Filmed May 1967
My second voyage on the Enterprise, METAMORPHOSIS, written by the incomparable Gene Coon, was my favorite voyage of the seven STAR TREKs I directed. It was a strange tale, beautifully written with a potent message. I was really anxious to make this voyage. When you look at the lineup of my voyages, it seems as if I went from one trek to another. Actually there was a three month lapse between THIS SIDE OF PARADISE and METAMORPHOSIS. Part of that time was television’s annual spring hiatus. I also managed to squeeze in the impossible mission of THE TRAIN (which I will write about later). After that jarring trip I was ready for the sanity of outer space.
METAMORPHOSIS had no location work. The planet we would be visiting would be created on the studio soundstage. This actually was the usual standard operating procedure for the show. Of my seven adventures, only two left the studio for location filming, THIS SIDE OF PARADISE (my first) and upcoming BREAD AND CIRCUSES. But the planet created for this production, I think, was one of the finest of the whole series. And it was the director of photography, Jerry Finnerman, who was most responsible for its unique look. I was impressed with his work on THIS SIDE OF PARADISE. With his contributions to this voyage I knew I was working with an artist. A cyclorama for the sky was the backing for the set pieces that would be placed in front of it. It was Jerry who decided that the sky would be purple. It was also Jerry who introduced me to the fish eye lens, the wide angle 9mm. The soundstage we would be shooting on was not very large; it was one of the smallest soundstages I had ever worked on.
For our opening sequence on this foreign planet, the use of the 9mm lens made the shuttlecraft on the ground seem a great distance away. But use of this lens posed a problem; we were shooting off the set; in fact, we were seeing the ceiling of the soundstage. So Jerry brought in large rocks in the foreground to mask the overshoot.
The series has recently been remastered for a new DVD distribution. In the new version of METAMORPHOSIS the rocks have been removed and replaced by an open vista of the horizon.
I know it is fashionable for directors to object to “improvements” made to their films, and usually I am totally in fashion; but I have to admit, I like what was done in this remastering. It just shows what we could have done forty-five years ago if we had had computers (or more money).
There was another problem created by the use of the fish eye lens. When Cochran entered the foreground and ran toward the group at the craft, it seemed as if he had on seven league boots; he was covering what seemed like a football field distance in about five paces. I solved this by filming his approach from several angles, which were then joined together in the editing room.
There was yet another challenge connected with this set. The sky cyclorama was not a complete circle; it was 180 degrees max. So any reverse angle shots had to be filmed against the same cyclorama. That meant we shot everything toward the shuttlecraft and then created other arrangements of rocks and trees against the same cyclorama for the reverse angles.
In the clips you will be viewing, the sky is not always the deep purple I have described. These clips are from an old off the air transcription to which time has not been kind. There are a few shots where the purple has survived, so use your imagination. I do think even faded, Jerry Finnerman’s photography is exemplary. (The color of the sky in the remastered still shot is the purple we filmed.)
Once all of the scenes involving the shuttlecraft were filmed, that set was struck. Cochran’s home, exterior and interior, was erected, the set dressing crew came in, moved trees, plants and rocks around and overnight, in that same small space against the same cyclorama, we had a totally new set.
I was and still am very impressed with Gene Coon’s script. Two years prior to this he was producing and writing THE WILD WILD WEST. I had directed one show for Gene on that series, and at that time he told me that he didn’t have time to write all of the shows, but that show was so special (as was STAR TREK) that he needed to write them. So what he did was have writers come in and submit their ideas which he would buy, and he would have them write their script. That gave him a first draft which he would then rewrite. I know he didn’t take writing credit for many of those scripts. METAMORPHOSIS was not a rewrite; it was an original Gene Coon script as was THE DEVIL IN THE DARK, that first script that was assigned to me and then replaced. Compare the wild comic lunacy of THE WILD WILD WEST with the subdued dramatic intensity of METAMORPHOSIS — I guess what I’m trying to say is the man was talented!
Jerry Finnerman also contributed another effect for the set. He thought our sky should have clouds, so when we were ready to film, the doors to the soundstage were closed, the fans were turned off, every person was instructed to stand perfectly still, there could be NO movement. The special effects people then came in with their bee smokers and wafted smoke up above the trees. Presto — we had clouds.
