Fan Fare

Shocko Spocko — Just what the Universe needs. Another “Star Trek” book!

Just what the Universe needs – another “Star Trek” book!

In the merchandising Universe that is “Star Trek”, where cash flush Trekkies can buy everything from a USS Enterprise shaped bottle opener to a Photon Torpedo replica coffin, another book about Star Trek might not show up on anybody’s scanners,  but “Star Trek The Original Series 365″ , by Paula M. Block with Terry J. Erdmann (available now from Abrams Books, NY., $29.99), is packed with  interesting data and fun facts.

Block and Erdman are no strangers to the history of Star Trek’s future having previously written a number of books dealing with Trek’s Universe.  With ” Star Trek The Original Series 365″,  they take the reader back to the big bang of all things Trek, the Original Series. The book begins with a concise introduction by Dorothy “D.C.” Fontana, well known to Trek fans as a former writer and story editor on the Original Series.

Boasting 365 rare behind the scenes pictures, numerous trivia anecdotes, and general plot descriptions of every episode, Block and Erdman’s book is likely to  keep even the most discerning Vulcan raising an eyebrow or two. 

Did the Trekkie in your household know that one of the sets of female twins hired to work on the episode “I, Mudd’ brought their pet bobcat to the casting session?

Or that Mr. Spock made an appearance on “The Carol Burnett Show” in 1967 – only to be mistaken in a skit by Ms. Burnett’s character as the famous pediatrician Dr. Spock?

If Trekkies have any reason to fire phasers at this new entry into the “Star Trek”  book universe it might  be over the size and shape of the actual book itself.

Launching a Star Ship? Nah, just the “Star Trek” DVD

(writing, reporting and video by Frank Simons)

With Hollywood glitz usually reserved for the launch of a Star Ship — namely the Enterprise — Paramount Home Entertainment on Tuesday released director J.J. Abrams’ recent re-boot of “Star Trek” on DVD and Blu-ray. It’s little wonder that Paramount pulled out all the stops to “premiere” the DVD. The movie was a big hit this past summer ($384 million at box offices), and Abrams is a star director having created “Alias” and “Lost” for TV and directed “Mission: Impossible III.”

So, Monday night at Los Angeles’ historic Griffith Observatory, high above the galaxy that is Hollywood, Paramount threw a star-studded bash the likes this planet had never seen for a “Star Trek” DVD. Abrams and many of the film’s stars beamed onto the red carpet just steps away from the Observatory’s Leonard Nimoy (that’s Spock to you older Trekkies) Event Horizon Theater. They were all smiles when discussing their big hit this past summer, but remained tight-lipped about details of the upcoming sequel.

“I haven’t made any decisions,” was the oft repeated answer to questions regarding a possible release date, if Abrams was officially on board to direct, and whether or not the film would be released in 3-D. Although Abrams did say he was “open” to the possibility of a 3-D sequel, one thing he was 100 percent certain about was that there would not be a “Directors Cut” of the current film.

Is “Blade Runner” the greatest sci-fi movie ever?

It’s a controversial call but sci-fi website Totalscifionline.com has come up with its list of the greatest sci-fi movies of all time — crowning the 1982 movie “Blade Runner” as the winner. Starring Harrison Ford and Rutger Hauer, and directed by Ridley Scott, the movie depicts a dystopian Los Angeles where manufactured beings called replicants are hunted down by Ford, a semi-retired blade runner.

“It¹s odd to think that “Blade Runner” was not a critical or commercial success on its initial release in 1982. Some critics dismissed it as a case of style over substance,” said Matt McAllister, editor of Totalscifionline.com. ”Yet while the depiction of a neon-lit future LA is still breathtaking, Ridley Scott¹s film is backed up a real sense of sadness, fear and longing .. However many times you¹ve seen Blade Runner before, it retains its awe-inspiring power. ”

In second place came Stanley Kubrick’s epic “2001: A Space Odyssey”while the first release of the Star Wars franchise, “Episode IV: A New Hope,” was listed at No. 3.

The list spans more than a century of movies in the sci-fi genre, with current release “Moon” making position 74, and “A Trip to the Moon” from 1902 in the top 15. Other entries in the list include two versions of “Invasion of the Body Snatchers,”  and a list of titles from the genre’s 1970s heyday such as “Silent Running,” “The Man Who Fell To Earth” and “The Andromeda Strain.” as well as films by Steven Spielberg, James Cameron and Russia’s Andrei Tarkovsky. Three “Star Trek” movies made the list with the newest movie coming in at 93, “The Wrath of Khan” at 19 and “The Undiscovered Country” at 67.

