The Production GuideScript To Screen: The Mark of Archanon
by Martin Willey
The Production GuideIn order to have enough new episodes in time for broadcast in Autumn 1976, it was decided to "double-up" some episodes, splitting the cast and crew into two units, each filming a different story. One story would feature Koenig and Maya on an alien planet (on location or another set), the other would feature Helena and the rest of the cast in Moonbase Alpha (using the standing sets on stage L). The first pair of episodes made this way were The Mark of Archanon and The Rules Of Luton (see Rules of Luton script to screen).
The shooting script for The Mark of Archanon was delivered 12 April 1976, and, like most scripts, amended several times. Here are the opening pages.
The title page makes clear this is a "Helena" double-up script (The Rules Of Luton is a "Koenig" double-up). Koenig and Maya only appear briefly in the Eagle command module (scenes 21-23, and 34-39), but they are still listed at the top of the cast list.
A couple of characters will be changed. Doctor Ben Vincent, played by Jeffery Kissoon, is replaced by a new character who will only appear in this episode, Doctor Raul Nunez, played by Raul Newey. A technician listed as Palmer will be changed to Fraser, played by semi-regular John Hug, for scene 31 (the rescue Eagle pilot alongside him, played by stuntman Terry Walsh, is named Stuart in the script, but not listed on this cast list).
The ground crew Alphan, Morgan, will be cut from the episode (see more later). Also cut will be the two male Archanons who accompany Maurna at the end of the episode (scene 85). We do see a small section of Archanon pilot console on the Command Center Big Screen (scene 71).
The script opens in the "subLunarean tunnel", which a few episodes later will be named the "catacombs". We see Carter and Johnson in a moonbuggy driving through the caves. The initial shot, scene 2, is marked as SFX, so presumably this would have been a wide shot of a model moonbuggy with two figures in it.
SPACE 1999
(SERIES II)
"THE MARK OF ARCHANON"
by
Lew Schwarz
Double-up Script (HELENA)
|
Final Shooting Script |
World Copyright, |
|
PRODUCED BY: |
Telephone: Iver 654160 |
CAST
COMMANDER JOHN KOENIG
DR. HELENA RUSSELL
MAYA
TONY VERDESCHI
ALAN CARTER
YASKO
DR. BEN VINCENT
ANDY JOHNSON
PALMER
CARSON
MORGAN
Alpha Personnel (N.S.)
PASC
ETREC
MAURNA/LYRA
2 Male Archanons (N.S.)
SETS
INT. SUBLUNAREAN CAVERN & SHORT SECTION OF TUNNEL
INT. MEDICAL CENTER
INT. COMMAND CENTER
INT. TECHLAB THREE
INT. PILOT SECTION EAGLE ONE
INT. EAGLE THREE PILOT SECTION
INT. RECREATION CENTER
INT. PROPULSION TUBE/EAGLE THREE
INT. ARCHANON SPACE SHIP - PILOT'S COMPARTMENT (SECTION)
INT. MOONBASE CORRIDORS (VARIOUS)
HOOK
STANDARD OPENING:
FADE IN:
1 EXT. MOONBASE ALPHA (SFX) 1
Establishing shot of Moonbase. Camera gibs down into
the lunar surface. The screen goes black.
2 INT. SUBLUNAREAN TUNNEL (SFX) 2
Screen black - camera gibs down to a long natural tunnel
deep below the surface of the moon. A moonbuggy moves
slowly along it, bearing the markings 'ALPHA GEOLOGICAL
SURVEY SECTION'. There are two occupants; ALAN CARTER,
lolling back in the passenger seat, feet up on the dash-
board; and ANDY JOHNSON, Mineralogist, a young eager
redhead at the wheel. The buggy is equipped with the
Geological Equipment of the period.
ALAN is singing happily to himself, improvising the
tune as always, his rich Australian accent and native
uplilting of words at the end of each sentence giving
his speech an almost lyrical quality.
ALAN (V.O.)
Moonbuggy Moonbuggy travel in haste
Deep in the caverns of Alpha Moonbase
Through such a tunnel what mysteries unfold?
Could be we'll find us a pot of bright gold?
JOHNSON (V.O.)
You mean dylenide crystals for the
life support filter system aboard
your Eagles, Mr. Carter. Those
crystals are worth more than a
thousand times their weight in gold...
3 INT. SUBLUNAREAN TUNNEL & CAVERN
The moonbuggy roars into shot and stops. The tunnel
ahead is too narrow to negotiate. As they gather
their equipment together...
JOHNSON
(about to pursue the
subject eagerly)
Why, you know that just the mere
chemical reaction of...
ALAN
Tell me, Cobber, how come any time
I ask you what time it is, you always
put me through a computer routine on
how a watch is made?
CONTINUED:
2
3 CONTD.
JOHNSON
(gives it back to ALAN
good-humoredly)
I was wondering the same thing
about you and your astronaut
training ... like when I ask you
what that little black button on
the control panel of your Eagle
is...
ALAN gets the message of JOHNSON's good-humored chide
but changes the subject abruptly by clambering out of
the moonbuggy. JOHNSON follows him and they walk through
narrow gap into the cavern.
In the 21st April line amendments, Johnson's line on page 2 was deleted in line amendments.
On the 14th May, the day these shots were due to be filmed, a new version of the opening scene was printed. The moonbuggy is an unnecessary element in the story, and its engine gave off a lot of smoky exhaust, which would have filled the enclosed tunnel set. The detailed explanation of dylenide crystals is jettisoned, along with some jokey dialogue between Carter and Johnson that establishes their relationship.
Filming would actually be mostly on the Monday 17th and 18th May (the original sound tapes still exist).
HOOK
STANDARD OPENING:
FADE IN:
1 EXT. MOONBASE ALPHA (SFX) 1
Establishing shot of Moonbase. Camera gibs down
into
the lunar surface. The screen goes black.
2 INT. SUBLUNAREAN TUNNEL 2
Screen black - camera gibs down to a long
natural tunnel
deep below the surface of the moon.
From O.S. we hear the footsteps of two men
approaching and ALAN's voice singing.
ALAN (O.S.)
Alphans, Alphans travel in haste.
The two men enter shot, They are ALAN CARTER
and
ANDY JOHNSON. They are using hand sensors to
explore the cavern walls. On their backs are
other geological equipment.
ALAN continues singing.
ALAN
Deep in the caverns of Alpha Moonbase
Through such a tunnel what mysteries unfold?
Could be we'll find us a pot of bright gold?
JOHNSON
I'll settle for the dylenide crystals
we're 1ooking for.
ANOTHER ANGLE
JOHNSON reacts to a reading on his sensor:
JOHNSON
Well, this looks promising.
He sets up a sonarscope and directs it towards the wall.
The tube is now emitting a beam of light,
which
appears on the wall surface as a circle about nine
inches in diameter. The beam also contains an
electro-magnetic field which detects minerals and
ores, and a sonic cutter which can slice through
the soft moonrock to reach the sought-after substance.
(All this visually shown on a selector dial.)
CONTINUED:
Copyright Martin Willey