SLAUGHTERHOUSE-FIVE. First Draft Screenplay
n.p. Universal Studios, March 25, 1970. First edition thus. Paperback. 4to. 183 mimeographed pages. The First Draft of the screenplay by Stephen Geller adapting Vonnegut's most famous book Slaughterhouse-Five. Brad-bound in green Universal Studios card covers, with "First Draft Screenplay" in the upper right hand corner. Production No. 00114. Title page present. The first draft is considerably more elusive than the more common final draft. Upon reading this first draft you wonder if Geller had actually read the book. Significantly different to the final draft which was quite true to Vonnegut's wonderful novel. The film was faithfully directed by George Roy Hill and starred Michael Sacks, Ron Leibman, Valerie Perrine, Holly Near, among others. Hill did a herculean task bringing the power of this classic book to the screen. "Listen: Billie Pilgrim has come unstuck in time." The opening words of the famous novel are the quickest summary of this haunting, funny film. Director Hill faithfully renders for the screen Vonnegut's obsessive story of Billy Pilgrim, who survives the 1945 fire-bombing of Dresden in World War Two (just like Vonnegut did himself), then lives simultaneously in his past as a young American POW (just as Vonnegut did), in the future as a well-cared-for resident of a zoo on the planet Tralfamadore, and in the present as a middle-aged optometrist in Illium, New York. The film won the Hugo Award in 1973 for the Best Dramatic Presentation, the director George Roy Hill won the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival (1972), and the film won the Golden Scroll award for Best Science Fiction Film (1973). A few small stains to pages else near fine in dust soiled covers. A very good plus to near fine copy. Item #ESB11755
Price: $850.00