On September 15, 1965, Irwin Allen whisked television viewers out of their living rooms on a journey to the outer reaches of space, where the Robinson family finds themselves marooned on a strange, not-entirely-hospitable planet thanks to the sabotage of their chief medical officer. For a nation dreaming of a seemingly impossible moon landing, "Lost in Space" was both wish fulfillment and cautionary tale; a part of us was enthralled by the notion of exploring the cosmos, but we were also terrified by the thought of aimlessly hurtling through a universe with no known end and no direction home.
Allen's series didn't dwell much on the more frightening aspects of the Robinsons' predicament. Unlike Gene Roddenberry's "Star Trek" (which would debut a year later), Allen employed a fairly rigid formula that found the Robinsons and the hunky Major Don West (Mark Goddard) having to outwit the generally inept scheming of Dr.
Allen's series didn't dwell much on the more frightening aspects of the Robinsons' predicament. Unlike Gene Roddenberry's "Star Trek" (which would debut a year later), Allen employed a fairly rigid formula that found the Robinsons and the hunky Major Don West (Mark Goddard) having to outwit the generally inept scheming of Dr.
- 4/22/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Mark Goddard, known for his role as Major Don West, the fiery pilot of Jupiter 2 in the 1960s CBS adventure series Lost in Space, has passed away at 87. His wife, Evelyn Pezzulich, confirmed his death to The Hollywood Reporter. Goddard was already a regular on the Four Star Television series Johnny Ringo and The Detectives when his agent introduced him to the opportunity to join the new series Lost in Space, created and produced by Irwin Allen. The sci-fi series revolved around the Robinson family, including Professor John Robinson (Guy Williams), his biochemist wife, Maureen (June Lockhart), and their children Judy, Penny, and Will. Major West, along with a stowaway, Dr. Zachary Smith (Jonathan Harris), and a robot, embarked on a space colonization mission that took a wayward turn after their spacecraft was sent off course by ...
- 10/13/2023
- TV Insider
We have sad news to report on this Friday evening.
Mark Goddard, best known for his work on Lost in Space, has died.
He was 87.
Goddard died Tuesday in Hingham, Massachusetts, his wife Evelyn Pezzulich told The Hollywood Reporter.
The actor's impressive TV career kicked off in 1959 on Johnny Ringo, appearing in 38 episodes over a year.
He followed that up with The Detectives, where he starred as Detective Sergeant Chris Ballard.
He appeared in 64 episodes between 1960-62.
Additional TV credits include The Rifleman, The Bill Dana Show, The Beverly Hillbillies, Gunsmoke, Perry Mason, The Fugitive, and Many Happy Returns over the next three years.
His big break came in Lost in Space, where he played Major Don West, the pilot of Jupiter 2.
He appeared in all three seasons of the CBS comedy.
Lost in Space followed the adventures of the Robinsons, a pioneering family of space colonists who struggle to...
Mark Goddard, best known for his work on Lost in Space, has died.
He was 87.
Goddard died Tuesday in Hingham, Massachusetts, his wife Evelyn Pezzulich told The Hollywood Reporter.
The actor's impressive TV career kicked off in 1959 on Johnny Ringo, appearing in 38 episodes over a year.
He followed that up with The Detectives, where he starred as Detective Sergeant Chris Ballard.
He appeared in 64 episodes between 1960-62.
Additional TV credits include The Rifleman, The Bill Dana Show, The Beverly Hillbillies, Gunsmoke, Perry Mason, The Fugitive, and Many Happy Returns over the next three years.
His big break came in Lost in Space, where he played Major Don West, the pilot of Jupiter 2.
He appeared in all three seasons of the CBS comedy.
Lost in Space followed the adventures of the Robinsons, a pioneering family of space colonists who struggle to...
- 10/13/2023
- by Paul Dailly
- TVfanatic
Mark Goddard, the actor who made a lasting impression on young sci-fi fans as the daring, forever impatient Major Don West on CBS’ 1965-68 series Lost In Space, died of pulmonary fibrosis Tuesday in Hingham, Massachusetts. He was 87.
