"V: The Final Battle" (1984) TV mini-series

Creator:

Kenneth Johnson
(more)

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

6 May 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Sci-Fi

Tagline:

They come in peace to enslave humankind.

Plot:

A small group of human resistance fighters fight a desperate guerilla war against the genocidal extra-terrestrials who dominate Earth.

Plot Keywords:

Resistance | Alien | Guerilla | Genocide | Conspiracy

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Primetime Emmys. Another 1 win

Cast

Jane Badler	...	Diana (3 episodes, 1984)
Michael Durrell	...	Robert Maxwell (3 episodes, 1984)
Robert Englund	...	Willie (3 episodes, 1984)
Faye Grant	...	Juliet Parish (3 episodes, 1984)
Richard Herd	...	John (3 episodes, 1984)
Thomas Hill	...	Father Andrew Doyle (3 episodes, 1984)
Michael Ironside	...	Ham Tyler (3 episodes, 1984)
Peter Nelson	...	Brian (3 episodes, 1984)
David Packer	...	Daniel Bernstein (3 episodes, 1984)
Neva Patterson	...	Eleanor Dupres (3 episodes, 1984)
Andrew Prine	...	Steven (3 episodes, 1984)
Sandy Simpson	...	Mark (3 episodes, 1984)
Marc Singer	...	Mike Donovan (3 episodes, 1984)
Blair Tefkin	...	Robin Maxwell (3 episodes, 1984)
Michael Wright	...	Elias Taylor (3 episodes, 1984)
Denise Galik	...	Maggie Blodgett (3 episodes, 1984)
Jason Bernard	...	Caleb Taylor (3 episodes, 1984)
Rafael Campos	...	Sancho Gomez (3 episodes, 1984)
Frank Ashmore	...	Martin (3 episodes, 1984)
Diane Cary	...	Harmony Moore (3 episodes, 1984)
Viveka Davis	...	Polly Maxwell (3 episodes, 1984)
Marin May	...	Katie Maxwell (3 episodes, 1984)
Greta Blackburn	...	Lorraine (3 episodes, 1984)
Eric Johnston	...	Sean Donovan (3 episodes, 1984)
Stack Pierce	...	Visitor Captain (3 episodes, 1984)
Sarah Douglas	...	Pamela (2 episodes, 1984)
Hansford Rowe	...	Arthur Dupres (2 episodes, 1984)
Mickey Jones	...	Chris Farber (2 episodes, 1984)
Camila Ashland	...	Ruby Engels / ... (2 episodes, 1984)
Dick Miller	...	Dan Pascal (2 episodes, 1984)
Don Starr	...	Dr. Corley Walker (2 episodes, 1984)
Shawn Coulter	...	Visitor (2 episodes, 1984)

Series Directed by
Richard T. Heffron		(3 episodes, 1984)

Series Writing credits
Craig Buck		(3 episodes, 1984)
Diane Frolov		(3 episodes, 1984)
Peggy Goldman		(3 episodes, 1984)
Kenneth Johnson		(3 episodes, 1984)
Brian Taggert		(3 episodes, 1984)

Series Produced by
Daniel H. Blatt	....	executive producer (3 episodes, 1984)
Patrick Boyriven	....	co-producer (3 episodes, 1984)
Kenneth Johnson	....	executive producer (3 episodes, 1984)
Dean O'Brien	....	producer (3 episodes, 1984)
Robert Singer	....	executive producer (3 episodes, 1984)

Series Original Music by
Dennis McCarthy		(2 episodes, 1984)

Series Cinematography by
Stevan Larner		(3 episodes, 1984)

Series Film Editing by
Michael F. Anderson		(3 episodes, 1984)
Paul Dixon		(3 episodes, 1984)

Series Casting by
Phyllis Huffman		(1 episode, 1984)

Series Production Design by
Mort Rabinowitz		(3 episodes, 1984)

Series Art Direction by
Tracy Housman		(3 episodes, 1984)

Series Set Decoration by
Jerry Adams		(3 episodes, 1984)

Series Costume Design by
Brienne Glyttov		(3 episodes, 1984)

Series Makeup Department
Alan Fama	....	makeup artist (3 episodes, 1984)
Carolyn Ferguson	....	hairstylist (3 episodes, 1984)
Werner Keppler	....	makeup artist (3 episodes, 1984)
Leo Lotito Jr.	....	makeup artist (3 episodes, 1984)
Rick Stratton	....	makeup effects (3 episodes, 1984)
Marvin G. Westmore	....	makeup artist (3 episodes, 1984)