The Companion was going to be a matte added in post production to what I filmed. The producers asked me to plan my shots to avoid the necessity of a traveling matte. Let me explain. If I shot a wide shot with Cochran standing at one end of the frame with the Companion superimposed at the other end of the frame — when the Companion moved across the screen to envelop Cochran, that would be a traveling matte. That would be more costly than a stationary matte. So instead I shot a full figure wide shot of Cochran, panned the camera left across the set and stopped, held frame long enough for the matte to be superimposed in the center of the frame, then panned back to the original shot of Cochran. The Companion, superimposed and centered in the frame, now enveloped Cochran.
But then came a sequence where there was no way to avoid a traveling matte.
I was not present in post production when an actress recorded the speeches of the Companion. But I was there to view the film after her speeches had been integrated into the assembled footage. And nobody disagreed with me when I declared the performance, which had been uttered in a robotic monotone, was unacceptable. Another actress was hired, and this time I was present to direct the performance; this time the actress played the MEANING, the humanity of the scene.
At the viewing of the dailies the day after we filmed the scene between Kirk and the Companion, Gene Coon said, “And that’s why we pay him the big money.”
I have read in an interview of Elinor Donahue that she said she was called back to the studio for a retake. I did not direct that retake. Under the agreement between the Directors Guild and the Producers Association, if there had been any major scene to be refilmed, I would have had to be contacted. Obviously the retake was minor. I have studied the film carefully and think I have spotted what was reshot — the long zoom into Nancy when she stands in the doorway. If you look closely I think you will see that her face shows a loss of weight.
When in the arts, if you copy someone, that’s plagiarism, unless you copy a large amount, then it’s a tribute. What is it if you steal from yourself? Because that’s what I did for the final sequence in this episode. The genesis for the opening shot of the scene was an episode of THE FBI (THE ESCAPE) that I had filmed the previous year. In that lakeside scene, the young girl, having made love to her fugitive lover, looks at her surroundings through a pink chiffon scarf. Maybe life now would be rosier for her.
I needed something to start the final scene between Cochran and Nancy. I decided I would have this cloud, recently turned into a human, look and marvel at the scarf that Nancy had in her possession. I would like to take credit and say I planned the unexpected added dimension this gave the scene, but I have to admit, not knowing at that time what the Companion was going to look like, that was not my motivation in doing this. At that point the fact that the vision of him through the scarf was as she was used to seeing him when she was a cloud had no significance for me. As it turned out it was an unforeseen bonus that added a stunning nuance to the scene.
One day walking back to the office after a screening of the completed film, Gene Coon said to me he was just amazed; how had I created that wonderful moment of her looking at Cochran through the scarf as a remembrance of how she had once seen him when she was a cloud. And I had to admit it was just one of those freak wonderful miracles that can happen in film. Now from the vantage point of forty-three years later, I can wonder — when did the lab start working on the effect for the Companion. We didn’t shoot the Cochran-Nancy scene until the final day; in fact I think it was the last scene to be filmed. Did the lab start work on the Companion before or after that sequence was in the can? Did they see that scene before or after? We’ll probably never know. But who cares! It worked!
There was another question that remains unanswered. Gene Coon told me one of the advantages of being on STAR TREK was that he was able to deal with issues that he couldn’t do on any other series. For instance he had written an episode that emanated from his own anti-Vietnam War feelings. The race issue was a major issue of the sixties. I never asked Gene, but I have since wondered if the cloud-man love story in METAMORPHOSIS was his way of dealing with that issue.
There was something else I didn’t know then but was to learn when I returned for my next flight. Desilu Studios had been sold to Paramount Pictures, a new regime was about to take over, and life in outer space was going to take a sharp turn for the worse.
The journey continues
Always one of my favorite Trek episodes. Just a lovely, thoughtful story wonderfully directed. The scene wherein Hedford bemoans the fact that most people futiley wait their whole lives for love, yet Cochrane doesn’t accept it when it is offered to him has remained in my memory since I first saw it nearly forty years ago.
Definitely a great episode that seems to not land in Top Ten lists but it certainly belongs there. Wonderful acting. You brought such quality to it, and we’re so glad to hear that you insisted on a good actress for The Companion, because her readings are perfect. Lovely bit with the scarf, so memorable.
Aside this one, Gene Coon wrote a much more direct story dealing with the race issue, entitled “Portrait in Black and White”. Unfortunately, by the time it got produced, it was completely ripped apart by Fred Freiberger and his people, and became a mediocre episode of the third season, “Let That Be Your Last Battlefield”.
