with what legions of people have been (individually) picturing in their heads for years. Part of the lure of reading is that it allows the unfolding of a story in the mind’s eye. Movies are about spoon-feeding, and sometimes that’s a great experience and other times it can tarnish a good story beyond recognition.

The issue with Nancy Drew, though, is that the critics can’t seem to agree upon what’s happening here. As of this writing, the critics at Rotten Tomatoes are evenly split; half think the movie is adorable, half think it’s an embarrassment to the literary legend.

Half of me wants to take my daughter to see it, and half of me is afraid that I’ll end up wishing I’d never laid eyes on this “updated” version. Perhaps I should wait out this opening weekend and follow the clues to the movie’s true disposition before making a decision. You know, sleuth out the reaction of other moms in creative ways… like searching their purses for ticket stubs and seeing if they’re stained with butter from popcorn (lousy movie, needed lots of snack diversion) or if they’re pristine and set aside to save (great movie, save the stub as memorabilia).

I think Nancy would approve.

If you’d asked me before I became a mom which is my favorite comic strip of all time, I’d have been hard-pressed to decide between Bloom County and Calvin and Hobbes. I still love them both, of course, but now Calvin and Hobbes gets a slight edge because I have my own little Calvin here in the house. (His “Hobbes” isn’t a tiger, it’s a dog… but the similarities are still uncanny at times.)

In fact, when Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends came along, I remember thinking that it was sort of reminiscent of Calvin and Hobbes… if Mac were Hobbes and Bloo were Calvin, that is. (Okay, maybe that’s a stretch. Sue me.) The point is, it got me wondering about how awesome an animated version of Calvin and Hobbes would be.

Unfortunately, creator Bill Watterson is somewhat infamous for his opposition to further development of the beloved characters:

Watterson also battled against pressure from publishers to merchandise his work, something that he felt would cheapen his comic. He refused to merchandise his creations on the grounds that pasting Calvin and Hobbes images on commercially-sold coffee mugs, stickers and t-shirts would devalue the characters and their personalities. He also refused to allow the strip to appear as an animated series.

A part of me loves that he has the courage of his convictions, and a part of me wants to cross my arms, stick out my lower lip, and wail, “Come ooooooooooooooon!!” Oh well.

But words cannot describe how I felt when I came across this post at Cartoon Brew yesterday. Although Watterson will never sanction an animated show or movie, this little taste was still a whole lotta fun.

Kudos to creator Donati Di Carlo. Who knows; maybe Bill Watterson will see it on YouTube and change his mind. (I know, I know. Just let me dream.)

Every story is better with a dog. Oh, come on—you know it’s true. Some of the most memorable cinematic and literary masterpieces throughout history feature a beloved canine companion.

I can’t say for sure if Tintin’s pal Snowy is the reason the Adventures of Tintin comic books by Georges Remi have been so enduringly popular throughout the years, but I’m sure it didn’t hurt. Just look at that little face.

Apparently I’m not the only one who’s a sucker for the appeal of Tintin and Snowy. It turns out that a few folks you may have heard of are fans as well:

Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson are teaming to direct and produce three back-to-back features based on Georges Remi’s beloved Belgian comic-strip hero Tintin for DreamWorks. Pics will be produced in full digital 3-D using performance capture technology.

The two filmmakers will each direct at least one of the movies; studio wouldn’t say which director would helm the third. Kathleen Kennedy joins Spielberg and Jackson as a producer on the three films, which might be released through DreamWorks Animation.

Tintin has long been a passion project for Spielberg; he and Kennedy have held various film rights to the comedic adventure book series off and on for more than 25 years. With the rights in place, Spielberg, Jackson and DreamWorks began quietly developing the project. Jackson has also long been a fan of the comic books.

I’m having a really hard time picturing Tintin in 3D, but perhaps this is why I’m not a feature film director and these guys are. (Well, that and a million other reasons.)

Jackson said WETA will stay true to Remi’s original designs in bringing the cast of Tintin to life, but that the characters won’t look cartoonish.

“Instead,” Jackson said, “we’re making them look photorealistic; the fibers of their clothing, the pores of their skin and each individual hair. They look exactly like real people — but real Herge people!”

“Real Herge people” aren’t something I can picture. Not without feeling like I’m having a bit of a nightmare, anyway. But I have faith that the end result will be much less weird than what I’m imagining. These guys are pros, and legions of fans will be on the edge of their seats, ready for this next chapter in Tintin’s adventures.

I cannot promise that I will not lean over to my children and whisper “What’s the matter, girl? Did Timmy fall down the well?” during the movie, though. I’m nothing if not predictable when it comes to movies with dogs.