From: David Acheson (dkach@hotmail4tag.com) Date: Mon, 06 Apr 1998 05:53:50 EDT Subj: Space1999: The Troubled Spirit
The moon has left yet another solar system behind (Betha and Delta's) and is once again out in the void of deep space. A perfect setting for a little ghost story called THE TROUBLED SPIRIT.
In a move back to the core of the series (unlike the previous THE LAST ENEMY), Johnny Byrne gives us a quirky story. This is not one of his best episodes but its not bad either. Ray Austin does the best that he can do with it. Its rather low key but at this point in the sequence it is a welcome relief. Sorry to all fans of explosions and Eagles and space phenomenons. Like FORCE OF LIFE, the entire chain of events take place within the confines of Alpha.
The twist to this ghost story which makes it somewhat worthwhile is that the ghost is of someone who is still alive. What an eerie feeling it must be to see your own ghost coming after you. No overly great acting from the guest cast but nothing horrendous either.
This episode is the first to feel the effect of a rift between the two financiers of year one - ITC and the Italian television network RAI. RAI demanded more Italian actors thus we got Giancarlo Prete in the role of Dan Mateo. I for one have no problem with this move. While the politics of the business should not play a role in a show's development, the reality is that it does everywhere. However, the one thing I admired about 1999,especially in year one, is the feeling I got that Moonbase Alpha was truly an international cooperation. STAR TREK may be recognized for Gene Roddenberry's opening of the doors to non-WASPS on sci-fi TV but SPACE: 1999 boldly carried it further and with no fan fare. In many respects European television was light years ahead of its American counterpart.
Its interesting Petter Ogland brought up in an earlier message Johnny Byrne's Catholic background as an influence in Byrne's scripts. In this case we actually get a space age exorcism. Although this could also be a response to the popularity at the time of THE EXORCIST (Released in 1975 wasn't it?). Thankful Byrne was smart enough to shy away from pirating - no vomit and no head spinning.
The opening sequence for the episode is perhaps the most amusing part. No dialogue and new age Indian music. The audience gets what it needs just from the visual. One of the most effective openings in the series.
Perhaps the only complaint I have is of how Mateo's ghost is unleashed. Communication with plants? I still don't get the connection other than a seance that went wrong.
Not much else to say so I'll turn it over to others to comment.
David Acheson
From: Petter Ogland (petter.ogland@dnmi4tag.no) Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 11:22:51 +0000 Subj: Re: Space1999: The Troubled Spirit
The contrast between THE LAST ENEMY and THE TROUBLED SPIRIT is quite remarkable. Perhaps it illustrates some of the differences of attitude between Johnny Byrne and Bob Kellett. While Kellett seems to prefer a satirical view on domestic themes such as married life, Byrne's interests seem more philosophical both in human introspect and life from an alien point of view, or perhaps even God's point of view if one prefers.
The twist to this ghost story which makes it somewhat worthwhile is that the ghost is of someone who is still alive. What an eerie feeling it must be to see your own ghost coming after you. No overly great acting from the guest cast but nothing horrendous either.
The idea of seing ones own death or ghost is something Byrne also used in ANOTHER TIME, ANOTHER PLACE. When commenting on that episode later, he said he was trying to put the Alphans into the most frightening scenario he could think of. The double vision is a central theme in ANOTHER TIME, ANOTHER PLACE. I wonder where he got this idea.
On the premiere viewing of THE TROUBLED SPIRIT in 1975, I found it rather intense. On repeated viewings, the thing I find the most interesting is the rage of Dan Mateo. While my impression of Johnny Byrne is that he is a ver pleasant man indeed, it seems as though he was fascinated by describing hysterical people at the time of making SPACE:1999.
In ANOTHER TIME, ANOTHER PLACE, Judy Geeson is nothing more than a bundle of nerves, it seems. Jim Hains in VOYAGER'S RETURN is completely out of control, and so is Dan Mateo in THE TROUBLED SPIRIT.