Following is the top 10 list. Do you agree?

1. Blade Runner (1982) 2. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) 3. Star Wars (1977) 4. Alien (1979) 5. Metropolis (1927) 6. The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) 7. The Terminator (1984) 8. Planet of the Apes (1968) 9. E.T. (1982) 10. Solaris (1972)

NASA astronaut says beam me up “Star Trek” !

For the average “Star Trek” fan, watching the new movie on a laptop computer would be highly suspect, conjuring movie studio fears of piracy and lost ticket sales.

But NASA astronaut Michael Barratt is hurtling through space with no opportunity to “beam down” to a theater to see the movie. So NASA and the studio behind the film, Paramount Pictures, said on Friday that they have kindly obliged Barratt by beaming up a digital copy, so that he can view it aboard the International Space Station.

Barratt plans to watch “Star Trek” on a laptop computer. 

“I remember watching the original ‘Star Trek’ series and, like many of my NASA coworkers, was inspired by the idea of people from all nations coming together to explore space,” Barratt said in a statement. 

“… The International Space Station is a real step in that direction, with many nations sharing in an adventure the world can be proud of,” he said.

Barratt and his two crewmates are 220 miles above Earth. The astronauts have some free time on the space station which they typically fill by reading, playing musical instruments and breaking out board games. In many ways, it sounds like a weekend at the cottage, except for the high-stakes work to be done in and around the station.

“Star Trek” has already made more than $150 million at worldwide box offices as it enters its second weekend in theaters. With any luck, the movie will still be playing in June when Barratt returns to Earth, if he wants to see it on the big screen.

“Star Trek” — The actors strike back!

The movie “Star Trek” has wowed critics and audiences and made $79.2 million in the U.S. and Canada since opening on Thursday. But not everyone is thrilled. Some hardcore fans accuse director J.J. Abrams of flubbing the movie by straying from the established “canon,” in other words introducing elements and events that diverge from the way things happened in Star Trek television shows and movies until now.

On NBC variety show “Saturday Night Live” over the weekend, “Star Trek” stars Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto and Leonard Nimoy took the “Trekker” fans on directly in a comedy piece, with a pair of “SNL” actors playing the part of outraged fans sitting in the audience.

 ”We understand you are concerned about the way we are handling your beloved franchise,” said Quinto, who plays young Spock in the movie. ”But don’t worry, we’ve gone to great lengths to ensure that this film fits in flawlessly with the established canon.”

Then Pine, who plays Captain Kirk, tried to explain how the movie portrays the famed Star Trek transporters.

“I swear that the transporters on this enterprise utilize the Heisey … Oh God I have no idea what I’m talking about,” Pine said.

Well, the “Trekkers” have noticed the jab they took on “SNL.” On the fan site Trekmovie.com, one commentator using the name James Heaney wrote, “Oh my Q… Chris Pine doesn’t know what a *Heisenberg compensator* is? We’re all screwed.”

Then there’s their reaction to the movie. On the Twitter feed TReKiE, one commentator using the name DestroyTwitter wrote that he thought the film was “clearly made for the masses.”

William Shatner: Please, beam him up Scotty

Actor William Shatner of “Star Trek” fame threw out some verbal gems this week at a videotaped autograph session, as he recorded personalized messages to fans seeking autographs.        The story is linked here, but we couldn’t fit in all The Shat’s words of comic wisdom. So, not wanting it all to go to waste, we put it here.      Fans paid $149 or more to submit written questions or messages they wanted Shatner to read on video as he signed an autograph for them. He is doing it for a company in which he has partnered, Live Autographs.       One fan asked Shatner if there’s anything he wouldn’t do for money. “Sell my body,” Shatner said. “On the other hand …”       Then there were the misdirections, as fans wanted The Shat to say one thing and he said another. One family wanted the actor to record a phone message that said: “This is William Shatner asking you to boldly leave your message at the tone.”      “Thanks for asking me to answer your phone but I can’t do that,” Shatner said in his message. “Answer your own phone.”       Some of the messages Shatner was asked to read were too weird, and he wouldn’t follow the script. But some were just too serious. One customer wanted The Shat to record a birthday greeting for a fan that said, “For 40 years you’ve lived your life with morality and character. For the next 40 years I suggest you live your life in the same manner.”      That last sentence was too much for The Shat, who substituted “For the next 40 years I suggest you have some fun.”      When asked to impart some words of wisdom to a young girl, Shatner told her to grab her brother and “bite him on the toe until he screams, and then when your parents say stop, don’t.”      All in all, Shatner signed more than 200 items with videotape rolling.        (Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis)