The Production GuideScript To Screen: The Exiles
by Martin Willey
The Production Guide
Koenig has stunned Cantar to test the effectiveness of their weapons. In a short comic interlude, we see Helena sculpting the clay bust, and Maya changes into Helena to test Koenig. The original scene was longer, but although scripted and filmed it was cut. In the final version of the scene, the disc drawer can be seen open. Several publicity photos of the cut scene exist showing Maya pressing the disc to her forehead (just as Zamara will in One Moment Of Humanity).
The scene was shot by Ray Austin on Tuesday 24th February 1976 (starting in the afternoon) and on Wednesday 25th. Because he wasn't in the start of the scene, Martin Landau had a late start on the 25th; while Barbara and Catherine had to be in makeup for 7am (to be on set for 8:30), he wasn't required until 10am.
"THE EXILES"
5th February, 1976
33
ACT THREE
FADE IN:
72 INT. HELENA'S QUARTERS
Open CLOSE ON a shelf unit that is divided into sections.
Each section or shelf has an index - art, literature,
history, poetry, fashion, etc. In each section there
are coloured discs.
MAYA's hand moves down the row of shelves. It stops on
the one indexed 'fashion'. Each compartment of this
section bears the number of a year.
Her hand stops on the year 1960. We loosen as she takes
out the top disc and presses the disc to her temple.
We HOLD her close as she closes her eyes.
INSERT: A coloured, still shot of a girl in a very
short mini-skirt and courreges boots.
CUT TO: MAYA
Her eyes open.
MAYA
This one ...?
As she holds out the disc, we pull back to reveal we
are in HELENA's quarters. HELENA and MAYA are in off-
duty clothes, daringly but tastefully cut. Two
beautiful, desirable women relaxing.
HELENA is working on a virtually completed clay sculpture
of her own head. As she puts the finishing touches to
it with a fine scalpel, she reacts to the disc. She takes
it from MAYA's hand and presses it against her own temple,
and closes her eyes.
INSERT: The same coloured photo MAYA was viewing.
CUT TO: HELENA
Her eyes open.
She laughs.
HELENA
...mostly out of the ark - but fun.
The swinging sixties.
She hands the disc back to MAYA.
CONTINUED:
"THE EXILES"
2nd February, 1976
34
72 CONTD.
MAYA
So what happened after the
swinging sixties?
HELENA
The seventies were pretty nondescript -
but the eighties and early nineties ...
take a look at the next set...
MAYA selects another disc, presses it against her temple,
closes her eyes.
INSERT: A model poses wearing enormously high heels.
CUT TO: MAYA
Her eyes open.
MAYA frowns with interest.
MAYA
But how did you walk on such
heels?
HELENA smiles. She makes a minute adjustment with her
scalpel to the nose of the clay head.
HELENA
With difficulty.
MAYA
And some danger.
HELENA smiles more broadly.
HELENA
There were a lot of twisted
ankles that year.
MAYA selects another disc; presses it against her temple.
INSERT: A girl in a very tight, low cut dress.
CUT TO: MAYA
Her eyes open. She sideglances HELENA curiously
HELENA
Yes. I once wore a dress like
that too.
CONTINUED:
"THE EXILES"
2nd February, 1976
34A
72 CONTD. (1A)
MAYA
Curious. Would not the
restriction of circulation
lead to hot flushes, palpitation...?
HELENA
That was the effect it was supposed
to have.
MAYA
(earnestly)
Really?
HELENA
On the opposite sex.
(Beat)
Maya, you'd be the envy of
every woman on Earth.
MAYA looks questioningly at her.
HELENA (contd.)
To be able to change your hair
colour at will ... the colour of
your eyes to match your dress ...
to be able to take off a pound
here, add an inch there.
HELENA shakes her head at the wonder of it all.
MAYA smiles and selects another disc; presses it to her
temple.
INSERT: Close shot of a beautiful pair of hands.
The fingers are adorned with beautiful rings.
The fingernails are long and gleaming red.
MAYA (O.S.)
(triumphantly)
Ah, now I understand.
CUT TO: MAYA
She opens her eyes, replaces the disc and turns to HELENA.
MAYA (contd.)
Having provoked desire in the
young males, you needed a weapon
to fight them off.
She points to HELENA's own varnished, but neatly shaped
nails.
CONTINUED:
"THE EXILES"
2nd February, 1976
35
72 CONTD. 2
HELENA
No ... by the 1980's we were
beginning to quite like men
again. They had stopped taking
themselves so seriously. They
even learned to laugh at them-
selves on occasion.
MAYA
Commander Koenig, too?
HELENA
Why not? When he's
relaxed, off duty, he's really
got a very nice sense of
humour.
MAYA
He can laugh at himself?
HELENA
Certainly.
The buzzer sounds and KOENIG's face appears on the
screen.
KOENIG
Helena...
HELENA
Just a minute, John.
She takes a final critical look at her sculpted head,
then reaches for the door button, peeling off her
smock.
MAYA
You're quite sure - about
Commander Koenig's sense of
humour?
HELENA nods, not quite understanding. She presses the
door button.
MAYA smiles and we CLOSE rapidly on her eye and:
JUMP CUT:
Another HELENA stands facing the door - in identical
clothes.
PULL BACK to show the real HELENA smiling.
CONTINUED:
Copyright Martin Willey