Series Production Management
Dean O'Brien	....	unit production manager (3 episodes, 1984)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Tina Baker	....	second assistant director (3 episodes, 1984)
William W. Baker	....	first assistant director (3 episodes, 1984)
Jack Breschard	....	second assistant director (3 episodes, 1984)
Debra DuVal	....	second assistant director (3 episodes, 1984)
Richleigh Heagh	....	second assistant director (3 episodes, 1984)
Ric Kidney	....	second assistant director (3 episodes, 1984)
Nancy King	....	second assistant director (3 episodes, 1984)
Bill Scott	....	first assistant director (3 episodes, 1984)

Series Art Department
Barry Kingston	....	construction coordinator (3 episodes, 1984)
Sam Moore	....	property master (3 episodes, 1984)
Curtis A. Schnell	....	set designer / set design (3 episodes, 1984)

Series Sound Department
Alex Bamattre	....	sound editor (3 episodes, 1984)
Chick Camera	....	sound editor (3 episodes, 1984)
Lee Chaney	....	sound editor (3 episodes, 1984)
Larry Kaufman	....	sound editor (3 episodes, 1984)
Sid Lubow	....	sound editor (3 episodes, 1984)
Richard Raguse	....	production mixer (3 episodes, 1984)
Ralph Sandler	....	adr editor (3 episodes, 1984)
Corinne Sessarego	....	adr editor (3 episodes, 1984)
Ron Tinsley	....	supervising sound editor (3 episodes, 1984)

Series Special Effects by
Gene Grigg	....	special effects (3 episodes, 1984)
Gregory Jein	....	model designer: Dream Quest Images (3 episodes, 1984)
John Naulin	....	miniatures (3 episodes, 1984)
Eugene P. Rizzardi	....	model supervisor: Coast Special Effects (3 episodes, 1984)

Series Visual Effects by
Richard Bennett	....	optical effects supervisor (3 episodes, 1984)
Michael Karp	....	motion control operator (3 episodes, 1984)
Richard L. McCullough	....	optical editor (3 episodes, 1984)
David Stipes	....	special optical effects / visual effects supervisor (3 episodes, 1984)
Hoyt Yeatman	....	special visual effects: Dream Quest Images (3 episodes, 1984)
Gregory Jein	....	model designer: Dreamquest Images (unknown episodes)
Eugene P. Rizzardi	....	model spervisor (unknown episodes)

Series Stunts
David R. Ellis	....	stunt coordinator (3 episodes, 1984)
Shawn Coulter	....	stunts (2 episodes, 1984)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Doug J. Campbell	....	dolly grip (3 episodes, 1984)
Bruce Catlin	....	first assistant camera: second unit (3 episodes, 1984)
Joe Hicks	....	key grip (3 episodes, 1984)
Randall Robinson	....	camera operator: second unit (3 episodes, 1984)
Rick Whitfield	....	video coordinator (3 episodes, 1984)

Series Casting Department
Phyllis Huffman	....	casting by (2 episodes, 1984)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Joie Hutchinson	....	women's costumer (3 episodes, 1984)
Jan Kemp	....	men's costumer (3 episodes, 1984)
James P. Cullen	....	costumer (unknown episodes)

Series Editorial Department
Jim Borgardt	....	assistant editor (3 episodes, 1984)
Michael Eliot	....	supervising editor (3 episodes, 1984)
Donald L. Slemp	....	assistant editor (3 episodes, 1984)
Mark S. Westmore	....	associate editor (3 episodes, 1984)
Richard L. McCullough	....	optical editor (unknown episodes)

Series Music Department
Jay Alfred Smith	....	music editor (3 episodes, 1984)
Mark Southern	....	music editor (3 episodes, 1984)
Joseph Conlan	....	(additional music by / main theme by (2 episodes, 1984)
Barry De Vorzon	....	(additional music by / main theme by (2 episodes, 1984)

Series Transportation Department
Vic Akopian	....	transportation coordinator (3 episodes, 1984)

Series Other crew
Kenneth Gilbert	....	script supervisor (3 episodes, 1984)
Mary Cay Hollander	....	assistant to producer (3 episodes, 1984)
Rick Whitfield	....	video coordinator (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Blatt-Singer Productions
• Warner Bros. Television

Distributors

• National Broadcasting Company (NBC)
• Warner Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)

Special Effects

• David Stipes Productions
• Dream Quest Images
• Pacific Title

Runtime:

272 min (3 parts) | Finland:257 min (DVD version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) (video rating) (1995) | Canada:G (Quebec) (video rating) (1995) | Canada:PG (Ontario) (video rating) (1995) | Canada:R (Manitoba) (video rating) (1995) | Australia:PG | Germany:16 | Norway:15 | South Korea:12 | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:TV-14

Filming Locations:

Bronson Caves, Bronson Canyon, Griffith Park - 4730 Crystal Springs Drive, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Blatt-Singer Productions

Trivia:

The computer Elizabeth was using in Diana's quarters is a Sony SMC-70.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: In the final shot of stars out of the mother ship's front window, reflections of the sound stage lights are clearly visible.

