Lost in Space (Series) - Remastered in HD

[hagios]

Originally Posted by Dex Robinson

Damn...now I'll have to get surgery.

My doctor figures I have a chance of outliving my prostate cancer but if there's any possibility of LOST IN SPACE ever coming to Blu-ray, I can't take a chance on dying before that happens. I'll have to get this fixed.

I'm a LOST IN SPACE superfan. In my entire life, I have only obsessed about one thing: LOST IN SPACE. Never cared for Trek. Never seen Star Wars. I was pure "Lisfan" to the core.

When the DVD's came out (ironically, right after my colon cancer surgery...I've had some bad luck ), I was crushed. The DVDs were awful. To this day, the Lost in Space DVDs are among the worst TV DVDs ever produced. In fact, I will go so far as to say that they ARE the worst TV DVDs ever produced by a major studio. The DVDs were (and are) worse looking than the broadcast versions I was seeing over 10 years ago.

A producer named Kevin Burns had overseen LIS transfers for a limited number of Fox VHS tapes. These are not to be confused with the full series sold by Columbia House. Fox sold a limited number of tapes they did themselves...only a few episodes. These were remastered for the Fox VHS tapes. When the DVDs were released, Fox went back to vintage videotape masters (circa 1981 as I recall) for the DVDs. They didn't even use the limited number of new transfers they had because they didn't want the newly transferred episodes to show how poorly the other episodes looked and they didn't want to spend the money to remaster all of them. So the whole hideous release was done with ancient videotape masters.

If this comes to Blu-ray, I will do the hyper happy dance...with whatever remaining body parts I still have left.

My 1967 LIS lunchbox:

[Show spoiler]

My LIS Jupiter Model:

[Show spoiler]

One of many display cases of my stuff:

[Show spoiler]

A box of very hard to find Christmas Ornaments:

[Show spoiler]

I'm also a fan of Lost in Space(not as much as you though) & can't wait to get this in bd, if it is available!

The 1967 LIS lunchbox, LIS Jupiter Model, display cases of your stuff & Christmas Ornaments are super love them & you kept them in such great shape!

[oildude]

Originally Posted by Dex Robinson

If this comes to Blu-ray, I will do the hyper happy dance...with whatever remaining body parts I still have left.

My 1967 LIS lunchbox:

[Show spoiler]

My LIS Jupiter Model:

[Show spoiler]

One of many display cases of my stuff:

[Show spoiler]

A box of very hard to find Christmas Ornaments:

[Show spoiler]

I had the LIS Jupiter model too. I discovered LIS during reruns in the early 1970s when I was around seven or eight. Many a happy day was spent playing with the Jupiter and my Major Matt Mason space sets. I was more into MMM toys than LIS; I had all the essential Major Matt Mason kiddie crap, including his space station, astronaut buddies, moon buggy, and space monsters.

Man, I wish my parents had the foresight to have kept all those toys instead of quietly tossing them out over the years. They are worth big bucks now.

[Dex Robinson]

I just checked the youtube video directly at youtube and I'm extremely encouraged.

As you will notice, if you go right to youtube, Kevin Burns himself posted the video and is posting in the comment section. And he makes reference to SYNTHESIS ENTERTAINMENT.

These are the "real deal" power-brokers in the Lost in Space world.

Kevin Burns and Jon Jasni formed SYNTHESIS ENTERTAINMENT for the express purpose of exploiting properties from producer Irwin Allen. When these properties fell into limbo some years back, Burns and Jasni got together with Sheila Matthews Allen (widow of Irwin Allen) to see that the Allen properties were preserved and made available. When you buy anything related to LOST IN SPACE, it will bear a license mark from Synthesis Entertainment. Check the fine print on your LOST IN SPACE DVDS: "Licensed by Synthesis Entertainment".

Kevin Burns and Synthesis Entertainment are THE final word on Lost in Space. If Burns is posting on behalf of his company, then take what he says as gospel.