Its interesting Petter Ogland brought up in an earlier message Johnny Byrne's Catholic background as an influence in Byrne's scripts. In this case we actually get a space age exorcism. Although this could also be a response to the popularity at the time of THE EXORCIST (Released in 1975 wasn't it?). Thankful Byrne was smart enough to shy away from pirating - no vomit and no head spinning.
THE EXORCIST may have been released in different countries in different years. From what I've understood, the initial release was in 1973. This year there seems to be a sort of 25 anniversary for the film.
Anyway, THE EXORCIST being one of the most talked about films at the time of making THE TROUBLED SPIRIT, I think David's reference seems highly adequate. Another film that perhaps may be worth to mention as a possible influence is THE HAUNTING (1963). While this was over ten years old at the time, I feel Ray Austin's camera work, use of shadows, sound and wind effects is even more reminisent of this than THE EXORCIST, but this is on the production side, the script in itself, as David points out, may have more of a catholic angle to it.
The opening sequence for the episode is perhaps the most amusing part. No dialogue and new age Indian music. The audience gets what it needs just from the visual. One of the most effective openings in the series.
British guitar session musician Big Jim Sullivan, as seen in the concert sequence, is perhaps most well known for being a part of the rythm section of the James Last Orchestra from about 1978 to 1988, having much of the same function as Freddie Green had for the Count Basie Orchestra.
From what I've understood, the music he is playing, which is also being used as a theme for much of the episode, is of his own writing, or something that he was improvising, Barry Gray having nothing to do with this, but very nice and efficient for this kind of episode, I feel. I wonder if this was an idea of Ray Austin, it certainly underlines the emotional content of the script.
Perhaps the only complaint I have is of how Mateo's ghost is unleashed. Communication with plants? I still don't get the connection other than a seance that went wrong.
I understand there was some kind of research about plants and conciousness at the time, but neither do I get the idea quite. I've heard about plants being affected by different kind of music and even the human voice, but I don't know what Byrne was thinking of in relating them to the human soul.
There is, of course, a rather central theme in very much of Byrne's writing about humans in context of their environment, most persistent perhaps in episodes like VOYAGER'S RETURN and THE IMMUNITY SYNDROM.
Petter
From: South Central (Tamazunchale@webtv4tag.net) Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 17:58:44 -0700 Subj: Space1999: Episode by Episode
This week (which has already begun): The Troubled Spirit (my all-time absolute favorite episode!).
Monday, April 6 -- Sunday, April 12.
Mateo
From: LKJ1999 (LKJ1999@aol4tag.com) Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 21:04:44 EDT Subj: Re: Space1999: Episode by Episode
But there is no Eagle action.
I do like this episode myself.
Chas P.
From: David Acheson (dkach@hotmail4tag.com) Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1998 06:16:50 EDT Subj: Space1999: Holidays
Just wanted to wish my fellow listmembers a happy Easter weekend. No big plans myself - just relaxing and taking it easy for the next three days.
David
From: JSchill824 (JSchill824@aol4tag.com) Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1998 10:58:21 EDT Subj: Space1999: The Troubled Spirit
Hello Alphans,
I really liked this episode from the story line to the once again unique filming style which I'm so fond of. The dark moody feeling is extremely appropriate in the "ghost story in outer space" theme. The harsh, sharp lighting and dramatic shadows as well as the strange eerie recurring music definitely created a mood. I'd like to just point out two scenes. The first being at the beginning of the episode when Dr. Russell leaves Mateo and goes into the other room. The dark room with strong cast shadow over her while sitting behind the desk, building to where she see the "ghost" is wonderful. I also really liked when Mateo is in the Travel Tube - confused, sweating, scared, spooked by himself is truly great. With very little special effects here, just a shadow of Mateo, this was film really well, placing fear in those who were watching.
What can I say, I must be a sucker for anything Ray Austin touched in yr.1
Happy Easter, Passover, and Spring Equinox etc.
