When are We going to see a Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea DVD Release?!!!!!

#121

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11/8/05 at 3:07pm

JeffT.
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This is the official VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA (ABC 1964-68) DVD release discussion thread!

I just checked Amazon.ca and VOYAGE which has just been placed for preorder already has a customer sales rank of 94 while THE TIME TUNNEL (ABC 1966-67) similarly listed (a few weeks earlier) currently has a sales rank of 1307!

That's absolutely incredible!

So which is the most popular Irwin Allen 1960s SF tv series?

VOYAGE rules!

Jeff T.

THE INVADERS starring Roy Thinnes belongs in a DVD Collection.

Let them land!

#122

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11/9/05 at 6:04am

Jeff Willis
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Hey, JeffT...

Can't argue with the #"s

I love TT but you're right about "Voyage" with the Pre-orders. I can't wait for "V" since I haven't seen any V eps since 'way back somehere in the 70's, I think. That will make it a blast to view them on DVD. But, I still love that "TT" series

I hope those pre-order #'s come up some as well.

"Now all we need are those "Invaders" to land"

BTW, JeffT: I read your "TT" and "Voyage" reviews on Amazon U.S. Great job!

How many "Voyage" episodes were in the series?

"Checkmate King Two Out" Jeff Willis "Combat! A Selmur Production"

I'm a 50's - mid-90's TV/DVD Collector. One DVD show since '96: Firefly

The Fugitive/See Hollywood & Die: [Miles] "What, you think I'm crazy?!" [Kimble] "Next question."

#123

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11/9/05 at 8:25am

FrancisP
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There were a total of 110 episodes with 32 b&W episodes in season 1 and 78 color with 2-4 seasons having 26 episodes each. While the pilot was shown in
b&w, it was shot in color unlike the other first season episodes.

I also heard that the color pilot ran around 65 minutes. I was wondering if it was true and if it is, would there be any chance of getting this in the boxset.

#124

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11/9/05 at 8:46pm

JeffT.
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According to the advance word reported on the TV Shows on DVD website 2 versions of the pilot episode "Eleven Days to Zero" (14/09/1964) will included in the VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA - FIRST SEASON, VOLUME ONE 4-disc box set but of the 3 variants that will (ultimately) be packaged it's not clear whether the colour pilot will be one of the (aforementioned) 2 in the volume one set or not.

If correct apparently an "unaired" black-and-white version of "Eleven Days to Zero" will included as a special feature so this leads me to suspect that the hour length colour pilot (currently seen in tv syndication and previously available through the Columbia House collector's edition VHS series) will be handled as part of the actual (initial) 15 first season (1964-65) episodes in the volume one release.

Ironically it is now the original black-and-white televised version of "Eleven Days to Zero" that has become the rarity not the actual unaired colour pilot that was screened for the ABC Television Network programming executives.

Another special feature to look forward to in the volume two set will be Irwin Allen's original colour promotional introduction short for VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA along with his own personal home movies taken during the filming of the colour pilot.

Pertaining to the actual running times of the 3 "Eleven Days to Zero" pilot presentations as far as I know they are all uniformly an hour in length.

Lastly I hope that there will be no inherent problems in evidence with VOYAGE (and very likely THE TIME TUNNEL as well) being minted in the doublesided disc format (ie. ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS - THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON 3-disc set).

Jeff T.

THE INVADERS starring Roy Thinnes belongs in a DVD Collection.

Let them land!

#125

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11/10/05 at 10:24am

FrancisP
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Thanks for the info. Why is Werner Klemperer in the first part of the pilot and Theo Marcuse in the second?

#126

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11/10/05 at 12:44pm

Harry-N
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^Conjecture answer several pages back in this thread:

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...99#post2794899

Harry

My DVD Collection

A fugitive moves on, through anguished tunnels of time, down dim streets, into dark corners. And each new day offers fear and frustration, tastes of honey and hemlock. But if there is a hazard, there is also hope. - Closing narration to THE FUGITIVE, "Death Is The Door Prize".

#127

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11/10/05 at 6:11pm

RickER
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I thought it was not a double sided release?

#128

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11/12/05 at 11:03am

JeffT.
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Oh yes my friend! 4 doublesided discs with 2 episodes per side. Whether this is better than cramming 4 episodes on a singlesided disc I can't really say but it seems that these relatively thin discs are being exploited to their upmost capacity and that can't be good.

