[EDITOR'S NOTE: This started with a discussion of 'Catacombs of the Moon',
and demonstrates how frequently conversation got dragged to
'Ring Around the Moon.' This thread got somewhat intense.]
From: "Petter Ogland" (petter.ogland@dnmi4tag.no)
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 1998 14:57:26 +0000
Subject: Re: Space1999: Catacombs of the Moon
David Welle wrote:
> I've never liked this episode. In fact, it ranks as my least favorite of
> Y2, and second worst of the whole series, "beaten" only by "Ring Around the
> Moon."
Hm. To me CATACOMBS OF THE MOON was a rather good episode, and, by the way,
RING AROUND THE MOON is nothing less than excellent. In fact if more
episodes of Year One were like RING AROUND THE MOON there would be no
reason to change the format as they did for Year Two.
RING AROUND THE MOON is a masterpiece, I feel. This is the episode where
everything fits, tightly and nicely, the essence of what SPACE:1999 was
all about, namely investigation of the human condition constrained to
living in synthetic environment alienated from nature.
Even more than this, RING AROUND THE MOON deals with psychological
phenomena in the most thought provoking manner I've ever seen on popular
television. In fact, with RING AROUND THE MOON I feel SPACE:1999 reached
close to the level of Ibsen, Checkov and Shakespeare, but perhaps more
Ibsen and Checkov than Shakespeare as it feels so immensly relevant without
any kind of historical interpretation. Brilliant! Yes, this is the
epsiode that everything should be measured against, I feel, the pinnacle
of the series!
The sad thing, of course, is that everything went slightly downwards after
RING AROUND THE MOON. Remember, this was the fourth in the series when
everybody were still gloriously excited and nobody had really a grip on
how things were evolving and what SPACE:1999 would finally look like.
RING AROUND THE MOON captures this atmosphere brilliantly, I feel. Just
look at the actors. Have we ever seen a better Commander or a better
Dr. Russell than in this episode? If only they would have kept this
level! And take a look at Victor. Barry Morse performance is probably
worth the whole episode in it self, he even outdoes his magnificent
performance in the previous BLACK SUN. Stunning!
> In fact, curiously enough, some of the reasons are similar. There
> is entirely too much of people doing things for odd reasons or no apparent
> reasons at all (IMO, of course), under the influence of a confusing and
> unconvincing outside force, and is overall just utterly uninspiring.
Perhaps this is one of the reasons so many of us like CATACOMBS OF THE
MOON, it obviously tries for the realism of Year One. In fact, the more
I think of it, the better the episode is, probably the best thing
Terpiloff ever wrote.
> The constant dream imagery in "Catacombs" is one example. Very rarely has
> a TV series or movie pulled such an overdramatic one off without it looking
> corny to me, and I'm afraid "Catacombs" is part of the rule rather than one
> of the exceptions. Y1 tended to use this on occasions more often than Y2,
> and Y2 really doesn't work it around much better.
Yes, yes. The Year One feel implicit in CATACOMBS OF THE MOON. This is
problably one of the reasons it is so good.
> In fact, this episode has more of a Y1 "feel" about it in many ways, but
> unfortunately, it is largely on the worse side than the better side of this
> feel, I'm afraid, which is reflected in that all but one of the Y1 episodes
> are better than "Catacombs" -- most much better -- in my opinion.
You must be joking about RING AROUND THE MOON, the single best episode from
all of SPACE:1999! If there are episodes that are slightly weaker than
CATACOMBS OF THE MOON in Year One, it must be episodes like FULL CIRCLE,
DRAGON'S DOMAIN and the Terpiloff episodes. THE INFERNAL MACHINE is a
very weak episode within the Year One context I feel, but which would
probably work excellently within the framework of Year Two. It would then
become very similar to THE TAYBOR, I suspect.
> Patrick Osgood somehow came across as more of a crackpot than anything,
> despite the largely accurate nature of his perceptions. I'm not entirely
> sure why I feel this way. Maybe because the coming fire never did any real
> damage to Alpha in the end, almost making it seem the fire imagery was a
> red herring, or sort of add-on, to the main story, about the dying
> Michelle. Or maybe it was because it drove him to do things that only
> worsened her condition rather than helped. Maybe that was the point, but
> his character never really "gelled" together well in my mind. Michelle was
> sympathetic as the dying woman, but when they "threw" her into Patrick's
> fire visions, I'm back to the same problems with that aspect.
This was magnificent, I feel. It's sad that they didn't use Terpiloff
more for Year Two. His talents are shining like never before with this
epsiode, I feel.
Petter
Date: Wed, 09 Sep 1998 11:44:32 -0500
From: Jim Small (Eagle1@mts4tag.net)
Subject: Space1999: He's Ba-a-a-a-ck!
In a discussion about Catacombs Of The Moon, Petter "Ring Around The
Moon" Ogland wrote:
> RING AROUND THE MOON is nothing less than excellent.
> ...of Year One were like RING AROUND THE MOON there ...
> RING AROUND THE MOON is a masterpiece, I feel.
> Even more than this, RING AROUND THE MOON deals with
> ... with RING AROUND THE MOON I feel SPACE:1999...
> ...slightly downwards after RING AROUND THE MOON.
> RING AROUND THE MOON captures this atmosphere
> ...You must be joking about RING AROUND THE MOON, the
> single best episode from all of SPACE:1999!
(WHO'S joking??????)
Don't worry Petter! I'm not flaming. Just making a little fun
observation here! :)
Honestly I have to admit though that Catacombs in my opinion was the
single worst show in Season 2. I remember as a kid, waiting for Space:
1999 to come on Saturday afternoons during the rerun season, and
groaning whenever that episode came on. It was a really boring ep for me
at the time because I knew I wasn't going to see any good FX action. I
have to admit, it was an episode that I put down on the same level as
Petter's fave ep. What "Ring" was to season 1, "Catacombs" was to S2.
--
It's not the time it takes to take the takes,
it's the time it takes between the takes
that take the time to take!
__| _ \
| | / |
__| _` | _ | | _ \ | | _ \ _ \
| ( | ( | | __/ | | | | __/
___| \__,_|\__ | _|\___| ____/ _| _|\___|
|__/
E. James Small
Date: Wed, 09 Sep 1998 22:13:46 -0500
From: David Welle (dwelle@itol4tag.com)
Subject: Space1999: Ring Around the Catacombs of the Moon?
>Hm. To me CATACOMBS OF THE MOON was a rather good episode, and, by the way,
>RING AROUND THE MOON is nothing less than excellent. In fact if more
>episodes of Year One were like RING AROUND THE MOON there would be no
>reason to change the format as they did for Year Two.
Sorry, Petter, like I said, I'm refering to *my* least favorite(s).
>RING AROUND THE MOON is a masterpiece, I feel. This is the episode where
>everything fits, tightly and nicely, the essence of what SPACE:1999 was
>all about, namely investigation of the human condition constrained to
>living in synthetic environment alienated from nature.
I find the themes you mentioned in the last sentence interesting, and they
were at their most fascinating and thought-provoking in S19 in "Guardian of
Piri." But I find "Ring Around the Moon" a difficult and frustrating
episode that makes it hard to see or appreciate the theme. The episode's
style is one that I've just never really enjoyed.
>The sad thing, of course, is that everything went slightly downwards after
>RING AROUND THE MOON. Remember, this was the fourth in the series when
>everybody were still gloriously excited and nobody had really a grip on
>how things were evolving and what SPACE:1999 would finally look like.
I think that is maybe one of the major differences in how we perceive
things. I tend to prefer when everyone *has* gotten more of a grip on the
concepts and characters. So I also tend to find earlier episodes of many
series to often be inconsistent, and that it is often later in the first
season or later that the series is its strongest, when the actors have
gotten absorbed in their roles and they and the writers are on a roll
thematically. That is when I think a series has really "gained its voice."
It's more complicated than that, because it's not that the first episodes
of a series are bad, or that the later ones are all perfect by any means.
It's just a trend I've noticed with television series, or at least a trend
in my feelings. It's even more complicated in S19's case because of the
major changes between seasons.
>RING AROUND THE MOON captures this atmosphere brilliantly, I feel. Just
>look at the actors. Have we ever seen a better Commander or a better
>Dr. Russell than in this episode?
Sorry, this was Dr. Russell at or close to my least favorite, and is one of
several of her Y1 episodes that left my with a rather low opinion of her
character.
>Perhaps this is one of the reasons so many of us like CATACOMBS OF THE
>MOON, it obviously tries for the realism of Year One. In fact, the more
>I think of it, the better the episode is, probably the best thing
>Terpiloff ever wrote.
Oddly, and maybe it's just me, but his other four episodes, all from Y1,
are favorites of mine!
>Yes, yes. The Year One feel implicit in CATACOMBS OF THE MOON.
>This is problably one of the reasons it is so good.
Oh well, like I said, the types of styles presented in "Ring" and
"Catacombs" are just not my style. I thought a lot of other Y1 episodes
were stylish in a way that I enjoyed a great deal.
>You must be joking about RING AROUND THE MOON,
>the single best episode from all of SPACE:1999!
Sorry, Petter, it's not a joke, but opinion. There are a lot of things I
love about Y1, and a number of things I just happen to dislike, and "Ring"
had more -- in fact most -- of the latter elements. I just don't like the
style, pacing, characterization, or plot of this episode.
>If there are episodes that are slightly weaker than
>CATACOMBS OF THE MOON in Year One, it must be episodes like FULL CIRCLE,
>DRAGON'S DOMAIN and the Terpiloff episodes. THE INFERNAL MACHINE is a
>very weak episode within the Year One context I feel, but which would
>probably work excellently within the framework of Year Two. It would then
>become very similar to THE TAYBOR, I suspect.
Ironically, it is episodes like "The Infernal Machine," the Terpiloff
episodes, "Dragon's Domain" (but not "Full Circle"), "Breakaway,"
"Voyager's Return," and especially "Guardian of Piri," that formed the
strongest third of Y1 in my mind, episodes of humanity against the horrors
and oddities of space, and humanity's own demons, while struggling to hold
themselves together -- and come together.
"The Infernal Machine" itself (Gwent) and Taybor did have a number of
traits in common, especially their rather bombastic natures. I treat "The
Taybor" episode almost strictly as comedy, though (and in that way is
enjoyable), while Gwent and Companion were more seriously tragic characters
in a strong episode.
>> fire visions, I'm back to the same problems with that aspect.
>
>This was magnificent, I feel.
It's a plot/style device that I've rarely found compelling. Everyone's got
a different eye for art, and S19 is in many ways art. Some like one
artist's works, while another doesn't and instead prefer's another
artist's. Some like cubists, some like abstract, and so on.
>It's sad that they didn't use Terpiloff
>more for Year Two. His talents are shining
>like never before with this epsiode, I feel.
I agree it was sad, albeit for slightly different reasons, because I
thought his talents really shined in his *other* four episodes! Oh, well.
David Welle
From: "Mark Meskin" (plastic.gravity@new44rock.com)
Subject: Re: Space1999: Ring Around the Catacombs of the Moon?
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 1998 22:20:32 -0500
>>> I've never liked this episode. In fact, it ranks as my least favorite of
>>> Y2, and second worst of the whole series, "beaten" only by "Ring Around the
>>> Moon."
