Lost In Space ( 1965)

Lost In Space was and still is one of my favourite television series of the sixties. I remember coming home from school trying to watch these at tea time on a channel that was never very clear. Having now this DVD collection of the entire first series and with such excellent quality video to disc transfer is a real treat.

Created by Irwin Allen, who's series included 'Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea', 'The Time Tunnel' and 'Land of the Giants' Lost In Space was very similar in some ways to 'Roddenberrys' 'Star Trek' which incidentally was rejected at the time by CBS in favour of the aforesaid series.

Filmed in black & white the first season was much more serious in tone than the latter ones, which tended to be more camp because of the competition of Batman which was being aired around the same time. The series revolved around the adventures of the space family 'Robinson' and the evil stowaway 'Dr Smith ' ( Jonathan Harris ) who beacame , along with Bill Mummy and the robot the runaway stars of the show. In fact after watching again today Dr Smith comes across as even more evil as i had remembered him and his antics at trying every devious method in the book to return to earth even more entertaining and comical, as are his constant ranting and ravings to the robot.Seems like he spent ages coming up with new phrases such as ' My mechanical Friend' ' Bumbling Bucket of Bolts' 'Bubbleheaded Booby' and ' Bellicose Bumpkin' to name but a few.

Lost In Space can be enjoyed by anyone of any age which is probably it's main appeal.Although predictable and the settings restrictive it was probably Irwin Allens finest series.The 'Jupiter' spaceship looks particularly nice too by the way! Favourite episode probably has to be ' Wish Upon A Star' where the brainless Dr Smith stumbles across a derelict spaceship on the castaways planet and in it finds a helmet which apparently has the power to grant anyones wishes.Conjuring up a wealth of luxuries smith gets more than he bargains for when the owner of the helmet turns out to be a terrifying graoaning alien bent on destruction. An excellent episode this one, as is ' The Keeper ' the only two parter in the series starring 'Michael Rennie 'which unfortunately is somewaht let down by the ridicoulous looking monsters!

Having excellent ratings at the time Lost In Space went on for 3 seasons before being canceled.

A splendid eight disc box set beautifully packaged with a booklet and an added bonus of the unaired pilot episode.

This Island Earth


Universals ' This Island Earth ' is a very good example of Sci Fi in the 50's. Directed by ''Joseph Newman ' it is a very energetic , colourfull film which begins in familiar enough territory but journeys much farther out into interstellar travel and interplanetary war. The star of the film ' Rex Reason ' is unfortunately stolidly innapropriate in the part of the young physicist.Faith Domergue fares little better either......being rather flat. But what makes this film so stand out is the special effects , colourfull photography and the ethereal looking settings , which are all splendidly realised.

Cal Meachams (Rex Reason ) jet is mysteriously encapsulated in green light, after his plane malfunctions and is mysteriously landed for him . Arriving in his laboratory next day an electronics catalogue offers him instructions on how to build an ' Interocitor ' Provided with the necessary parts he finally finishes the project. The result looking dissapointingly like a colour TV set with an inverted triangular screen. The face that appears congratulates him on having passed the test and later asks him to join some strange company called Unit 16. After the machineis destroyed ' Meacham ' is taken aboard a plane ( with no pilot !! ) from where he is taken to his secret destination.Working alongside fellow scientists ( some romantic moments here with colleague Faith Domergue ) they soon discover they are under control by aliens who have specially chosen earths best minds to save them and there planet ' Metaluna ' from being dstroyed in an interplanetary war.Eventually being taken to there homeworld in a flying saucer they arrive to witness the planets final destruction.Escaping just in time the saucer returns to earth and burns up but, not before our heroes are safely lowered in there plane.

Although a year later the film was completely overshadowed by ' Fobidden Planet ' this is still a very enjoyable film.......dated yes ..but nicely so. This is much more than just a variation of the monster movie.....yes there is a bug eyed one.....Cleverly presented and produced by ' William Alland' he knew what the accent should be on and that was special effects.Alland who also worked on films with the great ' Jack Arnold ' definitely brought a lot of his unique imagination to bear.Seen from space the Shattered surface of ' Metaluma ' is splendid , as is the planet itself, wrapped in a shroud of gases as meteors collide and explode.The interior of the saucer too is nicely designed. This Island Earth also has it's fair share of gadgetry. All of this rather compensates for the laclustre characters. Even with it's shortcomings though' This Island Earth ' is most definitely worth a watch.......personally i would much rather see this than a lot of todays Sci Fi films.

Credits :
Director : Joseph Newman
Screenplay : Franklin Coen
Edward O'Callaghan
Novel by : Raymond F. Jones
Photography : Clifford Stine
Designers Alexander Golitzen
R. H Riedel
Producer : William Alland

GOOD EGG