LOST IN SPACE (1998)

3 stars

Arrow Video. 4K UHD. Out Now

If you are a child of the 60s, like I am, then you likely remember the original LOST IN SPACE TV series, which got progressively sillier as time went on. Still it was a diversion from the more serious STAR TREK. Recently we had the pretty good Netflix interpretation of the Swiss Family Robinson in the cosmos. In between came this movie version, which wasn’t that successful as it didn’t result in any follow up – despite the cast reportedly being signed to a 3 picture deal. Probably because it actually wasn’t much fun. If you are a fan however, Arrow have given this a stellar 4K release, restored from the original neg and approved by director Stephen Hopkins, with a great bunch of extras.

It is 2058, and the earth’s nations have banded together to search the galaxy for new planets. There is need to find somewhere to colonise, as the earth is dying out. Preparations are being made for the hypergate – which will enable shorter hops through space. It is attacked by terrorist forces in a STAR WARS style opening battle.

The Robinson family are preparing to travel to Alpha Prime to set up the other end of this new technology. They are all put into suspended animation – inevitably, not long into the mission, they are awakened, as things have gone wrong and wouldn’t you know they end up lost in space…

This clearly had some money thrown at it, but the fx work now looks a bit dated. The whole thing is a bit po faced and lacking in real engagement. William Hurt looks uncomfortable, Gary Oldman as Dr Smith overacts and Matt Le Blanc is just Joey from Friends! Still the robot is quite cool (and voiced by Dick Tufeld who did the voice in the TV series). Original cast members pop up in cameos – June Lockhart, Mark Goddard, Marta Kristen and Angela Cartwright.

Steve Kirkham

EXTRAS

Two archive audio commentaries with director Stephen Hopkins and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman and one with visual effects supervisors Angus Bickerton and Lauren Ritchie, director of photography Peter Levy, editor Ray Lovejoy, and producer Carla Fry

Interviews with director Stephen Hopkins/director of photography Peter Levy/producer and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman/supervising art director Keith Pain/Kenny Wilson, former mould shop supervisor at Jim Henson’s Creature Shop/sound mixer Simon Kaye and re-recording mixer Robin O’Donohue

Video essay by film critic Matt Donato

Deleted scenes

A couple of archival featurettes – visual effects supervisor Angus Bickerton and animatics supervisor Mac Wilson and one exploring the film’s vision of the future

TV Years, a Q&A with the original cast of the TV series

Bloopers

Also a reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Pye Parr and an Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing by critic Neil Sinyard, articles from American Cinematographer and an excerpt from the original production notes