YEAH!!!!!!!! WOOOOOOOHOOOOOO!!!!!!! Your aim is dead on David! But
lets save some ammo for Missing Link :-)
> >Hm. To me CATACOMBS OF THE MOON was a rather good episode, and, by the way,
> >RING AROUND THE MOON is nothing less than excellent. In fact if more
> >episodes of Year One were like RING AROUND THE MOON there would be no
> >reason to change the format as they did for Year Two.
>
> Sorry, Petter, like I said, I'm refering to *my* least favorite(s).
>
> >RING AROUND THE MOON is a masterpiece, I feel.
RATM is crap. Misguided, poorly acted, dreadful dialogue, inchorrent
plot, main players severely out of character, dubious astronomical
references, some of the worst special FX, Cut-out bin soundtrack, and a
hackneyed plot that belongs in Star Trek! Wew! I could go on for hours
about what is wrong with this episode.
> >This is the episode where
> >everything fits, tightly and nicely, the essence of what SPACE:1999 was
> >all about, namely investigation of the human condition constrained to
> >living in synthetic environment alienated from nature.
Not in this Universe.
> I find the themes you mentioned in the last sentence interesting, and
they
> were at their most fascinating and thought-provoking in S19 in "Guardian
of
> Piri." But I find "Ring Around the Moon" a difficult and frustrating
> episode that makes it hard to see or appreciate the theme. The episode's
> style is one that I've just never really enjoyed.
Its crap.
> >The sad thing, of course, is that everything went slightly downwards after
> >RING AROUND THE MOON. Remember, this was the fourth in the series when
> >everybody were still gloriously excited and nobody had really a grip on
> >how things were evolving and what SPACE:1999 would finally look like.
RING is a fluke, its somehting that never should have been, face it, it was
early in the series and NO one really knew the direction it should take.
Fortunately, RING was not a picture of things to come, the show found its
voice, and by the time of Dragons Domain the show lived up fully to all its
potential.
> >RING AROUND THE MOON captures this atmosphere brilliantly, I feel. Just
> >look at the actors. Have we ever seen a better Commander or a better
> >Dr. Russell than in this episode?
>
> Sorry, this was Dr. Russell at or close to my least favorite, and is one of
> several of her Y1 episodes that left my with a rather low opinion of her
> character.
I agree, she looks drugged, even is the scenes in which she is supposed to
be OK.
> >Perhaps this is one of the reasons so many of us like CATACOMBS OF THE
> >MOON, it obviously tries for the realism of Year One. In fact, the more
> >I think of it, the better the episode is, probably the best thing
> >Terpiloff ever wrote.
Peter.....your helmet visor is leaking again, starving your brain of
oxygen. So.....you and who else like RING?
> >You must be joking about RING AROUND THE MOON,
> >the single best episode from all of SPACE:1999!
No, its the Worst....TRUST US.
> >If there are episodes that are slightly weaker than
> >CATACOMBS OF THE MOON in Year One, it must be episodes like FULL CIRCLE,
> >DRAGON'S DOMAIN and the Terpiloff episodes.
Here Peter, take this roll of Duct Tape, it should be strong enough to
patch that leaky visor.......
> Ironically, it is episodes like "The Infernal Machine," the Terpiloff
> episodes, "Dragon's Domain" (but not "Full Circle"), "Breakaway,"
> "Voyager's Return," and especially "Guardian of Piri," that formed the
> strongest third of Y1 in my mind, episodes of humanity against the horrors
> and oddities of space, and humanity's own demons, while struggling to hold
> themselves together -- and come together.
I agree!
Mark
From: "Petter Ogland" (petter.ogland@dnmi4tag.no)
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1998 10:21:51 +0000
Subject: Re: Space1999: Ring Around the Catacombs of the Moon?
> YEAH!!!!!!!! WOOOOOOOHOOOOOO!!!!!!! Your aim is dead on David! But
> lets save some ammo for Missing Link :-)
MISSING LINK is another wonderful episode, I feel, the second in the
di Lorenzo triology of Year One, and a very good continuation of RING
AROUND THE MOON.
MISSING LINK shows, I feel, that even if the climax was reached with the
fourth episode RING AROUND THE MOON, the writers and producers still had
the stamina to continue making quality entertainment of a more challenging
type. After di Lorenzo used RING AROUND THE MOON to investigate the
meaning of knowledge and rationality in the context of meaning of life
the investigation of love and other emotions, the essence of MISSING LINK,
is a very interesting path, I think.
In fact, I think RING AROUND THE MOON, MISSING LINK and ALPHA CHILD are
all great examples of SPACE:1999 at it's very best, although I feel
RING AROUND THE MOON is vastly superior to the other two even though
they were all written and directed by Edward di Lorenzo and Ray Austin,
two of the most outstanding contributers to the unique style of Year One,
I feel.
> RATM is crap. Misguided, poorly acted, dreadful dialogue, inchorrent
> plot, main players severely out of character, dubious astronomical
> references, some of the worst special FX, Cut-out bin soundtrack, and a
> hackneyed plot that belongs in Star Trek! Wew! I could go on for hours
> about what is wrong with this episode.
I see it differently, though. To me RING AROUND THE MOON is an example
of SPACE: 1999 at its very best. The philosophical theme of this story
is immensly intruiging, I feel. In fact it is an episode I have
watched a very great number of times and still gives me great pleasure.
More than this, if I've got an overdose of Year Two or some of the less
sucessful episodes of Year One, RING AROUND THE MOON is the episode that
recharges the batteries.
And the acting, yes. The acting is awsome in this one, isn't it? I wonder
if we've ever seen Koenig, Russell and Bergman so realistically portrayed
as in RING AROUND THE MOON. This is the episode were all the pieces fall
together, I feel. This is not only the acting, but also the superior
dialogues that are used in the episode. The epilogue for RING AROUND THE
MOON some of the best dialogue I've ever seen on television. Brilliant!
More than this. Not only is it aesthetically pleasing, it is also a
supreme intellectual challange, this episode. From my point of view
this episode comes rather close, in fact, in explaining the very essence
of life, what it is to be a human being. I believe I would even go as
far as to compare this masterpiece of di Lorenzo with the greatest
playwrights ever such as Sofokles, Moliere, Shakespeare, Ibsen, Checkov,
Beckett, Ionesco. And not only is the writing excellent, the very
production is, in my opinion, trancending the regular scope of TV
entertaining and bringing it to the level of Bergman, Fellini, Antonioni,
Godard, Kubrick, Truffaut, Altman as a piece of art which it really is,
at least the way I see it. Wonderful, absolutely wonderful!
If there was ever anything that made SPACE:1999 stand above STAR TREK
and alike, RING AROUND THE MOON must be it. This is art.
> > >This is the episode where
> > >everything fits, tightly and nicely, the essence of what SPACE:1999 was
> > >all about, namely investigation of the human condition constrained to
> > >living in synthetic environment alienated from nature.
>
> Not in this Universe.
In the Universe, yes, at least, say, the Universe of great literature as
defined by Harold Bloom and his like, the Cultural Canon of Western
Civilisation. To me RING AROUND THE MOON comes close to reaching such a
pinnacle, and I would not even hesitate to speak about it with the same
breath as of Dostojevsky, Tolstoy and Turgenjev. RING AROUND THE MOON
is like Adam touching the finger of God in Michelangelo's painting for
the ceiling of St. Peter church in Rome, I feel, or at least close to it
in the way that it touches the very essence of human spirit and the
way we understand our lives. Fantastic, isn't it?
> Its crap.
I think differently about this as well. To me RING AROUND THE MOON even
excells GUARDIAN OF PIRI, which I feel is a very fine episode indeed.
While GUARDIAN OF PIRI is not too unlike BLACK SUN in the way it touches
and focuses on spirituality, I feel. Not surprising, I suppose, as they
are both written, at least in first draft, by the same author, namely
the orientally inclined philosopher-writer David Weir.
RING AROUND THE MOON brings the parallells to real life even closer, I
feel, by the investigation of fundamental issues as communication, alienation,
and the meaning of knowledge in a social context. What I would like
to stress even more than the intellectual aspects of RING AROUND THE
MOON, however, is the emotional impact of the episode. The emotional
aspects were the things that really got to me in 1975, the excellent
use of light and camera. If an episode of SPACE:1999 ever got close
to being a Wagnerian amalgam of all cultural and artistic life, RING
AROUND THE MOON must be it. The extremely efficient use of music and
light is spectacular to an extent which was never again reached within
SPACE:1999 and very seldom elsewhere, I feel.
> RING is a fluke, its somehting that never should have been, face it, it was
> early in the series and NO one really knew the direction it should take.
> Fortunately, RING was not a picture of things to come, the show found its
> voice, and by the time of Dragons Domain the show lived up fully to all its
> potential.
DRAGON'S DOMAIN, while very good in some aspects, such as music, special
effects and Crichton's direction during the action sequences, is also one
of the very worst of episodes in other aspects I feel. Mind you, Mark,
DRAGON'S DOMAIN is the episode that introducted the ghastly jackets that
anticipate the comic-strip visual style of Year Two, and the inane dialogue
that one would almost need a Freiberger to make up.
My guess is that Abe Mandell of ITC New York visited Gerry Anderson and
the lot while DRAGON'S DOMAIN was in preparation and forced bad taste
upon the episode, probably eating mustard sandwitches as David Lerda
suggested in an other context, and consequently killing off SPACE:1999
as we knew it. DRAGON'S DOMAIN marks the killing of SPACE:1999, I think,
perhaps with Byrne's TESTAMENT OF ARKADIA as a sort of symbolic burial of
the series before it rose to life again metamorhped into new existence
with Year Two.
> I agree, she looks drugged, even is the scenes in which she is supposed to
> be OK.
Somebody have suggested, quite illustratively I think, that Helena look
drugged in WAR GAMES and drunk in GUARDIAN OF PIRI. In RING AROUND THE
MOON she looks neither, I think. In fact, I feel she looks very much
herself in this episode, a brilliant episode by the way.
It is interesting to notice how well Barbara Bain was casted in the
early episodes. BREAKAWAY, MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH, BLACK SUN and
RING AROUND THE MOON are all brilliant on her account, I think, some
of the best work she did for SPACE:1999 ever, I think.
The way I see it, the decline began with EARTHBOUND, written by the
experienced script writer who could not write science fiction, Terpiloff,
as I believe a central person in the writing group for Year One called
him.
While EARTHBOUND is not the worst of the Terpiloff episodes, and probably
the one of his five outings that worked the best withing the framework of
Year One, it is sad to see how the actors are struggling in order bring
life to the poorly underwritten characters. Barbara Bain and Barry Morse
are the ones who suffer the most, I feel.
I suppose they felt a bit down doing this after having done the masterpiece
RING AROUND THE MOON. It must have been a tremendous let down. Even
Roy Dotrice as Simmonds looks extremely poor in comparence with his
excelletn and complex appearance in BREAKAWAY.
Well, well. What could one expect anyway? After the brilliance of RING
AROUND THE MOON, I suppose it was impossible to find a script to match
the quality and they settled for the Terpiloff stuff that would have
been excellent in Year Two but was close to a disaster with the impact
it had on the development of Year One, I believe.
> Petter.....your helmet visor is leaking again, starving your brain of
> oxygen. So.....you and who else like RING?
I was actually speaking of CATACOMBS OF THE MOON, here, an episode that
at least according to last weeks discussion seem to be enjoyed by many.
In the case of RING AROUND THE MOON, I do in fact believe that there are
many who like this as well, mind you, the way I see it, it is one of the
best episodes of the series. Surely most of those who enjoy SPACE:1999
must like RING AROUND THE MOON. Perhaps they are intimidated by saying
so?
