In our ongoing attempt to promote literacy, I found a fabulously-veiled 'think piece' on Screen Rant from the other day which seeks to highlight the very best books available to readers interested in further exploring the genre.

Now as I've often said I'm really not a huge fan of lists, but anything that promotes Science Fiction?  Well, that I'm pretty damn fond of!  I do try to be one of SciFi's biggest advocates on the World Wide Web, even though I, myself, read it sparingly.  (Again, this is not because I don't like it; rather it's because I have about a billion books in my present backlog, and I'm trying to get through as many of them before I shake off the ol' mortal coil as I can.)

Still, lists are useful for comparison's sake.  I'd encourage readers to scan through Screen Rant's accounting if for no other reason than to see how many of them you've either read, are planning to read, or (as is often my case) tried to read but gave up on because the prose either didn't work for you or it was just too darn meaty.  (Be honest: it happens.)

Oh, yeah!  You can access the article right here.

As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!

Yes, I'm one of the merry few who still considers Zombie flicks part-and-parcel of Science Fiction.  Sure, I realize that many of them share far more qualities with traditional Horror films than anything else; yet still I'm hung up on the fact that a virus (or other medical condition) which can reanimate the dead means something to serious aficionados of SciFi, so I'll continue to cover them in my corner of the Information Superhighway.

And based entirely on the prerelease materials Blood Quantum certainly looks like it might be a winner!

I'm happily posting the associated trailer and the prerelease materials provided to me by RLJE Films below.  Those interested should be checking this one out as it looks like the Apocalypse is going to be bloodier than usual.

As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!

Well, you know what grandma used to say: "Lists are arbitrary and capricious."

Now, I was always given a paddling for asking how it was that grandma knew such words as 'arbitrary' and 'capricious' given that -- by her own account -- she spent so much of her childhood walking uphill both ways to school for miles and miles, and still I remembered what she meant: lists, in the end, don't truly have any merit unless they're balanced against something more than a single person's opinion.  All of this really boils down to grandma being a pretentious fuddyduddy, but I've avoided lists much of my life for that very reason: seeking out 'the best' based on such a limited sourcing generally means that you're missing so much else that might have greater meaning, greater impact to me, as a consumer ... so I tend to leave the A, B, and C's to other websites.

Occasionally, though, I do come up with some of my own (when the mood strikes) or I'll stumble across something I find worth sharing ... and such is the case today with Screen Rant's Worst 10 Episodes Of Star Trek: Voyager, a show I always found middling at best.

As always, let me clarify: "No, I never hated Star Trek: Voyager."

What I did find is that Voyager was a missed opportunity.  It's pretty spiffy two-hour set-up -- "Caretaker" -- ended being followed up by showing the program wasn't so much going where no one had gone before but instead slipped comfortably into the usual 'menace of the week' format with the equally heavy dose of Starfleet proselytizing we'd already grown used to with Star Trek, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and a reasonable portion of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.  Here, I went into Voyager thinking that viewers were going to see how Trek's morality tales were going to play out against a vastly different fabric of space/time when all the writers truly ended up giving us were yet even more different noses, foreheads, and fabrics in the same formulaic process.

I guess what I wanted was Voyager to end up being like Syfy's much better fish-out-of-water scenario Farscape, a show that forced its human lead to 'fit in' with a vastly different universe in order to find his own way, bringing his compatriots kicking and screaming (if need be) to the proper course of action, even if that meant threatening the entire universe with eradication (as astronaut John Crichton eventually had to do in The Peacekeeper Wars) if they couldn't behave politely.  Starfleet principles are all well and good, but even Commander-then-Captain Ben Sisko compromised them against the greater good if and when his circumstances required it: Voyager just kinda/sorta felt cut-and-paste too often, with Janeway forging ahead on whatever path she found culturally relevant for that particular 41 minutes.

But I digress ...

Best and worst episode lists are always interesting when they're compiled with greater input involved, as obviously is the case when viewing them from IMDB.com's portal.  Check out the article, see how many of these stinkers you've seen, find comfort in knowing mankind agrees with you (well, at least those with a PC and an IMDB profile), and go about your day.

