1984 ST:TMP Special Edition Article

In 2001, fans of Star Trek: The Motion Picture were treated to Director Robert Wise's "finished version" of the film (The Director's Edition), as he had considered the theatrical release so rushed as to not be what he wanted on screen. This is to me the definitive version, the one I take out and watch now whenever I get the desire to revisit the movie. The tighter edit, the more lush sound effects, the cleaned-up visual effects, and most of all the new visuals created for it (for those that could not be added originally due to the last-minute pressures)... all combine to make it a more pleasant viewing experience, in my opinion. (Finally, we know what V'Ger itself looked like in a long shot without the cloud! I never knew in all those years it even had a defined shape. It reminded me of the ship hidden in Halley's Comet in the film "Lifeforce.")

However, back in 1983 we were treated to a longer version of the film that added in cut scenes. Did it improve it? I feel it did in some respects; some of the cut scenes needed to be back in, others are today more rightly relegated to the "Deleted Scenes" extra on the menu on DVD or Blu-Ray. But back then we were so excited to see "more Trek" that even a longer and more drawn-out version of the movie was interesting to see.

In this article by James Van Hise from his Enterprise Incidents magazine, issue #13 (the first to go national after the promotion from fanzine), published in January of 1984, we have a scene-by-scene comparison of the theatrical cut and the extended TV cut, which turned up on home video later. The intense desire by Wise back then to have a "finished version" can be seen in the write-up, and it was something that took over 20 years for him to get to do. I'm thankful we got to see him accomplish that before his passing shortly afterward.

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Bonus: Below are two more pages from the 1976 Lincoln Enterprises "Star Trektennial" catalog that was the Trekker equivalent of Sear's Catalog. I have scanned the cover and first two pages before (page 1 here and page 2 here); and I intend on adding all of them in time. There are so many things on there that I wish I had ordered back then and had now.... 

Bonus #2: Below, the cover to my real introduction to Star Trek and the beginning of my love affair with it. I had never even seen a complete episode of the show up to that point, (only snippets here and there as the parents had me flip channels around) but was starting to become aware of it and absolutely loved what little I had seen. The animated episodes were next, and added fuel to the fire!

 

The cover blurb calls him Scotty, but tell me that doesn't look like Spock that McCoy is attacking with the SpaceVac!

Bonus link: Great poster from this Trekker Scrapbook blog! It looks like Pike and Vina are having fun and doing a great job at entertaining the inhabitants of Talos IV!

Harlan Ellison Reviews ST:TMP

When Star Trek: The Motion Picture premiered, a lot of people were disappointed, myself among them. I had such high hopes! And we were let down. Although the movie accomplished a lot in terms of restarting the "franchise," and laid the groundwork for the look of everything to come after it, the all-important story and character interaction left a lot to be desired. Writer Harlan Ellison, known best to Trekkers as the author of "City On The Edge Of Forever," reviews the lackluster film in issue #33 of Starlog, published in April of 1980.

Harlan manages to set aside much of his anger at Roddenberry and company over his perceived ill-treatment when writing the TV script, and in much of his review I agree with him, something I rarely do. For example, I felt that the changes made in the filmed script for the series were for the best, and better "Trek" than his original script. Most of his criticisms of the movie, however, are spot-on, and sadly warranted. However, it does end on a note of hope for the sequels, and in that he (and the fans) were rewarded.

Agree? Disagree? Comment! (To read Roddenberry's reaction to this article, read this.)

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"He called me 'lachrymose'? I'll kill 'em! Wait... what does that mean?"

Bonus: below, a page from the same issue, on the comic book adaptation of the movie script.

Bonus #2: Below, an ad from the back cover, for an LED-enhanced jacket movie tie-in.

Bonus #3: Below, the inside front cover, an ad for the light-up movie Enterprise model.

Bonus #4: Below, a one-page write-up by the movie's science adviser on the theory behind the movie's "wormhole" sequence." This sequence, while marred by the crew's "jiggling" in their seats when the camera was not being shaken, was still about the only action scene in the movie that raised a little excitement and suspense. Under that is a single-panel comic taken from the letters page on the same topic.

As an aside, I am not so completely down on ST:TMP that I can't appreciate the good things about it. Seeing the new upgraded Enterprise in loving close-ups was worth the price of admission; the epic score, etc. I still take out the Director's Edition that Wise re-edited occasionally and watch it, as it is the best version. The tightening up of the film and the fixed sound and visual effects add to the experience and allow me to enjoy it more than ever before. But I could still wish for better pacing and story!

25th Anniversary articles from the Official Fan Club Magazine

Wow, Star Trek's 25th anniversary doesn't seem like it was so long ago when I remember it. It was in 1991, and this issue of the Official Fan Club Magazine covers it with an article on the stars titled "Star Trek: Past, Present And Future." The inside cover has a couple of interesting behind-the-scenes images from the filming of "The Cage."  The cover, by artist Keith Birdsong, portrays the good captain, along with some unnamed (and villainous-looking) bald guy in the background.

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Below: From the same issue, a first look at "The Undiscovered Country."

Bonus: below, an ad from the back of Starlog for one of my favorite plate paintings, celebrating the 25th Anniversary.

Bonus: below, an unusual (and very smug) photo of Captain Kirk, who presumably just completed successful first contact with the Deltan ambassador.

"It's true... bald IS beautiful!"

