Rating: 
Summary: Classic Imaginative Futuristic Television
Review: (...) The contents of these shows are very special - entertaining, educational, and important historically. The first 3 TV shows usually had a fun, animated story for the first half of the show with scientists in the second half giving scientific info on how future space flights might be possible, based on the facts known in the 1950s. All three TV shows were directed by animator/director Ward Kimball. Man In Space (3/9/55) Walt Disney introduces the show and then turns over the program to director Ward Kimball. The animated story concerns the development of rockets, the action/reaction principle, Jules Verne writing his story "From The Earth To The Moon", a humorous depiction of the medical challenges to man surviving a space trip - such as acceleration, pressure, weightlessness, radiation, and eating/drinking. Later scientists Willy Ley, Heinz Haber, and Wernher von Braun help explain the challenges of space travel and what a space rocket would probably look like. Man And The Moon (12/28/55) This show was later shown in 1959 as "Tomorrow The Moon". Walt Disney introduces the show and shows scenes from the Disneyland attraction "Rocket Ship To The Moon". Walt then turns the show over to director Ward Kimball. There is a fun animated segment about man's superstitions about the moon over the ages, including stories about trips to the moon and the creatures found there. Literary references to the moon and songs about the moon are shown. Scientist Wernher von Braun introduces how scientists were preparing for a flight to the moon at that time. There is a nice live action/special effects rocket ship flight that photographs the back side of the moon. Mars And Beyond (12/4/57) This is my favorite of these TV shows. A giant robot GARCO introduces Walt Disney, who is standing next to the robot. Walt presents this mainly animated program about the universe, including the various planets - with special emphasis on Mars. An animated history of mankind's fascination with space is very well done. A fun science fiction story about a female being kidnapped by a robot from Mars includes a very funny scene of Donald Duck being shown as part of a long line of Martian monsters chasing the female. There is fascinating animation exploring wildly imaginative ideas of different lifeforms that might exist on Mars. This animation caused Walt Disney to exclaim to Ward Kimball, "How do you guys come up with all these crazy ideas?" Our Friend The Atom (1/23/57) Walt Disney uses a scene from the film "20,000 Leagues Under The Sea" to introduce the story of atomic energy and then turns the program over to Dr. Heinz Haber, a noted atomic energy scientist of that time. There is a fun animated tale of "The Fisherman and the Genie" included as part of extensive animation showing the history of the atom. This history of the atom also included another scene I much enjoy - how an early Greek theory of the atom was lost for centuries. Eyes In Outer Space (6/18/59) This theatrical release is an entertaining live-action/animation program which is marvelously produced with several fascinating scenes about the future of satellite's ability to forecast and control the weather. There is a funny animated segment about how "folk tales" predict the weather. My favorite scene is the end of the show in which a high pressure ridge is intensified to keep a hurricane out to sea and away from land. This won the 1960 Thomas Edison Foundation Award. It was later shown on TV as part of the show "Spy In The Sky" (4/1/62). EPCOT (filmed in 1966, shown in 1967) Walt Disney, in his last film appearance, talks about his company's plans for EPCOT and Walt Disney World. Fascinating and interesting info and very important historically. I have seen these shows and have loved them over the years. I am thrilled that they are being released on DVD for anyone to enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: Classic Futuristic Television
Review: Although this appears to be a less popular release than the other 2003 Disney Treasures, the contents are very special. The programs are entertaining, educational, and important in a historical context. As listed in various websites, the contents are scheduled to be the following (first release date/TV showing listed after each title): Man In Space (3/9/55), Man and the Moon (12/28/55), Mars and Beyond (12/4/57), Our Friend The Atom (1/23/57), Eyes In Outer Space (6/18/59), and EPCOT (filmed late 1966, first shown 1967). The first three are TV shows exploring different ideas on how space travel could and would be accomplished. Each show combined entertainment with scientific facts known at that time. President Eisenhower arranged to show a screening of Man In Space at the Pentagon and later credited the show with helping to further the progress of the American Space Program. Mars and Beyond has a funny scene in which Donald Duck is shown among a long line of Martian monsters. Our Friend The Atom explores the early potential of atomic energy - the benefits and dangers. There is a fun animated tale of "The Fisherman and the Genie" included as part of the history of the atom. Eyes In Outer Space was released to the theaters and explored satellites' future ability to forecast and control weather. Later shown as part of the later 4/1/62 TV show Spy in the Sky. EPCOT was the last film Walt Disney appeared in, in which he explains the company's plans for Walt Disney World and EPCOT. I have seen all these TV shows and films and have loved them throughout the years. I look forward to owning DVD quality copies of these.
