Dangerous Rendezvous
Encyclopedia
"Dangerous Rendezvous" is the 19th episode of the Supermarionation
television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons
. It was first broadcast in the UK on on ATV Midlands, was written by Tony Barwick
and directed by Brian Burgess. In this sequel episode to "Crater 101
", Spectrum uses the crystal pulsator recovered from the Mysteron complex on the Moon
to contact the Mysterons and propose a cessation of hostilities in the war of nerves.
, Dr Kurnitz has discovered that the Crystal Pulsator could be used for communication with the Mysteron
complex on Mars
. Captain Scarlet
escorts Kurnitz to Cloudbase
, where a transmission device has been constructed. The Pulsator is integrated with the circuitry and Colonel White
, now on-air, recalls the disastrous Zero-X Mars mission
, insisting that Captain Black
's attack was motivated by fear rather than aggression. White ends his message with an offer of peace. Meanwhile, in their latest threat, the Mysterons have targeted Cloudbase itself, stating that it will be destroyed at midnight. Hourly Mysteron Detector sweeps have so far checked negative for suspicious devices.
Two hours after White's broadcast, Cloudbase receives a response from the Mysterons, who have agreed to negotiate on the condition that a member of Spectrum depart Cloudbase on an exact flightpath, unarmed and without communications equipment. Representing Spectrum, Scarlet departs in a Spectrum Jet and his course carries him into Greenland
airspace
. Ordered to eject at a precise moment by the bodiless Mysteron voice, Scarlet watches his aircraft lose altitude and crash. He is collected by a car driven by the Mysteron force and driven to what appears to be a derelict shack
but which in fact contains modern furnishing and a flashing monitor screen.
Believing that he is being addressed by the Mysterons, Scarlet is unaware that Captain Black is seated behind the monitor. The Mysteron agent switches on a pre-recorded "message" to be conveyed to Spectrum – proving to be nothing more than a guarantee that the Mysterons will continue their "war of nerves" against Earth
– and hurriedly leaves. Scarlet soon suspects deception and smashes the screen to find the tape equipment
next to another Pulsator, which is shining fiercely. Scarlet escapes the shack just before it is torn apart in an explosion.
Suddenly it dawns on Scarlet that the source of the threat against Cloudbase could be the first Pulsator. With no radio, he is forced to requisition the saloon and rush to an unmanned radar station, from which he signals to Cloudbase in Morse code
. Seconds before midnight, White deciphers Scarlet's message. Captain Ochre shoots out an observation window and jettisons the Pulsator, leaving to detonate harmlessly in the atmosphere
. White later vows that Spectrum will re-open diplomatic channels with the Mysterons in the future.
that started with "Lunarville 7
", this episode was in fact filmed before the preceding instalment, "Crater 101
". Initially underrunning the standard 25-minute length of a Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons episode, "Dangerous Rendezvous" was padded out
with a flashback
sequence occurring during Colonel White
's transmission, to recount how hostilities commence between Earth
and Mars
in "The Mysterons
", and additional scenes in which White gives Dr Kurnitz demonstrations of Spectrum communications devices and a display Angel launch. The Mysteron
s also threaten to destroy Cloudbase in "Attack on Cloudbase
", although the method of assault is more direct with the use of armed spacecraft.
material. However, they question the logic of showing Kurnitz a demonstration Angel launch when the security of Cloudbase
is at risk. Historian Nicholas J. Cull
interprets "Dangerous Rendezvous" as a vehicle for one of a number of parallels that Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons draws from the Cold War
, a major international concern during the 1960s: the possibility of negotiation
between Earth
and Mars
, suggests Cull, is reflective of "shifting attitudes within the Cold War" during the decade. Comparing "Dangerous Rendezvous" with a number of other Gerry Anderson
-related scripts written by Tony Barwick
, Cull concludes that, "Barwick's storylines reflected a yearning for Détente
and an alternative to the divided world." With a rating of "U"
, the British Board of Film Classification
notes one "very mild" instance of violence in this episode.
