CLASSIC SCI-FI TV - 150 EPISODES DVD

Tricky to know just what is in this boxset. Even once I purchased it and it arrived, there was no listing of the names of the episodes for each of the sereies that were included. I had to put the discs in the drive one at a time and write down the episode names :)So ... for your benefit, here is what I came up with for the contents of this boxset (I still need to actually watch them, but I expect it to be great fun)Disc 1Flash Gordon (1953-1954)The Planet of DeathReturn of the AndroidsClaim JumperBreath of DeathAkim the TerribleThe Lure of LightRace Against TimeWitch of NeptuneBrain MachineStruggle to the EndSaboteurs from SpaceForbidden ExperimentDisc 2Flash Gordon (1953-1954)Deadline at NoonSubworld RevengeSpace Angel (1962) animatedPower FailureScratch One ChimpThe GladiatorsThey Went That AwayCosmic CombatThe Light BarrierExpedition to a New MoonThe Donovan PlanVisitor from Outer SpaceClimax Mystery Theater (1954-1958)Dr. Jekyll & Mr. HydeThe Star and The Story (hosted by Henry Fonda) 1959The Dark StrangerDisc 3Captain Z-Ro (1955) (travel through time)Leonardo Da VinciMeteorMolly PitcherDiscovery of GoldRoger the RobotWilliam the ConquerorBlackbeard the PirateDaniel BooneMarco PoloAttila the HunKing AlfredRobin HoodDisc 4Captain Z-Ro (1955) (travel through time)Hernando CortezThe Pony ExpressWilliam TellGenghis KahnKing JohnMagellanChristopher ColumbusThe Great PyramidWashington & HoweXiutechuhtilBenedict ArnoldMoon GlowDisc 5Here Comes Tobor - Tobor and the Atomic Submarine (1956)Tales of Frankenstein - pilot episode (show never sold) (1958)The Shadow: Invisible Avenger (1958)Clutch Cargo: Operation Moon Beam (animated cartoon) (1959)Your Jeweler's Showcase - Operation ESP (1952)The Shadow - The Case of the Cotton Kimono (1955)Destination Space (1959)Thriller: The Return of Andrew Bentley (horror - hosted by Boris Karloff) (1960-1962)Johnny Jupiter (including commercial for M&M's) (1953-1954)The Adventures of Superman: Stamp Day for Superman (1954)Disc 6One Step Beyond (1959-1961)The SorcererEncounterHouse of the DeadEpilogueThe Stone CutterContactThe GiftBride PossessedThe Burning GirlThe PremonitionForest of the NightReunionThe HauntingDisc 7One Step Beyond (1959-1961)Where Are TheyGoodbye GrandpaThe RiddleRocky Jones, Space Ranger (1954)Beyond the Curtain of Space 1Beyond the Curtain of Space 2Beyond the Curtain of Space 3Escape Into SpacePirate of Prah 1Pirate of Prah 2Pirate of Prah 3Crash of the Moons 1Crash of the Moons 2Crash of the Moons 3Disc 8Rocky Jones, Space Ranger (1954)Silver Needle in the Sky 1Silver Needle in the Sky 2Silver Needle in the Sky 3The Forbidden Moon 1The Forbidden Moon 2The Forbidden Moon 3Bobby's Comet 1Bobby's Comet 2Bobby's Comet 3Rocky's Odyssey 1Rocky's Odyssey 2Rocky's Odyssey 3Kip's Private WarDisc 9The Phantom Empire (starring Gene Autry) (1935)The Singing CowboyThunder RidersThe Lightning ChamberPhantom BroadcastBeneath the EarthDisaster from the SkiesFrom Death to LifeJaws of JeopardyPrisoners of the RayThe RebellionA Queen in ChainsThe End of MuraniaDisc 10Undersea Kingdom (1936)Beneath the Ocean FloorThe Undersea CityArena of DeathRevenge of the VolkitesPrisoners of AtlantisThe Juggernaut StrikesThe Submarine TrapInto the Metal TowerDeath in the AirAtlantis DestroyedFlaming DeathAscent to the UpperworldDisc 11Tales of Tomorrow (1951-1953)Test FlightVerdict in SpaceWhat We NeedAge of PerilBlunderSneak AttackLights Out (1946-1952)Just What HappenedCurtain CallMan with a WatchPassage BeyondG.E. Theatre (hosted by Ronald Reagan) (1953-1962)Let It RainThe Ballad of Mender McClureDisc 12Radar Men From The Moon (1952)Moon RocketMolten TerrorBridge of DeathFlight to DestructionMurder CarHills of DeathCamouflaged DestructionThe Enemy PlanetBattle in the StratosphereMass ExecutionPlanned PursuitDeath of the Moon ManCaptain FathomCaptain Fathom (1955)The Ice Trap (1965 animated)Pisastro's Private War (1965 animated)Ghost Ship (1965 animated)

