Prototype model photos of Sixteen 12 Collectables Deluxe ‘Dragon’s Domain’ Die-cast Episode set which is scheduled for release at the beginning of 2021.
Dragon’s
Domain is another fan favourite, and is described as a take on the story of St
George & the Dragon.
The ‘George’ in the story is Ultra Probe pilot
Tony Cellini (played by Italian actor, Gianni Garko) who, while travelling to
the planet Ultra chances upon what looks like an abandoned group of derelict alien spacecraft. After
docking with one of the vessels and opening the airlock, the crew encounters a
huge one-eyed, tentacled alien space monster. All the crew except, Cellini are consumed ,
and after failing to destroy the hideous creature, Cellini locks himself in the
Ultra Probe Command Module, and separates from the main ship leaving the
creature behind. He uses the planet, Ultra in a slingshot maneuverer to begin a
long journey home.
Eventually he gets back to Moonbase Alpha,
prior to its breakaway from the Earth in 1999.
Much later, the 877thday
to be precise, since the wandering Moon left Earth, Alpha detects the abandoned
ships ‘graveyard at around the same time as Cellini begins to suffer nightmares
about the creature.
Cellini, haunted and tormented by his
memories, hi-jacks an Eagle and makes his way back to the Ultra Probe. He detaches the Eagle ‘beak’ and re-attaches
it to the front of the Probe.
Koenig, Bergman and Helena in another
Eagle, dock at a different point and enter the Ultra Probe. They find Cellini
held by the creature’s tentacles, stabbing it repeatedly in the head, before he
too, is consumed.
Koenig picks up an axe, and swings it
into the eye of the weakened monster, finally killing it.
What a guy!
It’s
interesting to me that the episode was originally to have focused on Eagle
pilot, Alan Carter (played by 1999 regular, Nick Tate), giving the character a
back story, but it later transpired that main star, Martin Landau wasn’t happy
with the idea and persuaded the production team to rewrite it for a guest
actor.
When asked
about this at the Alpha: 2014 convention, Nick diplomatically replied that, ’Martin
knew how to be the star!’
Ironically,
Italian, Gianni Garko was not a fluent speaker of the English language and
asked Nick Tate to help him with his lines.
Other notes
from the episode include that rumour has it that a model of the USS Enterprise
and Doctor Who’s Tardis were filmed as part of the spaceships graveyard scenes;
could be true, but the footage was certainly never used.
What is used
is M’s office from the James Bond films, which can be seen, redressed as
Commissioner Dixon’s office on Earth.
For the
Sixteen 12 models,their familiar Eagle model will have some retooling to
feature a detachable ‘beak’ complete with side boosters.
The set
features an in-scale Ultra Probe Command Module. This has always been a popular
design with Space: 1999 fans, especially with garage kit creators and builders.
Sixteen 12
provide the finished article ready to display.
It comes
with four hinged and posable locking arms, and has plenty of detail.
The U.P.C.M.
has an in-flight display stand, while the Eagle has a launch pad display base.
It has the
more realistic hand turned & finished Aluminium engine bells, and the usual
Alphan Moon Buggy.
This is
another limited edition of 1500 worldwide, and will retail at £229.99, although
early bird discounts, deposits and other ordering details will open on 18th
September.
UPCM is a holy grail model for me. But why a moonbuggy in this set?
ReplyDeleteI suppose all the sets apart from the Hangar one has it, so I guess why not, Yorkie.
DeleteJust don't recall a moonbuggy in the episode. Maybe there was one on one of the launchpads when an Eagle takes off :)
DeleteNo, I can't say I recall seeing one either, Yorkie.
DeleteWho doesn't want a free Moonbuggy ?
ReplyDeleteMish.