I couldn’t disagree more with your assessment of Battlefield. Most of us understand the absurdity of racism, but expressing that absurdity is not always an easy task. As clearly as I’ve ever seen it portrayed is in the look on Kirk’s and Spock’s faces when a deadly earnest Bele says “Lokai is white on the right side. All of his people are white on the right side.” Their uncomprehending stares illuminate wonderfully well the sheer preposterousness of Bele’s (and any racist’s) claims.
I’ve also heard people claim the episode is too obvious, but is it? We’ve made minimal progress in this country with regard to racism, and any gains there have been seem lost to religious intolerance. As to other prejudice, we won’t see gay marriage legalized in all 50 states for decades, except through judicial decree. How far have we come, really?
The episode also has the justly famous self-destruct sequence, and two spectacular performances by Frank Gorshin and Lou Antonio. I’ve heard complaints about the scenes of Bele and Lokai running through the ship and superimposed over buildings in flames, but the time it gives us to see their weariness and desperation is well spent, and that those buildings in flames are from the then-recent Detroit riots gives the episode real pungency.
For me Battlefield is easily a top 20 episode, and sad to say, is entirely relevant today.
Cheers.
This was my favorite episode!The story was so romantic and original. The clips were marvelous except that I wish you had included the scene where clueless Cockran is informed by Kirk and the others that the creature has been making love to him. The men were snickering at him, and he really got upset. That was very memorable because he felt he had control. The acting and directing showed great sensitivity. Thanks again for the fascinating details, Ralph!
You have fine taste, Kathy. It was my favorite episode also.
This was my mother’s favorite episode. I can understand why. Eleanor Donohue and the late Glenn Corbett did an excellent job in this classic Star Trek adventure.
If anything, I could relate to Cochrane on a couple of levels: his wishing to pass on in space and having had enough of honors.
Overall, an excellent episode with an excellent storyline.
When I was a kid, this was not one of faves because there wasn’t much action but as I’ve gotten older, I’ve changed my tune. One of the main things Trek is about is love. This is one of its most unusual love stories and one of its nicest. I think one element sometimes overlooked is the musical score and this one had original work by George Duning. (The main love theme was reused a little later for Sargon and Thalassa in Return to Tomorrow.) Really meaty guest star roles and fine performances all around. A simple (on the surface) script ends up having much depth with a lot to say. A very well-realized episode.
Hey Ralph — At least three of your Star Treks has either full or partial original scores written for them (Metamorphosis, Is There in Truth…, and Return to Tomorrow). Did you as the director have any interaction with the composers–giving direction about tone/style/feeling? I know Bob Justman was the main contact with most of the Trek composers, so I’m wondering if you ever got a chance to put your stamp on this important part of the storytelling.
C. Ralph
No, I didn’t have any contact with the music composers. At the beginning of my career on DR. KILDARE I always went with Harry Sukman to the music spotting sessions. But I didn’t get a chance to do that later, as I would usually be gone by the time post production got around to scoring.
Sorry, I should have said “have either,” not “has.”
For shame!
I’m so glad to have found this website! You directed many of my favorite episodes, including “Metamorphosis,” which I think deserves to be better-known and better-loved. I loved the business with the scarf; it’s hard to believe you didn’t plan that, but regardless, it’s a beautiful moment.
Recently I re-watched this episode on DVD (the remastered version). It really is an unusual story.
One thing I found inexplainable (and a bit disturbing) is the way in which Kirk behaves regarding to Spock: he often seems to be really angry with him, for whatever reason. And the reason for this cannot be that Kirk is just under stress, because his behavior to the others doesn’t change in a similar way.
I’m just wondering whether there were any parts of the original script/plot/concept of the episode explaining how Spock made Kirk angry, which just didn’t make it to the version I’ve seen. I would really appreciate an answer. (Sorry for my English.)
First, you needn’t apologize for your English; you’re doing fine.
To answer your question: “I’m just wondering whether there were any parts of the original script/plot/concept of the episode explaining how Spock made Kirk angry, which just didn’t make it to the version I’ve seen.”
No, the final version you viewed is what we filmed. The strange thing is I have never been aware of the situation you question. There was always a different approach to matters between Kirk and Spock, (Kirk being emotional, Spock’s Vulcan side keeping emotions on the sidelines) and usually Kirk would smile as he recognized their difference. If under the circumstances of this episode Kirk seemed impatient with Spock, I find it totally understandable.
