The Starlost - The Complete Series
by Joseph L Scanlon, Ed Richardson, Harvey Hart, George McCowan, Leo Orenstein
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Gay Rowan, Keir Dullea, Robin Ward, William OslerDirector: Ed Richardson, George McCowan, Harvey Hart, Joseph L Scanlon, Leo Orenstein
Brand: Video Communications Inc.
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language)
Format: Color, Dolby, Full Screen, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 800 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2008-09-30
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Model: 8540
Studio: VCI Entertainment
Movie Reviews of The Starlost - The Complete Series
Movie Review: The Starlost -Found
Summary: 5 Stars
One of the problems with Sci-Fi TV shows with great ideas and unusual stories is that they never seem to last long.
The Starlost is one of them.
I remember the series back in 1974 when I watched it on early morning television on Saturday's, I thought it was great and interesting - now after all these years I got the series on DVD and rediscovered it again for the first time.
The Starlost is one of those shows that has been overshadowed by other more successful Sci-Fi shows like Star Trek, Dr Who, Lost in Space and Stargate SG-1 just to name a few. So like many other Sci-Fi shows less successful and possibly unknown today, The Starlost has become an almost forgotten gem, and one needs to dig deep to find its worth to those who wish to remember.
The Starlost was to have 24 episodes in production but it was cut short to 16, filmed between 1973 and 1974, the series involved around three young people, Devon, Rachel and Garth from Cypress Corners, a domed self-sealed community which is one of many that inhabit a spaceship known as the `Ark'. This Ark was launched into space to find another habitable planet because the Earth was abandoned due to radioactive catastrophe. But 100 years later after launch the Ark had a disaster of its own which killed all the specialise crew onboard, now the Ark is on a collision course with a G-Type Star (Sun). 400 years on in the year 2790AD, the Ark is slowly heading for destruction unless our three adventurers can find a way to alter the Ark's course and save its inhabitants-as well as themselves.
So why did `The Starlost' the series fail?
Well I think it was a number of factors here are just some:
1] Harlan Ellison who created the concept of The Starlost left before the show really got started; he only wrote the pilot episode under the name Cordwainer Bird and in the show's opening credits we see `Created by Cordwainer Bird'. If Harlan had the brains to stay with it regardless, the show would have gone to 24 episodes.
2] Since there was no `Big Sale' to produce The Starlost as an exciting science fiction show the budget was reduced and thus the show suffered badly.
3] Being a co-production between Canada and America, from the American side 20th Century Fox was unable to sell the series to a U.S. television network coast-to-coast coverage, but instead did so to NBC owned-and-operated stations, which had station-to-station coverage, thus the market of televising the show was reduced.
4] The series being filmed in Canada also had to somehow conform to American standards of television production, it seems Americans can only handled their own mentality to understanding `a foreign show' as it were, in their image and nobody else's.
Of course there could be other things as well that made The Starlost as a series failure, which have been lost in time perhaps. But nevertheless it was made in the hope that it could be successful. So now let's have a look at the episodes.
The Starlost Episodes:
1] Voyage of Discovery - notable guest star: Sterling Hayden.
2] Lazarus from the Mist - notable guest star: Frank Converse.
3] The Goddess Calabra - notable guest star: John Colicos. This episode is one of my favourites because John Colicos' presence as an actor and his character was so strong in this episode; it's just a pleasure to watch.
4] The Pisces - notable guest star: Lloyd Bochner. This episode is another one of my favourites due to Lloyd Bochner's performance if not his character.
5] Children of Methuselah - notable guest star: Ricky O'Neill. This is my least favourite episode of all, the reason being when you have children in a story, especially a lot of them the credibility of the story and episode go out the window.
6] And Only Man is Vile - notable guest star: Simon Oakland. This is the most boring of episodes in my mind; it really wasn't going anywhere, just a semi-mad scientist trying to prove his theories.
7] Circuit of Death - notable guest star: Percy Rodrigues. An interesting story and a good performance by Percy Rodrigues to see it through.
8] Gallery of Fear - notable guest star: Angel Tompkins.
9] Mr. Smith of Manchester - notable guest star: Ed Ames. Another strong character performance by Ed Ames, a man you really hate to love.
10] The Alien Oro - notable guest stars: Walter Koenig & Alexandra Bastedo. Another of my favourite episodes due to its two guest stars. The story is slow, but we are introduced to Oro in the first of two encounters, Walter Koenig seems to have trouble finding his way into his role, but it may be that's his character trying to feel his way through. Alexandra Bastedo's character doesn't seem to do much, only acting as a love interest to Garth; wasted talent in my book. (But, good to see her outside `The Champions' TV Series)
11] The Astro Medics - notable guest star: Stephen Young. Good story, script and performances all round.
12] The Implant People - notable guest star: Donnelly Rhodes. Another great story with a strong performance by Donnelly Rhodes, a man you hate to love that rivals John Colicos' performance in `The Goddess Calabra'.
