Anyone with fond memories of Land of the Lost and those other Sid and Marty Krofft kiddie-phantasmagorias of yore will likely have a soft spot for local filmmaker Carter Lord's Lithium Springs. The special effects and some of the thespian emoting are best taken with numerous grains of salt, but the film's heart is large, its humor likeable, and its sense of adventure something both kids and grown-ups will be able to groove on. At its best, the movie's magical-mystery-isms play fast and loose with reality in a way that might even remind some of Alice in Wonderland by way of Luis Bunuel — all mashed up with some of those cheesy Sid and Marty Krofft creatures, natch.
The director also stars as Evinrude Jones, a good-natured everyman who spends much of his time slogging through the Florida backwaters in search of the legendary treasure of Ponce de Leon. Accompanying Evinrude on his mission is his faithful dachshund Fred — a character sure to delight dog-fancying viewers, as this really is one of the more full-bodied canine performances committed to screen. It's a pretty circuitous journey — made all the complicated by encounters with strange forest creatures, the inevitable, greedy land developers and a lovelorn lass with the hots for our hero — but it all comes out in the wash in a way that's both amusing and satisfying.
Lithium Springs plays as part of a special two-evening program devoted to Lord's films; the program also features live entertainment and appearances by some of the stars from Lithium Springs. Also playing is the director's first film, The Enchanted (which I haven't seen), a PG-rated tale of magic and life-changing experiences in the swamps of Central Florida.
Lithium Springs (PG) Stars Carter Lord, Henry Lawrence, Nina Roal and Rebecca Renfroe. Plays May 18 and 19 at 7 p.m. at Polk Theater, 127 S. Florida Avenue, Lakeland. Call 863-862-7553 for more information. 3.5 stars
This article appears in May 16-22, 2007.