Space 1999, Set 1 |  | Actors: Martin Landau, Barbara Bain, Nick Tate, Zienia Merton, Catherine Schell
Studio: A&E Home Video
Category: DVD
List Price: $39.95
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Rating:  60 reviews
Format: Box set, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Number Of Discs: 2
Running Time: 312 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.6
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.2 x 1.2
MPN: AAED70148D
ISBN: 0767032322
UPC: 733961701487
EAN: 9780767032322
Theatrical Release Date: September 5, 1975
Release Date: January 30, 2001
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Studio: A&e Home Video Release Date: 01/30/2001 Run time: 312 minutes Rating: Nr
Amazon.com
When it was first broadcast in 1975, there had never been a more lavishly produced science fiction TV series than Space: 1999, a British production whose budget for the first of its two seasons ran an astounding 3.25 million pounds. What keeps us fans enthralled after all these years has only partly to due with the first-rate production values, the plausibly constructed spaceship models, and expert special effects. The tone of the show is one of scientific dispassion, setting it apart from its TV sci-fi predecessors such as Star Trek, whose mood was more convivial. Our heroes here are in dire circumstances that require cool heads as a survival trait. Those circumstances: the 311 crew members of Moonbase Alpha experience a cataclysm that causes the moon to break away from Earth's orbit and travel endlessly through space, turning our heroes into unintentional explorers. No TV series has created a more palpable feel of hard science fiction than this. Of course the show is not without its detractors; it has been soundly lambasted for its many scientific errors. No less august a figure than Isaac Asimov criticized the show for its premise in the opening episode, "Breakaway," which had nuclear explosions on the "dark side of the moon" somehow propelling it out of Earth's orbit and flying through space without regard to any physical laws. In "Earthbound" (included in this set), aliens traveling to Earth state it will take them 75 years to reach their destination, making one wonder why it didn't take the moon that long to encounter the aliens. While these are serious complaints, fans tend to remember the scientific seriousness of the series and the sense of awe created by the many strange creatures and phenomena that the crew members encounter on their journey through the galaxy. In addition to "Breakaway" and "Earthbound," this set includes "Matter of Life and Death," "Black Sun," "Ring Around the Moon," and "Another Time, Another Place." --Jim Gay
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 60
Great first season. Second season was lousy. February 3, 2010
BlueBird123 (San Diego, Ca)
I watched it as a kid and again as an adult. The first season was great relative to other science fiction shows at the time. In fact, I can't think of a better sci-fi series back in the 70s. The first season, was well written and made the assumption that the viewers had some brain cells. Some episodes were very intense and creative. One episode that comes to mind, is the "Dragon's Domain" which was very scary, horrifying and tragic (by 70s standard). The Second season was a creative disaster. I had read somewhere that American producers got their hand's on the show and decided to dumb it down for American audiences. Too bad, because it could have been to the 70s what Battlestar Galactica has been to this past decade -- something well written and intense.
Very good, realistic science fiction May 15, 2008
Amateur Stargazer
This science fiction series has stories of space exploration similar to "Star Trek", although the sets look more like "2001: A Space Odyssey". The special effects are quite artistic and beautiful. Martin Landau and Barbara Bain star as Commander John Koenig and Dr. Helena Russell. The first episode tells of how the moon broke away from its orbit around the earth and started on its journey through space. It is something which may be scientifically impossible, as Isaac Asimov pointed out, but this series, of course, is fiction. In spite of the almost unbelievable way that Moonbase Alpha starts on its journey this is a very realistic show in appearance and the adventures depicting the lives of people in space.
I recommend purchasing these sets from Amazon's sellers since they currently are about one fifth the price of Amazon's own DVD sets. And if you don't want to buy the whole series, these sets each containing two DVD's are a good alternative. The picture is a little better than the sound quality, but both are at least as good as what is on most DVD's. The packaging is quite attractive and better than some of the DVD sets available today. I have been very satisfied with the four sets I have bought so far, and now I have the first season, which is often considered to have the best episodes.
Star Trek: Generation X July 23, 2006
Kenneth Sohl (Tennessee)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
The scientific inaccuracies of this show isn't one of details, it is in the very premise! Yes, the acting was sometimes wooden, and it had more than its share of episodes where nothing ever seems to happen. That being said, it is still visually magnificent, has an air of wonder, the soundtrack by Barry Gray is perhaps the classiest ever written for a TV show, the better episodes are great (and often chilling), it obviously heavily influenced the newer Star Trek shows, introduced the public to Black Holes, and its spectacular space battles primed audiences for Star Wars. I do notice, though, that not all the episodes seem to be remastered.
I've read that originally, it was supposed to be "UFO: 1999", in which the moon is purposefully driven out of Earth's orbit to act as a roving weapons platform for SHADO as it heads towards the alien's homeworld. It was written by some famous sci-fi author who removed his name from it when it was reworked into a totally new show instead of UFO's second season. It would be interesting to read how the moon was originally supposed to be launched into space.
 the journey begins here! February 3, 2006
Eagle 1 (Moon Base Alpha)
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
Space 1999 was a diverse series that had it all and then some. It was fun like Doctor Who, as abstract as the Prisoner, as explorational as Star Trek, as light as Lost In Space, as philosophical as 2001, as dark and claustophobic as the most entertaining horror movies and disaster films, as funny as Plan 9, and it even featured pre-Star Wars space battles that were truly a blast. On it's own merit it was also quite a unique series. It was never locked down into just one pattern so it never got sterile. There are episodes for every mood and mindset. One can enjoy the serious episodes or the just plain fun escapism. The setting of 1999 only adds to the fun and the out of control moon idea was certainly original. Many episodes allow the viewer to come to one's own conclusions and there's little clear continuity after the first episode which also allows creativity on the part of the veiwer. It's a very expansive and wonderous universe that's explored in different ways. The diversity of styles and ideas are it's greatest strength. It's always a wild ride.
Space 1999, Set 1 September 13, 2005
Danita Maria Louw (GA, USA)
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
This series was one of my favorites as a teenager, and just being able to get the set was awesome. I thoroughly enjoyed viewing it again: real vintage TV. Barry Morse as Professor Bergman was my favorite then, and now, as I have had the priviledge to meet him in real life, and we became close friends. A must for all science fiction buffs!
Showing reviews 1-5 of 60
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