We did this one at The Firing Line, and we kicked it around at
www.lostworldtv.net and I had a blast thinking about it.
Alas, on TFL, most of our replies came from people who refused to keep the 1920 date in mind. Many wanted to bring machineguns, not likely to be allowed a civilian expedition to South America. We discussed where the Plateau is, and I think it's most likely in Brazil or Venezuela; the syndicated TV show never says. (Don't confuse the series with the several movies based on the book.)
My gun choices ranged from a Smith & Wesson Hand Ejector Second Model .44/40 to an M&P .38 of their make, to a Colt M1911 .45 like Lord Roxton and Ned Malone carry on the show when they aren't using Webleys, to a Colt SAA .45 Colt with 7.5 inch barrel. (Prof. Challenger on the show uses a 5.5 inch bbl. SAA).
My rifles would be a 7x57MM (.275) Rigby, a Winchester .44/40 M92, a H&H .375 Magnum, and a H&H or Westley Richards .500 double. Keep in mind that Sasha Siemel was operating in Brazil at that time, and in, "Tigrero!", he noted the prevalence of Winchester and Smith & Wesson .44's... so we could get ammo resupply in .44/40, at least. (Up until we took the canoes upriver past the end of civilization.)
Hey: I just thunk a thought! Remember the first two episodes, that they showed also as a separate movie? The guide said that he was only taking the expedition upcountry because someone in Manaus was trying to kill him, and he had to get out of town. So, it does seem to be set in Brazil. (The guns are much better in later episodes.) (Note Rachel's S&W New Departure Safety Hammerless .38, among others.)
I offered to write an article publicizing the series, covering the guns, and the Reeves-Stevens couple (who are the primary script writers) frequent the board mentioned above, but no one came forward to put me in touch with a prop man who could talk about which guns they use and why. The interviews with the stars were useless; Will Snow said he doesn't know anything about guns. He just points them and shoots them when and where the director says to. (Rachel Blakely, who plays Marguerite, DOES know how to use a whip, and she fences. Can you believe that this foxy babe was a bouncer in a Sydney night club before she became an actress?) And someone has shown Jennifer O'Dell how to hold a knife in her role as Veronica. We're trying to set up an interview (online) with a prop man, similar to those done with several stars. Peter MacCauley (Challenger) will post an interview this month. See the board for details.
If you like this swell fantasy/adventure series that has won the hearts of an even more loyal audience than did the original "Star Trek", get over to
www.lostworldtv.net and join us. Members reside in about eight countries. For the forums (where we discuss all sorts of things besides the show), hit the "Message Boards" button on the main display when the screen comes up. And if you have video capability, watch the scene where Jen does her fight sequence that will later be dubbed in with a dinosaur fighting her. That gal can act a lot better than I at first gave her credit for, and all the Lost World cast seem like very nice people, which isn't often the case with actors. Jen and Rachel are even close friends who shop/lunch together and are learning to sew while the show is on hiatus. Most women stars seem to detest one another as competition...
By the way, later this month negotiations should be well underway as to whether we'll see a 4th season. The Reeves-Stevenses post a weekly news update on this most Thursdays.
Oh: Rachel posts on the board (very occasionally) as "Bubba", which is an Aussie form of "Baby"; what her boyfriend calls her. Jen frequently browses the board, and is said to be very sophisticated with computers. Not bad for a California blonde...
End of "Lost World" commercial.
Oh: in addition to your local listings, "The Lost World" appears on TNT at 6:00 AM Central Time in the USA, Monday-Friday.
Lone Star
("Explorer" on the "Lost World" board)