TV from the 1950s and sci films

I don't regret buying The Classic Sci-Fi TV collection but I think that science fiction fans should be warned that the twelve disc collection could be very rough sledding for those who are looking for good science fiction that has stood the test of time; those who are more interested in early television shows will like the collection much better. The Flash Gordon material is in poor shape but even if it were remastered it would only seem quaint; the actors playing Flash, Dale, and Dr. Zarkoff are the only actors in the series, filmed in West Germany, who were Americans and most of the other actors have German accents which is sometimes amusing but always distracting. The Captain Z-Ro material is aimed at the youngest elementary school children and the production values are primative, as is the writing and acting; I've watched a few episodes and I sincerely doubt I'll ever watch the remainder. The one Step Beyond episodes are arguably the best thing representing regular series in the collection and many of the 18 episodes still stand up fairly well but that series is one of the newest (a relative term) represented by the collection. Rocky Jones, Space Ranger is arguably the most watchable material in the entire collection, but Mill Creek has included about half of the three-episode adventures in edited form disguised as movies on other collections, so the risk of duplication is possible for those who have other Mill Creek products; since I'm able to compare both versions, I favor the original versions in this collection; the special effects in the Rocky Jones material was superior in its day but to anyone used to blue screens and CGI the effects will look amateurish. The Lights Out episodes really bring home the idea that television was originally regarded as radio with pictures and while it is to the credit of the actors and the director featured in the four episodes that they could work within the limitation of the medium in its infancy when everything was live and there were no retakes, anyone who is looking for contemporary production values, or even the production values of the late fifties television, will skip the episodes; Tales of Tomorrow features much the same sort of production values but with better preservation, stories, and a better class of actors. Movie serials were often shown by independent stations in the afternoon after school let out, back in the fifties and sixties, so the three serial included do deserve a place, but three may be overkill. I'm in the process of watching chapters of "Radar Men from the Moon" every Saturday and I am enjoying it but I like most serials; I have a truncated version of "The Phantom Empire" which was hacked up and re-edited so it could be passed off with another title ("Melody Ranch") as a movie in another Mill Creek package, and I'm glad to have the original version even though I will admit the Gene Autry vehicle is a poorly done serial. I haven't looked at "Undersea Kingdom" but I have seen it before and I know it is mediocre of its kind, at best. The rest of the material in the collection is basically filler, but at least the anthology material does show that some fantasy and science fiction was aimed at a more mainstream audience. I've never cared much for made-for-televison limited animation cartoons and I watched one "Captain Fathom" and one "Space Angel" cartoon apiece before deciding I wouldn't be watching any others. The "Clutch Cargo" cartoon was interesting with its superimposure of a real mouth speaking dialogue over cartoon faces but it also struck me as jarring and disturbing. The selections from various anthology shows range all over the place but none are outstanding although it is interesting to see actors like Vincent Price, Joanne Woodward, Sheldon Leonard, Cloris Leachman, and Michael Rennie in the one-off format. The unsold pilot episodes are interesting, but apparently the episode of "Thriller" was included to fill out the fifth disc after "Here Comes Tober" and the live version of Captain Fathom were removed for copyright reasons. I did enjoy the pilots for "Tales of Frankenstine" and the 1958 Shadow pilot and I wish both had been developed into series, but they serve mostly as reminders of wasted potential. "Johnny Jupiter" features puppets and is aimed at a pre-school audience, and was obviously included as filler. All-in-all, the collection is uneven and almost none of it would appeal to a casual viewer of science fiction. Serial fans and those with a deep interest in early television will consider the set worth the price of ownership, but I doubt Mill Creek will find many viewers who will consider Classic Sci-Fi TV a bargain.

