VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA--SEASON 4 VOL.2 (1 Viewer)

[Charles Thaxton]

I got my set and just finished SAVAGE JUNGLE. About 25 minutes in, the picture started skipping & froze...only episode on any of the sets I have ever had a glitch in. Anybody else run into this? My player is fine. All the other episodes are fine.

 

[ScottRE]

Originally Posted by FrancisP

The unaired pilot that is on the disc seems to be a first cut. It is missing the scene where Crane sneaks aboard the Seaiew and two scenes playing off of that. Also it appears that Theo Marcuse was the original Dr Gamma. What sy fy used was probably a final cut of the unaired pilot. I would assume that extra scenes were shot to fill out the 46 minute running time of the first cut. Also Theo Marcuse was probably not available so Werner Klemperer was used for some extra shots of Dr Gamma. Apparently Fox has a copy of this cut. It's a shame they couldn't include both versions to compare. However it is still good to have the entire series.

There is a color version of the unaired pilot out there somewhere, but it's the same edited version. What SFC used was a color version of the aired pilot with the color unaired pilot opening credits edited in. These were provided by Fox and also sold by Columbia House back in the 90's.


The scenes that are missing from the 47 minute version were in the original script. Whether or not they were shot at that time, I have no idea. The hairstyles seem a little different. The SFC/Columbia House cut has all the same commercial breaks and background music as the aired pilot. Much of that music was recorded much later for the episode Village of Guilt. To my knowledge, there isn't a 51 minute version of the unaired pilot, at least nothing in the vaults.

 

[ScottRE]

Originally Posted by Charles Thaxton

I got my set and just finished SAVAGE JUNGLE. About 25 minutes in, the picture started skipping & froze...only episode on any of the sets I have ever had a glitch in. Anybody else run into this? My player is fine. All the other episodes are fine.

Nope, I don't have issues with any of them. Probably just a bad disc. That sucks...

 

[Mark Collins]

Charles I had a problem with "Rescue" from vol 1. I also heard of reports of this on i think season's 1 and 2. Amazon is very good about returns if you received the item from them. I just used a soft cloth and cleaned the disc and my problem seemed to go away. I have used a damp cloth but rarely and never on Voyage. I just polished the disc with the cloth.

 

[Charles Thaxton]

hmnmm the disc looks completely flawless & pristine...but I'll give it a cleaning and try again. Thanks gents.

 

[younger1968]

i was over at a buddy's place last night and we watched the pilot including the commercials along with the lobster man episode. My buddy was born in 1951 and remembers growing up watching the show on tv. He got a chuckle on the commericals, like breck shampoo, pepto bismal templates, etc.


I am glad i have all four seasons on dvd and gives me great opportunity to watch these episodes again. I just wish spacecast.ca in canada would split off their space into two channels: 1. Classic Space 2. new Space. The old space could have the following


1. Time tunnel

2. Voyage to the bottom of the sea

3. Outerlimits

4. Lost in Space

5. Star Trek

6. logan's run

7. kolchak

8. the invaders

9. land of the giants

10. Original Battlestar Galactica

11. V The Series

12. Space 1999

13. UFO

14. Thunderbirds

 

[Professor Echo]

Originally Posted by Gary OS

.Gary "I still rank 'Submarine Sunk Here' as my all-time favorite from this series" O.

My favorite is THE DEATH WATCH from Season 3.


Recently watched DOOMSDAY from Season One and was once again amazed at how literate and powerful it is. You would hardly think it's from the same series as some of the later season entries.

 

[Joe Tor1]

I don't think it's possible for me to pick a favorite -- but it would be among "The Cyborg", "The Phantom Strikes", or "Jonah and the Whale"... all Season Two!

There are greats among all seasons -- but nothing surpassed Season Two.

 

[younger1968]

i tend to agree with many of the post. I do believe the quality of the episodes dropped off in S4. I have watched several episodes, like the lobsterman, adominable snowman, etc.


