Get "Lost In Space" All Over Again!

For longtime TV science-fiction fans, there are the acknowledged classics: The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits, and the original Star Trek, to name a few. Then there are the classics of a different kind; the fun shows that bring out the kid in all of us, and a smile to our faces; the 1950s Superman series starring George Reeves, the 1960s Batman adventures with Adam West & Burt Ward, and of course, Lost in Space. The series, created & produced by Irwin Allen, is celebrating its 50^th anniversary this year. To commemorate the event, Twentieth Century Fox has released a comprehensive Blu-ray box set of the series. Lost in Space, which originally aired on CBS from 1965-68, chronicled the adventures of the Robinsons, a family of space colonists, whose ship was bound for Alpha Centauri. The villainous Dr. Smith used the mission’s Robot to sabotage the ship, and the Jupiter 2 went off course. The family attempted to find their way back to their original heading, and survive in the far reaches of space. Conceived by writer-producer Allen as a space-age version of the Swiss Family Robinson, the original pilot was the most expensive show filmed for TV up to that time.

Lost In Space starred Guy Williams as the group’s stalwart leader, John Robinson, June Lockhart as his wife Maureen, and as their children: Marta Kristen as Judy, Angela Cartwright as Penny and Bill Mumy as Will. The show also featured Mark Goddard as pilot Don West, Bob May (inside the suit) & Dick Tufeld (the voice) as the Robot, and Jonathan Harris as Smith. During the first season, our heroes crash landed on an unknown planet, and while repairing their ship, fought to survive the elements, and met a host of weird creatures & alien beings. The group also had to deal with the scheming, manipulative Smith, who seemed willing to sell them down the river to anyone or anything who might help him return to Earth. These early episodes, filmed in black & white, are some of the series’ best. The shows ended with cliffhangers that brought viewers back the following week to see the story’s resolution. That format remained in place for the series' first two seasons. For the third year, the cliffhangers were dropped in favor of a coming attractions trailer with scenes from the next week's episode.

As the show switched to color and moved into its second season, stories began to focus more on the trio of Dr. Smith, Will Robinson & the Robot, who were constantly getting into & out of trouble. Smith’s character became less of an evil, unsympathetic villain, and more of a comic foil, with many episodes centered on the character’s silly antics. The show still featured colorful sets, cool special effects & wild looking (often comedic) aliens. The fantasy elements (and the camp level) of the stories were amped up, reportedly to compete with ABC’s Batman. The same thing happened with Irwin Allen’s other series, Voyage To The Bottom of The Sea, which had shifted from the Cold War centered, espionage themed stories of its first season episodes to more fanciful tales in its later years. Lost in Space tried to pull the balance back toward some of the other characters in its third & final season, but those episodes were still a long way from the relatively serious shows of the first year. Still, there are some enjoyable outings throughout the run of the show, and it remains a fan favorite to this day. The cast is wonderful & the Robinsons are similar to other TV families of the era, likable & appealing. The show also had some talented (and familiar) guest stars, including Michael Rennie, Al Lewis, John Carradine, Warren Oates and a young Kurt Russell. Even the goofiest episodes have some effective moments; well, maybe not the infamous "The Great Vegetable Rebellion," which truly has to be seen to be believed.

The new Blu-ray set features all 83 episodes of the series presented in impressive high definition transfers. The black & white episodes look fantastic, and the color shows look very good as well. There are a plethora of extras, including cast commentaries (some of them boisterous & laugh-filled) on selected episodes, TV spots & effects footage, and the option to view several shows as they aired in the 1960s, complete with vintage commercials. Also featured is is a full length documentary on Irwin Allen’s career, The Fantasy Worlds of Irwin Allen, originally produced for the Sci-Fi Channel, an episode of A&E’s Biography series focusing on Jonathan Harris, a Lost In Space animated TV special from 1973, and some current interviews with the surviving cast members. And you can also check out a couple of special treats: one is a table reading by cast members of Bill Mumy’s epilogue for the series, which he wrote to tie up the plotlines of the show; another is the longer version of the series unaired original pilot “No Place To Hide,” which did not feature Dr. Smith or the Robot – they were added to the series later, and joined the cast in the reworked debut episode, “The Reluctant Stowaway.”