Janet
From: Petter Ogland (petter.ogland@dnmi4tag.no) Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1998 15:38:42 +0000 Subj: Re: Space1999: Holidays / Troubled spirit, Byrne and Penfold
David Acheson wrote:
Just wanted to wish my fellow listmembers a happy Easter weekend. No big plans myself - just relaxing and taking it easy for the next three days.
Happy Easter weekend, David and all. I have no big plans myself, I will probably have another look at SPACE BRAIN, the next episode coming up for discussion next week.
After the rather interesting conversation about THE LAST ENEMY, there has been surprisingly little said about THE TROUBLED SPIRIT this week, I think.
here are many things going for THE TROUBLED SPIRIT, I feel, mostly in the area of style. Byrne and Austin both being in excellent shape for bringing out a spooky atmosphere. I understand Sylvia Anderson was greatly concerned about the making of this episode, fascinated by the psychological possibilities, I suppose.
There are interesting psychological aspects of the episode, I feel, and Byrne is digging deeper into the material of the psychology of science that he had commenced upon with VOYAGER'S RETURN and would make further research into with THE BIOLOGICAL SOUL of Year Two, but where the philosophical and psychological content had to be adjusted in order to make the episode fit in with the conceptual changes.
I understand that many have found it puzzling that Byrne decided to stay on Year Two for the complete season. From what I've read, he seemes rather less than happy with the new change of direction, but somehow the Johnny Byrne scripts for Year Two still seem unmistakably Johnny Byrne, from my point of view, still the questions about where science is taking us, the worries about mankind and its relationship with nature, the concerns about how we are living and how we should be living.
The only episode that seems to deviate rather heavily from these central thoughts was the final entry of Year Two, THE DORCONS, of which Byrne has said that was giving up the battle with Freiberger and just writing the sort of silly thing that would please.
THE DORCONS is not the worst of episodes, I feel, quite to the contrary. It seems to reflect its circumstances, though, Byrne obviously having been frustrated over Freiberger's metamorph idea Maya all the time, gives her lines in the episode where she pleads of being killed off. I'm certain Byrne would have liked that very much. He even goes to the length of letting someone say that it's either Alpha or Maya, which it obviously was, production ending after this one.
The whole idea of using the HAMLET suit as a grand finale, blowing the Helsinor of the Dorcons to pieces also seems like grand aggravations being sent off. Wonderfully done, though, with great style and wonderful choice of actors in the roles of Archon, Varda and Malic. The actor Sundquist (Malic) gives a wonderful impression of what it would have been like to see Malcolm McDowell play Hamlet. Very interesting indeed.
Now, Byrne seemed to keep an interest in the series for a very long time, very much longer than Penfold, it seems, who backed off at the end of Year One, perhaps feeling that there was not all that much more to do with the SPACE:1999 concept, his final episode SPACE BRAIN seems to indicate this, apart from the interesting idea of the space brain, being not very much more than a re-hack of BLACK SUN, RING AROUND THE MOON and perhaps also a little bit of THE LAST SUNSET.
In the case of Penfold, this sounds quite reasonable, I guess, having made his masterpiece, WAR GAMES, other episodes seems like footnotes to this one, and it would surely have been more interesting to develop his ideas somewhere else.
The only episode that seem to contrast WAR GAMES are GUARDIAN OF PIRI and DRAGON'S DOMAIN. In the case of GUARDIAN OF PIRI there seems to be some uncertainty about who actually wrote the original script, Penfold is only credited as script editor on that one. My intuition says Edward di Lorenzo, because of similar type of language and philosophy to RING AROUND THE MOON and MISSING LINK, but nobody seems to know for sure who the writer was.
DRAGON'S DOMAIN is on the surface a very different story, one of the first drafts to be written, I understand, although one of the last to be filmed. My impression is that in this script Penfold comments more on the promise of the series than the ususal sort of personal philosophy of the world that he, Byrne, di Lorenzo and other experienced script writes were doing. More on this later, however, when we reach the week for discussing the episode.
