Episode 67: Danger, Will Robinson! Danger!

 

After nearly three years of podcasting on all things fantastic, we are finally getting around to one of the most fantastic, entertaining shows ever made: the 1960s classic, Lost in Space! We'll dive into the origins of the show, how it got made, what was in the pilot (which was never shown on TV), and some of the other actors considered for the roles of the Jupiter 2 crew. Can you say Carroll O'Connor??

Of course, you can't talk about Lost in Space without talking about the triumvirate of the Robot, Dr. Smith, and Will Robinson. Over the course of the first season and definitely by the second, these three characters became the focus of the show. We'll share thoughts and stories about them, as well as the rest of the Jupiter 2 crew. Maybe even Debbie the Bloop!

Your Planet 8 crew also talks about the special effects of Lost in Space. While people tend to focus on some of the cornier aspects of the show, it actually had some very cool effects - the scenes of the Jupiter 2 flying over planets look spectacular, for example. And of course, the Robot was great, and you had the chariot as well.

We'll reminisce about favorite episodes, what we liked about the show, and what hits us differently as adults as opposed to when we were kids. Oh, and how can we forget the music by John Williams? Yes, that John Williams! Years before Jaws or Star Wars or Raiders of the Lost Ark, Williams scored a 60s TV show.  Lost in Space had some pretty terrific themes and incidental music which really set the show apart. 

For our Sensor Sweep...well, we actually forgot to prepare a Sensor Sweep! Just for fun, we left in our mad scramble to come up with something on the fly. Luckily Bob checked his recent Amazon purchases and found The Lost Adventures of James Bond by Mark Edlitz! This book covers all the films and shows that could have been made -but weren't -for James Bond. It's a must for any Bond fan.

With that, we bid you all adieu - let us know your thoughts on Lost in Space. Did you watch it as a kid? What do you remember? Have you watched it lately? Let us know what you think:

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Oh, you blithering booby!

Episode 66: Hidden Gems

 

This time around on Planet 8, each crew member has chosen a film that maybe didn't do well at the box office or get critical acclaim, but we feel deserves another look. Yes, we've picked out some hidden gems! We'll each take a turn talking about our pick, followed by some discussion. Hopefully we do a good enough job that you may be encouraged to check these films out! Our selections are pretty different from each other, and reflect our range of interests.

Chief Engineer Bob is up first with 2008's Speed Racer by the Wachowskis. Based on the famous cartoon series, the film captures the flavor of the cartoon, so if you're a fan, you'll definitely appreciate it. It's highly stylized and visually exciting, and well worth your time if you want to see something really unique. And how is Speed Racer connected to Elvis? Listen and find out!

Up next is Recon Officer Karen with the offbeat 1974 sci-fi film Zardoz, best remembered for Sean Connery in a red loincloth. The plot of the film is difficult to summarize, but if you like dystopian futures, giant stone heads, and weird psychedelia, this could be the film for you. 

Finally, bringing us to a close, Commander Larry tells us all about Phantasm, the Don Coscarelli film from 1979. This low-budget thriller has developed a true cult following. Larry gives us the scoop on the Tall Man and of course, the sphere. Did you know there were five films in the series? Neither did we! But Larry gives us the basic premise -which is that the Tall Man collects corpses and turns them into scrunched down zombie slaves to take back to his planet. What?. Anyway, it'll keep your attention!

Those are our picks. We have so many other films we could name, but we'll save them for another round!

This episode's Sensor Sweep is brought to us by Bob. This time it's a gigantic box set of 18 LPs from Waxworks Records for the Showa Godzilla films (1954 -1975)! Each film gets its own album, and a few get two-record sets. If you love the Godzilla soundtracks, and you have a few hundred dollars sitting around, check it out. These LPs are colored vinyl, and include exclusive artwork. Quite a collectors' item!

That's all for us. Let us know what you think of our hidden gems, and tell us about your hidden gems! What films would you include? 

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Thanks for listening!