As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!

Regular readers here know that I've always tried to use SciFiHistory.Net to promote practically anything SciFi or Fantasy related, including films, television programs, specialty websites, products, and books.  When I stumble across something I find of import, then I'll provide what I call a SciFi ShoutOut on the MainPage for those paying attention ...

... and today's SciFi ShoutOut goes to Liminal Fiction, an inclusive website that seeks to bring readers and writers together by promoting like-minded tales of wit and whimsy with publication announcements, book reviews, and even a searchable database with filters for interested readers to find recommendations for what tickles your fancy most.  Liminal's database allows patrons to browse via genre headings -- Fantasy, Paranormal, Science Fiction, etc. -- and even maintains further filtering via sub-groups, popular tropes, and even further tags like nationality of the author and format.  It's a means to bring a reader suggestions for perhaps exactly what he or she is looking for.

Reader memberships are free.  If you're an author looking to promote your works to Liminal's growing audience the site has a variety of subscription choices and pay levels to match your  current promotional needs.  It looks like those pay relationships are annually renewable, which I would assume gives writers the luxury to add future works to the portal as they become available, certainly a nice plus when you're needing the update.

I strongly encourage interested readers to check it out at the above-highlighted link.

As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!

Sorry, folks, but I don't read near as much as I used to; and -- if I'm being perfectly honest -- I've never been a huge reader of Science Fiction and Fantasy.  Mostly, I've given books a read that have been strongly recommended to me by friends and/or family; and I've honestly rarely found anything that I'd read a second time or give an enthusiastic thumbs up.  Those few books that I have I've sung praises for in various spaces across all of SciFiHistory.Net, and that's largely what I see as my great contribution to literature.

Make no mistake: I'm a H-U-G-E fan of folks being literate.  I think being well-read -- whatever the genre -- is an important part of keeping one's brain fresh.  Reading challenges our perspective, and the intellectual exercise helps one figure out how the various pieces of life go together.  Sure, reading is also great for pure escapism; and I even have a franchise or two I've recommended for that as well.

In any event, I'm on a mailing list from Tor.com -- a major publisher of Science Fiction and Fantasy -- and they recently put together a great piece on the approaching Hugo Awards, which I though definitely worth sharing to my own readership.  You can access it right here, and be prepared to spend more than a few minutes with the read.

As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!

One of the seminal SciFi/Fantasy properties ever -- Flash Gordon -- is about to save the universe again, but this time in 4K as Arrow Films releases the popular cult flick from 1980 to the commercial marketplace on August 18th in the United States.

I was so excited when I saw this one getting the necessary technical upgrade that I pre-ordered it from Amazon probably two months ago.  While I can understand and appreciate that the film's -- ahem -- sensibilities -- may not be everyone's "cup of tea," I love it from start to finish.

What a way for the film to celebrate turning forty years young this year!

Details from Arrow Video are below.
​

​Also in August, Arrow Video release the fabulous Flash Gordon, in sparkling 4K, in lavish packaging with a host of extras and goodies. Super producer Dino De Laurentiis (Dune, Barbarella) brought Alex Raymond's beloved cartoon strip and the long running movie serial to the big screen with celebrated director Mike Hodges (Get Carter, Black Rainbow) at the helm, in a delirious space opera, where Flash is King of the Impossible! With endlessly repeatable dialogue, inimitable camp style, the sonic stylings of Queen and a delightful band of characters and actors playing (including Max von Sydow, Ornella Muti and Brian Blessed) then it's no wonder Flash Gordon has become one of the most beloved sci-fi spectacles of its era.
 
Limited Edition ULTRA HD 4K:

DIRECTOR-APPROVED LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS: 

• Brand new 4K restoration by Studiocanal from the original camera negative approved by director Mike Hodges
• 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
• Optional 5.1 and 2.0 stereo DTS-HD Master audio
• Booklet featuring new writing on the film by critics and film historians including Neil Snowdon, Dennis Cozzalio, John-Paul Checkett, A.K. Benedict, and Kat Ellinger illustrated with original stills
• Fold-out double-sided poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork
• Six double-sided, postcard-sized lobby card reproductions, alternative posters and promotional images
• Limited Edition packaging with reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Adam Rabalais

 
DISC 1 - FLASH GORDON & SPECIAL FEATURES (ULTRA HD 4K BLU-RAY): 

• Archival audio commentary with Mike Hodges
• Archival audio commentary with Brian Blessed
• Interviews with actors Sam J. Jones, Melody Anderson, Brian Blessed, Queen icon Brian May, composer Howard Blake, and poster designer Renato Casaro
• Behind the Scenes of Flash Gordon - an archival documentary on the making of the film
• Archival interviews with Mike Hodges, screenwriter Lorenzo Semple Jr., comic book artist Alex Ross
• Lost in Space: Nic Roeg's Flash Gordon - a new documentary program exploring the version Roeg (The Man Who Fell to Earth) had originally planned to make with producer Dino De Laurentiis
• Gremlin's Finest Hour - an episode from the animated Flash Gordon TV show written by J. Michael Reaves from November 1982
• Deleted scenes and original endings - prop collector Bob Lindenmayer discusses dropped sequences and sequel ideas
• 35th Anniversary Greenroom featurette - Mike Hodges meets the cast for the first time since filming at the 35th anniversary reunion
• 35th Anniversary Reunion featurette - the cast and crew discuss Flash Gordon
• Entertainment Earth on Flash Gordon merchandise
• Storyboards gallery
• Stills gallery
• Original Trailer
• Easter Eggs

 
DISC 2 - LIFE AFTER FLASH & SPECIAL FEATURES [LIMITED EDITION EXCLUSIVE] (BLU-RAY): 

• 2017 feature length documentary by filmmaker Lisa Downs on the rollercoaster life of Sam J. Jones since his role in Flash Gordon, featuring the main cast and crew as well as a host of fans including Stan Lee, Robert Rodriguez, Mark Millar and more!
• Sam J. Jones - a variety of interviews and featurettes including coverage of a script read from the Chattanooga Film Festival, Sam discussing his career in Mexico, his "prayer walk", and more
• Melody Paintings Extended - actress Melody Anderson talks about her love of painting and talks about various pieces displayed in her home
• Topol - a variety of interviews with the actor on his collections, awards and charity work
• Brian Blessed - the actor recounts amusing stories about Flash Gordon
• Late, Great Wyngarde - actor Peter Wyngarde discusses his experiences filming Flash Gordon and his relationship with Mike Hodges
• Deep Roy - the actor raps about ambition and recounts an amusing story about Eastbound & Down
• Alex Ross Talks Early Art - the artist talks about Flash Gordon and the many pieces of art he created for it from childhood to modern day
• Tell Me More About the This Man Houdini - actor Rich Fuller and Jason Lenzi, founder of toy brand Bif Bang Pow, discuss a scene from Flash Gordon
• Comic Con early draft - A featurette looking at the phenomenon that is Comic Con, featuring interviews with attendees and a host of regular talent including Sam J. Jones, Rich Fulton, Jason Mewes, Michael Rooker, Claudia Wells, and more
• Interview with Lisa Downs - the director of Life After Flash explores her motivation to make the film and experiences during the production
• Life After Flash on the Road - a variety of featurettes on the film travelling to various festivals and production including Q&A excerpts with the Flash Gordon cast, behind-the-scenes footage, Kickstarter funding video
• Trailer

 
ULTRA HD 4K:

DIRECTOR-APPROVED SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS: 

