Battle Of The Planets Ep2: Rescue Of The Astronauts

"We're not on a pleasure cruise Princess. Remember this is where two astronauts vanished. I want everybody serious...."

 

-Mark, the deadly serious commander of G-Force (which is kind of refreshing)-

 

I know some might wonder why I would spend so much time on a children's cartoon.  I understand the curiosity.  You're not alone.  Many in my family wonder the same thing.

As one who adores science fiction, collectibles, art work, production design and as someone who enjoys painting, artwork and drawing, well Battle Of The Planets brings many of these loves together for me.  It also takes me back to a more pleasant era fertile with imagination.




Ultimately blogging about Battle Of The Planets and capturing the images that speak to me and then assembling it all here is simply another form of artistic expression in many respects.  I simply enjoy it.  Many may find no reason to stop and read, but for me the post is like drawing a picture or sketching an image and capturing a moment in my life, but now it's on a computer for the world to see.  But the assembly of those images and words is an artistic release and speaks to me as powerfully as sketching an image once upon a time on a weekend afternoon when I was maybe 8-10 years old. That's about the size of it.  It's that simple. So I hope you enjoy them too.




With an alteration in the series opening logo, Star Wars-style, Battle Of The Planets is set to roll.  We launch into our second official look at this groundbreaking anime from Tatsunoko with Battle Of The Planets, Episode 2, Rescue Of The Astronauts.

1-Rover-1 receives his first official introduction and you realize just how out of place that cute robot dog is against the ultra slick, cool designs and hand drawn animation provided by Japan's artists at Tatsunoko. The introduction of the sensual, suggestive voice of Susan is also a first and just as strange.



When two astronauts splash down returning to Earth, 7-Zark-7 calls Mark and the G-Force team into action.  "BIG 10." They are also briefed by none other than Chief Anderson, the Oscar Goldman (The Six Million Dollar Man) of Battle Of The Planets.

It's suspected the astronauts have evidence of Spectra bases on Mars and were abducted upon their return to Earth to prevent the leak of that information.



With all of the high tech gadgets at Earth's disposal, surprisingly, information is still recorded and stored on video cassette which has been secured by Spectra. The alien commander reports back to Zoltar. The Luminous One reads Zoltar the riot act and reminds him he has much work still to be completed.

Some of the hand drawn work is downright painterly in its beauty.  Look no further than images provided in this entry to fully absorb what was conceived a long time ago, in a country not so far, far away.

Caught in a water vortex, the team pushes The Phoenix, and often does, to the very limit to break free of its deadly grip.




This is the entry where 7-Zark-7 notes he'll never be caught asleep at the "FOSDIC."  Okay. FOSDIC (Film Optical Sensing Device For Input Computers). I suspect 7-Zark-7 wouldn't mind if Susan got hold of his FOSDIC based on all of the innuendo between the two throughout the series for the many innocent ears to hear. With all of that innuendo, even as a kid, I always recalled things had the potential to get very hot and heavy between Susan and 7-Zark-7.  Sexy was clearly okay. Japanese anime violence in Gatchaman apparently not so much and unfortunately was removed within the editing room for Battle of The Planets.

For a second time, Mark urges everyone to cool their jets.  In Attack Of The Space Terrapin Mark halted Jason from taking action.  This time Mark stops Tiny.  Mark's answer for a second time is to infiltrate the Whale Ship.  It worked once.  Why fix it if it ain't broke. Battle Of The Planets always placed Mark squarely in charge and making the calls.



Taking charge there is one moment that is particularly funny.  I suppose you could say this anime was created when GatchaMEN were GatchaMEN.  Mark tells Keyop without missing a beat to "get out of there," literally kicking Keyop out of one of the console seats on The Phoenix next to Tiny. It is positively caustic and Mark never bats one of those pretty eyelashes in doing it.  This is business.  These are life and death stakes.

Keyop volunteers to go in. Mark responds, "It's a risky job and I'm appointing myself."  There was no shortage of confidence from Casey Kasem's Mark character.  The entire team stands by for the Mark show.




A key family moment and a reason we loved Battle Of The Planets, Keyop is offended ("Grrrr-er-doot-doot-doot, who needs him") when he is denied by Mark to assist.  Jason reaches out and places his hand on Keyop's shoulder assuring him not to take it personally and smiles. This was the stuff that we connected with as youngsters beyond the cool ships and science fiction adventure.

Mark scuba dives to his destination to have a look.  The tension mounts to Hoyt Curtain's glorious score which manages to build tension with every beat.