But there's even more to tell!

Just wait until you see the (intended) packaging design for THE TIME TUNNEL, VOLUME ONE 4-disc box set.

I honestly believed in that respect there was no possible way that 20th Century-Fox Home Entertainment could bungle that up.

Boy! Was I ever wrong on that account.

I really have to give Fox Home Entertainment credit in that respect for they've truly accomplished the impossible with what is most likely the worst box art possible I've ever seen for a DVD release.

Is that supposed to represent THE TIME TUNNEL (ABC 1966-67) tv series? This is a (bad) joke right?

I think that I can wait to see what the VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA (ABC 1964-68) packaging design will look like.

Jeff T.

THE INVADERS starring Roy Thinnes belongs in a DVD Collection.

Let them land!

#129

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11/12/05 at 2:44pm

Harry-N
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I really don't think I'd care if the box were plain brown cardboard and scribbled on with a red crayon:

If the discs look and sound great - that's all I care about.

But I have to agree that they should have at least used the official TIME TUNNEL logo-type for the box.

Harry

My DVD Collection

A fugitive moves on, through anguished tunnels of time, down dim streets, into dark corners. And each new day offers fear and frustration, tastes of honey and hemlock. But if there is a hazard, there is also hope. - Closing narration to THE FUGITIVE, "Death Is The Door Prize".

#130

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11/12/05 at 7:34pm

RickER
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Well hell, i will buy it anyway. Nice cover art Harry.

#131

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11/14/05 at 1:18pm

michael_ks
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I think the intent here with the box cover art for TT was to create broader consumer appeal and not allow it to be pigeon-holed within the '60's SF landscape. Whereas "Lost in Space" has that inescapable connection to the era it's from (even for those who grew up in the '80's), "The Time Tunnel" is a bit more hazy in the minds of the masses and this, IMO gives Fox the opportunity to present a more "generic" product, potentially reaching a wider market.

We don't know what the back cover looks like at this point, but I'd say that between the Science fiction-y title, blended with floating bodies and a TZ-like B/W spiral pattern, that this will tempt the curious and un-initiated with a set they might otherwise pass on if they saw a typical '60's looking publicity shot of the TT cast, as was done on LIS, season 3. I do wish they would have at least retained the "trapezoidal" TT logo at least--that's just the purist in me. As Harry alluded to, if the transfer is of high quality, I'll be grateful enough and considerably more pleased than I was with LIS S3, which featured a great cover and lousy transfer.

Something tells me that the "Voyage" covers will be similar in appearance to the LIS releases as the series title has the unmistakable connection to the 1960's, just like LIS. At any rate, if the picture/contrast of the episodes is spot on, I won't let a generic looking box cover bother me. Just having pristine looking prints of "The Fear Makers", "Sub Sunk Here", "The Price of Doom" and others will be enough to make S1, vol 1 and 2 the most coveted entry in my classic tv DVD collection! With its gritty, B/W "Outer Limits-like" feel thanks in part to the directing talents of OL alumni John Brahm, Gerd Oswald and others, and its tense and serious cold war/saboteur/natural disaster plot lines, S1 of "Voyage" should be awesome in all respects.

#132

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11/14/05 at 1:48pm

Harry-N
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I rewatched my late '90s VHS tape of "Submarine Sunk Here" today, after the mentions of the episode in this thread. I'd forgotten just how good that episode was - tense, moody, and populated with more actual speaking crewmen than most other episodes of the series.

Those prints that SciFi was cablecasting back in the '90s were brutal, though. I can't wait to see an unedited pristine copy. Looking forward to Season 1, Volume 1, and others beyond.

Harry

My DVD Collection

A fugitive moves on, through anguished tunnels of time, down dim streets, into dark corners. And each new day offers fear and frustration, tastes of honey and hemlock. But if there is a hazard, there is also hope. - Closing narration to THE FUGITIVE, "Death Is The Door Prize".

#133

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11/14/05 at 2:26pm

michael_ks
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The first two seasons of "Voyage" are a must-have, IMHO. Both unique and exceptional for different reasons. Season 1 for its noir-ish, tense and claustrophobic tone, season 2 for the exceptional cinematography and color, especially for those scenes involving the Seaview, Flying Sub and diving bell and the perils that befall them. The Seaview being rocked by a giant lizard man and the FS-1 being toyed with by a bug-eyed seaweed creature are oddly memorable. My 5 year old is going to absolutely LOVE season 2.