• Brand new 4K restoration by Studiocanal from the original camera negative approved by director Mike Hodges
• 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
• Optional 5.1 and 2.0 stereo DTS-HD Master audio
• Archival audio commentary with Mike Hodges
• Archival audio commentary with Brian Blessed
• Interviews with actors Sam J. Jones, Melody Anderson, Brian Blessed, Queen icon Brian May, composer Howard Blake, and poster designer Renato Casaro
• Behind the Scenes of Flash Gordon - an archival documentary on the making of the film
• Archival interviews with Mike Hodges, screenwriter Lorenzo Semple Jr., comic book artist Alex Ross
• Lost in Space: Nic Roeg's Flash Gordon - a new documentary program exploring the version Roeg (The Man Who Fell to Earth) had originally planned to make with producer Dino De Laurentiis
• Gremlin's Finest Hour - an episode from the animated Flash Gordon TV show written by J. Michael Reaves from November 1982
• Deleted scenes and original endings - prop collector Bob Lindenmayer discusses dropped sequences and sequel ideas
• 35th Anniversary Greenroom featurette - Mike Hodges meets the cast for the first time since filming at the 35th anniversary reunion
• 35th Anniversary Reunion featurette - the cast and crew discuss Flash Gordon
• Entertainment Earth on Flash Gordon merchandise
• Storyboards gallery
• Stills gallery
• Original Trailer
• Easter Eggs
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Adam Rabalais

The ultimate SciFi/Sleeper release from 2000 that helped introduce Vin Diesel to the world -- Pitch Black -- is about to enjoy a major overhaul as Arrow Films delivers to the consumer marketplace an impressive 4K release.

I can distinctly remember seeing this one in theaters, and I suspected it was going to be an enduring hit with fans.  While I never predicted it would become a small franchise all on its own (The Chronicles Of Riddick and, simply, Riddick eventually followed), it's good to know that even Diesel himself holds this property in a special place in his heart: the flick gets great mileage out of its simple set-up, and it makes solid strides while dispatching an impressive ensemble cast in its quest to stay true to the genre.

Details are provided by Arrow Video below.  The release is slated for August 18th.
​

Over the years, one of the things I've found most endearing about Science Fiction and Fantasy is that its heroes and enemies cacomn come from the most unlikely players.

Today's evidence: Wilford Brimley.

Now, an actor who perennially looked like America's grandfather is certainly an unlikely player in a genre which clearly favors the young; but Brimley managed to have a very respectable presence despite the wisdom of his years.  This is probably owed to the fact that the actor maintained a certain gravitas throughout the years, appearing in roles as a voice of authority, and that inevitably found him being cast in similar roles well within properties folks 'round these parts are familiar with.

Granted, everyone knows him as the aging senior who finds the veritable 'Fountain Of Youth' that was near-and-dear to the SciFi/Comedy Cocoon (1985) and its -- ahem -- inferior -- sequel Cocoon: The Return (1988) ... but he also established himself within SciFi a few years earlier with a top role in John Carpenter's The Thing (1982).  And lest we forget his Star Wars connection?  I know many in fandom who've long ago dismissed the Ewoks telefilms as inconsequential and even non-canonical, but I remember them with some passing fondness for showing audiences that space Fantasy had a place on network television.  Brimley's work as an aging space prospector was good for its era, and I'd be a fool if I failed to mention it here.

Brimley's resume may not be as vast and reverential as others who've come this way; still, I'm doing my part to note his passing and encouraging others to consider his genre contributions in the years ahead.  Maybe you can't teach an old dog new tricks, but I for one am glad he dabbled in our realm with every chance he was afforded.

​May he rest in peace ...

Just in case you missed the news elsewhere on the World Wide Web, the latest victim falling to the pandemic is the greater Star Wars franchise as the Walt Disney Company recently announced that new films in mankind's most profitable space saga have been delayed until 2023, 2025, and 2027, respectively.  No word yet on what the plot will be, and there's absolutely no rumors that I've been able to find about who it'll star and whatnot.

Still, I can't find myself reading various accounts on this in multiple media accounts and wondering, "Does Star Wars even matter any more?"

Now, don't get me wrong.  This isn't the ruminations of an aging fanboy yearning for the days of yore when heroes were heroes and entire planets were expendable.  The George Lucas saga came along at a fortuitous time in our culture wherein audiences didn't even know that they were missing something like Star Wars in their diet.  Science Fiction cinema of the 1970's tending to be either (A) low-brow low-budget escapism/exploitation fare that was lucky to see theatrical release beyond major markets or (B) high-brow art-house concepts that tried too hard to be meaningful that it left most viewers behind.

