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20,000 Leagues Under the Sea gets a dose of On the Beachin Irwin Allen's visually impressive but scientifically silly Voyage to theBottom of the Sea. While the Seaview, the world's most advancedexperimental submarine, maneuvers under the North Pole, the Van Allen radiationbelt catches fire, giving the concept "global warming" an entirely newdimension. As the Earth broils in temperatures approaching 170 degrees F,Walter Pidgeon's maniacally driven Admiral Nelson hijacks the Seaview andplays tag with the world's combined naval forces on a race to the South Pacific,where he plans to extinguish the interstellar fire with a well-placed nuclearmissile. But first he has to fight a mutinous crew, an alarmingly effectivesaboteur, not one but two giant squid attacks, and a host of design flaws thatnearly cripple the mission (note to Nelson: think backup generators). BarbaraEden shimmies to Frankie Avalon's trumpet solos in the most formfitting navaluniform you've ever seen, fish-loving Peter Lorre plays in the shark tank,gloomy religious fanatic Michael Ansara preaches Armageddon, and Joan Fontainelooks very uncomfortable playingan armchair psychoanalyst. It's all prettyabsurd, but Allen pumps it up with larger-than-life spectacle and lovelyminiature work. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Super cast on Super sub SEAVIEW saves world!
This movie is fun to the max. Walter Pidgeon, of Forbidden Planet fame, leads the charge as the "mad" admiral Nelson in command of the futuristic(if sometimes toy model)-looking SEAVIEW. The Van Allen radiation/magnetic fields have exploded and it's the mission of the Seaview to nuke it out of existence before "the day the earth caught fire" becomes a reality. With the exception of running low on oxygen, practically every possible problem ...plus several genuine surprises...menaces the sub before the well-done climax averts a well done earth. Peter Lorre is excellent as Admiral Nelson's main man (shades of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea!) and Robert Sterling does a good job as Nelson's captain who ponders a "legitimized" mutiny. This is a great family movie that should hold the attention of viewers of all ages. One "cooly" funny touch/scene: Watch Pidgeon and Lorre carefully calculate the precise trajectory and time a polaris-type missile must be fired by Seaview to blow-up/put-out the flaming Van Allen belts. No Cray super computer for our men on the super sub...They use a slide rule! Good show...

Entertaining Sci-Fi Film Worthy of Praise
Despite a number of harsh criticisms, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea is a thoughtful and entertaining sci-fi film with an intelligent premise. When the submarine Seaview discovers a strange, burning sky over the Arctic with temperatures unusually warm, its crew learns that the Van Allen Radiation Belt surrounding the earth has somehow caught fire, threatening to roast the earth unless something can be done to stop it. With temperatures around 170 degrees and communications with Washington cut off, Admiral Nelson (played nicely by Walter Pidgeon) orders the Seaview to the North Pole, with the intention of firing a nuclear missile as a solution to the ensuing catastrophe. Unfortunately, Captain Crane (Robert Sterling) and most of the crew are at odds with the Admiral's intentions. Attempted mutiny follows, while enemy subs, giant sea creatures, and sabouteurs try to foil the mission. Peter Lorre swims in a shark tank, Barbara Eden dances to Frankie Avalon's trumpet, and Michael Ansara plays the religious fanatic. While nowhere in the realm of the sci-fi classics, this is, nonetheless, a colorful and entertaining film with good acting (from most of the cast) and good special effects - a worthy and necessary inclusion in any serious sci-fi collection.

Reality Goes to the Bottom of the Sea, and Stays There!
To enjoy any movie, one must suspend disbelief. The problem with watching "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea" is that, from beginning to end, the absurdities keep coming so thick and fast that suspension of disbelief would require the assistance of a powerful hallucinogen. If there is any other main-stream motion picture ever made that is packed with more pseudo-scientific babble and less understanding of science and technology, I have not seen it. The best moments of the movie are as silly as any Japanese monster movie, providing unintended laughs; the worst parts are simply abysmal. It is patently obvious that no one involved with the production of this movie had the slightest knowledge of either science or submarines or, if they did, they did not use it. From the absurd plot about the Van Allen belt to the even more absurd solution to the problem, and from a diving alarm that sounds like a runaway semi, to impossible diving depths, there is no believability anywhere in this movie. The Seaview itself, however, should be the envy of every naval architect. Not only are its compartments larger and have higher overheads (ceilings to landlubbers) than any compartment on any surface warship, the Seaview actually is larger on the inside than the outside! And while I realize the movie was made in 1961, whose decision was it to put tail fins on a submarine, for crying out loud? The most important thing this movie accomplished was to teach Barbara Eden to play comic fantasy with a straight face, thereby preparing her for her role as Jeannie in a TV sitcom that was far more realistic than this movie.

Better Than The Television Series, But...
This remains the most enjoyable of the "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea" adventures that I recall seeing. Walter Pidgeon is at his absolute best as the driven Admiral Harriman Nelson. His performance is worth alone the admission price of this otherwise routine science fiction submarine thriller. It's a pity Irwin Allen never got his science correct nor his writing; otherwise both this film and the television series which followed could have been a credible underwater version of "Star Trek".

the Movie was Better then the TV show.
If we count the movie "Voyage To the Bottom Of The Sea" as seperate from the television series that came later, then it is an all right piece of science fiction on film. The design of the Seaview still looks pretty impressive even by modern submarine standards. The special effects are better then what you would have generally seen in a early 1960's science fiction film, the sets constructed looked fairly good, and the underwater photography was also up to par. The real stars in this movies are the actors; Walter Piegon, Barbara Eden, Robert Sterling, Peter Lourie, Frankie Avolon, and the others. They did a pretty good job in the film. It's entertaining and watchable. That's about it. But so much of Allen's later work on film and television was so forgetable. This movie was one of his better works. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Dino Cheese
You can watch "The Lost World" one of two ways.

1) A maddeningly poor version of the great Arthur Conan Doyle novel, turning memorable characters into crude stereotypes, and adding a half-dozen others so you won't notice there's only one brief sequence featuring "dinosaurs" (magnified lizards with rubber collars, tortured into listlessly attacking each other).

2) As an early '60s camp fest, what with the babealicious cave girl, Fernando "you look mahvelous" Lamas as a vengeful native, and Claude Rains as a peppery pipsqueak Professor Challenger -- not to mention Irwin Allen's trademark colored-lights-on-styrofoam special effects. Best of all, Jill St. John (an Annette Bening without irony) in her pink boots, who announces "I can ride, fly, and shoot better than any man I know" and then spends the balance of the movie shrieking and running for the strong arms of David "Al" Hedison. Or is it Al "David" Hedison?

Anyway, stick with the sweet, rather innocent 1925 silent version... Conan Doyle loved it and it's still miles ahead of every subsequent "Lost World" movie -- including the recent Bob Hoskins "ecologically correct" CGI fiasco.

COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER, BUT STILL WORTH 10 BUCKS!
Irwin Allen's 1960 version of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's classic dinosaur adventure, and the Willis O'Brien 1925 classic of the silent era. A band of explorers travel to an ancient plateu in South America, and encounter gigantic prehistoric beasts. The actors are great (to to Allen form, he made up for the poor special effects with big time actors) including Michael Rennie (THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL), Claude Rains (THE WOLF MAN) Jill St. John (DIOMANDS ARE FOREVER) Fernando Lamas, and many more! Sadly, only lizards with phony make-up aplinces are blown up on film to tremendous size. But using real lizards does have a cetain charm, and the motion is realistic because it is real! So all in all, good production values, good acting, exeptable special effects, a 4 star movie.

Loved Lost World
I loved this movie. I know it's been bashed a lot by today's audiences, but you have to consider that when it was made special effects were not what they are now.
I think it's the story that counts. My two cents anyway.

In addition, what also impresses me, is that several scenes and actors reapeared in "Voyge to the Bottom of the Sea (series)" and other Irwin allen productions. It's great to see earlier performances as well as the inevitable stock footage Irwin and Fox used.

Especially of note are really great performances of David(Al) Hedison (later Capt. Crane in Voyage), and Ms. Marcus (the native girl) who shows up later on Voyage both as the same native girl, and also as a love interest for a ghostly u-boat captain! I think it's rather fun to see the orig. movie while picking out 'hey-that was used over there'scenes)

As I said, the story itself is good. It's entertaining,and doesn't try too hard.

I think it's worth the purchase and I'd like to see it released in widescreen format as it was originally shown. You miss some things in the regular format, but hey, it's not avail.in widescreen, so I'm just glad to have it at all. It hasn't been avai. for awhile at all.

I'd suggest you just settle down in a comfy chair and just enjoy it.

"A land where monsters live"
Poor Willis O'Brien was slated to do stop-motion spx for this film
but due budget oversights future "Towering inferno" director Irwin
Allen handed 20th Century Fox his 1st unintentional "disaster" film

Claude Rains who as the reknowned Professor Challenger leads the
cast including Michael Rennie,Jill St.John,David Hendison,Fernando
Lamas and "frosty the poodle" onto an amazon plateau where time is
frozen and prehistoric animals still exist. Their lives are put in
even more jeopardy when they find themselves stranded.

Dispite it's flaws,I still love this flim for what it tries to be
lavish epic with a supercast of characters, but will always be my
haunt is how at the time of production (released in 1960) could a
special effects crew STILL use the same standards from the early
matinee days of cinema. Right down to the projected green spider
(Bert I.Gordon) when lower case B films such as "lost contintent"
(1951)used stop-motion animation Maybe there was a time factor.

The tape is excellent quality this Fox series also includes the
original trailer which is always a hoot for me but where is Fox's
DVD version in widescreen maybe.....no definitely!

Best Sci-FI Movie for the Time
I remember seeing this movie as an early teenager and found it to be excellent for the time. Compared to movies today it seems very poor but it was a classic "B" movie for the times. I recommend it for anyone's video library ... Read more

Reviews (68)

No doubt, BEST DISASTER MOVIE EVER!
Firstly, this movie deserves praise for Faye Dunaway's dress that she wears throughout the entire film. But movies shouldn't all be beautiful women in provocative clothing, this movie has it all. Produced by Irwin Allen, who produced "The Poseidon Adventure" before this movie. Allen bested himself in this flick.

The story is relatively simple; the world's highest skyscraper catches on fire. There is a large party on the top floor, and we watch as people fight for survival as the fire creeps towards them. Only Steve McQueen playing a streetwise firehouse captain, and Paul Newman acting as the tower's architect can stop the fire before everyone inside dies. As I was re-watching this film I couldn't help but think of the similar situation faced by many in the 9-11 attack. Their result was not as positive.

throughout the film there are too many people, too many relationships, and too much death to keep track of everything. However, the important people to watch are Fred Astaire, Faye Dunaway, Paul Newman, and Steve McQueen. This is the only real weakness to the film.

Also, for a film that is approaching 30 years old the special effects are still good, and that will make this a good film for a long time. The images of the tower burning, the fires, and the stunts are superb.

At times, the acting in this film can seem a bit stiff. That's early on, however after the first 20 minutes of the film everyone seems to find their place in the film. One of the notable performances is done by O.J. Simpson, who plays as a senior security guard. The interplay between McQueen and Newman is also well done, especially since there was a good chance of major dorkdom in the architect of the "perfect" building versus the blue-collar fireman plotline.

Some may complain that the movie is slow, and maybe by modern "immediate gratification" standards it is, I say that the tension builds, you care about the characters, many of which, and are left at the end of your seat. And I was watching the thing on a computer; imagine what a decent entertainment system will do.

This definitely is an "essential" film.

An epic disaster film! Not to be missed!
I remember first seeing this movie at a very early age. As a child, I loved this movie for it's spectacularity. As an adult (sort of), I love it for the acting performances of it's marvelous cast.

This is a disaster movie. During the seventies this type of movie was extremely popular, with timeless hits such as "The Poseidon Adventure" and "Airport".
Disaster films seemed to have lost their appeal during the eighties but recent hits like "Armageddon" and "Titanic" show that this type of movie is still very popular and here to stay.

In San Francisco, the tallest building in the world, "The Glass Tower" has finally been completed. An awesome superstructure and the new icon of the city.
On the night of the dedication ceremony on the 130th floor a seemingly harmless fire erupts fifty floors below the partying crowd. When the situation grows out of control their pleasant happening turns into a nightmare struggle for survival.

With some of the best actors of that time (Paul Newman, Steve McQueen, William Holden, Faye Dunaway and Fred Astaire to name a few), true drama and an absolutely convincing inferno this movie deservedly took the world by storm!

Got a Match?
Somebody once asked James Garner's character on "The Rockford Files" TV show if there was nothing he wouldn't do for money. He wouldn't kill for it and he wouldn't marry for it, he said, other than that he was pretty much open to suggestions. Paul Newman and Steve McQueen must have been open to suggestions when they ok'd this turkey, and I wish they had said no. The world's tallest skyscraper is burning due to shoddy construction work, and architect Newman and fireman McQueen would like to put it out before the entire cast is incinerated. On top of the building are a million gallons of water in reserve Newman forgot about in all the excitement. Why this 2500 ton weight hasn't gone crashing into the basement we are not informed but the daring duo manage to blow up the tanks and there's your happy ending. O J Simpson rescues a cat and Fred Astaire, after a lifetime of giving the American movies some of their greatest moments, was awarded an Oscar for enduring this production.

A better film than is often assumed
More than 10 years ago, Roger Ebert and the late Gene Siskel did a special edition of their program that examined "The Early '70s: The Last Golden Age of American Film." It was a great show, with a look at each nominee for the Best Picture Oscar for the years 1970-1974, and then which film Siskel and Ebert would have chosen as the winner.

When the duo got to 1974, and a split screen revealed the five Best Picture nominees for that year, Ebert expressed some amusement at "The Towering Inferno's" nomination, when compared with the others ("Chinatown," "The Conversation," "Lenny" and the winner, "The Godfather Part II."). But while it was not the best film in a truly great year for the medium, "Inferno" did deserve to be considered one of the best.

This is polished, professional filmmaking. It was not intended to be a scathing expose of construction politics, or an actor's showcase. "The Towering Inferno" never tries to be anything more than an action spectacular, pure and simple, and on that level, it has few equals.

