After a long delay... Here is MOTUMovie.com's second storyboard comparison! This time around, we're looking at the storyboards for one of the more iconic scenes in the film- Skeletor's arrival on Earth!
The storyboard set opens with the good guys moving cautiously through the streets...
Sounds rise from the dimensional door, causing the group to turn.
The door brightens in intensity as it opens, building into an almost blinding white-violet.
Since the storyboards were drawn during an early stage of production, many differences in the story appear throughout. This storyboard shows our first divergence in the scene. In the film, Evil-Lyn and the mercenaries were not present at Skeletor's arrival. Her group was located in a different part of the city, forcing Skeletor to communicate with her through their ships. In this earlier version, Evil-Lyn and her group are at the location of Skeletor's arrival. Though this scene doesn't appear in the film, the staging is close to an earlier scene of Evil-Lyn opening the portal-
It isn't hard to imagine these scenes taking place in the same area.
As the portals size and power increases, the heroes can do little more than look on in astonishment.
Another shot not in the film. Evil-Lyn and her group were originally intended to stand in silhouette against the portal's brightness.
A closeup of He-Man's reaction to the portal. Not used in the film, but similar in structure to an earlier brief solitary shot of He-Man.
The scenes of Skeletor's troops (and ship) emerging through the portal are recreated almost exactly in the film. This was most likely due to the heavy effects work in theses scenes. Note again the presence of Evil-Lyn and one of the mercenaries in the latter 2 boards.
Skeletor's ship arrives, dominating the scene...
...followed by a closeup shot of Skeletor.
Due to the overwhelming amount of Skeletor's forces, the heroes are forced to flee from the scene. Note that in the storyboards, Gwildor runs on his own. He is carried by He-Man in the film, most likely due to Billy Barty's bad leg.
Another scene not used in the final film- Detective Lubic tries to use the radio in his car and a pay phone to call for backup, but has no luck with either. Lubic then witnesses Skeletor's forces moving down the street and immediately jumps in his vehicle and beats a hasty retreat.
The storyboards shift back to Skeletor with a view of the ship's control area. Note that in the stroyboard, Evil-Lyn is present in this scene. A pretty major divergence occurs again here. In the original storyboards, Evil-Lyn explains in person that they have captured the key, but that "the Thenurian has escaped us".
Skeletor's reaction to this news is much different in the original storyboards than it is in the film. Instead of showing disappointment in the heroes' escape, Skeletor says "I will see to He-man... You have done well".
Evil-Lyn then moves off, commanding troops as she walks.
A revised set of storyboards show a version much closer to the actual film-
A comtech advises Evil-Lyn that Skeletor demands a report. Evil-Lyn replies that they have the key, but that He-Man has eluded them. The storyboard only shows one perspective on this scene, which is split into two different shots in the movie: a group shot on Evil-Lyn's barge, and a closeup of Evil-Lyn.
Skeletor's displeasure is present on the revised boards. Here, he reacts with a quick "That will be all", just like in the film.
The final shot of these revised boards shows the pilot of Skeletor's ship relaying his message, which is not present in the final film.
The film gets back on track with the original storyboards, as Skeletor motions his air centurions to begin their pursuit.
Evil-Lyn moves off with her forces in this closing shot from this set of boards- a scene not shown in the film.
Next time around: "The Air Centurion Sequence"!