Rating:
Summary: A Treat for Lost in Space fans
Review: Cool stuff for LIS fans.
For Christmas I received the Disney Treasures Tommorrowland DVD. This DVD contains episodes of Disneyland broadcast in the mid 50's(the first in 1955). These episodes concentrate on manned space flight and how science at that time perceived it would happen. The shows are quite fascinating and include many of the pioneers of modern rocketry. How does this have anything to do with Lost in Space? Watch the segments on manned space flight, a trip to the moon and mars and beyond. I am convinced Irwin Allen not only watched them, he took notes. You will not only recognize dialogue from the first episode of Lost in Space(The Reluctant Stowaway), you will see technology Irwin Allen "borrowed" (i.e. the bubble in top of the Jupiter 2 for the astrogator).
Now, even if you aren't convinced, do you know who narrated these wonders of "science faction" as Walt Disney called them? None other than Dick Tufeld(the voice of the Robot and LIS narrator). Very cool. Close your eyes and you can "see" Lost in Space take form ten years before the Jupiter 2 took flight in 1965. Highly recommended viewing.
Rating:
Summary: Lost Treasures - Found
Review: Disney completists, 1950s cultural collectors, animation fans, history buffs and sci/fi fans will be overjoyed with this set. I had never seen any of the material contained in this set before and now I can't keep these films out of my mind. I was amazed that Walt Disney had the guts to tackle these subjects in such a serious manner. Yet they aren't presented as fluff nor as a boring PBS documentary but some marvelous combination of the two. I've heard people tell of how they had seen these films in school as a supplement to their science educations. Now I can see why. You learn hard facts about the subjects of space travel, atoms, and rockets in an entertaining and unforgettable way. I think the Discovery Channel could learn a thing or two from these films. The bulk of these films are live action, but the animation that is included is stunning in that it is so different looking from what we normally consider Disney. Animation fans will be pouring over these segments in awe. And as proof of Walt's forethought we are able to enjoy these shows in full technicolor. Included as a bonus are two interviews. One with Ray Bradbury and the other with Marty Sklar. I can't overstate how excellent these interviews are. They both knew Walt personally and their accounts of working with him and his personality are priceless. As much as I loved the main features, I'm sure to be watching these interviews again and again. Parents can easily allow their children to watch this set and they're sure to learn a thing or two. For the whole family, Tomorrowland is a triumph of ideas, entertainment and imagination.
Rating:
Summary: Tomorrow's Treasures
Review: For those who loved the books "The Art of Chestley Bonestell", "Visions of Spaceflight", and "Imagining Space", this DVD set is a must have for the 1st disc alone. Hats off to Disney for saving these films for posterity. As one who lives in the day-to-day life of the space industry, it's interesting to note that, after all these years, how much of the information is still applicable as a layman's introduction to the space program (the only bits that would need to be updated would be the section on space medicine and potential life on Mars - although that section could just be renamed life in the universe). It's so great to be able listen to Wernher Von Braun and Ernst Stuhlinger in their prime. My young nephew, who can't get enough on the space program, will be getting one of these soon. If you're a fan of the NASA's manned space program, a fan of popular art of the 1950's, or generally interested in how our parents viewed the future, this timeless collection is for you.
Rating:
Summary: EPCOT segment worth the price of admission
Review: I can't believe how great the EPCOT segment is. This is totally worth the cost of the collection. To see the original concept for EPCOT totally blew me away (there's lots of good archival footage of Disneyland in the segment, too). I WANT to live in Disney's EPCOT. Really outstanding.
