LAND OF THE GIANTS PRESENTATION REEL

In 1967, Irwin Allen prepared an 8 minute presentation reel for Land of the Giants to present to the American Broadcasting Company (ABC).

Cast

Host - Don Matheson
Narrator - Dick Tufeld

Characters

Tim Burton
Dan Erickson
Betty Ann Hamilton
Mark Wilson
Joan Templeton
Barry Lockridge
Peter Linglehopper

Storyline

The Land of the Giants presentation reel begins with segments from each of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1964), Lost in Space (1965) and Time Tunnel (1966). Then, narrator Dick Tufeld introduces "1967, the year of the giants. The newest concept in incredible entertainment."

Preliminary drawing boards were drawn up to work out the flow of the presentation reel and 30 pieces of beautiful colour artwork were painted to depict key scenes from the Land of the Giants story concept, most of which followed through into the pilot episode:

Flight 703, an intra-space sub-orbital passenger flight from LA to London in 45 minutes
Tim Burton and Dan Erickson in cockpit
Passenger Cabin
External view of Barry looking out of window
Second view of Tim and Dan in the cockpit
Linglehopper looking out the window
Second passenger cabin view showing Joan, Mark and Barry
Crash landing
Rope ladder down curb with car running by
Running back into ship, giant boy standing over
Giant boy picks up spaceship
Giant boy holds ship
Crew see the giant boy's face through the cockpit window
Spaceship escapes
Linglehopper runs away from the ship
Linglehopper hides behind tree with Barry
Linglehopper picking up money with cat in distance
Chased by cat, claw outstretched
Tim and Joan below bottle
Tim and Joan climb in bottle
Bottle picked up by bearded giant
Giant looking at Tim and Joan in bottle
Giant drops Joan in to jar
Female scientist examines Tim and Joan who are taped to microscope slides
Fish tank
Final escape
Little people jump down into water drain
Little people sail to safety in a giant egg crate
Rested egg crate
Giants

Dick Tufeld narrates the story as a slide show of the colour paintings is dramatically presented, intermingled with clips of the Jupiter II and atmospheric Lost in Space music.

Host Don Matheson appears at the end, holding a script and introduces Irwin Allen's story for the first episode of the new series for the American Broadcasting Company, Land of the Giants.

Trivia

• The sub-orbital spaceship shown is a clip of the Jupiter II from Lost in Space. The spaceship did not yet have its eventual name, the Spindrift.
• Note that in the painting shown above, there is a second giant boy to the right side. This boy is not actually shown in the presentation reel.
• You can watch the full presentation which appears as one of the extras on the DVD for The Fantasy Worlds of Irwin Allen.