Leonard Nimoy Demonstrates Magnavision LaserDisc Player

Forget Blu-Ray or watching movies on your iPad and such, for the absolute height of cutting-edge video technology, one must absorb this 1981 demonstration of the Magnavision LaserDisc Player by Leonard Nimoy! (Aside from the player, where can I get an intelligent crystal lifeform that communicates in beeps like R2-D2?)




Bonus: another YouTube video, this time from 1966 during early interviews with Shatner and Nimoy in full makeup and costume. What a find!



Bonus: another version of a familiar pose, from an early promotional photoshoot of Nimoy as Spock, taken before the production of the second pilot.

Kirk and The Gorn: The Rematch

This video advertising the new Star Trek game is hilarious!

Bonus: Below, Clint Eastwood and his children visit the set during the filming of the memory wall scene not used in "Star Trek: The Motion Picture." I hope it made his day; seeing this did mine.

Star Trek IV Plate Ad

Over the years, my name got on the mailing list of a lot of companies offering Trek items; I rarely bought the actual items, I just saved the ads. Here is one from 1994, a four-page glossy flyer for the newest plate in the Hamilton Collection, featuring a nicely-done montage from "The Voyage Home."

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Bonus: Kirk and Shanna from "The Gamesters of Triskelion" wrestle a bit before falling into the hay.

Kirk is about to flip her over his hip and into his arms, a signature move.

And.. submitted for your speculation, without comment, this photo comparison I put together.

Update: Sometimes I look at the various places people come to the blog from, and I found out that Wil Wheaton "Wesley Crusher" himself, visited and linked to me! Cool! Here is the page where he mentioned the site: http://wilwheaton.tumblr.com/page/90

Video Guide Article on Star Trek IV

From the local (to Beckley WV) "Home Video Guide" which was available to videostore patrons, comes this October 1987 article on Star Trek in general, and the new movie out on VHS, " Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home" in particular. First, the inside page which reproduces the VHS ad poster, and the table of contents.

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Sheen: "Sometime in the future, I guess around 2011 or so, I'll probably have to resort to acting nuts to stay in the public eye."

Next, the article itself:

Below, the trivia contest from the same mag. Answer them if you can (and every real Trekker can) but don't send in the form. You missed the contest deadline date slightly.

Bonus: Below, a convention ad flyer from 1994 featuring none other than the actor famous for his Mission: Impossible role, and to a lesser degree, as "Dr. Spock" from an obscure TV series from back in the 60's.

1975 Model Rocketry Catalog

Although I never owned the actual model rockets, my 16 year-old self was excited to find this digest-sized Estes catalog in 1975 that featured their new Star Trek model rockets on the cover! We get a great cover painting, and a two-page spread inside about the models... nice. I am also including scans of any pages that mention or depict the Trek models. I was impressed with how accurate the Enteprise model was, without very much in the way of alterations to make it into an actual flying rocket. I know that if I had bought one, I would never have flown it, preferring to keep it in good shape to display (if I had lived in a home with a father that permitted such things). Enjoy!

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Although, the Klingon ship looks like it was built around a barrel.

Anyone familiar with early Trek merchandising remembers how the starship was often erroneously depicted with rocket exhaust coming out of the shuttle bay (which irritated me). In the case of this model rocket, it was actually correct!

UPDATE: I said earlier that I had a newspaper clipping somewhere of a local model rocket club launching the Enterprise. Well, I've found it, and it's below. It was clipped from the Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel on May 25, 1975. I didn't save the entire article, only the photo and the line in the article about the launching of the Enterprise rocket.

Update: I have heard from a reader who was one of the people in the above photo! Blogger Robert Koenn said... "A friend just gave me the link to your blog. It is funny because I am in that picture. I am the guy standing on the far right side of the picture with my right arm up to my ear. This was a launch back around 1975 down in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. I lover ST but never owned a flying Estes ST kit. I do have numerous ST plastic models on my shelf and in boxes to build."

Galileo Ornament Ad

From the late summer of 1992, the front of a promotional card advertising the soon arrival of the newest Hallmark Christmas decoration... the Shuttlecraft Galileo!

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And below, the back of the card that tells of a "landing party" where a cardboard Enterprise mobile would be given away. These had been used in earlier promotions, hanging from the ceilings of the stores.

We Wish You A...

May you and yours have a wonderful Christmas (if you celebrate it in your home), remembering the reason for all the celebration and gift-giving...

Isaiah 9:6
For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Starlog #3 Convention Article #1

The collection cabinet (one of three) opens today to bring forth from the hallowed archives of sacred writing Issue #3 of the venerable Starlog, bearing the cover date of January of 1977, meaning it came out in November of the previous year. As isolated as I was from connecting with fellow fans, the extensive coverage of the September '76 Bicentennial 10 convention in New York was like manna for my famished Trek appetite. I plan on posting all of the pages covering the convention over the course of a week or two, so come back soon for more awesome flashbacks to the fun 1970's!

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Love how Nichelle's booty gets the center focus of the cluster!

Below, the first of the stars spotlighted, the lovely and charming Nichelle Nichols, followed by Grace Lee Whitney.

Remember, check back in soon for more in this series of articles!

Below, from the same issue, the inside cover ad for Gene's album "Inside Star Trek." I have great memories of that record, which I still own. I recorded some of the interviews with the stars onto tape and replaced Gene's voice with my own, as if I was conducting the interviews. It sounded pretty good, and was an early expression of my talent for audio production, foreshadowing my work in radio in later years.

Bonus: Below, a dollar bill that lives up to the name; dollar Bill... Shatner, that is. A greenback made for especially tucking into the thongs of strippers, mostly of the also green-backed Orion variety.