Discovered, Mark Transmutes and becomes the white shadow assassin. Unfortunately he's captured. Unfortunately for Spectra that is, because the Spectra Goons and the Commander in charge lead him straight to the cell block and the two astronauts Mark is looking for anyway.  And you can't keep a member of G-Force down.  They shall all perish for their overconfidence.  Keyop rescues Mark and the astronauts. Whoop ass commences.

Zoltar positively blasts his commander.  "You have one last chance.... And no excuses this time.  My patience with you is just about exhausted.  Do the job and do it right!"



Jason greets Mark on his return toning it down from the first episode and is clearly happy to see him.  It's one thing to challenge Mark, but Jason comes off a bit heavy-handed in that first episode. Still, it won't be the last time.  This family-based team of youngsters can butt heads with the best of them.

G-Force maneuvers into fiery Phoenix mode and destroys the mechanical head of the escaping Spectran commander.  Upon retrieving the Spectran data, rescuing the astronauts and awakening from the exhausting effects of the Fiery Phoneix, Mark and Princess smile at one another.  By the way, Princess is the second one to regain consciousness.  She's no shrinking violet.  She's also a babe and gives more than enough contemporary anime cuties a run for their money.



It's worth noting that it is 7-Zark-7 who notes the astronauts are rescued.  We never actually see them rescued because in the original Gatchaman episode they are murdered. It's true. And therein lies the graphic rub between the two episodes.  This is often the complaint with Gatchaman purists and understandably so.

Rescue Of The Astronauts, and you love the irony of that American title since they aren't ever rescued, delivers some nice touches to the team chemistry despite the whole edited, generally lack luster story effort.  This becomes essentially a Mark solo show vehicle with a touch of Keyop.  I suppose it was nice the astronauts were rescued.  It was just one of the many ways Sandy Frank and company tamped down the sometimes gritty reality of the series to satiate the censors stateside.



I actually viewed the unedited Gatchaman episode to compare. I can only assure those considering a purchase of Gatchaman on Blu-Ray that they will not be disappointed. The exclusion of the excess fat that is 7-Zark-7 and the inclusion of many minutes of additional footage from the original episode makes for a much more satisfying experience. The original Gatchaman is far less child-friendly and much more adult-oriented as a viewing experience. It will blow you away visually and on a scripting level. It's remarkable just how the stories contrast between Battle Of The Planets and Gatchaman. Rescue Of The Astronauts alone is a fine example. In fact, elements of the introductory episode carry over into the second entry in Gatchaman in a rare example of early era continuity and serialization. That serialization is nowhere to be found in the kid-friendly world of Battle Of The Planets. And the violence is actually fantastic in Gatchaman. To see Mark (or Ken) go nuclear including killing someone with his sonic boomerang and a neck snapping is nothing short of awesome in the 1970s. And again, the astronauts are actually used as props by the Galactor in Gatchaman and then discarded because they've already been murdered. Wow. Stunning stuff really. So do yourself a favor and get that copy of Gatchaman on Blu-Ray while it lasts.



Like the comic books that inspired them, these caped crusaders look magnificent.

Rescue Of The Astronauts. Writer: Jameson Brewer. Director: David E. Hanson.
Science Ninja Team Gatchaman title: The Monstrous Aircraft Carrier Appears.

Up Next: The Space Mummy.

2013: A Prisoner Of The Past (Retrospective)

As you know, I've been in something of a reflective mood of late and the end of the year does that and it is certainly apropos.  Gosh, 2013 is over and I'm another year older and, hopefully, at the very least wiser.

We look forward to a new year in 2014 - a fresh start, a new beginning, as much as I do love embracing the past.  I'm looking forward to its challenges.  I think.  And hopefully they will be of of the healthy variety for everyone.

This is our fourth official retrospective here at Musings Of A Sci-Fi Fanatic.  We look back at the year that was 2013.  It's always nice to reflect on the things that got my writing juices flowing and put it all in perspective before looking at what lies ahead.  I think it's therapeutic for me.



As many know it was not a year without loss beginning first and foremost with the loss of my grandmother.  I wrote about her in my final post of 2013.  I'm sure many of you out there have had your own family trials.

The year saw the loss of some of the greats from Margaret Thatcher to Nelson Mandela as well as the amazing Jean Stapleton, James Gandolfini, Richard Matheson and Ray Harryhausen (the last four in the span of two months).  Roger Ebert's passing came just days before losing my gram.  So it was indeed a strange time compounded by the loss of one of the greats - my Gram.



