The crew of Moonbase Alpha must struggle to survive when a massive explosion throws the Moon from Earths orbit and into deep space.The crew of Moonbase Alpha must struggle to survive when a massive explosion throws the Moon from Earths orbit and into deep space.The crew of Moonbase Alpha must struggle to survive when a massive explosion throws the Moon from Earths orbit and into deep space.
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Did you know
- TriviaThe TV monitor built into the 'comlock' unit each Alphan carried wasn't a clever special effect but a real miniature tv set available in the early 1970s (Panasonic TR-001) that had a 1.5 inch black and white screen. The props department cannibalised the model and rehoused it into a more appropriately futuristic casing. When we see the screen in use it is always held from a particular angle to hide the power and live video feed cables running into it. The numeric buttons on the side probably came off an early electronic calculator such as a Craig .
- GoofsWhenever anyone uses a commlock, a communications column in a hallway, or a comm terminal in a room they never set a channel for the call they make; they simply activate the device and it automatically connects to whomever the caller is looking to speak to.
- Quotes
Prof. Victor Bergman: [last message before evacuating Alpha] We are Mankind. We came from planet Earth, and we built this base, called Alpha, to learn more about space. But human error blasted this Moon out of the Earth's orbit. And so, we have traveled the Universe searching for a place to live. Now, we can no longer live here, and we go to face an uncertain future on the planet that has nearly destroyed us. You, whoever you are, who find this empty vessel of Alpha, come and seek us out, if we still exist. Come and teach us all you know. Because, we have learned many things, but most of all, we have learned we still have much to learn.
- Crazy creditsDuring the first season, excerpts for each week's episode were incorporated into the opening credits, more specifically the "This Episode" section, which was something of a Gerry Anderson trademark.
- Alternate versionsA number of syndicated and video-released TV movies were created by editing together assorted episodes. These are: Alien Attack (1976), _Destination Moonbase Alpha (1976) (TV)_,Journey Through the Black Sun (1982) and Cosmic Princess (1982).
- ConnectionsEdited into Alien Attack (1976)
The electronic soundtrack and the opening credits (a kind of "Pulp Fiction" style guitar alternated with an orchestral version of the same theme) were very original, as it was the look of the Eagles: they are solid transport spacecrafts but at the same time one can see their pilots from the outside, so that Eagles seem vulnerable... well, they are, most of the time. Base Alpha is a large, well lit and comfortable place (some stylish seventies furniture, too) which is home and prison at the same time.
Anyway the most peculiar aspect is the atmosphere in Moonbase Alpha: The crew is shocked for what happened to them, unprepared to deal with the future, they don't agree with each other, they make mistakes, they often prefer not to show much emotion. No "Space as the last frontier" rhetoric, here. Space is cold and mistakes are lethal. That increases the realism even if 1999 is well past. Action progresses like a slowly unfolding bad dream.
Don't believe people complaining about bad acting. They just expect things that Space:1999 wasn't going to offer. The actors performed well. For example, Commander Koenig (the symbolism in the name is evident) is waiting for the "black sun" to swallow the base, he's talking with Prof. Bergman. He's about to break into tears but manages to restrain himself so that his eyes show only a little trace of what he's feeling underneath: A very good performance from Martin Landau, nearly impossible to find in better rated SF series/movies.
- MarcelloDL
- Jan 20, 2004
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- Mondbasis Alpha 1
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