His death was announced by his wife Evelyn Pezzulich in a Facebook post.
“I’m so sorry to tell you that my wonderful husband passed away on October 10th,” Pezzulich wrote. “Several days after celebrating his 87th birthday, he was hospitalized with pneumonia. We were hopeful when he was transferred to a rehabilitation center, but then doctors discovered he was in the final stages of pulmonary fibrosis for which there is no cure.”
By the time he was cast in his breakthrough role as the headstrong Major West, Goddard had built a reputation as a rising young actor through supporting appearances in late-’50s fare such as Johnny Ringo and The Rebel.
His death was announced by his wife Evelyn Pezzulich in a Facebook post.
“I’m so sorry to tell you that my wonderful husband passed away on October 10th,” Pezzulich wrote. “Several days after celebrating his 87th birthday, he was hospitalized with pneumonia. We were hopeful when he was transferred to a rehabilitation center, but then doctors discovered he was in the final stages of pulmonary fibrosis for which there is no cure.”
By the time he was cast in his breakthrough role as the headstrong Major West, Goddard had built a reputation as a rising young actor through supporting appearances in late-’50s fare such as Johnny Ringo and The Rebel.
- 10/13/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Mark Goddard, who played Major Don West, the hot-tempered pilot of the Jupiter 2, on the 1960s CBS adventure series Lost in Space, has died. He was 87.
Goddard died Tuesday in Hingham, Massachusetts, his wife Evelyn Pezzulich told The Hollywood Reporter.
Goddard had worked as a regular on the Four Star Television series Johnny Ringo and The Detectives when he was approached by his agent about coming aboard the new Lost on Space, created and produced by Irwin Allen.
The sci-fi show revolved around the adventures of the Robinson family: Professor John Robinson (Guy Williams), his biochemist wife, Maureen (June Lockhart) and their children Judy, Penny and Will (Marta Kristen, Angela Cartwright and Billy Mumy).
Major West also was on board, as was a stowaway, Dr. Zachary Smith (Jonathan Harris), and a robot (designed by Forbidden Planet‘s Robert Kinoshita, played by Bob May and voiced by Dick Tufeld). Their space colonization mission,...
Goddard died Tuesday in Hingham, Massachusetts, his wife Evelyn Pezzulich told The Hollywood Reporter.
Goddard had worked as a regular on the Four Star Television series Johnny Ringo and The Detectives when he was approached by his agent about coming aboard the new Lost on Space, created and produced by Irwin Allen.
The sci-fi show revolved around the adventures of the Robinson family: Professor John Robinson (Guy Williams), his biochemist wife, Maureen (June Lockhart) and their children Judy, Penny and Will (Marta Kristen, Angela Cartwright and Billy Mumy).
Major West also was on board, as was a stowaway, Dr. Zachary Smith (Jonathan Harris), and a robot (designed by Forbidden Planet‘s Robert Kinoshita, played by Bob May and voiced by Dick Tufeld). Their space colonization mission,...
- 10/13/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
When you think of Classic TV from the 1960s that were sci-fi in nature, odds are that your mind will go to the original Star Trek and not necessarily Lost in Space. But this show was the more family-oriented, campy drama that followed the adventures of the Robinson family (plus a couple of non-relatives) — and which is being reborn as a new Netflix series. Sent from Earth to explore the potential of another habitable planet, their mission is sabotaged and they find themselves… well, lost in space. But what they found were generations of fans who have celebrated the show for all these years. One was Kevin Burns, a producer who fell in love with the series and has carried the torch, putting together the massive 50th Anniversary Blu-ray complete series set in 2015 (with an unbelievable amount of extras), and who serves as executive producer of the reboot that launches...
- 3/8/2018
- by Ed Gross
- Closer Weekly
Continuing their ongoing domination of all past and present media, Netflix has ordered a “Lost In Space” remake series. Deadline reports that the streaming service has given Legendary TV a 10-episode straight-to-series order for “Lost In Space,” after competitively outbidding others for a development deal back in November. It will premiere sometime in 2018.
