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StuOz
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1964), Batman (1966), Star Trek (1966), Time Tunnel (1966), Lost in Space (1965), Land of the Giants (1968), Outer Limits (1963), The Invaders (1967), Shazam! (1974) and Irwin's Captain Nemo (1978).
Also...
Ark ll (1976), Space 1999 (UK/US 1975), Ultraseven (Japan 1967), Twilight Zone (1959), The Fugitive (1963) and Irwin's Swiss Family Robinson (1975)
My Top 10 Movies:
Star Trek 2 (1982), Star Trek 4 (1986), Star Trek 5 (1989), Batman and Robin serial (1949), The Omega Man (1971), Sole Survivor (1970), Towering Inferno (1974), Star Trek The Motion Picture (1979), This Island Earth (1955) and Forbidden Planet (1956).
Also...
Batman The Movie (1966), Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1961), City Beneath the Sea (1971), Time Travelers (1976), Beyond the Poseidon Adventure (1979), Mysterious Island (1961), Latitude Zero (1969), Star Trek 6 (1991), Star Trek Generations (1994) and Godzilla Vs Hedorah (1971).
https:// youtube /c/StuartRaweakaStuOz https:// youtube /@1970sDisasterMovieReview stuartrawe@outlook
Lists
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Friends of Land of the Giants (by StuOz)
MUSIC COMPOSERS for film and television: StuOz Favourites
Link to a video I made about Japanese Sci-Fi movies: https:// youtube /watch?v=8bLZ4Oo8Nn4 Link to a video I made about 1966 Batman: https:// youtube /watch?v=3knqB3rkGR4
1990s Favourites (by StuOz)
Links to videos I made about my TOP movies ever! https:// youtube /watch?v=NTjaqRAZ_4U https:// youtube /shorts/_mYlpO5WQlI
Link to a video I made about SeaQuest DSV: https:// youtube /watch?v=DYjWy8-xW5w
Ultraseven (1967) & Other Japanese TV Comments (by StuOz)
The Fugitive (1966-67) Season 4 Comments (by StuOz)
Friends of The Time Tunnel (by StuOz)
1980s Favourites (by StuOz)
Links to videos I made about my TOP movies ever! https:// youtube /watch?v=NTjaqRAZ_4U https:// youtube /shorts/_mYlpO5WQlI
Link to a video I made about Lost in Space Original Series: https:// youtube /watch?v=2fIo2Qr4V1s
2000 to 2024 Favourites (by StuOz)
Friends of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (by StuOz)
Reviews
The Bermuda Triangle(1978)
Flawed but nice looking film
A boat full of people enters The Bermuda Triangle.
Not for all tastes but if you enjoy 1970s disaster movies you might get a blast out of this. There were a few 70s disaster movies set at sea so you just cant help bunching this up with the others. As a big fan of Forbidden Planet (1956), I was very aware of sound effects from that film being re-used here.
The first half of the movie is better than the second half. In fact, as I type this review, I struggle to remember how the whole thing ended.
Finally, the film looks good. Great looking boat, great looking cast and great looking underwater photography.
Space: 1999:Ring Around the Moon(1976)
Despite an average ending - Very Good
A strange object orbits the moonbase.
During my lifetime I must have re-watched this episode about 30 times. In 2024, after giving Space 1999 a rest for a while, I retuned to it. I had the oddest reaction to Ring Around The Moon. I was at the edge of my seat for most of the hour. But I was so baffled as to why I could not remember the ending if I had seen it so many times before?? Then I found out why the ending escaped my memory - a not so good climax.
But whatever, just take in the knockout Eagle effects footage, the outstanding acting of the cast (Landau, Bain, Morse) and the music.
In recent weeks, I have watched a 90 minute online interview with Australian cast member Nick Tate (Alan Carter), he brought the whole 1970s Space 1999 experience to life in modern times. I think that 90 minute interview has given me an even greater bond with Space 1999.
Man from Atlantis:Scavenger Hunt(1978)
This Monster Episode is the Best of the Series
On an island, Mark (Patrick Duffy) finds a two-headed creature (aka stuntman in a suit).
Without question the most memorable episode of the series! And the best! Before this hour we had little hints of the previous underwater series - Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1964-68) - but this episode takes things to a new Voyage level - a sea monster!
