The Fantasy Worlds of Irwin Allen (1995) (TV)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Kevin Burns

Writers:

Kevin Burns (writer)
Joe Bullman (writer) ...

Release Date:

30 September 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Documentary

Plot:

An overview of the career of producer/director Irwiln Allen, using footage from his films and interviews with those who worked with and for him. |

Plot Keywords:

Television | Compilation | Independent Film

Cast

June Lockhart	...	Herself - Host
Bill Mumy	...	Himself / Host
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Irwin Allen	...	Himself (archive footage)
Sheila Allen	...	Herself (as Sheila Mathews Allen)
Steve Allen	...	Himself
Stefan Arngrim	...	Himself
Fred Astaire	...	Himself (archive footage)
Richard Basehart	...	Himself (archive footage)
Whit Bissell	...	Himself
Ernest Borgnine	...	Himself (archive footage)
Red Buttons	...	Himself
Angela Cartwright	...	Herself
Robert Colbert	...	Himself
Gary Conway	...	Himself
James Darren	...	Himself
Faye Dunaway	...	Herself (archive footage)
Barbara Eden	...	Herself
Mark Goddard	...	Himself
Gene Hackman	...	Himself (archive footage)
Harry Harris	...	Himself
Jonathan Harris	...	Himself
David Hedison	...	Himself
William Holden	...	Himself (archive footage)
Marta Kristen	...	Herself
Al Lewis	...	Himself
Deanna Lund	...	Herself
Don Marshall	...	Himself
Groucho Marx	...	Himself (archive footage)
Don Matheson	...	Himself
Bob May	...	Himself
Roddy McDowall	...	Himself
Steve McQueen	...	Himself (archive footage)
Lee Meriwether	...	Herself
Ronald Neame	...	Himself (archive footage)
Paul Newman	...	Himself (archive footage)
Stella Stevens	...	Herself (archive footage)
Dick Tufeld	...	Himself
Robert Wagner	...	Himself
Shimon Wincelberg	...	Himself
Shelley Winters	...	Herself (archive footage)
Paul Zastupnevich	...	Himself

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:Unrated

Company:

Van Ness Films

Movie Connections:

Features The Man from the 25th Century (1968) (TV)

Outstanding Show On The Greatest Entertainer Of Them All But Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea Gets Too Little Attention!

For those young people wishing to get a good introduction to the works of Irwin Allen, this is the show for you. However, those wishing to get an introduction to Irwin's first and longest running series - Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea - you will only get David Hedison and a small bit of footage from the series. They could of tried harder to get more Voyage/Sea cast members, who are still living and going to conventions to this day. However, there is enough Voyage/Sea material here to make this show very good viewing. For decades David Hedison has put down Voyage/Sea because he got less and less work when the series went off the air and because he got too little characterisation in the series. But it seems in this 1995 show, Hedison has had a change of heart about the whole situation. His remarks will make this whole show worthwhile to some. We also get to see a scene from a first season Voyage/Sea when Hedison was with Basehart and Hedison forgets a line and starts laughing with Basehart! Great stuff! There is behind the scenes footage of the pilots to Voyage/Sea, The Time Tunnel and Land Of The Giants. The Irwin pilots were all just so good and behind the scenes stuff is very welcome. There is even footage of the Dick Tufeld 1967 Land Of The Giants pre-pilot presentation!

Fans of Time Tunnel co-star Whit Bissell (General Kirk) might not like seeing this guy in 1995 (one year before his death) as he does not look or sound anything like the man we all saw in The Time Tunnel. However, James Darren and Robert Colbert will provide enough thrills for Tunnel fans. Another guy died not long after this was filmed, Irwin's pal of 30 years, "Paul Z". This 1995 show was my introduction to Paul and I was very sad to hear of his death in 1997 as he looked and sounded so strong and healthy here. Paul had a lot to do with making these Irwin productions so good. But he got little credit. There is too little attention to Irwin's feature films. More behind the scenes stuff on Five Weeks In A Balloon, The Big Circus, The Story Of Mankind, Beyond The Poseidon Adventure, etc, would of been welcome. But we do get unused material from City Beneath The Sea.

Lost In Space? Since LIS is Irwin's most famous production, it is not surprising that the show gets more attention than Irwin's other shows, but to me, the Voyage/Sea series is the best of Irwin (however I am also huge on LIS). Enjoy this show and after watching it you might wish to read my many IMDb user comments which are all dedicated, in one way or another, to Irwin Allen and the Irwin Allen quirks/trademarks which can be found in everything from Republic's wonderful Radar Men From The Moon (1952) to some episodes of seaQuest DSV (1993-96).

My lifetime has often been spent watching/reading about/working in great movies/quality television but I can say without question that, to me, Irwin Allen is the most entertaining force in the history of the screen. Also, without question, the most mis-understood force on the screen. Over the decades I have come across MANY Irwin-fans but only a handful of fans really understand the television style-over-substance mind of the late Irwin Allen. Irwin-fans may email me and put me in my place if you wish. Thank you.

Note: The TFWOIA DVD has outstanding bonus features!