[mar3o]

Originally Posted by Skorpius

As posted on the Classic Horror Film Board, Lost in Space is being/has been remastered in high definition. Example has been posted on YouTube, with debate about what aspect ratio it should be presented in in the comments.
]

Debate? What debate? There is nothing to dabate. Either it's in the original aspect ratio, or I don't buy it. Period. This is very exciting news because the DVDs look like crap (it wasn't even remastered for DVD), but I will not buy the series if it's cropped.

I own Space:1999 and Star Trek:TOS on blu-ray because it's in the original aspect ratio. The reason I don't own the UK Thunderbirds series on blu-ray is because they cropped it to 16:9. I can't believe there is even any discussion about this.

EDIT: wait, after seeing the video, it's obvious that it does appear to have been filmed in widescreen, then matted for 4:3. This makes for an interesting situation. On the one hand, we all remember seeing it in 4:3 on tv over the decades, and this is how it should be preserved. Yet, if it was filmed in 16:9 (or similar), then this could be an amazing opportunity to bring to the fans Lost in Space as they've never seen it before, in HD, widescreen, without being cropped! This could be an amazing way to offer the series to fans. i wouldn't want the show cropped, but it appears widescreen would only be preserving the way it was originally filmed, and wouldn't actually crop anything out.

Ideally, it would be great to see both ratios hit blu-ray - but I think we'll be lucky if even 1 manages to get released on blu-ray. I think 2 complete versions would be very expensive as it would take up twice as many discs. So what's the best option? I guess there is room for debate after all. I know I would love to see those episodes as they were filmed in widescreen. Yet the nostalgic part of me would like to see the 4:3 aspect ratio because that's what I grew up with.

[mar3o]

Originally Posted by Dex Robinson

I just checked the youtube video directly at youtube and I'm extremely encouraged.

As you will notice, if you go right to youtube, Kevin Burns himself posted the video and is posting in the comment section. And he makes reference to SYNTHESIS ENTERTAINMENT.

These are the "real deal" power-brokers in the Lost in Space world.

Kevin Burns and Jon Jasni formed SYNTHESIS ENTERTAINMENT for the express purpose of exploiting properties from producer Irwin Allen. When these properties fell into limbo some years back, Burns and Jasni got together with Sheila Matthews Allen (widow of Irwin Allen) to see that the Allen properties were preserved and made available. When you buy anything related to LOST IN SPACE, it will bear a license mark from Synthesis Entertainment. Check the fine print on your LOST IN SPACE DVDS: "Licensed by Synthesis Entertainment".

Kevin Burns and Synthesis Entertainment are THE final word on Lost in Space. If Burns is posting on behalf of his company, then take what he says as gospel.

Thank you for this information. This is indeed encouraging news for fans. Very exciting. I might have to check out that forum and see what's being said about the aspect ratio situation.

[LastRide]

How about giving us both ratio's..LOL. I have to admit I kind of like the 1.78:1

[mar3o]

I downloaded that clip and watched it on my 46" tv. I have to admit - the 1:78:1 full-frame image looks pretty stunning. I could easily watch the series like that. Each episode would seem like a feature film.

Regarding the remastering - I have mixed thoughts. The black and white footage looks amazing - far, far better then the 1" tapes that were used for the DVDs.

Yet, the color looks strangely dark. Far darker than the 1" tapes on the left side. It looks much too dark. And the color is quite different - sometimes better it seems, sometimes not better. The space background during the season 3 opening titles for instance looks dull and dark compared to the 1" tapes. You can hardly make out any of the stars in the background. I'm not sure if it will be brighter for the final product, but I sure hope so. This is a 60's tv series after all - I don't think it was intended to have dark, brooding shadows everywhere like The Dark Knight. The HDTV episodes of UFO, which was also filmed in the 60's, are bright, colorful, and gorgeous. The HD footage shown here is downright dark and colorless in comparison. I can't imagine the series ever being seen like that, or intended to be seen like that.