The film has been criticized for being almost gleeful in its depiction of various deaths, but I'm not sure what those critics would have had directors John Guillermin and Irwin Allen do. The story is about a giant skyscraper on fire, which means that the primary dangers involved are burning, falling, smoke inhalation and being buried under tons of debris. All of these are horrific, and "Inferno" conveys that horror.

The movie takes on a different hue than the Irwin Allen film it's inevitably compared to, "The Poseidon Adventure," the minute Steve McQueen arrives at the scene as the San Francisco Fire Dept.'s battalion chief, O'Hallorhan. Unlike "Poseidon," in which a small band of ship passengers follows a layman toward safety, the "Inferno" disaster is going to be taken on by a competent, experienced professional, leading other professionals. McQueen conveys an authority that anchors the film.

None of the acting struck me as truly bad, even in action-oriented scenes that called for broad playing. Aside from McQueen, my favorite performances were those of Susan Flannery and Jennifer Jones. Flannery makes the most of a small but memorable part as Robert Wagner's love interest, while Jones, looking very good for a woman of 55, plays the kind, heroic love of Fred Astaire's con man character.

Fred Koenekamp's cinematography received a well-deserved Academy Award, as did L.B. Abbott's special effects. The song "We May Never Love Like This Again," sung by Maureen McGovern, also won an Oscar, though I found it to be forgettable. "The Poseidon Adventure's" similar "The Morning After" is much better (which will certainly be faint praise to some).

John Williams' Oscar-nominated score would have been a perfectly reasonable choice as the winner, though Jerry Goldsmith's evocation of film noir classics for "Chinatown" was probably the year's best. Carmine Coppola and Nino Rota wound up winning for "The Godfather Part II."

Williams is in majestic form here. The main title is appropriately busy and exciting, the love themes for the Paul Newman/Faye Dunaway and Astaire/Jones duos are poignant, and the finale is one of the masterpieces of the art. This is a justifiably a favorite score among film music buffs, and Williams' greatest triumph, in my opinion, until "Star Wars" in 1977.

"The Towering Inferno" is a must for action film fans, and the finest representation of the "disaster film" genre.

The Glass Tower - tallest building in the world... on fire.
After a long vacation, away from the hectic city life, Doug Roberts (Paul Newman) returns to San Francisco in order to participate in the opening of his newest architectural wonder, The Glass Tower - tallest building in the world. The seemingly perfect skyscraper has one big flaw as James Duncan's (William Holden) son-in-law has received kick backs to ignore Doug's requests on the top-of-the-line electrical circuitry. The installed electrical circuits cannot handle the electrical use of the Glass Tower and on the opening night a fire begins on the 81st floor, which Fire Chief Michael O'Hallorhan's (Steve McQueen) men try to get under control while the opening party is taking place on the 135th floor. Towering Inferno has an immensely talented cast (e.g., Faye Dunaway, Fred Astaire, Richard Chamberlain and many more), however, the cast cannot enhance the cinematic experience. Overall the film is hurt by the many scenes that go on ceaselessly as the director attempts to create suspense through tedious climbing and rescue scenes. This occurs through occasional lapses in realism in the film, such as the ending, prevent the audience from receiving a top notch suspenseful drama. Instead the audience is left with an epic rescue mission that seems endless, and leaves the audience with a barely acceptable cinematic experience. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Could, and should have been much better.
This movie is best watched in a letterboxed version, as it wasfilmed in Cinemascope. -That is, if you should bother at all. Withfantasy movies it's either hit or miss, and this comedy is a miss. Most of it, anyway. Because amongst all the embarrassing and unfunny moments; like a laughing sultan, two hysterical and screaming women, a shamelessly wasted and mis-cast Henry Daniell, the obligatory cute monkey, Peter Lorre and Fabian, it actually has a weird charm of its own which makes it wachable. -But these thrown-together characters come from nowhere, and seem to have no past, so you don't care for them at all. Less slapstick and more suspense would've been most welcome, too. It just goes to show it takes more than good will to make a decent movie of a Jules Verne story. -Barbara Eden's always lovely, though; widescreen or not. ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Beyond the Poseidon Adventure still floats
Captain Michael Turner (Michael Caine) lost his cargo overboard in the storm that capsized the Poseidon. Now strapped for cash, he and his crew of Sally Field and Karl Malden descend with their little tug onto the crippled hulk of the Poseidon to claim salvage rights. Complications arise when Telly Savalas and his crew of "paramedics" also arrive, and the two camps set up an uneasy alliance. Of course, Telly and company are terrorists looking to retrieve their shipment of plutonium aboard the ship. That causes trouble aside from all the exploding metal and rushing water. Caine and his people find some survivors, including obnoxious Peter Boyle, blind Jack Warden, drunken Slim Pickens, and friendly nurse Shirley Jones. Unecessary but enjoyable bubble gum fare. A critical and commercial failure, Michael Caine learned enough from this experience to star in "Jaws the Revenge."

Why?
A sequel either builds on the predecessor, or sinks beneath it. This go-nowhere attempt at capitalizing on the success of its predecessor is a stinker . . . uh, I mean sinker. Either way. The original had a potentially hokey concept that was elevated by an excellent cast into a good action/adventure drama. This sequel starts off okay, but then flounders, and founders, despite a cast with excellent credentials. Save your money.

Boring
This movie is soooooo boring. But, if you're a Poseidon fan, you should still see it. But even then, it will still be boring.

Not a bad movie.
Definetly not the greatest disaster movie ever made, but it is worth a watch. Nowheres near as good as the first. The acting is spotty, but satisfying. The gunfighting seens were the worst parts of the movie...very fake!!! But overall Irwin Allen does a respectable job with the special effects. Slim Picken's character was unfortunately a waste, he was entertaining, but just didn't work into the plot enough. Caine and Fields are pretty good too. Give it a try, I bought it cause I love disaster flicks and to me, it was a must have. Hey, opinions vary.

Did they ever do an MST3K treatment of this awful movie?
Let me say first that I do not own this movie in any medium. I saw this film once while at Summer Fun Day Camp in 1979, and again at my mother's house about 2-3 years ago when I had absolutely nothing to do.

This movie would make an excellent film for Mike Nelson, Tom Servo and Crow of Mystery Science Theater 3000 to watch, so that they could spout out commentary on how awful this movie is. I'd be interested in hearing from anyone with knowledge of whether there was an MST3K episode featuring this movie. Without it, I am afraid that this movie would be torture for anyone watching it.

I'm sure that if you interviewed any movie actor who starred in this picture, they would say that they hit "rock bottom" when they had to accept a role in this movie, just to pay their bills. I also think that a new trivia game could be started from this picture called "3 degrees of separation from Michael Caine", since there are so many well known movie actors in this disaster, it seems that almost everyone in Hollywood was directly or indirectly traumatized by this movie.