, a Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons compilation film.
Supermarionation
Supermarionation is a puppetry technique devised in the 1960s by British production company AP Films. It was used extensively in the company's numerous Gerry and Sylvia Anderson-produced action-adventure series, the most famous of which was Thunderbirds...
television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons
Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons
Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons, often referred to as Captain Scarlet, is a 1960s British science-fiction television series produced by the Century 21 Productions company of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, John Read and Reg Hill...
. It was first broadcast in the UK on on ATV Midlands, was written by Tony Barwick
Tony Barwick
Tony Barwick was a British television scriptwriter who worked extensively on series created and produced by Gerry Anderson....
and directed by Brian Burgess. In this sequel episode to "Crater 101
Crater 101
"Crater 101" is the 17th episode of the Supermarionation television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. It was first broadcast in the UK on on ATV Midlands, was written by Tony Barwick and directed by Ken Turner....
", Spectrum uses the crystal pulsator recovered from the Mysteron complex on the Moon
Lunarville 7
"Lunarville 7" is the 12th episode of the Supermarionation television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. It was first broadcast in the UK on on ATV Midlands...
to contact the Mysterons and propose a cessation of hostilities in the war of nerves.
Plot
Following the second Moon missionCrater 101
"Crater 101" is the 17th episode of the Supermarionation television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. It was first broadcast in the UK on on ATV Midlands, was written by Tony Barwick and directed by Ken Turner....
, Dr Kurnitz has discovered that the Crystal Pulsator could be used for communication with the Mysteron
Mysteron
The Mysterons are a fictional race of extraterrestrials, native to the planet Mars, which appear in the British science fiction Supermarionation television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons and Gerry Anderson's New Captain Scarlet, symbolised by ubiquitous projected green rings and the deep...
complex on Mars
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
. Captain Scarlet
Captain Scarlet (character)
Captain Scarlet is the fictional main character in Gerry Anderson's British Supermarionation science fiction television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons and its CGI remake Gerry Anderson's New Captain Scarlet....
escorts Kurnitz to Cloudbase
Cloudbase
Cloudbase is the fictional skyborne headquarters of international security organisation Spectrum, from Gerry Anderson's science fiction television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons .-Appearance in Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons:...
, where a transmission device has been constructed. The Pulsator is integrated with the circuitry and Colonel White
Colonel White
Colonel White is a character in the 1960s Supermarionation television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. He is the commander-in-Chief of Spectrum, the security organisation dedicated to defending Earth against the Mysterons from Mars...
, now on-air, recalls the disastrous Zero-X Mars mission
The Mysterons (Captain Scarlet episode)
"The Mysterons" is the first episode of the 1960s Supermarionation television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. It was first officially broadcast in the UK on ATV Midlands on , although it had been granted an unscheduled test transmission for the London area on...
, insisting that Captain Black
Captain Black (Captain Scarlet)
Captain Black is the fictional nemesis of Captain Scarlet and recurring Mysteron agent in the 1960s British supermarionation science fiction television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons and its CGI remake Gerry Anderson's New Captain Scarlet...
's attack was motivated by fear rather than aggression. White ends his message with an offer of peace. Meanwhile, in their latest threat, the Mysterons have targeted Cloudbase itself, stating that it will be destroyed at midnight. Hourly Mysteron Detector sweeps have so far checked negative for suspicious devices.
Two hours after White's broadcast, Cloudbase receives a response from the Mysterons, who have agreed to negotiate on the condition that a member of Spectrum depart Cloudbase on an exact flightpath, unarmed and without communications equipment. Representing Spectrum, Scarlet departs in a Spectrum Jet and his course carries him into Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
airspace
Airspace
Airspace means the portion of the atmosphere controlled by a country above its territory, including its territorial waters or, more generally, any specific three-dimensional portion of the atmosphere....
