Status
Available
Genres
Collections
Publication
Clarkston, GA : White Wolf Publishing, 1996.
Description
Fiction. Science Fiction. HTML: The award-winning original teleplay that produced the most beloved episode of the classic Star Trek series�??with an introductory essay by the author. USS Enterprise Starfleet officers Capt. James T. Kirk and Mr. Spock escort a renegade criminal to a nearby planet for capital punishment, and they discover the remains of a city. This ancient civilization is inhabited by the alien Guardians of Forever, who are tasked with protecting a time machine. When the criminal escapes through the portal into the past, he alters Earth's timeline, damaging humanity's future role among the stars. Pursuing their prisoner, Kirk and Spock are transported to 1930s Depression-era New York City�??where they meet pacifist Edith Koestler, a woman whose fate is entwined with the aftermath of the most devastating war in human history. A woman whom Kirk has grown to love�??and has to sacrifice to restore order to the universe. In its original form, The City on the Edge of Forever won the Writers Guild of America Award for best teleplay. As aired, it won the Hugo Award. But as Harlan Ellison recounts in his expanded introductory essay, "Perils of the 'City,'" the televised episode was a rewrite of his creative vision perpetrated by Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry and the show's producers. In his trademark visceral, no-holds-barred style, the legendary author broke a thirty-year silence to set the record straight about the mythologized controversy surrounding the celebrated episode, revealing what occurred behind-the-scenes during the production. Presented here as Ellison originally intended it to be filmed, this published teleplay of The City on the Edge of Forever remains a masterpiece of speculative fiction, and a prime example of his uncanny ability to present humanity with all its virtues and faults.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member Unreachableshelf
Here Harlan Ellison presents his original version of the best episode of Star Trek: TOS, which could have been even better had it been filmed as written. There are one or two plot points on which the televised version improved (one of which Ellison only introduced in the first place because he was
The teleplay is introduced by a case-for-the-defense by Harlan Ellison, complete with documentary evidence. I was first impressed by Harlan's talent for a good rant before I ever read any of his work, so I enjoyed it. There are also two early treatments, a rewritten version of the early scenes once McCoy was made the catalyst for going back in time, and afterwords by several people with connections to Trek.
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told that it was required), but in general Ellison's script, the one that won the WGA award, is a fascinating study of moral inabsolutes and human flaws which can ultimately only be corrected by the not-completely-human Spock. The televised version is still great because of what remains of the original, but it is watered down in comparison.The teleplay is introduced by a case-for-the-defense by Harlan Ellison, complete with documentary evidence. I was first impressed by Harlan's talent for a good rant before I ever read any of his work, so I enjoyed it. There are also two early treatments, a rewritten version of the early scenes once McCoy was made the catalyst for going back in time, and afterwords by several people with connections to Trek.
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LibraryThing member Shijuro
An interesting screenplay from way back when Ellison was a writer, prefaced by his usual whining about how badly treated he was (in this case, by the entire cast and crew of Star Trek, Paramount Television and the Writer's Guild). Having read his version of the screenplay, I gotta say I liked the
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aired version better (the one that won a Hugo award). His had some interesting stuff, but it didn't really fit Star Trek. Show Less
LibraryThing member Scotland
I know that Ellison was wronged a thousand times between his original draft and the publishing of this book 30 years later, but to read the 100 pages of foul mouthed drivel that he called an essay prior to reading the script took all enjoyment out of reading the script. We might not be able to
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force the other guy to act with honour, but there is never a reason why we, ourselves, cannot display a little class. Show Less
LibraryThing member threadnsong
For those interested in the life of Hollywood screenwriters, or the devoted Star Trek (original series) fan, it is a must-read bucket list book. The details that differ between what was aired in April, 1967 and the original screenplay Ellison wrote are revealed here for the first time ever.
Note:
In my own opinion, what Ellison's original teleplay creates in subtlety, the final, aired script creates in depth. A mysterious reference to blue and gold by the Guardians of Forever does nothing to answer the most important question: "Why does Edith Keeler have to die?" Ellison misses that point entirely in trying to create a love interest for Kirk, and the aired episode manages to capture both.
Note:
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the first section of this book is a rant 30 years in the making that could have been edited. Not a lot, not a little, just edited. Gene Roddenberry making an ass of himself on the convention circuit and painting himself as the only creative person in Star Trek history is pretty well documented. Ellison could have saved himself some blood pressure meds if he had published this book earlier than 1996 to set the record straight about his original script and how he felt Roddenberry's et. al.'s treatment of it was wrong/malicious/unkind/untrue. Oh, and if you are not a fan of bad language or ranting, just skip the first part. Or read the script and its later treatment and come back to the first part later. It could have been 5 pages and gotten the message across jes' fine, thank-ee.In my own opinion, what Ellison's original teleplay creates in subtlety, the final, aired script creates in depth. A mysterious reference to blue and gold by the Guardians of Forever does nothing to answer the most important question: "Why does Edith Keeler have to die?" Ellison misses that point entirely in trying to create a love interest for Kirk, and the aired episode manages to capture both.