One big flaw of this movie is that there is so much of the ship that remains above water, and the sets don't look half as convincing as those in the original movie. If this project got the green light from the movie studio, I don't see any reason why they wouldn't do a sequel to The Towering Inferno (maybe call it ABOVE The Towering Inferno), where there was another dinner party going on that they forgot about and the damn fire still hadn't been put out. ... Read more

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Legendarily chintzy "event" producer Irwin Allen (The Towering Inferno) went out with a gargantuan buzz-on with this jaw-droppingly goofy disaster flick. No cliché is left unturned, as a hyperactive strain of hallucination-inducing killer bees get it into their microscopic brains to derail a commuter train, destroy a nuclear power plant, and otherwise decimate a veritable cornucopia of washed-up Match Game panelists (Fred MacMurray, Henry Fonda, Richard Widmark, Patty Duke, Slim Pickens, and narcoleptic dreamboat Richard Chamberlain are just a few of the legendary has-beens to get fatally stung by what appears to be airborne coffee grounds). Be sure to stay tuned through the closing credits for a (lawsuit-preventing?) coda absolving the good ol' hardworking American honeybee of any and all sinister charges depicted herein. An irresistibly hilarious chunk of honey-roasted cheese--'70s style. --Andrew Wright ... Read more

Reviews (19)

DVD release just about everything you could want.
Warner Brothers DVD release of Irwin Allen's cult classic bomb The Swarm features a beautifully rendered widescreen transfer (which is the only format to truly appreciate this movie), the theatrical trailer, and a straight faced and rather serious sounding behind the scenes documentary that looks to have been made for televsion airing for the film's summer time hype (it contains easy to see commercial break segues). Sadly the promised Michael Caine commentary and Big Bug trivia did not come through, though there is a biography for the late Master of Disaster in the Cast and Crew section (it is also the only one offered). As we all know, mutant killer bees threaten Texas and Michael Caine and a whole lot of back-up stars have to stop them, or else. The movie remains a goofy, silly disaster movie that is incredibly hard to dislike. If you love so bad they're good movies, then this disc is a must have. An essential for any schlock fan.

SO CHEESY IT'S A BLAST!
For sheer audacity, this is another classic howler from Irwin Allen`s epic disaster back catalogue! Michael Caine and Katharine Ross get all the unintentionally hilarious lines(CAINE: I never dreamed it would turn out to be the bees. They've always been our friends.) And these bees begin the movie by showing who really rules the skies by invading a nuclear missile silo and attacking the launch crew. They proceed to cause helicopter crashes(yes, that is in the plot!), attack a picnicking all-American family(yeeaahhh) and invade a town during its annual flower festival, causing many victims to run around like penguins trying to fly and fall all over the place looking utter idiots. As the military and scientists' attempts to wipe out the bees are miserable failures, the deadly swarm cause a spectacular train crash(special effects by the local model train shop), and much more mayhem. Then they head for (gulp!) HOUSTON! Can the all-star cast save the day??? We know the outcome, but if you would like an absolute laugh riot(I want to see the extended version myself!) and like to watch well-known names try to deadpan their way through some of the most unintentionally hilarious dialogue ever written for the screen, then this is the cheesy 1970s classic for you! The novel, by Arthur Herzog, incidentally, is much better.

A laugh riot!
Remember the days of Irwin Allen? During the 1970s, this director ruled Hollywood with several all-star, action packed disaster films. There was "The Towering Inferno" with Paul Newman and Steve McQueen. "The Poseidon Adventure" with Gene Hackman and Shelley Winters. The only one he wasn't associated with, I think, was "Earthquake" with Charlton Heston and George Kennedy. A cast of stars both major and minor populated constellation Irwin Allen. He could do no wrong-his films weren't masterpieces of cinematic art, but they drew in audiences willing to spend money to watch these epics. Then Allen made "The Swarm," and a horribly swift silence descended over Hollywood. The 1978 film about a pack of civilization threatening killer bees should receive cult classic status from lovers of crud cinema. Where else are you going to see Henry Fonda inject himself with bee venom? Or Richard Widmark going down for the count while trying to stave off bees with a flamethrower? Say what you will about this film, and you could say plenty of terrible things about it, but it definitely falls under the "so bad it's good" category and thus deserves are attention.

Something's amiss at a missile silo somewhere in Texas. The military sends in a crack team of orange suited soldiers to discover what went wrong. It turns out a swarm of killer bees attacked the installation and killed all the personnel. General Slater (Widmark) arrives on the scene to supervise only to find Dr. Brad Crane (Michael Caine) strolling around the silo. Crane claims a swarm of deadly bees did the damage, a statement confirmed by a radar operator noticing something moving away at seven (!) miles an hour. A chopper sent up crashes when the bees attack (!!). Once the military defines the problem, Crane receives the go ahead from the president to take charge of the situation. He brings in all sorts of specialists, including world-renowned immunologist Dr. Krim (Henry Fonda) and the cranky Dr. Hubbard (Richard Chamberlain). Crane ramps up the hysteria by claiming that the bees will attack anyone in sight, including population centers. Sure enough, the focus jumps to a family picnic where we see Mom and Dad collapse under the weight of a thousand bee stings. Back at central control, Crane and Krim discover that a single bee sting is enough to kill a human being.

The situation rapidly deteriorates. The bees swarm through a town, ravaging the locals at will. A train full of evacuees derails as the killer insects attack with abandon. Hundreds die as Crane and an Air Force officer named Helena Anderson (Katharine Ross) try to find a solution out in the field. More problems emerge as the bees wipe out a nuclear power plant run by Dr. Andrews (Jose Ferrar) before moving on to Houston. Every solution the military attempts fails, including an effort to use flamethrowers to burn the bees out of the city. As Houston burns in the background, as ambulances crash through windows and blow up with the force of atomic bombs, Slater worries whether history will condemn him to the ash heap for what he has done. Crane offers one final idea, an idea that, if it works, could finally destroy the swarm once and for all. Barely escaping from the flaming wreck that is Houston, Crane and Anderson execute an intricate plot involving sound and helicopters. Fortunately, science again triumphs over the evil forces of nature. And not a moment too soon, I say.

Nothing works in "The Swarm." Plot holes abound, so many that it is impossible to mention them all here. How did the bees get into an underground bunker and back out again without leaving any trace of their passing? If the swarm is such a threat, how come only one immunologist is working on finding a cure? Could bees really cause a train to derail? Questions without answers will constantly sidetrack your attention as you watch this film. Moreover, the performances from big name stars achieve a level of ridiculousness that is simply delicious to watch. Caine sleepwalks as Brad Crane, Ross looks like she's in a coma, and Widmark chews scenery without a thought to his future career. Allen throws in a bunch of ineffective and clichéd subplots, including a three way geriatric love triangle between Olivia de Havilland, Fred MacMurray, and Ben Johnson that ends in tragedy. Then there's the obligatory pregnant lady about to give birth (Patty Duke), and the altruistic self-sacrifice of Dr. Krim. Fonda's melodramatic final minutes are a marvel of hammy acting. Best line here? His vital signs are "swinging from the norm to really spooky levels." Another personal favorite occurred when de Havilland's character, a school principal, witnesses a bunch of kids falling prey to the bees outside a building. She utters a hilarious groan of agony as she turns away from the window in horror. The movie, for some reason, shows this in slow motion. Are we supposed to be laughing this hard, Mr. Allen?

