Posts
2011, 09-30:
Report # 01 on: “STAR TREK” 45th ANNIVERSARY = HISTORY of the TV shows & MOVIES
It’s been a quite difficult time economically for most people in the past few years... But, there are SOME elements of the economy that have “HELD-UP” surprisingly well...
... One of those elements include certain specialized segments of things related to “NOSTALGIA” & “COLLECTIBLES”...
... That’s demonstrated by the strong response from the public to a CONVENTION held in Chicago celebrating the 45th ANNIVERSARY of “STAR TREK”...
... At this time, I am going to begin a SERIES of Reports on the subject of “STAR TREK”, “CENTERING” around the Anniversary & the Convention...
... For those of you not familiar with the phenomenon, I’m going to start out with a chronological HISTORY of the franchise:
... Altho the sci-fi marvel had a development period going back to around 1960, creator GENE RODDENBERRY began actual production work in 1966 with the creation of the so-called “ORIGINAL” TV series sci-fi show (which he initially marketed as a “WESTERN” set in Outer Space, akin to a sort of “Wagon Train” to the Stars):
1966-1969: The “ORIGINAL” TV series (of 80 episodes)-- with WILLIAM SHATNER as Captain James T.Kirk commanding the starship USS Enterprise NCC-1701; and LEONARD NIMOY as Vulcan Lt. Commander (= First Officer & Science Officer) Spock...
... Also: NIchelle Nichols as Communications Officer Lt. Nyote Uhura; DeFOREST KELLY as Chief Medical Officer Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy; with JAMES DOOHAN as Chief Engineer Montgomery “Scotty” Scott...
... Plus: GEORGE TAKEI as Helm Officer (& Astrophysicist) Hikaru Sulu; WALTER KOENIG as Navigator Pavel Chekov; Roddenberry’s wife MAJEL BARRETT as Nurse Christine Chapel; & GRACE LEE WHITNEY as Yeoman Janice Rand...
... While the show ran for 3 years, it technically was NOT a real “hit” in the Nielsen RATINGS -- tho it was a big favorite with engineering students & fans of SCI-FI, & was nominated (as was Nimoy) for various industry AWARDS (re acting, drama, etc.)...
... After the show was cancelled, it became extremely popular in RE-RUNS, & eventually developed a CULT following...
... An example of that following was the development of various fan CONVENTIONS which were held with various people related to the show...
... In the New York City area, 2 teenaged FANS of Sci-Fi (including ADAM MALIN) founded an operation in 1971 called “CREATION ENTERTAINMENT”, which was dedicated to presenting gatherings for those who loved various genres re certain FILMS & TV shows (like “STAR TREK”)...
... Adam & his company are STILL holding such Conventions around the country-- including the 45th ANNIVERSARY one in CHICAGO, which I’ll be talking about at some length in LATER Reports in this Series...
... In part because of the RERUNS, & the increased interest in space exploration encouraged by the successful July 16, 1969 landing of American astronauts on the MOON, and the continuing success of various CONVENTION-type activities, the appeal of “STAR TREK” continued to GROW around the world...
... That led to some NEW ventures regarding the subject:
1973-1974: The 2nd TV series began-- a completely ANIMATED one consisting of 22 episodes (which was re-broadcast in the middle 1980’s)...
... Many of the actors in the original series used their OWN voices for this EMMY-winning series, which introduced certain new elements such as the holodeck...
1978: A new live series was planned & considered as one of the prime bases of a proposed new Paramount network— but certain cast disagreements, & the release of the first “STAR WARS” film, derailed those plans...
... Thus, instead of designs for a new TV show, the studio switched to making the first feature-length MOVIE:
1979: The first feature FILM in the series was released, called “STAR TREK-- THE MOTION PICTURE”. The title was certainly descriptive, even if not particularly clever!...
... In this, Admiral Kirk worked to help earth avoid disaster from a huge energy cloud descending towards it...
1982: Feature film # 2 = “The Wrath of Khan”. RICARDO MONTALBAN was unforgettable as a onetime prisoner (Khan Noonien Singh) seeking revenge against semi-inactive Kirk who’d caused him to be sent to a penal colony 15 years before...
1984: Feature film # 3 = “THE SEARCH FOR SPOCK”. Kirk steals the Enterprise to try to retrieve the body of supposedly-dead Spock, believing he was actually still alive as shown by the way his “essence” seemingly partially inhabited the body of “Bones”...
1986: Feature film # 4 = “The Voyage Home”. For stealing the ship in the previous movie, Kirk & his crew are ordered home to face a court martial...
... It turns out that a harmful PROBE is transmitting deadly signals towards Earth, &, to save the planet, the crew has to go back in time to find and retrieve the creatures for which the transmissions were originally intended...