This is the best home video presentation of the series thus far, and the extensive bonus features are truly worth viewing. Whether you watched the show during its original airings, or first saw it via syndicated reruns (as I did) indulge that young sci-fi fan inside you, and pick up this terrific release. I'm not going to review the individual episodes here, but if you 're a fan, you'll want to dig into the set and watch some of your favorites. For example, I enjoyed seeing some of the more straightforward adventure-themed episodes like "The Derelict" and "Invaders From The Fifth Dimension," but I also liked some of the more comedic stories like "A Visit To Hades" and "Revolt Of The Androids." By the way, here's a little trivia note: the theme music for the series was composed by the one & only John Williams, of Jaws & Star Wars fame. For fans of Lost In Space, this Blu-ray set is highly recommended. Follow this link to view a vintage trailer for the series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mok6sn3v3HM. The full details of this spectacular Blu-ray release can be found here: http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=16490. And remember "Warning! Warning! Danger, Will Robinson!"

Rock's Behind the Scenes Heroes are profiled in "The Wrecking Crew"

California Dreaming. Good Vibrations. You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling. Be My Baby. These are some of the most enduring & memorable songs of the rock era. But who really played on those records? A group of wonderful artists that became known as The Wrecking Crew, who were vital to the creation of these now classic songs. During the 50s & 60s, as rock & roll was on the rise, it was common practice to have session musicians lay down the studio tracks, and then the actual bands would play the songs on tour. Now, an engrossing documentary traces the history of these supremely talented musicians. The film features insightful, revealing & entertaining interviews with drummers Hal Blaine & Earl Palmer, bassist Carol Kaye, guitarist Tommy Tedesco, and other members of this amazing cadre of players. There are also comments from Roger McGuinn, Brian Wilson, Micky Dolenz, Nancy Sinatra, Cher, Dick Clark and many others.

The movie has fascinating behind the scenes footage of The Wrecking Crew at work in the studio, and some great vintage performance clips. This is an elite group of musicians who were not mere sidemen, but helped come up with the sound & feel of well-remembered songs & albums such as The Beach Boys classic Pet Sounds. In fact, the segments on the sessions with Brian Wilson are some of the best in the film. It’s also a fascinating look at the Los Angeles based side of the recording industry during those halcyon days of the rock era. In addition, you get to see the members of the “crew” who went on to become stars in their own right, including Glenn Campbell & Leon Russell. Denny Tedesco, the son of iconic guitarist Tommy Tedesco, who passed away in 1997, directed the film. It's a wonderful & loving tribute to his father, as well as the rest of these fine musicians who helped provide the soundtrack of our lives.

If you’re a classic rock fan who has enjoyed other films about this era, such as Standing In The Shadows of Motown, 20 Feet From Stardom or Muscle Shoals, then this is essential viewing. It’s a compelling & powerful story that will really resonate with you. And it’s a unique & absorbing look at the creative process, detailing how music was recorded & produced back then. These artists weren’t just there for this era of rock history; they helped make that history. They’re the unsung heroes of rock & roll, and their stories really are worth seeing & hearing. The Wrecking Crew is now available on Blu-ray, DVD and for digital streaming on sites such as Netflix. Here’s a link to the film’s trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SX5BCgmr7tg. By the way, you can also see The Wrecking Crew depicted in the current Brian Wilson biopic Love & Mercy, starring Paul Dano & John Cusack, which is also recommended. You can read my review of that film here: http://jveclectic.blogspot.com/2015/06/love-mercy-genius-of-brian-wilson.html.

Andrew Davidson's The Gargoyle: A Tale of Love, Pain, Struggle & Redemption

Andrew Davidson’s The Gargoyle is a powerful novel about a love that transcends history and time. The narrator, who is never identified by name, has a horrific car accident in which most of his body is horribly burned. While he’s in the hospital, recovering in the burn unit, a mysterious woman named Marianne Engel visits him. She says it is not the first time he’s been burned. They’ve known & loved each other in previous lives, and she’s going to tell the story of their love affair to him. It seems that the narrator was a mercenary who was injured in battle & she was a nun who was assigned to heal his wounds. As he heals, she tells him not only their story, but also other stories & fables of love & redemption. When he is released, he moves in with her, and their relationship deepens. But both the narrator & Marianne are struggling with the their own deep seated issues & inner demons. Can their love be reborn & survive more challenges?

In addition to Marianne & the narrator, we are introduced to other interesting characters, including some of the staff at the burn unit, and Marianne’s agent & friend, Jack. All of their personal stories are interwoven with those of Marianne & the narrator. The supporting cast is particularly well developed, and have some interesting stories of their own. But the enigmatic Marianne may be the most intriguing character; she is a sculptor of gargoyles, and feels an intense, mystical connection with her work. And is that work taking over her life & soul? Is the narrator’s addiction to morphine (for pain) the first step in a descent into a personal hell? It’s not by accident that one of the books that is referenced most often in the narrative is Dante’s Inferno. I found that some of the best parts of the book are the tales that Marianne tells as the novel unfolds. They're wonderful stories of the triumph of love over adversity & good over evil.

This 2008 release was Davidson’s first novel, but he tells a compelling story, and has a great command of words & imagery. If you’re not a romantic, the prose may seem a bit over the top, but it works very well within the context of the story. The stories & fables set in the past are beautifully woven into the narrative, and are some of the best parts of the book. If you like a good story of love with a spiritual element, then do check out The Gargoyle. It's a novel that's somewhat unique for its genre, but still has all the best hallmarks of a good romantic story. The Gargoyle is available in stores & online. Here is a link to a short film made of one of the stories told by Marianne, related by author Davidson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBIsL6pwdo4.

Back into the “Shadows” at Collinwood

The 2012 big screen remake of Dark Shadows, directed by Tim Burton & starring Johnny Depp wasn’t as successful as many fans had hoped, but the original show & its various spinoffs still have a legion of loyal followers. The Gothic horror soap originally ran from 1966-71; two feature films were released during the 1970s, as well as a short-lived primetime revival in the 1990s that starred Ben Cross, Roy Thinnes & Jean Simmons. There are still various conventions & fan gatherings devoted to the series, and novels, comic books & audio dramas featuring the characters continue to be published. One of the best books devoted to the history of Dark Shadows is Return To Collinwood by Kathyrn Leigh Scott & Jim Pierson. Scott portrayed Maggie Evans & Josette DuPres in the original series & the film House of Dark Shadows. Scott has written several previous books about the show, but this is the first volume that covers all the different versions of the series to date.

Return To Collinwood was published to tie in with the release of the Burton/Depp movie, and begins with a section by Scott relating her experiences filming a cameo for that production, along with co-stars Lara Parker, David Selby & Jonathan Frid, the original Barnabas Collins. The book also features Scott’s memories of shooting the original series, as well as an in-depth chapter by Darren Gross about 1970’s House of Dark Shadows & 1971’s Night of Dark Shadows, the two movie spinoffs of the series. There is also coverage of NBC's 1991 prime-time version; a reminisce by Parker, who played Angelique on the show, and information about the creation & production of the original audio dramas based on the series. Also included is a touching introduction by Frid, who passed away in 2012, and a poem by Selby, who played Quentin on the original show.

The many rare & behind the scenes photos from the various incarnations of the show provide a treasure trove for fans. The pictures include some wonderful shots of Lyndhurst Mansion in New York & Seaview Terrace in Rhode Island, the houses that stood in for the Collins family homes during the run of the original show & 1970s movies. Return To Collinwood is published by Pomegranate Press, an imprint that was started by Scott back in the 1990s to publish books about the series. Their output has since expanded to include some non Dark Shadows titles as well. If you’re even a casual fan, this lavish, well produced book offers the best overall coverage of the Dark Shadows phenomenon. It's an informative, enjoyable read and an affectionate tribute to creator/producer Dan Curtis' classic & fondly remembered series. You can order Return To Collinwood online at amazon and other retailers or go directly to the Pomegranate Press at http://pompress.com, where you can also find info on other books related to the series.

Rock & Roll Times 3 at The Oyster Festival

The Milford Oyster Festival is well known for hosting great musical acts. In the past rockers such as Joan Jett, The Marshall Tucker Band and Bret Michaels haven graced their main stage. August 15^th of this year was no exception, showcasing a triple bill of bands: The Rembrandts, Fastball, and Gin Blossoms. In a way, it was a flashback to the 1990s as all three groups first found fame during that decade. They’re performing as part of the “Circle of Friends” tour. Opening act The Rembrandts are of course best known for their hit song, “I’ll Be There For You,” the theme song to the TV series Friends, but they delivered a solid set of acoustic-tinged rock, featuring tunes such as “Chase The Clouds Away” and “Johnny Have You Seen Her.” Members Danny Wilde & Phil Solem know their way around a good song, and the crowd enjoyed their solid vocals and fluid guitar work. The California based band wrapped up their portion of the show with the 1990 hit “Just The Way It Is, Baby” and of course, the Friends song, with a touch of the Green Acres theme played at the start as a joke, when they noted "This is a song we wrote for a TV show."