I should explain that I am not the biggest fan of Patrick Duffy as the Man from Atlantis. He is about as wooden as you can get. Yes, some would say he just seemed that way because he was out of touch with our land based world. Maybe so, but the viewer simply can't watch someone like Duffy every week. Atleast this episode gives us something very different and fun to look at (the sea creature).
The Day Time Ended(1979)
Close Encounters of the Green Kind
A house with a family inside is sucked into a space warp.
People seem to love or hate this movie. Some sit on the fence with it but it does seem to get extreme reactions from viewers.
The flick turns into something else all together once we see the little dancing aliens. Everything is unexplained but I don't see this as an issue as the makers of the movie were obviously asking us to use this thing called our imaginations.
I am a very visual movie fan and I sometimes see things others don't - I can't think of another film in history that has made a better use of the colour green. Enough said on that point.
An under-rated and not often seen gem with a very interesting family of characters. Outstanding.
See the remastered print only.
Panic in Year Zero!(1962)
A Fine Flick But Not Perfect
Bombs destroy LA, so a family heads for the highway.
In the previous year, Frankie Avalon had appeared in another doomsday science fiction film - Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1961) - so I could not get that movie out of my mind during Panic in Year Zero!
"Panic" is a fine flick with a great script and compelling acting. Maybe they could have done a bit better with the musical score? Also, it does not compare to something like The Omega Man (1971). But all things considered, well worth a watch.
A later movie - The Day Time Ended (1979) - also had a typical all American family all alone encountering fantastic dangers. You might wish to track down that film as well.
Gojira vs. Desutoroiâ(1995)
Akira Ifukube is Back Doing the Music!
A smash hit box office giant of the mid-90s.
I lost some of the impact of this "last film" as my first viewing was in 2024. Viewers of the period would have been in tears over the climax but, while I enjoyed it, I was missing the feeling that this was the true end of old school Godzilla.
However, I can say this is a knockout movie, even today. Thankfully they got the old music composer - Akira Ifukube - back and his score is about 50% of the film's entertainment value.
It is a bit different having little monsters create disaster in the city.
All in all, a knockout flick. As always the human characters are less pleasing than the monsters, but all things considered - not bad at all.
Godzilla 1985(1985)
It Has Improved With Time
After several years away, Godzilla returns.
This is a knockout movie that has improved with time. It is nice that Godzilla still has the goofy "cookie monster" eyes which are a left over from the 60s/70s movies. I mention this because the later Godzilla movies would change the eyes to something less pleasing. Godzilla is not Godzilla without those eyes.
The miniature special effects are outstanding and the musical score is rather good. With the exception of the William Shatner Star Trek movies, the 1980s is not exactly remembered by me as a great period for science fiction films - this makes Godzilla 1985 stand out even more!
Granted, this 80s take is missing the wonderfully silly appeal of the 60s/70s stuff, but all things considered - not bad at all.
Godzilla: Final Wars(2004)
Power Rangers: Final Wars
Monster madness and Matrix tributes (???) as this is meant to be the end of Godzilla movies...for now.
Seriously, 60 minutes into this thing I had to remind myself I was watching a Godzilla movie! Our titled hero hardly appeared in the first hour! It felt more like a Power Rangers movie - complete with an angry young man as the villain.
There are some nice moments, such as when Hedorah (from Godzilla Vs Hedorah) makes a comeo, and the bits in Sydney, but this flick is flooded with CG rubbish that basically wrecks it.
The movie that came before this - Godzilla: Tokyo SOS (2003) - was the TRUE end of old school Godzilla. There is nothing old school in Godzilla: Final Wars. It is the sort of cold hearted rubbish that would infect our 21st century.
Space: 1999:The Metamorph(1976)
Enter Maya, enter new music, new sets, new producer!
A jolting season opener where everything is different.
Gerry Anderson still has his name on the opening credits but even he later admitted that he let the Americans take over and he was no longer in charge.
This is still called Space 1999 but it is just so different to season one that some will be shaking their heads wondering what the hell happened?? The internet is flooded with details about the behind-the-scene dramas so I will not go into it here.
