One Moment of Humanity
Encyclopedia
"One Moment of Humanity" is the third episode of the second series of Space: 1999
(and the twenty-seventh overall episode of the programme). The screenplay was written by Tony Barwick
; the director was Charles Crichton
. The original title was 'One Second of Humanity'. The final shooting script is dated 12 February 1976. Live-action filming took place Thursday 4 March 1976 through Wednesday 17 March 1976.
and Maya
are preparing for a formal party to be held the next evening. Each models the gowns they have selected to wear. Helena suggests to Maya a different hairstyle might be more appealing to would-be suitor Tony Verdeschi
; the Psychon woman uses her power of molecular transformation to instantly produce a new coiffure. Their fun is interrupted by the red-alert klaxon. By the time the senior staff has gathered in Command Centre, what started as a minor malfunction in the main electronics has grown into a cascading systems failure. Alpha experiences complete life-support malfunction, then a total power loss.
A strange atmosphere pervades Command Centre. The staff is overcome first by a wave of lightheadedness, then rendered completely immobile. The eerie stillness is broken by a flare of energy, from which materialises a striking humanoid female. She wanders among the involuntary tableau vivant
, singling out Helena and Verdeschi. They, like the rest, were affected by vertigo
when falling under the alien power—and were supporting each other when frozen in place. Presuming them to be lovers locked in an amorous embrace, she is satisfied with her discovery.
John Koenig
revives first and confronts the intruder. She assures him his people are fine and, with a nod, releases them from their paralysis. After identifying herself as Zamara of the planet Vega
, she declares the Moon
has intruded upon her people's sphere of influence. Koenig explains the incursion is by accident and without hostile intent. She tells them Moonbase Alpha
is being held in an electro force-field, which is not only suppressing their power but can immobilise their voluntary nervous systems. Permitting them forty-eight hours of minimal life-support, Zamara haughtily announces two Alphans are required to return with her to Vega for an undisclosed purpose.
Koenig protests and is immobilised by the Vegan woman. She selects the 'lovers' Verdeschi and Helena to accompany her. They will travel via positronic
transfer; all they have to do is wish it. After some initial hesitation, they concentrate—and instantly find themselves standing in a spacious indoor garden on Vega. Verdeschi looks out a frost-rimed window at a desolate snowscape. Caressing his torso, Zamara informs him the temperature outside is always sub-zero and the atmosphere almost too thin to support life. Within the city, they will find all they desire.
As Helena wanders amid the foliage, she is startled by a being with an immobile plastic face wearing a hooded grey coverall with the numeral '8' on the chest. She then becomes aware of a well-built, arrogant male devouring her with his eyes. The man, Zarl, informs her that the grey-clad being is a 'Number'—a simple automaton. The Alphans are joined by other Vegans, all of them perfect physical specimens; the men bare-chested and virile, the women shapely and lithe. More Numbers are called to bring food for the guests. Attended to by Number Eight, Helena receives a whispered warning not to react as expected. If she or her companion show aggression, the Vegans will kill them.
The food is deliberately vile and served with vicious jibes and intentional insults. Helena manages to communicate with Verdeschi through meaningful looks and idiomatic word-play not to lose his temper. On Moonbase, the environmental situation is grave. Koenig orders a search of the entire installation for a device that could be generating the force-field. Maya works to devise an alternative heat source that will not consume their dwindling oxygen. An attempt to procure power-packs from the Eagles fails; with the travel-tube network non-operational, the launch pads are inaccessible.
On Vega, Verdeschi and Helena are escorted to a stark cell and locked in. Finally alone, Helena relates the warning given her by Number Eight. Wanting to find and question that robot
, Verdeschi blasts the door open with his stun-gun. He wonders why he was allowed to keep his weapon; she assumes the Vegans want them to use it in an act of violence. They follow a Number through the city's corridors and into an underground cavern that serves as the robots' home. When Helena asks them for help, Number Eight steps forward and removes his plastic mask—to uncover a humanoid face. He reveals the Numbers are human and the Vegans are robots.
