Any info' about the "Planet Killer" filming model?

[Christopher]

^Well, it's not as if "The Doomsday Machine" is a particularly deep episode. It's basically TOS's special-effects extravaganza, a story driven mainly by action and spectacle over story. If you ask me, the only thing that makes it work is Sol Kaplan's fantastic musical score. If it had been tracked with stock music instead, I don't think it would have anywhere near the same reputation.

[Gep Malakai]

Maurice wrote:

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The best theory I've seen for the model's construction was put forth by Daren Dochterman over on The Replica Prop Forum (his most specific posts about the construction (link) and images to support his idea (link)). His thought is that it was made of "gaffer's foil" (the foil used on film sets to shape light or make improptu flags) wrapped blue lighting gel material. This would have allowed a small stage light to have been put inside it. Shaw also chimes in on the possible use of the Catspaw 3.5" metal Enterprise in the episode. Here's the full thread (link).

Looking at photos, you can see the foil-like texture and these odd strips that look like tape folded around the maw.

It's not a windsock dipped in concrete, that's pretty clear.

Off-topic, but you might want to know that last month, the RPF server and registration at GoDaddy.com were attacked by a Russian hacker who cloned the server and transferred control of "therpf.com" to himself. The real site is up and running at thereplicapropforums.com, but the site you just linked to is a Russian clone. Current information from the folks at the real site suggests he stole it to hold the URL ransom and to gain the revenue from their Google Adsense impressions. In the wake of the takeover, some members reported their own websites were attacked from Russian IP addresses. So by linking to the old site, you're potentially helping a hacker earn money, and exposing yourself and whoever clicks through to any Trojans or malware he might have loaded the forums up with.

The guys at the real RPF are trying to contact as many people as possible to top them from visiting the fake site. If you have a Replica Prop Forums account, more information can be found here and here.

[CorporalCaptain]

Christopher wrote:

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^Well, it's not as if "The Doomsday Machine" is a particularly deep episode. It's basically TOS's special-effects extravaganza, a story driven mainly by action and spectacle over story. If you ask me, the only thing that makes it work is Sol Kaplan's fantastic musical score. If it had been tracked with stock music instead, I don't think it would have anywhere near the same reputation.

Or maybe people like some action and spectacle.

As for the story - well - the episode was nominated for a Hugo award. However, I won't speak to the criteria used for the nomination. Fans also seem to really like Balance of Terror, too, a lot. The music of The Doomsday Machine is memorable, but that's not why I like the episode so much. I personally like it just because it's a space battle, and it was pulled off without getting too cheesy. It's a nice change of pace.

Fighting a giant robot in space is also an intriguing concept. Kirk's hypothesis of the backstory is fascinating, beyond the subtext of Armageddon, and raises some interesting unanswered questions (that I prefer to remain unanswered) with respect to exactly who was fighting the war.

[Christopher]

CorporalCaptain wrote:

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Fans also seem to really like Balance of Terror, too, a lot.

Which doesn't reflect on my point. BoT has a much stronger character/drama focus, and its visual effects (despite the inclusion of a new miniature) are fairly crude and basic. "Doomsday," more than any other TOS episode, is about showing off breathtaking visual effects, and I think it comes at the expense of the show's usual rich, intelligent storytelling.

[CorporalCaptain]

Oh, I thought The Immunity Syndrome was the one all about the effects.

[Christopher]

Hmm, yeah, "Immunity Syndrome" is right up there with the spectacle, but I've always felt it had more drama to it too -- and not as much laughably over-the-top action/melodrama stuff like smoke bombs going off on the transporter stage and William Windom overacting to death in the shuttlecraft. But again, a large part of what makes it feel emotionally effective is that it recycles a lot of Kaplan's "Doomsday Machine" score.

[plynch]

Oddly, I find Immunity a snoozer. I like the pacing in DS, and back and forth of ships in jeopardy, ww's performance, yes, the music, yes, the smoke bombs, the whole chain of command thing. Synergy. Karma, whatever, the whole thing works. Except the ending. Clank.

So it goes. This might be my second fave ep. No rationale. I just like it. We are emotional beings who also sometimes think, and I claim that birthright.

[Anji]

If you're looking for exactly how the creature was made I would check into the records of The Westheimer Company, who did all the special effects for the series. The Howard Anderson Company, who also did mostly the opticals, may be a possible source

Somewhere there has to be a bill from the company to either Desilu or Roddenberry himself for the effect. I would also see if the archieves from Desilu exist somewhere.

[Christopher]

Westheimer was just one of about five FX houses that did photographic effects on Star Trek. The VFX for "The Doomsday Machine" were credited to Cinema Research Corporation, a company that apparently still exists and has worked on later Trek productions (also modern Trek's VFX producer Dan Curry worked there before joining TNG).

[Borjis]

unfortunately I only have a few very small pieces, not nearly enough to recreate even a small scale planet killer.

[Rulius]

For what it's worth, I read somewhere (maybe here) that it was made of paper mache.

[Nerys Myk]

After filming it became a volcano for the prop masters kid's science fair exhibit.

[Captain Tracy]

Nerys Myk wrote:

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After filming it became a volcano for the prop masters kid's science fair exhibit.

Very, Very Close,... after filming it ended up across the street for this episode of The Brady Bunch

[Nerys Myk]

Jan or Marcia?

[Sindatur]

Nerys Myk wrote:

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Jan or Marcia?

I thought Marcia at first, but, I think Marcia's hair was really long early on, and got shorter, and Peter is too old for it to be early on, so, if I don't have it backwards, it must be Jan