> No, its the Worst....TRUST US.
RING AROUND THE MOON is wonderful, isn't it? Whenever I think of SPACE:1999,
the things I like about the series, RING AROUND THE MOON pops up in my
mind. I'm glad we are beginning to discuss this episode again. Thanks
David Welle for bringing it up. Excellent!
[EDITOR'S NOTE: Ack, by now, I was starting to regret it! :-]
> Here Petter, take this roll of Duct Tape, it should be strong enough to
> patch that leaky visor.......
FULL CIRCLE and DRAGON'S DOMAIN are typically late Year One episodes, I
feel, where much of the air has left the balloon. FULL CIRCLE was written
as one of the original scripts before BREAKAWAY had been produced, and
being written by American writer Laskey and wife probably explains some
of the STAR TREK feel to it. Bob Kellett tried to save some of it, however,
but did much better when he was able to direct his own material with
THE LAST ENEMY, I think.
DRAGON'S DOMAIN is ITC New York's last leathal blow at the original
SPACE:1999 concept which shatters it all and gives us hint about what
to expect for Year Two, I suppose. Tragic.
> > Ironically, it is episodes like "The Infernal Machine," the Terpiloff
> > episodes, "Dragon's Domain" (but not "Full Circle"), "Breakaway,"
> > "Voyager's Return," and especially "Guardian of Piri," that formed the
> > strongest third of Y1 in my mind, episodes of humanity against the horrors
> > and oddities of space, and humanity's own demons, while struggling to hold
> > themselves together -- and come together.
>
> I agree!
Looking at other episodes than RING AROUND THE MOON there were some very
good ones, I agree. Among these, BREAKAWAY, VOYAGER'S RETURN and GUARDIAN
OF PIRI are among some of the best, I feel, all of these combining
philosophy, context and high production qualities in excellent manner.
Petter
From: "Simon Morris" (simes01@global44net.co.uk)
Subject: Re: Space1999: Ring Around the Catacombs of the Moon?
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1998 13:35:16 +0100
> If there was ever anything that made SPACE:1999 stand above STAR TREK
> and alike, RING AROUND THE MOON must be it. This is art.
Petter,you don't know when to lie down,do you? If there was an award for
flogging dead horses,you'd be collecting it right now. RING AROUND THE MOON is
crap. I don't know *anyone* else that likes it. I can't see any point in trying
to convince them otherwise either. Please let's move on....
> DRAGON'S DOMAIN, while very good in some aspects, such as music, special
> effects and Crichton's direction during the action sequences, is also one
> of the very worst of episodes in other aspects I feel. Mind you, Mark,
> DRAGON'S DOMAIN is the episode that introducted the ghastly jackets that
> anticipate the comic-strip visual style of Year Two, and the inane dialogue
> that one would almost need a Freiberger to make up.
I totally disagree. And I don't think it consciously anticipated anything that
came along in Y2. Hasn't this all been said before?
> My guess is that Abe Mandell of ITC New York visited Gerry Anderson and
> the lot while DRAGON'S DOMAIN was in preparation and forced bad taste
> upon the episode, probably eating mustard sandwitches as David Lerda
> suggested in an other context, and consequently killing off SPACE:1999
> as we knew it. DRAGON'S DOMAIN marks the killing of SPACE:1999, I think,
> perhaps with Byrne's TESTAMENT OF ARKADIA as a sort of symbolic burial of
> the series before it rose to life again metamorhped into new existence
> with Year Two.
Completely unsubstantiated guesswork Petter. And way over the top.
> The way I see it, the decline began with EARTHBOUND, written by the
> experienced script writer who could not write science fiction, Terpiloff,
> as I believe a central person in the writing group for Year One called
> him.
The decline began with EARTHBOUND?!!!!!!!!!!
> While EARTHBOUND is not the worst of the Terpiloff episodes, and probably
> the one of his five outings that worked the best withing the framework of
> Year One, it is sad to see how the actors are struggling in order bring
> life to the poorly underwritten characters. Barbara Bain and Barry Morse
> are the ones who suffer the most, I feel.
Whereas everyone else but you Petter thinks this is a classic episode. You
don't perhaps think this might tell you something??
> I suppose they felt a bit down doing this after having done the masterpiece
> RING AROUND THE MOON. It must have been a tremendous let down. Even
> Roy Dotrice as Simmonds looks extremely poor in comparence with his
> excelletn and complex appearance in BREAKAWAY.
Petter................No. I'm going to restrain myself(chuckle)
Simon
From: "Ariana" (ariana@n44direct.co.uk)
Subject: Re: Space1999: Ring Around the Catacombs of the Moon?
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1998 14:24:29 +0100
<snip lots of stuff which I *have* read but really don't have time to
comment on -- except to say Shakespeare and Molière had a much better sense
of humour than was evident in RATM>
>I was actually speaking of CATACOMBS OF THE MOON, here, an episode that
>at least according to last weeks discussion seem to be enjoyed by many.
Tony in a tanktop beats Helena in her nightie any day, imo. <vbg>
>In the case of RING AROUND THE MOON, I do in fact believe that there are
>many who like this as well, mind you, the way I see it, it is one of the
>best episodes of the series. Surely most of those who enjoy SPACE:1999
>must like RING AROUND THE MOON. Perhaps they are intimidated by saying
>so?
Nah, I don't think so. :) I can certainly add myself and my boyfriend to the
hordes on this list who *don't* like RATM. Assuming the population on Online
Alpha is representative of "those who enjoy Space:1999" and judging from the
expressions of dislike for this ep voiced so far on the list, I'd say that
your assumption most people must like RATM is probably incorrect. OTOH,
short of running a statistical survey of all known fans, the real answer
might be difficult to find.
>FULL CIRCLE and DRAGON'S DOMAIN are typically late Year One episodes,
Hehe. My man and I were watching Full Circle the other night and asked
ourselves a question that I'm sure many people have asked before... How the
hell did the mist change their clothes?!?
Emma
From: "Petter Ogland" (petter.ogland@dnmi4tag.no)
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1998 13:26:19 +0000
Subject: Re: Space1999: Ring Around the Catacombs of the Moon?
> Petter,you don't know when to lie down,do you? If there was an award for
> flogging dead horses,you'd be collecting it right now. RING AROUND THE MOON is
> crap. I don't know *anyone* else that likes it. I can't see any point in trying
> to convince them otherwise either. Please let's move on....
I feel differently here, however, and, contrary to your suggestions, I
actually believe that there are many more than I that take great pleasure
in RING AROUND THE MOON. Not only is RING AROUND THE MOON one of the
best episodes of SPACE:1999, I feel, much more than that actually. For me
RING AROUND THE MOON is more like the finest hour of Television I can come
to think of for the moment.
Just the mention of RING AROUND THE MOON makes me think of what a spectacular
show SPACE:1999 actually was, and, mind you, what would it have been
without Edward di Lorenzo and RING AROUND THE MOON? In fact, very much
of the philosophical and psychological implications in the early episodes
has much to do with his presence, I believe, and it was a tremendous loss
for the series that he was more or less forced to leave, as I understand it,
just like Penfolds being forced to leave was the final nail in the coffin
for Year One.
> I totally disagree. And I don't think it consciously anticipated anything that
> came along in Y2. Hasn't this all been said before?
DRAGON'S DOMAIN being the kill of all original intents of SPACE:1999 is
something I've been more and more convinced about. SPACE BRAIN was the
last of the really good episodes that had the Penfold touch, I feel, even
though he was forced to leave, I understand, before they started the
production of the episode even though he himself had written it.
The four last episodes, THE INFERNAL MACHINE, MISSION OF THE DARIANS,
DRAGON'S DOMAIN and TESTAMENT OF ARKADIA are very much hit and miss, I feel,
the Byrne episodes being the most interesting, especially the final one,
TESTAMENT OF ARKADIA, although it seems quite evident by now that "the death
struggle of inferior species is very often the finest hour of their existence.
But the end is, nevertheless, the end." as Penfold put it through his
alien in WAR GAMES.
> Completely unsubstantiated guesswork Petter. And way over the top.
Completely unsubstantianted, I agree, but, nevertheless, I would not
put it as over the top. On the contrary, the radical change of direction
after Penfold left, a change of direction that was very much for the worse,
may indicate that Anderson and the rest were getting bullied from the
outside.
As everybody knows, ITC New York was very displeased with the best of
SPACE:1999, such as MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH and BLACK SUN, wanting
action instead of psychology and meaning, so I would not consider it over
the top to guess that we once again had ITC New York interference at
this point where everything seem to go completely off the track.
> The decline began with EARTHBOUND?!!!!!!!!!!
Indeed, or this is how I feel anyway. EARTHBOUND is a rather weak episode
with very little psychology, as far as I can see, and with written tension
very much on the surface level instead of a deeper understanding of Alpha
as is the case with RING AROUND THE MOON for instance.
Had it not been for the actors and director still being in good shape and
still perhaps feeling the vibrations from RING AROUND THE MOON shot the
previous week, or in the case of director Charles Crichton perhaps still
feeling some of the vibrartions from the magnificent MATTER OF LIFE AND
DEATH, this episode could easily have been much, much worse, I believe.
EARTHBOUND is a typical simplistic run-around episode of the Year Two
type, I feel, that is partly saved by the dignity of Year One production
values and actors trying to do their best although they obviously are
playing much more on routine in this one than in the previous RING AROUND
THE MOON which must have challenged creativity significantly.
> Whereas everyone else but you Petter thinks this is a classic episode. You
> don't perhaps think this might tell you something??
I can't believe that "everyone" thinks this is a classic episode, well not
at least classic in the same possive manner as BREAKAWAY, MATTER OF LIFE
AND DEATH, RING AROUND THE MOON, LAST SUNSET and WAR GAMES, some of the
episodes of SPACE:1999 that really held the show together.
I believe more, like Martin Willey stated once, that EARTHBOUND was something
quickly pasted together in order to make use of the Simmonds character that
was such a magnificent element in BREAKAWAY.
Like all the Terpiloff episodes, I feel this one would be much more fitting
within the comic-strip context of Year Two where one does not care all
that much about the characters anyway and is more inclined to enjoy the
shows because of the philosophical elements written into them. EARTHBOUND
is pure childern's fair, I feel, just like THE TAYBOR, but just like
THE TAYBOR the strenght of the episodes lies in what lies between the
lines of writing rather than the writing it self.
> > I suppose they felt a bit down doing this after having done the masterpiece
> > RING AROUND THE MOON. It must have been a tremendous let down. Even
> > Roy Dotrice as Simmonds looks extremely poor in comparence with his
> > excelletn and complex appearance in BREAKAWAY.
>
> Petter................No. I'm going to restrain myself(chuckle)
Compare Roy Dotrice in EARTHBOUND with Barry Morse in RING AROUND THE MOON
for example. Really scary, isn't it, and even worse if we actually
compare what kind of lines Morse is given in EARTHBOUND as compared with
RING AROUND THE MOON. It almost makes one sick to think about it. I
understand very well that Morse felt less and less happy with the series
as they went along, having less and less intelligble things to say.
As Barry Morse stated it, he felt the series reached its highest point
with the third episode, BLACK SUN, and only wished they had tried to
keep up with that level for the rest of the series. Well, it was not to
be, although personally I find RING AROUND THE MOON to be an even more
impressive episode than BLACK SUN, enhancing everything that was good with
BLACK SUN and even improving adding more creative camerawork, more
interesting dialogue and a greater flow in the flux of acting.
