I got the new Network Deluxe Volume 4 Blu-Ray sent to me when it was released a couple of weeks ago, and now I’ve watched it, I thought I give my personal views on it.
It comes in a very classy looking box with the Joe 90 logo
on the lid. Inside there’s an exclusive booklet – File 90: Viewing Notes by
Andrew Pixley. I have to admit I’ve haven’t read it all yet, it’s 244 pages long, but from what I see it’s packed
with info on the series’ early stages and development, the characters and the
actors who voiced them. There’s even some welcome background on the Joe90: Top
Secret comic. and the story books. I have to say like many
fans, a lot of my interest with Joe 90 is nostalgic, and I can still remember
picking up my first issue of Joe 90: Top Secret at my local newsagent.
The boxed set also comes with its own exclusive comic titled, Joe 90: New Series and dated September
13, 1969. A nice little nod to Joe90: Top Secret, as its last issue was dated
September 6, 1969.
The comic contains a very enjoyable Joe 90 strip story
written by Martin Cater, who manages to create a very entertaining story over
the 13 pages. The story is illustrated
by Paul McCaffrey who, like his previous strip in the Captain Scarlet deluxe
Volume 4 set does another excellent job. In my opinion his solid art style
works even better in the slightly less futuristic rural backdrop of Joe 90. I
wouldn’t dream of giving away the plot suffice to say it has plenty of the
elements seen in a Joe 90 episode. There’s lots of Jet-Air car action and Joe
gets to wear his glasses.
The deluxe set comes with two discs, one containing the final six
episodes making up volume 4 of the set, and a special features disc boasting
three newly produced documentary films. To be honest
I have to confess I don’t tend to watch most of Network’s newly produced
Anderson stuff, as they generally hold very little nostalgic interest for me. For the Joe 90 set I thought I’d bend that
rule. The first is Project 90, about
the making of Joe 90. It’s narrated by Keith Alexander, and contains previously
filmed comments from Gerry Anderson explaining his' magnetic tape' inspiration for Joe
90. There are also filmed comments from Sylvia Anderson who talks
about the ‘precocious’ Len Jones, the voice of the titular Joe.
A young Len Jones - wash your mouth out with soap!
Deluxe Volume 4
Volume 4 plus Special Features disc
Keith Alexander, the voice of Sam Loover talks about his
days working on the show. Century 21 designer Mike Trim also chats about his
time working on the series, although his interview does suffer from a poor
soundtrack and jerky visuals for some reason.
Keith Alexander as he appeared via Skype at SHADO Con 1
Mike Trim at Fanderson
Alan Perry at SHADO Con
Mary Turner at Andercon
There’s also comments
from director Alan Perry, and puppeteer Mary Turner.
Those were all the high points for me. Although I still enjoy the series, as I said earlier, for me the
Andersons' series have a lot to do with nostalgia and I like to be taken back
to the sixties and told about those early days of Century 21 by the people who
actually worked there.
The second documentary is called The Science of Joe 90, and speculates whether the technology dreamt
up by Professor McClaine for the B.I.G.R.A.T. might ever happen. It’s a fair point, but to be honest
I got a bit bored with this. I know the human brain is literally
mind-bogglingly complicated, but I really felt I was watching a BBC schools
programme. Don’t get me wrong, just because I haven’t got the brain pattern of
a nine-year old neurosurgeon, doesn’t mean everyone will find it dull. How
about this stimulating conversation starter; did you know that in 2014,
scientists downloaded a roundworm’s brain and uploaded it into a Lego robot
that was able move about independently, incredible! Like I say, some people will find that
fascinating, but I really wouldn’t want to find myself stuck chatting to them
in the pub.
The third short film is W.I.N.
Briefing narrated by Keith Alexander as Sam Loover. There’s a very brief
rundown of how the World Intelligence Network came about and some even briefer
visual notes on a couple of characters and, of course W.I.N.’s Project 90. I
couldn’t see the point to this. A bit novel I suppose, although I found the rapid movements over the visuals
combined with quick cuts to what we assume are Sam Loover’s highly expressive
hands very distracting. Sorry, not for
me this one.
There’s an exclusive widescreen version of the episode,
‘Lone-Handed 90’, remastered in a 1.66.1 aspect. I'm sure this will delight all those who like a
change from the original transmitted 4:3 aspect ratio.
For all the nostalgia buffs like me, who actually remember
when the series originally aired in the late sixties there’s a few other
goodies on the disc, though not all are
exclusive as some of which can also be found on the previously released Carlton
DVD
There’s the short ‘Special Glasses’ sequence, narrated by
Tim Turner, showing a close –up of Joe’s glasses. This was intended as a
warning to youngsters who shouldn’t put themselves at risk without first
obtaining the right Brain Patterns!
Textless titles, advert breaks
and textless end titles. I particularly like the memorable end-of-part 1
bumpers. Its a shame no one uses these things nowadays.
The Sugar Smacks commercials: Everyone remembers the Sugar
Smacks commercials.
I never got the marvellous Jet-Air car model, but I can still remember
collecting the badges and later on those space vehicles. We've even featured those little space models on the blog a long while ago. No Lyons Maid Zoom commercials on the disc, though.
The disc contains The
Amazing adventures of Joe 90, the awful cobbled together effort done for
American TV back in 1981. It comes with the original American trailer too. I
don’t know anyone who has a good word for it, or the other episode
compilations, that eventually found their way to the UK as Home Video
cassettes. At the time they were most welcome as it was our only access to the
classic Anderson series’ which hadn’t been shown on UK TV for quite some time. Now
I have a mint washed out, cheap video titled Blu-ray version with jumbled
episodes and a jumbled up soundtrack. Will I ever watch it all the way through?
It spite of any nostalgic drawings, I very much doubt it.
There are the usual photo galleries including some from the
Doug Luke archive, although those are quite small images, even on my 42” TV
screen.
So there it is, purely a personal view, I don’t expect
everyone will agree with me. It’s nice
that Network have a done a special addition for Joe, and, in spite of any of
the criticisms I might have made I appreciate all the effort that all those
involved have put into it. The book that comes with it is excellent, although I
hope it does remain exclusive and not available separately, the same should
apply to the most special comic.
Here's a photo showing the other three volumes which don't come with the deluxe volume 4. These are available separately from Network.
Now it's time to settle down and watch another episode, Uncle Sam….
