Production GuideObservations: War Games
Production Guide
This early shot of pilots running down the Moonbase corridor is from Voyager's Return.
The 2022 Network 16:9 version of Alien Attack reveals, on the extreme left, a woman in a white cardigan and blue dress.
Several shots feature cardboard cut out spacecraft exploding. The effectiveness varies: the Hawk explosions are good, but the Eagles, especially the one on the launch pad, are seen for a few frames too long.
When the cut out Eagle explodes over the launch pad, part of the cut out showing the leg and engines is seen clearly blowing around in the flames.
Both these scenes are the same corridor, with the wires hanging from the ceiling exactly the same. In the first shot with the extra communications post on its side, the Travel Tube door is shut (there are no signs or labels). In the second shot, the travel tube door is open (with Airlock sign). In the first shot, the communications post on the right is missing a screen, and through it we see the light panel (the posts only had two sides).
Stunt man Colin Skeaping is pulled backwards towards the airlock door. At the start of the sequence, the wire pulling him is just visible against the white wall. At the end, he turns over, and the back of the harness is visible. Against the red of the airlock, the wire can be seen leading up to the ceiling, where a pulley hangs. From the pulley, the wire leads through the open door on the right. Thanks to NeoGoglu.
Bottom left of frame at the top of the stairs is a brown mat or tray, probably protecting the floor under the camera.
In scene 59B, Paul says "I've lost contact with Alan." In the background we hear a radio voice saying "CAPCOM" ("capsule communicator"). We can just hear a further line of dialogue "Roger. Cape recommends that you place the driver switch to secondary." These are NASA mission recordings of the Gemini 3 "Molly Brown" mission from 23 March 1965; pilots are Gus Grissom and John Young. The Cape CAPCOM was Gordo Cooper, although the words are spoken by "CSQ CAPCOM" (a Navy ship in the west Pacific, the USNS Coastal Sentry, with the call-sign of "Coastal Sentry Quebec" or CSQ). The line occurs in the first orbit, 45 minutes into the Gemini mission (NASA PDF p20, transcript). The Gemini had a slight yaw left, which they had worked out was a venting radiator; they were trying the secondary attitude driver to stop the drift. Thanks to bgpzfm.
Alphans run down the steps. This is obviously the steps from the Main Mission balcony, although we already saw the same Alphans leaving Main Mission. One Main Mission operative has bright red socks. Binu Balini, Robert Atiko and Alan Harris are all clearly visible. Some of those Alphans end up in Medical, including Atiko and nurse Kathy Mallory.
Two large beams have fallen down from the ceiling. But from where? All the ceiling area that we can see looks intact. Note the exposed cables hang from the sides of roof panels, but the panels themselves are not damaged.
Alan blows up the bomber. His seat belt should hold him tightly to the seat. Top right over the door is possibly some sort of lighting mounting.
As the aliens take over Koenig and Helena's Eagle, the microphone is visible extreme left, with the square stand on top of the console.
As Alan and Koenig fly into the planet forcefield, bright lights flash in the cabin. On the upper left of the frame, the end of the sound mic can be seen, with its cradle and the wires fastened to the hand grip used when the rig isn't fixed to the telescopic boom.
Not from the actual episode- this behind the scenes shot shows a technician on his knees between the alien columns.
In this publicity shot, Zienia Merton is holding a cigarette.
Copyright Martin Willey.