At the end of Simon Winchester’s book Krakatoa: The Day the world Exploded he makes his recommendations for reading and viewing. the movie Krakatoa: East of Java gets a notice against it, even in the title of the chapter. He says that the director, Bernard Kowalkski, isn’t responsible – the “obscure” author of the book it’s based on – Michael Avallone – is.
This won’t wash. Michael Avallone wrote novelizations of existing movies and TV shows. I remember his name from the first Man from U.N.C.L.E. book. He wrote the novelization of one of the Planet of the Apes sequels. He wrote drugstore paperback thrillers – original historical novels weren’t his line. He pretty obviously did the novelization for the existing film.
Moreover, one website devoted to him claims that he went to the studio and tried to correct the mistake. That rings true.
So someone else – some producer or director or screenwriter is responsible. Some sources claim that the mistaker was discovered after all the posters and things were printed up. That doesn’t ring true, either. Plenty of people must have been researching sets, costumes, etc. Lots of them must have noticed the error long before any promotional mateerials were developed.
This has the stink of some high-level producer saying “Krakatoa, East of Java! I like the sound of that!” and the underlings being too much in fear of their positions to call him on it.
But sure as heck, a detective-thriller novelist isn’t responsible for such a geographical snafu. And you can’t palm it off on the publicity people.
Does anybody know the truth?