In the spirit of reflecting back on all those dear yesterdays I began a segment this year called I Remember That.  Highlights within included The Little Rascals, Grizzly Adams, dancing to Led Zeppelin's Stairway To Heaven, Big Wheels, an Amazing Spider-Man piggy bank and much more.



On the music front we looked back with affection at some 1980s classics beginning with Canada's David Duchovny look-alike Corey Hart and the epic sounds of Scottish band Simple Minds. we also looked at sultry, brazen newcomer Lana Del Rey who will certainly see a big year ahead with the release of her new recording Ultraviolence (2014).




On a happier science fiction note we lensed our way into the worlds of both Fringe (2008-2013)and Falling Skies (2011-present). I unexpectedly cut my detailed look short on Fringe with the passing of my grandmother and have yet to return to it, but Season One improved significantly in originality as the series progressed and, like this year itself, it was both a strange and interesting journey.







Kaiju eiga (giant monster) mania began in a big way with a look at Toho's Mothra followed by the original Gamera film.  Contemporary kaiju pictures kicked off in glorious fashion with Guillermo del Toro classic Pacific Rim (2013).  Gareth Edwards Godzilla primer Monsters (2010) was also evaluated and has this writer on the edge of his seat for Edwards' big summer film in 2014. We also looked at the oddball kaiju picture in the form of the strange world of Big Man Japan (2007) as well as 1970s gem The Last Dinosaur (1977).













As many of you know, Pacific Rim mania was all the rage here at Musings Of A Sci-Fi Fanatic in 2013.  I was damn near combustible with enthusiasm.  It was pure kaiju crack, worshipped to pieces and I can't wait for a sequel.

So while the summer brought us the monstrously satisfying Pacific Rim it also yielded the mildly disappointing Elysium (2013) with its heavy-handed political message.  I never did have a chance to review it, but perhaps in 2014.  We also took a look at Man Of Steel (2013) where opinions were generally divided and Star Trek: Into Darkness (2013) along with Pacific Rim.




I took an unexpected turn with a look at a classic 70s favorite The Warriors (1979) by Walter Hill and the delightfully moving Hachi: A Dog's Tale (2009).




We returned to some science fiction television classics with a touch of Stargate SG-1 (1997-2007), Lost In Space (1965-1968), Space:1999 (1975-1977) as well as Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994). Looking back I'm a bit gobsmacked I never returned to Star Trek: The Original Series (1966-1969) in 2013.  Oops!  Hmmm. Boy, how did that happen?  Well, tough year and I definitely need to rectify that especially in honor of my Gram who loved ST:TOS.






FAB Friday has been a little lighter following the passing of Gerry Anderson in December 2012.  We did take a cold hard look at the disaster that was the not so imaginative Thunderbirds (2004).  No, International Rescue was not staving off a disaster in as much as they were sadly in the thick of it with that film remake.  Ugh. We expected more from Jonathan Frakes on that one.



The end of 2013 saw a return to anime inspired in many ways by the excitement that was the emerging Pacific Rim which merged the best of kaiju with anime.  It was a terrific film.  Well, anime, as a medium, is no less thrilling my friends.  I'm fairly selective within though.  Ergo Proxy (2006), Gatchaman (1972-1974) and Battle Of The Planets (1978-1985) came heavily into focus and I hope to continue looking at anime more closely in 2014 beginning with my continued, comprehensive look back at Battle Of The Planets.




On a personally satisfying note, I had the pleasure to chat with editors Adam Chamberlain and Brian A. Dixon as well as James McLean and Joe Tangari for a Millennium Group Podcast in support of the book Back To Frank Black: A Return To Chris Carter's Millennium.  As many know I was able to contribute an essay to that collection and the book is a truly wonderful compendium of great writing, articles and interviews on the world of Millennium.  You really can't go wrong picking up a copy in print or on Kindle. It was great being interviewed by that team.  This, of course, followed their amazing interview with Barbara Bain.  Now that's a tough act to follow.



So that's it my friends.  How did I stack up on my promises for 2013 in my year end retrospective at the very beginning of this year?  Where did I fail?  Actually, it's not where I failed, but how terribly I failed readers.  Good grief.  I planned to look at Classic Battlestar Galactica, the pilot of Lost as well as Stargate Atlantis.  As Yukon Cornelius would say - Nothing. Absolutely nothing. I did deliver a bit more of The Incredible Hulk.  But I never returned with Resident Evil Extinction or Star Trek: The Original Series or The X-Files Season Two. Goodness gracious that is bad.  Mind you, I did some false starts on many of these which were rough drafted. Argh!



Okay, all I can do is promise to try better. My God, I can't do worse.