13] The Return to Oro - notable guest star: Walter Koenig, who returns as the alien Oro, with a mission to bring back the Ark to his home planet of Exar (if that's how you spell it). Again a favourite episode and this time Walter's performance has expanded his character's potential, which I will explain later.
14] Farthing's Comet - notable guest star: Edward Andrews.
15] Beehive - notable guest stars: William Hutt & Antoinette Bower. Nice strong performances by the guest actors, the story was great and interesting, which kept the episode in pace throughout.
16] Space Precinct - notable guest star: Ivor Barry. Again great story and great script with more emphasis on Robin Ward's character Garth, who has up till now basically stayed in the background. Who has decided to leave his friends to go back to Cypress Corners, but instead becomes an assistant to the Police Chief Drake Masters on the Ark.
How The Starlost Should End?
With episode 16 `Space Precinct' being the last televised show, this left Robin Ward's character Garth up in the air, does he stay with the police or go back to his friends? And what of Oro, will he be an ongoing menace, trying to complete his mission?
All in all as I see it now `The Starlost' would not survive a second season, it was a one season deal, and having said that, the series should have gone to 24 episodes with the last episode giving an ending, so the series as a whole would be complete.
Okay, you say, how should it end then? Fast track to the last episode:
Episode 24: `The Eleventh Hour' - notable guest stars: Walter Koenig, Stephen Young & Ivor Barry.
Background information so far: From episodes 17 to 23, we would see the continued character development of Devon, Rachel and Garth, and their exploration of the Ark to find a way to save it. Devon has a thirst for knowledge and learns about as much of the Ark as he can, so he can try to help it get back on course to avert its destruction, Rachel also becomes less naïve and more confident about herself and her situation within the Ark and Garth who has decided not to go back to Cypress Corners, becomes a policeman, rejoins his friends and has been commissioned by Chief Drake Masters to hunt down Oro.
The Story: Our three friends have finally found the backup Bridge, but Oro is at the controls making what seems to be some adjustments. Garth is the first to see him and points his gun at Oro ready to shoot; Oro, his back to Garth turns around and cries, "No wait! You don't understand!" but it is too late Garth shoots Oro, not killing him but rendering the alien unconscious. Devon and Rachel follow soon after; after a brief examination of Oro, Rachel realizes that the alien doesn't look well and has a fever, Devon quickly assesses the situation knowing that Oro would be the key to putting the Ark out of danger, and calls for medical help.
Enter Dr. Chris Trask who takes Oro back to the medical ship.
Oro regains consciousness but is very sick, Dr. Trask realises that Oro's immune system has broken down and the alien has caught a virus, and begins trying to find a cure. At the same time Oro informs Devon that the Ark has 11 hours of life left before it is destroyed by the G-Type Star (Sun), and was making course corrections to avoid it when Garth shot him. Oro tells Devon he must complete some final course adjustments if the Ark is to be saved, but Dr. Trask tells Devon that if he can't find a cure for Oro, the alien will die in 11 hours, possibly too late to save the Ark. Devon tells Oro this and asks to instruct him to make the course corrections, but Oro refuses saying "Cure me first and I will save the Ark".
Meanwhile Garth reports back to Chief Masters telling him of the situation; Chief Masters instructs Garth to tell Oro if he cooperates all charges against him concerning the hijacking of the Ark will be dropped and he would be welcomed to stay onboard to live in peace. Garth heads back to Devon and Rachel to tell them the news, Rachel now takes it upon herself to explain to Oro his situation, she tells him that he can be a great help to the Ark and its people, as Oro's people abandoned him as he now cannot go back to Exar, as it is too far away, and once the Ark is back on course out of danger, Oro can navigate the Ark to a suitable planet within this system, and start life anew. Oro listens to Rachel and tries to understand why she's so concerned for him and wants him to be happy.
With only one hour to go before the Ark is destroyed, Dr. Trask feels he's made a break through and develops a possible cure, but he is unsure if it will work. Oro tells him to administer the serum, time is ticking away, and 45 minutes later Oro is still feverish, then with only 5 minutes left, the fever breaks and Oro recovers just enough to decide not only his fate but the Arks'. He decides to help, and is carried back by Devon and Garth to the backup Bridge, and with one minute to spare Oro makes the final course adjustments and pulls the Ark away from its doomed destruction. (Boy that was close)
Finally the Ark is saved, and headed for a suitable planet for colonisation; from the backup Bridge we see Devon, Rachel, Garth and Oro standing together looking out from the viewing platform at a distant blue-green planet-their new home. Oro now fully recovered realises he cannot go back to his home planet, Devon offers friendship to the alien, who accepts, knowing that it will take a long time for all four of them to trust each other-but it's a start.
A Final Word.
The Starlost had great potential as a series; its main strength was its dramatic characters throughout set in a science fiction setting. If you over look the low special FX, it is a crisp, clean and clear production, I highly recommend this series if you are a sci-fi buff, you won't be disappointed if you keep an open mind to appreciate the effort.
The Starlost - Found, Once Again.
Additional information for this review from The Starlost DVD.
Summary of The Starlost - The Complete Series
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