Read More: Fan-Made “Lost In Space” Animated Pilot Should Go To Series
The original “Lost In Space” series was broadcast on CBS for three seasons from 1965-1968. Set in the year 1997, 32 years into the future from 1965, the series followed the Robinson family as they plan to colonize deep space. Though initially headed to a planet near the star Alpha Centauri, the Robinson family are veered wildly off course when Dr. Zachary Smith, a foreign secret agent, tries to sabotage the mission and unintentionally sends them hurdling hopelessly through space.
The series starred Guy Williams and June Lockhart...
Read More: Fan-Made “Lost In Space” Animated Pilot Should Go To Series
The original “Lost In Space” series was broadcast on CBS for three seasons from 1965-1968. Set in the year 1997, 32 years into the future from 1965, the series followed the Robinson family as they plan to colonize deep space. Though initially headed to a planet near the star Alpha Centauri, the Robinson family are veered wildly off course when Dr. Zachary Smith, a foreign secret agent, tries to sabotage the mission and unintentionally sends them hurdling hopelessly through space.
The series starred Guy Williams and June Lockhart...
- 6/30/2016
- by Vikram Murthi
- Indiewire
As a new year dawns, a tribute to those we've lost in the year now ending is merited ... and in 2012, those sad milestones have encompassed some of the most popular personalities in television history.
Andy Griffith: The actor-producer who put Mayberry on the map forever will be remembered as one of television's most genial personalities, also extending to his run as wily lawyer Matlock.
Dick Clark: The number of music stars who owe at least part of their success to the "American Bandstand" maestro is incalculable. Thanks to him, people also enjoy "New Year's Rockin' Eve," receive American Music Awards and have a greater appreciation of bloopers. Here's a "so long" salute to you, Dick.
Larry Hagman: The truly unfortunate irony of the veteran actor's recent death is that he was just starting his second round of "Dallas" success as master schemer J.R. Ewing. He'll also...
Andy Griffith: The actor-producer who put Mayberry on the map forever will be remembered as one of television's most genial personalities, also extending to his run as wily lawyer Matlock.
Dick Clark: The number of music stars who owe at least part of their success to the "American Bandstand" maestro is incalculable. Thanks to him, people also enjoy "New Year's Rockin' Eve," receive American Music Awards and have a greater appreciation of bloopers. Here's a "so long" salute to you, Dick.
Larry Hagman: The truly unfortunate irony of the veteran actor's recent death is that he was just starting his second round of "Dallas" success as master schemer J.R. Ewing. He'll also...
- 12/31/2012
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
Actor Dick Tufeld, who voiced the Robot on the 1960s sci-fi series Lost In Space, died January 22 at age 85 while watching the NFL playoffs. You may not know his name, but Tufeld created two of TV's most enduring pop culture catch phrases — "Danger, Will Robinson, danger" and "That does not compute." In 2004, TV Guide Magazine caught up with Tufeld, who was still doing voice-over work. He had recently recovered from a paralyzed vocal chord, which kept him from speaking above a whisper until a rare operation returned his familiar voice.
TV Guide Magazine: It's nice to talk to the character that gave so many generations so much pleasure.
Dick Tufeld: You know there was a guy inside the...
Read More >...
TV Guide Magazine: It's nice to talk to the character that gave so many generations so much pleasure.
Dick Tufeld: You know there was a guy inside the...
Read More >...
- 1/26/2012
- by Ileane Rudolph
- TVGuide - Breaking News
Whenever we think of Robot from the 1960s series "Lost in Space," our mind goes straight to Bob May, who passed away three years ago. But May was just inside the Robot suit. It was Dick Tufeld who provided the voice with famous lines like "Danger, Will Robinson" and "That does not compute." A prolific announcer with a career spanning decades, Tufeld died Jan. 22 in Studio City, Calif. He was 85. Tufeld's voice was heard through a lot of television, especially in its early days. But science-fiction would not only make him the most famous, it's what gave him his break in the first place. His first job in television was as the announcer for the "Space Patrol" episode "The Laughing Alien" in 1953. He would go on to work in shows like "Annie Oakley," "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color," ...