I could go on and on and on again about the hammy and ridiculous levels "The Swarm" achieves during its nearly three-hour runtime. I loved every minute of it, and am thinking about buying a copy of the film soon so I can roar with derision at my leisure. Sadly, the DVD doesn't have a lot in the way of extras. There is a short television style documentary about some of the stunt work in the film that in its own right is hilarious. You get to see Henry Fonda earnestly lecture the public on the real threat of killer bees, thereby implying that the over the top stuff in the movie could "really happen." Pshaw, Henry! You ought to know better than that. Of course, I should have known better than to try and take this film seriously. A comedy classic!

Magnificent "Disasterpiece"
Great Movie! But why are the bees referred to as "The Africans" - reference to Zu Lu??? Sir Michael - can you explain??

The Swarm
The Swarm was a very realistic movie about the attack of the Afraican Bee's. It shows realism and what we can face in the future ahead of us. It was a really intersting plot.Micheal Caine was at top notch performance, also Irwin Allan did a fantastic directing job. the last 20 minutes was a great the best 20 mintues in the ending ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Good premiere episode...score: 75 (out of 100).
The Reluctant Stowaway is my favorite episode of the entire Lost In Space (LIS) saga. Actually, the two primary characters that steal this episode are Dr. Smith and the robot.

Plot: Evil government agent, Dr. Zachary Smith (Jonathan Harris in his best role of the entire series), plans to sabotage space ship that carries Earth's first family into orbit for colonization. All in all, this episode of LIS could have survived as a story on The Outer Limits or The Twilight Zone, but CBS insisted that the series undergo three dreadful years.

Pros: Jonathan Harris, robot, special effects (for its time)
Cons: Characters, story

Overall score: 75 (out of 100)

Classic and Exciting First Episode of a Great Series
"The Reluctant Stowaway", is the first episode of the hugely popular 1960's sci fi series "Lost in Space" that premiered in 1965 and is still constantly seen in reruns around the world to this day. To see "Lost in Space", at its dramatic best you need go no further than is wonderful episode which sets up the whole story line from which the series would develop. Always remembered for its campy, comic approach, nowhere are those characteristics evident in this action filled, suspensful and exciting episode which represented clearly the serious approach the series took for its first season.

"The Reluctant Stowaway" chronicles the story of the Robinson family who have been selected to spearhead a mission to the far reaches of space in the hope of colonising a distant star, Alpha Centauri. However the episode tells us that other forces are at work to sabotage the efforts of America in the form of one Dr. Zachary Smith who has the assignment of reprogramming the Robot to destroy the Spaceship once it is 8 hours out into space. This premise is where all the excitment of this episode comes from as we find Dr. Smith actually trapped on the Space Ship as it takes off from Earth thus joining what he had planned to be a doomed mission. At this stage in the series Dr. Smith was still a cold blooded killer which added greatly to the dramatic slant of the story . Only later on when his character mellowed and became a comic individual did the series begin to lose steam along with its serious reputation. With Dr. Smith's added weight on board the space ship soon finds itself off course and heads straight into a huge meteor storm which seriously damages the flying capacity of the ship. Awakened from their suspended animation the family attempt to decide what to do when, as programmed the Robot begins its descruction of the ship and in the confusion the ship is pushed into a hyper drive which takes it right out of the galazy into a state of now being hopelessly lost.

For a 1960's program this is television at its very best. The sight of the launcing of the Jupiter 2 Space Craft, the Robinsons and Major West being sealed in their freezing tubes, and the spectacular Meteor Storm which the ship goes through are all grade "A" special effects which along with the dramatic storyline make first class entertainment. Aided by a seasoned cast of great actors "Lost in Space" at this time offered much promise for as long as the serious element was kept in the story. "The Reluctant Stowaway", is one of the better episodes of the series and gave good dramatic moments to most of the cast during its running time. For an exciting journey back to the beginnings of a classic 1960's science fiction series you cannot get better than this initial installment in the long running series . I highly recommend you take a look at this episode to see what the serious "Lost in Space" was all about, you wont be disappointed.

This is the original
This is the classic episode one where the Robinson's blast off to colonize Alpha Centori....

Timeless Masterpiece by Irwin Allen
I was five years old when this show aired for the first time. I didn't understand a thing. Then, after numerous reruns, the show grew on me as I grew up.

Owning this video brought back that magic a kid sees! I was so taken by the video, that I remembered how I really believed the robot was going to destroy the ship. I began to believe robots that walked and talked really existed.

Now, having had a career in computer science, I realized what got me started in the field: I was so involved with the goings on during the ship's launch and the ship's travels through the meteor belt that I began dreaming of mastering computers. No one realized that today we would have color monitors to look at instead of rows of blinking lights.

This show was the spark that built a career out of a dream. My children were equally captivated with the show. We highly recommend it. Buy it.

A great trip down memory lane
I saw the original in 1965 when I was 5 years old. After 35 years, the technical and plot flaws are painfully obvious. Of course, I didn't notice any of those back then--all I saw was the cool technology (spaceships, cryo-tubes, spacesuits, computers, huge displays, mission control, wow!) that fired an interest in science and space travel that has stayed with me ever since. Even now, watching it invokes some of that old excitement. What made "Lost in Space" special was that, unlike more "adult" SCI-FI fare like Star Trek, it involved a kid almost my age (Will Robinson) which made it much easier to relate to. Perhaps the best part of buying this tape was watching my own son view it and seeing the same reaction on his face that I had all those years ago. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

She took my pointer!
"She took my pointer" is one of my favorite lines in the series and apeared in this! This one is really funny and a can't-miss episode. Sure the story is gay at times, but the line "She took my pointer" makes it all worth it! ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Beyond the Poseidon Adventure still floats
Captain Michael Turner (Michael Caine) lost his cargo overboard in the storm that capsized the Poseidon. Now strapped for cash, he and his crew of Sally Field and Karl Malden descend with their little tug onto the crippled hulk of the Poseidon to claim salvage rights. Complications arise when Telly Savalas and his crew of "paramedics" also arrive, and the two camps set up an uneasy alliance. Of course, Telly and company are terrorists looking to retrieve their shipment of plutonium aboard the ship. That causes trouble aside from all the exploding metal and rushing water. Caine and his people find some survivors, including obnoxious Peter Boyle, blind Jack Warden, drunken Slim Pickens, and friendly nurse Shirley Jones. Unecessary but enjoyable bubble gum fare. A critical and commercial failure, Michael Caine learned enough from this experience to star in "Jaws the Revenge."

Why?
A sequel either builds on the predecessor, or sinks beneath it. This go-nowhere attempt at capitalizing on the success of its predecessor is a stinker . . . uh, I mean sinker. Either way. The original had a potentially hokey concept that was elevated by an excellent cast into a good action/adventure drama. This sequel starts off okay, but then flounders, and founders, despite a cast with excellent credentials. Save your money.

Boring
This movie is soooooo boring. But, if you're a Poseidon fan, you should still see it. But even then, it will still be boring.

Not a bad movie.
Definetly not the greatest disaster movie ever made, but it is worth a watch. Nowheres near as good as the first. The acting is spotty, but satisfying. The gunfighting seens were the worst parts of the movie...very fake!!! But overall Irwin Allen does a respectable job with the special effects. Slim Picken's character was unfortunately a waste, he was entertaining, but just didn't work into the plot enough. Caine and Fields are pretty good too. Give it a try, I bought it cause I love disaster flicks and to me, it was a must have. Hey, opinions vary.

