Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Season 1 Vol. 2 (1964) Review

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(More customer reviews)After watching the initial 16 black-and-white, hour length episodes in addition to the unaired colour pilot of "Eleven Days to Zero" (14/09/1964) in the VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA - SEASON ONE, VOLUME ONE 3-disc set I was pleasantly surprised to find that there were absolutely no technical problems encountered with all this considerably hefty amount of viewing pleasure crammed onto a mere 3 DVDs as I initially feared.
I'm pleased to report that the volume one collection turned out to be a truly exceptional tv premium and can be highly recommended to all devout VOYAGE fans.
The impending volume two set (scheduled for release on July 11th, 2006) is no less impressive in content with many outstanding efforts presented taken from a consistently excellent first season (1964-65) most notably being "Mutiny," "Doomsday," "The Invaders," "The Buccaneer," "The Human Computer," "The Saboteur," "The Amphibians," "The Enemies," "The Condemned" and "The Traitor."
The glittering galaxy of star-studded celebrities making brilliant guest appearances in the latter half of the first season formidably includes Robert Duvall, Donald Harron, Michael Constantine, Barry Atwater, Harold J. Stone, Warren Stevens, Edward Asner, John Anderson, Rudy Solari, Skip Homeier, Leslie Nielsen, Torin Thatcher, J.D. Cannon, Henry Silva, Michael Pate, David Sheiner, Bert Freed, John Van Dreelan, Malachi Throne, Arthur Franz, Joe De Santis and George Sanders.
Not to mention boasting the fresh, vibrantly energetic performances by the series' two dynamic leads Richard Basehart and David Hedison whose interest and enthusiasm in their respective roles delightfully shines throughout in the course of these most extraordinary 32 segments that would be produced.
The final 16 first season episodes contained in the volume two set consists of:
17) "The Last Battle" (04/01/1965)
18) "Mutiny" (11/01/1965)
19) "Doomsday" (18/01/1965)
20) "The Invaders" (25/01/1965)
21) "The Indestructible Man" (01/02/1965)
22) "The Buccaneer" (08/02/1965)
23) "The Human Computer" (15/02/1965)
24) "The Saboteur" (22/02/1965)
25) "Cradle of the Deep" (01/03/1965)
26) "The Amphibians" (08/03/1965)
27) "The Exile" (15/03/1965)
28) "The Creature" (22/03/1965)
29) "The Enemies" (29/03/1965)
30) "The Secret of the Loch" (05/04/1965)
31) "The Condemned" (12/04/1965)
32) "The Traitor" (19/04/1965)
Most significant among the special bonus material to be included is a taped interview conducted with none other than David Hedison himself (expanded from his guest appearance on THE FANTASY WORLDS OF IRWIN ALLEN 1995 tv documentary) who provides an enlightening, firsthand, behind-the-scenes account of this landmark SF tv series' production in addition to offering his personal viewpoints specifically pertaining to Mr. Hedison's working relationships with the show's two prime movers Richard Basehart and Irwin Allen.
As with volume one fully restored and digitally remastered, pristine video transfers taken from the original 35mm source elements will be utilized providing optimum visual and sound clarity for maximum entertainment pleasure.
By the first year's end not only would VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA (ABC 1964-68) commendably prove itself to be a television sensation and renewed for the 1965-66 tv season on the ABC Television Network but it would be further honoured with an Emmy Award for L.B. Abbott in the category of Outstanding Special Photographic Effects. A resounding triumph for Irwin Allen who would ambitiously move ahead setting plans for LOST IN SPACE (CBS 1965-68) and THE TIME TUNNEL (ABC 1966-67) two more impressive television projects that would both become highly acclaimed SF tv classics in their own right.
Jeff T.

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Admiral Nelson and Commander Crane are back in Volume Two of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Irwin Allen's thrilling, ground-breaking science-fiction adventure series!Join the crew of the Seaview aboard their super high-tech submarine, where no mission is too dangerous and no threat is too deadly, be it enemy agents, mad scientists, deadly sea creatures, or impending nuclear disaster. Welcome aboard the Seaview. Destination: uncharted depths and unparalleled excitement. Permission to board granted!