Right from the opening scene with an eagle being attacked by a strange light - this is a taste of things to come in season two. The hour also ends with a very well written exchange between the commander and Maya. This is nice start to the season.
Personally, I like having two totally different seasons of Space 1999. Two totally different music composers for each season. I think if the series remained exactly the same for 48 hours that might have presented a problem. Then again, I do miss Barry Morse.
Space: 1999:Mission of the Darians(1975)
Joan Collins in Space
An ark in space is found.
In my 1970s childhood I saw Joan Collins appear in fantastical TV shows like Batman (1966), Star Trek (1966), The Fantastic Journey (1977) and this. I honestly can't remember what sort of impact she made on me back then. It was not until the following decade with Dynasty (1981) that the name Joan Collins took on a whole new meaning with me.
When looking at Collins in Mission of the Darians today only one thought seems to come to mind - if only she knew what was around the corner (with Dynasty).
Has Collins mentioned Space 1999 in later interviews? I have seen her mention Batman and Star Trek in interviews. Interesting woman. Interesting episode of Space 1999.
The Invaders(1995)
Terrible
Terrible attempt to cash in on The Invaders TV series of the 60s. This sort of thing was going on in the 90s with Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1964) becoming SeaQuest DSV (1993). There was also a remake of the 60s Outer Limits series.
In fact during this period I felt so swamped by remakes of 60s shows that some of them just went right over my head.
The original Invaders TV series of 1967 was a very professional looking production with knockout music cues (mainly in the first season) and it had the unusual situation of having wonderful looking Ford cars appearing all the time (this was because Ford sponsored the series and they demanded the cars be constantly seen).
The old series was a product of the time and it simply does not belong in 1995. Which is probably why this 1995 production gets negative reviews.
The Twilight Zone:The Invaders(1961)
Starring The Spaceship
Little aliens in a house.
I normally like the science fiction themed Zones and always like the Zones with a Forbidden Planet (1956) connection - so I like this episode, right? Wrong.
The Forbidden Planet spaceship is more interesting to look at than the woman.
The episode was fine on first viewing because I enjoyed the twist at the end. But the problems start when you make repeat viewings. It becomes a little boring and the non-speaking woman gets on your nerves a bit.
My suggestion, watch it once and never again. If you do that The Invaders is fine. The music cues would be reused in several other Zone episodes.
The Making of '20000 Leagues Under the Sea'(2003)
Just as Wonderful as the Movie Itself
Highly detailed look at the making of 20,000 Leagues.
Watching this adds to the entertainment value of the movie itself. Once you know all the nuts and bolts about the production you respect the movie itself even more. Being a fan of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (movie & TV series) I found it interesting that the submarine Nautilus and submarine Seaview both used the same studio tank for miniatures (at 20th Century Fox studios).
As explained here, there were two filmed versions of the giant squid attack. The unused "sunset" version and the version we got in the final cut. The deleted version is more clear and pleasing to the eye.
It is not often we get a 90 minute documentary about a 50s science fiction movie...they are normally much shorter. Great stuff.
Star Trek: Picard(2020)
The first two seasons stink but season three is a knockout!
Very flawed Star Trek series that finally picked up in the last year.
Boring characters, terrible plots, a sleepy looking lead character, the F-word being spoken in Star Trek. Some viewers will be so let down by the first two seasons that they simply will not get to season three - but you must see the final year!
Like many others, I could not make it through all of season one and season two - it was just so bad! Thankfully they dumped a few idiots from the first two years and put things back on track in season three!
You can totally follow the last season without watching the first two years. Granted, some characters make reference to the fact that Picard has changed a bit since the motion pictures of the 90s, this will be a tiny bit confusing to new viewers. But other than that, you will be fine jumping into the last year without watching the revolting opening seasons. Enjoy!
Mysterious Island(2010)
Good Characters and a Sinister Musical Score
Highly controversial remake of the famed lost island/Captain Nemo story.
Firstly, the 1961 Mysterious Island is very highly regarded by me. Despite this film holding the same title as that 1961 flick the trick is to just forget the title and think of this as new material (which is not too hard).
Secondly, I am a sucker for a film which contains a very impressive musical score - we get that here! A sinister sounding music cue plays a lot which creates the feeling that something about the island is a bit off. Most science fiction productions of the last 20 years don't have music that is half as good as this.