#134

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11/14/05 at 3:05pm

michael_ks
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The prints shown in 98-99 on SciFi certainly were quite poor. At the time I had not seen episodes of the first season in over twenty years and I recall thinking how finely crafted and different they were in comparison to "The Fossil Men" and others of that type. I remember also at the time realizing how much more riveting the image of an oversized sperm whale ramming the Seaview ("Ghost of Moby Dick") would look with a clean, relatively unblemished print. Now that I think about it--that whale was what...2 or 3 times the size of a normal one??

#135

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12/1/05 at 6:31am

Harry-N
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As we mull over the impending releases, I thought I'd ask a few Irwin Allen fans what their favorite themes are from the four shows.

Recall that VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA had two different themes, the one main one by Paul Sawtell used most of the time, and the alternate one composed by Jerry Goldsmith for the "Jonah And The Whale" episode that was supposed to be the new theme from Season 2 on, but was only used that once.

LOST IN SPACE had two main themes, the first one used for the 1st and 2nd seasons, with a new one used for Season 3, both composed by John(ny) Williams.

TIME TUNNEL, which only had one season, had just the one theme tune, also by John(ny) Williams.

Finally LAND OF THE GIANTS weighs in with two more from Mssr. Williams, each one from its own season. There was an alternate LAND OF THE GIANTS theme in that FANTASY WORLD OF IRWIN ALLEN release that was composed by Alexander Courage. I don't think it was ever officially used.

My personal preference is for the third season LOST IN SPACE theme. It's a rousing tune with that start-off countdown. It alone may have been good enough to have kept me watching the show back then, just to hear it on a weekly basis.

I'm also partial to the LAND OF THE GIANTS themes (both of them), and I think the Sawtell VOYAGE theme is perfect for the show it appeared on, and I'm glad they kept it for all four seasons.

Though I love the show TIME TUNNEL, I have to admit that musically, it's among the worst here. Still, over the years, I've become accustomed to it and wouldn't want it changed for anything.

Harry
...54 days to TIME TUNNEL on DVD...

My DVD Collection

A fugitive moves on, through anguished tunnels of time, down dim streets, into dark corners. And each new day offers fear and frustration, tastes of honey and hemlock. But if there is a hazard, there is also hope. - Closing narration to THE FUGITIVE, "Death Is The Door Prize".

#136

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12/1/05 at 6:55am

michael_ks
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Of all the Irwin Allen shows, the original "Voyage" theme by Paul Sawtell is my favorite. I never tire of hearing this stirring, nautical melody which perfectly captures a sense of adventure and the dangers that lurk in the deep sea.

It's odd, in a way that I would prefer Sawtell's theme over all the John Williams themes, since as far as their musical compositions skills are concerned, Williams is leagues beyond Sawtell. I wish Williams had scored several of the VTTBOTS espisodes, as he did with "Lost in Space". In view of the fact that the four scores he wrote for LIS were recycled throughout the series 3 year run to wonderful effect, one wonders why he wasn't commissioned for VTTBOTS.

Sawtell's score for "Eleven Days to Zero" is really substandard material, more in keeping with B-movie type film scoring, and actually diminishes the quality of the episode. If only someone like Bernard Herrmann had scored it! As for Goldsmith's second season title theme (used just once), I rather dislike it--it has such a dirge-like downbeat atonality that I find works counter to the series concept. It doesn't help that the visuals poorly match up to the theme. I do, however love his underscore for "Jonah and the Whale" and wish he had been commissioned for more episodes. VTTBOTS had few scores that are standouts, but this is one of them. My "dream team" of composers for VTTBOTS (had I been so blessed with being in charge of this) would have consisted of: Jerry Goldsmith, George Duning, Fred Steiner, Hugo Friedhofer and Bernard Herrmann.

#137

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12/1/05 at 6:59am

michael_ks
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Oops! And John Williams...

#138

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12/1/05 at 9:45am

Harry-N
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Williams score for TIME TUNNEL's "Rendezvous With Yesterday" was recycled a lot during that series one-season run - also to great effect.

