Customer Reviews

The Fantasy Worlds of Irwin Allen

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Irwin Allen in the 1960s was the master of scifi, fantasy and disaster. He was known to think big on a tight budget. This DVD gives a true perspective of the works of Irwin Allen. I am also a fan of "Lost in Space", and so having Billy Mumy and June Lockhardt narrate the special was a wonderful treat. It was also fun to watch the robot make an appearance (even though his right arm needed repair) and a cameo appearance by the late, great Jonathan Harris.
Although the special was meant to show Irwin's greatest accomplishments, the only small critical point I would personally make is that the special did not truly tell of the faults of some of these shows and films. But that did not take away from the true imagination that Irwin Allen truly had.
I was not disappointed with this 90 minute DVD. I would recommend it to anyone who is a fan of "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea", "Lost in Space", "Time Tunnel", "Land of the Giants", "The Poseidon Adventure", "Towering Inferno" and the other films Irwin has produced and directed. I wish it were longer. I wish there were even more interviews and behind the scenes clips.
If you enjoy these films and shows, I can't imagine that you would not enjoy this DVD. Thanks, Mr. Allen, for your contribution to the entertainment field. You have paved the way for many other science fiction hit series and films. He did what he could with what he had in the 60s and 70s.
This DVD is a real treat and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys reminiscing about the earlier SCI FI dramas.

This DVD edition of "The Fantasy Worls od Irwin Allen" blew me away! I bought a VHS copy of the program after seeing it on the Sci-Fi Channel back in '95. It was a great, campy tribute to a great, campy producer. June Lockhart and Billy Mumy were fine choices as hosts. The Robot from "Lost in Space" (Irwin's best known TV series) was fun, too. (I don't want to ruin the surprise ending.) The clips, editing, interviews are great - especially the segments on Irwin's disaster films, "The Poseidon Adventure" and "The Towering Inferno." All in all, this is a great program if you like TV Sci-Fi (and love "Lost in Space"). The real news here is THE BONUS MATERIALS! Foxstar Productions and Image entertainment really went all out. There are featurettes galore from "The Towering Inferno", "Man From the 25th Century", "City Beneath the Sea" and "Land of the Giants" (another all-time favorite). Again... WOW!

As a 60's teen, my sister and I had an ongoing debate over which was better, "Lost in Space" or "Star Trek". While I preferred the juvenile adventure of the former (with the exception of the awful second season), she was in the corner of Roddenberry's more "adult" baby. Both would last just three seasons, although "Trek" would prove to be a "cash cow" for Paramount through its later movie and television reincarnations.

That withstanding, this video documents, as others have stated, the career of "Space" creator/producer Irwin Allen with footage covering his four "classic" series, three successful theatrical films ("Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea," "The Poseidon Adventure", and "The Towering Inferno") and the truly "disastrous" later productions "Beyond the Poseidon Adventure", "The Swarm" and the laughable "When Time Ran Out".

Fortunately, fond memories of the television shows, as recalled by cast members, and the cool effects (for the time) make this a keeper.

I can even forgive "The Great Vegetable Rebellion"!

My sis may have thought the Enterprise was cool, but I'll take the Seaview with its glass dome and shark fins any day.

This 1995 documentary on the film and TV career of producer Irwin Allen is hosted by Lost In Space stars Billy Mummy and June Lockhart and the robot(Bob May),with a cameo appearance by Jonathon Harris as Dr. Smith.
Billy Mummy and the robot do a nice little sendup of Billy's 1960's Twilight Zone appearance in the episode "It's A Good Life" with a "that's a real good thing you did" routine.
The documentary begins with a history of Irwin's early films of the 1950's and 1960's,like Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea starring Walter Pigeon and Barbara Eden.It then goes into his 1960's TV productions of Lost In Space,Land Of The Giants,Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea and The Time Tunnel with lots of memories of the shows by different cast members.Deanna Lund of Land Of The Giants looks amazing for someone that starred as an adult in the 1960's show.
As a teenager,I was very disappointed when Lost In Space changed from it's eccellent first season into the worst show on television and this documentary gives us a hint as to why.
Lost In Space was put on against the very campy Batman series and Irwin,in a monumental case of misjudgement,turned Lost In Space into the very same sort of ridiculous and campy show.What a pity he did this as the first season was a wonderful show for kids.
This summed Irwin Allen up,for while he could be a great showman,he had no idea of story by often turning his shows into "monster of the week" shows.Thank goodness The Time Tunnel was cancelled after one season,so that Irwin didn't have a chance to ruin it.
The Time Tunnel incidentally,was pipped at the post for a second season by the then new Planet Of The Apes TV series.Irwin received a phone call telling him that they just missed out in favour of that new show which also ran for only one season.
The documentary then tells us about Irwin's successful move back into movies in the 1970's with big hits in The Poseidon Adventure,which was nominated for 7 Oscars(not 8)and The Towering Inferno which was nominated for 10 Oscars(not 8)as the documentary incorrectly states.
There are some interesting out-takes from these films showing Irwin directing the action scenes with comments from stars.
Other directors did the majority of these two films as Irwin directed just the action scenes.
After 1975,Irwin's film producing career took a dive with three awful flop disaster films like the absurd Beyond The Poseidon Adventure,where people go down into a sinking ship(?)and also When Time Ran Out and The Swarm.These films had awful special effects and little story.
Irwin tended to repeat stunt scenes done in previous movies in the last two films which indicated that he had run out of ideas.
He then went back to television with some rejected TV pilots as well as one successful TV series(Swiss Family Robinson),but as one of this documentaries producers is a relative,this down part of his career is glossed over.He then went back to TV movie of the week films like Flood.
The best part of this documentary is the bloopers right at the end and it was good to see that old scene stealer Jonathon Harris one last time.This DVD also has some featurettes on the movies which is a bonus and might interest some fans of those films.