Next up was Fastball, who hit it big with the song “The Way” off their 1998 release All The Pain Money Can Buy. They powered through a fantastic 11 song set featuring several of their hits, including “Fire Escape” and “You’re An Ocean” as well as a deftly played cover of Steve Earle’s “Devil’s Right Hand,” and the rocking instrumental “Tanzania.” Miles Zuniga was marvelous on lead guitar & vocals and was matched by the excellent work of Tony Scalzo on vocals, keyboards & guitar, Joey Shuffield on drums and Lonnie Trevino, Jr. on bass. Not only were they fantastic musically, but they displayed a sly sense of humor as well. The crowd (which was filling up in front of the stage at this point) even did some singing along on “Out of My Head” & “The Way.” After that, the Austin, Texas outfit finished their set with “Always Never.”

Then Gin Blossoms took the stage, and rocked out for the rest of the afternoon.  Singer-guitarist Robin Wilson led the band through a generous selection of their catalog including “Until I Fall Away,” & “Found Out About You.” Wilson continually cajoled the crowd to sing along, clap & raise/wave their hands, and even passed a couple of tambourines into the crowd so people could play along. The Tempe, Arizona rockers (who first broke through with their 1992 release New Miserable Experience) also features Bill Leen on bass, Scott Hessel on drums, and Scott Johnson & Jesse Valenzuela on guitar. The enthusiastic crowd had jam-packed the main stage area by this point, and the group fed off the crowd’s energy, bringing the show to a climax with their hits “Hey Jealousy” & “Til I Hear It From You.” But the fun wasn’t over yet, and the guys returned for an encore that included a killer cover of The Plimsouls classic “A Million Miles Away” featuring a guest appearance by Miles from Fastball! Then the band closed the show with their hit “Follow You Down,” from 1996's Congratulations, I'm Sorry.

It was a tremendous afternoon of music, and all three bands delivered solid sets of well-played rock & roll. As always, the organizers of the Milford Oyster Festival provided solid entertainment, as well as great food and arts & crafts vendors. It’s always a wonderful event. And if you get the chance to see Gin Blossoms, Fastball or The Rembrandts on tour, you won’t be disappointed. Set lists for the bands are below:

Photo by John V

The Rembrandts:

1. Burning Timber

2. Johnny Have You Seen Her

3. Follow You Down

4. Chase the Clouds Away

5. Someone

6. St. Paul

7. If Not for Misery

8. How Far Would You Go?

9. This House Is Not a Home

10. Just the Way It Is, Baby

11. I'll Be There for You

Photo by John V

Fastball:

1. Rampart Street 

2. Sooner or Later 

3. Love Comes in Waves

4. Fire Escape

5. You're an Ocean

6. Devil's Right Hand (Steve Earle cover) 

7. Til I Get It Right

8. Tanzania (instrumental)

9. Out of My Head

10. The Way

11. Always Never

Photo by John V

 Gin Blossoms:

1. Lost Horizons

2. Somewhere Tonight

3. Miss Disarray

4. As Long as It Matters 

5. Found Out About You

6. Until I Fall Away 

7. Dead or Alive on the 405

8. Allison Road

9. Hands Are Tied

10. I'm Ready

11. Wave Bye Bye

12. Til I Hear It from You

13. Hey Jealousy

Gin Blossoms Encore:

A Million Miles Away (The Plimsouls cover featuring Miles Zuniga of Fastball) 

Follow You Down

Rogue Nation: The IMF Returns

Rogue Nation, the latest chapter in the Mission: Impossible franchise is another well-produced entry in the series. I wasn’t a fan of the initial two entries, which felt more like Tom Cruise centered action movies. And in the first film, 1996’s Mission: Impossible, they did a serious disservice to a beloved character from the TV show. But since J.J. Abrams took over the reins in 2006 when he wrote & directed Mission: Impossible III, he’s steered the films back toward the team-oriented feel of the original TV series. Abrams has continued on as a producer on the series, letting Brad Bird (The Incredibles) take a turn in the center seat for 2011’s Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol. This time out, Christopher McQuarrie, who wrote The Usual Suspects, takes over the director’s chair. McQuarrie also wrote the screenplay & co-authored the original story.

As Rogue Nation begins, it’s a bad time for the IMF. The director of the CIA (played by Alec Baldwin) pushes the government to disband the team, citing the fact that, while they’re successful, they answer to no one & have left too much chaos in their wake. Meanwhile, Ethan Hunt (Cruise) is in the field, tracking down a group of former intelligence agents from various countries that have banded together to form a secret organization. This group, known as The Syndicate, is bent on spreading death & destruction throughout the world for their own nefarious purposes. Hunt is labeled a rogue agent, and must elude the CIA, while also stopping the villains from carrying out their plans. He crosses paths with Ilsa Faust, a disgraced British operative (Rebecca Ferguson), who may or may not be in league with the bad guys.

