ALL SCI-FI

Pow · Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2016 2:24 pm Post subject: TOS episode #19 - Arena

I've read that this is the episode where Shatner, Nimoy & Kelly got tinnitus caused by the scenes on location where there were explosives detonated.

Shatner got the worst of it.

Pow · Posted: Wed Apr 12, 2017 10:19 pm Post subject:

The impressive looking colony set on Cestus III was originally a 19th century military fort set constructed for the 1956 tv show Tales 77th Bengal Lancers.

It would show up on a number of television including The Big Valley & The High Chaparral.

Custer · Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2017 5:28 am Post subject:

A rather small shot taken during the filming of "Arena" - from www.thesearethevoyagesbooks.com...

Gord Green · Posted: Mon Jan 01, 2018 11:07 am Post subject:

It's true. William Shatner currently suffers from tinnitus due to an improperly timed special effects explosion on the set of this episode.
Both Leonard Nimoy and DeForest Kelley reportedly suffered from tinnitus as well during the remainder of their lives.

Also:

The scenes on the planet surface were filmed at Vasquez Rocks, California, the same location used for Star Trek: Shore Leave (1966), Star Trek: Friday's Child (1967) and several other Star Trek productions.

The area of Kirk's fight with the Gorn, in front of a jagged rock face known to fans as "Gorn Rock".

The fort set (Cestus III), retouched here with science-fiction trappings and location signs, can be seen in several early episodes of The Wild Wild West (1965), most prominently in The Wild Wild West: The Night of the Sudden Plague (1966).

It also is an important part of the coincidentally-titled Mission: Impossible: Trek (1967). This set was directly adjacent to Vasquez Rocks - so close that in Bat Masterson: Dagger Dance (1961), both the fort and the distinctive peaks of Vasquez Rocks appear in the same shot.

In some shots Vasquez Rocks can be seen from the set in "Arena" itself.

The fort set plays a major role in Bonanza: Alias Joe Cartwright (1964). The fort's walls and crenelations are clearly visible throughout the episode. The Vasquez Rocks area is used for the traveling segments back and forth to town. According to Eddie Paskey's website, it was also used for Beau Geste (1939).

According to Jerry L. Schneider's "Vasquez Rocks" web page on Movie Making Locations, the fort was built in the mid 1950s for the television show Tales of the 77th Bengal Lancers (1956) from Screen Gems, a Columbia Pictures subsidiary, erected at a cost of US$117,843.17.

The set was torn down several years after the filming of "Arena", and the area is a parking lot across from the Vasquez Rocks Natural Area.

A piece of crinkled "stone" wall, which was black aluminum foil, was placed at the top of the frame to hide the California landscape with homes that would have otherwise been seen in one very wide shot of the fort.

The remastered version of the episode corrects this error by rendering a CGI landscape in place of the foil.

The Gorn challenged Kirk to a rematch:

Pow · Posted: Mon Jan 01, 2018 12:11 pm Post subject:

Actor Vic Perrin did the voice of the omnipotent Metron being Kirk encounters.

Vic did the opening & closing narration for The Outer Limits.

On Star Trek: TOS he would also do the voice for Nomad on ''The Changeling,'' & appear as an alien leader in ''Mirror, Mirror.''

Gord Green · Posted: Mon Jan 01, 2018 6:54 pm Post subject:

About those "Metrons" :

The Metrons (Carolyne Barry) were named after Metatron. God's other high-ranking soldier in Michael's army of angels. Hence, their cherubic, spiritual appearance.

"Metron" is similar to Metatron, an angel in Judaism. The name means "instrument of change" in Greek. The name of the planet, Cestus III, refers to gladiatorial combat. A cestus is a type of boxing glove, consisting of strips of iron wrapped in leather, which gladiators wore in the arena.

The Metrons pronounce their name "Meh-trahn" but Kirk mispronounces it as "Meh-trohn" every time, and Spock uses both forms.

In his final speech, the Metron informs Kirk that, because he demonstrated mercy, he will not be destroyed.

Initially, they said they planned to destroy the loser, "in the interests of peace".

In Coon's script, in dialogue not aired, the Metron admits that they had, all along, planned to actually destroy the ship of the winner of the personal combat, because that race would represent the greater danger to them.

James Blish preserves this disclosure in his novelization in Star Trek 2.

Vic Perrin's dialogue as the Metron has a few phrases that are quite similar to his "Control Voice" narration on The Outer Limits (1963).

Custer · Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2018 4:11 pm Post subject:

I found this copy of this, er, comment, someone made years ago, while browsing an old folder of assorted pictures I'd saved today...

mach7 · Quantum Engineer Joined: 23 Apr 2015 Posts: 395

A few years ago, when I went to see Shatner's one man show "Shatners World" he said that this was the episode that started his Tinnitus.

A very good show if anyone gets the chance to see it.

This is Vasquez rocks from a few years ago. That's the rock
that the Gorn was making his rock dagger. Being reenacted by a co-worker I dragged up on a business trip.

It's only about 45 min from LAX and well worth the trip.

The Invaders also filmed the episode "The Saucer" there.

I found some of the locations, but not the saucer landing spot sadly.

Bud Brewster · Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2018 5:40 pm Post subject:

__________

Here's a real treat from Starlog issue #4. It presents both the original short story on which Arena was based and a few comments about the TOS episode.

By gum if THIS doesn't inspire some great comments from All Sci-Fi's members, my legal name isn't Bud Brewster! Wink

Click on each page here to see a large, easy-to-read version you can zoom in on. Click on the large version again, and then zoom in as close as you want!

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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

Bud Brewster · Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2018 9:54 am Post subject:

________________________________

I read the story and enjoyed it very much!

It's quite different from the TOS episode for the most part, but the basic conflict is the same. The climax of the story and episode are radically different.

I highly recommend the imaginative tale. Cool

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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

Pow · Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2018 10:26 am Post subject:

I also read & enjoyed Brown's novel.

Looking at the drawings for the alien creature, it seems like it would have been an excellent subject to create by either Ray Harryhausen or Rick Baker for a film adaptation.

orzel-w · Galactic Ambassador Joined: 19 Sep 2014 Posts: 1865

<< SPOILER >>

The "scene" in the story of him knocking himself unconscious and rolling down the sand mound through the barrier seemed familiar. I must have read it previously, back when I had a subscription to Starlog.
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WayneO
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Bud Brewster · Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2018 4:17 pm Post subject:

orzel-w · Galactic Ambassador Joined: 19 Sep 2014 Posts: 1865

Why would you be in violation of copyright laws, whereas archive.org wouldn't?
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...or not...

WayneO
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Bud Brewster · Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2018 10:28 am Post subject:

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Good point, Wayne! Very Happy

And the new version of the post on Trek BBS is a big hit, with several enthusiast replies and a comment from a moderate who says there's no problem with it.

I'll send PMs to the nice folks who expressed their enthusiasm, inviting them to join All Sci-Fi.

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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)