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“STAR TREK” HAS BEEN, AND ALWAYS SHALL BE ABOUT DIVERSITY This entry is a response to the increasingly high volume of complaints I read online (and hear in person at conventions) that new Star Trek is “too politically correct” these days, and only “panders to liberals.” Some say that new Star Trek has become obsessed with winning the “Social Justice Warrior” demographic. Reality check,please?
REMEMBERING ACTOR AND ARTIST RICHARD HERD, 1932-2020 As if 2020 hasn’t been trying enough, yesterday I learned that actor Richard Herd, whom I’d met and spoken with at many conventions, passed away from cancer on Tuesday, May 26th. Richard Herd had a long and varied career. He was often cast as authority figures, with costarring roles in TV shows such as “T.J. Hooker” “SPACE: 1999” IS A BLAST FROM A PAST THAT NEVER WAS It was a fitting end to a series for which I hold much affection, despite its issues and shortcomings. Yes, scientific accuracy on the series was next-to nonexistent, the oh-so-’70s costumes are quite dated, and the acting was occasionally hammy, but there was something surreal and fascinating about this handsomely designed series’ world a future past that will always live on in the MUSINGS OF A MIDDLE-AGED GEEK Effectively dreaming “The Lathe of Heaven” (1980) into reality. 1980 was a heady time to be a teenaged sci-fi fan. It was the year that ushered in a diverse range of sci-fi movies like “The Empire Strikes Back” “Battle Beyond The Stars”, “Flash Gordon” “The Final Countdown,” and “Altered States.”. My parents’old 25
“STAR TREK” HAS BEEN, AND ALWAYS SHALL BE ABOUT DIVERSITY This entry is a response to the increasingly high volume of complaints I read online (and hear in person at conventions) that new Star Trek is “too politically correct” these days, and only “panders to liberals.” Some say that new Star Trek has become obsessed with winning the “Social Justice Warrior” demographic. Reality check,please?
REMEMBERING ACTOR AND ARTIST RICHARD HERD, 1932-2020 As if 2020 hasn’t been trying enough, yesterday I learned that actor Richard Herd, whom I’d met and spoken with at many conventions, passed away from cancer on Tuesday, May 26th. Richard Herd had a long and varied career. He was often cast as authority figures, with costarring roles in TV shows such as “T.J. Hooker” “SPACE: 1999” IS A BLAST FROM A PAST THAT NEVER WAS It was a fitting end to a series for which I hold much affection, despite its issues and shortcomings. Yes, scientific accuracy on the series was next-to nonexistent, the oh-so-’70s costumes are quite dated, and the acting was occasionally hammy, but there was something surreal and fascinating about this handsomely designed series’ world a future past that will always live on in the “AD ASTRA” (2019) CARRIES A ‘HEART OF DARKNESS’ TO THE Tommy Lee Jones, a former member of the “Space Cowboys” (2000) goes full Colonel Kurtz in “Ad Astra.”. Tommy Lee Jones’ Clifford McBride is no more knowable than Pitt’s Roy. In fact, he’s a hell of lot worse. Cliff’s killing his mutinous crew for not believing in his RETRO-MUSINGS #1: “WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS” (1966) WOTG is arguably director Ishiro Honda’s best keiju-eiga movie since the original 1954 Japanese version of “Gojira” (Godzilla), which I was lucky enough to see uncut at a screening in L.A. in 2004. Yes, WOTG has some cheesier elements and some bad acting, but the monster set pieces are among the best ever made in 1960s Japanese cinema. REMEMBERING RICHARD HATCH, AND BATTLESTAR GALACTICA It had an atmosphere of reality and paranoia that redefined the entire space opera genre. Space opera could now be be gritty, dirty, brutal and unflinchingly honest. This was a whole different animal. Richard Hatch returned to the reimagined “Battlestar Galactica” as former terrorist-turned-political animal Tom Zarek. STAR TREK: THE ANIMATED SERIES 45 YEARS LATER… 14 years before "Star Trek: The Next Generation” debuted in 1987, there was an earlier Star Trek spinoff series; the often (unfairly) maligned animated Star Trek series, which debuted on Saturday morning television in the fall of 1973. Star Trek The Animated Series (TAS), a Lou Scheimer/Filmation production, was, in essence a continuation of the prematurely cancelled original “THE INVADERS” (1967-1968)… IN COLOR! A bold pronouncement, made every night In January of 1967, a new TV show debuted called “The Invaders.” It was “a Quinn Martin production” and it was “In color” as the announcer would boldly proclaim. Color TV was new in those days, and it was a big deal (like HD and 4K in recent years). “DEMOLITION MAN” INSPIRES JOY-JOY FEELINGS 25 YEARS LATER Welcome to San Angeles! It was an October evening some 25 years ago (checking my hands for liver spots) when a friend and I were up for a movie. We went to a theatre that wasn’t too far from my old apartment, and decided to check out the new Sylvester Stallone futuristic action opus, “Demolition Man.” I’d been a fan of Stallone’s “Rocky” movies (well, most of them anyway; 4 & 5 JAWS (1975); THE