It is incredible to think about how good SPACE:1999 actually was at the
time they made RING AROUND THE MOON. "For every thing that might have
been", as John said in BLACK SUN, but when I think of RING AROUND THE
MOON and the episodes made at this time, I feel more like Victor, "For
everything that was." Wonderful!
Petter
From: "Petter Ogland"
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1998 14:18:38 +0000
Subject: Re: Space1999: Ring Around the Catacombs of the Moon?
> snip lots of stuff which I *have* read but really don't have time to
> comment on -- except to say Shakespeare and Molière had a much better sense
> of humour than was evident in RATM
Well perhaps I should have suggested Corneille instead of Moliere, it is
because of it tragic proporsions and the deep quest for understanding of
the human soul, of course, that is the interesting bit with RING AROUND THE
MOON.
Actually I can't see much intended comedy in this episode, and thank
heavens for that, although there is a small inside joke about the head
of technical department being called Anderson. I assume this was
di Lorenzo or Penfold's comment on Gerry being mostly interested
with the technical aspect of the plots.
> Nah, I don't think so. :) I can certainly add myself and my boyfriend to the
> hordes on this list who *don't* like RATM. Assuming the population on Online
> Alpha is representative of "those who enjoy Space:1999" and judging from the
> expressions of dislike for this ep voiced so far on the list, I'd say that
> your assumption most people must like RATM is probably incorrect. OTOH,
> short of running a statistical survey of all known fans, the real answer
> might be difficult to find.
Interesting you say this, Emma, because here I feel quite differently. It
is my belief that RING AROUND THE MOON is one of the more popular episodes,
contrary to what is sometimes written on this list. Being one of the
most fascinating episodes of Year One, the very essence of SPACE:1999, how
could it actually score differently? Well, this is how I think anyway.
Mind you, I haven't seen Pierre Fageolle write anything disfavourable
about this episode. I don't remember what John Kenneth Muir wrote, but
he seems to have rather off-the-wall opinions anyway, so I have difficulty
remember what he wrote on particular episodes. What do the FANDERSON
seniors think? As I haven't a clue, it would be interesting to know, but
I would not be surprised if they rated it among the top ten.
> Hehe. My man and I were watching Full Circle the other night and asked
> ourselves a question that I'm sure many people have asked before... How the
> hell did the mist change their clothes?!?
Yes, I've never minded that very much actually, but find the grunting and
running around in this episode rather putting me off, almost like a Year
One version of RULES OF LUTON with Bob Kellett trying to put some dignity
to it which would be rather difficult, I believe, just as it would have
been using RULES OF LUTON as a starting point.
I feel FULL CIRCLE works better as a sort of prelude to Year Two. It is
not an episode that is particulary enjoyable to watch, I think, but some
of the philosophical implications and possible references to 2001: A
SPACE ODYSSEY and LORD OF THE RINGS is okay.
If one would like to see something that survives repeated watching I
would rather prefer RING AROUND THE MOON. This is one of the episodes
I have watched the most, and, interestingly, the Vic Elms/Alan Willis
soundtrack still has a profound effect on me, just like Barry Gray's
chef oevre for the series, BREAKAWAY. Wonderful, isn't it?
Petter
From: "Petter Ogland" (petter.ogland@dnmi4tag.no)
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1998 15:57:56 +0000
Subject: Space1999: Re: Ring Around the Catacombs of the Moon?
> Sorry, Petter, like I said, I'm refering to *my* least favorite(s).
RING AROUND THE MOON is my top favourite. It is interesting to see how
taste differs. To me CATACOMBS OF THE MOON comes a cross as something
slightly reminicent of the better days of Year One, by no means comparable
with the classig RING AROUND THE MOON, of course, but, nevertheless, quite
comparable with the earlier work of Anthony Terpiloff.
I'm glad you mention RING AROUND THE MOON, David, I feel it is definetely
time that we discuss this one again. In fact, it is quite interesting
that RING AROUND THE MOON is brought up in the context of Year Two as
this episode is very much the antidote of whatever Year Two stood for, I
feel. If Year Two plots were driven by outer motivation, RING AROUND THE
MOON is the arch example, I feel, of an episode that is purely devoted
to the inner motivations of the Alphans and, more interestingly, using
the scenario of the run away Moon as a stage for investigating the inner
psychological mechanisms of modern man.
In fact, for me RING AROUND THE MOON is everything I wanted SPACE:1999 to
be and my fondest memory of the series. RING AROUND THE MOON was quoted
quite a bit during the series too, now wasn't it? I believe Penfold must
have been quite impressed by di Lorenzo's work here as he uses so many
similar elements in later episodes, both WAR GAMES and SPACE BRAIN are nice
examples of this, I feel.
> >RING AROUND THE MOON is a masterpiece, I feel. This is the episode where
> >everything fits, tightly and nicely, the essence of what SPACE:1999 was
> >all about, namely investigation of the human condition constrained to
> >living in synthetic environment alienated from nature.
>
> I find the themes you mentioned in the last sentence interesting, and they
> were at their most fascinating and thought-provoking in S19 in "Guardian of
> Piri." But I find "Ring Around the Moon" a difficult and frustrating
> episode that makes it hard to see or appreciate the theme. The episode's
> style is one that I've just never really enjoyed.
GUARDIAN OF PIRI, oh yes. That is one of my favourites too. It is not all
that different from RING AROUND THE MOON, is it? There is something quite
similar in the writing of David Weir and Edward di Lorenzo, isn't it?
personally I feel there is an axis along these two writers cross-intersecting
the axis between Penfold and Byrne.
For me RING AROUND THE MOON is the definitive SPACE:1999 experience, but I
understand very well that you like GUARDIAN OF PIRI as well. GUARDAN OF
PIRI revolves along many of the same psychological phenomena that RING
AROUND THE MOON investitages and it even makes the same mix-up of
astronomical issues as RING AROUND THE MOON does, if I remember correctly,
speaking of galaxies, star systems and universes.
I don't know how this came to be, but Chris Penfold rewriting both scripts
and being head writer at the time may perhaps have had something to do
with it. Personally I don't mind. To me science fiction is more fiction
than science, but I definitely feel the "scientific" approach of Year One
more believeable the the "fantasy" approach of Year Two as somebody put
it recently. In the case of RING AROUND THE MOON I feel the important
thing is how these people respond to situations, not so much the situations
themselves. This is one of the main reasons I like RING AROUND THE MOON
so much along with other earily episodes like BREAKAWAY, MATTER OF LIFE AND
DEATH and BLACK SUN.
> I think that is maybe one of the major differences in how we perceive
> things. I tend to prefer when everyone *has* gotten more of a grip on the
> concepts and characters. So I also tend to find earlier episodes of many
> series to often be inconsistent, and that it is often later in the first
> season or later that the series is its strongest, when the actors have
> gotten absorbed in their roles and they and the writers are on a roll
> thematically. That is when I think a series has really "gained its voice."
For me it is very much the other way around. I feel that the early
dynamic episodes of SPACE:1999 were the best, before it all became formula
and the actors, writers and directors apparently lost interest.
I agree there are some good episodes made after RING AROUND THE MOON, but
very few of those reach this level, I feel. Some of my favourites from
the middle period, when things have perhaps settled a bit and everybody
knows who John Koenig, Helena Russell and Victor Bergman are and how they
respond to various situations, are episodes like GUARDIAN OF PIRI,
THE LAST SUNSET, VOYAGER'S RETURN and WAR GAMES. In an episode like GUARDIAN
OF PIRI a very vital part of the plot, as I see it, is the odd behaviour
of Victor. This works only because we by now know him so well and are
struck by his misconceived enthusiasm for Piri. In the episode prior to
that, MISSING LINK, this very same techniche was made with even more
impact, I feel. Well, hardly surprising perhaps as MISSING LINK was
written by Edward di Lorenzo, the genious behind RING AROUND THE MOON.
Both in MISSING LINK and RING AROUND THE MOON most of the action is
in the inner space of the soul. It is almost like James Joyce or
Virginia Woolf, isn't it? The way people act, think and talk in these
episodes are absolutely fascinating, I think, a deep interception into
what Moonbase Alpha is really all about. Deeply facinating, I would say.
> Sorry, this was Dr. Russell at or close to my least favorite, and is one of
> several of her Y1 episodes that left my with a rather low opinion of her
> character.
My impression is quite contrary. The Dr. Russell that Barbara Bain
managed to present in this episode is a natural introspective analysis
that digs far deeper into her personality than she did with BREAKAWAY,
MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH and BLACK SUN. In fact, one of the problems
Barbara perhaps was facing was that by having such a deep exploration of
her character early on in the series the rest of SPACE:1999 could easily
become nothing more than footnotes to RING AROUND THE MOON and the
previous excellent pieces as she was concerned.
Already in EARTHBOUND, the beginning of the decline from my point of view,
she seems to be taking a much more shallow approch to her character. Very
sad this, I feel, as she is so brilliant in the first four episodes,
well consistantly brilliant that is, she has her moments later on too, of
course, the psychologically interesting LAST ENEMY should really have
been a showcase for her, but sadly Kellett rewrote the script, perhaps he
was forced to, and the final draft seems sadly lame as compared to the
juicer and significantly more interesting early drafts.
Well, no matter how one looks upon it, I suppose, most of us would agree
upon the magnificent part of Helena in RING AROUND THE MOON. Apart from
its enormously interesting artistic and intellectual appeal, much of
the joy of the episode is to watch Barbara Bain excell beyond belief
in this episode. You know, I could watch this episode over and over and
over again. Fantastic.
> >Perhaps this is one of the reasons so many of us like CATACOMBS OF THE
> >MOON, it obviously tries for the realism of Year One. In fact, the more
> >I think of it, the better the episode is, probably the best thing
> >Terpiloff ever wrote.
>
> Oddly, and maybe it's just me, but his other four episodes, all from Y1,
> are favorites of mine!
Terpiloff in Year One remind me of Year Two, Terpiloff in Year Two
remind me of Year One. Do you think this could have anything to do
with how you perceive things? My dislike of Terpiloff in Year One
and fascination in Year Two must have something to do with this, I
believe.
Petter
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1998 18:21:24 -0500
From: Greg Martinez (gremart@ix.net44com.com)
Subject: Re: Space1999: Ring Around the Catacombs of the Moon Pole
OH Hell, Not Ring Around The Toilet again!! Somebody call the Tidy Bowl
Man : )
I have an Idea for a Pole! Who out there would like to see the topic of
"Ring around the Moon" never to be seen again on the list. : )
Greg
From: South Central (Tamazunchale@web44tv.net)
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1998 08:11:19 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Space1999: Reluctantly....
Reluctantly....I feel I have to admit that I, too, like Ring Around the
Moon. Is there a twelve steps program for this??
I like the feel of it, the music, the atmosphere, the very cool
soundeffects...I LIKE the raspy whispering voices of the Tritons. I
thought their depiction (especially before the advent of VCRs and freeze
frames) was effective and chilling. I even like the story!
BUT, that deflected "light deflector/tractor beam" was terrible, I
freely admit.
AND, Victor finding out the info on Triton on his star charts is
HOKUM!!!!!!!!!! Pure and simple!
AND the resolution was straight out of Star Trek (The Changeling, Return
of the Archons, etc, etc, etc, etc...). Outwitting the computer and
having it explode is a science fiction cliché (The Prisoner: The
General) and was overused BEFORE 1999!!