Finally, the nice mix of characters from 2012 and the distant past hold your attention. Who could not like a movie where a young man says to a 2012 girl: "Dude? Why does that mean? Why do you keep calling me that?"
When compared to a lot of the science fiction that has come out in the last 20 years - this is not too bad. Just don't compare it to the 1961 Mysterious Island.
The Twilight Zone:The 7th Is Made Up of Phantoms(1963)
Mysterious Time Travel Tale
60s US soldiers and a tank seem to have gone back in time.
The last two seasons of Twilight Zone sometimes had some less pleasing episodes but tales like this make you glad the series lasted five seasons - a knockout time travel story.
Different to some other Zone time travels as it is less sentimental than Walking Distance and others. Instead it is soldiers and a tank. But the mysterious nature of the whole thing is what gets you in. This is what Zone could do but many other TV shows could not - spooky mystery!
The actors playing the soldiers are all fine. This might not make my Top 5 Zone list but it makes my Top 20 Zone list without question.
The Twilight Zone:The Little People(1962)
Before Land of the Giants....
On another planet, spacemen discover tiny people.
A very hard episode to review. The story is well written and acted but something about the general look of it turns me off. Perhaps I have seen so many re-runs of Land of the Giants (1968) that I demand this sort of "Little People" plot line be done with better effects?
Whatever, if you can forgive the flaws in production you will probably be impressed by the story here. There is a Forbidden Planet (1956) related moment at the end that makes the the whole thing worthwhile. In fact, the whole series of Twilight Zone has many Forbidden Planet related moments.
Ryusei Ningen Zon(1973)
Godzilla, Nice Old Cars and RED Everywhere!
Toho, the film company that made the Godzilla movies, also made this 26 episode TV series. Godzilla makes appearances.
Firstly, this review is coming from an adult in his 50s who made his first viewings of Zone Fighter in 2023. With that in mind, this review might be a little different from other reviews of this series. After Ultraseven (1967), this would have to be one of the very greatest Japanese TV shows ever made. The only thing going against it (for me) is that a couple of the fighters are little children which is a bit of a struggle for someone of my age to look at. But other than that, this series wonderfully captures mid-1970s Japan (the cars, the fashions, etc).
I am a massive fan of Godzilla and the goofy way he was shown in the 60s/70s movies. Well, this is THAT Godzilla, so basically 50% of the appeal is Godzilla. As a lover of old cars, it is great to see the villains drive around in a black 50s car (a 70s show with a bit of the 50s) and the heroes drive around in a flying white/red vehicle. The great looking cars are big characters in this series and they are well filmed chasing each other on interesting Japanese roads.
Other fun things to look at include retro blinking light hardware in the hidden Zone base and red. If you like red like I do there is a lot of red in this show. From the Zone car to the clothing to the creatures - RED everywhere!
Don't be turned off by the subtitles. The plots are very simple and the show is very visual, so if you miss the odd subtitle you can still follow the plot without any problems.
At the time of this post, several full length episodes of Zone Fighter can be found on the internet (with subtitles).
Mosura(1961)
90s Mothra Stinks - 60s Mothra is a Winner
The first Mothra movie. A tropical island, city destruction, kidnapped twins - it is all happening here.
I reluctantly watched this on Youtube and to my complete surprise had a ball with it! There were a few less pleasing Mothra movies in the 1990s that damaged my view of this character but this flick - and the later one with Godzilla - are knockouts!
A colourful epic with amazing miniature effects!
The world released some knockout science fiction films in 1961 like Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Mysterious Island, Master of the World and Creature from the Haunted Sea. Now this as well. There was something in the air in 1961.
The Starlost(1973)
Hated in the 70s and Hated Now
Very low budget and short lived space series.
As a lover of science fiction I have always wanted to like this but two attempts at viewing it (in my 70s childhood and today) both totally bombed. When seen today I just could not get past the opening 20 minutes. This would have to be the most boring start to a sci-fi series in history! My concentration was out the window because of the boring style of acting here. The terrible effects hardly helped.
