Space 1999 - Page 3

Having grown accustomed to the Network Blu-Rays over the past month, the difference in picture clearness is very apparent. Faces look pastier, and there is less detail in tunic fabric. In every way, the Network set has the A&E one beat. Arkadia is even spelled wrong on A&E Disc 5. It's great that the A&E discs list the episodes on them, but the least A&E could do was get the spelling right.

As long as you have a means of playing the PAL DVDs (which look distinctly better than the A&E NTSC ones), the Network set is the one to get. There's no point in supporting the A&E release in hope of getting Season 2. That's not going to happen.

And for what it may be worth, although "The Metamorph" on Blu looks quite excellent, Derek Wadsworth's expressive score is buried under the sound effects, especially during the climax. You can barely hear any music at all.

I've now been given confirmation that a review copy is on the way, and I should have it in hand next week.

I'll listen for the difference in the sound mix on "The Metamorph", but I'm not certain how to address a picture comparison between the Network UK Blus and the A&E US Blus.  My intention here has been to compare the new A&E set with the previously released SD disc sets from 10 years ago, with a caveat about the corrections done for the Bonus Disc. 

I had thought that the transfers would be identical - I can't imagine why A&E would make new 1080p transfers rather than simply recycling the existing Network materials.  Kevin, can you tell what encoding has been used on each set of Blus, and do you have any way of checking the bitrates?  (If you have a PS3, this is an easy check.  If not, I realize it can get a bit trickier.)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin L McCorry 

And for what it may be worth, although "The Metamorph" on Blu looks quite excellent, Derek Wadsworth's expressive score is buried under the sound effects, especially during the climax. You can barely hear any music at all.

First of all, the HD rendition of "The Metamorph" is in stereo instead of the 5.1 surround audio used for the episodes of season 1. The music is indeed buried by the dialog and sound effects.  That's too bad. It sounds flat.

I have a PS3, Kevin EK, I can check the bitrates and the encoding.  I will tell you later. 

I watched Breakaway last night. I have not done an A-B comparison to my older A&E Carlton DVD's from 2000, but I plan to!

I would be very surprised if this A&E blu ray is not using the same source material as those used for the UK Network release as was done for The Prisoner blu ray. But I am just a consumer, so I don't know if perhaps there were issues with rights, or licensing. I have not seen the UK release, so to me, the A&E blu ray looks great!. 

When I first load the blu ray, I see the Network logo shown before the menu loads. So I figured, this could have been made from the same materials used for the Network UK set. All I can say is that I thought the image quality was pretty darn good! I did see fabric textures and skin tones and skin textures on faces very clearly. 

What caught my eye too was the model work. The shots of the nuclear waste areas looked great! You can see all the fine paint work done on the nuclear storage containers as they go down a conveyer belt. The lighting is very cool as the facility under ground is seen glowing red. The famous shot in the opening titles as an Eagle is spinning as it falls has a blue light illuminating it from below. I've never noticed that before. The opening titles, by the way, are very clean!

In terms of bit rate, my Sony stand alone player shows it range from 9 to 24 for the first 3 minutes of A Matter of Life and Death. Encoding was AVC. I checked it really quick this morning after I saw your post. I looked at DVD Beaver's site and it shows it higher. 

One thing I was disturbed by, I watched Breakaway with the DTS track. All through I could hear a definite hissing noise on the track. It was enough to notice. Though it wasn't obvious when I was trying The Inferno Machine the other night. It was a surprising thing to hear. Could just be the source materials they had to work with.

About the menus, they do look a tad goofy, a bit like Lost in Space's opening titles in the third season. I did like the menu choices when it says Human Decision Required. 

Overall, the live action portion of these new transfers look great! I've only seen one full episode so I look forward to seeing how good the rest looks. If I compare to Star Trek's BD, the Star Trek BD's look more vivid and colorful. But I also know the filming style was vastly different. I'm sure the other episodes will look as rich and colorful when I get to those.

Thanks for the info, guys.

Nelson, the cleaner title sequence is due to Network's guys finding a pristine textless version, to which they digitally added the titles in the appropriate font and area of the frame.  I suppose some could argue that these aren't the actual titles that were seen when the series aired on television, but I think the spirit is correct, and the cleaned-up versions simply look a lot better.

If you're seeing the Network logos, that's a strong indication that the transfers are identical, that the A&E sets simply ported over as much content as they had the rights to.  The inclusion of "The Metamorph" is another such indication.

