Vogue-U Potion - Recap of Space: 1999

May Peace Be Upon You....

When Mama Ann posted about the sci-fi movie Avatar last week, and then the recollection of the serial Space: 1999 and V. And since majority did not know of Space: 1999 series, thus it has given me an idea to google about it and voila, I managed to get a sypnosis of the most popular 70's science-fiction series in the net. Ooooo, I love it. My brothers and me would normally rushed to finish our dinner and then sat tight in front of the TV to watch the serial without fail every week. I think that time Mak Pah was only in Primary 5 and my youngest sister was still a baby! OMG, it was more than 30 years ago!!!

OK let me introduce you to Space: 1999.....

Space: 1999

This is Moonbase Alpha (stationed on the Moon)



Telecasted between October 17, 1975 - May 1, 1978 in many countries

Syndicated Science Fiction - 48 Episodes

Space: 1999 (ITC Entertainment and RAI, 1975-77/78) is a British science-fiction television series. The series was the last produced by the partnership of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, famous for the TV series Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons, Fireball XL5, and UFO

From Left: Gerry & Sylvia Anderson (producers of Space: 1999 with cast Barbara Bain & Martin Landau)

The headline stars of Space: 1999 were American actors Martin Landau and Barbara Bain, who were married at that time and had previously appeared together in Mission: Impossible



Cast (Seasons 1 & 2):

Commander John Koenig: Martin Landau
Dr. Helena Russell: Barbara Bain
Capt. Alan Carter: Nick Tate
Sandra Benes: Zienia Merton
Tony Verdeschi: Tony Anholt
Operative Kate: Sarah Bullen
Controller Paul Morrow: Prentis Hancock
Bill Fraser: John Hug
David Kano: Clifton Jones
Voice of Moonbase Alpha Computer: Barbara Kelly
Dr. Ben Vincent: Jeffery Kissoon
Prof. Victor Bergman: Barry Morse
Yasko: Yasuko Nagazumi
Dr. Bob Mathias: Anton Phillips
Tanya Alexandria: Suzanne Roquette
Maya: Catherine Schell
Dr. Ed Spencer: Sam Dastor
Alibe: Alibe Parsons

Cast of Season 1

Standing from Left: Dr Helena Rusell (Barbara Bain), Commander John Koenig (Martin Landau), Sandra Benes (Zienia Merton), David Kano (Clifton Jones), plus extras on the upper deck in the photo

Sitting from Left: Prof Victor Bergman (Barry Morse), Capt Alan Carter (Nick Tate), Controller Paul Morrow (Prentis Hancock)

Sypnosis of Season 1:

Moonbase Alpha was a research colony on the surface of the moon. When John Koenig was appointed base commander on September 13, 1999, his orders were to oversee the launch of a deep-space probe. Unfortunately, due to the accidental detonation of nuclear wastes stored on the moon, there was a gigantic explosion and Koenig found himself launched into space, along with his 310 base colleagues. Their spaceship was the moon itself, blasted free from the Earth's gravitational force and hurtling toward distant galaxies.

En route they encounter all the alien life forms and inter galactic dangers familiar to sci-fi fans. Besides the stolid Koenig, the cast included stylish Dr. Helena Russell, chief medical officer of the base; Professor Bergman, who had established the base and was Koenig's mentor; and Captain Carter, the chief astronaut, responsible for reconnaissance missions.

Casts of Season 2

From left: Dr Helena Russel (Barbara Bain), Com John Koenig (Martin Landau), Maya (Catherine Schell), Tony Verdeschi (Tony Anholt) and Capt Alan Carter (Nick Tate)

Sypnosis of Season 2:

Joining the cast in the second season were First Officer Tony Verdeschi, irreverent and sharp-tongued second in command, and his love interest Maya, a sensual alien from the planet Psychon. She had the unusual ability to transform herself into other forms for short periods by "rearranging molecules."

If I recalled, last year of before that, Channel 5 did a retelecast of the Space: 1999 series during the afternoon segment. Mak Pah was on leave and watched the episode diligently. My children giggled and remarked that the spaceships looked so artificial. I told them that they should not compare the 70's version to the millenium version of CGI (I think computer graphic images) for the special effects and designs. During those days, every detail of the spaceships and the impact it turned out on the screen were all taken into considerations. A lot of patience and tolerance in creating such effects to appear real life. Same concept of designs were used for the old Star Wars movies too.

Credit should be given to those design teams at that time. Nevertheless, we should be grateful to be able to watch such things in TV and the movies compared to those unfortunate people.

Nick Allder (L) - SFX Director (Season 1), Lighting Cameraman (Season 2), and Brian Johnson (R) - SFX Designer, Director

The show featured many intricate scale models including the Eagle and the Moon Buggy. Dozens of models for the various alien spaceships, along with the Mark IX Hawk from the "War Games" episode, were built by model maker Martin Bower, who would later also work on Alien (1979), the 1980 production of Flash Gordon, and Outland (1981).

Special effects director Brian Johnson and most of his team went on to work on Ridley Scott's Alien, followed by Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. Many of the spacecraft were designed around their prescribed functionality rather than being glistening starships, adding a sense of realism that would be replicated in future science-fiction features.

OK vogue-u-ers, I hope the above will at least give you an idea how it was like during those good old days.

Enjoy!

with Lots of Luv from Mak Pah.....