Eight tells them the tale of his ancestors. When his people were overwhelmed by a sudden and severe climatic change
, they built service robots and linked them with a complex computer. The computers designed ever more advanced robots, which built even more sophisticated computers. In the end, the physically perfect android
s achieved sentience, learning human characteristics through observation—then enslaved the human population. They want to eliminate their creators, but they have never been exposed to anger or hatred, and thus cannot kill. The masks prevent the Vegans from seeing strong emotion should the humans let down their guard.
Eight warns the Alphans to be wary: the androids will try to entice a demonstration of violence...then kill every last one of them. While investigating the computer chamber, Verdeschi and Helena discover it is protected by a powerful energy barrier impervious to laser fire. Zarl and Zamara appear, reproaching them for leaving their 'quarters'. The Alphans' excuse is they are worried about their friends on the Moon and are trying to return there. The androids tell them to simply desire it. They do, and find themselves back on an Alpha that is powered up and running—and apparently deserted.
A quick search proves they are the only two people present. Worse, calculations show the Moon is now two light-years distant from its previous position in the Vega system; they must have travelled through a time warp
during the positronic transfer and arrived weeks in the future. They can only speculate the rest of the Alpha population was taken down to the planet. When they try to wish their return to Vega, nothing happens—the process has apparently been turned off.
They are, in fact, in a replica of Alpha. By isolating them, the Vegans intend to foster suspicion, paranoia and murderous rage between them. (Zarl finds the procedure cruel, but is convinced of its necessity by Zamara.) Using circumstantial evidence
, they manoeuvre Helena into believing the security chief gave her a drugged coffee. Verdeschi is then made to assume the doctor sabotaged the life-support system. This exercise in psychological warfare ends with the two friends hunting each other with lasers set to kill. Thinking the other is unbalanced, each tries to humour the other. Finally, realising that neither is responsible for the deeds the other accuses them of, they recognise the situation for what it is. As the two gloat over their victory, the androids come out of hiding and Zamara admits failure—this time.
On Alpha, the temperature is below freezing and the air stale and dank. Koenig receives a report of an intruder in the Recreation Section: Zamara. Her last experiment a failure, she is reviewing the entire micro-disc library for a literary example of humans driven to commit murder. After a stun-gun blast has no effect on the android, she informs them all the Vegans are part of a complete and indestructible chain. Her search ends with Shakespeare's Othello
, discovering the emotion of jealousy can compel humans to kill. Koenig informs her that the scheme will not work with Helena and Verdeschi as they are not lovers—he is Helena's lover, and (to get her down to the planet) identifies Maya to be Verdeschi's.
Zamara travels to Vega with Koenig and Maya. She plans to manipulate the Othello scenario to its full potential. Zarl/Iago
will seduce Helena/Desdemona
, and the all-consuming jealousy of her lover Koenig/Othello
will inflame him to commit murder. Watching the tender reunion between Koenig and Helena, Zarl is uncertain and questions if they could be missing something by rejecting the emotion of love.
The four Alphans pool their information and come up with a plan of action. Maya transforms into a native bird to escape the garden unnoticed. She can hopefully circumvent the energy barrier and inspect the master computer for any exploitable weakness. With Verdeschi's help, Koenig will contain his anger until she shuts down the system. The seduction begins, with the masculine android sweeping Helena away into an erotic dance. Zarl's advances are blatant, but Helena's response is impassive; she is concerned that any resistance could be translated into an act of aggression.
The music's tempo increases, and Zarl's moves become more wild and provocative. Helena is able to deflect his caressing hands with her own non-aggressive motions coordinated with the dance. Koenig fumes silently under the scutiny of the Vegans as Zarl's gentle rape
progresses. A passive Helena is lowered onto a pile of cushions by Zarl. Emotions stirring, the Vegan plants a passionate kiss on her mouth. In spite of herself, she is aroused. Maya returns with grave news: the computer has a fail-safe mechanism—interference with its power source initiates an explosion that could destroy the entire planet. Koenig leaps into action as he sees Helena surrendering herself to Zarl's foreplay
. He pulls the android man off her and slugs him.
The Vegans are elated; they have finally witnessed an act of violence and rage. Goaded on by Zamara, Zarl practices death-blows with his powerful android fists, smashing furniture and statuary. As he turns his attention to Koenig, the other Alphans quickly confer. The Vegans' weakness is their interlinked consciousness—like a string of Christmas-tree lights...if one fails, they all fail. Helena stands between Koenig and Zarl. She pleads for the android to take the final step in his evolution and become human. She has witnessed his flashes of tenderness and compassion; now complete the journey and experience love.
