'Message From Space' on UK video tape!

Jon Talpur · Post by **Jon Talpur** » Wed Jan 04, 2006 9:10 pm

This isn't strictly about Star Fleet, but with the extreme lack of any news, I figured no one would mind much!I've long heard of Star Fleet's similarities with Message From Space, and I did know that an English-language version of that show existed. Until now though, I wasn't aware that it had actually been released in the UK back in the early 80s!In the days of pre-BBFC certificate tapes (so that usually means that the tape is going to be both old and rare!), what appears to have been a Message From Space compilation was released under the title of Swords Of The Space Ark. I'd never heard this title before, but a picture of the tape does appear on this fairly well-researched site listing old pre-cert UK video tapes.Happy hunting!

Post by **AndyThomas** » Wed Jan 04, 2006 10:09 pm

Well well well. That might explain why I have very, very distant memories of a live action version of Star Fleet. I'd heard of San Ku Kai and so on since putting the site together, but if it was available to rent in local video stores in the early 80s it's no wonder I would have come across it. Another one of life's little mysteries solved, thank you!

FZeroOne · Post by **FZeroOne** » Sat Jan 07, 2006 4:31 pm

ImDB page on "Message from Space":http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078435/Was there a trend going round for interstellar sailing ships at the time or something?!

Post by **AndyThomas** » Sat Jan 07, 2006 9:40 pm

It's quite a common theme in anime actually - I'm not sure why, but the Japanese seem to like making real ships into space ships, just because they can! The anime Odin, I think it is, also has a galleon style ship in it. I imagine the more anime oriented here can think of more examples...

FZeroOne · Post by **FZeroOne** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 10:13 am

I can't think of any "sailing ships of space" off the top of my head, but the trend probably goes back to the classic "Space Crusier Yamato", which took a real World War-II battleship and transformed it into what Syd Mead is said to have described as a "ninja rocket-ship"!Other examples include Captain Harlocks Arcadia, another ninja rocket-ship but with the rear end of a wooden man-of-war, Queen Emeraldas Zeppelin-in-space, and the inter-galactic steam train of Galaxy Express 999 - all creations of the famous manga creator, Leeji Matusumoto.