- 1/26/2012
- GeekNation.com
It is with great sorrow that we report the death of announcer and voice actor Dick Tufeld, best known to a generation of genre fans as the voice of the Robot on the wonderfully campy '60s TV series Lost in Space. He was 85.
The Los Angeles Times is reporting that Tufeld, who suffered from heart disease and had been in failing health since sustaining a fall last year, passed away at home while watching the NFL playoffs on January 22.
Richard Norton Tufeld was born December 11, 1926, in Los Angeles, California. He began his career as the announcer for the ABC radio programs The Amazing Mr. Malone and Falstaff's Fables before landing a gig as announcer for the sci-fi radio serial Space Patrol in 1952.
Tufeld left radio for television news in October 1955, but then transitioned to a role as announcer for Disney TV series such as Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color and Zorro,...
The Los Angeles Times is reporting that Tufeld, who suffered from heart disease and had been in failing health since sustaining a fall last year, passed away at home while watching the NFL playoffs on January 22.
Richard Norton Tufeld was born December 11, 1926, in Los Angeles, California. He began his career as the announcer for the ABC radio programs The Amazing Mr. Malone and Falstaff's Fables before landing a gig as announcer for the sci-fi radio serial Space Patrol in 1952.
Tufeld left radio for television news in October 1955, but then transitioned to a role as announcer for Disney TV series such as Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color and Zorro,...
- 1/25/2012
- by Theron
- Planet Fury
Dick Tufeld, announcer and voice actor perhaps most well known as the vocal cords behind the Robot in Lost In Space, has passed away. Tufeld was a survivor of cancer, and suffered from Parkinson’s disease. He was 85 years old.
Tufeld’s notable contributions include: The Amazing Mr. Malone, Falstaff’S Fables, Space Patrol, Three Star Final, Zorro, Walt Disney’S Wonderful World Of Color, Surfside 6, The Hollywood Palace, The Julie Andrews Hour, Time Tunnel, and Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea.
Tufeld’s notable contributions include: The Amazing Mr. Malone, Falstaff’S Fables, Space Patrol, Three Star Final, Zorro, Walt Disney’S Wonderful World Of Color, Surfside 6, The Hollywood Palace, The Julie Andrews Hour, Time Tunnel, and Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea.
- 1/24/2012
- by Justin
- FamousMonsters of Filmland
The actor who voiced The Robot from classic 1960s TV show Lost In Space has died at the age of 85.
Character actor Dick Tufeld passed away at a Los Angeles hospital on Sunday after a battle with Parkinson's disease.
Tufeld, a cancer survivor, provided the voice for the sci-fi character from 1965 to 1968.
He also narrated TV episodes of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, The Time Tunnel, The Gallant Men, and 1978's The Fantastic Four, in addition to serving as the opening announcer for 1981's Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends.
He later reprised the Lost in Space role for the 1998 big screen adaptation, while he also voiced the same character in installments of longrunning cartoon The Simpsons in 1998 and again in 2004.
Paying tribute to Tufeld, his Lost in Space co-star Bill Mumy tells TMZ.com, "Everything just caught up to him. He lost his wife a few years ago and lost his pep (lust for life) after that."...
Character actor Dick Tufeld passed away at a Los Angeles hospital on Sunday after a battle with Parkinson's disease.
Tufeld, a cancer survivor, provided the voice for the sci-fi character from 1965 to 1968.
He also narrated TV episodes of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, The Time Tunnel, The Gallant Men, and 1978's The Fantastic Four, in addition to serving as the opening announcer for 1981's Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends.
He later reprised the Lost in Space role for the 1998 big screen adaptation, while he also voiced the same character in installments of longrunning cartoon The Simpsons in 1998 and again in 2004.
Paying tribute to Tufeld, his Lost in Space co-star Bill Mumy tells TMZ.com, "Everything just caught up to him. He lost his wife a few years ago and lost his pep (lust for life) after that."...