I'm also looking forward to seeing the expanded version of the "These Episodes" featurette collection.  I just re-watched what's on the 2005 set, which includes "Breakaway", "Black Sun", "The Last Sunset", "War Games", "The Full Circle", "The Troubled Spirit", "Mission of the Darians", "Dragon's Domain" and "Testament of Arkadia".    I'm happy to know they have now added "Matter of Life and Death" and "Another Time, Another Place", among other eps, to the featurettes.

Kevin EK, The evidence does appear that the A&E transfers of each episode could be the same as those used on the Network UK set and the extra contents are ported over!   However, Kevin McCorry's post above does suggest this is may not be the case. Or perhaps the US sets have degraded transfers. 

Even the extras has the Network logo appearing.

I did look at the Catacombs Space 1999 site and they report the same contents are the same for the US set as the UK set and the surprising inclusion of The Metamorph. With the exception of the PDF materials, Lyons Maid Ice Lolly commercial and Horizon behind the scenes footage. I can see the British commercial not making sense for American audiences, but it's inclusion would have been fun. 

As I'm not that fully into Space: 1999, I looked up what the Horizon Behind the Scenes footage is, and I found this: http://www.space1999.net/catacombs/main/pguide/wreftvh.html

I watched the Sylvia Anderson interview, that was a surprisingly candid interview and her comments on Landau and Bain were pretty surprising!

I look forward to your review Kevin.

I just finished watching the 2 extras DVDs. Some nice stuff. I read ( was it here?) the Silvia Anderson interview was edited on the A&E set. But it was pretty candid, with a little sour grapes thrown in. Now i need to watch an episode!

I have so much to watch right now. In addition to Space:1999, i have The Six Million Dollar Man (wish that was a Blu-ray!). I am only 10 or so episodes into that show, as it is. I also have season 5 of Doctor Who, on Blu, waiting for me too!

So any word if Season 2 is coming to Blu ? I Guess getting Metamorph is a good sign, has season 2 already been Remastered ? I can't wait to get this set.

I don't know that we'll see Season 2 on Blu-ray.  There was discussion that it was going to be remastered in high definition 3 years ago, but I never heard about any DVDs resulting from that.  There may have been some 2nd Season eps aired in high definition, but I don't remember hearing about that either.

Having "The Metamorph" on this set is absolutely a nice bonus - if for no other reason than that it immediately contraposes the stylistic differences between the two years of the show.  Going directly from "Testament of Arkadia" to "The Metamorph" is almost as stark of a change as watching two completely different television series.

Here in the UK at least, both seasons of the show were released onto DVD by Carlton. However, the second season received much more restoration than the first - it looked much better.

It is generally thought that there has been no "Special Edition" of the second season because the difference in quality would be much less dramatic; moreover, although it has it's fans, the second season is in the main held to be inferior to the first.

To me, the first season has that unique, special feel to it that separates it from virtually all other shows. The second season is just another generic sci-fi TV show, OK in places but nothing to write home about. If it wasn't for some continuity points, like the cast, Eagles, etc, you'd never know they were meant to be the same. S2 brings in "character stories and rubbish rubber suits" with a vengeance.

I think that both seasons were indeed mastered into HD - I guess it depends on sales as to whether it'll get a Blu release. Like I say, the first season has a lot of "selling points", particularly the way it is held in high regard by it's fans, that the second season just doesn't.

As I recall, the predecessor show, U.F.O. also got a lot of restoration before Carlton released it.

It could also be a candidate for Blu, but I doubt it.

Did you know that Space:1999 was originally devised as a sequel to U.F.O.? The original concept was a series set ten years on from that show, with stories focussed around an (expanded) Moonbase.

Both seasons were released on standard definition DVD in the US by A&E, I believe using the same masters that Carlton had.  And yes, the Season 2 masters were better than the Season 1 masters.

One interesting twist is that A&E released a Bonus Disc for Season 1, with three episodes getting corrected transfers - "Death's Other Dominion", "Dragon's Domain" and "Testament of Arkadia".  Each episode also had an optional commentary, including a really frank one by Sylvia Anderson on the last episode.  There were also a few other odds and ends, including the fan-made "Message from Moonbase Alpha."  None of this material is included on the new Blus, so I'm hanging on to that disc.

I have not received a review copy as of Friday afternoon, so I doubt I will see one before the official street date.  Sorry guys, but the review of the Blus will have to wait until I can see a copy.