MOVIE THAT INVENTED THE SUMMER There is also the terrific fan-made documentary video “The Shark Is Still Working” created by uber-JAWS fans James Gelet, Jake Gove, Erik Hollander, James-Michael Roddy, composer Michael McCormack, and with a producer credit given to the late Roy Scheider himself. The documentary is a bonus feature on the Blu-Ray of the film, as well as the recent 4K release. MAY 2021 – MUSINGS OF A MIDDLE-AGED GEEK Disney bakes “The Bad Batch” and other Star Wars treats for May. May the 4th was strong with the Force. While my own household celebrated “May the 4th” in our own way, Disney+ also offered a slew of new Star Wars-related content for this unofficial Star Wars holiday, which is really a thing now. First up was the launch of a newpost
SEQUENCING THE DNA OF “GATTACA” (1997)… Back in 1997, there was buzz about a new sci-fi film called “Gattaca” which caught my eye; it was written and directed by Andrew Niccol, who would later be credited with writing 1998’s “The Truman Show” as well as directing “SimOne” (2002) and other innovative, underrated movies (2005’s “Lords of War” isanother). Danny De
STAR TREK LAS VEGAS, 2019: REVERSE ANGLE ON THE VIEWER In the corner of Quark’s was a gorgeous, fan-made 8 ft. miniature of the starship USS Enterprise 1701-E, which was seen in the Star Trek feature films “First Contact” (1996) “Insurrection” (1998) and “Nemesis” (2002). This miniature was internally lit and magnificently detailed. STAR TREK: THE ANIMATED SERIES 45 YEARS LATER… 14 years before "Star Trek: The Next Generation” debuted in 1987, there was an earlier Star Trek spinoff series; the often (unfairly) maligned animated Star Trek series, which debuted on Saturday morning television in the fall of 1973. Star Trek The Animated Series (TAS), a Lou Scheimer/Filmation production, was, in essence a continuation of the prematurely cancelled original “STAR TREK CONTINUES” FINISHES THE ORIGINAL FIVE-YEAR “Star Trek Continues” is, quite literally, the continuation of the prematurely cancelled original series (1966-69); and this non-profit, made-for-love-of-the-game series meticulously recreates the sets, props, lighting and even hairstyles of the original series. The episodes are even framed in the older standard aperture of 4:3; the television standard at the time of the original series “SPACE: ABOVE AND BEYOND”: IN MEMORY OF THE 58TH Space: Above And Beyond. The Wild Cards of the 58th Marine Squadron do a tour on Mars in the pilot episode. In 1995, a new series debuted on the network that had an unfortunate, but mostly earned reputation of killing many a promising sci-fi series ("Alien Nation" "Firefly" and a few others). This single-season series SOYUZ – MUSINGS OF A MIDDLE-AGED GEEK Posts about Soyuz written by A Middle Aged Geek. I’d been meaning to write about AppleTV’s “For All Mankind” for awhile now, but frankly, it’s a daunting challenge, because (and I try not to say this too much) this is my favorite TV show on at the moment. STAR TREK: DISCOVERY S2.14: “SUCH SWEET SORROW,” PART 2 IS Star Trek: Discovery S2.14: “Such Sweet Sorrow,” part 2 is a season finale with the soul of a series finale STILL HUNGRY FOR “SOYLENT GREEN”, 45 YEARS LATER Back in the days before "Star Wars" and superhero movies transformed cinematic science fiction into gleaming toy commercials, science fiction cinema (with occasional exceptions) consisted largely of futuristic dystopias that were more like feature-length episodes of “The Twilight Zone” than today’s largely escapist entertainment. It’s far less common today to see a major studio offer up MUSINGS OF A MIDDLE-AGED GEEK Effectively dreaming “The Lathe of Heaven” (1980) into reality. 1980 was a heady time to be a teenaged sci-fi fan. It was the year that ushered in a diverse range of sci-fi movies like “The Empire Strikes Back” “Battle Beyond The Stars”, “Flash Gordon” “The Final Countdown,” and “Altered States.”. My parents’old 25
MAY 2021 – MUSINGS OF A MIDDLE-AGED GEEK Disney bakes “The Bad Batch” and other Star Wars treats for May. May the 4th was strong with the Force. While my own household celebrated “May the 4th” in our own way, Disney+ also offered a slew of new Star Wars-related content for this unofficial Star Wars holiday, which is really a thing now. First up was the launch of a newpost
“BATTLE BEYOND THE STARS” (1980); ROGER CORMAN’S SCRAPPY The Clone Wars. Following the unexpected success of George Lucas' "Star Wars" in 1977 ("A New Hope" wouldn't be added to the title until years later), studios big and small were scrambling to create their own space operas. Some were embarrassingly obvious in their mimicry (Luigi Cozzi's "Starcrash"), others gained their own cult followings(Glen
“STAR TREK” HAS BEEN, AND ALWAYS SHALL BE ABOUT DIVERSITY This entry is a response to the increasingly high volume of complaints I read online (and hear in person at conventions) that new Star Trek is “too politically correct” these days, and only “panders to liberals.” Some say that new Star Trek has become obsessed with winning the “Social Justice Warrior” demographic. Reality check,please?
“THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN” (1971) IS A TIMELY REMINDER THAT IT Exposure. I swore that I would do my best to stay away from plague movies like “Contagion” (2011) and “The Andromeda Strain” (1971) during the current coronavirus pandemic, because I thought that going there would be too depressing. But with a gentle nudge of encouragement from my wife, I decided to tackle “The AndromedaStrain” because
“JAWS 3-D” (1983): THE B-MOVIE OFFSPRING OF A 1975 CLASSIC ****GREAT WHITE SPOILERS AHEAD!!**** The Classic. 1975's "JAWS" (1975), directed by then-wunderkind filmmaker Steven Spielberg, is simply one of the greatest movies ever made--- a perfect synthesis of drama, horror, action and adventure which ushered in the era of the 'summer blockbuster.' The movie was smartly adapted from Peter Benchley's bestseller novel by Benchley himself, SEQUENCING THE DNA OF “GATTACA” (1997)… Sequencing the DNA of “Gattaca” (1997). Back in 1997, there was buzz about a new sci-fi film called “Gattaca” which caught my eye; it was written and directed by Andrew Niccol, who would later be credited with writing 1998’s “The Truman Show” as well as directing “SimOne” (2002) and other innovative, underrated movies(2005
“SPACE: 1999” IS A BLAST FROM A PAST THAT NEVER WAS It was a fitting end to a series for which I hold much affection, despite its issues and shortcomings. Yes, scientific accuracy on the series was next-to nonexistent, the oh-so-’70s costumes are quite dated, and the acting was occasionally hammy, but there was something surreal and fascinating about this handsomely designed series’ world a future past that will always live on in the REMEMBERING RICHARD HATCH, AND BATTLESTAR GALACTICA It had an atmosphere of reality and paranoia that redefined the entire space opera genre. Space opera could now be be gritty, dirty, brutal and unflinchingly honest. This was a whole different animal. Richard Hatch returned to the reimagined “Battlestar Galactica” as former terrorist-turned-political animal Tom Zarek. RETRO-MUSINGS #1: “WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS” (1966) WOTG is arguably director Ishiro Honda’s best keiju-eiga movie since the original 1954 Japanese version of “Gojira” (Godzilla), which I was lucky enough to see uncut at a screening in L.A. in 2004. Yes, WOTG has some cheesier elements and some bad acting, but the monster set pieces are among the best ever made in 1960s Japanese cinema. MUSINGS OF A MIDDLE-AGED GEEK Effectively dreaming “The Lathe of Heaven” (1980) into reality. 1980 was a heady time to be a teenaged sci-fi fan. It was the year that ushered in a diverse range of sci-fi movies like “The Empire Strikes Back” “Battle Beyond The Stars”, “Flash Gordon” “The Final Countdown,” and “Altered States.”. My parents’old 25
MAY 2021 – MUSINGS OF A MIDDLE-AGED GEEK Disney bakes “The Bad Batch” and other Star Wars treats for May. May the 4th was strong with the Force. While my own household celebrated “May the 4th” in our own way, Disney+ also offered a slew of new Star Wars-related content for this unofficial Star Wars holiday, which is really a thing now. First up was the launch of a newpost
“BATTLE BEYOND THE STARS” (1980); ROGER CORMAN’S SCRAPPY The Clone Wars. Following the unexpected success of George Lucas' "Star Wars" in 1977 ("A New Hope" wouldn't be added to the title until years later), studios big and small were scrambling to create their own space operas. Some were embarrassingly obvious in their mimicry (Luigi Cozzi's "Starcrash"), others gained their own cult followings(Glen
“STAR TREK” HAS BEEN, AND ALWAYS SHALL BE ABOUT DIVERSITY This entry is a response to the increasingly high volume of complaints I read online (and hear in person at conventions) that new Star Trek is “too politically correct” these days, and only “panders to liberals.” Some say that new Star Trek has become obsessed with winning the “Social Justice Warrior” demographic. Reality check,please?
“THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN” (1971) IS A TIMELY REMINDER THAT IT Exposure. I swore that I would do my best to stay away from plague movies like “Contagion” (2011) and “The Andromeda Strain” (1971) during the current coronavirus pandemic, because I thought that going there would be too depressing. But with a gentle nudge of encouragement from my wife, I decided to tackle “The AndromedaStrain” because
“JAWS 3-D” (1983): THE B-MOVIE OFFSPRING OF A 1975 CLASSIC ****GREAT WHITE SPOILERS AHEAD!!**** The Classic. 1975's "JAWS" (1975), directed by then-wunderkind filmmaker Steven Spielberg, is simply one of the greatest movies ever made--- a perfect synthesis of drama, horror, action and adventure which ushered in the era of the 'summer blockbuster.' The movie was smartly adapted from Peter Benchley's bestseller novel by Benchley himself, SEQUENCING THE DNA OF “GATTACA” (1997)… Sequencing the DNA of “Gattaca” (1997). Back in 1997, there was buzz about a new sci-fi film called “Gattaca” which caught my eye; it was written and directed by Andrew Niccol, who would later be credited with writing 1998’s “The Truman Show” as well as directing “SimOne” (2002) and other innovative, underrated movies(2005