- 1/24/2012
- WENN
The man who voiced the robot from "Lost in Space" back in the 60s has died.Dick Tufeld died peacefully at an L.A. area hospital -- this according to Dick's "Lost in Space" co-star Bill Mumy.According to Mumy, Tufeld -- a cancer survivor -- suffered from Parkinson's disease. He was 85 years old.Mumy tells us, "Everything just caught up to him" -- adding, "He lost his wife a few years ago and lost his pep after that.
- 1/24/2012
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
I should have loved Lost in Space when it debuted on CBS in the fall of 1965. At seven, I was the prime audience for this family adventure about the Robinsons and friends who are literally, hurtling through uncharted territory. Instead, I never warmed up to the show and much preferred ABC’s Batman when that arrived in January 1966. I found the science fiction lacking, the acting over-the-top, and the robot one of the few interesting aspects.
I think I would have preferred the Irwin Allen series had the villainous aspect of Dr. Zachary Smith (Jonathan Harris) remained, rather than using him as a comic foil. Regardless, the series had its following which has led to various revivals as an animated series and even a Bill Mumy-scripted comic during the 1990s. A feature film adaptation seemed inevitable and that’s what we received in 1998. Now, the movie is making its...
I think I would have preferred the Irwin Allen series had the villainous aspect of Dr. Zachary Smith (Jonathan Harris) remained, rather than using him as a comic foil. Regardless, the series had its following which has led to various revivals as an animated series and even a Bill Mumy-scripted comic during the 1990s. A feature film adaptation seemed inevitable and that’s what we received in 1998. Now, the movie is making its...
- 9/7/2010
- by Robert Greenberger
- Comicmix.com
You probably never knew his face. You don't remember his voice, you always thought it was Dick Tufeld's. But you knew his most famous role just the same.
From the AP wire: 'Lost in Space' actor Bob May dies at 69
Bob May, who donned The Robot's suit in the hit 1960s television show "Lost in Space," has died. He was 69.
May died Sunday of congestive heart failure at a hospital in Lancaster, said his daughter, Deborah May.
He was a veteran actor and stuntman who had appeared in movies, TV shows and on the vaudeville stage when he was tapped by "Lost in Space" creator Irwin Allen to play the Robinson family's loyal metal sidekick in the series that debuted in 1965.
"He always said he got the job because he fit in the robot suit," said June Lockhart, who played family matriarch Maureen Robinson. "It was one of those wonderful Hollywood stories.
From the AP wire: 'Lost in Space' actor Bob May dies at 69
Bob May, who donned The Robot's suit in the hit 1960s television show "Lost in Space," has died. He was 69.
May died Sunday of congestive heart failure at a hospital in Lancaster, said his daughter, Deborah May.
He was a veteran actor and stuntman who had appeared in movies, TV shows and on the vaudeville stage when he was tapped by "Lost in Space" creator Irwin Allen to play the Robinson family's loyal metal sidekick in the series that debuted in 1965.
"He always said he got the job because he fit in the robot suit," said June Lockhart, who played family matriarch Maureen Robinson. "It was one of those wonderful Hollywood stories.
- 1/19/2009
- by Glenn Hauman
- Comicmix.com
Back in the mid-'60s, when "Star Trek" was begetting its very first generation of Trekkies, producer Irwin Allen launched his own brand of interplanetary adventure that gave new meaning to the phrase "space camp."
Hoping to cash in on those fond nostalgic feelings for the space family Robinson and even that nervous Nellie, Dr. Zachary Smith, New Line's souped-up, big-screen take on "Lost in Space" gets somewhat lost in the translation.
Attempting to be all things to all people, the picture supplements the irresistibly cheesy elements of the original with more purposeful stuff, such as an annoyingly cloying father-son relationship subplot and even a little Spielberg ("Gremlins" period) thrown into the mix to grab the kiddies.
While the resulting tone is all over the place, "Lost in Space" is not without its pure popcorn moments of guilty pleasure with enough visual blast to at least partially placate sci-fi buffs.
Expect this Jupiter II mission to stir up solid -- but short of astronomical -- business.