Did they ever do an MST3K treatment of this awful movie?
Let me say first that I do not own this movie in any medium. I saw this film once while at Summer Fun Day Camp in 1979, and again at my mother's house about 2-3 years ago when I had absolutely nothing to do.

This movie would make an excellent film for Mike Nelson, Tom Servo and Crow of Mystery Science Theater 3000 to watch, so that they could spout out commentary on how awful this movie is. I'd be interested in hearing from anyone with knowledge of whether there was an MST3K episode featuring this movie. Without it, I am afraid that this movie would be torture for anyone watching it.

I'm sure that if you interviewed any movie actor who starred in this picture, they would say that they hit "rock bottom" when they had to accept a role in this movie, just to pay their bills. I also think that a new trivia game could be started from this picture called "3 degrees of separation from Michael Caine", since there are so many well known movie actors in this disaster, it seems that almost everyone in Hollywood was directly or indirectly traumatized by this movie.

One big flaw of this movie is that there is so much of the ship that remains above water, and the sets don't look half as convincing as those in the original movie. If this project got the green light from the movie studio, I don't see any reason why they wouldn't do a sequel to The Towering Inferno (maybe call it ABOVE The Towering Inferno), where there was another dinner party going on that they forgot about and the damn fire still hadn't been put out. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Disaster movies used to work because there was little certainty as to who would survive. Not so in this film, really an amalgam of two original stories, about a group of well-to-do celebrants at the top floor of a skyscraper. Cheapo electrical wiring and bad construction management cause an enormous blaze at the lower floors, steadily rising to consume the revelers. Newman's an architect, McQueen a firefighter, and Fred Astaire a kind old gentleman, for which he was Oscar-nominated. O.J. Simpson plays a security guard who rescues a cat. Now that's a disaster.--Keith Simanton ... Read more

Reviews (68)

No doubt, BEST DISASTER MOVIE EVER!
Firstly, this movie deserves praise for Faye Dunaway's dress that she wears throughout the entire film. But movies shouldn't all be beautiful women in provocative clothing, this movie has it all. Produced by Irwin Allen, who produced "The Poseidon Adventure" before this movie. Allen bested himself in this flick.

The story is relatively simple; the world's highest skyscraper catches on fire. There is a large party on the top floor, and we watch as people fight for survival as the fire creeps towards them. Only Steve McQueen playing a streetwise firehouse captain, and Paul Newman acting as the tower's architect can stop the fire before everyone inside dies. As I was re-watching this film I couldn't help but think of the similar situation faced by many in the 9-11 attack. Their result was not as positive.

throughout the film there are too many people, too many relationships, and too much death to keep track of everything. However, the important people to watch are Fred Astaire, Faye Dunaway, Paul Newman, and Steve McQueen. This is the only real weakness to the film.

Also, for a film that is approaching 30 years old the special effects are still good, and that will make this a good film for a long time. The images of the tower burning, the fires, and the stunts are superb.

At times, the acting in this film can seem a bit stiff. That's early on, however after the first 20 minutes of the film everyone seems to find their place in the film. One of the notable performances is done by O.J. Simpson, who plays as a senior security guard. The interplay between McQueen and Newman is also well done, especially since there was a good chance of major dorkdom in the architect of the "perfect" building versus the blue-collar fireman plotline.

Some may complain that the movie is slow, and maybe by modern "immediate gratification" standards it is, I say that the tension builds, you care about the characters, many of which, and are left at the end of your seat. And I was watching the thing on a computer; imagine what a decent entertainment system will do.

This definitely is an "essential" film.

An epic disaster film! Not to be missed!
I remember first seeing this movie at a very early age. As a child, I loved this movie for it's spectacularity. As an adult (sort of), I love it for the acting performances of it's marvelous cast.

This is a disaster movie. During the seventies this type of movie was extremely popular, with timeless hits such as "The Poseidon Adventure" and "Airport".
Disaster films seemed to have lost their appeal during the eighties but recent hits like "Armageddon" and "Titanic" show that this type of movie is still very popular and here to stay.

In San Francisco, the tallest building in the world, "The Glass Tower" has finally been completed. An awesome superstructure and the new icon of the city.
On the night of the dedication ceremony on the 130th floor a seemingly harmless fire erupts fifty floors below the partying crowd. When the situation grows out of control their pleasant happening turns into a nightmare struggle for survival.

With some of the best actors of that time (Paul Newman, Steve McQueen, William Holden, Faye Dunaway and Fred Astaire to name a few), true drama and an absolutely convincing inferno this movie deservedly took the world by storm!

Got a Match?
Somebody once asked James Garner's character on "The Rockford Files" TV show if there was nothing he wouldn't do for money. He wouldn't kill for it and he wouldn't marry for it, he said, other than that he was pretty much open to suggestions. Paul Newman and Steve McQueen must have been open to suggestions when they ok'd this turkey, and I wish they had said no. The world's tallest skyscraper is burning due to shoddy construction work, and architect Newman and fireman McQueen would like to put it out before the entire cast is incinerated. On top of the building are a million gallons of water in reserve Newman forgot about in all the excitement. Why this 2500 ton weight hasn't gone crashing into the basement we are not informed but the daring duo manage to blow up the tanks and there's your happy ending. O J Simpson rescues a cat and Fred Astaire, after a lifetime of giving the American movies some of their greatest moments, was awarded an Oscar for enduring this production.

A better film than is often assumed
More than 10 years ago, Roger Ebert and the late Gene Siskel did a special edition of their program that examined "The Early '70s: The Last Golden Age of American Film." It was a great show, with a look at each nominee for the Best Picture Oscar for the years 1970-1974, and then which film Siskel and Ebert would have chosen as the winner.

When the duo got to 1974, and a split screen revealed the five Best Picture nominees for that year, Ebert expressed some amusement at "The Towering Inferno's" nomination, when compared with the others ("Chinatown," "The Conversation," "Lenny" and the winner, "The Godfather Part II."). But while it was not the best film in a truly great year for the medium, "Inferno" did deserve to be considered one of the best.

This is polished, professional filmmaking. It was not intended to be a scathing expose of construction politics, or an actor's showcase. "The Towering Inferno" never tries to be anything more than an action spectacular, pure and simple, and on that level, it has few equals.

The film has been criticized for being almost gleeful in its depiction of various deaths, but I'm not sure what those critics would have had directors John Guillermin and Irwin Allen do. The story is about a giant skyscraper on fire, which means that the primary dangers involved are burning, falling, smoke inhalation and being buried under tons of debris. All of these are horrific, and "Inferno" conveys that horror.

The movie takes on a different hue than the Irwin Allen film it's inevitably compared to, "The Poseidon Adventure," the minute Steve McQueen arrives at the scene as the San Francisco Fire Dept.'s battalion chief, O'Hallorhan. Unlike "Poseidon," in which a small band of ship passengers follows a layman toward safety, the "Inferno" disaster is going to be taken on by a competent, experienced professional, leading other professionals. McQueen conveys an authority that anchors the film.

