Schlock we loved - Lost In Space!
April 4th 2011 23:48
The props, makeup, scripts and costumes were almost comedic.
Yet Lost In Space continues to enjoy re-run after re-run more than 40 years after the original series.
Based on the premise that in the year 1997, Earth is suffering from massive overpopulation, Professor John Robinson, his wife Maureen, their children (Judy, Penny and Will) and Major Don West are selected to go to the third planet in the Alpha Centauri star system to establish a colony so that other Earth people can settle there.
Christened the Jupiter 2, the ship is hijacked by stowaway, Doctor Zachary Smith who is sent to sabotage the mission.
The rest, is as they say history and without going into the flimsy detail, the Jupiter 2 and all on board become hopelessly lost and spend the next four years on the small screen trying to get back home.
Not suprisingly based on the story-line - the Swiss Family Robinson, the series was closely aligned to another fantasy adventure at the time starring Richard Basehart - Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea.
Delivering a multitude of special effects including, explosions, monstrous aliens, spaceships, and exotic sets and costumes drenched in the bright, primary colours - the show took almost too much advantage of the new colour TV technology.
Starring Guy Williams (who also starred in the TV series Zorro), it also featured June Lockhart, Mark Goddard, Marta Kristen, Angela Cartwright, Will Robinson, Billy Mumy, Jonathan Harris and of course The Robot.
While Lost in Space was still reasonably successful, the show was unexpectedly canceled in 1968 after 83 episodes.
Lost In Space is remembered, at least, from oft-repeated lines of the Robot, such as "Warning! Warning!", "That does not compute" and "Danger, Will Robinson!".
Dr Smith's frequent put-downs of the Robot are also still popular ("You bubble-headed booby!") as are his trademark lines: "Oh, the pain... the pain!" and "Never fear, Smith is here!".
In fact one of Jonathan Harris's last roles was providing the voice of the illusionist praying mantis "Manny" in Disney's "A Bug's Life", where Harris used "Oh, the pain... the pain!" near the end of the film.
In spite of the 'twee' appearance of the sets, costumes and makeup - the cost overruns for the show was cited as the reason for its downfall - with producers pointing to extravgances such as the interior of the Jupiter 2 - which was the most expensive TV set for its time, about $350,000 - more than the set of the U.S.S. Enterprise a couple years later.
It was once again fluff - but fluff for its time - and despite patently paper mache boulders, plaster of paris sets and some pretty flimsy aliens - it was television we loved.
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