The Production GuideScript To Screen: Devil's Planet
by Martin Willey
The Production Guide
In scene 57, Crael is defending another prisoner (Alan Harris, more commonly seen as an Alpha). One of the guards brings Koenig's stun gun, which she considers before announcing sentence on the prisoner- and shooting him with the weapon.
Between the 9th September script, and the 18th October amendments, this scene was cut down, condensing two script pages into one.
Here is the revised page, which was filmed as described:
"DEVIL'S MOON"
18th October, 1976
21/22.
57 CONTD. (57)
And fires. A gasp from the prisoners amongst the
assemblage as the PRISONER collapses, stunned.
For a moment, he could be dead. CRAEL goes to the
PRISONER's side.
ELIZIA
Dead?
CRAEL
Unconscious ... stunned.
ELIZIA
(tosses laser aside;
of PRISONER)
The Hunt for him.
CRAEL
It's inhuman! When will you
end it?
ELIZIA
Inhuman? A chance for freedom?
To return to Ellna!?
CRAEL
One out of a hundred survive
the Hunt. I call that inhuman.
ELIZIA
(a sweeping gesture
of assembled prisoners)
Offer any one of them the
challenge, and none will
refuse ... they all want the
chance to go home.
The original pages in the 9th September script. Elizia's cruelty is stronger, hinting that prisoner's families on Ella suffer reprisals. Crael is apparently free to return to Ellna- but chooses to stay to defend the other prisoners. It's not explicit, but Crael is clearly Elizia's pet, and she enjoys crushing his will, while he will always submit to her. Perhaps Crael knows or suspects that Ellna is dead, like Elizia and the interrogator, so the offer to send him back is a threat, not a promise. Elizia will start to assess Koenig to take Crael's role; when they finally meet, the stage directions state "She is staring at him cooly, sensually ... just a male sex object."
21.
57 CONTD. 3
CRAEL
I beseech you
ELIZIA
(turning to CRAEL
disdainfully)
... to be merciful?
And smiling, aims KOENIG's laser at the PRISONER.
ELIZIA
I shall be.
And fires. A gasp from the prisoners amongst the
assemblage as the PRISONER collapses, stunned. For a
moment, he could be dead. CRAEL goes to the PRISONER's
side.
ELIZIA
Dead?
CRAEL
Unconscious ... stunned.
ELIZIA
Too bad. He might have died
instantly. That would have
been merciful, He is also
fortunate he has no family on
Ellna. There would be reprisals
for his actions.
(tosses laser aside;
of PRISONER)
The Hunt for him.
CRAEL
It's inhuman! When will you
end it?
ELIZIA
Inhuman? A chance for freedom?
To return to Ellna! ?
CRAEL
One out of a hundred survive
the Hunt. I call that inhuman.
ELIZIA
(a sweeping gesture
of assembled prisoners)
Offer any one of them the chance.
See how many will accept the challenge.
CONTINUED:
22.
57 CONTD. 4
CRAEL
And I say it is inhuman!
Barbaric! To satisfy the
whims of...
His gesture takes in the female GUARDS, not finishing
his sentence.
ELIZIA
Perhaps your next defence of
a prisoner will be more
successful, Crael.
CRAEL
I doubt I will ever be
successful.
ELIZIA
(seductively)
You know you only have to ask...
(of Transbeam Station)
...and you can go home. I will
let you step in and go back to
Ellna.
CRAEL knows she is toying with him, and smiles, shaking
his head.
CRAEL
My place is here ...
(of other prisoners)
...to help my people as best
I can.
(a beat)
We all make our own prisons.
(then dismisses it
all with a shrug)
But I thank you, anyway ...
(smiling wryly)
You kill me with kindness.
And ELIZIA's return smile is almost one of beautific
innocence.
ELIZIA
That's one way I haven't
tried yet...
Space 1999 copyright ITV Studios Global Entertainment. Thanks to Carine Wils.