Thank you for your quick response. However, I’m still not completely satisfied.
You mention the “circumstances of this episode”, which made Kirk seem “impatient” with Spock. Here my problem starts: there is barely one episode of Star Trek without some special circumstances, and many earlier episodes deal with the fate of the whole crew of the Enterprise, or even with the populations of whole planets, yet Kirk doesn’t get angry at Spock there. Why are Kirk’s nerves more afflicted by him being stuck with three other people one of whom may probably die, while he can easily keep professional calm when the whole Enterprise with everybody on board may very likely be destroyed? I just fail to see why the situation in this episode should be worse than so many others.
Also, I cannot agree with you that it would be impatience which Kirk shows to Spock.
Take the scene in which Kirk orders Spock to readjust the universal translator, for example. Just after a calm, civilized talk with McCoy he abruptly orders Spock to make use of that device. Spock just mentions that the translator may not work and inexplicably Kirk gives him a hateful look and spews: “Adjust it! Change it! The problem with immortality is it’s boring! Adjusting it will give you something to do!” (As if it would be possible to even imagine a bored Spock.) When Spock thinks aloud about a possible way how to proceed, Kirk interrupts him hatefully: “Right down your alley, Spock! Get it here and get it to work!” After that Kirk turns to McCoy and talks to him in a very tempered, civilized manner about the health of the patient.
Now, where would impatience come in here? Kirk asks of Spock some kind of a technical miracle. Spock mentions in very short words the possible problems and a way to overcome them and does in no way delay the solution (what he surely would have done, had he been emotional about it, lamenting about not having enough time for that etc.). Yet he is treated as if he were about to sabotage Kirk’s plans or his authority, as if he needed to be kept busy to prevent him from plotting against Kirk. That would be the only thing that would have explained Kirk’s behavior.
So the core question remains unanswered: what did Spock do to provoke this hatred? Was there really nothing in previous versions of the script that would explain Kirk’s hatred?
Alex, there were no other scenes to accommodate your concerns. Gene Coon, who was producing at the time, wrote the script. He had been aboard for almost a year and was a sensational writer. He knew the characters. Obviously he did not have the problem you are having. And frankly I don’t have them either. This was my second trek with the company. That was the script I was given. That was the film I delivered.
This addition to the conversation about Alex’s concern over Kirk’s behavior towards Spock in this episode comes very late! It’s been awhile since I’ve visited the site, so I apologize. However, I have a small thought. Throughout the series I have often thought that Kirk found, or felt, that he could be more abrupt or impatient with Spock because he knew that, more or less, Spock would shrug it off. It seemed to me that Kirk allowed some of his irritation with a situation to “leak out” in his responses to Spock, rather than McCoy or someone else. Not exactly a nice way for one friend to treat another, but it’s certainly a human response–I know sometimes I speak more directly, openly, honestly, with friends who I know have a thicker skin. And, of course, sometimes that’s a miscalculation causing its own set of problems!
Best wishes to you, Ralph, and I hope you’ve been well and happy since that last time we exchanged messages here!
As much as I consider Star Trek-TOS among the best shows TV ever did, none of the episodes, exciting though they are, ever make me tearful, except for this one. The Companion is willing to sacrifice her immortality out of love for Cochran and it’s an extremely moving gesture. I realize that the script was by Gene Coon and that your direction may have concentrated more on technical matters, but you seem to have had the ability to bring out the best qualities of the script despite the low-budget, one-set situation you were faced with.
For some reason, I have no memory of this episode as a kid…not enough action and danger, I guess.
I’m curious how George Duning was selected to do the music, which is noticeably different from the “stock” ‘Star Trek’ music. I’ll bet someone said, “We need a guy who will make the audience reach for the Kleenex box.” I think this quality is common in most of his eight ‘Star Trek’ episodes, particularly in “The Empath”. Until I checked IMDB, I had no clue who he was or that he had FIVE Oscar nominations.
I haven’t seen all of the re-mastered ‘Star Trek’ episodes, but I like what I’ve seen so far…EXCEPT that still shot you posted of Cochran and the high sky. They didn’t improve the rocks…they erased them! What’s wrong with rocks?! It was established in the title credits that the shuttlecraft landed in a rocky area.