Rating: 
Summary: Fascinating for what is says about us as well as space
Review: I can't say much more good about these DVDs than what has been said by other reviewers. They are a blast from the past, fun, nostalgic and still taught me a lot about science.
I do, however, want to comment on the "Nazi factor" that has been introduced into these reviews. When I first watched the programs, I too was muttering to myself that these guys were Nazis and what was Disney doing by having them on his program. So I did some research and found that like most things, the reality is a bit more complex.
Werner Von Braun did indeed develop the V-2 rocket project that was ultimately used to bomb London in 1943 and from a moral point of view, certainly is responsible for the appplications of his accomplishments. But it should be noted that he also protested the use of rockets as weapons of war and was actually arrested by the Gestapo for talking too much about the peaceful uses of rocketry. He WAS a member of the Nazi party but according to the sources I read, that was more out of fear of losing his job than any true committment to facism. I think in 1937, most highly placed university men were required to join the party or lose their postions. Many men of conscience did not join and fled. Von Braun chose to join and keep working. While not an admirable choice, it is certainly an understandable one. Claims that Von Braun was also a member of the SS are contradictory at best. The most disturbing thing to me about Von Braun's history is that his singleminded pursuit of science allowed to him accept (or at the very least turn a blind eye to) the hundreds of deaths of concentration camp workers that assembled his dangerous prototypes.
Willy Ley worked with Von Braun but fled Germany in 1933 when it became clear to him that Hitler was interested in using rocketry for war rather than space exploration. To call Ley a Nazi is simply wrong.
Heinz Haber very probably was the most "Nazi" of the lot but there is so little written about him it's difficult to tell.
Anyway, the point is, that all three men were hugely valuable to the US's space program. Once they emigrated to the US, they committed themselves to helping the US and all three became US citizens.
As for "Our Friend - The Atom", of course there's no downside in the piece. It was the 1950's! No one talked about the downside of atomic power. For real naivete, check out "Atomic Cafe".
If you understand the context of these pieces instead of judging them by ours, you find yourself learning as much about the US in the 1950's as you do about science and space. Accept the optimism, keep a clear head regarding the other darker stuff and you'll have a great time watching these programs!
Rating:
Summary: Classic Imaginative Futuristic Television
Review: I don't know why my previous review is now missing after being listed for several months. I'll try to repeat the information here. The contents of these shows are very special - entertaining, educational, and important historically. The first 3 TV shows usually had a fun, animated story for the first half of the show with scientists in the second half giving scientific info on how future space flights might be possible, based on the facts known in the 1950s. All three TV shows were directed by animator/director Ward Kimball. Man In Space (3/9/55) Walt Disney introduces the show and then turns over the program to director Ward Kimball. The animated story concerns the development of rockets, the action/reaction principle, Jules Verne writing his story "From The Earth To The Moon", a humorous depiction of the medical challenges to man surviving a space trip - such as acceleration, pressure, weightlessness, radiation, and eating/drinking. Later scientists Willy Ley, Heinz Haber, and Wernher von Braun help explain the challenges of space travel and what a space rocket would probably look like. Man And The Moon (12/28/55) This show was later shown in 1959 as "Tomorrow The Moon". Walt Disney introduces the show and shows scenes from the Disneyland attraction "Rocket Ship To The Moon". Walt then turns the show over to director Ward Kimball. There is a fun animated segment about man's superstitions about the moon over the ages, including stories about trips to the moon and the creatures found there. Literary references to the moon and songs about the moon are shown. Scientist Wernher von Braun introduces how scientists were preparing for a flight to the moon at that time. There is a nice live action/special effects rocket ship flight that photographs the back side of the moon. Mars And Beyond (12/4/57) This is my favorite of these TV shows. A giant robot GARCO introduces Walt Disney, who is standing next to the robot. Walt presents this mainly animated program about the universe, including the various planets - with special emphasis on Mars. An animated history of mankind's fascination with space is very well done. A fun science fiction story about a female being kidnapped by a robot from Mars includes a very funny scene of Donald Duck being shown as part of a long line of Martian