Ignoring Zamara's shrill protests, Zarl takes Helena's outstretched hand and presses it to his lips. The intensity of emotion is too much for him; rapture gives way to agonising torment and he crumples to the floor. With a wail of defeat, Zamara and the other androids wind down, immobilised. Having watched from the shrubbery, the Numbers gather and peel off their masks, rejoicing in their new-found freedom. Zarl manages to briefly cling to existence; he declares he did feel love at the end. Comforted by a teary-eyed Helena, he tells her it is worth oblivion to have experienced just that one moment of humanity, then expires.
. The second movement of Beethoven's 'Symphony No. 9 in D minor
' was played by Zamara in the Alpha Recreation Centre. 'Storm at Sun-Up' by Canadian jazz composer Gino Vannelli
, was selected by choreographer Lionel Blair
to accompany the seduction dance during filming, and served as Wadsworth's inspiration when preparing his score. A brief moment of the ‘space horror music’ composed by Vic Elms and Alan Willis for 'Ring Around the Moon' can be heard when Zarl takes Helena's hand and says, ‘The play begins.’ This is the only occurrence of a first-series music-track being used this year.
and J. Jeff Jones published in 1977. It included the deleted epilogue scene.
Space: 1999
Space: 1999 is a British science-fiction television series that ran for two seasons and originally aired from 1975 to 1977. In the opening episode, nuclear waste from Earth stored on the Moon's far side explodes in a catastrophic accident on 13 September 1999, knocking the Moon out of orbit and...
(and the twenty-seventh overall episode of the programme). The screenplay was written by Tony Barwick
Tony Barwick
Tony Barwick was a British television scriptwriter who worked extensively on series created and produced by Gerry Anderson....
; the director was Charles Crichton
Charles Crichton
Charles Crichton was an English film director and film editor. He became best known for directing comedies produced at Ealing Studios...
. The original title was 'One Second of Humanity'. The final shooting script is dated 12 February 1976. Live-action filming took place Thursday 4 March 1976 through Wednesday 17 March 1976.
Story
It is 515 days after leaving Earth orbit, and Helena RussellHelena Russell
Helena Russell is a fictional character from the television series Space: 1999. She was played by Barbara Bain. She is American and apparently in her mid-thirties....
and Maya
Maya (Space: 1999)
Maya is a fictional character who appeared in the second series of the science fiction television program Space: 1999. Played by actress Catherine Schell , Maya was introduced in the second series opener 'The Metamorph'...
are preparing for a formal party to be held the next evening. Each models the gowns they have selected to wear. Helena suggests to Maya a different hairstyle might be more appealing to would-be suitor Tony Verdeschi
Tony Verdeschi
Tony Verdeschi is a fictional character who first appeared in the second series of the science fiction television series Space: 1999. He is in his early thirties....
; the Psychon woman uses her power of molecular transformation to instantly produce a new coiffure. Their fun is interrupted by the red-alert klaxon. By the time the senior staff has gathered in Command Centre, what started as a minor malfunction in the main electronics has grown into a cascading systems failure. Alpha experiences complete life-support malfunction, then a total power loss.
A strange atmosphere pervades Command Centre. The staff is overcome first by a wave of lightheadedness, then rendered completely immobile. The eerie stillness is broken by a flare of energy, from which materialises a striking humanoid female. She wanders among the involuntary tableau vivant
Tableau vivant
Tableau vivant is French for "living picture." The term describes a striking group of suitably costumed actors or artist's models, carefully posed and often theatrically lit. Throughout the duration of the display, the people shown do not speak or move...
, singling out Helena and Verdeschi. They, like the rest, were affected by vertigo
Vertigo
Vertigo is a form of dizziness.Vertigo may also refer to:* Vertigo , a 1958 film by Alfred Hitchcock**Vertigo , its soundtrack** Vertigo effect, or Dolly zoom, a special effect in film, named after the movie...
when falling under the alien power—and were supporting each other when frozen in place. Presuming them to be lovers locked in an amorous embrace, she is satisfied with her discovery.
