Did anyone purchase "Lost in Space - the complete classic series"? (1 Viewer)

[Gordiac]

And can speak for the state of the DVDs as well as the visual quality?

I've just had enough with the freezing of "Lost in Space - The Complete Adventures" Blu-Rays, so I really wouldn't mind DVD over BR this time around.

To make sure there are no mistakes, I'm inquiring about this collection:

Amazon.com

 

[jcroy]

What kind of "mistakes" do you have in mind?

I picked up this particular complete series dvd version from wallyworld just before the pandemic took hold.

I don't have any of the original Fox dvd versions (ie. half-season sets, etc ...) from the mid-2000s era. So I can't make any direct comparisons. Though with that being said, this complete series set appears to be an entirely new mastering than the mid-2000s dvd releases.

 

[Gordiac]

By "mistakes" I've meant the possible confusion between "The Classic Series" DVD set and "The Complete Adventures" Blu-Ray set.

Thank you for your remark regarding the quality. Since you've mentioned nothing about it, I assume you've met no technical difficulties while playing the discs?

 

[jcroy]

Thank you for your remark regarding the quality. Since you've mentioned nothing about it, I assume you've met no technical difficulties while playing the discs?

I just ripped all the discs to *.iso files on the computer, and played the iso/vob files from the computer connected to my tv screen via hdmi.

As far as I can remember, all the discs ripped fine with no obvious manufacturing defects. Though I don't know if there's any problems playing these LostInSpace dvd discs on an actual standalone dvd (or bluray) player.

 

[jcroy]

The main reason why I didn't pick up the bluray version back when it was first released, was largely due to reading tons of complaints about the (crappy) special packaging scratching discs.

 

[Gordiac]

I'm with you on this one. Naturally I'd rather have the show available in a watchable state, and since there isn't a re-issuing of the BR version in sight - I'll probably just go for the "Classic Series".

 

[BobO'Link]

I have both the BR set *and* the remastered DVD set. Only issue I've ever had with the BR is the horrible packaging and the requirement to clean each disc before its played as you *will* get fingerprints on one when extracting it from those cardboard pages. If you have freezing BR discs, clean the play side with a microfiber cloth and 70% or 91% isopropyl alcohol.

I've not yet opened the DVD set as it's done in faux WS. I fully expect it to be poorly framed and almost unwatchable for that one reason. I purchased it simply because it was on sale for $20 at the time.

The BR set is vastly superior to the original DVD release.

 

[jcroy]

I purchased it simply because it was on sale for $20 at the time.

Same reason I purchased it. It was a $20 impulse buy at wallyworld.

 

[BobO'Link]

Same reason I purchased it. It was a $20 impulse buy at wallyworld.

Yep. My copy is still in shrink.

 

[jcroy]

... since there isn't a re-issuing of the BR version in sight - I'll probably just go for the "Classic Series".

LostInSpace appears to be a Fox owned title.

Since Disney gobbled up Fox a few years ago, I don't have any high hopes of Disney re-releasing any old Fox catalog stuff.

 

[ScottRE]

I haven't had any issues with the playing of either.

Here are some shots comparing the framing (the 4:3 are from the original DVD releases)

The blu rays are the way to go. The widescreen blown up in SD is a stupid idea. Blowing up a SD image only highlights the limitations of the format. At least in HD, it wouldn't look as grainy.

 

[Lecagr]

I have the original DVD sets from close to 20 years ago that are full frame formatted and I'm content/satisfied with those. Season 1 is in one volume and seasons 2 & 3 have two volumes each.

 

[ScottRE]

I love the image restoration of the blu rays but two audio changes bother me a lot, both in the first season:

1) they replaced Penny's "gasp" at the end of There Were Giants in the Earth / beginning of The Hungry Sea with the full throated scream she gives in the unaired pilot version of those clips. I would have been fine with it if they could have isolated the vocal from the music, but they couldn't, so we get a two second burst of Bernard Herrmann's music from "King of the Khyber Rifles" as she screams. It's bad in Giants but worse in The Hungry Sea as it disrupts John Williams' iconic score. This should have been presented as an alternate sound track. Reportedly Angela Cartwright was thrilled, but I don't give a what she thinks...this ain't about Penny.