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Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea: Season One, Vol. 1 (1964) Review

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(More customer reviews)This was my favorite TV series in the 1960s. While sometimes derided by serious Sci-Fi fans, Voyage was very successful in its day, and actually lasted a season longer than Star Trek. The casting of Richard Basehart was a real coup, and David Hedison, who turned down the Captain Crane role in the VTTBOTS movie, came aboard in the TV show. Featuring special effects that still hold up today, VTTBOTS originally started out as serious sci-fi, whose first season episodes still stand tall with the best of TV sci-fi. The second season brought color episodes, a re-designed Seaview, and a new invention, the Flying Sub, to help expand the action. As often happened with Irwin Allen's shows, writing became spotty as time went on. Solid sci-fi stories were often sandwiched between "monster of the week" shows. Even the cast was surprised when the show was picked up for a fourth season. From what I've read, Basehart was anxious to get out of the grind of a TV series, and frankly back into what he considered serious acting. So one will notice an episode or two where he's absent, or obviously being doubled (the episode with the giant sea spider and the hyper fast submarine was one where he was doubled, and he literally duped his lines). There's also another episode where Basehart's son John had a guest part (playing a crewman named "Johnson". Get it? John? Basehart's son?).
I had the pleasure of meeting David Hedison at a convention a few years back. He recounted many fine stories about Voyage, including his relationship with Basehart, working with Irwin Allen, and his years as Captain of the Seaview.
I have waited a long time for this to come out on DVD. I am glad to see it is finally going to hit the DVD shelves!

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Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea was the brainchild of Writer/Producer/Director Irwin Allen... the "Master of Disaster."It ran on ABC 1964-1968 and was for its four years of some of the best and most exciting science fiction on TV at the time. The classic adventures aboard the "SSRN Seaview" will captivate you today, as much as they did in the 60s.

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Voyage to the Bottom of Sea - Season 2, Volume 2 (1964) Review

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(More customer reviews)Voyage to the Bottom of the sea is one of those Irwin Allen Shows. You know the shows of this volume are filled with Monsters and Ghosts of World War 2 U-boat commanders.
It is still great storytelling, With all the crap out on TV that is running now,this simple throwback to the monster of week was nice change from CSIs, Law and Orders, Reality shows, News magazines and game shows. The cast of the Seaview battling the bug eyed monsters and weird creatures may seem farfetched escapest entertainment by today's standards, but the quality is there.
And maybe that what we need today. At least I think so
Bennet Pomerantz AUDIOWORLD

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EXPLORE THE MARVELS OF THE UNKNOWN AND THE MYSTERIES OF THE DEEP.Welcome a spectacular underwater world populated by sinister foreign agents, deadly sea creatures, and evil scientists bent on world domination. This is the world of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Irwin Allen's sci-fi TV classic, a world of beauty, wonder, intrigue, and danger.Season Two, Volume Two contains some of the most innovative and beloved episodes of the entire series. There's an island inhabited by ferocious dinosaurs, a ghostly U-Boat captain with a deadly agenda, a fire in the sky that threatens to melt the polar ice cap, and more! Prepare yourself for a world unlike any you've ever experienced...Prepare to dive!

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Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea: Season 4, Vol. 1 Review

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(More customer reviews)Finally, Fox Home Entertainment is making good it their promise to finish the run of the class seafaring SF adventure "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea." No doubt we will be treated to the same high quality transfers, with sharp picture, vibrant colors and amazing sound. However, the real reason to smile is in the episodes themselves.
After what could be called a "guilty pleasure" year, Voyage returned with a surprise fourth season, a surprise to the actors as well as the audience, who all thought the show would be cancelled. However, fortune and funny accounting kept Voyage on the air another year and, to some degree, Irwin Allen improved the series somewhat from its prior year.
While the series would not hit the heights of its first two seasons again with any regularity, some true gems cropped up this year as monsters took a break for a while.
The season kicked off in grand style with "Fires of Death." This episode , which shaky in the plot department, boasted amazing sets depicting the inside of an active volcano. There is no doubt this is the reason why this episode was chosen to open the season rather than the vastly superior "Man of Many Faces", which was the first episode shot. However, the episode moves along at a brisk pace with legendary actor Victor Jory appearing as Dr. Turner, an alchemist with an obsession for unearthing "elixir stones" - the key to his immortality. Star David Hedison is absent for the last two thirds of the episodes, owing to an appearance on a variety show. The supporting cast gets to step up and take the reassigned lines and screen time. The result is a unique episode in the Voyage canon with amazing SFX for the time.
"The Deadly Dolls" follows, a classic bizarre episode starring Vincent Price as Dr. Multiple, an evil alien puppet master. The highlights of this episode include a rather cheerful atmosphere, amazing background score by composer Harry Geller and the amazing "Nelson Puppet." Voiced by Richard Basehart (obviously having fun) and looking like a Kroft Puppet, this character is a riot, popping in and out, dropping one liners and generally making a menace of himself. The result is a nonsensical but genuinely fun episode in the vein of the classic Avengers TV series.
"Cave of the Dead" stands out as an eerie tale of ghostly sea lore and evil curses, with Warren Stevens making his third and final appearance in Voyage as Van Wyck. There's a great scene that gives new meaning to the term "skeleton crew."
"Sealed Orders" is another outstanding tale of the effects of wacko Irwin Allen universe radiation. As soon as a top secret nuclear missile is opened onboard, the crew begins to vanish one by one. The atmosphere, assisted by the odd visual effects and another great score by Geller, is pleasantly weird and spooky. The climax is genuinely suspenseful and well shot. There was obviously an eye on thrift as they keep coming up with reasons to have only the main cast involved, but at least these episodes display more imagination than the latter third season shows.
The hits keep coming with the aforementioned "Man of Many Faces." A master of disguise frames Nelson for murder (on national TV no less) and infiltrates the Seaview, impersonating the main cast one by one in an effort to stop the crew from foiling an evil plan to control the tides. While the idea of one man impersonating so many people of different weights, heights and voices stretches credibility, the episode is so well mounted and paced, it's easy to forget the plot holes and just enjoy the episode. It's a temporary, but wonderful, return to the second season feel that had been missing for far too long.
"Rescue" is a tense tale involving a traitor on the Seaview and his attempts to keep the Admiral from discovering an undersea lab and rescuing Captain Crane, who is trapped in the disabled Flying Sub at the sea bottom. Again, the episode is set bound with one real guest star, but that doesn't prevent the episode from being exciting and serious. For the ladies, there's a one and only scene of Chief Sharkey without a shirt.
Rounding out the classics are "Blow Up" (Admiral Nelson is gripped by insane paranoia after breathing through an experimental oxygen device) and "A Time To Die". The latter episode introduces the time traveling Mr. Pem (Henry Jones), who also appears in the series' final episode. It is an interesting story, but sadly padded with a five minute scene from "Thing from Inner Space" from the third season. His second appearance would do the character justice.
This half of the season would prove to be the best of the year, as the series began to return to monsters and aliens for stories. However, there were still a few goodies left and one truly riotous episode played mostly for laughs. But you have to wait for the second half of the set for me to tell you about it. :-)
Bonus features will include David Hedison interviews covering all four seasons, Irwin Allen's goals and his office (?), the intense work hours and the various voiceovers. Also included will be a still gallery and, most promising, a recut version of the unaired pilot episode.
As fans saw, the initial first season set included the color version of the pilot episode. This print incorrectly included the second season opening titles instead of the correct "titles over churning water and different music" sequence seen in the syndicated runs and back on the old Columbia House VHS release. And aside from the color, the episode itself was no different from the aired black & white version.
However, there exists a 47 minute unaired version. I have no idea at this time (12/8/08) if a color or b&w print will be used, since both seem to exist, but the b&w 16mm print is more easily found. However, no matter, this edit has many differently shot and scored scenes. In the aired version, both Theo Marcuse and Werner Keplerer portray Dr. Gamma. I assume this was because Marcuse was not available for reshoots and they are both bald and in the shadows. They had totally different voices though. The unaired version has only Marcuse as Gamma, but the reshot scenes were necessary. The originals are over the top melodramatic and very corny. The background score also has liberal sprinklings of the music from the 1961 Voyage movie. Nelson and Crane had some dialog redubbed (replacing the phrases "evil forces" and "evil powers" with more realistic words) and, strangely, the entire scenes of Crane sneaking aboard, being caught and all references to the incident, are not here. Finally, the opening and closing theme music is completely different from the famous Seaview Theme.
All in all, this should prove to be well worth the wait for fans. While the usual Fox nonsense is in evidence (double sided DVDs, half seasons, limited extras), this is still a release fans have been clamoring for since October of 2007. It will be nice to have the Seaview back.

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VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF SEA SSN4 V1 - DVD Movie

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