The Catacombs The Production Guide
Script To Screen: Breakaway
by Martin Willey

Script To Screen

The script page from The Void Ahead is from an 82 page draft labelled "Temporary Final". This seems to be a later version than the undated version seen before, with Vorkonen now renamed "Bob" Morrow. While Nordstrom went mad on page 3 of the earlier script, this version has a new scene between Helena and Bergman watching the astronauts, and introducing the characters. We then cut to Koenig in an Eagle, travelling to the base, giving us some exposition before the Nordstrom action.

See below for hand-written amendments by Martin Landau to his scene.

Breakaway Breakaway

3

3 CONTD.

BERGMAN

Their responses seem quite normal.

HELENA

I hope they stay that way.

BERGMAN

(Unhappily)

Doctor, I came because you are a
very persuasive woman. But I
have no official status here. I
am on Alpha as a tourist. Should
your suspicions even be proven
correct, what could I do?

On the monitor screen, Helena and Bergman watch the
Tech. walk towards another sensor. The voice of
Main Mission Controller Bob Morrow is heard over the
Communications Post, the constantly babbling electronic
column which is found on every area of Alpha. Helena
and Bergman turn towards it as Morrow's voice calls.

MORROW (O.S.)

Dr. Russell, Commander Koenig's
E.T.A. is thirty minutes from now.

HELENA

(To Bergman)

You taught Koenig. You can speak
to him - if he'll listen.

4 EXT. SPACE. SKY. SFX. 4

An MTU, with passenger module, approaches the moon.

5 INT. MTU PASSENGER MODULE. 5

Commander John Koenig is here, in the uniform of Alpha
Base Commander. He watches a TV screen set into the
back of the seat in front of him. He is perhaps forty -
intense, intelligent and somewhat preoccupied now as he
watches the newscast from an earth TV station.

ANNOUNCER

John Koenig was appointed today commander of Moon base Alpha.
He replaces etc
This appointment coincides with an announcement

NEWSCASTER

*It was announced today that the
two Probe astronauts of the Meta
mission have contracted a mild
virus infection during training.
Lunar Commissioner Symonds * reported,
however that the long - prepared for
space mission to Meta would be delayed
no more than forty - eight hours.

* who was responsible for Koenig's appointment
Koenig to the post of as
Moon Base Commander

CONTINUED:

Martin Landau and Barbara Bain worked closely with George Bellak and Christopher Penfold on the scripts. Landau's copy of the script contains his hand-written amendments. Here, he writes line for the newscaster to introduce his own character.