. Ordered to eject at a precise moment by the bodiless Mysteron voice, Scarlet watches his aircraft lose altitude and crash. He is collected by a car driven by the Mysteron force and driven to what appears to be a derelict shack
Shack
A shack is a type of small house, usually in a state of disrepair. The word may derive from the Nahuatl word xacalli or "adobe house" by way of Mexican Spanish xacal/jacal, which has the same meaning as "shack". It was a common usage among people of Mexican ancestry throughout the U.S...
but which in fact contains modern furnishing and a flashing monitor screen.
Believing that he is being addressed by the Mysterons, Scarlet is unaware that Captain Black is seated behind the monitor. The Mysteron agent switches on a pre-recorded "message" to be conveyed to Spectrum – proving to be nothing more than a guarantee that the Mysterons will continue their "war of nerves" against Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
– and hurriedly leaves. Scarlet soon suspects deception and smashes the screen to find the tape equipment
Recording
Recording is the process of capturing data or translating information to a recording format stored on some storage medium, which is often referred to as a record or, if an auditory medium, a recording....
next to another Pulsator, which is shining fiercely. Scarlet escapes the shack just before it is torn apart in an explosion.
Suddenly it dawns on Scarlet that the source of the threat against Cloudbase could be the first Pulsator. With no radio, he is forced to requisition the saloon and rush to an unmanned radar station, from which he signals to Cloudbase in Morse code
Morse code
Morse code is a method of transmitting textual information as a series of on-off tones, lights, or clicks that can be directly understood by a skilled listener or observer without special equipment...
. Seconds before midnight, White deciphers Scarlet's message. Captain Ochre shoots out an observation window and jettisons the Pulsator, leaving to detonate harmlessly in the atmosphere
Earth's atmosphere
The atmosphere of Earth is a layer of gases surrounding the planet Earth that is retained by Earth's gravity. The atmosphere protects life on Earth by absorbing ultraviolet solar radiation, warming the surface through heat retention , and reducing temperature extremes between day and night...
. White later vows that Spectrum will re-open diplomatic channels with the Mysterons in the future.
Production
The third and final part of the story arcStory arc
A story arc is an extended or continuing storyline in episodic storytelling media such as television, comic books, comic strips, boardgames, video games, and in some cases, films. On a television program, for example, the story would unfold over many episodes. In television, the use of the story...
that started with "Lunarville 7
Lunarville 7
"Lunarville 7" is the 12th episode of the Supermarionation television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. It was first broadcast in the UK on on ATV Midlands...
", this episode was in fact filmed before the preceding instalment, "Crater 101
Crater 101
"Crater 101" is the 17th episode of the Supermarionation television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. It was first broadcast in the UK on on ATV Midlands, was written by Tony Barwick and directed by Ken Turner....
". Initially underrunning the standard 25-minute length of a Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons episode, "Dangerous Rendezvous" was padded out
Filler (media)
In media, filler is material that is combined with material of greater relevance or quality to "fill out" a certain volume.-Early television:...
with a flashback
Flashback (narrative)
Flashback is an interjected scene that takes the narrative back in time from the current point the story has reached. Flashbacks are often used to recount events that happened before the story’s primary sequence of events or to fill in crucial backstory...
sequence occurring during Colonel White
Colonel White
Colonel White is a character in the 1960s Supermarionation television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. He is the commander-in-Chief of Spectrum, the security organisation dedicated to defending Earth against the Mysterons from Mars...
's transmission, to recount how hostilities commence between Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
and Mars
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
in "The Mysterons
The Mysterons (Captain Scarlet episode)
"The Mysterons" is the first episode of the 1960s Supermarionation television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. It was first officially broadcast in the UK on ATV Midlands on , although it had been granted an unscheduled test transmission for the London area on...