Star Wars was pure escapism in what I've always termed a 'lived in universe.'  That landspeeder Luke Skywalker tooled around Tatooine with?  Looks closely, and you'll see dents, scuffs, abrasions.  Those droids he bought from those Jawas?  Why, they were so dirty they both needed oil baths to look even modestly appealing.  That Millennium Falcon?  Even Princess Leia was famous for saying, "You came in that thing?  You're braver than I thought!"

Unlike the Prequel Trilogy that came out and a much different time in our civilization, the Original Trilogy was built to look like it was real; and that brought with it the bruising so many of us know from our daily existence.  Only the Empire had things that were polished to shine, and then those items were only available in shades of black and white.  No marks.  None were tolerated.  Even Luke Skywalker was too short to be a Stormtrooper, and that says something about the world he tried to disguise himself a part of: he just didn't fit in.

And I think those sentiments are the undercurrrent of what made the Original Trilogy the cultural behemoth it was in its era: it was the little guy that everyone counted out.

Today?

Today, the franchise is owned and operated by W-A-L-T F-R-E-A-K-I-N-G- D-I-S-N-E-Y, the ultimate entertainment conglomerate that's ruled by committee and dispensed in the proper corporate doses.

"Does Star Wars even matter any more?"

Thankfully, Disney has made some smart moves, giving Dave Filoni the creative freedom he needed to finish up The Clone Wars the way he apparently wanted to.  They even were wise enough to recognize a good thing when they saw it and greenlit Jon Favreau's The Mandalorian to their Disney+ Streaming Service.  (If you haven't seen it, jeepers, how do I even know you?)  For what it's worth, The Mandalorian feels like vintage Star Wars, and it's good enough that the episodes could easily be cobbled together into some massive full-length motion picture if Favreau wanted to take a stab at it.

But I digress ...

These days, everyone wants to be part of The Resistance, a politically motivated turn to the Sequel Trilogy that kinda/sorta put the franchise on the wrong path, in my opinion.  (Personally, I would rather they have called it something like the 'Grand Alliance,' but that's a story for another day and another time.)  All one need do is turn on the television, and we see everyone is in 'The Resistance,' and it's gotten very old very quickly.  What made Star Wars special -- so far as I'm concerned -- was that it wasn't what everyone wanted but very quickly lit a fire within that mankind responded to.  Instead of being something different, the current iteration has chosen to morph into political territory a true Space Fantasy probably would've ignored.

I guess on one level Star Wars will always matter.  I just never imagined the day would come when it would mean so many things to so many people in such vastly different ways.  It's a shame that nowadays kids aren't encouraged to run down the street with blasters in their hands because our society is so opposed to guns.  My day?  My day, we all would've said, "These aren't guns!  They're blasters!  And hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side!"

I guess we're just not allowed to dream any more.

So, yeah, Star Wars is delayed.  Let's hope that whoever ponies up some new movies will go back to delivering the magic our society so desperately needs.

​Help us, Obi-Wan Kenobi.  You're our only hope.

​I do so love a good book.  Why is that, you wonder?  Well, a good book is – in its simplest form – a pleasure for the mind.  It takes you on a journey to a place you might not have the stuffing to go to in reality – be that outer space, floating out to sea, or even into the depraved mind of a lunatic.  A good book challenges the way the reader sees the world, not in any argumentative fashion but rather it peels back the layers slowly – maybe even deceptively so – and gives you that rare opportunity to experience intellectual epiphanies you only dreamed possible.  And – this is most important for me, anyway – a good book can never under any circumstances be read the same way twice.
 
And why is THAT, you wonder?
 
Well, for me the story needs to be so original or told in such a way that I can’t anticipate how the ending will arrive.  This isn’t to say that I can’t predict elements of said climax because I think we’re all good about foretelling doom if and when we see it in the cards; but how this doom rears its head – be it peacefully, be it dramatically, be it all covered in blood and brains – is the gift every author should grant every reader.  The best surprises are the ones we can’t see coming, even if we’re led to believe we were going to San Francisco yet arrive in Washington, DC.
 
That’s a very tall order, but it’s one Max Brooks demonstrates his chops for with “Devolution: A Firsthand Account Of The Rainier Sasquatch Massacre.”
 
