Five Star Five was a movie project by Gerry Anderson was to executive produce with music producer Sydney Rose. In 1977, immediately after Space: 1999, they began fund raising while long-term collaborator Tony Barwick worked on the script. The story was described as The Magnificent Seven in space. Five characters- including a talking chimp and a robot – must destroy an alien asteroid fortress that threatens a planet.
In 1979 preproduction work began with director John Guillermin; director of The Towering Inferno (1974), King Kong (1976) and Death on the Nile (1978). Although studios were booked (live action in Pinewood, special effects at Bray), the project abruptly lost funding and was abandoned. Among the names attached was designer Keith Wilson.
As a special treat, here is the first scene from the original script:
THE TIME …. THE FUTURE
THE PLACE …. THE UNIVERSE
EXT. PLANET KESTRA. DAY.
We are following an AEROSPACE VEHICLE. It is flying at zero feet and travelling at FIVE THOUSAND
MILES PER HOUR !
It hugs the contours of the planet; one moment skimming over the sea•••then climbing steeply to
cross a 20,000 ft. mountain range•••now diving almost vertically into the plain below•••pulling out
to fly along a narrow valley,
the hills either side accentuating the already sickening visual sense of speed.
INT. AEROSPACE VEHICLE. DAY.
30 SHOCKTROOPS from the aggressive planet ZARGON•••
15 seated each side.
Dressed in black, wearing helmets with built-in air supply and communication facilities, the ZARGON
SHOCKTROOPS look bizarre.
REVERSE
ON LEUTNA
He is an officer. Young, intense… he sits in a single seat facing his men, his face impassive.
The AEROSPACE VEHICLE angles as it streaks under Planet
KESTRA’s electronic surveillance.
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THE TIME …. THE FUTURE
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