It almost seems we need start a separate blog, like book of the month club to discussed the different episodes. Maybe we can do episode a week and the critique are thoughts about those episodes. Any thoughts?

 

[JohnHopper]

> I do believe the quality of the episodes dropped off in S4.


I disagree. It's from the last part of season 3 (volume 2, if you like) that the level of the series drops drastically.

The first part of season 4 resurrects the quality of season 2.

Among the last part of season 4 (volume 2), only two are drecks: "The Return of Blackbeard" and "Terrible Leprechaun".

 

[Joe Tor1]

Originally Posted by JohnHopper


I disagree. It's from the last part of season 3 (volume 2, if you like) that the level of the series drops drastically.

The first part of season 4 resurrects the quality of season 2.

Among the last part of season 4 (volume 2), only two are drecks: "The Return of Blackbeard" and "Terrible Leprechaun".

I am in TOTAL AGREEMENT with this! Season Four really rallied at the beginning -- "Fires of Death", "Deadly Dolls", "Cave of the Dead", "Man of Many Faces" -- sagged in the middle, as John pointed out -- and rallied again at the end -- "Nightmare", "Man-Beast", "Snowman" (darker the the typical rampaging monster episodes), "Attack", "Edge of Doom", "No Way Back".

 

[kowalski65]

I liked "The Cyborg," too, Joe. I will admit, though, it was so campy I half expected the Caped Crusader and the Boy Wonder to swing down on their bat-ropes and help Admiral Nelson fight the onrush of faceless cyborgs (!)


I, too, think Season Two was the best. Color, introduction of the flying sub and Chief Sharkey (God rest Curly,) and still some great, Cold-War plots. .

 

[stoll48021]

Why do all of you guys diss the episodes with monsters? I mean come on, get with it, they are under the sea, trying to explore new forms of life. How man freakin stories can you come up with that feature espionage or natural disasters?? Again hello! They are under the sea, so what's wrong with sea creatures, snowmen and lobstermen? The non monster shows are good too, but I feel it's a nice change of pace to throw in some sea monsters now and then. Yeah, I know several of the same monsters were used on Lost In Space, but that doesn't bother me either. No one could play a monster better than the late Dawson Palmer.

 

[Joe Tor1]

Actually, "Daws", I LIKED most of the Monster Episodes. Somewhere in this thread I praise "Abominable Snowman" as a superior one -- darker, tension filled, more crew than usual. And I mention that I'm glad that Victor Lundin looked back on being The Lobster Man without derision on his commentary for "Robinson Crusoe on Mars".

Monsters were a huge part of fifties and sixties sci-fi. Even Star trek TOS had 'em! And, let's not forget that a "Ronald Ganz Monster" ("Abominable Snowman", and LIS Frog from "The Golden Man" and ID Monster from "Space Creature") offed Tasha Yar in STAR TREK TNG.

Deadly Creature Below, Menfish, Spider, Thing from Inner Space, The Creature II, Shadowman, White Gorilla... loved 'em all -- even if my faves were "The Cyborg", "The Phantom Strikes", or "Jonah and the Whale" -- and oddly "Savage Jungle".

 

[stoll48021]

Hey Joe thanks for the reply. Haa I see you really know your monsters! I wasn't directing my comment strictly at you, but I suppose the overall comments or opinions seemed to be a bit negative about the monsters. Haa glad to know you are with me bro! Now, for a question. Maybe it was answered before but because I've only been on here for a short time and have not had more time to reply, I may have missed some posts that addressed this issue. Ok, why would Fox neglect to include the upcoming previews of the next Voyage episodes, but included the ones for Lost In Space? Can we assume LIS sold better? In fact, I didn't even know such previews existed until I came to this board and saw one of them posted here or on a link to youtube. Just curious of your opinion.


