Visitors born from an idea by Kenneth Johnson, a producer / writer / director well known in television circles especially Americans in the 80's through some of his works as "The Incredible Hulk" and "The Bionic Woman." The story speaks of an invasion of Visitors in style by alien beings who sneak conquer the planet in a "common ground" with the establishment of a sort of scheme like "Nazi" collaborator with the help of humans, despite everything, believe in their good intentions.

The idea of K.J. inspired a novel by Sinclair Lewis's 1935 "It Can not Happen Here" (There can not 'happen) which analyzes the possibility' of a future Nazi in the United States. Combining this idea of the classic science fiction, KJ get a really explosive mixture, known then as "visitors", series of content, sometimes very, very deep (racism, persecution, love, are recurring themes in the series).

The script of the film took the provisional title of "Nazis from space (space Nazis - ed) but this was a title not used subsequently. However K.J. Visitors and points out that 'a metaphor still far Nazism. The only difference between Nazism and the story in the fiction of Visitors is that "... the Nazis only come from another planet ..."!!

"V"

After the end of the script was submitted to NBC, the American network of great importance and dissemination, which was positively fascinated. At that time NBC not in very good sailing waters and used a program to bring original plays to the top. So favorably received the idea of K.J. and active 'immediately for the production of "V" the first film dedicated to the Visitors.

The film lasting 4 hours was produced by Warner Bros. and structured to be aired in two parts: "V - Part One" and "V - Part Two" (V - Part One "and" V - Part two ", ed.)

"V" was broadcast on NBC in May 1983 in two consecutive nights. In Italy he was instead sent the following year and exactly in October 1984 a distance of about 10/15 the other day, taking almost all of Italy was glued to the TV screen.

"V - The Final Battle"

The great success enjoyed by the public forced the previous film producers, and Kenneth Johnson in first person to make a new movie in the pipeline to continue the events in "V". Probably the second film was already 'in pre-production because' was aired nearly a year later, exactly in 1984. It would have been impossible "churn" a new film in little more 'than a year without planning and preparation before!

However, "V - The Final Battle" (V - The Final Battle - ed) was the second film was developed and dedicated to visitors once again to be broadcast in more 'parts, just 3 of 2 hours each for a total of 6 hours drive!

Was again met all the cast seen in the previous film and they were joined in the new characters that will improve the texture and expectations of the previous film. In the history of the "visitors" had proved to be anything but good intentions. Not only wanted to steal a precious commodity like water but it was like to be hungry. ... Human flesh.

In addition 'the appearance of Visitors was not at all similar to that of humans.

"V - The Final Battle" concludes the saga of aliens at the moment tongued with the victory of the Resistance and humanity 'and the subsequent flight of visitors from the planet Earth! Plays the highest achieved by the two films allows "V" to enter by force in the history of science fiction television and open the door to creating a TV series itself.

V-Series

The two films went so well that they decided to create a TV series.

"V - The series starts from the last scene of the second film of the banner: the capture of Diana.

During the course of betting deepen relationships between certain characters and other figures to give a hand to take over the narrative structure of the series. You will understand many things from these episodes. You will know 'as who was to produce the "red dust" during the liberation by the aliens, we will know after one year that has happened to members of the Resistance and especially discover the immense powers of Elisabeth, the daughter of the stars.

The series' consists of 19 episodes, but originally had to be 20. Although the latter wrote, was never shot and made the episode number 19 and 'the last of the series, leaving many questions unanswered.

The episode number 20 should have explained some things and open doors to 'other season, but nothing came of it. Indeed, K.J. let 'production shortly after the end of the second film, perhaps due to problems with production.

The series of 19 episodes is not 'never lived up to the two films. The stories were always read. Even in cases where some celebrities leave the scene (see the death of Elias, ed) these are not given thickness, as if it were a minor anecdote! However the 19 episodes continue the story started with two movies and add to the creation of Kenneth Johnson's new arguments.

FX - Special effects of V

The two films of Visitors as well as representing the Beginning of a series of well-made fiction (perhaps because 'in his hand fully KJ, ed) represents an important step forward for special effects on television. From the time of Battlestar Galactica (Galactica - ed) television had never seen so 'many special effects put together and above all quality'.

The ships that sail the sky, the flames of laser guns from visitors, the perfect model of the shuttle, the setting on the mother ship, masks reptilian Visitors are meticulous work, research and quality 'which brought two films to have this impact visual that we all still remember.

The visual impact but would not have been possible if the special effects team had not worked, to name one, Greg Jein, a talented special effects artists Visitors.

Greg and 'a "model artist" who created the models of ships seen in the Visitors and worked in many TV series such as Star Trek and the new Angels in America or in films like "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" (here performed the mother ship that you see at the end of the film, ed), "Miracle 8a road," "Star Wars", "Flash" and many others.

It seems clear that his work has given a plus' Visitors to the two films if not obtained any award.

Series, series, miniseries or soapopera?

The two films for television of "V" are defined by many as a miniseries. But these two films for television in more developed 'parts just because' too long to be transmitted in one time or a miniseries made for more 'episodes'.

E v represent the first season of the series or not?

Here I should help the friends of the Academy of Telefilm to understand a little 'how things are. Confusion reigns! Outside these pages the task of explaining in detail the differences between what a series, miniseries, etc.. But I have to give me a few lines to tell you what I think because 'in many sites I read terms such as feature films, TV series, TV series, miniseries, etc. all pesse used to indicate the same thing! It 'better to do some' order and open a small parantesi on this topic and maybe we can frame good for the saga of Visitors.

Differences

Let's see 'what do those terms often incorrectly used to indicate the same thing.

A TV series and others' that tell the adventures of a group of characters living different situations in each episode where each of these episodes and 'pear' disconnected from the others and where the characters are related to their initial characteristics. Can 'be a TV series such as Space 199, Knight Rider, Magnum PI, A-Team, etc..

A TV series and 'very similar in some ways the series, but this time some episodes may be related to the other and the characters evolve during the episodes. Dawson's Creek, Roswell, ER, just to name a few.

Miniseries and 'a TV series with a few episodes, which retains all the characteristics of a TV series.

A soapopera and 'instead characterized by the fact that all the episodes are linked one to the other and the characters evolve on the facts. It 's not possible to understand a lot if soapopera is not always followed. Beautifull, Hiking, Living is a typical example of soapopera.

That said consider as Visitors?

As I see and I 'to the above and Visitors' consists of only two original films for television, broadcast in more' parts and a TV series consisting of a single season. There are no miniseries, the second season or more.

The two films are not divided into episodes, but in parts. Do not have a title and the characters do not evolve into anything other than the exception for Elisabeth. They can then be channeled into a TV series or a serial (much less a soapopera). The films for television and nothing else.

The TV series and 'rather a TV series full and not a serial or other. He has a season that goes from the episode 1 episode 19 and not the second season of the series just because 'comes after the two TV movie;)

Last updated: 21/05/2003

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