The issue of overshooting the top of a soundstage would never occur to us civilians. I wonder if I spotted another instance while watching “The Night of the Juggernaut” episode from ‘The Wild Wild West’ for the umpteenth time. During the first act, we see the CBS/Studio City indoor Western street. The camera appears to be shooting through an open door of a building at one end of the street and aimed at the opposite end. The top of the picture is cut off by what looks like the roof or canopy overhanging the open door. It’s the start of a six-second scene where the unusually small figure of Mr. West on horseback is coming down the street towards the camera.
dear Ralph, I just wanted to say hello to you, and to above all say thank you for touching me in such a profound way with your stunning, delicate and beautiful work. I am in awe of the talents you possess, of the wonderful era of stunning television that you thrived within, and like a domino effect what you crafted, and the artistry you contributed has touched me, and others of all generations until this very day. the work is timeless, eternal, mere television aspiring to touch the gods! For you see once upon a time imagination, wonder and enchantment existed in the boundless realms of my Fathers 26inch black and white Stella television!! Dear Ralph I mourn not for Adonais, but for the once beautiful citadel that was television, a window, or doorway to adventure. I turn to your work many many times, if I see an old tv segment directed by yourself it will draw me to it, like if a certain film has a certain leading man or woman, I know the segment will be imbued with sensitivity and depth, and beauty, they go hand in hand with Ralph Senensky. Todays tv, I couldn’t give a damn for it, I am only 53 but it can offer me nothing and so I search unto the past and so often find a trail that leads to gold, I am currently watching the 70s tv series Ghost Story/Circle of Fear and it is simply macnificent, A story I watched yesterday featured a stunning performance by Patricia Neal, and was awesomely directed by Robert Day.The story was profound and dealt with matters of life and death. I would love to recommend it to you to view one day, I can only say it was unbelievable that an episode of this quality can be shot in 6 or 7 days, my mind cannot grasp the talent that must have been inherent in television in the golden age Ralph. For me I know there will never be another age like this, like the beauty and wonder of childhood must end, so did the magic era of tv and films. THANK YOU SIR for all you have given me as a human being, Sir, you are not a director, you are a wonderful human being, an ARTIST Sir, a pure artist. The Star Trek episode you helmed is immortal, the stuff of legend, tv aspiring to the pantheon of the gods, it can never die. Everytime, whatever year I may view it, I am in tears, I do not cry easily Sir!! words cannot convey the awe and beauty of the work that ended up on the screen, it is the combination of so many colours, the score, the guest stars, the literate script, the awesome vision of the orchestrator, yourself, it is all these things and more. Dear Ralph it is an honour to be able to speak to you, to know great minds and hearts are still amongst us as they are so rare in the world today. love always to you, from Rick a fan of Classic Television.
Dear Ralph, as a footnote to my email to you, the ST episode is Metamorphosis. The episode of Ghost Story (1972) was titled; Time of Terror, by Jimmy Sangster. I look forward to reading your insightful posts. Thank You. Rick Daniel Suegreen.
And you Sir have left me speechless. But not so speechless that I can’t say “Thank You!”
Dear Ralph I cannot convey just how wonderful it is to be able to send you that email, I am so overjoyed that you appreciated it. Artists like yourself, often cannot understand the depths of our admiration, love and respect, to know that I could evoke a positive emotional response in one moment of your life Ralph, for me it is a moment I will cherish. Because you have given us many beautiful and emotional moments, pictures frozen in time forever, that have become immortal,… the blue blue eyes of the wonderful Glenn Corbett, the lovely soft tones of Elinor Donorhue, a striking, beautiful tracking shot caught by fellow artist Gerry Finnerman, the heart-trembling music created somewhere west of heaven by George Dunning, caught, frozen in a 16mm picture frame for all time, television for me is moments, pictures, glowing images seared into our beings, never to be forgotten, old, old friends we love and can never forget, the passing of the years does not dull them, or make us forget, they beam out at us and embrace our souls, for some tv is mere fodder, for others, like yourself it is a chance to embrace the human condition, you hold up the mirror for us, and it is not Glenn Corbett and Elinor Donerhue who we see, yes for a moment we catch a glimpse of ourselves!, longing for that love we never found, or a love we lost because we never truly valued it. It is truly magical to be able to tell an artist, but underneath it all, a fellow human being that we love them, and their work, I do not know you Sir, but I do get a feeling of the man you are within from the works of beauty and intelligence you have given us. Again, and not for the last time I say THANK YOU Ralph, it has been so so great to be able to shake your hand with my words, and to close the distance of the boundless miles between us with my words of thanks to you. Love to you and your loved ones from fellow traveller of this human journey- Rick Daniel Suegreen.