I'm really tempted to get that 30th Anniversary megaset. The price is great from Amazon. I only had purchased the first season sets when they first came out from A&E. The extras and corrected transfers in the set is nice and if you guys are right that a second season on blu is highly unlikely, then this seems like the way to go.

I seem to recall comments that the original A&E release had a bit of a greenish tint to some of the episodes

The Bonus Disc can be purchased separately from the Megaset.  I bought the episode packs as they came out, and then bought the Bonus disc on its own as soon as it was available.

Kevin, I figure the cost to get the remaining 2nd second episode packs would cost more then to get the Megaset!

I watched The Black Sun on the blu ray last night. I hadn't seen it in some time. Still kinda metaphysical ending if you ask me! Not exactly hard science. But I can appreciate the concept that Bergman was explaining to Keonig. And how it could have brought the Eagle back to Alpha too. Though the force of gravity in a black hole is such, I think the force field wouldn't have prevented the Moon itself from being crushed!

Nelson, the end of "Black Sun" is a classic example of the dream logic I was talking about before.  If you think about that episode in the cold light of day for more than two minutes, the entire foundation falls away.  It's simply, completely impossible.  They'd all be dead.  Crushed into spam.  Looking worse than Hans Reinhardt and Maximillian in a similar situation.

But if you watch the episode around 130am, when dreams mix with reality, then you can get to a place where the logic somehow works.

Same thing with Cellini and his monster (and the moving spaceship graveyard) in "Dragon's Domain", and with Mateo haunted by a ghost of himself in "The Troubled Spirit", and with the lovingly ghoulish ending of "Death's Other Dominion". 

I hope season 2 is released on Blu-Ray.I'd love to see 'The Rules of Luton' in HD.

Second season had a lot of kid friendly episodes, but mix that with the dreamy cool sci-fi of the first season and it balances out perfectly.

Count me in for the second season in HD.  I wish I had a chance to look at season 2's HD broadcast in the UK.  Please NETWORK, don't leave us fans without the entire complete Space:1999 series.  (event though some real fans couldn't careless  about it)

Kevin, those other 3 episodes and one or two others are ones I never could get myself to watch! Perhaps because of the need to see them during a less lucid time of day! 

I'll be sure to see them though on the BD set.

Yeah watched the Black Sun on the 100" screen in my HT, the music and atmosphere of this ep is really theatrical and holds up on the large screen with gorgwous image. Somehow Bergman was able to do some fancy math that not only protected the moon but caused the Eagle to "Phase" it makes my Brain hurt as a 47 year old you can only imagine as a 13 year old what I was doing. Maybe thats why when the "Friendlier" Season 2 came on I like that one too. Maya Stomping thru the Moonbase as a Monster C'mon loved it. Plus Tony Verdeschi was into Beer making made him really cool ! I also liked that the same characters "Opened" up in season 2, they smiled alot more, and seem to be less detached than they were in Season 1. I can't imagine Kano or Bergman in Season 2. Plus the time frame of many episodes from Helena's "Log' puts it 8 to 9 years after leaving earth orbit. Plenty of time for the seamstresses to whip up fancy new duds for our Crew.

I always held that the Moon surviving and later the Eagle vanishing and then meeting up with the Moon "on the other side" was nothing to do with Bergman's forcefield and actually down to the "friend" that Koenig and Bergman speak with.

There's no suggestion that the Eagle actually enters the Black Sun, or that it is equipped with a shield either, although it does phase like Bergman and Koenig do (even though their surroundings don't)

It's a highly atmospheric episode, and the dialogue scene with Koenig/Bergman/the "friend" is terrific.

I finally received the Blu-ray set from A&E this past day (Wednesday) and I started looking at the discs as soon as I got home from work.   (After 9pm, and after walking the puppy).

I immediately noticed a jaw-dropping upgrade in picture from the DVD sets I enjoyed 10 years ago.   This is literally a night and day difference in picture quality.  Also noticed that the 5.1 sound is actually pretty effective.

For this review, I will be comparing the new Blus to the old SDs, switching my HDTV input between a PS3 for the Blus, and a Pioneer DVD/laserdisc player for the SD discs.  I will also include the revised transfers of three episodes on the Bonus Disc in this comparison.  I will also compare the transfers between the UK Blu-ray set and the US Blu-ray set, to confirm that they are the same.  From all the Network and Granada logos I am seeing on the discs, I will be shocked if I find different bitrates, codecs or anything else.

