Navarre Corp.’s BCI Eclipse and Entertainment Rights Plc. are releasing the cult-favorite ’70s Saturday morning sci-fi series Jason of Star Command on DVD for the first time on May 8. The three-disc set will contain all 28 episodes from the show’s two seasons, along with a brand-new documentary, a special effects commentary track and other bonus materials.
A spin-off of the 1977 series Space Academy, Jason of Star Command is set in a secretive section of Space Academy, where a daring soldier of fortune named Jason combats a self-proclaimed “Master of the Cosmos’ named Dragos. Airing form 1978 to 1979, the series is one of several space adventure shows to capitalize on the popularity of Star Wars, which came out the previous year. The cast of characters even includes two robots, Peepo and W1K1, who join Jason on his missions. Veteran TV actor Craig Littler plays Jason, leading a cast that includes James Doohan (Star Trek), Sid Haig (The Devil’s Rejects) and Tamara Dobson (Cleopatra Jones).
Employing visual effects artists from the Star Wars and Star Trek camps, Jason of Star Command was the most expensive children’s show on television when it debuted on CBS. The show is notable for its use of stop-motion animation to bring a variety of monsters and other fantastic elements to the screen. Visual effects supervisor Chuck Comisky, stop-motion technician Jim Aupperle and live-action creature effects artist John Carl Beuchler provide a special effects commentary track for the season two episode ‘Beyond the Stars!”
Produced and hosted by Andy Mangels, author of Animation on DVD’The Ultimate Guide, the slate of bonus materials includes a new half-hour documentary titled The Adventures of Jason of Star Command, featuring interviews with the producer, stars, and visual effects artists. Exec producer Lou Scheimer and actors Craig Littler and John Berwick have recorded commentary tracks for the season-one episodes “Attack of the Dragonship” and “The Disappearing Man.” There will also be a special effects demo reel, three different photo galleries, a booklet with an episode guide and trivia, episode scripts on DVD-ROM, Easter eggs and an art gallery style guide for a proposed Jason of Star Command animated series. The disc set will carry a suggested retail price of $29.98.
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