Unlike Penfold, di Lorenzo and Terpiloff, it appears to me that Byrne did not seem to have too many answers to the questions he is rising during the series. As early as in MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH, Victor has a line about they're being in a new space, they should find new ways of adapting. This occurs to me to be one of the main philosophical questions Byrne is concerned about. Thinking about what the world looked like in 1973, this sounds like a very sensible question indeed. On one hand there was the emergence of science and philosophy of positivisim, on the other hand there was the air of revolution both in terms of sex, drugs, rock'n'roll, feminism, marxism and the Paris revolution of 1968.
While Penfold is much more outspoken in some of his scripts, for instance in DORZAK where he something like "it's mans struggle for survival that makes monsters out of us all", a maxime that seems to fit equally well with episodes like THE LAST SUNSET or WAR GAMES, Byrne seems still to be looking for answers. I find it difficult to find a line in one of his episodes that would fit as a basis of philosophy for all or most of the entries. On the other hand, he keeps constantly circling around ideas concerned with human guilt, judgement, the world going astray and hopes of a new Arkadia.
While some of the writers, Terpiloff in particular, is extremely critical to the development of science and the science point of view as a dangerously wrong perspective on human matters, Byrne does not seem concerned about this to the same extent, I feel. At least there are no "infernal machines" or "computers uncapable of understanding the human soul" in his stories, I think, well, apart from THE METAMORPH, of course, but even in the case of THE METAMORPH the concern seems to be on the scientists and not on science or scientific ideas. The Werner von Braun sort of story of VOYAGER'S RETURN seems to be the most inquisitive in this matter.
Dan Mateo in THE TROUBLED SPIRIT is another scientist with a stubborn mind, a sort of Ernst Queller as a young man perhaps. There is no doubt that the intentions of Mateo are the best, but "the road to hell..." as Helena Russell says.
It's sad that Victor does not make more of a figure in this episode. In VOYAGER'S RETURN his relationship with Ernst Queller was one of the dramatically most interesting parts, I think. In this episode, Victor is more in the background, making schemes in the same manner as he did in COLLISION COURSE. There is no identification between Mateo, the young, and Victor, the old scientist. In contrast we have the sort of father figure that Dr. Warren represents. The relationship between Mateo and Dr. Warren does not seem too unlike the relationship between Jim Hains and Ernst Queller.
By the killing of Dr. Warren, Byrne almost comes close to OEDIPUS drama. It would have been perhaps dramatically even more interesting if Dr. Warren was not written into the script, and it was Victor that played this part instead. Obviously he could not have been killed then, but it could have been possible to make some both psychologically and dramatically intense situations.
While there is quite many interesting aspects with THE TROUBLED SPIRIT story, it does not seem to say very much, I feel, not at least anything that I have managed to grasp. In the epilogue I believe John Koenig says something about feeling a personal responsibility for every death on Alpha, but this does not have the same sort of punch to it like "Knowledge can't be the answer after all then" from RING AROUND THE MOON or the comments on human development in FULL CIRCLE. On the contrary, just like FORCE OF LIFE, when we were wating for some line to sum up the essence of the episode, we get the impression there wasn't anything to be said. It's a bit like the final notes of J.S. Bach's "Kunst der Fuge" which just abruptly cuts itself off into thin air.
Perhaps this is one of the reasons that Byrne continued his work through the whole of Year Two, feeling that he could still use the format for investigating ideas, questions that he was not yet able to answer by the end of Year One. Who knows, I certainly know that I might have chosen this if I where in his situation.
Petter
From: Petter Ogland (petter.ogland@dnmi4tag.no) Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1998 15:50:18 +0000 Subj: Re: Space1999: The Troubled Spirit
Janet wrote:
... I'd like to just point out two scenes. The first being at the beginning of the episode when Dr. Russell leaves Mateo and goes into the other room. The dark room with strong cast shadow over her while sitting behind the desk, building to where she see the "ghost" is wonderful.
