Classic Sci-Fi TV - 150 Episodes (2009) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Mill Creek Entertainment has done it again! After tackling TV Westerns, TV Crime Shows, TV Spies and Family TV Shows, this offering focuses on early television science fiction shows, with a bit of horror and the paranormal thrown in for good measure. There is quite a bit to savor in this set, so here's the rundown, by category:
Animated Series:
Captain Fathom - 3 episodes
Clutch Cargo - 1 episode
Space Angel - 9 episodes
Filmed TV Series:
Captain Z-Ro - 24 episodes
Flash Gordon - 14 episodes
Johnny Jupiter - 1 episode
One Step Beyond - 16 episodes
Rocky Jones, Space Ranger - 23 episodes
Thriller (Boris Karloff version) - 1 episode
Live Television Series:
Climax - 1 episode
Lights Out - 4 episodes
Tales of Tomorrow - 6 episodes
Filmed Dramatic Anthology Series:
G.E. Theater - 2 episodes
The Star and the Story - 1 episode
Your Jeweler's Showcase (Operation E.S.P.) - 1 episode
Unsold TV Pilots:
Captain Fathom (live action version)
Destination Space
Here Comes Tobor
The Shadow (Tom Helmore version)
The Shadow: Invisible Avenger (Richard Derr version)
Tales of Frankenstein
Public Service Film:
Stamp Day for Superman (cast of "The Adventures of Superman")
Movie Serials:
The Phantom Empire
Radar Men from the Moon
The Undersea KingdomWhile some may consider the inclusion of movie serials to be a bit of a cheat on this set, one can argue that movie serials (and radio) served as a starting point of sorts for the early years of episodic television and, of course, the serials did eventually make their way to television's airwaves. Perhaps the only major omission of a show with a paranormal flavor that is in the public domain and is not included in this set is Boris Karloff's limited series "The Veil" which, possibly, could have substituted for one of the serials. Regardless, this 12-DVD set includes a mixture of some very common, some not so common, and some downright rare shows. Arguably, the biggest "find" on this set is the inclusion of 24 episodes of "Captain Z-Ro" and, to the best of my knowledge, this set marks the commercial DVD debut of Boris Karloff's "Thriller," a series that many fans have long desired to see on DVD. Perhaps the inclusion of the "Thriller" episode "The Return of Andrew Bentley" might prompt further consideration for an official DVD release of this series in the future. And those who previously purchased Mill Creek's 4-DVD set of 50 "One Step Beyond" episodes will be delighted to know that of the 16 episodes included here, only one episode ("Where Are They?") is repeated from that earlier box set.
Among the unsold pilots, I enjoyed the second incarnation of "The Shadow" titled "Invisible Avenger," which was filmed on location in New Orleans in the late 1950s and was eventually released theatrically, and "Tales of Frankenstein." Don Megowan, who appears as the monster in "Frankenstein" also appears in the live action version of "Captain Fathom," which plays like a low rent version of "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea." One also wonders about the possibilities of "Destination Space" had it been picked up as a regular series by CBS. Though a bit on the talky side (especially in the middle scenes depicted on earth), the pilot featured solid performances from TV veterans like Harry Townes, Charles Aidman, Edward Platt, Whitney Blake and Gail Kobe, and had the backing of a major studio, Paramount.
As is the case with compilations of public domain shows, the audio/visual quality is all over the map and reflects a variety of sources such as kinescopes for the live shows and unrestored 16 millimeter syndication prints for many of the TV show episodes. While none of the episodes that I have viewed so far are unwatchable, this is definitely not a set for videophiles, nor those expecting state-of-the-art special effects. In fact, the special effects are downright primitive when compared to today's special effects and CGI. But considering the low budgets for most of these productions, it's obvious that the SFX people were trying to do the best they could with the limited resources available to them and that's part of the charm of watching these early Sci-Fi TV efforts.
The variety of the shows included in this set is so broad that there is bound to be something to appeal to almost anyone who even remotely enjoys science fiction. This set is highly recommended for classic/vintage TV fans and those who enjoy the early days of science fiction on the small screen. My rating is closer to **** & ½ for this release, just missing a full five stars given the variable audio/visual quality.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Classic Sci-Fi TV - 150 Episodes (2009)

