iewers who cut their speculative teeth on science fiction television of the 1960s probably have a warm place in their hearts for the often overblown and always over-the-top productions of disaster-master Irwin Allen. Although his creations generally weren't as sophisticated as Star Trek or as cerebral as The Outer Limits, they were inarguably exciting, and like the literary pulps of earlier decades, did much to stimulate the imaginations of thousands of young SF fans.
This six-CD box set collects the original soundtracks to the producer's fantastical programs of that era: Lost in Space, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, The Time Tunnel and Land of the Giants. The first two discs feature music from a half-dozen different episodes of Lost in Space, which was undoubtedly the most popular of Allen's televised ventures. There are three additional albums, each focusing on a separate show, while the final platter offers 82 cuts spotlighting sound effects, interview segments and alternate recordings of the themes from the four series.
Each CD includes informative liner notes examining both the music and production histories of the appropriate programs. The two Lost in Space discs also have reminiscences from actor Bill Mumy, who played Will Robinson in the series. The entire set is wrapped in a chromium slipcase illustrated with a detailed montage of images culled from the sundry shows.
An amazingly comprehensive collection
While the visual components of these TV classics often lacked finesse, hearing the aural elements, created by composers such as John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, Alexander Courage, Paul Sawtell and others, helps listeners realize just how valuable the music was to each production. The Robot's rumbling tuba motif on Lost in Space or the burbling bass and sonar-like echoes that signaled the arrival of the Seaview on Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea are immediately recognizable and remarkably invigorating for any viewer who spent time as a youth watching either program.
For less commercially successful series like Land of the Giants and The Time Tunnel, the sound scapes offer ear-opening opportunities to hear how the musicians, who were all steadfast Hollywood songwriters, could invariably generate marvelous scores for oftentimes second-rate scenarios. The sixth CD is also fascinating, as it proffers insightful comments from the stars about each show, along with an exhilarating array of sound effects from the various productions.
This is quite simply an amazingly comprehensive collection. With over five hours of music and memories, it offers a superb opportunity to relive magical television moments while simultaneously providing a valuable historical perspective on just how much Irwin Allen added to the speculative media milieu in the 1960s.