[#Darren]

Originally Posted by Thomas Guycott

I'm in for the first season!

But only if OAR.

Yes, OAR or the highway.

[mar3o]

Originally Posted by #Darren

Yes, OAR or the highway.

I admit the framing does look ideal for 4:3. They clearly filmed it with the intention of broadcasting it in 4:3. So everything is framed for that. Yet the sets are so cool, especially in the Jupiter 2, that it would be a real treat to see more of it. Those widescreens shots are gorgeous.

[Dex Robinson]

Originally Posted by mar3o

Yet, the color looks strangely dark. Far darker than the 1" tapes on the left side. It looks much too dark.

I think it looks just right.

One of things that I've said here many, many times...and I probably said it again not more than two weeks ago is, "People like their bright, yellow, transfers".

For years (like about 30 years) home video has been too bright and much too warm (pushing towards yellow).

You can go to almost any thread here and the first complaint you'll hear about a new transfer of old catalogue material is that, "it's too dark". In the very first scene of that video test, you can see the warm cast of the space suits on the old master to the left left and the proper silver on the HD. Take a look starting about the 2:30 mark (an episode called THE CONDEMNED OF SPACE). The color on the old version on the left is ridiculously warm. Furthermore, it's so bright that some highlight detail is lost...scarf and glove detail is washed out in the outfit worn by Marcel Hillaire.

I think the new version is right both for color and brightness.

[bruceames]

It would be nice to have it in 1.78 and have the option of having a black bar overlay for those who want OAR. I haven't heard of a disc or TV set that will let you overlay black bars, but it seems like something ridiculously simple to do.

[mar3o]

Originally Posted by Dex Robinson

I think it looks just right.

One of things that I've said here many, many times...and I probably said it again not more than two weeks ago is, "People like their bright, yellow, transfers".

For years (like about 30 years) home video has been too bright and much too warm (pushing towards yellow).

You can go to almost any thread here and the first complaint you'll hear about a new transfer of old catalogue material is that, "it's too dark". In the very first scene of that video test, you can see the warm cast of the space suits on the old master to the left left and the proper silver on the HD. Take a look starting about the 2:30 mark (an episode called THE CONDEMNED OF SPACE). The color on the old version on the left is ridiculously warm. Furthermore, it's so bright that some highlight detail is lost...scarf and glove detail is washed out in the outfit worn by Marcel Hillaire.

I think the new version is right both for color and brightness.

But again, I've seen the HDTV remastered Gerry Anderson UFO episodes. That series has always been bright and colorful. It looks bright and colorful on DVD, and it looked bright and colorful when they aired it in HDT That series was clearly intended to be bright and colorful. And I believe the same goes for this series. UFO would look wrong if it was suddenly released on blu-ray all dark and shadowy with the colors muted. And the same goes for this series.

Series 3 is obviously intended to be bright and colorful. This is far from Space:1999 or Battlestar Galactica. Look at the sets, the costumes, the creatures. It's all about color. And the majority of the action is usually set outside in the bright sunlight. This is not a series that is meant to be dark and shadowy. Seasons 2 and 3 switched to color and they clearly went nuts with the sets and costumes to fully take advantage of that. What good is the extra resolution if the color and brightness is going to be toned down? I think most fans would agree that this is a colorful, bright series. The first season is black and white, and I thought the b&w HD footage was gorgeous. But I found the color footage disappointing. Sure, the resolution was fabntastic. But it was just too dark for my tastes.

BTW, speaking of Space:1999 - those episodes look truly stunning on blu-ray. And they are very bright. The interiors of the moonbase are bright and gorgeous, and the colors always pop while looking totally natural. BBC did an outstanding job with their restoration of that series years ago. Yet the blacks are excellent and when the show gets moody (which is often), the shadows really come through. I'm so glad they chose not to darken that series for blu-ray. It was always a show that was very bright yet very dark also - always dealing with contrasts. The bright moonbase and the deep black of space. It would have ruined the series if they went all "Dark Knight" on it for blu-ray. And I fear that may be what's happening here for Lost in Space. In my opinion, it needs to be brighter.

