Books

The production archive of the Hollywood film producer Elliott Kastner for an unmade animated musical film adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic novel Kastner (1930-2010) was a larger than life American film producer, whose best known credits include Where Eagles Dare and The Long Goodbye. This collection documents his attempts over a couple of decades to adapt Treasure Island from the late 1960s into the 1990s. The archive includes: The original autograph manuscript of the screenplay by Gerald Vaughan-Hughes. Gerald Vaughan-Hughes is a British screenwriter best known for his work on "The Duellists" (1977), "To the Devil a Daughter" (1976), and "Sebastian" (1968). 123 numbered pages written on rectos only in a neat manuscript hand. Filing holes to margins, some pages cropped. With some crossings out and corrections. With a single page "Notes to the Typist" First draft Screenplay. 137 page typed screenplay. Loose pages in Tower binding with decorative treasure map and manuscript card covers. This version of the story is enlarged from the original manuscript from 204 scenes to 275 scenes. with 3 other typed screenplays, one bound as the draft, the other two spiral bound. Variants from the draft screenplay. With Treasure Island: The Musical. An Animated Feature Motion Picture Information Sheet. Spiral bound. The prospectus for the project including 11 pages of financial information and comparisons. Illustrations of the animated characters, CVs of George Fenton (Musical Director), Uli Meyer (Director of Animation), Elliott Kastner (Producer), and Jules Styne (Composer). With 3 CDs captioned "Treasure Island Disc I Designs", "Treasure Island Disc II Designs and Excel Breakdown", and "Treasure Island Cassette Copy 2 Jules Styne/Ron Miller. Gerald Vaughn Hughes. November 8 2002" "Elliott Kastner, award winning producer of over 70 major motion pictures has been involved with Treasure Island since its inception. Mr Kastner commissioned the screenplay adaptation, then approached Jule Styne to write the songs and music. Originally conceived as a live action vehicle for Richard Burton, who had a curious singing, and was enamoured with the role of Long John Silver, Treasure Island was ultimately shelved when Mr Burton died. Several years later, Marlon Brando (also with an unusual singing voice as evidenced in Guys and Dolls), fell in love with the part of Long John Silver, and the production moved forward again. Unfortunately Mr Brando suffered a personal tragedy at this time involving his children, and as a result, the production languished once more. Seven months ago, CCA dusted off the hidden gem, and, upon revisiting it, recognized its potential as an animated musical feature." Marlon Brando's role in the saga is additionally complicated as shown by an article in The Daily Variety (August 19 1993) in which Brando is reported to have sued Kastner for allegedly giving him a bad $1 million check in return for his agreement toappear in the film. A copy of the magazine is included. Kastner's dogged enthusiasm for the project is clear not only from the writer, composers and animators he had attracted. In the Information Sheet he goes on to list the actors proposed for the film: Cast - Voices. "CCA Will use the voices of Sean Connery or Anthony Hopkins for Long John Silver. Albert Finney for the Doctor, Michael Caine for Squire Trelawney, Sting for Billy Bones, Bono for Billy Gunn, Billy Connelly as the Parrott, Celine Dion or Gloria Estefan for Mrs Hawkins, and a fresh new voice for Jim Hawkins." The film was never made. This archive oif material was found in Kastner's office after his death.

Treasure Island is an adventure novel by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson, narrating a tale of 'buccaneers and buried gold.' It was originally serialized in the children's magazine Young Folks between 1881 and 1882 under the title 'Treasure Island or, the mutiny of the Hispaniola', with Stevenson adopting the pseudonym Captain George North. Traditionally considered a coming-of-age story, it is an adventure tale known for its atmosphere, characters, and action. It is also noted as a wily critique of the ambiguity of morality—as seen in Long John Silver—unusual for children's literature. It is one of the most frequently dramatized of all novels. The influence of Treasure Island on popular perceptions of pirates is enormous, including such elements as treasure maps marked with an 'X', schooners, the Black Spot, tropical islands, and one-legged seamen bearing parrots on their shoulders.