For those of you who bought the Alpha Video Lights Out sets, here are the episodes of Lights Out on THIS set.Only one new episode not featured on Alpha's releases, and it's Just What Happened.Lights OutS3E07 - Just What Happened - 9 October 1950S3E25 - Curtain Call - 12 February 1951 (On Alpha Video Sets)S3E44 - The Passage Beyond - 25 June 1951 (On Alpha Video Sets)S3E51 - The Man with the Watch - 13 August 1951 (On Alpha Video Sets)For those of you who bought The Mill Creek One Step Beyond 50 Pack, here's what's on THIS SET.The only repeat is Where Are They. The rest haven't been released by Mill Creek before.One Step BeyondFYI : The dating method I used - 012059 = January 20th, 1959.1x01 012059 - The Bride Possessed1X06 022459 - Epilogue1X08 031059 - The Premonition1X16 050559 - The Burning Girl1X22 061659 - The Riddle2x10 112459 - Reunion2X12 120859 - The Stone Cutter2X18 011960 - The Forests of the Night2X25 030860 - The Haunting2X29 041260 - Encounter2X35 052460 - Contact2X37 060760 - House of the Dead2X38 061460 - Goodbye Grandpa3x12 121360 - Where Are They (On Mill Creek 50 Set)3X19 013161 - The Gift3X31 052361 - The Sorcerer

Great sci-fi DVD

Some good concepts some crap as you would expect. I would have liked to see a better index. It will take you some time to go through this lot. If you have a lot of spare time on your hands and like this sort of stuff if not save your money.

It was a great memory reviver for me, but those who didn't live through the 1950s might not find it so interesting. They should keep an open mind and give it a try though. The DVD was well made and nicely packaged.

tels que je le voulais merci

Es una colección entretenida y grande, aún no he podido verla toda. Es multiregión, lo cual es muy práctico para verla en cualquier dispositivo. Por ser series viejas tienen algunos detalles de transferencia (no parecen remasterizados) para el vídeo, pero el mayor problema a veces es del sonido; aunque lo último también puede ser de origen. Lamentablemente no tienen ningún tipo de ayuda para subtítulos, ni en inglés, así que hay que prestar mucha atención para oír los diálogos.

Would have been much better in color.

I love this set! sooooo worth the money,its ridiculous. A couple of the shows arent that great but thats not unusual for these sets. what puts this set above others is the number of really really good shows. a lot of the pilot episodes are above average quality to the point im surprised that none of them made the cut. If you think that you might like this set,then you will! I was greatly surprised at how good it was.So good,i didnt even open my hawaii five-o season 6 dvd, that came in the same order,until i had watched damn near the entire 150 episodes! Granted, the occasional video quality slips,but not for so long that its ever distracting and besides, these shows are all over 60 years old and from a time that film/video preservation wasnt much of a concern. the fact theres this amount of decent stuff is a blessing