... As one of the first big films with an ecological type theme, this NIMOY-directed movie garnered four OSCAR nominations...
... The success of the MOVIES helped lead to renewed interest in having a new TV series to “extend” the franchise... Thus began the highly-regard “SECOND COMING” of the idea (again, guided by GENE RODDENBERRY):
1987-1994: The 3rd TV series began-- “THE NEXT GENERATION” (TNG, which consisted of 178 episodes & earned the highest ratings of any of the series)...
... The new cast of this (set around 7 decades after the events in the Original series) included: PATRICK STEWART as the Enterprise’s Captain Jean-Luc Picard; JONATHAN FRAKES as Commander Will Riker; and MICHAEL DORN as Starfleet’s 1st Klingon officer, Lt. Worf...
... Also: BRENT SPINER as android Lt. Commander Data, who’s the Chief Operations Officer & Science Officer (& he later played his own brother, Lore); LeVAR BURTON as Conn Officer & engineer Lt. Geordi La Forge; with psychic-like Betazoid MARINA SIRTIS as Ship’s Counselor Deanna Troi...
... Plus: GATES McFADDEN as Chief Medical Officer (in seasons 1 & 3-7) Dr. Beverly Crusher; WIL WHEATON as her son Ensign Wesley Crusher; & DENISE CROSBY as Chief Security officer Lt. Natasha (“Tasha”) Yar (& later appearing as her own half-Romulan daughter Sela)…
... In season 2, while Gates was “away” as the Chief Medical person at Starfleet, DIANA MULDAUR played the ship’s Chief Medical Officer, named Dr. Katherine Pulaski...
… This series had a bunch of memorable characters in recurring roles: WHOOPI GOLDBERG as mysterious psychic-like bartender Guinan (in seasons 2-6); and COLM MEANEY as Navigator – Transporter Chief Miles O’Brien...
... Also: JOHN DE LANCIE as omnipotent alien “Q”; Dwight Schultz as increasingly-powerful engineer Lt Reginald Barclay; with MAJEL BARRETT as Troi’s mother Lwaxana Troi...
... In addition, you had JENNIFER HETRICK as Picard’s “love” interest (in seasons 3-4) named Vash; TONY TODD (in seasons 3-7) as Worf’s brother Kurn; PATTI YASUTAKE as Nurse Alyssa Ogawa (in seasons 3-7); & MARK LENARD as Spock’s Vulcan father Ambassador Sarek...
... I always found this to be an exceptionally well-done, thought-provoking series!...
1989: Feature film # 5 = “The Final Frontier” (directed by WILLIAM SHATNER). Every family has a black sheep. Spock’s family had Sybok (played by LAURENCE LUCKINBILL), an unacceptably-emotional [= screwed-up & thus exiled] half-brother of Spock...
... Sybok steals a new version of the Enterprise, to try to reach an area where he feels he could meet the God-like creature who made him... Also tooling around is an ambitious Klingon captain Klaa (played by TODD BRYANT)...
1991: Feature film # 6 = “The Undiscovered Country”. This time, the environmental problems are on Klingon, which causes the people there to sue for peace with the Federation...
... But, before peace (which is opposed by many on both sides) can be put into effect, Bones & Kirk are charged with “offing” the Klingon CHANCELLOR (which tends to be gallactically frowned on!)...
1993-1999: The 4th TV series (of 176 episodes) began, called “DEEP SPACE 9”-- set on a space station orbiting near planet Bajor, which was recently liberated from the “evil” Cardassians... There was a significant presence by various Klingon characters as the series progressed...
... This cast included: AVERY BROOKS as (black) Captain Benjamin Sisco in charge of the Space Station DS9; RENE AUBERJONOIS as shape-shifting Security Chief Odo; and NANA VISITOR as (Bajoran) DS9’s First Officer Kira Nerys...
... Supporting people included: ALEXANDER SIDDIQ as Chief medical officer Julian Bashir; MICHAEL DORN reprising his role as Worf (here, as Strategic Ops officer); & COLM MEANEY reprising his role as Chief Ops Officer Miles O’Brien…
… Also in the cast were: TERRY FARRELL as symbiant Trill host Jadzia Dax; Armin Shimerman as untrustworthy money-grubbing Ferenghi bar-owner Quark; & CIRROC LOFTON as Avery’s son Jake Sisko...
... Plus: MARC ALAIMO as Cardassian Gul Ducat (who’d once run the DS9 station); CASEY BIGGS as Ducat’s onetime aide Damar; & ANDREW ROBINSON as mysterious Cardassian tailor – power-broker Garat (who becomes very important in the Federation’s eventual war with the Dominion)...