John Koenig
John Koenig
John Koenig is a fictional character from the television series Space: 1999. He was played by Martin Landau. He is American, apparently in his early forties.-Character Biography:...
revives first and confronts the intruder. She assures him his people are fine and, with a nod, releases them from their paralysis. After identifying herself as Zamara of the planet Vega
Vega
Vega is the brightest star in the constellation Lyra, the fifth brightest star in the night sky and the second brightest star in the northern celestial hemisphere, after Arcturus...
, she declares the Moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
has intruded upon her people's sphere of influence. Koenig explains the incursion is by accident and without hostile intent. She tells them Moonbase Alpha
Moonbase Alpha
Moonbase Alpha is a fictional moon base and the main setting in the science fiction television series Space: 1999.-Moonbase Alpha:Located in the Moon crater Plato and constructed out of quarried rock and ores, Moonbase Alpha is four kilometres in diameter and extends up to one kilometre in areas...
is being held in an electro force-field, which is not only suppressing their power but can immobilise their voluntary nervous systems. Permitting them forty-eight hours of minimal life-support, Zamara haughtily announces two Alphans are required to return with her to Vega for an undisclosed purpose.
Koenig protests and is immobilised by the Vegan woman. She selects the 'lovers' Verdeschi and Helena to accompany her. They will travel via positronic
Positron
The positron or antielectron is the antiparticle or the antimatter counterpart of the electron. The positron has an electric charge of +1e, a spin of ½, and has the same mass as an electron...
transfer; all they have to do is wish it. After some initial hesitation, they concentrate—and instantly find themselves standing in a spacious indoor garden on Vega. Verdeschi looks out a frost-rimed window at a desolate snowscape. Caressing his torso, Zamara informs him the temperature outside is always sub-zero and the atmosphere almost too thin to support life. Within the city, they will find all they desire.
As Helena wanders amid the foliage, she is startled by a being with an immobile plastic face wearing a hooded grey coverall with the numeral '8' on the chest. She then becomes aware of a well-built, arrogant male devouring her with his eyes. The man, Zarl, informs her that the grey-clad being is a 'Number'—a simple automaton. The Alphans are joined by other Vegans, all of them perfect physical specimens; the men bare-chested and virile, the women shapely and lithe. More Numbers are called to bring food for the guests. Attended to by Number Eight, Helena receives a whispered warning not to react as expected. If she or her companion show aggression, the Vegans will kill them.
The food is deliberately vile and served with vicious jibes and intentional insults. Helena manages to communicate with Verdeschi through meaningful looks and idiomatic word-play not to lose his temper. On Moonbase, the environmental situation is grave. Koenig orders a search of the entire installation for a device that could be generating the force-field. Maya works to devise an alternative heat source that will not consume their dwindling oxygen. An attempt to procure power-packs from the Eagles fails; with the travel-tube network non-operational, the launch pads are inaccessible.
On Vega, Verdeschi and Helena are escorted to a stark cell and locked in. Finally alone, Helena relates the warning given her by Number Eight. Wanting to find and question that robot
Robot
A robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...
, Verdeschi blasts the door open with his stun-gun. He wonders why he was allowed to keep his weapon; she assumes the Vegans want them to use it in an act of violence. They follow a Number through the city's corridors and into an underground cavern that serves as the robots' home. When Helena asks them for help, Number Eight steps forward and removes his plastic mask—to uncover a humanoid face. He reveals the Numbers are human and the Vegans are robots.
Eight tells them the tale of his ancestors. When his people were overwhelmed by a sudden and severe climatic change
Climatic Change
Climatic Change is a scientific journal published by Springer Science+Business Media. It deals with the problems of climatic variability and change...
, they built service robots and linked them with a complex computer. The computers designed ever more advanced robots, which built even more sophisticated computers. In the end, the physically perfect android
Android
An android is a robot or synthetic organism designed to look and act like a human, and with a body having a flesh-like resemblance. Although "android" is used almost universally to refer to both sexes, and those of no particular sex, "Android" technically refers to the male form, while "Gynoid" is...
s achieved sentience, learning human characteristics through observation—then enslaved the human population. They want to eliminate their creators, but they have never been exposed to anger or hatred, and thus cannot kill. The masks prevent the Vegans from seeing strong emotion should the humans let down their guard.