Harry

My DVD Collection

A fugitive moves on, through anguished tunnels of time, down dim streets, into dark corners. And each new day offers fear and frustration, tastes of honey and hemlock. But if there is a hazard, there is also hope. - Closing narration to THE FUGITIVE, "Death Is The Door Prize".

#139

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12/14/05 at 11:33am

michael_ks
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On a discussion thread at the "Film Score Monthly" site there is some good news regarding the quality of transfers for both TT and VTTBOTS (and a tidbit or two about what's on the TT release).

http://www.filmscoremonthly.com/boar...1603&forumID=1

#140

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12/16/05 at 12:58am

Mark_TS
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The season one opening titles were great-the announcer with his "VTTBOTS"

The theme music, credits, and the only scene I ever remember which had so many rising bubbles which gave the Seaview an illusion of great size...

Gee, I hope they include blueprints of the Seaview-the Japanese laserdisc box had excellent, accurate, detailed bluprints-probably cribbed from FOXs Art Dept.

Dont know why-but Ive always been fascinated by the design of the sub-especailly the movie and season one.

The Official HTF 'elitist'
"War is God's way of teaching Americans Geography"-Ambrose Bierce

#141

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12/16/05 at 2:04pm

FrancisP
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Quote:

Dont know why-but Ive always been fascinated by the design of the sub-especailly the movie and season one.

You and me both. I love the manta ray design of the Seaview. Also the thing I remember most of the interior was the missile tracking system. I know that had been used on other movies, notably Hedison's The Fly but I always remembered it flashing.

I am glad that they're going to be doing some work on
cleaning up the prints. This is going to be a better
bargain than LIS. $59.98 per season for cleaned up prints.

#142

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12/16/05 at 8:58pm

Mark_TS
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The only out-of-kilter thing was the missle room- most nuclear subs carry 16 Polaris missiles-and even in shots overhead, you can see that Seaview has 16 or 20 missle hatches. But I guess Irwin could only afford 4-maybe he could have used mirrors or something...

Interestingly, if you watch the film where they are in the minefield, you will note some sort of indentation, or cupping at the outer edge of the front "wings" you never see those again-some sort of steerage? Not even on the official Seaview blueprints...

The Official HTF 'elitist'
"War is God's way of teaching Americans Geography"-Ambrose Bierce

#143

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12/23/05 at 12:24am

Mark_TS
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Hey!

The Official HTF 'elitist'
"War is God's way of teaching Americans Geography"-Ambrose Bierce

#144

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12/23/05 at 2:33am

Harry-N
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I'm one of those people sensitive to the PAL speedup, and therefore wouldn't want a European version of these, even if the seasons were combined into one.

David Hedison has one of those voices that is easily and fatally distorted to Chipmunk-like status with any speed-up. I didn't care for the Sci-Fi Channel airings that were sped up either.

No, I'll wait and be patient for the less than two months till the US release of Volume 1. We must be getting close to artwork time.

Harry

My DVD Collection

A fugitive moves on, through anguished tunnels of time, down dim streets, into dark corners. And each new day offers fear and frustration, tastes of honey and hemlock. But if there is a hazard, there is also hope. - Closing narration to THE FUGITIVE, "Death Is The Door Prize".

#145

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12/31/05 at 11:48am

JeffT.
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Look! Look! Will you please LOOK?!

Now that's more like it!

At last I have something positive to report to devout fans of VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA (ABC 1964-68).

I like this packaging so much that I'm even willing to overlook that fact that the Flying Sub didn't appear until this classic 1960s SF series' second season (1965-66).

Well now we all know just which Irwin Allen (June 12th, 1916 - November 02nd, 1991) DVD release is going to do better...right?!

How can anyone (possibly) resist this (fantastic) packaging design?

Too bad TIME TUNNEL fans we beat you fair-and-square on this!

Do VOYAGE fans feel better now? I sure do and how!

Thank you 20th Century-Fox Home Entertainment and I apologize for all the (reprehensibly) nasty things that I've said (and thought) about you!

Seriously thought it's really too bad that something similar couldn't have been (fittingly) done for THE TIME TUNNEL (ABC 1966-67) as well.

Jeff T.

THE INVADERS starring Roy Thinnes belongs in a DVD Collection.

Let them land!