“SPACE: 1999” IS A BLAST FROM A PAST THAT NEVER WAS It was a fitting end to a series for which I hold much affection, despite its issues and shortcomings. Yes, scientific accuracy on the series was next-to nonexistent, the oh-so-’70s costumes are quite dated, and the acting was occasionally hammy, but there was something surreal and fascinating about this handsomely designed series’ world a future past that will always live on in the REMEMBERING RICHARD HATCH, AND BATTLESTAR GALACTICA It had an atmosphere of reality and paranoia that redefined the entire space opera genre. Space opera could now be be gritty, dirty, brutal and unflinchingly honest. This was a whole different animal. Richard Hatch returned to the reimagined “Battlestar Galactica” as former terrorist-turned-political animal Tom Zarek. RETRO-MUSINGS #1: “WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS” (1966) WOTG is arguably director Ishiro Honda’s best keiju-eiga movie since the original 1954 Japanese version of “Gojira” (Godzilla), which I was lucky enough to see uncut at a screening in L.A. in 2004. Yes, WOTG has some cheesier elements and some bad acting, but the monster set pieces are among the best ever made in 1960s Japanese cinema. MAY 2021 – MUSINGS OF A MIDDLE-AGED GEEK Disney bakes “The Bad Batch” and other Star Wars treats for May. May the 4th was strong with the Force. While my own household celebrated “May the 4th” in our own way, Disney+ also offered a slew of new Star Wars-related content for this unofficial Star Wars holiday, which is really a thing now. First up was the launch of a newpost
IS STAR TREK’S TRANSPORTER ROOM A CHAMBER OF HORRORS Trauma of the G-rated “Star Trek: The Motion Picture.” When I was a kid, some million and a half years ago, “Star Trek: The Motion Picture” (1979) made its big screen debut. The film took the low-budget spartan sci-fi TV series and upgraded it into an A-list Hollywood featureeven going so far as to hire Robert Wise (“Sound of Music”) as director. “STAR TREK IV: THE VOYAGE HOME” (1986); THE ‘ONE WITH THE 34 years ago this November, I went to see “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home” with my Trekkie sister over Thanksgiving weekend. I was a month shy of my 20th birthday, and still filled with much of the optimism for the years ahead that is often reflected in the Star Trek universe. Star Trek III REJUDGING “TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY,” 30 YEARS LATER Pre-Judgment (1984). *****TERMINAL SPOILERS AHEAD!!***** Way back in late fall of 1984, I remember my sister coming home to tell us about a movie she just saw called “The Terminator” (1984). The title didn't impress me at all, because it sounded like a million other cheapie action-exploitation movies on shelves of video stores at that GEORGE LUCAS’ ORIGINAL SCI-FI EPIC, “THX-1138” (1971 *****SPOILERS AHEAD!***** Past Prologue. In 1967, a 23 year-old USC graduate named George Lucas wrote and directed an ambitious futuristic short film called "Electronic Labyrinth THX-1138 4EB," which chronicled the escape of a dissident (Dan Nachtsheim) from a futuristic dystopia. The film runs just 15 minutes, but it acquired a lot of notice for its REMEMBERING ACTOR AND ARTIST RICHARD HERD, 1932-2020 As if 2020 hasn’t been trying enough, yesterday I learned that actor Richard Herd, whom I’d met and spoken with at many conventions, passed away from cancer on Tuesday, May 26th. Richard Herd had a long and varied career. He was often cast as authority figures, with costarring roles in TV shows such as “T.J. Hooker” “THE INVADERS” (1967-1968)… IN COLOR! A bold pronouncement, made every night In January of 1967, a new TV show debuted called “The Invaders.” It was “a Quinn Martin production” and it was “In color” as the announcer would boldly proclaim. Color TV was new in those days, and it was a big deal (like HD and 4K in recent years). “STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE” (1979), BACK ON THE MAIN The Annual Star Trek Convention, Las Vegas, August 3rd 2019. After appearing as part of a panel celebrating the 40th anniversary of “Star Trek: The Motion Picture”, special effects wizard Douglas Trumbull was near the back of the main theater, signing complementary autographs for eager fans. RETRO-MUSINGS #1: “WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS” (1966) WOTG is arguably director Ishiro Honda’s best keiju-eiga movie since the original 1954 Japanese version of “Gojira” (Godzilla), which I was lucky enough to see uncut at a screening in L.A. in 2004. Yes, WOTG has some cheesier elements and some bad acting, but the monster set pieces are among the best ever made in 1960s Japanese cinema. “STAR TREK CONTINUES” FINISHES THE ORIGINAL FIVE-YEAR “Star Trek Continues” is, quite literally, the continuation of the prematurely cancelled original series (1966-69); and this non-profit, made-for-love-of-the-game series meticulously recreates the sets, props, lighting and even hairstyles of the original series. The episodes are even framed in the older standard aperture of 4:3; the television standard at the time of the original series MUSINGS OF A MIDDLE-AGED GEEK Effectively dreaming “The Lathe of Heaven” (1980) into reality. 1980 was a heady time to be a teenaged sci-fi fan. It was the year that ushered in a diverse range of sci-fi movies like “The Empire Strikes Back” “Battle Beyond The Stars”, “Flash Gordon” “The Final Countdown,” and “Altered States.”. My parents’old 25
MAY 2021 – MUSINGS OF A MIDDLE-AGED GEEK Disney bakes “The Bad Batch” and other Star Wars treats for May. May the 4th was strong with the Force. While my own household celebrated “May the 4th” in our own way, Disney+ also offered a slew of new Star Wars-related content for this unofficial Star Wars holiday, which is really a thing now. First up was the launch of a newpost
“BATTLE BEYOND THE STARS” (1980); ROGER CORMAN’S SCRAPPY The Clone Wars. Following the unexpected success of George Lucas' "Star Wars" in 1977 ("A New Hope" wouldn't be added to the title until years later), studios big and small were scrambling to create their own space operas. Some were embarrassingly obvious in their mimicry (Luigi Cozzi's "Starcrash"), others gained their own cult followings(Glen
“STAR TREK” HAS BEEN, AND ALWAYS SHALL BE ABOUT DIVERSITY This entry is a response to the increasingly high volume of complaints I read online (and hear in person at conventions) that new Star Trek is “too politically correct” these days, and only “panders to liberals.” Some say that new Star Trek has become obsessed with winning the “Social Justice Warrior” demographic. Reality check,please?
“THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN” (1971) IS A TIMELY REMINDER THAT IT Exposure. I swore that I would do my best to stay away from plague movies like “Contagion” (2011) and “The Andromeda Strain” (1971) during the current coronavirus pandemic, because I thought that going there would be too depressing. But with a gentle nudge of encouragement from my wife, I decided to tackle “The AndromedaStrain” because
“JAWS 3-D” (1983): THE B-MOVIE OFFSPRING OF A 1975 CLASSIC ****GREAT WHITE SPOILERS AHEAD!!**** The Classic. 1975's "JAWS" (1975), directed by then-wunderkind filmmaker Steven Spielberg, is simply one of the greatest movies ever made--- a perfect synthesis of drama, horror, action and adventure which ushered in the era of the 'summer blockbuster.' The movie was smartly adapted from Peter Benchley's bestseller novel by Benchley himself, SEQUENCING THE DNA OF “GATTACA” (1997)… Sequencing the DNA of “Gattaca” (1997). Back in 1997, there was buzz about a new sci-fi film called “Gattaca” which caught my eye; it was written and directed by Andrew Niccol, who would later be credited with writing 1998’s “The Truman Show” as well as directing “SimOne” (2002) and other innovative, underrated movies(2005
“SPACE: 1999” IS A BLAST FROM A PAST THAT NEVER WAS It was a fitting end to a series for which I hold much affection, despite its issues and shortcomings. Yes, scientific accuracy on the series was next-to nonexistent, the oh-so-’70s costumes are quite dated, and the acting was occasionally hammy, but there was something surreal and fascinating about this handsomely designed series’ world a future past that will always live on in the REMEMBERING RICHARD HATCH, AND BATTLESTAR GALACTICA It had an atmosphere of reality and paranoia that redefined the entire space opera genre. Space opera could now be be gritty, dirty, brutal and unflinchingly honest. This was a whole different animal. Richard Hatch returned to the reimagined “Battlestar Galactica” as former terrorist-turned-political animal Tom Zarek. RETRO-MUSINGS #1: “WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS” (1966) WOTG is arguably director Ishiro Honda’s best keiju-eiga movie since the original 1954 Japanese version of “Gojira” (Godzilla), which I was lucky enough to see uncut at a screening in L.A. in 2004. Yes, WOTG has some cheesier elements and some bad acting, but the monster set pieces are among the best ever made in 1960s Japanese cinema. MUSINGS OF A MIDDLE-AGED GEEK Effectively dreaming “The Lathe of Heaven” (1980) into reality. 1980 was a heady time to be a teenaged sci-fi fan. It was the year that ushered in a diverse range of sci-fi movies like “The Empire Strikes Back” “Battle Beyond The Stars”, “Flash Gordon” “The Final Countdown,” and “Altered States.”. My parents’old 25
MAY 2021 – MUSINGS OF A MIDDLE-AGED GEEK Disney bakes “The Bad Batch” and other Star Wars treats for May. May the 4th was strong with the Force. While my own household celebrated “May the 4th” in our own way, Disney+ also offered a slew of new Star Wars-related content for this unofficial Star Wars holiday, which is really a thing now. First up was the launch of a newpost
“BATTLE BEYOND THE STARS” (1980); ROGER CORMAN’S SCRAPPY The Clone Wars. Following the unexpected success of George Lucas' "Star Wars" in 1977 ("A New Hope" wouldn't be added to the title until years later), studios big and small were scrambling to create their own space operas. Some were embarrassingly obvious in their mimicry (Luigi Cozzi's "Starcrash"), others gained their own cult followings(Glen
“STAR TREK” HAS BEEN, AND ALWAYS SHALL BE ABOUT DIVERSITY This entry is a response to the increasingly high volume of complaints I read online (and hear in person at conventions) that new Star Trek is “too politically correct” these days, and only “panders to liberals.” Some say that new Star Trek has become obsessed with winning the “Social Justice Warrior” demographic. Reality check,please?
“THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN” (1971) IS A TIMELY REMINDER THAT IT Exposure. I swore that I would do my best to stay away from plague movies like “Contagion” (2011) and “The Andromeda Strain” (1971) during the current coronavirus pandemic, because I thought that going there would be too depressing. But with a gentle nudge of encouragement from my wife, I decided to tackle “The AndromedaStrain” because
“JAWS 3-D” (1983): THE B-MOVIE OFFSPRING OF A 1975 CLASSIC ****GREAT WHITE SPOILERS AHEAD!!**** The Classic. 1975's "JAWS" (1975), directed by then-wunderkind filmmaker Steven Spielberg, is simply one of the greatest movies ever made--- a perfect synthesis of drama, horror, action and adventure which ushered in the era of the 'summer blockbuster.' The movie was smartly adapted from Peter Benchley's bestseller novel by Benchley himself, SEQUENCING THE DNA OF “GATTACA” (1997)… Sequencing the DNA of “Gattaca” (1997). Back in 1997, there was buzz about a new sci-fi film called “Gattaca” which caught my eye; it was written and directed by Andrew Niccol, who would later be credited with writing 1998’s “The Truman Show” as well as directing “SimOne” (2002) and other innovative, underrated movies(2005
“SPACE: 1999” IS A BLAST FROM A PAST THAT NEVER WAS It was a fitting end to a series for which I hold much affection, despite its issues and shortcomings. Yes, scientific accuracy on the series was next-to nonexistent, the oh-so-’70s costumes are quite dated, and the acting was occasionally hammy, but there was something surreal and fascinating about this handsomely designed series’ world a future past that will always live on in the REMEMBERING RICHARD HATCH, AND BATTLESTAR GALACTICA It had an atmosphere of reality and paranoia that redefined the entire space opera genre. Space opera could now be be gritty, dirty, brutal and unflinchingly honest. This was a whole different animal. Richard Hatch returned to the reimagined “Battlestar Galactica” as former terrorist-turned-political animal Tom Zarek. RETRO-MUSINGS #1: “WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS” (1966) WOTG is arguably director Ishiro Honda’s best keiju-eiga movie since the original 1954 Japanese version of “Gojira” (Godzilla), which I was lucky enough to see uncut at a screening in L.A. in 2004. Yes, WOTG has some cheesier elements and some bad acting, but the monster set pieces are among the best ever made in 1960s Japanese cinema. MAY 2021 – MUSINGS OF A MIDDLE-AGED GEEK Disney bakes “The Bad Batch” and other Star Wars treats for May. May the 4th was strong with the Force. While my own household celebrated “May the 4th” in our own way, Disney+ also offered a slew of new Star Wars-related content for this unofficial Star Wars holiday, which is really a thing now. First up was the launch of a newpost