... And: JEFFREY COMBS, who played at least 4 characters in this series; LOUISE FLETCHER acted as deceptive Bajoran spiritual leader Kai Winn; & SALOME JENS played the female Changeling…
1994: Feature film # 7 = “Generations” was released. We’re now on the Enterprise-B starship. People believe that old Captain Kirk was suddenly killed by a destructive energy swath which was continuing to threaten the galaxy...
... Nearly 80 years after Kirk’s supposed death, Captain PICARD [PATRICK STEWART & the rest of the crew from The Next Generation] goes searching for the truth about that...
... All the while, they try to stop a mad scientist (Tolian Soran, played by MALCOLM McDOWELL) who wants to use the “swath” for achieving his own immortality...
1995-2001: The 4th TV series (of 172 episodes) began, called “VOYAGER”...
... The cast consisted of: KATE MULGREW as the 1st female Starfleet Captain, Kathryn Janeway...
... She had a crew consisting of some ex-Maquis Starfleet rebels, such as ROBERT BELTRAN as Executive (1st) Officer Commander Chakotay, and ROXANN DAWSON as Chief Engineer Lt. B’Elanna Torres...
... Also in the cast were: ROBERT DUNCAN McNEILL as Torres’ eventual lover, Pilot / Chief CONN Officer Tom Paris; & TIM RUSS as Chief Security / Tactical Officer Lt. Tuvok...
... Plus: GARRETT WANG as Chief Ops officer Ensign Harry Kim; ROBERT PICARDO as the Doctor / Emergency Medical Hologram; ETHAN PHILLIPS as Chef / Morale Officer – Diplomatic Adviser Neelix; & JENNIFER LIEN as quasi-omnipotent airponics gardener – Medical aide Kes...
... Various characters from previous series appeared, such as: JOHN DE LANCIE in a recurring role as intergalactic meddler “Q”; DWIGHT SCHULTZ (in seasons 2, 6 & 7) as Lt. Reginald Barclay; & a reappearance of Deanna Troi (in seasons 6-7), played again by MARINA SIRTIS...
… As time went on, the series started to lose some of its core audience. That was strongly reversed by adding a onetime-BORG quasi-robotic Astrometrics character called Seven-Of-Nine, memorably played by JERI RYAN...
... Her tight silver outfit and catch-phrase “Resistance is futile!” soon became iconic in America...
... She became so popular, Viacom (parent to Paramount Pictures who produced the series) even had her appear for her 1st-ever signing event for fans at their store on north Michigan Avenue in Jeri’s home-town of Chicago...
... I attended the signing, & well remember the line of people being literally a block-long to get in to see her, & how she was unflinchingly gracious to everyone in line, staying far later than promised to not only sign but pose for photos with people, etc....
... She also spoke privately to me afterwards, as she autographed one of the 2 large specially-made hanging BANNERS created for the event, which I’d won on a bid...
... The series typically utilized a bunch of RECURRING characters, including: MANU INTIRAYMI as onetime-Borg child / drone Icheb, whom JERI helped raise (in seasons 6-7); & the ever-wicked Borg Queen played (in seasons 5-7) by ALICE KRIGE & SUSANNA THOMPSON...
... Also: Cadassian agent Ensign Seska, played by MARTHA HACKETT (in seasons 1-3 & 7); Vulcan ensign Vorek, played (in seasons 3-5 & 7) by ALEXANDER ENBERG; & Lt. Ayala, played by TARIK ERGIN...
... Plus: the first child born on the Voyager ship was Naomi Wildman, played (in seasons 2-7) by SCARLETT POMERS; Naomi’s mother, Ensign Samantha Wildman, played by NANCY HOWER; & Lt. Joseph Carey, played by JOSH CLARK...
... In addition, there were people such as: Lt. Susan Nicoletti, played by CHRISTINE DELGADO; Lt. Walter Baxter, played by TOM VIRTUE; & Nozawa Kashimuro, played by JOHN TEMPOYA...
... Also included were: convicted murderer, Ensign Lon Suder, played (in seasons 2-3) by BRAD DOURIF; Tom Paris’ never-pleased father, Admiral Owen Paris, portrayed (in seasons 2 and 5-7) by RICHARD HERD; & Crewman Tal Celes, played by ZOE McLELLAN...
1996: Feature film # 8 = “First Contact” was released...
... In this, it was clearly “time” to go BACK in time again: the evil BORG (with their deadly cubes) want to prevent the humans from ever meeting (& thus being HELPED by) the Vulcans (& thus expanding their contact with other worlds & founding the Federation of Planets)...
... To stop the plans of the Borg, Picard (PATRICK STEWART) & the Enterprise-E crew journey back in time & end up FIGHTING the Borg groups in order to “SAVE” the future of Earth...