Other than that (and no explanation given as to the restoration of
Helena's optic nerve) I LIKE this episode. It has that "early Year One
feeling" like Matter of Life and Death (an episode itself copied in Y2
ST: TNG) and Earthbound. And a coda that we all quote whether we like
the episode or not, or so I've noticed on the list.
Mateo
From: Atomic Possum (atomicpossum@toast4tag.net)
Subject: Re: Space1999: Reluctantly....
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1998 11:14:28 -0500
>Reluctantly....I feel I have to admit that I, too, like Ring Around the
>Moon. Is there a twelve steps program for this??
Alas, no. It's probably too small a pool to form a support group...
:-)
>I like the feel of it, the music, the atmosphere, the very cool
>soundeffects...I LIKE the raspy whispering voices of the Tritons. I
>thought their depiction (especially before the advent of VCRs and freeze
>frames) was effective and chilling. I even like the story!
Personally, I like the Tritons visually--they remind me of certain
elements from THE OUTER LIMITS (the episode "The Moonstone" oddly and
appropriately enough) which is one of my all time favorite shows.
>BUT, that deflected "light deflector/tractor beam" was terrible, I
>freely admit.
Yep. Anybody notice how slow the speed of light is in 1999? I mean,
the stun guns and Eagle lasers move sooooo slooooowly..... :-)
>AND, Victor finding out the info on Triton on his star charts is
>HOKUM!!!!!!!!!! Pure and simple!
On Doctor Who, it could have worked. On 1999, however, it seemed like
a very unlikely solution--it seems like they had no idea of how to wrap it
up more plausibly.
Jon "Mr. Wonderful" Stadter
From: Petter Ogland (petter.ogland@dnmi4tag.no)
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1998 16:27:50 +0000
Subject: Re: Space1999: Reluctantly....
> Reluctantly....I feel I have to admit that I, too, like Ring Around the
> Moon. Is there a twelve steps program for this??
Wonderful, wonderful! This confirms just what I have been thinking
all the time, that actually most of us like RING AROUND THE MOON, but
for some reason people have been hesitating to say so.
Strange, isn't it? When we have the obviously most substancial and
interesting episode being debated only few admit to liking it? It seems
like reverse logic to me, but, never mind, I do not hesitate one
minute to share my enjoyment with this episode.
> I like the feel of it, the music, the atmosphere, the very cool
> soundeffects...I LIKE the raspy whispering voices of the Tritons. I
> thought their depiction (especially before the advent of VCRs and freeze
> frames) was effective and chilling. I even like the story!
Fantastic! I hope we will have tons and tons of pro RING AROUND THE
MOON letters now, this is really beginning to get interesting, people
are beginning to admit to the brilliance of this epitome of SPACE:1999!
The sound is indeed chilling, it is magnificent, I would say, and I too
really enjoy the whispering voices of the Tritons. Extremely efficient,
I feel, and I really enjoyed the scences inside the Tritop sphere as
well.
Magnificent, isn't it, how efficient it often is only using black space
and lights. No matter how elaborate set pieces one would make here,
WAR GAMES is a nice example of a similar encounter with more decoration,
the simpilicity of RING AROUND THE MOON is inspired, I feel. Very, very
good.
> BUT, that deflected "light deflector/tractor beam" was terrible, I
> freely admit.
This is a bit disapoining, I agree. I do not feel that it has any
severe consequences, however, as no matter how elaborate the special
effects are made in any episode, it is, in the end, no more than
special effects and by far less interesing than the real people that
are being portayed in this episode. RING AROUND THE MOON is an
episode that benefits more from di Lorenzo and Austin than Wilson and
Johnson, I think.
> AND, Victor finding out the info on Triton on his star charts is
> HOKUM!!!!!!!!!! Pure and simple!
I rather liked that actually, if it was intended or was a slip of the
mind while working or reworking the script. To me this helps to
understand the people on Alpha, perhaps Victor in particular who is
one of the most interesting people if not THE most interesting person
on Alpha.
There is much dialogue in RING AROUND THE MOON that does not seem to
lead anywhere in particular. At one point for instance they are getting
an aha! experience believing that the Tritons are humanoid. This is
never refuted nor verified later on, but it certainly has great consequence
in explaining how the Alphans are working and thinking.
RING AROUND THE MOON must have been an enjoyment for the actors, really
getting the change to throw oneself into something and explore the
characters more seriously than neither attempted before nor after.
It is an episode that not only can be watched over and over againg, in
my experience it becomes even better with repeated watching.
> AND the resolution was straight out of Star Trek (The Changeling, Return
> of the Archons, etc, etc, etc, etc...). Outwitting the computer and
> having it explode is a science fiction cliché (The Prisoner: The
> General) and was overused BEFORE 1999!!
Well, everything is footnotes to Plato as Alfred North Whitehead used
to say. In this case I feel the epilogue is as far from cliche as one
could get, actually. What it says, to me anyway, is more or less a
summing up of all SPACE:1999 was about, namely modern man searching
for identity and understanding of himself in the context of science
and a rapidly technologically developing society.
Further more, coming from the American Edward di Lorenzo this is even
more interesting, the very soul of European identity, knowledge, that
element in the saga that Victor represents, is questioned by himself
reflecting over the fate of the Tritons.
To me, as a computer scientist, this cuts down to naked nerves of my
existence, the very essence of life and how we perceive ourselves.
Quite fantastic, RING AROUND THE MOON, isn't it? I feel it is magnificent!
> Other than that (and no explanation given as to the restoration of
> Helena's optic nerve) I LIKE this episode. It has that "early Year One
> feeling" like Matter of Life and Death (an episode itself copied in Y2
> ST: TNG) and Earthbound. And a coda that we all quote whether we like
> the episode or not, or so I've noticed on the list.
Well spoken, Mateo. I assume the often quoting of this particular
episode could indicate that there are far more who like it than actually
state so in more direct terms.
Well, people may like what they prefer. To me RING AROUND THE MOON is
nevertheless an episode that needs discussing every now and then, an
episode that I feel contains very much the pure soul of SPACE:1999,
the intentions of the writers, directors and actors as they were
beginning to understand the concepts and ideas of SPACE:1999.
Petter
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1998 11:53:18 -0500
From: Jim Small (Eagle1@mts4tag.net)
Subject: Re: Space1999: Reluctantly....
> Reluctantly....I feel I have to admit that I, too, like Ring Around the
> Moon.
Okay, but is it one of your faves? I need to know for the poll...
> Is there a twelve steps program for this??
Yep. Petter runs the clinic. You watch the ep over and over and over
again for three days while in a straitjacket strapped to a Dentist's
chair. It's played on a 9 inch black and white TV four inches from your
face and the volume's turned up 'till the speaker distorts.
After this treatment, when asked what the episode was like you go around
quoting Helena Russell saying "I don't know... I don't know anything!"
...You look into your proctologist's eyes and say "You have a lovely
optic nerve Doctor!"
From: South Central (Tamazunchale@web44tv.net)
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1998 10:12:57 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: Space1999: Reluctantly....
That's as far as I am willing to go in defense of this episode. Petter,
I really think you OVERESTIMATE the appeal of this episode. And this
round and round, Coke v. Pepsi, tastes great v. less filling, discussion
is IMHO pointless. Some people hate it, some people like it, at least
one person LOVES it, and some are nonplussed.
I, for one, am--as of this letter--bowing out of this discussion. Back
to Seed of Destruction.
Mateo
From: Petter Ogland (petter.ogland@dnmi4tag.no)
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1998 17:40:32 +0000
Subject: Re: Space1999: Reluctantly....
> Personally, I like the Tritons visually--they remind me of certain
> elements from THE OUTER LIMITS (the episode "The Moonstone" oddly and
> appropriately enough) which is one of my all time favorite shows.
This was well said, I think. The "eye in the sky" approach by Keith Wilson
works very well by me to. Robert Ruiz once described the visual aspects
of the episode as German Expressionism, a rather good description accounting
for some of the visual style, I think, and it certainly as a CALIGARI
style to it at times, I feel.
In respect of the visual style, have you noticed how similar MISSING LINK
is? Sometimes one almost get the impression that Raan and his Zennits
are actually the humanoids that were spoken of in RING AROUND THE MOON.
Visually I also find MISSING LINK quite pleasing, Ray Austin in top form
as ever, of course, but while RING AROUND THE MOON dvelves on problems
that requires one full episode I feel MISSING LINK is a bit slow in parts,
the interesting bits are mostly on Zenno.
This may have something to do with how Austin approached it, but it also
feels somewhat like MISSING LINK was intended to be a further investigation
of the ideas introduced in RING AROUND THE MOON, a sort of comment to
the previous episode.
Interestingly, ALPHA CHILD is filmed in quite a different style, I think,
and seem slightly remorse to the previous two, but the very idea of
bringing up a child on Alpha or investigating how the Alpha environment
influences a child seem very in touch with the themes of at least MISSING
LINK and perhaps RING AROUND THE MOON too.
> Yep. Anybody notice how slow the speed of light is in 1999? I mean,
> the stun guns and Eagle lasers move sooooo slooooowly..... :-)
The interesting bit in these takes is how it is edited, I think. If the
sfx by Brian Johnson is not up to par, Austin is surley making the best
of it with some excellent cross editing, and, I am quite surprised by
this most times I view it, the cockpit interior shots are rather splending,
aren't they?
Most of all I think these scenes are illusterous of Ray Austin's magnificent
dynamic style. It's quite impressive, actually. That's how I feel, anyway.
> On Doctor Who, it could have worked. On 1999, however, it seemed like
> a very unlikely solution--it seems like they had no idea of how to wrap it
> up more plausibly.
Here I see it differently, though. Actually I find this to be one of the
very best endings of the SPACE:1999 episodes, and surely one of the most
thought provoking epilogues.
To me RING AROUND THE MOON seems like a very compact and well structured
episode indeed, although I can't think of any episodes that seem particulary
patched up at the moment.
Well, the episode that comes to the foremost of the brain when thinking of
mixed up concepts must be DRAGON'S DOMAIN, one of the old manuscripts, I
understand, that must have gone through heavy rewriting before it finally
ended up short to the end of the series.
Unlike MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH, which was also heavily rewritten in a
very short amount of time, DRAGON'S DOMAIN is an extremely mixed bag, I
feel, containing some of the best and some of the worst of SPACE:1999.
If one wants to relax with SPACE:1999 it probably safer to try MATTER
OF LIFE AND DEATH, a surprisingly consistent episodes and surprisingly
fitting as an early episode for drawing out the characters.
In order to get some variation from watching RING AROUND THE MOON I
sometimes enjoy BREAKAWAY, MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH and BLACK SUN, although
GURADIAN OF PIRI, WAR GAMES and LAST SUNSET are also very good entries,
I think.
Petter
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1998 11:02:54 -0500
From: Jim Small (Eagle1@mts4tag.net)
Subject: Space1999: Attention everyone! Poll time.... NOT O.T.
> I feel differently here, however, and, contrary to your suggestions, I
> actually believe that there are many more than I that take great pleasure
> in RING AROUND THE MOON.
Okay Petter... Let's see how right you are! :)
This is a poll which will be taken to find out just how many people rank
"Ring" as one of their favourite episodes.
I would like ONLY the people on this list who considers this episode one
of their main favourites (like one of their top three favourites) to
please say so to the list. Please be honest, dont be shy. You will NOT
be ridiculed! I really want to find out how many "Ring" fans there are,
so PLEASE respond. (Don't worry everyone, I don't think we'll all get
full mailboxes as a result of this poll!)
Please do NOT respond if "Ring" is not one of your faves, this way we
all won't be bombarded with two hundred messages (hehe).
Those who respond just reply to this message and cc it to the list.
Thank you all. I encourage your co-operation.
From: South Central (Tamazunchale@web44tv.net)
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1998 10:04:29 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: Space1999: Attention everyone! Poll time.... NOT O.T.
That's not a fair poll. ANY EPISODE would fail that test (barring one
or two) as we all have different favorites. Limiting it to the Top
THREE only is rigging the outcome.
Mateo
From: CPerrins1@aol4tag.com
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1998 14:15:23 EDT
Subject: Re: Space1999: Attention everyone! Poll time.... NOT O.T.
I would have to say that Ring around the moon is one of my favorites as well.
Christina
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1998 12:44:35 -0500
From: Jim Small (Eagle1@mts4tag.net)
Subject: Space1999: Clarification needed: Re: Attention everyone! Poll time.... NOT O.T.
> That's not a fair poll. ANY EPISODE would fail that test (barring one
> or two) as we all have different favorites.
That's the whole point! Is "Ring" YOUR favourite??? if it is, then your
vote counts.
> Limiting it to the Top
> THREE only is rigging the outcome.
No it's not.
If it's an all time favourite out there it will be among the top three
(or so) FOR CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS. If you like that particular episode as
your all time favourite, then it falls as the top ONE. So it's not
rigging anything. I want to find out HOW MANY PEOPLE (INDIVIDUALS) on
the list regard that ep as ONE OF THEIR ALL TIME FAVOURITES, that's all.
No rocket science requi... wait a minute... we ARE dealing with an outer
space show here...!
Don't like one in three? Okay, one in five then, I don't care. When
asking the question you have to narrow it down. We can't ask if it's one
of the top forty-eight faves now can we???? We'd have EVERYONE
answering. I just want to find out if the ep is loved by anyone else the
way it's (apparently) loved by Petter, since I have yet to see anyone
praise it anywhere NEAR as much as he does.
Remember... I'm only having fun here! There's no threat of armageddon
with any of this! Just humour me if nothing else! :)
After all, if we can't laugh at ourselves as well as everyone else then
it's a pretty dull politically correct world isn't it? We need to get
away from all the seriousness! It's only a TV show! :):);)
From: LKJ1999@aol4tag.com
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1998 14:46:30 EDT
Subject: Re: Space1999: Attention everyone! Poll time.... NOT O.T.
I like Ring to! I like it for it's music, the most!!! But it does not
compare to SPACE WARP!!!
Chas P. LKJ1999
From: South Central (Tamazunchale@web44tv.net)
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1998 11:52:49 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Space1999: POLL
Fair enough. I just thought you were trying to say that if it doesn't
show up in people's top three that NO ONE liked it (RIng)--see my
complaint? But if it is just to see if the episode is and ALL-TIME FAVE
among list members--that is fair. And so.....
Top Five in no order (though my top three are the first three
listed--also in no order):
The Troubled Spirit
The Infernal Machine
Missing Link
The Guardian of Piri
Dragon's Domain
This is off the top of my head. In truth, there are MANY great episode
in Year One--though I realize that you did not limit the poll to Year
One no Year Two episode even enter my top TEN.
Mateo
From: Brian Dowling (brian@hellion.prestel4tag.co.uk)
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1998 21:32:16 +0100
Subject: Re: Space1999: POLL
Right. Dragon's Domain it is then.
From: Mark Meskin (plastic.gravity@new44rock.com)
Subject: Re: Space1999: NOT!
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1998 16:18:55 -0500
> That's not a fair poll. ANY EPISODE would fail that test (barring one
> or two) as we all have different favorites. Limiting it to the Top
> THREE only is rigging the outcome.
Its quite fair. Are you in, or are you out?
Personally, I think you'd have a hard enough time just finding enough
people to fill a travel tube car that would say its even mildly a good
episode. Hardly the ringing (whoa, watch out, low flying pun) sounds of
"the best episode of TV ever".
Mark
From: "Mark Meskin" (plastic.gravity@new44rock.com)
Subject: Space1999: HEAT WAVE ON TRITON
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1998 16:23:04 -0500
With all this talk about RATM, I thought we'd all enjoy a dose(make it a
double) of reality(and good science)....this is about the REAL Triton.
Mark
Hubble Space Telescope observations show that Triton is experiencing its
own version of global warming.
Heat Wave on Triton
by Tracy Staedter
A frozen world in space is heating up. Triton, Neptune's largest moon, is
undergoing a period of global warming. Although it's a very different world
from ours, Triton's warming trend could provide scientists will new
insights into Earth's environment.
According to James Elliot of MIT, Triton's overall temperature has risen 5
percent since Voyager 2 flew by in 1989, from -392° F to -389° F. "It's a
very large increase," he says. "The same change on Earth would amount to
27° F, raising a freezing temperature of 32° F to a balmy 59°."
The temperature has increased enough to melt parts of Triton's surface.
Made of frozen nitrogen, the surface turns to gas when it thaws, thickening
the atmosphere.
One of the three Fine Guidance Sensors aboard the Hubble Space Telescope
recorded data that indicated the denser atmosphere. Normally these sensors
keep the telescope pointed at a celestial target by fixing on a guide star.
In November 1997, one of the sensors was fixed on a star in Sagittarius.
Triton passed in front of the star, and the starlight became fainter as it
traveled through the thicker atmosphere.
Scientists aren't sure what's causing the warming trend. It could have
something to do with Triton's current orbital position. The moon goes
around the sun with Neptune every 164 years, but it is also tilted on its
axis, and has an unusual orbit around Neptune. "These three periods combine
to produce an extreme summer every few hundred years," says Elliot. Right
now the sun is highest over the satellite's south pole. But other
explanations could also account for the warm spell, too.
Pinpointing the cause could be important for us. Triton and Earth both
share common factors that contribute to global warming: They are affected
by the sun's heat output, how much sunlight is absorbed or reflected, and
the amount of methane and carbon monoxide in the atmosphere. "If we can
understand the case of global warming on Triton and the role, if any, that
a change in solar activity plays there, this may lead us to new insights
about how changes in solar activity might be affecting Earth," says Elliot.
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1998 11:34:58 -0500
From: Jim Small (Eagle1@mts4tag.net)
Subject: Space1999: Okay. I get it now!
> Interesting you say this, Emma, because here I feel quite differently. It
> is my belief that RING AROUND THE MOON is one of the more popular episodes,
> contrary to what is sometimes written on this list.
Yeah. Right. Let's see what the polls say!
> What do the FANDERSON
> seniors think? As I haven't a clue, it would be interesting to know, but
> I would not be surprised if they rated it among the top ten.
I doubt it!
> If one would like to see something that survives repeated watching I
> would rather prefer RING AROUND THE MOON.
Are ya sure...?
> This is one of the episodes
> I have watched the most...
No... Really?
Okay, okay, okay. I think I get it now. Petter's fooled all of us. He's
actually using reverse psychology here to get us stirred up! He really
hates the "ring" episode more than any of us, and knows it's everyone
else's least favorite, so he's having a little fun with us by saying the
worst is the best, and trying to see how many of us he can get stirred
up! This MUST be the reason, because I can't imagine any normal or sane
person being THIS enamoured with ANY episode of ANY show or movie to
THIS extreme degree!
Interesting psychological take, I must say! Good job Petter! Ya had me
fooled too!
Heh-heh-heh-heh-heh! >;-> :)
From: "Simon Morris" (simes01@global44net.co.uk)
Subject: Space1999: RATM/Seed of Destruction
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1998 01:21:30 +0100
Hi All
Can I just agree wholeheartedly with Brian Dowling's plea that we put the RING
AROUND THE MOON issue on the backburner for a while(like maybe...forever?). In
no way am I trying to stifle free speech but what Petter has said has been said
before,and what I (and many others)have said in reply has also been said
before. I don't think any one of us has offered anything new to the debate.
Petter and a few others like the episode, an awful lot of others think it
stinks. End of story. Can we please move on??
Apart from myself and Jon Stadter,there have been virtually no posts so far(as
far as I know)on the episode that we *are* supposed to be looking at,which is
SEED OF DESTRUCTION. Lets not allow ourselves to be drawn off course and
schedule by looking at an episode which has *had* more than its fair share of
debating time. Most of us are pushed for time and when I see a post about RATM
from now on I'm afraid I'm going to be hitting the "delete" button. Life is
just too short.
So....comments on SEED OF DESTRUCTION,anyone?
Simon
From: djlerda@juno4tag.com
Subject: Space1999: Ring Around ad nauseum
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1998 20:12:13 EDT
> My guess is that Abe Mandell of ITC New York visited Gerry Anderson and
> the lot while DRAGON'S DOMAIN was in preparation and forced bad taste
> upon the episode, probably eating mustard sandwitches as David Lerda
> suggested in an other context, and consequently killing off SPACE:1999
> as we knew it. DRAGON'S DOMAIN marks the killing of SPACE:1999, I think,
> perhaps with Byrne's TESTAMENT OF ARKADIA as a sort of symbolic burial of
> the series before it rose to life again metamorhped into new existence
> with Year Two.
I had planned to ignore this latest attempt to start yet another "Ring
Around the Moon" thread but my name appeared so I felt that I must
respond. For the record, I do NOT think Dragon's Domain was a bad
episode or forced upon Gerry Anderson in any way. In fact, I think it is
one of the best of the series. When I made the comments about pastrami
sandwiches with regards to Catacrumbs of the Moon I was attempting to use
hyperbole to inject a little humor into my comments about Catacrumbs.
Even though Petter states that my analysis was lifted from another
context, I feel that his inclusion of it here may leave some to believe
that I support his speculations. I must again state unequivocaly that I
do not support his theory in any way, shape, or form.
In the future, Petter, I would appreciate it if you would leave any
references to me out of your constant attempts to keep the "Ring Around
the Moon" thread going. I have lost track of the number of times this
episode has generated a major thread in the last year. I think we have
talked it to death and that, frankly, the discussion in the episode by
episode thread was more than adequate for this abortion. If all of
Space: 1999 had been like this, it certainly would have deserved all of
the scorn reaped upon it by it's detractors back in the 70's and we would
be remembering the series about as fondly as BUCK ROGERS. If you enjoy
this episode so much, why don't you and the others who like it analyze it
to your hearts' content on the other Space:1999 mailing list (
alpha1999@buffnet.net). After all, that's what it was set up for.
As for my personal feelings about Ring? Well, it was awful. The worst
episode of the series beating out even abominations like Catacrumbs,
Dorzak, Space Warp, Beta Cloud, All That Blisters, and Matter of Life
and Death. No doubt about it. The acting was atrocious, the direction
sloppy, the editing poor, and, most important of all, the plot was
terrible. It was the most overused plot device in SF. Aliens capture
earthmen. It had no drama and was, in David Gerrold's words, a "white
puzzle box" story. Commander Koenig must win his reward i.e. escape from
the aliens. With such an easy story to write I'm amazed such a bad job
was done.
David J Lerda
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1998 23:37:52 -0300
From: Monica Maria Chagas Pereira (nick@msm4tag.com.br)
Subject: Space1999: GO FOR IT, PETTER! 'RATM' 4EVER!!!
Greetings, fellow Alphans.
"RATM" 4ever!!!!!
GO FOR IT, PETTER!! RATM's a great Y1 ep, maybe not as great as "Another
Time..." or "Earthbound" ...but, what the heck! It is pretty good!
AND still capable of stirring passions after 20+ years.
I wouldn't have so much fun out of this list if it weren't for RATM
discussions.
;-) "RATM" "RATM" "RATM" "RATM"
See you around, Folks.
Monica
From: "jhon waskiewicz" (jhon@pottsville.infi4tag.net)
Subject: Space1999: Ring again
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1998 00:22:57 -0400
I'm sorry some of you don't appreciate it, but Ring Around the Moon is one
of my favourite episodes. Granted, all of the dialogue is not perfect:
"Switch on the big screen; see if we can pick up anything!" but the acting
is superb, especially when Victor and John are setting up the plan of attack
with David. The story keeps moving forward, mysteriously. You know the enemy
is going to lose, but how?
The scenes from the alien point of view are rather unusual. Can they really
see what is going on? If so, how do they perceive the approach ot the
eagles?
Whan Helena returns from the Tritonian sphere, there is much concern. What
did she see there? How did she react in their presence? How can she be
blind if she can see?
I espceiall liked the unusual music.
jhon
From: "Petter Ogland" (petter.ogland@dnmi4tag.no)
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1998 10:13:36 +0000
Subject: Re: Space1999: Ring again
> I'm sorry some of you don't appreciate it, but Ring Around the Moon is one
> of my favourite episodes.
I like Jhon. Not only has he wonderful taste in music, he was the first one
to point out the use of J.S. Bach in GUARDIAN OF PIRI on this list I believe,
one of the very nice things about that episode, but also is he, as far as
I'm concerned, one of the few who from time to time comments on RING AROUND
THE MOON bringing new insights to this marvellous episode.
> [...] the acting
> is superb, especially when Victor and John are setting up the plan of attack
> with David. The story keeps moving forward, mysteriously. You know the enemy
> is going to lose, but how?
> The scenes from the alien point of view are rather unusual. Can they really
> see what is going on? If so, how do they perceive the approach ot the
> eagles?
Magnificent! Unlike the silly idea of Eagles being unable to lift off in
LAST ENEMY and other episodes, the way the Tritons are controlling Alpha
in RING AROUND THE MOON is totally fascinating and mysterious, I think.
It is perhaps not fair to compare LAST ENEMY and RING AROUND THE MOON as
LAST ENEMY is obviously a battle of the sexes sort of episode where every
piece of dialogue and every piece of hardware seem to have some Freudian
(sexual) reference. Well, that is ok by me, and I think the episode
works relatively ok along those lines, even though the original Kellett
script seem to have been much, much more outspoken and more daring in
how that characters were treated.
In fact I understand well why Kellett explains that he is not to proud of
it on the SPACE: 1999 DOCUMENTARY, somebody obviously having snipped off
some of the best pieces and patched it together with and overlong and
pointless ending in style a la Freiberger.
Nevertheless, for those of us who have managed to read the original
script or parts of it, as presented on this list during the ExE discussion
for instance, much of the original more profound Kellett intent still
shines through well enough to make the episode enjoyable enough for
having a go at it once in a while.
As Jhon says, RING AROUND THE MOON is of course something very differently,
focusing on the mysterious and unspoken rather than symbolism. You know,
Jhon, just being able to write about this episode again makes me happy,
bringing the RING AROUND THE MOON atmosphere aloft. I'm very glad there
has been such an enormous response for discussing this episode presently.
> Whan Helena returns from the Tritonian sphere, there is much concern. What
> did she see there? How did she react in their presence? How can she be
> blind if she can see?
Helena plays a central role in this episode, in my opinion it comes
close to her best performance ever during the SPACE:1999 run. Interestingly
much of the support for this episode on the list has come from female
members, Christina and Monica in particular. My good friend Janet has
also said many nice things about it previously, although I know she
prefers MISSING LINK to RING AROUND THE MOON.
I wonder if the strong focus on Barbara Bain and the psychological handling
of the plot is why it appeals more to Christina than Mark or Jim. I don't
know, but I've noticed that most of the most well known playwrights and
film makers such as Ibsen, Checkov, Fellini, Bergman, Woody Allen etc.
often prefer to use female characters central to their plot perhaps in
order to emphasise the emotional and psychological character of the play
better.
Personally I feel this is one of the elements that makes RING AROUND THE
MOON better than, say MISSING LINK or ALPHA CHILD, which are also deeply
psychological and emotional but with a significantly less view on Dr.
Helena Russell. As Penfold and Byrne have stated a number of times, one
of the main concerns of writer Edward di Lorenzo was awerness, and this
is how RING AROUND THE MOON succeeds so brilliantly, I feel.
> I espceiall liked the unusual music.
You have stated this a number of times on this list, Jhon, and I'm very
happy about this coming from you who are a musician and expert on J.S.
Bach, harpsicords and Barock music.
While I'm deeply touched with the post-impressionistic Barry Gray score
for the series, I feel the different scoring for RING AROUND THE MOON was
nothing less than a stroke of genius. Very much like the experimental
music during the passing through the black hole in BLACK SUN, the music
in RING AROUND THE MOON helps magnificently in sustaining the mysterious
mode of the episode from beginning to end.
There has been some discussion as to how much of this music was Vic Elms
and how much was Alan Willis. It seems difficult to guess, perhaps we
will know better if the MORE SPACE group manages to interview Elms as
planned. I would not be surprised if the two tracks on the RCA SPACE:1999
soundtrack that were never used in the series also was compositions by
Elms although.
Mysteriously the track lifted from RING AROUND THE MOON on the soundtrack
is names "Breakaway" and the titles "Death's other Dominion" and "Black
Sun" have so far only been recognised as incidental music to an unidentified
pornographic film and an episode of RETURN OF THE SAINT.
I'm very happy with the music for RING AROUND THE MOON. In fact it is
one of my favourite soundtracks, close to Barry Gray's magnificently scored
BREAKAWAY and the beautifully orchestraed MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH although
the recycling of the music for this episode worked almost better in
LAST SUNSET. Apart from the Barry Gray/Vic Elms scores I think the
library music for GUARDIAN OF PIRI, FORCE OF LIFE and END OF ETERNITY
were magnificent, creating much of the same atmosphere as in RING AROUND
THE MOON I think.
Petter
From: Petter Ogland (petter.ogland@dnmi4tag.no)
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1998 10:40:35 +0000
Subject: Re: Space1999: GO FOR IT, PETTER! 'RATM' 4EVER!!!
>"RATM" 4ever!!!!!
I happy to see there are many that feel the towards RING AROUND THE MOON
as I do. Even if the episode will not appear to the top three list of
every enthusiast it may rank quite highly it seems.
>GO FOR IT, PETTER!! RATM's a great Y1 ep, maybe not as great as "Another
>Time..." or "Earthbound" ...but, what the heck! It is pretty good!
>AND still capable of stirring passions after 20+ years.
All I did was to repond to David Welle saying that RING AROUND THE MOON
was one of his least favourite episode by saying it was one of the episodes
I enjoyed the most.
With all the posting recently I believe I must have expressed a feeling
that is quite common to many of us, the longing for the quality of the
early SPACE:1999 episodes at the time when we have reached about the
middle of Year Two.
> I wouldn't have so much fun out of this list if it weren't for RATM discussions.
I agree very much. While it can be interesting to discuss Year Two
episodes on an intellectual level, it is always nice to try to remember
what SPACE:1999 was really all about when it started and was at its peak
of performance.
Petter
From: "Petter Ogland" (petter.ogland@dnmi4tag.no)
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1998 11:29:16 +0000
Subject: Re: Space1999: Ring Around ad nauseum
> Even though Petter states that my analysis was lifted from another
> context, I feel that his inclusion of it here may leave some to believe
> that I support his speculations. I must again state unequivocaly that I
> do not support his theory in any way, shape, or form.
Sorry about this, David. Even if I didn't agree with the content of
your letter about CATACOMBS OF THE MOON, I enjoyed the way you wrote it,
and it did, in fact, make me wonder if something similarily absurd could
have happened during the pre-production of DRAGON'S DOMAIN.
As far as I've registered you seem to be much in favour of DRAGON'S DOMAIN,
despite the pre-Year Two style as I prefer to call it, and not all that much
in favour of RING AROUND THE MOON, totally unconvinced by the high quality
of this episode as pointed out regularily by others.
Fine by me. In fact I enjoy discussing with people who think differently,
and this is probably why I enjoy discussing with Mark Meskin so much. Mark
remains totally unconvinced whatever I say, but he is never afraid of
speaking his minds content.
> In the future, Petter, I would appreciate it if you would leave any
> references to me out of your constant attempts to keep the "Ring Around
> the Moon" thread going. I have lost track of the number of times this
> episode has generated a major thread in the last year. I think we have
> talked it to death and that, frankly, the discussion in the episode by
> episode thread was more than adequate for this abortion.
I can't see how anyone may have gotten the impression that you think
any differently than most of us know you from your regular posting, but,
nevertheless, I should perhaps have made it clear that the "other context"
was in fact CATACOMBS OF THE MOON or perhaps as "somebody said jokingly
referring to the context of CATACOMBS OF THE MOON".
Anyway, I'm happy that we are all using the opportunity to speak about
RING AROUND THE MOON again. If we made statistics about which episodes
that were most frequently referenced, a method perhaps better than Jim
Small's idea about a poll, then I believe that RING AROUND THE MOON
would range quite highly.
No matter what one thinks about RING AROUND THE MOON, it is obviously one
of the episodes that is must-view for anyone wanting to know what
SPACE:1999 was all about, just like BREAKAWAY, EARTHBOUND, BLACK SUN,
MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH, DRAGON'S DOMAIN, TESTAMENT OF ARKADIA and, from
the second year, THE METAMORPH, RULES OF LUTON and SPACE WARP.
> As for my personal feelings about Ring? Well, it was awful. The worst
> episode of the series beating out even abominations like Catacrumbs,
> Dorzak, Space Warp, Beta Cloud, All That Blisters, and Matter of Life
> and Death. No doubt about it. The acting was atrocious, the direction
> sloppy, the editing poor, and, most important of all, the plot was
> terrible. It was the most overused plot device in SF.
It is interesting you say this, David. Personally I feel quite differently,
not only about RING AROUND THE MOON, one of the finest hour of SPACE:1999
ever, but also about MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH which I hold very highly,
definitely another top five episode if you ask me.
While I'm not greatly enthusiastic about Year Two, the episodes you mention
above are to me some of the more interesting episodes, however. CATACOMBS
OF THE MOON I hold to be one of the very best of Year Two, slightly reminicent
of Year One and quite interesting no matter if one prefers to look at it
as a hommage to Year One or a parody. It is definitely Terpiloff at his
best if you ask me, much more natural in the Year Two environment than in
Year One.
DORZAK is, of course, Chris Penfold's contribution to Year Two, and also
a very interesting piece, I think, typically of Penfold in many ways although
him apparently getting into trouble with Gerry Anderson because he didn't
want to sell out to the sloppy taste of ITC New York makes it surprising
that he was invited to write for the second year which was, of course,
more low brow than anything imagineble during Year One.
I believe the invitation for Penfold to write was due to one of the more
kindhearted aspects of Freibergers personality and the fact that he must
have been a "very nice person" as everybody involved with him tend to say
although he had a incompatible taste in writing for television.
ALL THAT GLISTERS is also one of my favourite Year Two episodes, slightly
more efficient than JOURNEY TO WHERE in it's environmental message and
shot with bravado style as Ray Austin's farwell to SPACE:1999. While it
is extremely camp, it succeeds magnificently at this, I feel, just like
Michael Winder's DEVIL'S PLANET which is deliciously corny.
You also mention the two Woodgrove episodes THE BETA CLOUD and SPACE WARP.
It is strange that you point out these and not RULES OF LUTON, the most
spectacularily awful episode of Year Two in my opinion. In THE BETA CLOUD
and SPACE WARP Freiberger at least manages to get some of the Hanna Barbera
feel that he obviously was searching for during his reworking of the series.
While not a Freiberger fan myself I understand very well why Chas P., David
Welle and others that are greatly enthusiastic about Year Two even from
share face value find SPACE WARP so fascinating. SPACE WARP is Freiberger
SPACE:1999 at it's most extreme, I think, with monsters, fighting, running
around, Maya in distress, mysterious space ships, space warps etc. all
mixed together in a pot and served with lots bright colours and loud
disco music. This must be heaven for the Freiberger fans.
It can be interesting to discuss this for a while, I think, but thank
heavens that we have episodes of substance like RING AROUND THE MOON to
fall back upon from time to time. After 13 weeks of Year Two I suppose
most of us feel that we need to wash our brains with some early
SPACE:1999 if we are not going to forget why we liked the show in the
first place.
Petter
From: Dave Morrissey (davemorr@hot44mail.com)
Subject: Space1999: Ring around the Catacombs on the dark side of the moon
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1998 06:51:39 PDT
Good day all,
I'm the classic list lurker. I haven't contributed anything in quite a
while, but I want to add my tuppence worth to the on-going debate over
RATM.
I can't remember a single post from Petter that DIDN'T mention this
episode and I'm beginning to wonder if there is a bit of an obsession
there. Everything seems to hark back to that episode.
Petter, I think you are in a minority of one as far as this particular
turkey is concerned. I remember watching the series in my childhood in
the mid 70's and I hated this episode then. I decided to have a look at
RATM recently to see if it had any saving graces at all. If anything,
my opinion of it has lower even more. This episode to me is the biggest
turkey of year one...an absolute stinker. It has no coherence at all.
How many times do they have to take the eagle trip in one episode before
they come up with a solution? The actors don't seem to know what the
hell is going on half the time and the whole thing looks like it was
being written minutes before it was filmed. And when Koening asks
Helena..."Do you have any explanation?" and she replies..."Just one; Ted
Clifford" I thought...brilliant...that's the mystery cleared up. So
Ted holds all the answers then. Crap dialogue. As for Bergman's sudden
knowledge of Triton being added to give a shaky explanation of the
danger...come on, it just doesn't add up.
>>The decline began with EARTHBOUND?!!!!!!!!!!
>
>Indeed, or this is how I feel anyway. EARTHBOUND is a rather weak
>episode
>with very little psychology, as far as I can see, and with written
>tension
>very much on the surface level instead of a deeper understanding of
>?Alpha
>as is the case with RING AROUND THE MOON for instance.
May I ask, if the decline began with Earthbound...why you bothered
watching at all past RATM? If everything went downhill after that does
that mean that there are only four good episodes in the entire 48? I
really like Earthbound as an episode and and it is far superior in
everyway to RATM. As for a deeper understanding of Alpha in RATM,
perhaps the writers should have had a deeper understanding of drama.
For my part, I rate Dragon's Domain, Breakaway, Voyager's Return,
Testament Of Arcadia, and Another Time Another Place as the best
examples of 1999. RATM bears no resemblance to these in terms of
quality. These segments really make me appreciate the series and RATM
doesn't come anywhere close.
All the comments aimed at the later Y1 episodes and the fuzzy logic
about U.S. pressure for a format change leading to a decline in the
shows is so off the mark, it sounds like you are making this up to
justify your lone position as keeper of the RATM flame.
Petter, don't take all this as a flame...I'm just expressing my own
opinion as everyone on this list has a right to do, but I really think
that you need to take a good look at some of your arguments in favour of
RATM and the counter arguments and then see that maybe the majority has
a valid case. Good story idea, crap execution.
Dave
From: djlerda@juno4tag.com
Subject: Re: Space1999: Ring Around ad nauseum
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1998 11:38:46 EDT
>As far as I've registered you seem to be much in favour of DRAGON'S DOMAIN,
>despite the pre-Year Two style as I prefer to call it, and not all that much
>in favour of RING AROUND THE MOON, totally unconvinced by the high quality
>of this episode as pointed out regularily by others.
And I shall remain unconvinced, despite your best efforts. So let's just
drop the whole thing, shall we?
>Anyway, I'm happy that we are all using the opportunity to speak about
>RING AROUND THE MOON again. If we made statistics about which episodes
>that were most frequently referenced, a method perhaps better than Jim
>Small's idea about a poll, then I believe that RING AROUND THE MOON
>would range quite highly.
Of course it would. If we used the statistical method you describe, your
efforts alone to keep "Ring" going would skew the numbers. I don't think
they would be accurate, however. I mean, I like Dragon's Domain. In
fact I consider it one of the top episodes of the series but I am not
overwhelmed by a compulsion to reference it in every post that I make to
the list.
If you feel a need to recharge your batteries, why don't you do it on the
other list along with your fellow Ringheads? That way you can analyze
all you want and give the rest of us a break. Sorry if this sounds nasty
and if so, I apologize in advance but I feel that this episode has been
talked to death and there is really nothing of value left to say about
it.
From: David Acheson (dkach@hot44mail.com)
Subject: Space1999: Enough is Enough!!
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1998 13:53:50 EDT
The horse is dead! Stop beating it! I have, for a long time now,
defended your right to speak about that unspeakable episode for as long
as you wanted and whenever you wanted but believe that now you may just
be running in circles. I have heard just about the same personal
opinions (and thats exactly what they are - usually going against the
grain of the listmembers) rehashed over and over again with little new
insight.
Yes, You like THAT episode an awful lot and it represents the best of
1999 in your opinion. Thats fine. I for one didn't like it but we all
have different tastes here so we cannot all like the same thing.
Everyone knows you like it and the reasons why so why keep telling us
enough times? THE episode is mentioned by you even when the discussion
is on something entirely different so at many times appears right out of
context. Many have more adomitly asked you not to bring it up again and
yet you reply to DJ Lerda's message about being glad we brought this
episode back up!
Secondly you consider DRAGON'S DOMAIN to be the downfall of the series
preparing it for a HANNA BARBERA season two. Even though it is a
favourite amongst many listmembers (not my favourite) and I don't agree
to your sitcom view of this episode, I still have no problem with you
believing it. But hitting us over the head with it over and over is not
only morally wrong but factually wrong. The second year wasn't even a
reality at the time of DRAGON'S DOMAIN so changes to the series weren't
in consideration at this point. Remember all of the first 24 episodes
were filmed long before any airing. No one knew what audience reactions
to the series would be. We pointed this out to you before but you
continue to spew this idea of yours out.
If you really liked a certain dog and wanted to continue to pet it even
though you know it will bite your hand off would you continue to pet it?
Thats the scenario here as I know the tolerance level of many
listmembers have been wearing thin. Out of consideration please remember
the environment around you. I sometimes wonder if you get the messaage
though because you outline your comments as if everyone agrees with you.
Some do like THAT episode but you recently said many do! That is not the
impression I have been getting on this list.
Third, Fred Freiberger may have went in the wrong direction for the
second year but I cannot believe he wanted to bring it in line with
Hanna-Barbera. Even the most cartoonish parts of the second year were
not that bad. I believe if anything Freiberger was trying to STAR TREK
the second season. Remember he also worked on that series and it was
that show everyone on the planet was comparing 1999 to. The real problem
was that Freiberger failed to humanize the show.
I am not mentioning this again and lets now talk about other issues
everyone. I need a change of pace.
David Acheson
From: Pelle (par.kettisen@mbox200.swip44net.se)
Subject: Space1999: Ring around the Moon
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1998 23:51:18 +0200
Hello fellow Alphans...
I've been following the discussion about Ring around the Moon, and after
reading all the letters so far I had to watch the episode again closer.
I should say that RATM is not in my tree favourite list but, the episode has
several interesting and unique features.
The theme is the last theme with "also starring Barry Morse" with a picture
of the universe and a planet ( the rest of the themes shows Barry when he
leans over his "globe" ). It has also a high quality of special effects, like
Eagle 3 crashing on lunar surface, a moonwalk with Alpha in background. The
Eagle landing lights is also shown when Koenig and CO lands at Tritons
surface. Another interesting feature is professor Bergmans quaters (at least
that is what I think it is), where Koenig, Russel and Bergman discuss Triton
and its existence.
I think RATM is far from the worst episode from Year 1. Mostly for it's high
technical quality.
Greetings from cold Sweden and;
Pelle
For us - fore all of mankind - there is a purpose
(J.Koenig in Testament of Arcadia)
From: Mark Meskin (plastic.gravity@new44rock.com)
Subject: Re: Space1999: Enough is Enough!!
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1998 18:02:45 -0500
>. I have heard just about the same personal
> opinions (and thats exactly what they are - usually going against the
> grain of the listmembers) rehashed over and over again with little new
> insight.
Yes, put it to bed, NOW.
> Secondly you consider DRAGON'S DOMAIN to be the downfall of the series
> preparing it for a HANNA BARBERA season two. Even though it is a
> favourite amongst many listmembers (not my favourite) and I don't agree
> to your sitcom view of this episode, I still have no problem with you
> believing it. But hitting us over the head with it over and over is not
> only morally wrong but factually wrong.
I agree, Peter, the WHOLE season was in the can before the show even aired
in US, if I remember correctly. So the whole Y2 contamination idea is just
plain stupid.
> I am not mentioning this again and lets now talk about other issues
> everyone. I need a change of pace.
Yeah, I've had enough, I'm sick of see or reading about RATM
Mark
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1998 09:28:09 -0500
From: Douglas Bailey (dbailey@ro4tag.com)
Subject: Space1999: Commenting
Frankly, I haven't seen enough of the episodes to comment much on this
list. I don't remember RATM well enough to decide how I feel, let alone
COTM. (It's been about 20 years, I think--grin.) But I do remember
that I LOVED Earthbound, thought Piri was quite STRANGE, and that I
loved Dragon's Domain, even though the image of that monster eating and
then spitting out people haunted my nightmares for months/years
afterward. Plus, the idea of a spaceship graveyard was a fascinating
idea. Spacewarp was a fun view, but now that I'm an adult it seems a
tiny bit silly. Oh, Death's Other Dominion sticks in my memory as
kick-ass, but I forget why...man, I really need to see these shows
again. The episodes I've seen most recently are Rules of Luton (BARF!!!
GAG ME!!!), Devil's Planet (not terrible), and of course Breakaway
(kickin!) and Metamorph (nice, but destroying the planet with the swing
of a STICK?!?! Gimme a break!!! plus, there's that annoying women with
the facial skin condition...jeez.)
I subsribed to Columbia House's Re-TV program for those last two...the
Sci-Fi channel used to have 1999 on Sundays every week...they've changed
their programming, however, since I can't find the show any longer.
SIGH.
Doug
From: "Brian Dowling" (brian@hellion.prestel4tag.co.uk)
Date: Sat, 12 Sep 1998 00:41:26 +0100
Subject: Space1999: *That* episode
OK... I asked nicely and others have also expressed similar sentiments.
If I get 1 more post about that bloody episode then I am unsubscribing,
possibly for good.
Nuff said?
Brian Dowling - Online Alphan #144 - Birmingham, England