Quotes:

Pamela: Is that the sound of panic in your voice, Diana?
Diana: The situation is under control.
Pamela: Oh, "under control," you say? One of your most trusted leftenants has betrayed you, escaped right under your nose with the leader of the Resistance and you have the gall to tell me that everything is under control?
Diana: They will be captured and dealt with.
Pamela: Oh, I hope so... Otherwise... I'll be forced to strip you of your command!

Movie Connections:

Remade as "V" (2009)

'Twas good, but it could have been better...

In 1983, one of the best-rated miniseries broadcast on television in the English-speaking world was V, a quaint little story about aliens landing on Earth and using Hitleresque tactics to take it over. The scenario is only unbelievable because of where the invaders come from. Their motives, and the means that these motives drive them to, make the scenario so real that it's almost scary.

The Final Battle picks up at an unspecified time after the original V. The resistance has been struggling to put dents in the Vistors' ability to carry out their sinister plans, but things aren't going so well. A new and improved form of armour ensures that the kind of weapons normally available to the resistance are effectively useless. The fact that most of humanity is being kept in the dark about what is really going on doesn't help matters any.

In order to deal with the latter problem, the resistance conceives a plan to unmask the Vistors' leader on television. They figure that since television can be used for propaganda by the vistors, they can manipulate it to the same end. At first, they seem to succeed, even at tremendous cost. But the media's unrivalled ability to tell the people what to think or believe backfires on them. Enter the professional mercenaries who begrudgingly help them with a new armour-piercing ammunition and various other kinds of tools that allow them to put up a more effective fight.

It sounds like a great follow-up, but looking back on it twenty years later, it really isn't. For one thing, this sequel seems so determined to wrap up every loose end that there is precious little time for character development. The old characters escape this mainly because they were given a lot of it in the original series. However, they don't progress much further from that point. Donovan is still an adventurer who would take on the entire Visitor army by himself if he could. Julie is still a confused, grumpy young woman who wonders why she, of all people, would be chosen to lead this outfit. Robert Maxwell is still the affable scientist who is torn by his need to protect his daughters, no matter what the cost is. Daniel and Eleanor are still the weak, insubstantial forms who don't realise that when all opposition is eliminated, they'll be the first ones up against the wall. If it hadn't been for the original miniseries, you'd know very little about these characters at the beginning of The Final Battle, and even less at the end.

Not that it is all bad. Some of the loose ends are tied up so well that they become classic moments in television history. The fate of Brian is one of the most haunting moments in the story, reflecting a situation that has happened in many wars before now, and will happen in many wars to come. The use of germ warfare against the Visitors is an old story, harkening back to the classic War Of The Worlds scenario. Little was known about the nature of bacteria or virii in Wells' day, so it is even more satisfying that this time around they are able to give it some setup, making the payoff seem less like Deus Ex Machina. The little saga between Caleb and Elias Taylor is also given a payoff that will go down in television history as a classic moment. That Michael Wright and Jason Bernard didn't get more work than they did after this stellar performance is one of the many injustices of the Hollywood system.

A special mention, of course, must go to Michael Ironside and Mickey Jones. When we are first introduced to their characters, we're almost bracing ourselves for yet another Rambo type. While we know little more about Chris Faber in the end than we did when we first see him, there's just enough in this series to make Ham Tyler seem vaguely three-dimensional. This, in turn, is a lot more than what can be said for most of the other characters unique to The Final Battle.

Interestingly, a new miniseries has been announced with the original series creator Kenneth Johnson at the helm, and with key members of the original cast having already signed on. Whether Johnson intends to ignore or downplay this series remains unknown, but unfortunately, most of The Final Battle could simply be ignored without consequence. Most of the story seems more like a predefined statement of mission goals rather than any dramatic conflict as was shown in the original series, so in this instance, I'd just savour the classic moments and forget the rest. In all, a six out of ten seems about right.