It’s up to Hunt and his former team-mates to stop this so called “anti-IMF.” But can William Brandt (Jeremy Renner, returning from the previous film), Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg), and Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames), help Ethan while eluding their new bosses in the CIA?  Just who is Ilsa, the lovely but deadly agent who seems to be playing both sides against the middle? What is The Syndicate’s ultimate plan? Is Brandt actually planning to turn Ethan over to the CIA? I won’t say any more about the twisty, deftly handled plot. Enjoy it on its own terms when you see the film. Director McQuarrie keeps things moving at a brisk, breathless pace. There are the usual amazing stunts, action sequences and chase scenes, including a cleverly executed sequence set at the Vienna Opera, where Ethan tries to foil an assassination.

The cast is excellent as usual, with Pegg getting some good comic moments during the story, and Renner and Rhames offering fine support. McQuarrie & his crew have done a wonderful job with the film, crafting an enjoyable action movie that doesn’t talk down to its audience. This is a series that has stayed consistently strong as it goes on, unlike some franchises, which are suffering from fatigue by the later entries. (I’m looking at you, Die Hard) It helps that the producers seem to have taken a page from the James Bond series, bringing in top directors & writers to work on each film. It’s a well-made popcorn flick that should please fans of the previous movies and older fans who recall the original show. Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation is now in theaters. Here’s a link to the film’s trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOW_azQbOjw.

Kansas & The Family Stone Perform in Hamden's Summer Concert Series

Kansas  - photo by John V

The Town of Hamden, CT always has a fantastic series of outdoor summer concerts (free of charge) during the month of July. This year was no exception: earlier this month, music fans were treated to a doo-wop show featuring members of The Drifters and The Tokens. The following week showcased a well-attended & warmly received performance by dance pop diva Taylor Dayne. But in the last two weeks, The Hamden Arts Commission outdid themselves once again. On July 24, Kansas arrived at Meadowbrook Park for a rocking show that featured well-known hits like “Dust In The Wind.” The band also performed a selection of songs from throughout their long career, including “Play The Game Tonight," "Sparks of the Tempest," and “Closet Chronicles.”

Over the years, the group has shifted its focus back and forth between their progressive roots and more pop oriented material, but they still have a very loyal cadre of fans who love their music. The band was amazing vocally and instrumentally, and sounded great on crowd favorites like “Point of Know Return” and “Hold On.”  The band recently released a long form documentary about their history, titled “Miracles Out of Nowhere.” Local rockers XYZ Revisited ruled the stage with a set of energetic metal to start the evening,  and laid the groundwork for Kansas’ awesome set. The huge crowd loved every minute of the concert. Seeing a national act like Kansas for free in an outdoor setting was fantastic, and the weather cooperated as well; it was a beautiful night. The show wrapped up with a fantastic encore performance of the classic “Carry On Wayward Son.” 

The Family Stone - photo by John V

Then on July 31, The Family Stone, with founding members Cynthia Robinson, Jerry Martini and Greg Errico brought the funk to town with an energetic set of their soul & r&b classics, including “Dance To The Music” & “I Want To Take You Higher.” While their original leader, Sly Stone, has been plagued with a myriad of personal problems over the last few years and doesn’t currently tour, the band has soldiered on to bring their classic sounds to their fans. The current lineup features Sly & Cynthia’s daughter Phunne on vocals, and she sounded wonderful. The group had an electrifying groove, and captivated the crowd. The band cajoled & entreated the audience to keep dancing & singing on every song they performed. And how could you not dance to tunes like to “Everyday People,” and “Stand!” The group sound sharp & powerful: they had the chops and they were The Family Stone, united in the funk, rock & soul.

It was an exhilarating night, climaxed by one final knockout dose of funk on "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)." The Family Stone brought the funk, kicked it up several notches, and then left us wanting more. By the way, Hamden resident (and former contestant on The Voice) Blessing Offor, opened the show with a wonderful set of soulful music. His album, Roots, is worth seeking out. If you get a chance to see either Kansas or The Family Stone in your area, I very highly recommend both groups. And keep your eyes on The Town of Hamden website (usually in late May or early June) for announcements of the shows coming up for next year. The hard work & dedication of the Hamden Arts Commission, their local & corporate sponsors (as well as donations from concertgoers during the shows) keep this amazing series going strong every year.