| It's only a Movie Technical Aspects, Production Notes, and such have their value, BUT in case that's not for you this is the page that cuts right to the entertainment factor of Saga of a Crew |
THE PLOT: (SPOILER ALERT)
The storyline whisks us to the year 2187. Our Earth by that time is in desperate need of
new resources (got that right). So, fleets of vessels are sent out to plunder the galaxy.
The Film follows the Earth 3rd Expeditionary Task Force, who's Commanding Admiral
hastily dispatches a 3 man crew on a desperate mission to an adjacent region of space
to search for a vitally needed substance for the Ship's generators. (an all to familiar
theme in Science Fiction) After surveying the region the Crew finds a suitable planet
that fits the bill: breathable atmosphere (always nice), and a 'Saturn like' ring indicating
trace elements of their sought after "Tri-Malisite" substance. Readings indicate the
substance in abundance on the surface having rained down from the ring over the
eons, along the equatorial line. After the slightly unbalanced pilot of the C-20 craft
makes a critical error, there is a violent crash. The 3 must struggle to complete the
mission and escape before time and sanity run out! Meanwhile back aboard the Fleet,
the daughter of the elder most crew member violates the no-fly orders and mounts a
feeble rescue attempt. Will she reach them in time? Tension mounts as Markus, the team
leader works to repair his craft while his mortally wounded friend and mentor, the
elderly Engineer Hadley, lingers near death. In addition the increasingly unbalanced
second pilot, Capron is an ever present and unpredictable menace. The story is well
written and is navigated with varying degrees of skill by a cast of unknowns in this
space adventure/survival tale.
The storyline whisks us to the year 2187. Our Earth by that time is in desperate need of
new resources (got that right). So, fleets of vessels are sent out to plunder the galaxy.
The Film follows the Earth 3rd Expeditionary Task Force, who's Commanding Admiral
hastily dispatches a 3 man crew on a desperate mission to an adjacent region of space
to search for a vitally needed substance for the Ship's generators. (an all to familiar
theme in Science Fiction) After surveying the region the Crew finds a suitable planet
that fits the bill: breathable atmosphere (always nice), and a 'Saturn like' ring indicating
trace elements of their sought after "Tri-Malisite" substance. Readings indicate the
substance in abundance on the surface having rained down from the ring over the
eons, along the equatorial line. After the slightly unbalanced pilot of the C-20 craft
makes a critical error, there is a violent crash. The 3 must struggle to complete the
mission and escape before time and sanity run out! Meanwhile back aboard the Fleet,
the daughter of the elder most crew member violates the no-fly orders and mounts a
feeble rescue attempt. Will she reach them in time? Tension mounts as Markus, the team
leader works to repair his craft while his mortally wounded friend and mentor, the
elderly Engineer Hadley, lingers near death. In addition the increasingly unbalanced
second pilot, Capron is an ever present and unpredictable menace. The story is well
written and is navigated with varying degrees of skill by a cast of unknowns in this
space adventure/survival tale.
THE CHEESE FACTOR: (SPOILED CHEESE ALERT)
Some Films are many things to many people and Saga of a Crew is no exception. This
Film skirts the borders between Cheesy B-movie and serious Science Fiction offerings.
This makes Saga of a Crew something of a 'hybrid'. That, combined with other aspects
such as the blending of archival footage with recent material, or the fact the Film
features a cast of unknowns, are perhaps the reasons why some critics have been
unkind. BUT as we all know, low budget Science Fiction is an acquired taste. So, if you
greatly enjoy the many Sci Fi Films from lets say the 1960s through 1980s that were
lets say 'financially challenged' than Saga of a Crew is your kind of entertainment.
There are a lot of examples of how this production crew made due with the tiny $13k
budget. For instance, there was extensive use of sheet Styrofoam insulation for the
set designs. The panels were light weight and easy to transport to the various
buildings secured for use by the film crew. The panels were decorated with various
details and were used time and time again. Large numbers of detail parts were
cannibalized from refrigerator doors, electronic equipment, office equipment, and
other items too numerous to mention to add as set dressing and most were painted
white to blend in with the white Styrofoam panels. Costumes were modified dress
shirts, an old animal skull and Play doe became a creature, and anything from bottle
caps to ground beef trays to plastic model parts and sprue were used for fine details.
Despite the budget restraints what was achieved by the modeling department with
regard to the spacecraft concepts was quite impressive as the designs still look viable
today nearly 30 years after first being conceived.
