‘Lost In Space’ 4K UHD Review (Arrow Video)
Stars: Gary Oldman, Mimi Rogers, William Hurt, Matt LeBlanc, Heather Graham | Written by Akiva Goldsman | Directed by Stephen Hopkins
Irwin Allen, the American film and television producer and director, was responsible for many great films and TV shows. I always loved The Time Tunnel and The Poseidon Adventure. But in 1965 he took The Swiss Family Robinson and shot them into space, and what came to TV screens was the classic Lost in Space.
Throughout the years, kids and adults alike would marvel and the creatures and space adventures of the Robinson family ‘lost in space’. As a kid, I used to watch reruns of Lost in Space, and recently I bought the box set of the complete series and have been reliving these amazing adventures all over again.
In 1998, New Line Cinema decided to bring the Robinson Family into a new decade and onto the big screen. All with new technology for the Robinson family to work with, and Jim Henson’s Creature Shop would be involved with creation. Big plus! That was 27 years ago… that’s mind-blowing! Arrow Video is now giving this film a chance to live on in Ultra HD.
The year is 2058. With Earth on the brink of collapse, the Robinson family is chosen to lead a critical mission to colonize a distant planet aboard the Jupiter 2 spacecraft. But the mission is sabotaged by the traitorous Dr. Zachary Smith, and the ship veers off course and plunges through a rift in space-time, leaving the Robinsons stranded in an unknown universe. Now lost in a hostile alien galaxy, the family must trek through treacherous environments, battle deadly creatures, and avoid Smith’s unpredictable schemes. As tensions rise and survival becomes uncertain, their greatest challenge may be holding together as a family.
At the time of its release, Lost in Space received so much negative press that it was ridiculous. Now granted, this movie adaptation lacks the fun that the TV show had, but this film is still a wonderful shoot’em up sci-fi adventure. It also boasts a fine cast featuring Gary Oldman, Mimi Rogers, William Hurt, Matt LeBlanc, and Heather Graham. And don’t forget to look out for some fun cameos by some of the stars of the original TV show. That is always a treat!
Arrow Video have transferred Lost in Space to 4K in 2160p and is presented in the original aspect ratio: 2.39:1. The audio is an English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. Finally, there is the option for English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing. Now this transfer is not just a 4K transfer, it is a 4K restoration of the film from the original camera negative by Arrow Films and has been approved by director Stephen Hopkins.
Which means watching this film in comparison to my old DVD release, well… there is no comparison. The colours are bright and vibrant, and the picture is crisp and clean. The audio is clear. I saw no damage to this print when screening this film. Arrow Video did a wonderful job with the restoration of this release. Of course, it would have been disappointing if there were no bonus features on this 4K! Well, don’t worry. Arrow Video didn’t disappoint, they added some great bonus features:
Special Features:
- Archive audio commentary with director Stephen Hopkins and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman
- Archive audio commentary with visual effects supervisors Angus Bickerton and Lauren Ritchie, director of photography Peter Levy, editor Ray Lovejoy, and producer Carla Fry
- A Space Odyssey, a newly filmed interview with director Stephen Hopkins
- Lights in the Sky, a newly filmed interview with director of photography Peter Levy
- A Journey Through Time, a newly filmed interview with producer and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman
- Art of Space, a newly filmed interview with supervising art director Keith Pain
- Crafting Reality, a newly filmed interview with Kenny Wilson, former mould shop supervisor at Jim Henson’s Creature Shop
- Sound of Space, a newly filmed interview with sound mixer Simon Kaye and re-recording mixer Robin O’Donohue
- Lost But Not Forgotten in Space, a new video essay by film critic Matt Donato
- Deleted scenes
- Building the Special Effects, an archival featurette with visual effects supervisor Angus Bickerton and animatics supervisor Mac Wilson
- The Future of Space Travel, an archival featurette exploring the film’s vision of the future
- TV Years, a Q&A with the original cast of the TV series
- Bloopers
Extras:
- Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Pye Parr
- Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing by critic Neil Sinyard, articles from American Cinematographer and an excerpt from the original production notes
As you can see, there are tons of featurettes to go through: behind-the-scenes stuff, the bloopers – which are always a fun watch. Arrow Video really made sure to make this release something special. So whether you’re a fan of the original Lost in Space, the remake series or this movie reboot. I highly suggest this 4K UltraHD for your collection. While not as great as the original series, it is still a fun watch. And after all, that’s why we go to the movies… to enjoy ourselves!
***** 5/5
Lost In Space will be released on 4K UHD – in the US – on September 2nd, courtesy of Arrow Video.
______