Taking a cue from Tommy Lee Jones in "Men in Black", William Hurt and Mimi Rogers play it straight as parental units John and Maureen Robinson. It's a gambit that works effectively. They're rooted in a reality that remains constant even when Akiva Goldsman's clunky, dunderheaded dialogue goes off in other directions.
As in the original series, Mom and Dad take the family -- Judy (Heather Graham), Penny (Lacey Chabert) and Will (Jack Johnson) -- on a space-colonizing expedition to Alpha Prime, the galaxy's other inhabitable planet.
While they hire testosterone-fueled Major Don West (Matt LeBlanc) to do the driving, trust diabolical Dr. Smith (Gary Oldman) to sabotage the mission, sending the Jupiter II hurtling through unknown galaxies.
They battle millions of space alien spiders, time-traveling constrictions and each other. Since this is a revisionist '90s take on a '60s view of family, the Robinson family is introduced to the word "dysfunctional" and must work out all their unresolved interpersonal conflicts when not blasting into hyperdrive. All the heavy-handed, father-son/father-daughter claptrap gets in the way of the potential fun.
Director Stephen Hopkins ("The Ghost and the Darkness") has an impressive knack for choreographing elements of suspense, and those quieter sequences are among the most effective in the film. Adhering to a cohesive tone is another problem, and it's one that also hampers some of the performances.
While Hurt, Rogers, Graham, Chabert and young Johnson (who nicely fits Billy Mumy's old space shoes) eschew the scenery-chewing for earnestness, the usually effective Oldman is stuck between a rock and a hard place. Rather than staying with the sniveling, cowardly Dr. Smith of old, the filmmakers have sought to make him more of an irredeemably evil villain, forcing Oldman to play the part like a satanic theater teacher. Smith's character could have used a little more motivation for his actions rather than simply admitting he's rotten to the core.
As the strutting Major West, meanwhile, LeBlanc also seems to have tone trouble, stiffly torn between playing him as a comic book character and a true hero. It's nice to hear Dick Tufeld's deeply mellifluous tones again as the voice of the Robot, while series cast members June Lockhart (Maureen), Mark Goddard (West), Marta Kristen (Judy) and Angela Cartwright (Penny) pop up in cameos.
Visually, "Lost in Space" achieves the requisite balance with effects that neatly fall somewhere between state-of-the-art and cheese. Peter Levy's cinematography, Norman Garwood's production design and visual effects supervisor Angus Bickerton's work remain faithful to the original while effectively expanding the scope for theatrical consumption. Bruce Broughton nimbly recaptures the series' noisy, brass-blasting score, and the original John Williams-penned theme has been treated to a kicking end-title electronic remix performed by Apollo Four Forty.
LOST IN SPACE
New Line Cinema
A Prelude Pictures production
in association with Irwin Allen Prods.
A Stephen Hopkins film
Director: Stephen Hopkins
Screenwriter: Akiva Goldsman
Producers: Mark W. Koch, Stephen Hopkins,
Akiva Goldsman, Carla Fry
Executive producers: Mace Neufeld,
Bob Rehme, Richard Saperstein,
Michael De Luca
Director of photography: Peter Levy
Production designer: Norman Garwood
Editor: Ray Lovejoy
Music: Bruce Broughton
Visual effects supervisor: Angus Bickerton
Color/stereo
Cast:
Dr. Zachary Smith: Gary Oldman
John Robinson: William Hurt
Major Don West: Matt LeBlanc
Maureen Robinson: Mimi Rogers
Judy Robinson: Heather Graham
Penny Robinson: Lacey Chabert
Will Robinson: Jack Johnson
Older Will Robinson: Jared Harris
Running time - 130 minutes
MPAA rating: PG-13...
Hoping to cash in on those fond nostalgic feelings for the space family Robinson and even that nervous Nellie, Dr. Zachary Smith, New Line's souped-up, big-screen take on "Lost in Space" gets somewhat lost in the translation.
Attempting to be all things to all people, the picture supplements the irresistibly cheesy elements of the original with more purposeful stuff, such as an annoyingly cloying father-son relationship subplot and even a little Spielberg ("Gremlins" period) thrown into the mix to grab the kiddies.