Eight warns the Alphans to be wary: the androids will try to entice a demonstration of violence...then kill every last one of them. While investigating the computer chamber, Verdeschi and Helena discover it is protected by a powerful energy barrier impervious to laser fire. Zarl and Zamara appear, reproaching them for leaving their 'quarters'. The Alphans' excuse is they are worried about their friends on the Moon and are trying to return there. The androids tell them to simply desire it. They do, and find themselves back on an Alpha that is powered up and running—and apparently deserted.
A quick search proves they are the only two people present. Worse, calculations show the Moon is now two light-years distant from its previous position in the Vega system; they must have travelled through a time warp
Time warp
The terms time warp, space warp and time-space warp are commonly used in science fiction. They sometimes refer to Einstein's theory that time and space form a continuum which bends, folds or warps from the observer's point of view, relative to such factors as movement or gravitation, but are also...
during the positronic transfer and arrived weeks in the future. They can only speculate the rest of the Alpha population was taken down to the planet. When they try to wish their return to Vega, nothing happens—the process has apparently been turned off.
They are, in fact, in a replica of Alpha. By isolating them, the Vegans intend to foster suspicion, paranoia and murderous rage between them. (Zarl finds the procedure cruel, but is convinced of its necessity by Zamara.) Using circumstantial evidence
Circumstantial evidence
Circumstantial evidence is evidence in which an inference is required to connect it to a conclusion of fact, like a fingerprint at the scene of a crime...
, they manoeuvre Helena into believing the security chief gave her a drugged coffee. Verdeschi is then made to assume the doctor sabotaged the life-support system. This exercise in psychological warfare ends with the two friends hunting each other with lasers set to kill. Thinking the other is unbalanced, each tries to humour the other. Finally, realising that neither is responsible for the deeds the other accuses them of, they recognise the situation for what it is. As the two gloat over their victory, the androids come out of hiding and Zamara admits failure—this time.
On Alpha, the temperature is below freezing and the air stale and dank. Koenig receives a report of an intruder in the Recreation Section: Zamara. Her last experiment a failure, she is reviewing the entire micro-disc library for a literary example of humans driven to commit murder. After a stun-gun blast has no effect on the android, she informs them all the Vegans are part of a complete and indestructible chain. Her search ends with Shakespeare's Othello
Othello
The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in approximately 1603, and based on the Italian short story "Un Capitano Moro" by Cinthio, a disciple of Boccaccio, first published in 1565...
, discovering the emotion of jealousy can compel humans to kill. Koenig informs her that the scheme will not work with Helena and Verdeschi as they are not lovers—he is Helena's lover, and (to get her down to the planet) identifies Maya to be Verdeschi's.
Zamara travels to Vega with Koenig and Maya. She plans to manipulate the Othello scenario to its full potential. Zarl/Iago
Iago
Iago is a fictional character in Shakespeare's Othello . The character's source is traced to Giovanni Battista Giraldi Cinthio's tale "Un Capitano Moro" in Gli Hecatommithi . There, the character is simply "the ensign". Iago is a soldier and Othello's ancient . He is the husband of Emilia,...
will seduce Helena/Desdemona
Desdemona
Desdemona is a character in William Shakespeare's play Othello.Desdemona may also refer to:People* Desdemona , a soprano role in the 1816 opera Otello by Gioachino Rossini...
, and the all-consuming jealousy of her lover Koenig/Othello
Othello (character)
Othello is a character in Shakespeare's Othello . The character's origin is traced to the tale, "Un Capitano Moro" in Gli Hecatommithi by Giovanni Battista Giraldi Cinthio. There, he is simply referred to as the Moor....
will inflame him to commit murder. Watching the tender reunion between Koenig and Helena, Zarl is uncertain and questions if they could be missing something by rejecting the emotion of love.
The four Alphans pool their information and come up with a plan of action. Maya transforms into a native bird to escape the garden unnoticed. She can hopefully circumvent the energy barrier and inspect the master computer for any exploitable weakness. With Verdeschi's help, Koenig will contain his anger until she shuts down the system. The seduction begins, with the masculine android sweeping Helena away into an erotic dance. Zarl's advances are blatant, but Helena's response is impassive; she is concerned that any resistance could be translated into an act of aggression.