And now as you can see, I am indeed ___________________________!
Dear Ralph hi again, it is wonderful to visit you again, this side of paradise! I found your site very recently and it feels like I am back at school again, with that certain one particular teacher that simply brought out the best in us; one Mr Ralph Senensky! It is so rare to be able to interact with an artist whom contributed so much to a golden age in television, for the life of me Ralph I turn on the tv somedays just to see whats going down and my jaw drops as I slip into a coma,…. the dumbing down process begins! it is sinister, it is frightening, it is heartbreaking. To think I was born in 1961 and grew up in that golden age, I, one of the blessed generation to be given Star Trek, One Step Beyond, The Twilight Zone, Ben Casey, the Outer Limits,…… The list of series never ends, an amazingly fertile and imaginative era, I perchance stumbled,… no, it intrigued me, mesmerized me. I remember Ralph, one day many many moons ago, in our old living room, circa 1964, that strange glowing box in the corner of the room, I could see people moving around and could hear their voices coming as if from another world, utterly fascinated and drawn like a trembling moth to a flickering firelight I wandered closer,.. I looked through the back vents where the strange lights and sounds emanated from, I wondered inquisitively if I could see the little people moving inside the strange otherworldly box! My mother told me this story about me years later, surely one of the most staggering inventions of the 20th century, and the most neglected and forsaken. I could not imagine directors like yourself were manipulating actors like human chess pieces into amazing situations, for this young wide-eyed child this was real life, even more real and involving than my own reality! whether it be an episode of Ron Ely in Tarzan, or Gary Conway in a scene from Land of the Giants I was transfixed. Unto this day as 50 odd years have whizzed by I am still in love with television, only now it is past tense, what once was, and can surely never be again. Maybe Ralph we do not know we live in a golden age until it is gone. I come to the laptop, often to enquire on whether a certain actor, a composer, or maybe a director is still with us, more often than not they have passed on, I seek out countless tv series and tv movies to see whether they are on dvd, or old rental vhs and mostly they are not, for example Ralph I will often type in; Welcome Home Johnny Bristol, that starred the expressive Martin Landau, an old tv movie that most people would have forgotten by now, (not yours truly)! and when it is not recognised Ralph, you should see the look on my sorry chops, my heart sinks, and I think of all the countless tv boxsets of the modern shows that flood the markets and I feel different, alien, WHY, OH WHY do I love these very old tv movies? Sir, they just speak my language, they stir, inspire and move me, they are the stuff of pure art, like a classic painting hanging in a gallery to be revered forever. Still I search for movies I have seen over 30years ago, I find a few here and there, most sadly I will never see, even if I lived 2 or three lifetimes, these works of art have been simply buried in a ten-ton box, a hundred feet into the ground! One series that I can not fathom being released is The Sixth Sense with Gary Collins, I just don’t get it, I guess if they cant move bucket-loads of the product they see no sense in releasing it. I cannot believe that the people who govern the worlds of classic tv in America can let this happen, they are part of our heritage, our culture. Dear Ralph, it is great to be able to attend your insightful classes, they truly are an education, it is fascinating your attention to detail in the aspects of your projects, I just marvel that you could direct such artists as Bill Bixby, Raymond Massey, Dave Madden, and Glenn Corbett, I am in awe of these talents and people, all wonderful in their own ways, all bringing colours to each palette you as the helmsman construct. For at last thanks to you Teacher, going to school has become a great pleasure! until next time, love to you Ralph. from Rick Daniel Suegreen, London, England.
Dear Ralph, I forgot to mention regarding my first introduction to our houses 26inch Stella black and white tv, somewhere around 1963-64, that I, this awkward, fragile 3yr old tv nut, had asked my Mother, “If I shake the tv, will the people fall out”!! I can easily imagine I did say that to her as she often recounts the story to people of my fascination with the John Logie Baird experience! Also Ralph I was named Ricardo after Ricky in the I Love Lucy tv show! Warmest Wishes from Ricky
Ricky: You write so beautifully and express so wonderfully my motivation behind this website. You were born the year I directed my first television show, so my life started almost four decades before that, so I also feel about the movies (that’s what they were called then, not films) what you are relating.