Sometimes I enjoy the episodes for their style, sometimes for their content. When Ray Austin is at the wheel, the style factor is undisputable. Although he created quite spooky sequences in MISSING LINK too, when Koenig was walking around on the empty Alpha, perhaps the choice of music is something that makes THE TROUBLED SPIRIT even more efficient in creating a haunted atmosphere. Marvellous handicraft.
I also really liked when Mateo is in the Travel Tube - confused, sweating, scared, spooked by himself is truly great. With very little special effects here, just a shadow of Mateo, this was film really well, placing fear in those who were watching.
Austin seems to have a method of making the actors excell. This little sequence is brilliantly staged and executed, in fact it reminds me a bit of the kind of filming the Kubrick used in THE SHINING (1979). I especially like the scene where the door jams.
What can I say, I must be a sucker for anything Ray Austin touched in yr.1
Happy Easter, Janet!
Petter
From: South Central (Tamazunchale@webtv4tag.net) Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1998 08:58:25 -0700 Subj: Space1999: The Troubled Spirit
My main complaint with this episode (my favorite) is that the scene where Victor explains his plan to eliminate the ghost (crucial to understanding the ending) is cut.
In novelization, Victor talks about having identified the energy wave pattern of the ghost and suggests they build a weapon that would project the opposite wave pattern (I forget the lingo) so that the crests and troughs will cancel each other out. This is clever and logical.
This scene must have been filmed because a clip of it shows up in the THIS EPISODE section showing the waves cancelling each other out.
At the end of the episode Victor just says, "The area between those terminals is lethal". We are left wondering WHY? How did he come up with a weapon against a ghost??? This is very upsetting. It is like leaving out the most important piece of evidence or explanation in a mystery story! Other wise this would have been a perfect episode. Couldn't they have trimmed 30 seconds from some other scene??
For some reason I have always felt this story spoke to me directly (in truth, the idea of a man being haunted by his own ghost fascinated me). I wonder why? :-)
Mateo
From: South Central (Tamazunchale@webtv4tag.net) Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1998 09:04:16 -0700 Subj: Space1999: Dan Mateo
Why do I and everybody else call this character Dan Mateo. Does anyone ACTUALLY say "DAN" in any scene. If I am not mistaken everyone just calls him by his last name (Mateo). I know that in the novelization he is referred to as Dan Mateo--MOSTLY. In at least one instance in the novelization he is referred to as Paul Mateo.
Obviously I am curious about his name.
Mateo (Who else?)
From: Patricia Embury (Patriemb@sprintmail4tag.com) Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1998 21:12:11 -0400 Subj: Space1999: Troubled Spirit
What a spooky episode, but a neat episode. I have to think that Johnny Byrne's Irish-Catholicism seemed to be very prominent in this episode. As an Irish-Catholic myself, I didn't notice as obviously as one might think, but I could see it in the reactions of the other characters to the events occurring. Victor's talk of an exorcism, Carter's disbelief in "an old fashioned spook haunting Alpha". The characters in the command meeting nearly sounded like my family.. especially my grandmother, and my friends from my Catholic high school when we discussed matters like these. This perspective adds to the flavor of the episode, especially when combined with the funky music, odd lighting, and camera angles when the "thing" attacked it's victims. The use of the "wind" effect on the plants when the psychic energy appeared was very effective.
The scene with Mateo in the travel tube, and the scene in which Mateo and Helena were talking about his experiment, then the creature appears to Helena, not to kill, but to, possibly, invite Helena to believe it exists, were the most affecting. Helena is the only one in the beginning to see the ghost, and not be attacked. Koenig doesn't appear to believe her, and it seems that Helena backs down from her position, or just waffles a little, but is very definite in what she felt. Helena is very strong and well played here, especially her reluctance to use the drug on Mateo. Koenig seems to ignore the warning, that he caused Mateo's death to proceed with the experiment with the force field. If they had put the scene in, that was in the novel, further explaining the experiment, this would have worked more for me. It would have made Koenig's statements at the end seem a little more believeable. Sandra demonstrated her practicality, and focused the meeting when she said that even though the entity may or may not be a ghost, it had to be dealt with. Good line. Carter and Morrow's expressions at the seance were priceless, although I think Sandra, although appropriately frightened, cowered just a little too much.