Thanks,

Dawson

 

[FrancisP]

Originally Posted by Joe Tor1

Actually, "Daws", I LIKED most of the Monster Episodes. Somewhere in this thread I praise "Abominable Snowman" as a superior one -- darker, tension filled, more crew than usual. And I mention that I'm glad that Victor Lundin looked back on being The Lobster Man without derision on his commentary for "Robinson Crusoe on Mars".

Monsters were a huge part of fifties and sixties sci-fi. Even Star trek TOS had 'em! And, let's not forget that a "Ronald Ganz Monster" ("Abominable Snowman", and LIS Frog from "The Golden Man" and ID Monster from "Space Creature") offed Tasha Yar in STAR TREK TNG.

Deadly Creature Below, Menfish, Spider, Thing from Inner Space, The Creature II, Shadowman, White Gorilla... loved 'em all -- even if my faves were "The Cyborg", "The Phantom Strikes", or "Jonah and the Whale" -- and oddly "Savage Jungle".

Don't forget the Outer Limits which was a monster of the week show. Stefano believed you had to have what he called a bear. The problem with Voyage was that the scripts and that is usually the case.

 

[JohnHopper]

Originally Posted by Joe Tor1

Somewhere in this thread I praise "Abominable Snowman" as a superior one -- darker, tension filled, more crew than usual.

I agree with you. I was a bit reluctant at first because the title gave a false direction in terms of story to follow.

It's not a myth and legend plot but a mad scientist one.

It's written in the tradition of the mystery/whodunit so we're pleased to get a twist.

I didn't expect the outcome at all: it's almost done like a saboteur intrigue.

I like how Nelson is tied up to the machine in the reactor room: I won't spoil it.

 

[JohnHopper]

It's amusing to notice that the goal of the foes (alien, scientist, spy) is always the same:

1. stealing or using energy from the reactor room

2. launching a nuclear missile in the missile room


Prepare to dive!

 

[ScottRE]

Originally Posted by stoll48021

I may have missed some posts that addressed this issue. Ok, why would Fox neglect to include the upcoming previews of the next Voyage episodes, but included the ones for Lost In Space? Can we assume LIS sold better? In fact, I didn't even know such previews existed until I came to this board and saw one of them posted here or on a link to youtube.


Thanks,

Dawson

Fox didn't go out of their way to find anything from the period for the Voyage DVDs. The LiS previews were there probably because they were part of the film prints. I wish they kept them where they belonged in the episodes themselves.


Anyway, if Fox wasn't going to go to any trouble to dig up the previews, all that is readily available are 16mm film print copies for roughly half of the episodes. Most releases of classic shows leave off previews, sadly.

 

[Joe Tor1]

Originally Posted by stoll48021

Hey Joe thanks for the reply. Haa I see you really know your monsters! I wasn't directing my comment strictly at you, but I suppose the overall comments or opinions seemed to be a bit negative about the monsters. Haa glad to know you are with me bro! Now, for a question. Maybe it was answered before but because I've only been on here for a short time and have not had more time to reply, I may have missed some posts that addressed this issue. Ok, why would Fox neglect to include the upcoming previews of the next Voyage episodes, but included the ones for Lost In Space? Can we assume LIS sold better? In fact, I didn't even know such previews existed until I came to this board and saw one of them posted here or on a link to youtube. Just curious of your opinion.


Thanks,

Dawson

Dawson:


You must have had a ball playing those monsters! J


Somewhere, in one of the threads, I mentioned how I wanted the VOYAGE Next Week Previews as an extra – but we never got it.


I think one difference might be because LIS was released EARLIER in the evolution of the DVD than was VOYAGE. That likely accounts for the inclusion of previews and more extensive features for LIS – but also accounts for the inferior job of remastering and DVD authoring in general.


Look no further than Warner Bros. product to see the difference in earlier and more recent releases. Thankfully, FOX still loads-up SIMPSONS and FAMILY GUY sets, but DVD extras in general are skimpier than ever.


So, in the end VOYAGE LOOKS BETTER, but we don’t have the previews and we have double sided discs. Neither one is perfect but, in the long run, I think VOYAGE is better off.