Some Films are many things to many people and Saga of a Crew is no exception. This
Film skirts the borders between Cheesy B-movie and serious Science Fiction offerings.
This makes Saga of a Crew something of a 'hybrid'. That, combined with other aspects
such as the blending of archival footage with recent material, or the fact the Film
features a cast of unknowns, are perhaps the reasons why some critics have been
unkind. BUT as we all know, low budget Science Fiction is an acquired taste. So, if you
greatly enjoy the many Sci Fi Films from lets say the 1960s through 1980s that were
lets say 'financially challenged' than Saga of a Crew is your kind of entertainment.
There are a lot of examples of how this production crew made due with the tiny $13k
budget. For instance, there was extensive use of sheet Styrofoam insulation for the
set designs. The panels were light weight and easy to transport to the various
buildings secured for use by the film crew. The panels were decorated with various
details and were used time and time again. Large numbers of detail parts were
cannibalized from refrigerator doors, electronic equipment, office equipment, and
other items too numerous to mention to add as set dressing and most were painted
white to blend in with the white Styrofoam panels. Costumes were modified dress
shirts, an old animal skull and Play doe became a creature, and anything from bottle
caps to ground beef trays to plastic model parts and sprue were used for fine details.
Despite the budget restraints what was achieved by the modeling department with
regard to the spacecraft concepts was quite impressive as the designs still look viable
today nearly 30 years after first being conceived.
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| Anecdotes Mishaps and other curiosities during filming |
WARDROBE MALFUNCTION: A upper torso special effects mannequin of the Capron
character was constructed and fitted with his costume. The unit featured a 'soft belly'
which was filled with simulated entrails and blood. The actual living arm of the
Director filled the left sleeve of the costume which would grasp the belly after a razor
pointed florescent colored pole (laser beam) thrust into the soft belly. The camera
rolled and the assistant attempted to pierce the 'soft belly' but the plastic was not as
soft as they thought. After a few pokes, with the director's arm flailing from
frustration and with only a trickle of blood oozing the camera continued to roll as the
effort is abandoned and the director removes his arm from the prop, comes around
to the front and takes a utility knife to the belly and slashes it open to vent his
frustration and 'make the damn thing work'.
UFO SIGHTED: The Saga of a Crew location shoot was filmed with special permit
obtained from a Federal Government Agency at an undisclosed location on the
Atlantic coastline. The location was in close proximity to a public airfield. Filming had
to be coordinated closely to avoid engine noises or appearances of aircraft in the
frame interfering with the shots. At one point an aircraft was passing low about one
half mile distant. Despite cautions from the Actors to refrain from doing so, the
Director jokingly began flapping or waving his arms in an alarming manner. The
Aircraft, apparently observing from above, banked sharply and passed directly
overhead at very low altitude. From the air the Film site might have looked like some
advanced and unidentifiable aircraft had crashed. Within minutes the vicinity was
abuzz with numerous other aircraft onlookers.
character was constructed and fitted with his costume. The unit featured a 'soft belly'
which was filled with simulated entrails and blood. The actual living arm of the
Director filled the left sleeve of the costume which would grasp the belly after a razor
pointed florescent colored pole (laser beam) thrust into the soft belly. The camera
rolled and the assistant attempted to pierce the 'soft belly' but the plastic was not as
soft as they thought. After a few pokes, with the director's arm flailing from
frustration and with only a trickle of blood oozing the camera continued to roll as the
effort is abandoned and the director removes his arm from the prop, comes around
to the front and takes a utility knife to the belly and slashes it open to vent his
frustration and 'make the damn thing work'.
UFO SIGHTED: The Saga of a Crew location shoot was filmed with special permit
obtained from a Federal Government Agency at an undisclosed location on the
Atlantic coastline. The location was in close proximity to a public airfield. Filming had
to be coordinated closely to avoid engine noises or appearances of aircraft in the
frame interfering with the shots. At one point an aircraft was passing low about one
half mile distant. Despite cautions from the Actors to refrain from doing so, the
Director jokingly began flapping or waving his arms in an alarming manner. The
Aircraft, apparently observing from above, banked sharply and passed directly
overhead at very low altitude. From the air the Film site might have looked like some
advanced and unidentifiable aircraft had crashed. Within minutes the vicinity was
abuzz with numerous other aircraft onlookers.