Science Fiction programming from the Golden Age of Television fills this 12-DVD collection with 24 all-time classic shows!
Captain Fathom - 4 Episodes
Captain Z-Ro - 24 Episodes
Climax - 1 Episode
Destination Space - 1 Episode
Flash Gordon - 14 Episodes
G.E. Theatre - 2 Episodes
Here Comes Tobor - 1 Episode
Invisible Avenger - 1 Episode
Johnny Jupiter - 1 Episode
Lights Out - 4 Episodes
Mandrake, The Magician - 1 Episode
One Step Beyond - 16 Episodes
Operation ESP - 1 Episode
Phantom Empire - 12 Episodes
Radar Men From the Moon - 12 Episodes
Rocky Jones - 23 Episodes
The Shadow - 1 Episode
Space Angel - 9 Episodes
Stamp Day for Superman - 1 Episode
The Star & The Story - 1 Episode
Tales of Frankenstein - 1 Episode
Tales of Tomorrow - 6 Episodes
Thriller -1 Episode
Undersea Kingdom - 12 Episodes

Get 8% OFF

Click here for more information about Classic Sci-Fi TV - 150 Episodes (2009)

Max Headroom: The Complete Series (1987) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)They had this at my local DVD Planet a week early so I picked it up.... I enjoyed this show on its first run, and I do like science fiction. To answer many of the speculations...it doesn't look that great. Most shows in the 70s were shot on FILM but alas the 80's brought on the video age and these shows that were shot that way suffer greatly when they come out on DVD...which seems to accentuate their soft, poor color saturation and poor contrast...which make most of them barely watchable for me. I had just watched an episode of Mannix (from the late 60's) on DVD before sticking the Max DVD in and it was like night and day..sadly.
Many have asked if "20 minutes into the future" is included...it is NOT.
the 5th DVD is a bonus disc which contains..
1) an hour making of ....featuring the behind the scenes/camera/creative folks
2) Looking back at the Future...a 35 minute "round table"discussion with a some of the cast members , Tambor, Pays,Tomei, and Chris Young...(NO Frewer)
3)The big Time Blanks...Tomei and Morgan Sheppard chatting for 12minutes
4)the science behind the fiction...one of the creators discussing the science of the show 12 minutes
5)The writers remember....11 minute interview with a couple of the writers
6)Brian Frankish discusses "producing" the show...8 minutes
I usually enjoy watching the behind the scenes on most DVD sets....these were pretty tedious and seemed inflated....of course they could not resist playing with graphics , sound and textures to try and make them appear videoish from the old 34......
but I can't imagine watching any of these features...ever again.
its curious that the star of the show was absent these 2hours of extras and even more interesting that SHOUT factory says on the back cover "members of the cast" are in the bonus content instead of listing them so that folks would assume that the star would be involved?
None of the coke commercials are included
Not using the art of noise music video
Not included: the telefilm "20 Minutes into the future"
Not included any of the other Max Headroom clips from Muppets to the interview show on Cinemax.
If you are a big fan of the show you have the 14 episodes from "Blipvirts" to "Baby Grobags" most likely as good as they ever looked.. and for those of you crying about the lack of a Blu Ray release...I'd say WHY? this is cheap video....and boy does it look it ....Blu Ray would only make it look cheaper.
All that said...I liked and still do ...some of the ideas presented and some of the characters. I do feel that SHOUT has put a pretty high price on essentially a 4 DVD set....and have deducted my stars for the lacking bonus features and for the heavyweight price...not a great value for money in my humble opinion...at $29 its a 5 star set....and the lack of more creative extra features or even the star of the shows participation understood...but at 50 bucks....I expect more.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Max Headroom: The Complete Series (1987)

Television networks battle one another in an unrelenting ratings war. Whoever controls the airwaves controls the dystopic world in which they broadcast. So when Network 23s star reporter, Edison Carter, uncovers a deadly secret that could shake up the dominion the station has over its viewers, the only option is to eliminate Carter before he can make his story public. After his “accident," his mind is uploaded to create the world’s first self-aware, computer-generated TV host: Max Headroom! But will Max bow to his creators? Or will he be the key to his human alter ago bringing down a network superpower? Able to boast his own international talk show, music videos, countless endorsements and merchandising, the puckish Max Headroom became more than just a character on television. He was a decade-defining icon, never better represented than in this sardonically witty, adventurous look at society and the place of media within it. Now all 14 uncut episodes — starring Matt Frewer (Watchmen), Amanda Pays (The Flash), Jeffrey Tambor (Arrested Development) and Morgan Sheppard (Star Trek) — are finally available together in one long-awaited DVD collection!

Get 30% OFF

Click here for more information about Max Headroom: The Complete Series (1987)