Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #37131 in VHS
• Released on: 1998-01-01
• Formats: Black & White, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of tapes: 1
• Running time: 52 minutes

Customer Reviews

Really awesome Jupiter 2 Crash Landing Scene
Just wanted to add more to the reviews here. As most here say, the crash landing of the Jupiter 2 with John Williams music set to it was very beliveable and for its time- was way ahead.
Seeing it today still thrills me as others here have said too!

The scene though was shot in Red Rock Canyon in Mojave off Highway 14 and some scenes were also shot at the Trona Pinnacles further north . This was not the Red Rock Canyon however that someone here mentioned near Las Vegas, as this is a different Red Rock Canyon.

My brother and I went to Hagen Canyon in Red Rock off Highway 14 to see where this shot was. We recognized more of the Chariot scenes than the Jupter 2 scenes but when you see this area, and you are a big fan of LIS, you know you have been here before. The effects by the Lydecker Brothers were made with a 4 foot model; though some say it was 10 or even 20 foot.

If you look in "Forbidden World" on the upper left of the screen, you can see the clear wires reflecting in the sun as the Jupiter 2 crashes yet again.

Again, this scene and this episode is my favorite LIS episode as is all of the B&W episodes. (Season 1).

GREATEST CRASH-LANDING EVER SHOT!
"ISLAND IN THE SKY" GOES IN THE RECORD BOOKS AS THE BEST ALLTIME
SINGLE TELEVISION SCI-FI ADVENTURE!!!! When they shot this episode, most striking was the Jupiter2's plunge into the unknown planet's atmosphere, and the ultra-phenomonal CRASH-LANDING!!!! The Jupiter2 used in this spectacular scene was a 20 foot operating model, supported on strong CLEAR CABLES so as to glide down between peaks at the RED ROCK CANYON in California!!!! To watch it glide through the landscape at slow speed, with its fusion core lights rotating is indeed AWESOME!!!! To watch the Jupiter2 descending to the planet's surface, is indeed a spectacle to behold!!!! (I would have desired to see the Jupiter2 sail right into the planet itself; rather than sail over it, before the CRASH
-LANDING took place! These scenes were repeated in later episodes of seasons two and three; in COLOR!!!! In actuality the Jupiter2 spaceship CRASH-LANDED three times:
In "ISLAND IN THE SKY" season one/ "FORBIDDEN WORLD" season two/ "HUNTER"S MOON" season three, and made an emergency BELLY-LANDING in "FLIGHT INTO THE FUTURE" same season!!!!
It's too bad the first season wasn't shot in color also! Also to add to the adventure, was the use of the CHARIOT; which closely resembled an ultra vacation vehicle on treads!!!! This episode had it all!!!! I rate "ISLAND IN THE SKY" **********!!!!
The Jupiter2 was the most memorable and mezmorizing spaceship ever built!!!! It's spectacular shape plus center dome light and grand rotating fusion core lights, make it definitely an eye opener!!!! A TRUE SPACE AGE STATION WAGON OR FAMILY RECREATIONAL VEHICLE if ever there was one!!!! I HAVE DVD'S TO LOST IN SPACE: FOREVER, SEASON ONE, SEASON TWO-VOLS I AND II, AND ANXIOUSLY AND EAGERLY WAITING FOR LOST IN SPACE VOL I IN MARCH/ AND II LATER THIS YEAR!!!! INCIDENTLY SEASON THREE FEATURES THE SPACE POD/ NOT MENTIONED IN SEASON ONE/ AND SPECTACULAR DYNAMIC SCENES OF THE JUPITER2 BOTH IN SPACEFLIGHT,
AND LIFTOFF-LANDING MODE!!!!
Also this marked the addition of a cute alien chimpanze Penny
adorably named DEBBIE THE BLOOP!!!! Debbie would be voiced over
slow electronic BLOOP sounds!!!! But in "NO PLACE TO HIDE" the original pilot for "LOST IN SPACE", DEBBIE sounded her actual sounds of a chimpanze!!!!
The CLIFFHANGER ENDINGS were great especially the 1st season; were the B&W prints symbolized the old serials like "BUCK ROGERS" and "THE PERILS OF PAULINE" with such ferber as to reopen a warp or door to a period of yesterday believed once forgotten!!!! The ending episode featured a dramatic CLIFFHANGER with WILL ROBINSON, being attacked by their not-yet-caring B-9 ROBOT!!!!When is all said and done, for its seroius sci-fi drama, comedy, crazy costumes and stories, "LOST IN SPACE" will forever as a true cult classic forever and ever.....AMEN!!!!

Excellent episode with all the right elements
"Island In The Sky" is without a doubt my personal favourite of all of the excellent episodes of the first black and white season of "Lost In Space'. It is very sad that a series that started out so wonderfully, full of exciting storylines, superb special effects and great characters should have been allowed to drift off into a semi comic approach that not only spoilt the series but contributed to its ultimate demise. I believe any diehard fan of the series would agree that the first season of "lost In Space', is terrific and no episode is more enjoyable than Episode number three "Island In the Sky".

I agree with an earlier reviewer that this episode is really a benchmark for what the rest of the series should have been measured on. So much that is important in the series occurs in this action packed episode. As an exciting beginning to the episode we see Prof. John Robinson (Guy Williams) parajetting himself down to investigate the strange planet that the Jupiter 2 is circling in the hope of landing for much needed repairs,Dr Smith is at his most devious here and not only does he seek to kill all members of the crew but he tampers with the breaking rockets in both John's parajets and those of the main spaceship. The fantastic crash landing sequence where we see the Jupiter 2 coming in for a rough landing on the planet's rugged surface was without a doubt some of the most stunning photography done on "Lost In Space" or any other series in the 1960's. Even when watching this episode today the sight of the spaceship flying down among the dagged rocks still thrills me , so superbly filmed it is. Once on the planet we are treated to some great location photography of the mysterious planet's terrain which was partly filmed in Red Rock Canyon near Las Vegas. This location shooting really added a strange eerie feeling to these earlier episodes of the series and made you really feel that this was a unknown planet far beyond our solar system. We get to see for the first time in "Island In The Sky" the wonderful Chariot, the Robinson's onland travelling vechicle, a marvel of 1960's technical know how and also in this episode we are introduced to the "bloop", a lovable furry little monkey with strange ears who is christened Debbie and would become Penny's pet for the first part of the series.

What I also like about this episode is the impending sense of danger and of being in the unknown which is felt in every frame of the story. It really builds up the excitement and dramatic appeal. The story also benefits from the contributions of some very fine actors in the cast. I feel far too much attention is always focused on Jonathan Harris in his role of Dr. Smith. Naturally his villian character was essential to building the storyline and creating the tension and indeed in this episode he is wonderful as the deadly sabouter who will do anything to get back to Earth. However I have always felt that the characters of the Robinson family and Major West are potentially just as interesting. With great performers like Guy Williams, June Lockhart, Mark Goddard, Billy Mumy, Angela Cartwright and Marta Kristen the show was blessed with acting talent in abundance and no episode uses that talent better than "Island In The Sky".

I grew up with "Lost In Space" and still love it now. The first season is the one to really watch with its serious themes, great guest stars and terrific special effects. I cannot recommend "Island In The Sky", highly enough. Combined with the following story, "There Were Giants In the Earth" you have a classic double of first class SciFi entertainment from the golden age of television. Enjoy!