So what do I hope to bring you in 2014 that I can look back on in 2015 and discuss how terribly I failed you? (laughter).



Well, there are things I can't wait to see in 2014 and first and foremost will be Gareth Edwards' Godzilla (2014).  I'll have it here for you. But no promises. (laughter).  I really enjoyed Oblivion (2013) and Tom Cruise continues to deliver some solid science fiction outings from Vanilla Sky (2001) by Cameron Crowe to Minority Report (2002) to War of the Worlds (2005), both by Steven Spielberg - all outstanding choices. So I'm very interested in Edge of Tomorrow (2014).  If there are others feel free to let me know.  But I've seen a few trailers that simply don't interest me.  In fact, there's not a lot in 2014 that has me enthusiastic in a Pacific Rim-sized fashion.  Sure Captain America: The Winter Soldier looks good.  Guardians Of The Galaxy I'm most intrigued by but don't know enough.  Additionally, and I'm showing my age, it's not the Guardians Of The Galaxy I grew up with when I read Marvel Comics.  That original group featuring Vance Astro, Martinex T'Naga, Charlie-27, Yondu Udonta, Starhawk and Nikki would be terrific on film too. So, I'm curious particularly with the sci-fi galaxy element.



I still plan to check out a few genre outings including The Last Days On Mars (2013) and The Colony (2013). I enjoy a solid, straight ahead sci-fi thriller that doesn't try too hard, but looks believable now and again.

I'm also anticipating, not with high expectations, Mamoru Oshii's live action Patlabor: The Next Generation.  Still, that's more likely another year away when it lands stateside.  But I do finally get to see the live action Space Battleship Yamato (2010), which will see its release here in the states this year along with Evangelion 3.33 You Can (Not) Redo (2012). I'll be honest, my initial viewing of Evangelion 2.22 You Can (Not) Advance (2009) was underwhelming compared to the series experience.  I guess nothing will ever quite match up. In fact, I really enjoyed, to the contrary of many, Evangelion 1.11 You Are (Not) Alone (2007) because it remained relatively faithful to the original material. Though, I suppose, if you are going to make over a franchise, a carbon copy is less than satisfying creatively so I can understand the alternate take on the series.  But, it's pretty clear there is indeed a marketing effort to sell new Evangelion figures and characters a la the Star Wars licensing dynasty.  (shrug).




On the television front, I have high hopes for Ronald D. Moore's Helix (2014) on SyFy.  I should probably give Defiance (2013-present) another look too. I made a mistake with Stargate Universe (2009-2011) as a recent investigation revealed.  I'd prefer not to do that again. The Walking Dead (2010-present) gave us a fairly solid set of episodes for the first half of its fourth season.  I can't say I was disappointed.  I don't love the show, but there have been a few excellent episodes.  Falling Skies is still on my radar.  I'm not sure I loved that third season, but again there were some excellent moments and I still want to support it enthusiastically going forward.  The ratings remain steady.

I'm also pretty jazzed about Japan imports Attack On Titan (2013) and Knights Of Sidonia (2014) coming from the world of anime. I'm also more than ready for the next installment of Ghost In The Shell: Arise (2013).



So, my hope is to bring you more classic 1970s vintage adventure and originality in the form of Tatsunoko's translated Gatchaman in the form of Battle Of The Planets.  So if you loved your Sandy Frank classic you'll see more of it here.

Other hopes and dreams include some additional kaiju classics (Do you like how I kept that category nice and general? I was specifically non-committal), modern anime classics Blue Submarine No.6 (1998-2000) and Yukikaze (2002-2005). Beyond that I hate to promise too much after that appalling miss in 2013.  Still, plenty more ahead and hopefully some surprises too.

And when The One To Be Pitied isn't commandeering my television away from me for The Twilight Zone marathon, I hope to do a binge on It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia (2005-present) with my son.  We're addicts. This is also following a heavy addiction to The Office (2005-2013). We have a thing for quirky, irreverent humor.



As of this writing Musings Of A Sci-Fi Fanatic has delivered you 872 blog posts of varying quality.  I'm now entering my seventh full year at this.  Based on the law of averages you'll be here to see me reach my 1,000th post in 2014.  Wow!  I hope you'll continue to join me for the ride and this ongoing adventure called blogging as we go forward into the future while imprisoned by my love for the past. And let's not forget I was fairly over the moon over something brand new called Pacific Rim.  Oh how I loved it.  As I reside comfortably embracing the past let's see keep an eye and see what tomorrow brings.



Happy New year folks. All the best in 2014.

HNY 2014!