While the resulting tone is all over the place, "Lost in Space" is not without its pure popcorn moments of guilty pleasure with enough visual blast to at least partially placate sci-fi buffs.
Expect this Jupiter II mission to stir up solid -- but short of astronomical -- business.
Taking a cue from Tommy Lee Jones in "Men in Black", William Hurt and Mimi Rogers play it straight as parental units John and Maureen Robinson. It's a gambit that works effectively. They're rooted in a reality that remains constant even when Akiva Goldsman's clunky, dunderheaded dialogue goes off in other directions.
As in the original series, Mom and Dad take the family -- Judy (Heather Graham), Penny (Lacey Chabert) and Will (Jack Johnson) -- on a space-colonizing expedition to Alpha Prime, the galaxy's other inhabitable planet.
While they hire testosterone-fueled Major Don West (Matt LeBlanc) to do the driving, trust diabolical Dr. Smith (Gary Oldman) to sabotage the mission, sending the Jupiter II hurtling through unknown galaxies.
They battle millions of space alien spiders, time-traveling constrictions and each other. Since this is a revisionist '90s take on a '60s view of family, the Robinson family is introduced to the word "dysfunctional" and must work out all their unresolved interpersonal conflicts when not blasting into hyperdrive. All the heavy-handed, father-son/father-daughter claptrap gets in the way of the potential fun.
Director Stephen Hopkins ("The Ghost and the Darkness") has an impressive knack for choreographing elements of suspense, and those quieter sequences are among the most effective in the film. Adhering to a cohesive tone is another problem, and it's one that also hampers some of the performances.
While Hurt, Rogers, Graham, Chabert and young Johnson (who nicely fits Billy Mumy's old space shoes) eschew the scenery-chewing for earnestness, the usually effective Oldman is stuck between a rock and a hard place. Rather than staying with the sniveling, cowardly Dr. Smith of old, the filmmakers have sought to make him more of an irredeemably evil villain, forcing Oldman to play the part like a satanic theater teacher. Smith's character could have used a little more motivation for his actions rather than simply admitting he's rotten to the core.
As the strutting Major West, meanwhile, LeBlanc also seems to have tone trouble, stiffly torn between playing him as a comic book character and a true hero. It's nice to hear Dick Tufeld's deeply mellifluous tones again as the voice of the Robot, while series cast members June Lockhart (Maureen), Mark Goddard (West), Marta Kristen (Judy) and Angela Cartwright (Penny) pop up in cameos.
Visually, "Lost in Space" achieves the requisite balance with effects that neatly fall somewhere between state-of-the-art and cheese. Peter Levy's cinematography, Norman Garwood's production design and visual effects supervisor Angus Bickerton's work remain faithful to the original while effectively expanding the scope for theatrical consumption. Bruce Broughton nimbly recaptures the series' noisy, brass-blasting score, and the original John Williams-penned theme has been treated to a kicking end-title electronic remix performed by Apollo Four Forty.
LOST IN SPACE
New Line Cinema
A Prelude Pictures production
in association with Irwin Allen Prods.
A Stephen Hopkins film
Director: Stephen Hopkins
Screenwriter: Akiva Goldsman
Producers: Mark W. Koch, Stephen Hopkins,
Akiva Goldsman, Carla Fry
Executive producers: Mace Neufeld,
Bob Rehme, Richard Saperstein,
Michael De Luca
Director of photography: Peter Levy
Production designer: Norman Garwood
Editor: Ray Lovejoy
Music: Bruce Broughton
Visual effects supervisor: Angus Bickerton
Color/stereo
Cast:
Dr. Zachary Smith: Gary Oldman
John Robinson: William Hurt
Major Don West: Matt LeBlanc
Maureen Robinson: Mimi Rogers
Judy Robinson: Heather Graham
Penny Robinson: Lacey Chabert
Will Robinson: Jack Johnson
Older Will Robinson: Jared Harris
Running time - 130 minutes
MPAA rating: PG-13...
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