I watched the opening teaser for "The Metamorph" on the fifth disc, and noted a definite upgrade in picture from what I had seen on the SD DVD, although not as dramatic as the Series One material.  I didn't really have a problem with the 2.0 sound.  But I haven't done a direct comparison yet.

Watched the "These Episodes" collective featurette for the new episodes covered, and found, particularly in the case of "Another Time, Another Place" that there were more interesting comments available.  Johnny Byrne openly acknowledges the dream logic factor in understanding and in appreciating the Series One episodes.  Byrne has nice and appreciative comments about director David Tomblin (who would go on to be an assistant director on some major Hollywood productions afterwards)

Also watched the interview with Sylvia Anderson.   The early sections (which I think A&E initially intended to edit out of this Blu-ray, and then changed up and left in) have nothing to do with Space: 1999.  They cover other productions like UFO and The Protectors.  The Space: 1999 section is primarily devoted to Sylvia's disdain for Martin Landau and Barbara Bain.  Sylvia describes Martin Landau in decidedly uncomplimentary terms.  She also proudly recounts a moment where she declined to return a phone call from Bain years after the series was over, since Bain and Landau never called her during the second series.  Her discussion here is along the same lines as her "Testament of Arkadia" commentary from the SD Bonus Disc.

Overall, this is a really, really nice package.  It's truly a gift to US fans of this series - providing the best transfers anyone has seen of the episodes, along with just about every extra enjoyed by UK fans five years ago and previously held back from the US.  If you love or even like this series, and you have a Blu-ray player, this should be a no-brainer purchase.

And yes, A&E misspelled "Testament of Arkadia" on the 5th disc.  It doesn't change the contents, which include a lovely transfer of that episode.

Glad you got the review set Kevin! I didn't realize you also have the Network version from the UK.

Look forward to your review, and how the new A&E Blu ray stacks up with the Network version.

Just noting that my review of the Blu-ray set has now been updated, as I have received the UK Network Blu-ray edition and have been able to evaluate it in comparison to the A&E set.

Both sets are almost completely identical, down to the menus, and even the logos.  All the A&E group did is encode the Blu discs for Region A and add their own logo to appear before the Network logo.

I noticed a very slight variance in the way the picture appears, even with identical bitrates, which I believe has to do with the A&E release being Region A encoded while the Network release has no Region coding.  At some points, the Network release looks a little lighter (the level of brown on the Eagle passenger seats at the beginning of "Breakaway), and at others the Network release looks a little darker (the depth of color on the back of Koenig's command chair at the very end of "Earthbound").  In other places, the color levels are pretty much identical, and the amount of detail is identical.  (the texture and colors of the nuclear waste canisters going into storage at the beginning of "Breakaway", the Kaldorian wardrobe colors inside the craft in "Earthbound", the colors inside the Medical Centre when Kano is plugged into the computer for "Guardian of Piri."  In some places, I thought the A&E release looked a tiny bit grainier, but this is really getting into nitpicking.  These are obviously the same transfers, simply ported over for the US market along with nearly all the extras on the A&E set.

Looking at the SD discs, I'm happier watching the US copies on my PS3 than watching the PAL copies on a region-free player.  The picture quality is the same, and the real joy there is getting to see everything both from 2005 and now without having to jump through hoops to do so.  

Now, the UK set does have an additional 2 1/2 minute Horizon segment on Brian Johnson's VFX on the 6th disc on the set, as well as a 30 second Lyons Maid ice lolly commercial on the 7th disc, and several PDFs on the 7th disc of scripts and manuals.  And the UK set has a little booklet that carries over most of the booklet content from the 2005 set, including the Gerry Anderson introduction, the Michael Richardson reprint article "Back to the Future" (detailing the production history of Series One), and the Jonathan Wood article on the restoration process.  The ITC Episode Guide from the 2005 edition is not included here.   The UK set also has a guide on the inside covers of the Blu-ray set, detailing what can be found on each disc.  The UK discs themselves are only labelled with a logo and their number in the set.  The US discs have the episodes listed on them, albeit with "Testament of Arkadia" getting misspelled.   And the UK set has a much nicer cover.   If these differences are deal-breakers, I think we may be starting to miss the forest for the trees...

In my opinion, US fans will be very, very happy with the A&E set, and I'm glad it's now available.