Hi Ralph, thank you for your wonderful comments about me, to sum up how they made me feel was the equivalent of a vacation in Hawaii, being shown the sights with Jack Lord, a dinner date with Cheryl Ladd, having a back garden kick-about with Robert Urich, Dennis Cole and Christopher George, and having all my birthdays come in one shining moment!! Dear Ralph your kind words about my writing simply MEAN THE WORLD to me, and I am glad that you have accomplished what you set out to do with your site, I know that if a guy like me can get where you are at, then anyone can, I am not a bright and clever guy, just when the day I was born some of Rod Serling’s stardust fell upon me and gifted me with imagination, and little else!! Dear Ralph I just wanted to ask you when you are sitting on your directors stool, you have blocked, and lit the scene, you call action, do you, or can you ever view the scene as say I would?, or does your mind analyse every moment of a scene from just a technical standpoint?, do you ever get pulled into a scene from an emotional level? Really I am asking you are the actors doing their job so well for a moment it becomes real? In a way the scene is more bare and true, there is no soft lens or filters, no lush music to echo the emotion, just the pure acting, the people in the room with you. I just wondered how it was for you.
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Hi Ralph,
Quick question: How involved (if at all) were you with the scoring/music of a Star Trek episode? Metamorphosis, Return to Tomorrow, and Is There In Truth No Beauty? were all fortunate enough to have music written specifically for them. I’m wondering if you ever worked with the composers or if it was only the composers/Hatch/Justman.
Hope you’re well,
Fred
The only time in episodic television that I worked with the composer was on DR. KILDARE. I was on staff as Assistant to the Producer for 9 months and was able to sit in on the music setting sessions, mostly with the wonderful Harry Sukman. Thus when I started directing KILDARE’s I sat in with Harry when the music was set for my films. The only time in later years when I could do that was on films for television.
Interesting. I’m on a Star Trek music binge right now (inspiring my original question), but let’s broaden it. After you directed an episode of a series, there’s all the post-production – editing, music, special effects (in the case of Trek anyway). Was *all* that (except for Kildare) always out of your hands? If it was, were you ever disappointed/frustrated/pleasantly surprised (as with the scarf mentioned above) with what others did? Or were you too busy with your next project to even think about it? Did you make it a point to watch your shows when they were aired?
Ralph, I really appreciate how much you share with all of us lay people who wonder how the magic was made! It’s fascinating.
(Oh, and I should probably start reading *all* the comments before I post – Ralph Adler asked you the same music question almost word-for-word 5 years ago! http://senensky.com/metamorphosis/#comment-315)
To try to fill in, I tried not to book myself so that I didn’t dash off to another assignment immediately on completion of photography. I wanted time in the editing room. On my movies-for-television I tried when available to go to the scoring stage when the background music was recorded and sometimes to the dubbing stage when the final sound track was crreated. I usually went to final print screenings, the screenings held before the film was sent to the various departments for sound effects, music etc. I always watched the shows when they aired. I take that back. The one show I directed that I have never seen was an episode of the Bobby Sherman show — I can’t even remember the name of the series. And I must add I was very rarely disturbed by the editorial changes that were made by the producer after I turned in my cut. It was not my responsibility to cut the film down the required running time, so in those cases I expected changes. But with experience, directors learn to film in ways to protect their intention.
I just wanted to add how much I have been enjoying your site. I stumbled onto it searching for information about This Side of Paradise after seeing photo images of Spock and Leila walking along stones by a river. I was searching for a deleting scene and landed on your site. Last night it was that episode, tonight I treated myself to this. It has been fascinating reading about how the shots were done. This episode never gets enough praise.
Thank you. You have just added to: “This episode never gets enough praise.”
I loved reading your thoughts on directing the episode Ralph — “Metamorphosis” is absolutely one of my favorite Trek episodes. I can’t watch it enough times. I rate it as a top-10 original series episode and I do believe it deserves more credit than it gets.
I started watching re-runs of the original series in the late 70s or early 80s and then lost track of Trek until 2016 when the Space Channel started re-broadcasting (or I just happened to rediscover) the original series again — 50 years after it first aired. I had a pretty good memory of the vast majority of the episodes but I didn’t remember “Metamorphosis”. I guess I just hadn’t seen it as a kid. So when the episode title was put on the screen, I realized that I was in for something new. And given how much I love TOS, this was going to be a real treat.