The plot: Kate Holland and her husband Dan have left the big city life in favor of proving that the sustainable commune life truly is achievable.  Taking up residence in Greenloop, the couple find themselves surrounding by tall trees as well as an assortment of equally tall characters – similar big city transplants sharing this grand adventure.  But when the outside world throws their tiny existence into chaos unexpectedly, this tiny village will need to band together and learn some very hard lessons if they’re to survive what Mother Nature has in store for them.  And it isn’t just the effects of a volcanic eruption … it’s also proof positive that Bigfoot exists!
 
Stop right there: I know what you’re thinking.  Bigfoot?  Really?  Do I really need another New Age yarn postulating that Bigfoot is real?
 
Brooks presents the impossible here by structuring his tale via the surviving and recovered transcripts of Kate’s journal, a personal project meant to help her find the peace she’s always found elusive.  From time to time, motion pictures and television shows attempt to do the same, building a story around the semi-popular ‘found footage’ device; while audiences can be hot and cold to such trickery, I’ll admit that this structure is probably a greater Achilles’ Heel for Devolution than is the inclusion of Bigfoot, so let me explain briefly …
 
Now, as a man, let me proudly proclaim that I’m certainly no expert on the female mind: given that roughly ninety percent of Devolution is told via a woman’s surviving journal entries, I’ll admit that the novel gave me incredible frustration in the narrative set-up.  Kate Holland is no easy cookie to follow: she’s clearly unhappy with her life, her situation, her circumstances, and the fact that she’s ‘journaling’ her way through her daily existence at the advice of an unseen yet occasionally referenced to therapist, I couldn’t quite see eye-to-eye with her through so very much of the first one hundred pages or so.  Honestly (and forgive the sexism of this), I kept thinking, “What gives with this lady?  She’s in a pretty decent relationship.  She’s in a pretty interesting position in her life.  Why she’s going on about this and that and the other in such a negative fashion?”
 
Here’s the dirty secret that the second half of the novel taught me: I don’t think you, as a reader, were ever really supposed to identify with the lady Holland.  In fact, I’d go so far as to suggest that maybe – just maybe – you weren’t even meant to like her.  Otherwise, the second half of the book – where the real meat and potatoes of the story gets interesting – might not work if you did.
 
Again, keep in mind: this is told by ‘journaling.’  By design, that means that nothing here is being divulge “as is.”  It’s all being told by the same mind in close retrospect: she revisits her day at the end of it (or, at least, that’s my suspicion), and thus she can employ perhaps more hindsight if her various adventures had been told in a conventional book format.  This way, author Brooks can conceal what each of us predicts is coming for this “firsthand account of the Rainier Sasquatch Massacre” in a way that gives it greater impact in the climax.  Without spoiling it too much, let me say this: there’s more than one reason Kate couldn’t be journaling after the said massacre, and if you’re reading closely then maybe you’ll understand why the tale ends how it does when it does.  It’s a very clever sleight of hand – the kind of twist made famous with television programs like Rod Serling’s The Twilight Zone or its inspired counterpart The Outer Limits.
 
Come the end of Devolution, I was convinced that I wasn’t really supposed to like the Kate Holland of the first half; in fact, I could argue that Brooks’ may’ve intended his readers to turn up their nose just a bit at this somewhat perfect princess finding real problems in her somewhat idyllic life.  She’s the priss.  She’s the prude.  She’s trying to give her life greater relevance by dissecting the pieces of her day in, day out drudgery for meaning.  When life is meant to be lived, Kate’s stuck on stupid looking for ‘definition.’  But when something she’s never looked for comes lumbering out of the woodwork, she slowly but surely leaves that psychological hunger behind and gets to the business of ‘surviving.’  Given that it all unfolds via these journal entries, it’s all a very calculated gamble on Brooks’ part … but one I found rewarding in the big finish.
 
For those curious?  No.  This isn’t World War Z.  Max has already written that, and this is something completely different.  Yes, it’s told with a similar mechanism – but therein the similarities end.  World War Z was impressive in scope; by contrast, Devolution is all about the darkness inside the human mind, though you have to be very, very patient for it to unfold the way it does.