2) in the first season, a few episodes had a different cliffhanger message because the show was being pre-empted the following week. Dick Tufeld would come in to say "whoops sorry! Lost in Space to be Continued Two Weeks from Tonight!" That narration is missing from the new remaster.

So I kept my old DVDs for those reasons.

 

[B-ROLL]

Assuming the WallyWorld set is the same- I believe there is a code for Season 1 on Vudu which is the remastered Full-Frame version while the DVDs are remastered "widescreen" versions.

 

[Ron Lee Green]

I own the Blu Ray set, and I haven't had any problems with skipping. The picture is amazing and I can see all the fine details I've never noticed before. The discs are hard to remove from the tight pockets, so to avoid scratching them, you might want to store them in different cases.
They did release the complete series on DVD but they cropped the picture and made it widescreen aspect ratio as other people have mentioned so that may be a negative to consider if you'd rather watch it in its classic full frame.

 

[Lecagr]

I seem to recall reading somewhere that Irwin Allen had a five season plan for Lost In Space, and the last episode of the 5th season, the series finale, was supposed to be about the Robinson family ending their journey in space and returning to Earth. There wasn't a 4th season because ratings were slipping and CBS claimed that the series was getting too expensive to produce. Similar thing happened with Gilligan's Island being cancelled after three seasons and the castaways still stranded on the island.

 

[jcroy]

2) in the first season, a few episodes had a different cliffhanger message because the show was being pre-empted the following week. Dick Tufeld would come in to say "whoops sorry! Lost in Space to be Continued Two Weeks from Tonight!" That narration is missing from the new remaster.

This is the type of changes/mistakes that I would have no knowledge of.

The first time I was aware of what Lost In Space was about, was watching the forgettable movie in the late 1990s. If the original show was in syndicated reruns, I wasn't really aware of it.

Later I realized it seemed kinda odd doing "reboots" of old 60s era tv shows as theatrical films during the 1990s, such as Lost In Space, Mod Squad, The Avengers, The Fugitive, etc ...

 

[BobO'Link]

This is the type of changes/mistakes that I would have no knowledge of.

The first time I was aware of what Lost In Space was about, was watching the forgettable movie in the late 1990s. If the original show was in syndicated reruns, I wasn't really aware of it.

Later I realized it seemed kinda odd doing "reboots" of old 60s era tv shows as theatrical films during the 1990s, such as Lost In Space, Mod Squad, The Avengers, The Fugitive, etc ...

Not odd at all... it was typical Hollywood thinking they could easily cash in on Boomer nostalgia with movies based on popular TV series of those years. However, they failed to get good scripts to go with those products. It's something they've done often with both theatrical and "TV movie reunion" special things. The "cash in" usually fails and/or is sub par..

 

[BobO'Link]

I rarely notice small things missing/changed in old TV series that have physical releases. It's just been too long and I've never been *that* critical a viewer. I had no idea about Penny's scream in the pilot until it was mentioned following the BR release. I pulled out my old DVDs and *do* prefer the non-scream version over the BR version but it's not enough to put me off as I really don't remember what was originally there anyway. Same with teasers. They're nice to have but I'm unlikely to know if one's NOB accurate or not.

I appreciate the knowledge and input from those who *do* remember and like knowing the differences. However, much of it seems rather nit picking when those changes don't truly impact an episode in a negative manner.

 

[jcroy]

I appreciate the knowledge and input from those who *do* remember and like knowing the differences. However, much of it seems rather nit picking when those changes don't truly impact an episode in a negative manner.

Most of my "nitpicking" is if I notice something that is inconsistent either from prior series (ie. such as comic book canon), and/or something doesn't really make sense with known science. The latter I'm willing to suspend disbelief for a lot of sci-fi type stuff, such as warp speed fast-than-light travel.