", and additional scenes in which White gives Dr Kurnitz demonstrations of Spectrum communications devices and a display Angel launch. The Mysteron
Mysteron
The Mysterons are a fictional race of extraterrestrials, native to the planet Mars, which appear in the British science fiction Supermarionation television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons and Gerry Anderson's New Captain Scarlet, symbolised by ubiquitous projected green rings and the deep...
s also threaten to destroy Cloudbase in "Attack on Cloudbase
Attack on Cloudbase
"Attack on Cloudbase" is the 31st episode of the 1960s Supermarionation television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. The penultimate instalment of the series, it first aired in the United Kingdom on ATV Midlands on 7 May 1968...
", although the method of assault is more direct with the use of armed spacecraft.
Reception
In a tie-in Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons book, Chris Drake and Graeme Bassett praise "Dangerous Rendezvous" for the scene explaining Spectrum cap-communication devices, writing that it adds interest to the episode even though it is principally paddingFiller (media)
In media, filler is material that is combined with material of greater relevance or quality to "fill out" a certain volume.-Early television:...
material. However, they question the logic of showing Kurnitz a demonstration Angel launch when the security of Cloudbase
Cloudbase
Cloudbase is the fictional skyborne headquarters of international security organisation Spectrum, from Gerry Anderson's science fiction television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons .-Appearance in Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons:...
is at risk. Historian Nicholas J. Cull
Nicholas J. Cull
Professor Nicholas J. Cull is a historian and the director of the Master's in Public Diplomacy program at the University of Southern California.-Biography:...
interprets "Dangerous Rendezvous" as a vehicle for one of a number of parallels that Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons draws from the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
, a major international concern during the 1960s: the possibility of negotiation
Negotiation
Negotiation is a dialogue between two or more people or parties, intended to reach an understanding, resolve point of difference, or gain advantage in outcome of dialogue, to produce an agreement upon courses of action, to bargain for individual or collective advantage, to craft outcomes to satisfy...
between Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
and Mars
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
, suggests Cull, is reflective of "shifting attitudes within the Cold War" during the decade. Comparing "Dangerous Rendezvous" with a number of other Gerry Anderson
Gerry Anderson
Gerry Anderson MBE is a British publisher, producer, director and writer, famous for his futuristic television programmes, particularly those involving specially modified marionettes, a process called "Supermarionation"....
-related scripts written by Tony Barwick
Tony Barwick
Tony Barwick was a British television scriptwriter who worked extensively on series created and produced by Gerry Anderson....
, Cull concludes that, "Barwick's storylines reflected a yearning for Détente
Détente
Détente is the easing of strained relations, especially in a political situation. The term is often used in reference to the general easing of relations between the Soviet Union and the United States in the 1970s, a thawing at a period roughly in the middle of the Cold War...
and an alternative to the divided world." With a rating of "U"
History of British film certificates
-Overview:The UK's film ratings are decided by the British Board of Film Classification and have been since 1912. Previously, there were no agreed rating standards, and local councils imposed their own - often differing - conditions or restrictions...
, the British Board of Film Classification
British Board of Film Classification
The British Board of Film Classification , originally British Board of Film Censors, is a non-governmental organisation, funded by the film industry and responsible for the national classification of films within the United Kingdom...
notes one "very mild" instance of violence in this episode.
Later appearances
Footage from "Dangerous Rendezvous" was re-edited and used in Revenge of the Mysterons from MarsRevenge of the Mysterons from Mars
Revenge of the Mysterons from Mars is a 1981 television film incorporating re-edited footage from the 1967 British Supermarionation television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. Created by ITC Entertainment's New York offices, the film is a compilation of the original episodes "Shadow of...
, a Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons compilation film.
External links
- "Dangerous Rendezvous" at Fanderson.org.ukFandersonFanderson is the official appreciation society for the works of Gerry Anderson. It is a not-for-profit organisation endorsed by Anderson Entertainment Ltd, Gerry Anderson Productions plc and ITC Entertainment Group Ltd...
- "Dangerous Rendezvous" at CliveBanks.co.uk
- "Dangerous Rendezvous" at TheVervoid.com