[Blu-21]

I'm only 22 but I grew up with this show via VHS recordings at my dad's place, I loved it then and I love it now. The restoration (even on my bellow average computer) looks magnificent in both black & white from season 1 and in colour in seasons 2 and 3. Certainly much cleaner and more detailed then the horribly dated crappy DVDs. I also really like the widescreen 1:78:1 framing. It gives the show a larger wider scope with more cinematic appeal, and if anything this brings Lost in Space closer to how the fans originally saw it (prior to the DVDs on a 16:9 TV) with the entire screen filled up, only its even better now then ever before because its in HD and we get more picture information on the sides.

[mar3o]

Originally Posted by bruceames.

It would be nice to have it in 1.78 and have the option of having a black bar overlay for those who want OAR. I haven't heard of a disc or TV set that will let you overlay black bars, but it seems like something ridiculously simple to do.

The only problem with that is they may have moved the matte around depending on the shot. In other words, they may have chosen the placement of where the matte goes depending on where people were in the frame. I know when they created a custom 16:9 matted version of Space:1999 for HDTV years ago, they actually custom matted each shot separately, so as to not crop out any heads or whatnot from shot to shot - they were very careful about where they moved the matte for each shot. They actually went through all that just for the HDTV versions.

The 16:9 cropped blu-rays of Thunderbirds however just cropped the 4:3 episodes right in the middle for the entire series, which cuts off everyone's heads constantly. I think this might be a similar issue here - if they just allowed us to throw random bars up on the left and right of the screen, it may not result in the same type of composition that they actually went with for the episodes.

[Monroville]

Jesus Christ... why is everyone acting like children (you know, other than this revolves around childhood memories)?

Because it was filmed on FILM, that means it is not strickly a 4:3 image. Much like filming a movie, there is going to be leeway on the sides to account for moving the frame around when presenting on a TV to obscure things like microphones and other such things.

If you watch the youtube clip, it appears there is more information on the sides when presented 1.78:1, but there is information cut off (slightly) on the top and bottom (look at the black and white clip of Dr. Smith. On the 1.78:1 clip, you can see 6 small lights to the left of Dr. Smith's shoulder; on the 4:3 clip, you can see 4 small lights).

I think it would be nice to see it in 1.78, especially if they have the film to pull the image from (as opposed to cropping a 4:3 image down to letterboxed size). At the same time, I can understand the 4:3 crowd, since that is how it played on TV.

Regardless, this is the year 2013. The fact that LOST IN SPACE is being put through the process of being transferred into HD should be fantastic in of itself. So short of what Ted Bohus tried to pull off with THE DEADLY SPAWN, let's keep the hyperbole to a minimum, okay?

[Drewbee87]

Watched re-runs on TV growing up, loved it! Would love for a Blu-ray release to happen. And I love that it was remastered in 1.78:1, would be like watching it for the first time!

[Jar Jar Stinks]

This would be a fun bonus to the non-existent BD:

Family Feud (1983) TV Favorites Hawaiian Eye vs. Lost in Space - YouTube

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by Jar Jar Stinks

This would be a fun bonus to the non-existent BD: Family Feud (1983) TV Favorites Hawaiian Eye vs. Lost in Space - YouTube

That episode's bugged me for years:
Bob May always got credit as "playing" Robot, when he only did the suit work.
"Danger, danger!", however, was uttered by iconic Disney voiceover Dick Tufeld, who even got to reprise the role for the stinky movie.
But did HE get to play the Bonus Round??

[BluBonnet]

Why not release the 4x3 version on bluray, and save the 16x9 for syndication?

[Atreyu]

Tried watching the series awhile ago as I hadn't seen it since I was a kid, but can't. It rates too high on the camp-o-meter for me, along with the original Batman with Adam West.
But for all you fans, I do hope you get it on blu.