Lost in Space (1998)

User Rating:

4.7/10   

Director:

Stephen Hopkins

Writers (WGA):

Irwin Allen (television series)
Akiva Goldsman (written by)

Release Date:

3 April 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Danger Will Robinson!

Plot:

The Robinson family was going into space to fight for a chance for humanity. Now they are fighting to live long enough to find a way home.

Plot Keywords:

Sabotage | Sun | Robot | Future | Outer Space

Awards:

1 win & 11 nominations

Cast

William Hurt	...	Prof. John Robinson
Mimi Rogers	...	Dr. Maureen Robinson
Heather Graham	...	Dr. Judy Robinson
Lacey Chabert	...	Penny Robinson
Jack Johnson	...	Will Robinson
Gary Oldman	...	Dr. Zachary Smith / Spider Smith
Matt LeBlanc	...	Maj. Don West
Jared Harris	...	Older Will Robinson
Mark Goddard	...	General
Lennie James	...	Jeb Walker
Marta Kristen	...	Reporter #1
June Lockhart	...	Principal Cartwright
Edward Fox	...	Businessman
Adam Sims	...	Lab Technician
Angela Cartwright	...	Reporter #2

Also Known As:

LS (USA) (promotional abbreviation)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some intense sci-fi action.

Runtime:

130 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Rankcolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:L | USA:PG-13 (certificate #35916) | New Zealand:PG | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Belgium:KT | Finland:K-8 | France:U | Germany:12 | Mexico:A | Netherlands:12 | Norway:11 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | South Korea:All | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | UK:PG | Canada:PG

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Company:

New Line Cinema

Trivia:

Originally, all surviving cast members of the TV show were meant to have cameo appearances. Mark Goddard, the original Major Don West, plays the General. June Lockhart, the original Maureen Robinson, plays Will Robinson's principal. Marta Kristen and Angela Cartwright, the original Robinson girls, play reporters. Ironically, Bill Mumy and Jonathan Harris, the two actors most supportive of the idea of a new movie (as well as the two most popular characters on the show), did not appear in it. Mumy wanted to play the older Will Robinson but the director thought it would be too distracting from the plot to have the original Will play the older Will. Harris was to have played the man who hired, then betrayed, Dr. Smith. In an interview for "TV Guide" prior to the film's release, it was mentioned that Jonathan Harris bluntly stated, "I will have you know I have never done a walk-on or bit part in my life! And I do not intend to start." He announced that if he could not play his own role in the movie, he wanted nothing to do with it. He did return as Dr. Smith in a one-hour TV special Lost in Space Forever (1998) (TV).

Goofs:

Continuity: After Penny opens the package containing the ladder she escapes with, she stands up. The package is in her left hand by her knees, and her right hand is down at her side. In the next shot, she's cradling the package in her right hand up at her waist.

Quotes:

Dr. Zachary Smith: Oh, be still my foolish heart.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Godzilla (1998)

Soundtrack:

Bang On

Danger Will Robin- eh, never mind, go back to sleep.

I liked the movie, but I fear it suffered from the same disease that Star Trek The Motion Picture suffered from - too grandiose a concept, too grand an undertaking, too big an effects budget and enough plot for several movies. Lets see, we have the dysfunctional family becomes functional plot, we have the evil traitor in the med lab plot, the time travel plot, the metallic spider plot, the sexual tension between Dr. Judy and Major Don plot. This puppy had more subplots than a season of X-Files.

It was great to see Mark Goddard in a role with some meat on it. However Angela Cartwright and Marta Kristen were given extremely short shrift. And Bill Mumy and Jonathan Harris should have been involved. I know Jonathan Harris doesn't do cameos, but dammit, find him a role! And as for not getting Bill Mumy to play future Will Robinson - as far as I'm concerned, that singlehandedly reduced this flick from a great movie merely a good one. If they had enough money for the hideous yellow excuse for merchandising (how blatant can you get?), they sure had enough to hire the full original cast.