IS STAR TREK’S TRANSPORTER ROOM A CHAMBER OF HORRORS Trauma of the G-rated “Star Trek: The Motion Picture.” When I was a kid, some million and a half years ago, “Star Trek: The Motion Picture” (1979) made its big screen debut. The film took the low-budget spartan sci-fi TV series and upgraded it into an A-list Hollywood featureeven going so far as to hire Robert Wise (“Sound of Music”) as director. “STAR TREK IV: THE VOYAGE HOME” (1986); THE ‘ONE WITH THE 34 years ago this November, I went to see “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home” with my Trekkie sister over Thanksgiving weekend. I was a month shy of my 20th birthday, and still filled with much of the optimism for the years ahead that is often reflected in the Star Trek universe. Star Trek III REJUDGING “TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY,” 30 YEARS LATER Pre-Judgment (1984). *****TERMINAL SPOILERS AHEAD!!***** Way back in late fall of 1984, I remember my sister coming home to tell us about a movie she just saw called “The Terminator” (1984). The title didn't impress me at all, because it sounded like a million other cheapie action-exploitation movies on shelves of video stores at that GEORGE LUCAS’ ORIGINAL SCI-FI EPIC, “THX-1138” (1971 *****SPOILERS AHEAD!***** Past Prologue. In 1967, a 23 year-old USC graduate named George Lucas wrote and directed an ambitious futuristic short film called "Electronic Labyrinth THX-1138 4EB," which chronicled the escape of a dissident (Dan Nachtsheim) from a futuristic dystopia. The film runs just 15 minutes, but it acquired a lot of notice for its REMEMBERING ACTOR AND ARTIST RICHARD HERD, 1932-2020 As if 2020 hasn’t been trying enough, yesterday I learned that actor Richard Herd, whom I’d met and spoken with at many conventions, passed away from cancer on Tuesday, May 26th. Richard Herd had a long and varied career. He was often cast as authority figures, with costarring roles in TV shows such as “T.J. Hooker” “THE INVADERS” (1967-1968)… IN COLOR! A bold pronouncement, made every night In January of 1967, a new TV show debuted called “The Invaders.” It was “a Quinn Martin production” and it was “In color” as the announcer would boldly proclaim. Color TV was new in those days, and it was a big deal (like HD and 4K in recent years). “STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE” (1979), BACK ON THE MAIN The Annual Star Trek Convention, Las Vegas, August 3rd 2019. After appearing as part of a panel celebrating the 40th anniversary of “Star Trek: The Motion Picture”, special effects wizard Douglas Trumbull was near the back of the main theater, signing complementary autographs for eager fans. RETRO-MUSINGS #1: “WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS” (1966) WOTG is arguably director Ishiro Honda’s best keiju-eiga movie since the original 1954 Japanese version of “Gojira” (Godzilla), which I was lucky enough to see uncut at a screening in L.A. in 2004. Yes, WOTG has some cheesier elements and some bad acting, but the monster set pieces are among the best ever made in 1960s Japanese cinema. “STAR TREK CONTINUES” FINISHES THE ORIGINAL FIVE-YEAR “Star Trek Continues” is, quite literally, the continuation of the prematurely cancelled original series (1966-69); and this non-profit, made-for-love-of-the-game series meticulously recreates the sets, props, lighting and even hairstyles of the original series. The episodes are even framed in the older standard aperture of 4:3; the television standard at the time of the original series MUSINGS OF A MIDDLE-AGED GEEK Effectively dreaming “The Lathe of Heaven” (1980) into reality. 1980 was a heady time to be a teenaged sci-fi fan. It was the year that ushered in a diverse range of sci-fi movies like “The Empire Strikes Back” “Battle Beyond The Stars”, “Flash Gordon” “The Final Countdown,” and “Altered States.”. My parents’old 25
“THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN” (1971) IS A TIMELY REMINDER THAT IT Exposure. I swore that I would do my best to stay away from plague movies like “Contagion” (2011) and “The Andromeda Strain” (1971) during the current coronavirus pandemic, because I thought that going there would be too depressing. But with a gentle nudge of encouragement from my wife, I decided to tackle “The AndromedaStrain” because
“STAR TREK” HAS BEEN, AND ALWAYS SHALL BE ABOUT DIVERSITY This entry is a response to the increasingly high volume of complaints I read online (and hear in person at conventions) that new Star Trek is “too politically correct” these days, and only “panders to liberals.” Some say that new Star Trek has become obsessed with winning the “Social Justice Warrior” demographic. Reality check,please?
“BATTLE BEYOND THE STARS” (1980); ROGER CORMAN’S SCRAPPY The Clone Wars. Following the unexpected success of George Lucas' "Star Wars" in 1977 ("A New Hope" wouldn't be added to the title until years later), studios big and small were scrambling to create their own space operas. Some were embarrassingly obvious in their mimicry (Luigi Cozzi's "Starcrash"), others gained their own cult followings(Glen
MUSINGS OF A MIDDLE-AGED GEEK Effectively dreaming “The Lathe of Heaven” (1980) into reality. 1980 was a heady time to be a teenaged sci-fi fan. It was the year that ushered in a diverse range of sci-fi movies like “The Empire Strikes Back” “Battle Beyond The Stars”, “Flash Gordon” “The Final Countdown,” and “Altered States.”. My parents’old 25
“THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN” (1971) IS A TIMELY REMINDER THAT IT Exposure. I swore that I would do my best to stay away from plague movies like “Contagion” (2011) and “The Andromeda Strain” (1971) during the current coronavirus pandemic, because I thought that going there would be too depressing. But with a gentle nudge of encouragement from my wife, I decided to tackle “The AndromedaStrain” because
“STAR TREK” HAS BEEN, AND ALWAYS SHALL BE ABOUT DIVERSITY This entry is a response to the increasingly high volume of complaints I read online (and hear in person at conventions) that new Star Trek is “too politically correct” these days, and only “panders to liberals.” Some say that new Star Trek has become obsessed with winning the “Social Justice Warrior” demographic. Reality check,please?