The music's tempo increases, and Zarl's moves become more wild and provocative. Helena is able to deflect his caressing hands with her own non-aggressive motions coordinated with the dance. Koenig fumes silently under the scutiny of the Vegans as Zarl's gentle rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
progresses. A passive Helena is lowered onto a pile of cushions by Zarl. Emotions stirring, the Vegan plants a passionate kiss on her mouth. In spite of herself, she is aroused. Maya returns with grave news: the computer has a fail-safe mechanism—interference with its power source initiates an explosion that could destroy the entire planet. Koenig leaps into action as he sees Helena surrendering herself to Zarl's foreplay
Foreplay
In human sexual behavior, foreplay is a set of intimate psychological and physically intimate acts between two or more people meant to create desire for sexual activity and sexual arousal. Either or any of the sexual partners may initiate the foreplay, and they may not be the active partner during...
. He pulls the android man off her and slugs him.
The Vegans are elated; they have finally witnessed an act of violence and rage. Goaded on by Zamara, Zarl practices death-blows with his powerful android fists, smashing furniture and statuary. As he turns his attention to Koenig, the other Alphans quickly confer. The Vegans' weakness is their interlinked consciousness—like a string of Christmas-tree lights...if one fails, they all fail. Helena stands between Koenig and Zarl. She pleads for the android to take the final step in his evolution and become human. She has witnessed his flashes of tenderness and compassion; now complete the journey and experience love.
Ignoring Zamara's shrill protests, Zarl takes Helena's outstretched hand and presses it to his lips. The intensity of emotion is too much for him; rapture gives way to agonising torment and he crumples to the floor. With a wail of defeat, Zamara and the other androids wind down, immobilised. Having watched from the shrubbery, the Numbers gather and peel off their masks, rejoicing in their new-found freedom. Zarl manages to briefly cling to existence; he declares he did feel love at the end. Comforted by a teary-eyed Helena, he tells her it is worth oblivion to have experienced just that one moment of humanity, then expires.
Starring
- Martin LandauMartin LandauMartin Landau is an American film and television actor. Landau began his career in the 1950s. His early films include a supporting role in Alfred Hitchcock's North by Northwest . He played continuing roles in the television series Mission: Impossible and Space:1999...
— Commander John KoenigJohn KoenigJohn Koenig is a fictional character from the television series Space: 1999. He was played by Martin Landau. He is American, apparently in his early forties.-Character Biography:... - Barbara BainBarbara BainMillicent Fogel , known professionally as Barbara Bain, is an American actress.-Early life:Bain was born in Chicago. She graduated from the University of Illinois with a bachelor's degree in sociology. She moved to New York City, where she was a dancer and high fashion model. Bain studied with...
— Doctor Helena RussellHelena RussellHelena Russell is a fictional character from the television series Space: 1999. She was played by Barbara Bain. She is American and apparently in her mid-thirties....
Featuring
- Tony AnholtTony AnholtAnthony "Tony" Anholt was a British actor best known for his roles as Security Chief Tony Verdeschi in the second season of Gerry Anderson's television series Space: 1999 , Paul Buchet in The Protectors and as Charles Frere in the highly-successful BBC drama series Howards' Way .Anholt was...
— Tony VerdeschiTony VerdeschiTony Verdeschi is a fictional character who first appeared in the second series of the science fiction television series Space: 1999. He is in his early thirties.... - Nick TateNick TateNicholas John "Nick" Tate is an Australian actor best known for his role as Eagle pilot Alan Carter in both seasons of the 1970s science fiction television series Space: 1999, as well as for playing the role of Gordon Hamilton's errant brother James in the 1980's soap opera "Sons and...
— Captain Alan CarterAlan Carter (Space 1999)Alan Carter is a fictional character from the television series Space: 1999. He was played by Nick Tate. He is of Australian origin and is in his early thirties.-Character biography:... - Zienia MertonZienia MertonZienia Merton is a British actress born in Burma. Her mother was Burmese, and her father half English, half French. She was raised in Singapore, Borneo, Portugal, and England....