Maybe it picked up in later episodes but I will never know because I just could not make it through the whole first episode. Ark II (1976) and Space 1999 (1975) have stood the test of time in flying colours but The Starlost should get sucked down a black hole where it belongs.
The Twilight Zone:King Nine Will Not Return(1960)
Sole Survivor did it Better
A WW2 bomber, complete with the pilot, still exist in the desert in 1960.
This very much resembles the 1970 TV movie - Sole Survivor - and my viewings of SS came before my viewings of King Nine - so guess which one I like most?
I have liked Cummings in other productions but, to me atleast, he comes over as almost annoying during this 25 minute TZ. Also, season one had done a few of these alone-but-not-alone tales (Where is Everybody?, etc) so beginning season two in this way is a problem. However, the location filming and bomber itself are impressive.
In a nutshell, this is okay but hardly a mighty season opener.
Urutora sebun(1967)
The Sci-Fi Element Got Me Hooked
Very highly regarded Japanese superhero and science fiction series.
I responded more to the sci-fi element over the superhero element. By that I mean when we see the traditional episode climax of giants doing battle - I was more interested in what came before with the aliens!
Even today, Ultraseven is an amazing looking production! The various alien creatures, the knockout filming locations, the unit costumes, the retro car they drive around in, the great use of colour - all outstanding even today!
Episode 31 is basically a remake of Fantastic Voyage (1966) involving Ultraseven shrinking and going inside a human body.
Also, unlike the previous 1966 "Ultraman" series - this is played totally straight with adult appeal.
If you missed this series in your youth and are a little concerned that you might not connect with it today as an adult - don't worry about that! I am aged in my 50s and had my first viewings in 2022. However, my repeat viewings in 2023 went over better than my first viewings.
If you have seen later "Ultra" TV shows or Power Rangers and don't like the endless giant creature/person battles - Ultraseven has fewer sequences like this. And that is a big strength of the series. Once again, I am here for the science fiction element instead of the superhero element.
There is a Gerry Anderson look to the aircrafts in flight.
Granted, the plots are simple, maybe too simple for some, but you just get sucked into the general look and feel of the series. And this happens right from the word go - the opening episode is a knockout!
Blake's 7:Blake(1981)
A Knockout Hour of Television
After four years the series finally ends.
I have been a fan of this series since it first aired in the late 70s. Over the decades I have returned to it for repeat viewings and I never get bored with it.
This final episode is a knockout for several reasons. The climax to this episode "Blake" is still talked about to this day. A less talked about element to this hour is the best action sequence in the whole series - the spaceship crash landing! Perhaps it brings back memories of Lost in Space (1965) which also had epic crash landings of spaceship Jupiter 2.
I was a little surprised that some fans were less impressed with this Blake's 7 sequence but I guess you can't make everybody happy.
Blake's 7 was not a perfect series but all four seasons, without fail, ended with a knockout hour of television.
The Golden Voyage of Sinbad(1973)
Even Non-Sinbad Fans will like this!
Sinbad seeks a tablet that will make amazing things happen.
I don't normally review fantasy material like Sinbad movies but this flick has a grand musical score (from the composer of 1959's Ben-Hur) and some outstanding creatures.
All the characters are very good as well. Tom Baker as the villain is in fine form, however I could not escape the feeling that Baker might have broken down into laughter after the camera stopped rolling.
There is a masked character who adds to the wonderful look of this flick. If you don't normally bother with material like this I would make an extra effort to catch it. Also, the score does indeed resemble the Ben-Hur music.
Mysterious Island(1995)
22 Episodes was just too long!
A hot air balloon lands on a island with a mysterious "Phantom" always being felt but not seen.
This review is not going on distant memories but rather by a 2023 viewing of Mysterious Island.
The first five episodes were very well written and acted but even at the start there were problems as it kept repeating the plot point of a single castaway falling down somewhere or being trapped. Then needing to be rescued.
By the sixth episode I was bored out of my skull. At this point it just seemed too different from the 1961 Mysterious Island movie I know and love.
I stuck with the first five episodes because I liked some of the characters a lot but this could not keep me going for 22 episodes. Frankly, the whole experience of watching this series was a negative experience because it gets you hooked for a few episodes then lets you down with very dull, almost unwatchable, adventures.