#146

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12/31/05 at 1:11pm

Jeff Willis
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Nice cover art for Voyage. Yes, I wish the TT cover had been better but the important thing is that they're both coming on DVD. I too have waited a long time for both of these classics.

Happy New Year, HTF'ers and best wishes to all for a great '06. "More classic releases for '06" (I hope).

JeffT: May the Invaders land for you in '06

"Checkmate King Two Out" Jeff Willis "Combat! A Selmur Production"

I'm a 50's - mid-90's TV/DVD Collector. One DVD show since '96: Firefly

The Fugitive/See Hollywood & Die: [Miles] "What, you think I'm crazy?!" [Kimble] "Next question."

#147

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12/31/05 at 2:25pm

Harry-N
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A couple of hours ago, I saw Jeff's pictures of the VOYAGE cover art, and read his enthusiastic post.

I then went to Amazon.com in the US, which showed TIME TUNNEL to be #364 in rank, and VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA to be #1,378 in rank.

As I was about to make this very post, my computer mysteriously rebooted (silver aliens, methinks), preventing me from providing the above information.

Now that I'm back up and running, I see that Amazon has put up new "hourly" rankings, placing TIME TUNNEL up one notch to #363, and a big jump for VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA up to #1,135.

I fully understand that VOYAGE's release date is a month later than TIME TUNNEL, making it a less-urgent pre-purchase. TIME TUNNEL is due in just 24 days from today, with VOYAGE following in 52 days from today, 28 days from TIME TUNNEL's launch.

I'm not really one for putting the two series in any kind of competition - either one will outsell the other or they'll sell in equal numbers. It doesn't really matter to me. What matters is that THEY WILL BE SELLING! It's been a long wait for fans of both series - and a time to rejoice for all of us. Hopefully the transfers will allow us to continue to be excited!

Harry

My DVD Collection

A fugitive moves on, through anguished tunnels of time, down dim streets, into dark corners. And each new day offers fear and frustration, tastes of honey and hemlock. But if there is a hazard, there is also hope. - Closing narration to THE FUGITIVE, "Death Is The Door Prize".

#148

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12/31/05 at 3:28pm

MattHR
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From a graphic-design standpoint, the cover for TT blows away Voyage. The simple, yet striking, Saul Bass-inspired graphic for TT is very attention-grabbing. (Did Saul Bass design the actual main titles for the show? It sure looks like his work). The Voyage cover seems to be a random frame-grab, with little attention paid to design. The fact that the flying sub appears on the cover, but nowhere in the actual season, makes this seem even more like a hack-job. While it's not terrible, it really should be more representative of the season by not featuring the sub as its focal point. Of course, neither design may end up being the final cover used.

I'm a fan of all things Irwin Allen (with no clear favorite), so I'll be picking up all IA DVDs released. As a fan of the shows, and nice cover design, I always appreciate the effort the studios put into their packaging. It's nice when the packaging complements the content, which is a sign the designer is also a fan of the show (something lately lacking on a few DVD sets). I'm just glad to have the shows finally coming to DVD, and I only hope the transfers are better than LIS.

One thing is clear from the cover designs of both TT and Voyage: Fox is definitely trying to score sales from consumers other than the loyal fanbase (can't blame them). Usually studios feature prominent cast members on the covers, but today's average consumer has no idea who the actors from these shows are. A group photo/collage of the cast wouldn't appeal to anyone other than the fanbase, so the use of the intriguing graphics should, at least, inspire the casual consumer to pick up the box wondering, "What's this?", and then, hopefully, purchase the set.

#149

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12/31/05 at 3:55pm

Harry-N
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Quote:

Usually studios feature prominent cast members on the covers, but today's average consumer has no idea who the actors from these shows are.

We should be counting our blessings that the covers aren't "floating head" shots of Darren/Colbert or Basehart/Hedison!

Harry

My DVD Collection

A fugitive moves on, through anguished tunnels of time, down dim streets, into dark corners. And each new day offers fear and frustration, tastes of honey and hemlock. But if there is a hazard, there is also hope. - Closing narration to THE FUGITIVE, "Death Is The Door Prize".

#150

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12/31/05 at 4:02pm

MattHR
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Quote:

We should be counting our blessings that the covers aren't "floating head" shots

Agreed! Nothing worse than floating heads photo-shopped above a poorly air-brushed "action" scene. I'll take a simple, well-designed graphic over floating heads every time.

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