THE DOOMSDAY MACHINE RELOADED

how the classic Star Trek episode, now remastered with modern special effects, got written and made

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Spinrad
• Star
• Trek
• Doomsday
• Machine
• Roddenberry

[ronboy38]

In Spinrad's original draft of "The Doomsday Machine", commodore "Brand" Decker lived. He was re-written by Gene Coon and Gene Roddenberry. Spinrad's right about Shatner counting his lines. Composer Sol Kaplan's score became a classic. He only did two Star Trek's. He was a rising film composer until blacklisted in the '50s, settling for tv work in the '60s. Pity. I didn't know Theodore Sturgeon was still alive. Quite a writer! Check out his work.

[normanspinrad]

I've said this before--Decker did not survive in any draft I wrote.

[ronboy38]

I stand corrected. I'm remembering James Blish's adaptation's of Star Trek scripts, in which Commodore Decker lived. Nice to know you're still alive and well, Mr. Sturgeon. I may go back and re-read some of your work!

[normanspinrad]

???? I'm not Ted Sturgeon!

[normanspinrad]

It might not have been Blish who essentially bowdlerized the story in the novelization version; everything had to be approved by Paramount, and maybe they dictated something "softer."

[normanspinrad]

As I've said here before, there was never a version of my script in which Decker lived. Why Blish did what he did, I have no idea.

[desa415]

Great episode! Thanks Mr.

Spinrad.

[MLKKAEFEnterprises]

Great insight Mr. Spinrad. Nice to hear your story.

[couerl]

I don't know who the other Matt decker was going to be but, this one was the right one and the only one.

[dsgm]

Mr. Spinrad, perhaps I've missed it but is there any drawing or visual concept for your original DD machine? I'd be most interested to see what you had envisioned.

Daniel

[ToxicWastoid]

These revamped episodes are now playing on Australian free-to-air television.

[MissAdolphHitler1988]

Sorry bit I prefer the "horn o'plenty" design as shown, sorry Norman! :)

[basherman69]

Thank you for bringing us what is arguably the best original series episode produced. It has always been my favorite all time Star Trek episode, worthy of a sequel. Actually a sequel was produced by James Cawley's ST: Phase II, but it wasn't as good as the original.

Regarding Shatner's "counting lines" on scripts I heard from Harlan Ellison that Shatner was doing the same thing with "The City on the Edge of Forever". It seems that you took it better than Ellison did.

[dbingamon]

Norman, have you seen the video titled, "Star Trek: "The Doomsday Machine" (Part 1 of 8)"? They have done some great work on that.



[scottmyers63]

Norman, Why is it I haven't found comments by William Windom about his role as Commodore Matthew Decker anywhere on YouTube??? BTW, excellent episode...still has me on the edge of my seat when I watch Decker's Kamakazi raid on The Doomsday Machine.

[mhirtes12]

When I played Star Trek Online, the supercharged torpedoes made rubble out of the Doomsday Machine, but barely made a dent in the Crystalline Entity. :(