Production GuideObservations: The Last Sunset
Production Guide
The external view of Alan's Eagle only shows one pilot- on set Alan has a copilot. The person in the Eagle window (who is blond but otherwise not much like Nick Tate) has a spacesuit collar on, while Alan wears a normal uniform.
Close ups of the Eagle command module are inconsistent. Some, like all longer shots, are of the first 44inch Eagle. A few shots show the second 44 inch Eagle (its first appearance in the series), with different detailing and the Ariel probe is positioned lower. Note the first shot shows the wire attached to the probe.
This shot is the first frame of the window explosion. The wire leading to the explosive coil can be seen (it is not visible when viewed at normal speed).
When the Eagle is being stacked with provisions, Helena supervises guards entering from both sides (the SFX shot shows the Eagle only docked on the starboard side).
Against the blue skies, the wires holding the Eagles are often visible. The 22inch Eagle is used for the storm sequences.
Deploying the rescue fleet, Kano orders both Eagle 9 and 19 to pad one.
Morrow's shack consists of 12 boxes (presumably taken from the marker cross seen earlier). The rest of the shack includes two ladders, a curved metal section (maybe part of the Eagle fuselage). The roof is made of a red plastic sheet held up by ropes, and the Eagle door (against the rock face). The ladders and ropes were hung from the ceiling in the passenger module of the Eagle. The red sheet was one of several that hung from the ladders, and were used as pillows by Sandra and Helena. The table is an upturned yellow bin, also used as a table in the crashed Eagle. It's implausible that Paul took all these things from the Eagle while the other slept - including Sandra's bed.
Nick Tate's stunt double is seen in several shots.
Barbara Bain's stunt double, Dorothy Ford, is also seen in a couple of shots. Zienia is also a stunt double in this shot (a man).
Eddie Stacey doubles for Landau, and Terry Walsh doubles for Prentis Hancock.
When Helena is thrown back by the Eagle explosion, the harness pulling back stunt double Dorothy Ford is very briefly visible. In the "This Episode" sequence, an alternative take is seen where the wire is more clearly visible.
Helena's medical kit includes "Gillette Sabre sterile disposable scalpels" ("Made in England") and "AVON A11 Blood Administration Set" (made by Avon Medical Ltd, Birmingham B30 3DA, England). Less impressive are the unlabelled pills, including what look like Tic-Tac mints in their distinctive transparent plastic box.
When the boxes are knocked over, the wooden bases are visible.
In one shot during the fight between Alan and Paul, a gravity tower (normally positioned around Moonbase Alpha) is briefly glimpsed behind Paul.
Copyright Martin Willey