— Sandra BenesSandra BenesSandra Benes is a recurring character in the British science-fiction television series Space: 1999. She is of Western European/Burmese origin and is in her late twenties. Her role was played by actress Zienia Merton.-Character Biography:...
Music
An original score was composed for this episode by Derek WadsworthDerek Wadsworth
Derek Wadsworth was a British jazz trombonist, session musician, composer and arranger....
. The second movement of Beethoven's 'Symphony No. 9 in D minor
Symphony No. 9 (Beethoven)
The Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125, is the final complete symphony of Ludwig van Beethoven. Completed in 1824, the symphony is one of the best known works of the Western classical repertoire, and has been adapted for use as the European Anthem...
' was played by Zamara in the Alpha Recreation Centre. 'Storm at Sun-Up' by Canadian jazz composer Gino Vannelli
Gino Vannelli
Gino Vannelli is an Italian-Canadian singer, songwriter, musician and composer.-Early years:Born in Montreal, Quebec, Vannelli is one of three sons born to Russ and Delia Vannelli. Russ, his father, was a big band musician. As a child, Gino's greatest passion was music, and he began playing...
, was selected by choreographer Lionel Blair
Lionel Blair
Lionel Blair is a British actor, choreographer, tap dancer and television presenter. He is the son of Myer Ogus and Deborah Greenbaum...
to accompany the seduction dance during filming, and served as Wadsworth's inspiration when preparing his score. A brief moment of the ‘space horror music’ composed by Vic Elms and Alan Willis for 'Ring Around the Moon' can be heard when Zarl takes Helena's hand and says, ‘The play begins.’ This is the only occurrence of a first-series music-track being used this year.
Production Notes
- The shooting script, written by former UFOUFO (TV series)UFO is a 1970-1971 British television science fiction series about an alien invasion of Earth, created by Gerry Anderson and Sylvia Anderson with Reg Hill, and produced by the Andersons and Lew Grade's Century 21 Productions for Grade's ITC Entertainment company.UFO first aired in the UK and Canada...
script editor Tony BarwickTony BarwickTony Barwick was a British television scriptwriter who worked extensively on series created and produced by Gerry Anderson....
, contains an epilogue cut for time from the final edit. The viewer would have seen a restored Alpha dispatching a recovery Eagle, and Alan Carter arriving on Vega with cold-weather gear for Koenig and company. With the Vegan city powered down, the Alphans discuss the future with the Numbers, who are looking forward to re-learning the basics of survival in their world's harsh environment. Helena and Koenig then exchange banter regarding Zarl; though the android was a good-looking and masculine Iago, Helena states she much prefers her Othello. The script's status-report date is stated as 415 days by Helena and was changed in post-production.
- After completing this episode, series regular Zienia MertonZienia MertonZienia Merton is a British actress born in Burma. Her mother was Burmese, and her father half English, half French. She was raised in Singapore, Borneo, Portugal, and England....
decided to leave the programme. She was disastisfied with her lack of a contract and diminished involvement in the second series. Feeling the new American producer Fred FreibergerFred FreibergerFred Freiberger was an American film and television screenwriter and television producer, with a career spanning four decades including The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, Star Trek, and Space: 1999...
did not appreciate her contribution to the previous series and not seeing any potential change in the foreseeable future, she opted to depart. During her absence, her character would be replaced by Japanese operative Yasko, portrayed by Yasuko NagazumiYasuko Nagazumiis a producer and manager in Hollywood responsible for print advertising campaigns for clients such as Armani, Donna Karan, Guess?, Pirelli, Vogue Magazine and working with photographers Peter Lindbergh, Herb Ritts, Helmut Newton and others....
, the wife of Space: 1999 director Ray AustinRay AustinRay Austin, formally known as Raymond Austin or Baron DeVere-Austin of Delvin, is a British television director...
.
- Coming off her critically acclaimed, award-winning performance as Mrs. Baylock in the 1976 horror film The OmenThe OmenAn original score for the film, including the movie's theme song Ave Satani, was composed by Jerry Goldsmith, for which he received the only Oscar of his long career. The score features a strong choral segment, with a foreboding Latin chant...