Happy Holidays to everyone!
From: judas@netmatters.co.uk (B J Dowling) Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1998 21:03:00 +0000 Subj: Space1999: OT: Holiday wishes
Hi folks,
I've spent most of this afternoon sat in front of the tv watching the announcement of the peace agreement in Northern Ireland. I almost couldn't believe what I was seeing, but today is *definitely* Good Friday.
To all on the list, and especially to any Alphans in Northern Ireland, my best wishes for this holiday period.
I'm working on a UKVL update over the weekend, including some more Look-In stuff I picked up from Memorabilia. A couple more covers, a nice shot of Tony Verdeschi, and a shot of Gareth Hunt should be up by Easter Monday at the latest.
I've also written a tribute to Cozy Powell, who died on Sunday last in a car crash. Any of you who have Rainbow, Whitesnake, Black Sabbath, MSG albums probably have some of his work in your CD collection. That page links to Cozy's Official Website, where more thoughts, reflections and tributes on his life can be found.
From: "Petter Ogland" (petter.ogland@dnmi4tag.no) Date: Sat, 11 Apr 1998 14:05:30 +0000 Subj: Re: Space1999: Troubled Spirit
I wonder of the problems of Northern Irleand could have effected some of the philosophical perspectives of Johnny Byrne. I seem to remember to have read that he was born in Dublin, and must have experienced much of the difficult political climate of the 1960s and early 1970s.
This could perhaps explain for his often bleak view of the world and deep concerns about the nature of man.
Petter
From: jcg@vh4tag.net Date: Sun, 12 Apr 1998 14:55:28 -0400 Subj: Space1999: The Troubled Spirit
Despite the stylized shooting and subject matter, this is actually a very straight forward episode. I don't have too many of my annoying, unhelpful plot nits.
I am a huge fan of single shot one takes. Watch the restored version of 1776 for many such. This episode has two. The first ran a minute 19 when it started with a close up of a wall and continued down the corridor and ended with a closeup of Mateo. The second was the dialog of the command conference. The entire scene went from character to character in one continuous shot.
One thing I can't decide on is the scene where Mateo flings Laura into the equipment cart, and then flings her towards the door. Is this an inconsistency in the writing, an example of domestic abuse in his character or what? Again I can't decide.
From: Patricia Embury (Patriemb@sprintmail4tag.com) Date: Sun, 12 Apr 1998 15:42:15 -0400 Subj: Re: Space1999: The Troubled Spirit
I am a huge fan of single shot one takes. Watch the restored version of 1776 for many such. This episode has two. The first ran a minute 19 when it started with a close up of a wall and continued down the corridor and ended with a closeup of Mateo. The second was the dialog of the command conference. The entire scene went from character to character in one continuous shot.
I'm glad you pointed this out. I never realized it. Neat!
One thing I can't decide on is the scene where Mateo flings Laura into the equipment cart, and then flings her towards the door. Is this an inconsistency in the writing, an example of domestic abuse in his character or what? Again I can't decide.
I think it's a visual display of the pent-up rage Mateo feels. It helps make the ghost, and the theory that it acts from Mateo's rage more plausable. Laura gets killed in the scene immediately after this. I think it sets up her murder quite nicely.
From: Riccardo Iommi (r.iommi@mailcity4tag.com) Date: Sun, 19 Apr 1998 23:05:35 -0700 Subj: Space1999: A question: Dan Mateo (sorry I'm late)
Hi Alphans,
what time is it on Alpha in the closing scene of The Troubled Spirit?
Bye,
Riccardo
From: Horst Noll (HNoll@t-online4tag.de) Date: Mon, 20 Apr 1998 22:18:10 +0200 Subj: Re: Space1999: A question: Dan Mateo (sorry I'm late)
11:59
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