“BATTLE BEYOND THE STARS” (1980); ROGER CORMAN’S SCRAPPY The Clone Wars. Following the unexpected success of George Lucas' "Star Wars" in 1977 ("A New Hope" wouldn't be added to the title until years later), studios big and small were scrambling to create their own space operas. Some were embarrassingly obvious in their mimicry (Luigi Cozzi's "Starcrash"), others gained their own cult followings(Glen
RETRO-MUSINGS #1: “WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS” (1966) WOTG is arguably director Ishiro Honda’s best keiju-eiga movie since the original 1954 Japanese version of “Gojira” (Godzilla), which I was lucky enough to see uncut at a screening in L.A. in 2004. Yes, WOTG has some cheesier elements and some bad acting, but the monster set pieces are among the best ever made in 1960s Japanese cinema. “SPACE: 1999” IS A BLAST FROM A PAST THAT NEVER WAS It was a fitting end to a series for which I hold much affection, despite its issues and shortcomings. Yes, scientific accuracy on the series was next-to nonexistent, the oh-so-’70s costumes are quite dated, and the acting was occasionally hammy, but there was something surreal and fascinating about this handsomely designed series’ world a future past that will always live on in the “SPACE: ABOVE AND BEYOND”: IN MEMORY OF THE 58TH Space: Above And Beyond. The Wild Cards of the 58th Marine Squadron do a tour on Mars in the pilot episode. In 1995, a new series debuted on the network that had an unfortunate, but mostly earned reputation of killing many a promising sci-fi series ("Alien Nation" "Firefly" and a few others). This single-season series REMEMBERING RICHARD HATCH, AND BATTLESTAR GALACTICA It had an atmosphere of reality and paranoia that redefined the entire space opera genre. Space opera could now be be gritty, dirty, brutal and unflinchingly honest. This was a whole different animal. Richard Hatch returned to the reimagined “Battlestar Galactica” as former terrorist-turned-political animal Tom Zarek. “THE INVADERS” (1967-1968)… IN COLOR! A bold pronouncement, made every night In January of 1967, a new TV show debuted called “The Invaders.” It was “a Quinn Martin production” and it was “In color” as the announcer would boldly proclaim. Color TV was new in those days, and it was a big deal (like HD and 4K in recent years). “STAR TREK CONTINUES” FINISHES THE ORIGINAL FIVE-YEAR “Star Trek Continues” is, quite literally, the continuation of the prematurely cancelled original series (1966-69); and this non-profit, made-for-love-of-the-game series meticulously recreates the sets, props, lighting and even hairstyles of the original series. The episodes are even framed in the older standard aperture of 4:3; the television standard at the time of the original series THE NOVELS OF ANDY WEIR: “THE MARTIAN,” “ARTEMIS” AND New Voice. As a lifelong fan of science fiction, I'm not embarrassed to admit that sometimes the genre can fall a bit short in a couple of areas; humor and actual science. Much of the early literary sci-fi I've read in my life came from greats like Ray IS STAR TREK’S TRANSPORTER ROOM A CHAMBER OF HORRORS 1 day ago · Trauma of the G-rated “Star Trek: The Motion Picture.” When I was a kid, some million and a half years ago, “Star Trek: The Motion Picture” (1979) made its big screen debut. The film took the low-budget spartan sci-fi TV series and upgraded it into an A-list Hollywood featureeven going so far as to hire Robert Wise (“Sound of Music”) as director. SEQUENCING THE DNA OF “GATTACA” (1997)… Back in 1997, there was buzz about a new sci-fi film called “Gattaca” which caught my eye; it was written and directed by Andrew Niccol, who would later be credited with writing 1998’s “The Truman Show” as well as directing “SimOne” (2002) and other innovative, underrated movies (2005’s “Lords of War” isanother). Danny De
SPACEBALLS – MUSINGS OF A MIDDLE-AGED GEEK Posts about Spaceballs written by A Middle Aged Geek. Felix Silla, an actor and stuntman active in the industry since the early 1960s, succumbed to cancer at the age of 84, on April 16th, 2021 after alengthy battle.
SAN DIEGO COMIC CON
This is a text widget. The Text Widget allows you to add text or HTML to your sidebar. You can use a text widget to display text, links, images, HTML, or a combination of these. SOYUZ – MUSINGS OF A MIDDLE-AGED GEEK Posts about Soyuz written by A Middle Aged Geek. I’d been meaning to write about AppleTV’s “For All Mankind” for awhile now, but frankly, it’s a daunting challenge, because (and I try not to say this too much) this is my favorite TV show on at the moment. REMEMBERING ACTOR AND ARTIST RICHARD HERD, 1932-2020 As if 2020 hasn’t been trying enough, yesterday I learned that actor Richard Herd, whom I’d met and spoken with at many conventions, passed away from cancer on Tuesday, May 26th. Richard Herd had a long and varied career. He was often cast as authority figures, with costarring roles in TV shows such as “T.J. Hooker” GALACTICA 1980: THE COLONIAL FLEET CAME A CALLING 40 YEARS On a January evening nearly 40 years ago, I was 13 years old, and eagerly awaiting the return of a favorite TV series of mine that had been unceremoniously cancelled the previous year. "The great ship Galacticaour home for these many years we’ve endured the wilderness of space.” ~ Adama 1:1 “Battlestar Galactica”, created by SMOOTH SAILING FOR SEASON 2 OF NETFLIX’S “LOST IN SPACE Meet the Space Family Robinson (the original series’ first title, incidentally): Penny (Mina Sundwall), Judy (Taylor Russell), John (Toby Stephens), Maureen (Molly Parker) and Will (Maxwell Jenkins). The second season of Netflix’s reimagined “Lost in Space” is now streaming, and it ups the stakes, both dramatically and cinematically, looking better than many current science fiction STAR TREK: THE ANIMATED SERIES 45 YEARS LATER… 14 years before "Star Trek: The Next Generation” debuted in 1987, there was an earlier Star Trek spinoff series; the often (unfairly) maligned animated Star Trek series, which debuted on Saturday morning television in the fall of 1973. Star Trek The Animated Series (TAS), a Lou Scheimer/Filmation production, was, in essence a continuation of the prematurely cancelled originalSkip to content
