Rating: 
Summary: A Wasted Opportunity
Review: Contrary to other reviews on this site, I was less than impressed by the picture quality of these discs. To qualify my statements, let me first say that I am a professional broadcast engineer specialising in film transfers and I have experience in mastering film and video specifically for DVD. My department is currently mastering other ITC DVD titles for Carlton in the UK.The major problem with the discs is that they are sourced from an NTSC composite video master. This is unforgiveable - DVD is a component video format and the master should have been a component video transfer from the 35mm films. The fact that it isn't component also suggest that the masters are some years old. By using a composite master, detail levels are not as good as they could be and worst of all there is the characteristic coloured noise around areas of high detail - step through frame by frame and these become even more apparent. There is a lot of aliasing visible on horizontal details - look at the grilles in the Eagle passenger hold in 'Breakaway' for instance. This also comes and goes alarmingly with slight movements, a sure sign that too much digital noise reduction has been applied. There's also sporadic film damage apparent throughout - dirt, scuffs and other damage which could easily be painted out frame by frame during mastering. If you are in region 2, then you would be advised to wait and see what the forthcoming r2 releases are like. Although we have had no involvement in 'Space:1999' (it was mastered at 4MC in London), we are currently mastering other titles for Carlton DVD and their delivery requirements are very high indeed - not even pinprick damage makes it through their review process. I suspect that the UK discs will blow A&E's out of the water...
Rating: 
Summary: 1970's SCI-FI SAGA ...GERRY ANDERSON STYLE!
Review: Alot of reviewers on this page seem to be preoccupied with nit-picking and disecting the various flaws in production & writing on this tv series. It's just tv, get a life! :) I myself am just glad to be able to see this series again for the first time since 1975 even if the quality of the DVDs isnt 100%. The prints A&E used seem dirty & scratched in places, although they are apparently 'restored'. I still liked these first 2 box set releases, and while extremely short on extras (even the card inserts are one-sided), I think these DVD box sets would make a worthy addition to any 1970's TV buff or Sci-Fi fan's collection. Hopefully A&E will actually release the entire series, theres alot of season 2 episodes that I want to see again also! :)
Rating:
Summary: ...Only two years late!
Review: Let me start out by saying that I'm a rare breed in SF TV fandom: I'm A Star Trek Fan ( have been since I was 3 years old in '66...you do the math ), and I don't hate Space:1999! In fact I adore it. I have been a fan since it premiered in the states in '75, and remained a fan even through the strange changes it went through in it's second year. In fact I get more excited about finding some new bit of info or collectible about this show than my beloved Star Trek anymore, since there has been such an overkill of Trek related merchandise over the past decade. Also I would like to say that I am aware ( painfully, sometimes ) of the shortcomings of either season of the series, but that does not diminish my enjoyment of it. I too would like to add my voice to those who have said 'Enough with the year one/ year two debate!' Both seasons have their detractors, but both have their staunch fans as well. I much prefer the look, style, and tone of year one, but still enjoy year two for what it is, and will be thrilled if A&E/New Video make s good on their promise to release the complete series. I'm very happy overall with the DVDs, although I have found a few nitpicky technical flaws with a few episodes ( The print of "Alpha Child" in particular, appears to have been put together from two different prints, and it is especially noticable as the color and sharpness change in the middle of one scene ). I also have the american laserdiscs and can say that there is a great improvement in picture quality. But flaws aside, I'm delighted to have this show available on DVD, when I was beginning to despair of ever getting a complete uncut run in ANY format. So I ask those of you with a grudge against either year of the show - please keep the negativity to a minimum. It can only hurt the chances of getting the rest of the series released if we discourage sales by telling people to stay away.
Rating: 
Summary: This episode...
Review: Actually all these episodes are fantastic. The common theme is that it is a show that was seen rarely (in the US) in many circumstances, and this is certainly true in my case. No matter what I was doing as a young person I would stop and make time to watch this show, trouble or not. Space: 1999 was seen so infrequently here that when it did play, I was riveted. And the music! What fan could forget the intro music of the first season, or the equally-good-but-different music of second season? The visual quality is or course, beautiful. Sonically the discs rock. I had never seen "Breakaway" before, so it was a treat to see it on these discs. The menu system is simple and easy to navigate. The content includes behind the scenes and production stills, and three episodes each disc. I have not seen all of the stills yet, but what I have seen I liked. There are no other special features and that is my only (minor) complaint, but I still love these discs and cannot wait for more.
Rating:
Summary: Glorious!
Review: These DVDs have been a godsend and a revelation. Gorgeous picture and sound quality, and above all, a happy rediscovery of that wonderful series. I have to agree with the viewer from eastern Canada, whose message to several other reviewers was to stop knocking Year Two and get over it! This is a ridiculous debate. Year One - yes it was great, but oh my god - some episodes ("Ring Around the Moon," "Mission of the Darians") and some concepts (the Alphans as cavemen?) were atrocious - certainly far below some of the best that Year Two offered. What's with the negativity? Everyone else has done a great job of knocking this show since the day it debuted - which is why it has aired so seldomly, and has been only intermittently available on video, ever since. Look at the big picture, enjoy the WHOLE series and get a life!