None of the acting struck me as truly bad, even in action-oriented scenes that called for broad playing. Aside from McQueen, my favorite performances were those of Susan Flannery and Jennifer Jones. Flannery makes the most of a small but memorable part as Robert Wagner's love interest, while Jones, looking very good for a woman of 55, plays the kind, heroic love of Fred Astaire's con man character.

Fred Koenekamp's cinematography received a well-deserved Academy Award, as did L.B. Abbott's special effects. The song "We May Never Love Like This Again," sung by Maureen McGovern, also won an Oscar, though I found it to be forgettable. "The Poseidon Adventure's" similar "The Morning After" is much better (which will certainly be faint praise to some).

John Williams' Oscar-nominated score would have been a perfectly reasonable choice as the winner, though Jerry Goldsmith's evocation of film noir classics for "Chinatown" was probably the year's best. Carmine Coppola and Nino Rota wound up winning for "The Godfather Part II."

Williams is in majestic form here. The main title is appropriately busy and exciting, the love themes for the Paul Newman/Faye Dunaway and Astaire/Jones duos are poignant, and the finale is one of the masterpieces of the art. This is a justifiably a favorite score among film music buffs, and Williams' greatest triumph, in my opinion, until "Star Wars" in 1977.

"The Towering Inferno" is a must for action film fans, and the finest representation of the "disaster film" genre.

The Glass Tower - tallest building in the world... on fire.
After a long vacation, away from the hectic city life, Doug Roberts (Paul Newman) returns to San Francisco in order to participate in the opening of his newest architectural wonder, The Glass Tower - tallest building in the world. The seemingly perfect skyscraper has one big flaw as James Duncan's (William Holden) son-in-law has received kick backs to ignore Doug's requests on the top-of-the-line electrical circuitry. The installed electrical circuits cannot handle the electrical use of the Glass Tower and on the opening night a fire begins on the 81st floor, which Fire Chief Michael O'Hallorhan's (Steve McQueen) men try to get under control while the opening party is taking place on the 135th floor. Towering Inferno has an immensely talented cast (e.g., Faye Dunaway, Fred Astaire, Richard Chamberlain and many more), however, the cast cannot enhance the cinematic experience. Overall the film is hurt by the many scenes that go on ceaselessly as the director attempts to create suspense through tedious climbing and rescue scenes. This occurs through occasional lapses in realism in the film, such as the ending, prevent the audience from receiving a top notch suspenseful drama. Instead the audience is left with an epic rescue mission that seems endless, and leaves the audience with a barely acceptable cinematic experience. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

One of the great classic episodes of this memorable series
While the whole of the first season of "Lost in Space", is excellent the very early episodes that were made up out of the unaired original pilot are by far the best for excitment, special effects and intriguing storylines. No where is this more evident than in the classic episode number four "There Were Giants In The Earth" which followed on from my own personal favourite "Island In The Sky". These early scripts flowed on from each other in a continous storyline while later the episodes all became selfcontained stories within the one hour format.

"There Were Giants In The Earth", takes up the story from the previous episode and finds the Robinson family, Major West and the dastardly Dr. Smith settling in to life on the strange planet which would be their home for over a year. The plot developments in this episode are excellent and really instill a feeling of unease and tension in the viewer as we see the Robinsons set up their hydroponic garden, test out their new force field around the camp and begin to learn some of the very worrying features of their mysterious new home, so very different from Earth. These features make up the excitment of this episode. Firstly Professor Robinson discovers the weather conditions of the planet are wildly erractic and in a constant state of change going from a state of freezing temperatures through to a climate so scorching hot that any vegetation is likely to be burnt. This brilliant plot development is given full coverage in this episode and in the following excellent installment "The Hungry Sea". Rather sadly the planet tamed down considerably weather wise after that episode and this potentially exciting element of the castaways trying to survive in these unpredictable conditions was with one or two exceptions never explored again in the coming season.

To escape these conditions the party decides in order to survive to abandon the spaceship and head south to avoid the coming intense cold and it is here that the most fantastic creatures ever thought up for "Lost In Space" are introduced, the terrifying Cyclops. The visual image of this huge creature, the "Giant" of the episode title, is breathtaking and its attack on Professor Robinson and Major West at the weather station and again when the whole family are in the chariot heading south involves some of the most memorable moments of the entire series. The Cyclops is wonderful in its execution and holds up beautifully today in its scary appearance and aggressive manner. I only wish that the "Giants" of the title had returned in later storylines for the season as they are sensational. The episode concludes with the party taking refuge in a huge cave during a fierce electrical storm during their travels (in itself a special effects masterpiece) and discovering an incredibly eerie underground city that has been abandoned for centuries by some lost civilisation. These scenes as the family first explore and then get seperated from each other are superbly done and build up the tension and combined with the cobwed covered alleys of this strange underground city create a memorable viewing experience. Certainly these scenes are some of my favourites of the entire series. The resulting earthquake then leads us into the next episode of this exciting introduction to the series.

What was so great about episodes such as "There Were Giants In The Earth", is that it gave equal screen time to all members of the Robinson party and allowed some real character development to occur. This episode is sensational and shows "Lost In Space", at its very best with an exciting storyline, excellent premise, with great thought going into all developments and great acting by all cast members. The black and white photogrpahy of this season of the show before it changed over to colour also I feel gave the stories an eerie quality which is very evident in this episode dealing with the Cyclops. Enjoy a trip back to the golden age of television with one of the best installments in this classic series "Lost In Space".

Strong display of the pioneering spirit and will to live!
What stands out the most in this episode is the strong level of commitment and pioneering spirit of this brave crew to survive any obstacle. This show should remind us all that hard work will pay off in the end. Of all of the shows seen I love this one the best due to the acting of Guy Williams who displays the heart and soul of a Man determined to keep his family alive. This show also shows the first use of the force field system and the weather station. My NICV Maintenance & Calibration Manual uses this show as the building block. (...)

not bad at all
I loved this episode the plot was very "cool", and you got to love that cyclops.

PROBALY A LITTLE BETTER THAN EPISODES 2&3

The plunge!
This was a huge plunge after the last episode! but it was still better than the first two. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Firing one and two!!
This episode is what Lost In Space is all about...survival!! The endearing aspects of the show, to me, has always been the triumphant overcoming of Professor Robinson and Don to repair the SNRGS telemetry and deutronium fuel systems of the Jupiter 2! From the episode "The raft" where they attempt to derive a synthesized deutronium fuel source to leave Preplanus in the first series, we fans-true fans of the show always sat at the edge of our seats wondering ...are they going to lift off soon? Did they solve their deutronium fuel problem? This episode shows what they are made of and of course...Dr Smith and his hilarious game of cards for trading a thruster control he stole from the Astrogator repair parts, for the "precious" cosmonium of Mr. Nerim is funny! And shows the Doctor's legendary insanity!! Oh the pain....the pain. The action mounts near the end as we see the Jupiter leave before Preplanus becomes a giant cosmic dustball in a fiery blaze! The special effects of the Jupiter Lifting off showing the antigravity drive struggle to achieve the nearly impossible task of coping with the unbalanced gravitational fields is cool and worth the wait! Every Lost In Space fan MUST get this one!
Plus...Watch for my new NICV Maintenance & Calibration Manual @ March 2004 on CD-ROM ( pda format )!!

