Lost in Space: Season 1 Officially Announced - UPDATE & APOLOGY ADDED 10/8 (1 Viewer)

[Ronald Epstein]

Randy,

Update.

I received an email from someone stating that
the CBS Network promo has been available on Image
DVD's LOST IN SPACE FOREVER.

I should have known it, but admittably, it has
been years since I last watched it.

 

[Randy A Salas]

Perfect! Thanks, Ron.

(I should have realized that, too.)

 

[David Lambert]

Dammit, reading this yesterday I KNEW that I'd seen that network promo before, but after racking my brain I could not recall where. The most obvious answer! {smacks forehead}

 

[Barry Hebert]

I received this set yesterday. So far I have watched the first eight episodes and spot checked a few others.

With one exception, the quality was consistent across the episodes I viewed. They look very good---not outstandingly great, but certainly not bad. The episodes look clean with very little source related damage like dirt or scratches. Occasional mild grain appears due to optical zooms or effects work. The general look here is not quite as sharp and detailed as the Star Trek TOS DVDs, but then not as soft as the early season Star Trek TNG DVDs.

However episode two, "The Derelict", did have a slightly lower quality transfer than the other episodes I viewed. The image was softer and more contrasty. Not dramatic, but noticeable.

If no surprises crop up in other episodes, I will say that I am more than satisfied and happy with this set. As a long time fan of the series, I will admit to some disappointment at the missed opportunity to remaster season one for the absolute best possible DVD presentation. But most will notice the absence of bonus material before they notice any absence of "quality" with this set.

Any fan of Lost In Space should own this set. Hopefully FOX will see fit to put more effort into season two and three releases.

--Barry

 

[Mike K]

Hi - Folks here seem to be talking about the source for the LIS DVD's and Columbia House VHS tapes. Someone visiting my site last week asked me if I knew if they used the original 35mm negative masters in producing the CH tapes - I didn't know so I asked Kevin Burns if he could help, the following is what he responded with. Hopefully it is of assistence and/or interest to some here.

From : Synthesis
Sent : Friday, January 9, 2004 11:43 AM
To : "Jupiter-2 Jup2.com" Subject : Re: LIS Season 1 DVD's

Mike --

First of all, LIS was shot and edited on 35mm negative film. The negatives are all safe and sound in the vaults at Fox, as I understand.

From the 35mm elements (including an optical track for the sound) Fox would have printed 35mm fine grain master positives of each B&W episode and 35mm CRIs (Color Reversal Intermediates) of each color episode. These "positive"
prints serve as the "masters" -- as rarely, if ever, do studios want to risk handling or damaging the original negatives.

The 35mm positives were also used to make the 16mm internegatives from which the syndication copies were made. Fox stopped making and distributing 16mm
prints in the early 1990s.

In the late 1980s, Fox mastered all the LIS masters to 1" videotape using what was the best technology available. It was these 1" analog video masters that served as the basis for most all of the LIS episodes seen since that time. In other words, the Sci-Fi Channel and USA Network episodes, the Australian PAL videos, the Japanese Laserdiscs and the Columbia House VHS tapes were all made from the 1" masters made in the 1980s .

But since the 80s, there have been significant improvements in film-to-tape transfer technology. This includes "digital" technology.

In 1997, I remastered eight or nine episodes on DigiBeta stock as a test, and the picture quality - especially on "The Derelict" - was much better than on the 1" masters.

These DigiBeta copies were used by Fox Home Entertainment for the VHS copies sold in 1998 and on Laserdisc.

Even though all 84 of the LIS episodes have, to date, not been remastered since 1987, they still look very, very good. The DVDs will certainly look better than any previous release -- including the Laserdiscs.

The only drawback is that they could have looked even BETTER (especially "The Derelict"). Oh, well. Perhaps we can do this for a future release.

Regards,
Kevin


Personally I haven't pre-ordered the set online - so I'm looking forward to hitting the stores tomorrow to check it out and bring a set home.

I never did get any of the CH videos.

Mike
Jupiter-2

 

[Joe Karlosi]

I would like all LIS fans to make sure they pick Season 1 up, as the recent Fox chat confirmed that they're basing the release of Seasons 2 and 3 on how well this first one does.

Let's make it known how pleased we are with this release, and how eagerly we await the rest of the episodes!

 

[Eric Paddon]

I lucked out on this. I had more than $50 of coupons from Best Buy and that meant I was able to get the set for $10.

 

[Nick Eden]

I have watched the first 8 episodes and must say I am very pleased with the quality.
I think now most people are aware that depending on the sales of season 1 of Lost In Space, rides the future releases of not only season 2 and 3 of LIS, but also Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, The Time Tunnel and The Land of the Giants.
Anyone know how long it will be before we know how well this set has sold? Peter Staddon at the Fox chat seemed to indicate that sales were looking good.

 

[David Lambert]

I'm pleased with the video quality so far, too.

 

[Dave Scarpa]

I've watched the first disk So Far (Gotta Love that Cyclops and my wife liked the Washing machine that bagged the clothes, she wants one !) And the only ep I thought looked bad was the second one "The Derelict" there's a thick line that looks like a Worn out spot on the tape master on the right hand side of the screen. The other eps look fine and appear to be getting better as the series worn on. Boy was Dr. Smith a Bastard in these early eps.

 

[Eric Paddon]

Smith was far more menacing in the early episodes and a credible villain type. The instant Jonathan Harris started hamming it up with comedy is when the series took a wrong turn it never recovered from as far as I'm concerned.

I still get a chuckle over one amusing inconsistency in the early episodes. When Smith is trapped aboard the ship he's wearing a Class A Air Force uniform. But in the second episode for some reason, he's wearing not the Class A jacket he wore at the time he was trapped, but the more nondescript jacket he wore at the beginning of the first episode prior to the launch. If Smith packed another jacket aboard then I guess he was planning to get trapped aboard all along!

 

[Joe Karlosi]

I have to say that I don't think the series would have lasted as long as it did if Jonathan Harris hadn't elected to turn Smith into the hammy comedian he wound up becoming.
Harris always said he felt he'd be written out quickly with the same tiresome villainy each and every week, and I think that may have been true (though we'll never know for certain).

 

[Ronald Epstein]

The instant Jonathan Harris started hamming it up with comedy is when the series took a wrong turn it never recovered from as far as I'm concerned.

I agree with Joe's follow-up.

It was the fact that Jonathan Harris hammed up
the character that made the show so much fun.

Jonathan Harris contributed greatly to that
show's success.

I always wanted to meet him in person. Never
quite got there, but I did manage to talk to him
on the phone at his home a few months before he
died. Very amusing individual.

 

[David Lambert]

Nor is it believable that Smith would have kept up the sinister end of things. He was trapped, along with them. He'd made his attempts to take over and control things, and was unsuccessful. Continuing to do so would have forced the rest to either kill him outright or - more likely - maroon him on a distant planet to safeguard their own lives.

No, that character would have adapted and tried to get along more, as depicted. It wasn't in his nature to be actually helpful, mind you. Just ingratiating enough to not get kicked off the ship.

Harris played it perfectly, within the context of the stories. The stories got silly at times, but that wasn't the cast's fault!

 

[Greg_P]

I always wanted to meet him in person.

I had the honor of meeting Mr. Harris once. Quite the gentleman and boy he was a great storyteller. I spoke with him about his "Twilight Zone" experience and he must have gone on for about a half an hour on that topic without me getting a word in edgewise. Also just for kicks I asked him if he'd call me "A Bobble-headed booby". He laughed heartily and was more than happy to oblige me.

I just received my copy of Lost in Space season one in the mail today. Here's hoping we see season 2 & 3 released on dvd as well!

Greg

 

[Eric Huffstutler]

Wow. If there was ever an object lesson in how you can never go back again, this was it. In so many ways LiS was a bad, cheesy show. Ludicrous scripts, bad dialog, lame effects & weak production values abound. No wonder my parents used to roll their eyes whenever I rushed to the set and turned LiS on.

There are pros and cons to this. Keep in mind that those were the days when things were much simpler and what was shocking, scarry, or entertaining 40 years ago may come off looking cheap and cheesy today. They didn't have computers to create special effects like today, used blue screen or stage props, and rubber suit monsters were all the rage back then!

It is much like listing to a 45rpm vinyl record versus a CD. It was high tech for the day and we didn't know any different until we evolved up to CD's and couldn't look back. Same principals apply here with movie making.

To appreciate an antique television series takes an open mind and knowledge of television/movie history. Sit back and enjoy, don't criticize.

 

[Dave Scarpa]

Steven is absolutely on the money here, when I view Classic vintage television I don't judge it against television today, I view it in the frame of mind of the era it was made in. I appreciate it no less or enjoy it no less becasue if this. LIS does'nt make me "roll My Eyes" but it does make me Smile and remember a simpler more enjoyable time of my life.

 

[Dave H]

I appreciate it no less or enjoy it no less becasue if this. LIS does'nt make me "roll My Eyes" but it does make me Smile and remember a simpler more enjoyable time of my life.

I'm 31 now, but when I was in elementary school, every summer they would air LIS and you have no idea (well, you probably do) how much I would look forward to watching it. I was always upset they would only air it for the summer, but it was so fun to watch and then go play afterward.

 

[Mark Tay]

Originally noted in a review written by Kurt Conrad at amazon.com:

"The episode "Return From Outer Space", is missing some brief footage. I compared the DVD version to a tape of the episode I recorded off a local station back in 1985. In the scene where Will grabs the bottle of carbon tetrachloride and runs out of the store, the original version shows Will bumping right into the sheriff, who says, "Wait a minute, wait a minute...I thought I left you with Miss Ruth!". The DVD version, however, jumps from the storekeeper saying "Hey, wait a minute" to the scene outside where the sheriff is looking down at the stolen bottle."

I too verified with my old off-air VHS copy and it is true. Why even a few seconds of footage is missing is beyond me.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Mark,

WoW! I remember that scene.

Seconds of footage is cut? Interesting.

Not much that can be done I suppose.