1998: Feature film # 9 = “Insurrection” was released... Oh, that Admiral Dougherty (ANTHONY ZERBE)! He wants to move the Baku people in order to gain control of their cosmic radiation as a WEAPON...
... Picard feels his superior Dougherty is wrong-headed (& illegal) in his actions, and works to UNDERMINE his efforts by helping the Bakuans (thus, the “Revolt-ing” development!)...
2001-2005: TV series # 6, called “ENTERPRISE”, began (& ran for 98 episodes)... It was designed as a TV prequel to the ORIGINAL series time-wise...
... It talks about Earth’s first contact with the Vulcans and the start of contact with other alien civilizations (with various tributes done over the life of the show to other TREK series & characters)...
... SCOTT BAKULA played the ship’s Captain, Jonathon Archer; JOLENE BLALOCK was sexy Vulcan Chief Science officer Subcommander T’Pol; & LINDA PARK appeared as Communications officer / translator Hoshi Sato...
... Also: CONNOR TRINNEER was Chief Engineer - Commander Charles “Trip” Tucker III; & DOMINIC KEATING played Tactical Officer Lt. Malcolm Reed...
... Plus: JOHN BILLINGSLEY was the Denobulan Chief Medical Officer Phlox; & ANTHONY MONTGOMERY was Ensign Travis Mayweather...
... In RECURRING roles, you could find such people as: JEFFREY COMBS, who appeared as Vulcan-hating antennaed Andorian Imperial Guard Commander Thy’lek Shran; & VAUGHN ARMSTRONG as Scott’s superior, Vice-Admiral Maxwell Forrest...
Also: GARY GRAHAM as the Vulcan ambassador Soval; JOHN FLECK as a Suliban adversary named Silik; & MATT WINSTON as a 31st Century “temporal agent” named Crewman Daniels...
2002: Feature film # 10 = “NEMESIS” was released. This was a “STAR-TREK”-ian war of the CLONES:
... Picard has been cloned into a younger version of himself by Romulan headman Shinzon, who also tries using an earlier clone-like version of DATA to try to control his little Corner of the World (which, naturally, includes a plan to destroy EARTH)...
2009: Feature film # 11 = “STAR TREK” was released, to considerable acclaim... The most RECENT film in the series, it was designed to show the YOUNG days of the “ORIGINAL” crew & how they MET (as posted in a REVIEW on this site at http://voice-of-film.blogspot.com/2011/02/review-of-film-star-trek-boldly-goes.html ):
... In this latest version, Captain James T. Kirk (originally played on TV by William Shatner) is played by CHRIS PINE); & ever-logical Spock (originally played by Leonard Nimoy, who does a cameo in this film) is played by Zachary Quinto...
... Resident “complainer” Doc Leonard “Bones” McCoy (originally played by DeForest Kelly) is played here by KARL URBAN); sexy Communication expert Nyote Uhura (originally played by Nichelle Nichols) is played here by ZOE SALDANA...
... Engineering wizard “Scotty” (played originally by James Doohan) is here played by SIMON PUGH; Helmsman Hikaru Sulu (who was played in the original by still-active George Takei) is here played by JOHN CHO; & young navigator Pavel Chekov (originally played by Walter Koenig) is here played by ANTON YELCHIN)...
* - - - - - - - - - *
It’s been an AMAZING “run” for the franchise, & it’s still extremely POPULAR today, witness the hundreds of young, old & “in-between” people who attended the 45th 3-day CONVENTION in Chicago...
... In UPCOMING Reports, I plan to cover the following regarding the Convention:
... Information about some of the people who ATTENDED the Convention, including “WHY” they came; plus some details on the MONEY they laid-out in order to attend...
... A talk by RICHARD ARNOLD, who was the assistant to creator GENE RODDENBERRY for 15 years...
... A presentation by MORGAN GENDEL, the writer of one of the best & most popular episodes of ST: TNG, called “THE INNER LIGHT” (wherein we see Picard having a FAMILY)...
... And, a Q&A talk with energetic & funny DOMINIC KEATING, who played Malcom Reed in the “ENTERPRISE” TV series...
... Until then, I leave you with the iconic words of Spock: “LIVE LONG & PROSPER!...”
[ NOTE: You can easily SHARE this Posting with your friends or family by sending them an automatic e-Mail LINK via clicking on the “M” button in the lower left-hand corner under “VOICE OF SILENCE” below... ]
(o_
/\
/\
= = = [ 4 B&W I&D ] … ( <> ^ <> ) ...
* - - - - - - - - - *
Facebook: VOICE OF SILENCE
No comments:
Post a Comment