Rating:
Summary: Space:1999 - Why Didn't the Moon Break Away Yet?
Review: The long-awaited DVD release of Space:1999, for hard core fans of the 70's science fiction adventure series, is a blessing. Visually, the new DVD transfers, lifted from the original 35mm prints are nothing less than gorgeous. Colors are full with warm hues and the picture possesses a sharpness that exceeds the J2 Communications Laser Disc releases. The audio track is very clear. The photo gallery of behind-the-scenes added to each disc is a welcom extra and curiosity for any serious or casual fan. I would ask for more extras, such as commentary tracks or interviews, but I will be happy if A&E just follows through by releasing the rest of the series and with the same high quality. The Prisoner TV series release by A&E was to say the least disappointing. Space:1999 fans unite and purchase every volume!
Rating:
Summary: Resistance Is Futile!!
Review: This is a dream come true for fans of this series as well as science fiction in general: Space:1999 in chronological order on DVD at last! The first year in particular was groundbreaking and undoubtedly had the most intense opening credit sequence of any TV series in history. I've never been this excited by a series release on DVD before, and will be eagerly awaiting the rest! I've already run into many fans in stores buzzing about this collection...man, it's as if 1974 were just yesterday to me...all these episodes are just as entertaining now as then. So glad I held onto the soundtrack album and my giant Mattel Eagle spaceship! NOTE to Star Trek fans: yes, the phrase "Resistance is futile" was first introduced in Space: 1999 in the episode "The Dorcons," not from the Borgs of Star Trek! (So there!)
Rating:
Summary: Fair-minded Reviews? Guess not.
Review: Uh, guys. There is no second season on these discs, and it's doubtful there will be second season DVDs with all of this negativity directed at it. I have just never seen anything like this before. Instead of reviews of the episodes on the actual discs, all we're getting here are totally closed-minded, generalized dismissals of the whole second year. Surely first season is not the only way to present the Space: 1999 premise in a decent fashion. Surely it's more flexible than that. Yes, and don't call me Shirley. We don't see people using the Di Rigg Avengers DVDs as a pretext for attacking the Linda Thorson episodes one review after another. Even the Star Trek fans' refrain that the third year isn't up to standard doesn't permeate nearly every review of first and second year DVDs. The second season of Space: 1999 tried a different approach because the first year simply wasn't the hit that ITC Entertainment had hoped for it to be. That's why the second year wasn't even aired in many countries- or did air many years later- after Year 1 had been imprinted firmly on the minds of fans. How can Year 2 have "killed" the series when it wasn't even shown in many places?! Or did air many years after the show had been cancelled? Fact was that ITC opted to make movies, and the budget for a planned third year was diverted. Every reputable publication says that, including interviews with Martin Landau. The fans of this show have a bad reputation for petty yet overblown squabble over seasonal differences. For goodness sake, people. Get over it. It's been 25 years. Surely after all this time, you can put your biases aside, enjoy ALL of the DVDs, and appreciate both years for what they have to offer. There are philosophical notions on the human condition, conflicts in political outlooks, and moral dilemmas in Year 2, the acting is by and large as admirable as anything in the first year, there continued to be impressive special effects, and the concepts are boldly fantastic. All of these dismissals of the second year are based on superficialities only. Rubber monsters that appear for less than a minute? A "diaper" on a costume? Give me a break! Besides, it's hardly as if Year 1 never had any potentially embarassing material. Yet, the refrains here are that Year 1 did everything brilliantly and that Year 2 didn't do anything right. Sorry. I just don't buy that. Human creativity isn't as simplistic as that. An earlier review asked if there were fair-minded reviews to come. I guess not.
Rating:
Summary: Amazon Is The Bomb!
Review: On this day of 30 January 2001, I have received the two sets of Space: 1999 DVDs. They are indeed awesome! Better than any VHS and even better than either the American or Japanese Laserdiscs of the past. I was quite surprised to receive them on the release day, but kudos to Amazon.com! Welcome is the digitally remastered episodes, totally uncut and WOW, you can pause each episode! no more CLV Laserdisc limitations. DVDs are were it's at. Please be sure to get the whole set from A&E. I got a good feeling they have finally done it right. Getting most of the episodes in some sort of descent release order. Even putting out Year 2's Bringers of Wonder episodes (let's pray). Can't beat the price, either.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderfully remastered old sci-fi classic
Review: Without gushing too much about how long I've waited for this I'll just say that the remastered Space:1999 episodes look fantastic, especially since the original source material is about 25 years old. I'm sure only fans are going to pick up these DVDs since the show is so old and "obscure" so I'll discard with episode reviews since you probably know them in your sleep. I'll just simply state that the quality of this remastering is better than I had hoped.
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