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… OBSERVATIONS FROM OVER A HALF CENTURY OF GEEKINESS. SAN DIEGO COMIC CON 2019, FINAL MEGAPOST: MEMORIES OF APOLLO 11, THE STAR TREK PILOT, AND THE NIGHT GALLERY… Another San Diego Comic Con (SDCC) is in the rearview mirror, and once again, it was (as usual) another grand, exhausting, epic celebration of pop culture. As readers of this site may or may not know, I usually don’t wait in line all night for the ‘big ticket’ events, such as those held in the…Read More
SAN DIEGO COMIC CON 2019 MEGAPOST 2: STAR TREK, SPACE COMMAND, AND ABIG SHARK…
Lessons learned; the ecstasy and agony. The first lesson of San Diego Comic Con attendance should be choose where to spend your time wisely. Try to sift through what sounds good versus what has real substance. Of course, it’s difficult to say what is actually worth your while until you’re actually there, right? It’s a…Read More
SAN DIEGO COMIC CON 2019 MEGAPOST: PREVIEW NIGHT AND COSPLAY… San Diego Comic Con 2019 (the 50th anniversary) is once again upon us, and the crowds (limited to around 130,000 now) once again make this glorious, wildly over-the-top celebration of pop culture feel like a curious mix of “The Wizard Of Oz” and “Soylent Green.” Preview Night. Cosplay. Cosplay is the soul of these conventions….Read More
NETFLIX’S “SEE YOU YESTERDAY” (2019) OFFERS A DIFFERENT SPIN ON TIME-TRAVEL TROPES… Netflix’s new film, “See You Yesterday” (2019) is a fresh take on sci-fi time-travel tropes that radically shifts gears into unexpectedly heavy social commentary… sort of a fusion of “Back To The Future” and producer Spike Lee’s own “Do The RightThing”…
40 YEARS OF “MOONRAKER”; MY FIRST BOND MOVIE… Summer of 1979. It was the summer of 1979, and I was a 12-year old sci-fi junkie. I was deep into “Star Wars,” “The Twilight Zone”, “The Outer Limits,” “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” “Star Trek,” “Battlestar Galactica” and I caught occasional late night syndicated airings of “Space: 1999” whenever I could. I’d also…Read More
NETFLIX’S “STRANGER THINGS” THIRD SEASON GOES A BIT OVER THE TOP, BUT IT WORKS… *****DEMOGORGON-SIZED SPOILERS****** The Duffer Brothers, Mike and Ross, creator/directors of Netflix’s 1980s-saturated horror series “Stranger Things” have added a bit more romance & comedy into the mix this year. Some fans may not be 100% onboard with that decision. Personally, I enjoyed it very much. Season 3 is a bit more farcical intone as…
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“SPACE: ABOVE AND BEYOND”: IN MEMORY OF THE 58TH… Space: Above And Beyond. In 1995, a new series debuted on the network that had an unfortunate, but mostly earned reputation of killing many a promising sci-fi series (“Alien Nation” “Firefly” and a few others). This single-season series (it was planned for five) was the ambitious, Australian-lensed space war series called “Space: Aboveand Beyond”…
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CHUCKY TAKES A STAB AT SMART DEVICES IN THE “CHILD’S PLAY”REBOOT…
Child’s Play Back in the Day. 1988 saw the release of the original “Child’s Play”, directed by Tom Holland (“Fright Night”), with Catherine Hicks (“Star Trek 4: The Voyage Home”) as a retail-working single mother named Karen Barclay who manages to procure a popular ‘Good Guy’ doll for her son Andy (Alex Vincent).Unbeknownst to…
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STAY TUNED! FRESH “MUSINGS OF A MIDDLE-AGED GEEK” ARE COMINGSOON…
Just wanted to say that I’m taking a week off to celebrate 20 wonderful years with my wife and convention partner in crime, Jules. We’re spending a few days in Oahu, Hawaii, so if I don’t wind up as a shark turd or a piece of flotsam in the middle of the Pacific, Iwill…
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NETFLIX’S “I AM MOTHER” SINGS THE BODY ELECTRIC … AND IT’S ALITTLE OFF-KEY.
Netflix has unveiled a new sci-fi post-apocalyptic flick called “I Am Mother” that, if I’d paid to see it theatrically, I would’ve been very disappointed. Watching it relatively risk-free in my living room made it all go down a little easier, though its faults are no less obvious. *****SPOILERS!!!***** The Story. The film opens with…Read More
TEN YEARS OF “MOON” (2009); A RETRO SCI-FI STUDY IN LONELINESS ANDIDENTITY…
It’s been a decade since writer/director Duncan Jones (son of “Ziggy Stardust” himself, David Bowie) unveiled his independent, old-school-style science fiction film “Moon”, which had a limited theatrical release in the summer of 2009. I went to see “Moon” twice during its run, driving all over southern California to find theaters where it played, but…Read More
HBO’S “CHERNOBYL”: DENIAL CAN BE FATAL… April 26, 1986. I’ve just finished the five-part HBO miniseries “Chernobyl” (2019), a powerful depiction of the events and aftermath of the worst nuclear disaster the world has ever seen (a ranking which includes the horrific Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan in 2011). Interestingly, the miniseries isn’t necessarily a statement against nuclear power. In fact,…Read More
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RECENT POSTS
* San Diego Comic Con 2019, final Megapost: Memories of Apollo 11, the Star Trek pilot, and The Night Gallery…July 23, 2019
* San Diego Comic Con 2019 Megapost 2: Star Trek, Space Command, anda BIG shark…
July 20, 2019
* San Diego Comic Con 2019 MegaPost: Preview Night and Cosplay…July 19, 2019
* Netflix’s “See You Yesterday” (2019) offers a different spin on time-travel tropes…July 13, 2019
* 40 years of “Moonraker”; my first Bond movie…July 10, 2019
* Netflix’s “Stranger Things” third season goes a bit over the top, but it works…July 6, 2019
* “Space: Above and Beyond”: In memory of the 58th…July 3, 2019
* Chucky takes a stab at smart devices in the “Child’s Play”reboot…
June 30, 2019
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