Space1999_Cover.jpgSpace: 1999

Year One – 30th Anniversary Edition

Beyond Home Entertainment

R4 DVD

 

Reviewer: Bob Estreich

 

With the release of Star Trek in the United States in 1966 the popularity of science fiction on TV took off. In Britain there was already a sort of SF industry developing shows like the TV marionette series Thunderbirds (also mid-1960s) and the BBC’s immortal Doctor Who (1963).  These low-budget shows kept the genre alive until something better came along. That “something better” was Space: 1999.

 

One of the biggest expenses in this type of show was the special effects. Now CGI is extensively used but in the 1960s models were the only way get the effects. Sylvia and Gerry Anderson, the creators of the show, had sorted out their model techniques in Thunderbirds and it was only natural that their skills would be used for Space: 1999. So good is the model work that in many cases I believe it is better than a lot of current CGI. It was also nice to see spacesuits that didn’t look like overalls with a motorbike helmet on top. It was these details that gave the show a credible look.

 

Britain also had a pool of good writers. Many writers contributed scripts over the years including the Andersons themselves.

 

The basic plot revolves around Moon Base Alpha. When atomic waste stored on the moon explodes it knocks the moon out of orbit and into space. This is the first scientific inconsistency, and there were many. Moon Base Alpha was on the far side of the moon – wouldn’t the explosion have knocked the Moon closer to earth? Regardless, the moon takes off into space where, conveniently, it passes by a new planet every week or so. The plots are generally intelligent, the actors are competent, and the show is good fun.

 

In one departure from the norm American Martin Landau was cast as the leading character and his British wife, Barbara Bain, as the base Doctor. Other characters appear to be trying to represent a range of nationalities. This was possibly an attempt to gain international sales, but Space: 1999 was not to be another Doctor Who. The series lasted from 1975 to 1977, followed by a feature film.

 

The quality of the transfer to DVD is superb and does credit to the original producers. Like the early Star Trek and Doctor Who episodes the series looks a little dated now, but it is still a good show. In this 7-DVD set you are bound to find episodes you like. The seventh DVD has a rich mixture of deleted special effects scenes, interviews, and trailers of some of the episodes. It’s a top class package and well worth a look if you are a science fiction fan.

 

vatribflorish

 

 

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This review will appear in Volume 3 No.1 of the digital and print edition of Synergy Magazine.

 

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