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LibraryThing member DarthDeverell
Harlan Ellison is a brilliant science fiction writer. Nobody can deny this. Unfortunately, Harlan Ellison is a horrible writer of history. This volume, which contains the original, unfilmed script for The City on the Edge of Forever begins with a tedious, ranting, 75-page introduction. Ellison sets
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forth his version of the controversy regarding the script changes and takes the opportunity to attack some of his critics as well as others in show business with whom he's had bad experiences. The story treatments and Ellison's original script (as well as the partial second draft) offer wonderful insight into the process of writing for television and present a masterful original story that was watered down for television. Unfortunately, the introduction dampens the reader's resolve to read the script. The Afterwords, from the likes of D.C Fontana, Leonard Nimoy, and George Takei, would work so much better as an introduction. Though a great writer, Ellison would have benefited from an editor restraining his ranting and keeping his attention on the facts of the case for the introduction. The most astounding part of it is, this edition of the book expanded the introduction by 15,000 words! If you can make it past that, the original version of The City on the Edge of Forever is science fiction at its best. Show Less
LibraryThing member DarthDeverell
Harlan Ellison is a brilliant science fiction writer. Nobody can deny this. Unfortunately, Harlan Ellison is a horrible writer of history. This volume, which contains the original, unfilmed script for The City on the Edge of Forever begins with a tedious, ranting, 75-page introduction. Ellison sets
Show More
forth his version of the controversy regarding the script changes and takes the opportunity to attack some of his critics as well as others in show business with whom he's had bad experiences. The story treatments and Ellison's original script (as well as the partial second draft) offer wonderful insight into the process of writing for television and present a masterful original story that was watered down for television. Unfortunately, the introduction dampens the reader's resolve to read the script. The Afterwords, from the likes of D.C Fontana, Leonard Nimoy, and George Takei, would work so much better as an introduction. Though a great writer, Ellison would have benefited from an editor restraining his ranting and keeping his attention on the facts of the case for the introduction. The most astounding part of it is, this edition of the book expanded the introduction by 15,000 words! If you can make it past that, the original version of The City on the Edge of Forever is science fiction at its best. Show Less
LibraryThing member TobinElliott
I love Harlan Ellison. The more ranty he gets, the better I like him. I love the original Star Trek, too.
So, hell, this is a match made in heaven, right? Well, I think it's more accurate to say City on the Edge of Forever was the match that launched a three-decade flame war between Ellison and
As with all arguments, I firmly believe the truth is somewhere between what Roddenberry says and what Ellison says, but I gotta say, knowing what a putz Roddenberry could be, I do angle more toward Ellison's version of things.
That said, there is also a point where you let things go...but that ain't Ellison's style. I firmly believe the man might have died years ago, but the fury burning inside him keeps him going. And like I said, when he rants, his outbursts are wonderfully terrible to behold. It's even better when he reads them himself.
As for his version of the scripts, yes, they're much more Ellison than what made it to the screen. Was it Trek? Maybe not as much as it became in the end. Is it good? Yup. Would it have worked better than what we got? Who the hell knows?
Ellison isn't the first to bitch about what they did to his words, nor will he be the last (Stephen King and Kubrick's The Shining anyone?). What Ellison's always railed against is those that come after and edit his work. My initial thought is, then why the hell do you deal with any television?
I honestly think he likes the pain. It gives him years of rants to feed off.
For all that, this is an interesting volume. If you love Ellison, then you really should read it. If you love Roddenberry and all his bullshit "Great Bird of the Galaxy" crap, stay away.
So, hell, this is a match made in heaven, right? Well, I think it's more accurate to say City on the Edge of Forever was the match that launched a three-decade flame war between Ellison and
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Roddenberry.As with all arguments, I firmly believe the truth is somewhere between what Roddenberry says and what Ellison says, but I gotta say, knowing what a putz Roddenberry could be, I do angle more toward Ellison's version of things.
That said, there is also a point where you let things go...but that ain't Ellison's style. I firmly believe the man might have died years ago, but the fury burning inside him keeps him going. And like I said, when he rants, his outbursts are wonderfully terrible to behold. It's even better when he reads them himself.
As for his version of the scripts, yes, they're much more Ellison than what made it to the screen. Was it Trek? Maybe not as much as it became in the end. Is it good? Yup. Would it have worked better than what we got? Who the hell knows?
Ellison isn't the first to bitch about what they did to his words, nor will he be the last (Stephen King and Kubrick's The Shining anyone?). What Ellison's always railed against is those that come after and edit his work. My initial thought is, then why the hell do you deal with any television?
I honestly think he likes the pain. It gives him years of rants to feed off.
For all that, this is an interesting volume. If you love Ellison, then you really should read it. If you love Roddenberry and all his bullshit "Great Bird of the Galaxy" crap, stay away.
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Subjects
Language
Original publication date
1977-11
Physical description
vii, 276 p.; 23 cm
ISBN
1565049640 / 9781565049642
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Pages
vii; 276