I saw this on the Sci-Fi Channel 6 years ago, and taped it, The DVD is by far superior. The bonus materials are worth their weight and gold, and best of all you don't need to pause out the commercials. Irwin Allen's memory will live forever on this disc, BUY IT!!!

The series created and produced by Mr. Allen - VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA, LOST IN SPACE, THE TIME TUNNEL and LAND OF THE GIANTS - was, and remains to this day, our favorites TV shows. This DVD (Previously launched in VHS format) bring to us, update interviews with some of our heroes, an interesting overview of the backstage of these productions, a brief history of the creator and producer and a lot of fun and good memories. " As creator and producer, Irwin Allen's objective was not to over-analyze or intellectualize the storylines, nor scientifically educate the viewing audience. More often than not, continuity was an afterthought. The show was purely and simply intended to be family entertainment ..." (From James Hatfield & George Burt, authors of LOST IN SPACE: THE ULTIMATE UNAUTHORIZED TRIVIA CHALLENGE, Kensington Books, 1998.)

Irwin Allen created some of the best loved science fiction of the 1960's. All four of his television series from that era are here. The DVD includes interviews with cast members from all four shows, highlights and outakes. Narrated by Bill Mumy and June Lockhart with appearances by Robot Bob May and lovable villain Jonathan Harris, this is a true gem. Also includes never seen before IA presentation films and a look at Irwin's blockbuster feature films including the Poseiden Adventure and the Towering Inferno.

"The Fantasy Worlds of Irwin Allen" (1995 - 100 minutes), is a
definitive documentary in DVD about the career of the unforgettable
producer and director the new yorker Irwin Allen, deceased on November
2 ,1991. Directed by Kevin Burns, the documentary make a tribute to the
creator of the cult TV series "Lost in the Space", " Voyage to the
Botton of the Sea", "The Time Tunnel", "Land of Giants" and classic
movies as "The Poseidon Adventure" and "The Towering Inferno". Allen
was known in Hollywood as the "Master of Disaster". Introduced by the
actors June Lockhart and Bill Mumy and with the delicious participation
of the Robot and Johnathan Harris, the histrionics doctor Smith, the
documentary shows behind the scenes and enlightening interviews with
the main actors of the TV series and movies. An indispensable document
for all the Science Fiction fans.

(...)

Basically I am doing research on TV shows and movies. Irwin Allan was one of the true characters that spanned both TV and Film.

This DVD is everything that is advertised. You also get bonus features that give you a look into Irwin Allen on the studio lot.

What I found as a great surprise in special features was the "Pitch" TV shows that didn't make it. A great lesson in blending story boarding and live action to communicate your "idea" to the people who will buy it.

Film and TV people today might laugh at the series Irwin created.. But there is much to learn from even today. Like all science fiction TV producers, Gerry Anderson, Gene Rodenbery, and others... Irwin threads the needle with his distinct vision of the future.

The music of "the worlds of" Irwin Allen is done from John Williams.. A true genius that everyone seemed to take for granted until Star Wars and Jaws. Much of the special effects and the suspension of belief that is needed to enjoy "Lost in Space" and "Time Tunnel" was the music from Johnny Williams.

If you're going to make a sci-fi Indy film, TV show or ?? This DVD should be seen and studied. This really goes for the new filmmakers that have never seen "Land of the Giants" or "Voyage to the bottom of the sea".

I would surely give this 5 stars if it wasn't part of a 1996 Sci-Fi Channel project. (seen on the sci-fi channel) If you had a Timex watch.. Give it to the "talent" at Sci-Fi and surely it would STOP TICKING.

GENE

_If you remember these televison shows and movies from your younger days then this is a pleasant nostalgic experience. I also found it amazing just how much of what I found interesting on TV as a boy came from one man's vision. I think this was because there was a genuine enthusiasm in Irwin Allen for the future- and for adventure and monsters. There is quite alot of biographical footage about Allen's life thrown in (it is afterall a biographical presentation) but enough clips of the television shows and movies are included to satisfy everyone. The whole show is held together well by Bill Muny and June Lockhart- not too serious and not too hammy.

The show covers the early movies: The Sea Around Us, Animal World, The Story of Mankind, The Big Circus, Five Weeks in a Balloon, The Lost World, and Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (I remember the last three from Saturday matinees at the movies.)

Then it moves on to the four great science fiction television shows: Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Lost in Space, Time Tunnel, and Land of the Giants. The clips are well chosen- and there are plenty of interviews with cast members and guest stars.
There are even clips from two shows that didn't make it- "Man from the 25th Century" and "City Beneath the Sea."

The rest centers primarily around his block buster movies such The Poseidon Adventure and The Towering Inferno- as well as all the other disaster flicks that followed.

You know it is funny, even as a kid I recognised the overuse of stock film footage, and the inane dialog, and the lack of scientific accuracy in much of his work- but I still watched it. I guess that was because the dream and the enthusiasm of other worlds was still there- even if he tried to do it on a low budget.