Not one of the best, but noteworthy!
As has been mentioned by the other reviewers, this one is notable solely as the first color broadcast of the 60's series. It also features an amusing performance from veteran character actor Strother Martin. Martin will forever be remembered as the warden in Paul Newman's "Cool Hand Luke" who uttered the famous line, "What we have here is a failure to communicate."

Having Martin on hand was one of the show's most inspired casting coups.

First episode in living color!
The Robinsons finally blasting off into space after a year of being stranded on a black and white planet. The beginning of this season definitely set a new look and trend for the series, even though camp loomed on the horizon. I felt the story moved right along placing the Robinsons in a ''do or die'' situation of leaving the planet upon impending doom. I always get excited when I think back to the night this episode first aired on CBS. I give this one a thumbs up.

Blast Off into Color
This is the first episode of the second season of the 1960s television show, Lost in Space, and it is also the first episode that was ever aired in color. It features the notorious Dr. Zachary Smith attempting to swindle the elixir of life from a prospector who is destroying the planet that the Robinsons are marooned on, from the inside out. As the title indicates, a "blast off into space" eventually ensues in this campy clasic which is a "must have" for any fan of the series. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The best excitement ever for Jupiter 2 crew!
This was the very first episode I saw when I was eight years old! Seeing the Jupiter flyby around the derelict and it's entrapment was super cool! Hearing the unique ISD drive engine sound was the coolest ever sound effect of its kind! This trilled me the most! Interestingly how the plot of this episode ended up in the released movie. No doubt the writer must have liked this episode too. All Lost In Space fans must get this one for the fact that it displays the crew of the Jupiter 2 do what they do best...survive!!

Waaaaaaaaaay better than the first!
It just got better with the Jupiter 2's first encounter with alien life forms! A very suspenseful episode which later evolved into an important partt of the excelent '98 movie!

Possibly the best episode
The Derelict is considered by many devotees of the show to be the best episode. You can see Dr. Smith as a cold, calculating saboteur, before he became a prissy sissy in later episodes. The Jupiter 2 is drawn into an unfamiliar spacecraft. Dr. Smith is brave about exploring it because he thinks the ship belongs to his co-conspirators. His bravado disappears when he realizes his error. It's said that the LIS movie took a lot from this episode. I would agree. This episode, and the one before it and after it are very good. Almost straight Sci-Fi, and not a talking carrot in sight. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The series' finest hour, PART I
Featuring a great guest star turn from Michael Rennie (memorable as "Klaatu" in the classic "The Day the Earth Stood Still"), "The Keeper" is the best episode of the entire three-year-run of the show. All the characters get great attention in this two-parter that features great camerawork, special effects, and use the music composed by John Williams for the pilot episode. After such a stellar episode, it is a shame that the "powers-that-be" decided to devote the second and third seasons on camp that would ultimately result in the show's demise.

Probably the best of the Black and Whites!
This is a can't-miss episode! There are millions of aliens and plenty of action! This one is sure to make a bad day go GREAT!

One of the best in the series
Great action and entertainment for the whole family- some good lessons illustrated as well.. The array of creatures that are collected aboard the keeper's space ship is very tame as compared to the 90s shows, but it is effective. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Lost in Space at its classic best
"The Hungry Sea", episode No. five of the first season of "Lost in Space" is another of the top class episodes which were created out of material from the original unaired pilot episode and it was a direct follow on storywise to the classic "There Were Giants In The Earth". After this episode the real first season episodes began and while all excellent they did lack with a few exceptions that very exciting quality so evident in these earlier episodes.

"The Hungry Sea", brings to a climax the story of the Robinson's dangerous trek south in the chariot to escape the freezing temperatures currently being experienced as a result of their inhospitable planet's erratic orbit around it's sun. Rarely have so many spectacular special effects come together in one episode as they do here. It is among my personal favourites of this series as the storyline was kept taut, the impending sense of danger was never far from the surface and all the characters were equally given time to develop and contribute to the action at hand. After escaping from the caving in underground city the party resume their travel and cross a huge inland sea which has been completely frozen over. Only after reaching the other side where they see strange examples of vegetation which has been first burnt and then frozen do their suspicions about the rapid changes of the planet's temperature start to form and fear starts to set in. At this stage in the story is introduced an excellent element when Prof. Robinson and Major West (Guy Williams and Mark Goddard, two excellent actors who were consistently terrific through the whole series run), come into direct conflict with each other over their next course of action. This tension and the divided loyalties that arise add a wonderful realistic element to the parties' interactions as the tension and fear over what will happen arises. Warned by a mellowing Dr. Smith back at the spaceship their fears are confirmed and they are just intime to take steps to protect themselves from a rapid increase in temperature beyond anything experienced on Earth. The scenes of the native vegetation around the chariot erupting into flames is still a stunning effect and gives this episode classic status in Sci Fi television. Upon the return journey home the party have to recross the inland sea and find it now a full fledged ocean and here we see another innovation of the chariot which now becomes a vechicle for sea going travel, an device never again used in the series sadly. Here the special effects are second to none as the chariot experiences a wide storm at sea with the whole party almost drowned in a huge whirlpool which looks as frightening today as it did back in the 1960's.

"The Hungry Sea", exhausts the last of the unused footage from the pilot episode and the storylines did become alot tamer after this offering. This episode shows what made "Lost in Space", such sensational viewing as I was growing up. Dr. Smith, now infamous as a comic buffoon is here still a serious and villianous character which suited the series so much better. His
character would have inevitably mellowed as the series progressed living with the Robinsons as he had to but the direction his character took was a terrible mistake and ultimately spoiled the series. There were certainly many excellent episodes later in this first favourite season and even the second and third seasons contained some excellent ones as well but it is these very early episodes of the series that are so fondly remembered by fans. "The Hungry Sea", is definately one of those and I highly recommend it to you as an example of exciting television from the 1960's. Enjoy!

The Hungry Sea
Have seen many times one of the best from the whole series. Good Special effects

There back!
Here we go! There making 5 star episodes again! Not as good as episode 3, but pretty damn good!

One of the Best of the Series
"Lost in Space" is one of those shows from the past that is either praised or loathed. I am one individual who has fond memories of the 60's "classic." This episode is, by far, a cut above many of the later episodes which began to place too much focus on the Will/Dr. Smith/Robot formula. Although this first season show features a "softening" of the Smith character, as played by Jonathan Harris, this installment shows the bond between the family members and their efforts to survive a blistering sun, earthquakes, a whirlpool, and an unknown future. Harris has a field day when forced to spend time alone with the Robot who at the time had not developed any "human" qualities. An amusing banter is showcased between the two which adds immensely to the story. The special effects featuring a storm-tossed Chariot are somewhat spectacular for the period. John Williams' score, with "borrowed" cues from Bernard Herrmann, is highly effective. Even the rarely used "Judy" gets to have a juicy line or two. It is too bad that the series lost the quality of this episode in exchange for outlandish and garish plots in the second and third seasons. ... Read more