Okay, here’s a breakdown of the information provided in the text, focusing on Harlan Ellison and his experiences with Hollywood, notably regarding the “I, Robot” screenplay and “Star Trek”:
1.Ellison’s Personal Struggles:
* The text begins with a stark and personal admission from Ellison about a period of severe personal decline.He describes a time where he neglected his health and hygiene,leading to the end of a relationship. This paints a picture of a man who, despite his brilliance, struggled with personal demons.
2. The “I,Robot” Screenplay:
* Collaboration with Asimov: Ellison collaborated with Isaac asimov on a screenplay for “I,Robot.”
* Complexity & Technical Limitations: The screenplay was deemed too complex for the special effects technology available at the time. It was ambitious and required capabilities that didn’t yet exist.
* Studio Notes & Ellison’s Reaction: Warner Bros. praised the screenplay (“a work of genius”) but requested changes. Ellison, known for his strong personality and aversion to studio interference, refused to do rewrites.He viewed studio notes as an insult.
* Result: he was removed from the project, and the screenplay was given to four other writers over the following ten months.
3. Ellison’s “Star Trek” Experience:
* Grumpy Reputation: The text emphasizes Ellison’s notorious grumpiness, particularly when it came to dealing with Hollywood.
* “The City on the Edge of Forever”: A link is provided to an article detailing his arduous experience writing what is considered one of the best episodes of the original “Star Trek” series (“The City on the Edge of Forever”). The article suggests the episode was hard to produce, went over budget, and involved meaningful rewrites.
* Dislike of the Process: Ellison reportedly hated his experience writing for “Star trek,” likely due to the collaborative and often compromising nature of television writing.
In essence, the text portrays Harlan Ellison as a brilliant but uncompromising artist who clashed with the commercial demands and collaborative processes of Hollywood. He was a visionary writer, but his strong personality and refusal to compromise made it difficult for him to navigate the studio system.