***This Region 1 release will play on a R2 DVD player***Phew....this is one bumper collection!. Far easier to list the contents than give a detailed episode by episode breakdown (see below). The collection includes the odd cliff-hanger cinema series, along with one-off pilot episodes which never developed into a TV series. Made up of mostly 50's material, for fans of the genre this is a collection of generally low-budget TV productions, a kaleidoscope of the familiar, not so familiar & the obscure (with some ad-breaks remaining intact!)The picture & sound quality is variable - occasionally flaky but generally OK/acceptable (the prints used for the Republic Pictures serial "Radar Men From The Moon" are good, IMO the best of the collection). There are no subtitles. With the overall running time of this release (over 60 hours) along with what I paid out (around £13) I would say this boxset represents good value for money. While already owning a couple of Mill Creek collections, yet again it's the same packaging: The 12 (single-sided) discs are stored in individual paper/plastic sleeves. A small booklet with details of the titles is also included.Here is a list of the titles, all titles are in black and white unless stated (running times are approximate).*CAPTAIN FATHOM (Animated series).Three episodes (1965/colour/20 mins each).*CAPTAIN Z-RO.Twenty-four episodes (1955, 26 mins each).Starring Roy Steffens & Bruce Haynes.*CLIMAX MYSTERY THEATRE: DR JEKYLL & MR HIDE.(1954-58, 60 mins).Starring Michael Rennie, Cedric Hardwicke & Lowell Gilmore.*CLUTCH CARGO: OPERATION MOON BEAM (Animated).One episode (1959/colour/20 mins).*DESTINATION SPACE.One episode (1959, 50 mins).Starring Harry Townes, John Agar & Edward Platt.*FLASH GORDON.Fourteen episodes (1953-54, 25 mins each).Starring Steve Holland, Irene Champlin & Joe Nash.*GENERAL ELECTRIC THEATRE.Two episodes (1953-62, 29 mins each).*Let It Rain - Starring Cloris Leachman, Ronald Reagan & Lillian Bronson.*The Ballad of Mender McClure - Starring Vincent Price & Thomas Mitchell.*JOHNNY JUPITER.One episode (1953-54, 29 mins).Starring Wright King, Cliff Hall & Pat Peardon.*LIGHT'S OUT!Four episodes (1946-52, 26 mins each).*Just What Happened.*Curtain Call.*Man With a Watch.*Passage Beyond.Starring John Howard, Otto Kruger, Ralph Clanton & Francis L. Sullivan.*ONE STEP BEYOND.Eighteen episodes (1959-61, 25 mins each).*The Clown. *The Dark Room. *Night of April 14th. *Encounter. *House of The Dead. *Epilogue. *The Stone Cutter. *Contact. *The Gift. *Bride Possessed. *The Burning Girl. *The Premonition. *Forest In The Night. *Reunion. *The Haunting. *Emergency Only. *Goodbye Grandpa. *The Riddle.*THE PHANTOM EMPIRE.Twelve episodes - complete series (1935/total running time: 4 hours).Starring Gene Autry, Frankie Darro & Dorothy Christy.*RADAR MEN FROM THE MOON.Twelve episodes - complete series (1952/total running time: 2 hrs, 47 mins).Starring George Wallace, Roy Barcroft & Clayton Moore.*ROCKY JONES, SPACE RANGER.Twenty-three episodes (1954, 26 mins each).Starring Richard Crane, Scotty Becket & Sally Mansfield.*THE SHADOW.One episode (1955, 25 mins).Starring Tom Helmore, Paula Raymond & Frank M. Thomas.*THE SHADOW: INVISIBLE AVENGER.(1958, 56 mins).Starring Richard Derr, Jeanne Neher & Dan Mullin.*SPACE ANGEL (Animated series).Nine episodes (1962/colour/20 mins each).*STAMP DAY FOR SUPERMAN (Public information film).(1954, 17 mins).Starring George Reeves, Noel Neill & Jack Larson.*THE STAR AND THE STORY: DARK STRANGER.(1959, 25 mins).Starring Edmond O'Brien, Joanne Woodward & Evelyn Ankers.*TALES OF FRANKENSTEIN.One episode (1958, 28 mins).Starring Anton Diffring, Richard Bull & Don Megowan.*TALES OF TOMORROW.Six episodes (1951-53, 23 mins each).*Test Flight. *Verdict In Space. *What We Need. *Age of Peril. *Blunder. *Sneak Attack.Starring Lon McAllister, Robert Allan & Lee J. Cobb.*THRILLER: THE RETURN OF ANDREW BENTLEY.(1960-62, 50 mins).Starring Boris Karloff, John Newland & Oscar Beregi Jr.*UNDERSEA KINGDOM.Twelve episodes - complete series (1936, total running time: 3 hrs, 45 mins).Starring Ray "Crash" Corrigan, Lois Wilde & Monte Blue.*YOUR JEWELER'S SHOWCASE - OPERATION E.S.P.One episode (1952, 25 mins).Starring Sheldon Leonard, Barbara Whiting & Bob Sweeney.