What I found just enchanting about this episode is, as you described, the purple sky and the dreamy-like nature of Cochrane’s world. Talk about creating an atmosphere, a feeling — you really helped pull it off. Sometimes I feel, these sound stages were just better for creating truly alien worlds.
Of course, the story, the script, the acting, but also the real sci-fi implications of romance — that it can even be between a human and a non-corporeal life form is wonderful. “Metamorphosis” is truly one of the best love stories I’ve ever seen.
But the one thing that really made this one of my favorites is George Duning’s wonderful soundtrack. Right from the start with the shuttle in space to the part where Cochrane makes his decision to stay with Nancy — it is just a magical and moving score.
My question to you is what did you think of the soundtrack and did you have any input that you needed romantic music here or action-oriented music there etc.? I’ve always wondered how the Trek music was matched so well with the story — I’ve purchased many of the Trek soundtrack albums but the score for “Metamorphosis” is one of the best. One can listen to the soundtrack and realize that it is almost telling the story itself.
Wonderful reading your blog Ralph.
Cheers,
Rahul
And wonderful reading your comments, Rahul. I agree with what you’ve said about George Duning’s wonderful music. No, I had no input but I know how it was done. As I’ve written somewhere in this long trek, when I was the assistant to the producer on DR. KILDARE I was a close friend of Harry Sukman, one of the composers of background music for the series. I sat with him and learned the process as he would view the film, decide where music could come in, where it would end, right down to the frame of film, down to the second. And then compose. He would also conduct the orchestra the day of scoring with the film playing on a big screen on the scoring stage.
This was a wonderful episode, and you couldn’t have been more right about using the scarf the way you did. I’ll put my 2 cents in about why it worked so well, and that might be a little different than yours or anyone else’s, but one thing that struck me back when it started and still strikes me today was the ST-TOS was one of the first TV shows to use color creatively, like the color was important to the scene and the story and wasn’t just some reflection of what reality would look like. Color was used like paint, to emphasize and enhance the story. Perhaps Mr. Finnerman was responsible for that, but your use of the scarf added to the feeling of artwork blending with story, color enhancing the story. At least that’s what I was seeing and still see, and I loved it.
I agree with everything you wrote. STAR TREK TOS was the first time Jerry Finnerman worked as a director of photography. He had been a camera operator for Harry Stradling, one of the great photographers of film. Jerry lit color film the way Stradling did and Stradling lit color film the way he had lit black and white film. To which I add Jerry Finnerman was a true artist. He was painting with color film.
I didn’t realize until I noticed it today, after watching an episode of the old Warner Bros PI show “Bourbon Street Beat,” that Jerry Finnerman’s father, Perry Finnerman, was a director of photography at Warner Brothers. Looks like Perry left something to his son Jerry besides his middle name.
That was quite the norm. I remember on one of my very early shows the Assistant Director was Hank Cline and his father was a director of photography. Hank had an older brother, who was already a member of the Director of Photography guild. Hank had not been eligible to enter that guild because of that. So he managed to enter the Directors guild.
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I watched Metamorphosis again last night & for the first time really looked at the painting behind Commissioner Hedford in the resting chamber. So intrigued, is this the only one or were prints ever made?
As far as I know, that was the only one. I’m sure if there had been prints made, I would own one.
My two cents worth – I dont think it was a painting. It looks to me like string art – more like weaving coloured strings from point A to Point B to create patterns.
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Dear Mr. Ralph Senensky,
Fantastic stuff to read and revel in after watching so many of these sensitive episodes. “Metamorphosis” and “Obsession” were always two of my favorite episodes, followed by “This Side of Paradise”, “City on the Edge of Forever”, “Balance of Terror”, “Trouble with Tribbles” and “The Naked Time” with the little alien dog
Thank you so very much for your time, talent and contribution to this TV franchise that so many million of people have enjoyed as pleasant entertainment.
You’re getting close to the “Double Gold Standard” of 100 years of age !
Peace and God’s Grace be with you.
Ralph,
This was a wonderful episode, one of my favorites. In some of your other threads you wrote about interactions with Mr. Nimoy. I wonder if you have any special recollections of the other actors from the episodes you directed?