Change Your Image
robertjm
Ratings
Most Recently Rated
Reviews
The Starlost (1973)
I can't believe how this classic gets constantly panned
Haven't watched Starlost in a long long time and then discovered there's a Roku channel with all the episodes available, so I'm binging it this week. :-)
What is crazy are all the bad reviews saying how bad the series is; especially the SFX. This was produced in the early 1970s using a process called Color Separation Overlay. Basically an early version of green screen (but it could use ANY color the producer wanted to). This was the same process the BBC's Doctor Who used at the time.
The main lead, Kier Dullea, was in 2001: A Space Odyssey, and many of the episodes had recognizable character actors (Frank Converse, Simon Oakland, Sterling Hayden, Lloyd Bochner, Walter Koenig, etc), so it's not like they were no-name players.
Are their points where it dragged? Sure. But, it's kind of a 16 part slow burner, as they try and save the Ark. Definitely worth watching through at least once for any sci-fi lover.
Any review should not be written without mentioned Harlan Ellison's issues with the series. Issues so much, that he put the name "Cordwainer Bird" in the credits, rather than himself, so that he wouldn't be associated with the series. FWIW, a cordwainer is a leather shoemaker. His opinion was that the series was mangled by those that actually produced it. Makes me wish I could find a copy of the original script(s) to read. FWIW2, he didn't like Star Trek's Journey on the Edge of Forever. I read his original script and it was nowhere near as good as what was eventually given the Emmy Award, so take his thoughts with a grain of salt, perhaps.
Azit Hakalba Hatzanhanit (1972)
Available in USA on Netflix!!
If you are in the United States, and I presume Canada, you can rent this on Netflix!! Title sounded so cute that I decided to check it out. The previous commentator said Azit put Lassie to shame. Perhaps the better comparison would have been to Rin Tin Tin, being that Rinnie was a German Shephard.
Acting was average, clearly wrapped around the star of the show, Azit. And it should be mentioned that some of it would not be considered politically correct in this day and age. Think Cowboys and Indians, only set it in the Middle East, and remember this IS an Israeli film from the early 1970s after all.
Music soundtrack was the typically happy-go-lucky music of the early 1970s.
Overall, it put a smile on my face, and think most dog lovers would feel the same.