monsters chasing the female. There is fascinating animation exploring wildly imaginative ideas of different lifeforms that might exist on Mars. This animation caused Walt Disney to exclaim to Ward Kimball, "How do you guys come up with all these crazy ideas?" Eyes In Outer Space (6/18/59) This theatrical release is an entertaining live-action/animation program which is marvelously produced with several fascinating scenes about the future of satellite's ability to forecast and control the weather. There is a funny animated segment about how "folk tales" predict the weather. My favorite scene is the end of the show in which a high pressure ridge is intensified to keep a hurricane out to sea and away from land. This won the 1960 Thomas Edison Foundation Award. It was later shown on TV as part of the show "Spy In The Sky" (4/1/62). EPCOT (filmed in 1966, shown in 1967) Walt Disney, in his last film appearance, talks about his company's plans for EPCOT and Walt Disney World. Fascinating and interesting info and very important historically. I have seen these shows and have loved them over the years. I am thrilled that they are being released on DVD for anyone to enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: Nostalgic, Fun & a Little Disturbing
Review: I saw all these shows except "Eyes In Outer Space" & the EPCOT promotional film, when they were originally broadcast, when I was very young, and they began my education in science and astronomy. Seeing them again 50 years later is a blast. First off, they look GREAT! They are immensely interesting and very entertaining. The stuff they predict correctly is amazing. The first show basically lays out what became the space shuttle program very accurately. In "Mars & Beyond" it apparently didn't occur to them that we would send unmanned probes before sending men. They don't get the first moon trip right. No ships were built in space, and we went to the moon before building any space stations, and to go all the way to the moon and just come back after ONE orbit would have been idiotic. Needless to say, our first trip to the moon involved orbiting for a while. Of course, on the second trip, we landed.
But there's disturbing aspects to these shows also. First off, most of the scientists whom Walt has explain rocketry to us are NAZIS, like Werner Von Braun. They mention his developing of rockets, but omit that he did it for Hitler to use murdering people in England!. When a German scientist, in "Our Friend The Atom" asks what three wishes we should ask of atomic energy, and then says, "Our first wish is for POWER!" I was completely creeped out. We're supposed to just forget that these men had no compunctions about letting Hitler use their genius for mass murder. These guys weren't Mousekateers. They were war criminals who we took for our space programs. They apparently didn't care who they built weapons for. That's what we call whores. It was just ten years after World War II, and Disney was bringing these Nazis into our living rooms to teach our kids. Ew!
Speaking of "Our Friend The Atom", it's a huge commercial for atomic energy, designed to make us baby boomers all want a nuclear power plant in OUR neighborhoods. The atom isn't our friend! They imply that atomic energy COULD have been dangerous, but fortunately, we've tamed it and it hasn't been used to kill and is now not dangerous. Excuse me! Hiroshima and Nagasaki were already history. "Our Friend The Atom" was all about sending us on the inevitable path to Three Mile Island and Chernobyl. Very creepy.
Several of the historical segments make note of the 1000 year gap in scientific development, the Dark Ages, and let us know that this was a bad time of superstition and ignorance, but it never mentions how the Catholic Church deliberately created the Dark Ages, by ruthlessly repressing all learning, and burning you at the stake if you dared to think for yourself. Copernicus and Galilao's discoveries are cited several times, but no mention is made of their being forced to recant by the Vatican, or of any of Catholicism's other crimes against learning and science.
Similarly, "Eyes In Outer Space" suggests that satilites would just be used for weather control. Any more sinister uses, like spying or weaponry, are never even hinted at.
I am amused by the reviewers who think it's a shame that Walt's ideas for EPCOT were never realized, and who wish they could live in Walt's supercity. Actually live in a city owned and RULED by Disney? No thanks.
But this set of programs are fascinating artifacts from my youth. I enjoyed them tremendously.
Rating: 
Summary: just viewed
Review: I was a little disappointed. compared to the other disney treasures this dvd was not what i expected. i found it a little boring, the first disc could have explained what took almost 3 hours in about half the time. Unfortunately i was falling asleep and a good night sleep seemed better than finishing the dvd. I have always been a fan/collector/and student of astromony and space travel, this set did not live up to the billing.
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