, Billie WhitelawBillie WhitelawBillie Honor Whitelaw, CBE is an English actress. She worked in close collaboration with Irish playwright Samuel Beckett for 25 years and is regarded as one of the foremost interpreters of his works...
was cast as the sensuously diabolical android Zamara. A veteran of British theatre, her stage-trained voice had to be modulated in post-production to prevent it from overwhelming all other elements of the soundtrack.
- Costume designer Emma Porteous recalls how she and production designer Keith WilsonKeith Wilson (production designer)Keith George Wilson was an award-winning production designer who began work at AP Films, working as art assistant on Fireball XL5 and many other Gerry Anderson productions to follow. As a production designer he created all the futuristic sets for Space: 1999 and Star Maidens...
closely collaborated to produce a cohesive look for the beautiful and sensual world of Vega. The sets for this production were revamped from the Grove of Psyche, the corridors of Psychon and the underground caverns left over from 'The MetamorphThe Metamorph"The Metamorph" is the first episode of the second series of Space: 1999 . The screenplay was written by Johnny Byrne; the director was Charles Crichton. Previous titles were 'The Biological Soul' and 'The Biological Computer'. The final shooting script is dated 19 January 1976...
'. The red nylon quilted jackets introduced in 'Dragon's Domain' were worn here by Catherine SchellCatherine SchellKatherina Freiin Schell von Bauschlott is an Hungarian-born actress best known for her work on British televison.Schell rose to fame in various British film and television productions in the 1960s and 1970s...
and background extra Robert Reeves.
- A large quantity of publicity stills for the second series were taken during the filming of this episode. The regular cast, alone or in combinations, were photographed in a variety of action poses involving attacking aliens. Among these aliens were stuntmen dressed in the Vegan android costume and 'Number' costume, a Highlander from 'Journey to Where' and stuntman Frank MaherFrank Maher (stuntman)Frank Maher was a British stuntman, most famous for his roles as a stuntman or stunt coordinator in a vast range of British TV shows in particular the TV series Danger Man in which he frequently acted as a stunt double for the series star Patrick McGoohan.-Early career:He was born in London on 18...
in his Decontamination Unit coverall from 'The ExilesThe Exiles"The Exiles" is a science fiction short story by Ray Bradbury. It was originally published as "The Mad Wizards of Mars" in Maclean's on 15 September 1949 and was reprinted the following year by Fantasy Fiction, Inc...
', his face smeared with grey greasepaint.
- Apart from simple laser-beam overlays, teleportation energy-flares and one big-screen shot with a burn-in of the star-chart showing the before-and-after positions of the Moon, there are no substantial visual effects in this episode. Verdeschi's POV shot of the surface of Vega and the single shot of the planet over Moonbase Alpha were library footage both taken from the first-series episode 'Death's Other Dominion'
Novelisation
The episode was adapted in the second Year Two Space: 1999 novel Mind-Breaks of Space by Michael ButterworthMichael Butterworth
Michael Butterworth is a British author and publisher who has written many novels and short stories, particularly in the genre of science fiction...
and J. Jeff Jones published in 1977. It included the deleted epilogue scene.
External links
- Space: 1999 - 'One Moment of Humanity' - The Catacombs episode guide
- Space: 1999 - 'One Moment of Humanity' - Moonbase Alpha's Space 1999 page
| Last produced: "The Exiles" |
List of Space: 1999 episodes | Next produced: "All That Glisters All That Glisters (Space: 1999) "All That Glisters" is the fourth episode of the second series of Space: 1999 . The screenplay was written by Keith Miles; the director was Ray Austin. The final shooting script is dated 9 March 1976... " |
| Last broadcast: "Journey to Where Journey to Where "Journey to Where" is the fifth episode of the second series of Space: 1999 . The screenplay was written by Donald James; the director was Tom Clegg. The final shooting script is dated 18 February 1976, with amendments dated 2 March, 4 March, 11 March, 17 March, 18 March, 22 March and 25 March 1976... " |
Next broadcast: "Brian the Brain Brian the Brain "Brian the Brain" is the ninth episode of the second series of Space: 1999 . The screenplay was written by Jack Ronder; the director was Kevin Connor. The final shooting script is dated 5 May 1976, with amendments dated 11 May 1976... " |