- Published on
Those who know me well know that I've never been much of a 'Marvel guy.' Oh, I can appreciate superhero action as much as the next longtime comic book reader (and watcher); but Marvel's pantheon of characters always left me a little bit cold with some of their more personal idiosyncracies. I tend to prefer DC Comics, but (as they say) "to each his own."
In any event, I've struggled with the greater Spider-man franchise largely because it seems like the creative powers that be behind the scenes have never been quite happy with what they've got. The suits seems to want to reboot the thing every time someone turns around. I don't know if that has to do with the actors wanting to move along or the studio wants to try something different, and this latest go'round looks to be the youngest setting yet for the webbed wallclimber.
Here's the trailer that dropped recently, compliments of the post at YouTube.com:
In any event, I've struggled with the greater Spider-man franchise largely because it seems like the creative powers that be behind the scenes have never been quite happy with what they've got. The suits seems to want to reboot the thing every time someone turns around. I don't know if that has to do with the actors wanting to move along or the studio wants to try something different, and this latest go'round looks to be the youngest setting yet for the webbed wallclimber.
Here's the trailer that dropped recently, compliments of the post at YouTube.com:
As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!
- Published on
Like so many, I'm always looking forward to the Doctor Who Holiday Adventures as a highlight to the entire silly season. Granted, I may not have always been thrilled with what the BBC comes up with by way of a story; but it's still a great way to spend the day in anticipation of how the signature time traveler will save Christmas once more for some wayward creations, be they human or alien.
A new trailer highlighting "The Return of Doctor Mysterio" has found its way onto the Information Superhighway today, and I wanted to share to keep all of you up to snuff on developments. Here it is, compliments of the good ol' YouTube.com:
A new trailer highlighting "The Return of Doctor Mysterio" has found its way onto the Information Superhighway today, and I wanted to share to keep all of you up to snuff on developments. Here it is, compliments of the good ol' YouTube.com:
As always, thanks for reading, live long and prosper ... and Merry Christmas to one and all!
- Published on
Open hailing frequencies, my friends (Star Trek enthusiasts will get the reference), and news broke recently via Deadline.com (link) that the next incarnation of Gene Roddenberry's beloved franchise to boldly go where no one has gone before has cast a few more smilers.
I'm not as familiar with the work of Anthony Rapp (he's joining the franchise in the role of Lt. Stamets according to IMDB.com) (picture above right). He certainly has a solid acting pedigree (40 citations on the same), and kudos for an appearance in Fox TV's stellar The X-Files during its run. Hailing all the way from his birth in Joliet (IL) of all places (not all that far from where I was born), Rapp keeps his head on the ground but reaching for the stars ... and now he'll get some!
But I've been a huge fan of Doug Jones (picture above left) for a few years now. Folks don't often recognize the talented actor as his most prominent work tends to be under heavy, heavy make-up: he was Abe Sapien in the Hellboy franchise, and most recently he played one of The Ancients aboard FX's The Strain. He'll joined Discovery as Lt. Saru, and despite my disdain for the property going the way of 'the stream' I'll be interested to watch his work.
As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!
I'm not as familiar with the work of Anthony Rapp (he's joining the franchise in the role of Lt. Stamets according to IMDB.com) (picture above right). He certainly has a solid acting pedigree (40 citations on the same), and kudos for an appearance in Fox TV's stellar The X-Files during its run. Hailing all the way from his birth in Joliet (IL) of all places (not all that far from where I was born), Rapp keeps his head on the ground but reaching for the stars ... and now he'll get some!
But I've been a huge fan of Doug Jones (picture above left) for a few years now. Folks don't often recognize the talented actor as his most prominent work tends to be under heavy, heavy make-up: he was Abe Sapien in the Hellboy franchise, and most recently he played one of The Ancients aboard FX's The Strain. He'll joined Discovery as Lt. Saru, and despite my disdain for the property going the way of 'the stream' I'll be interested to watch his work.
As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!
- Published on
As a watcher of many things SciFi, I’m curiously at a loss to explain much of my disinterest for HBO’s Westworld. (For those raised on an island, the critically-lauded robot drama ended its first season run with a heavily-bloated hour-plus-thirty-minutes on December 4th, hence this article.)
I’m not captivated by the artsy program, though I curiously want to be. I don’t care about any of the key players – real or synthetic – though I hold out hope that some of this detachment is by design. The story doesn’t seem particularly novel or groundbreaking – robots run amuck by human or even divine intervention has been done to death since the invention of these machines – and I found so much of this highly-praised first season to be much ado about nothing. By the end of these ten episodes, I felt instead of seeing “Skynet on steroids” that the HBO program de-evolved into “C3PO on barbiturates.”
Now, some of this may be owed to the fact that – on one level – there’s too much going on.
Without spoiling “the twist,” it’s safe to say that Westworld toys with the narrative in much the same way park co-creator Robert Ford (serious Thespian Anthony Hopkins) toys with his creations: ever the tinkerer, the diehard roboticist has allowed his God-like tendencies to go to his head. (HBO’s storytellers have done the same here.) When narrative trickery becomes the norm, audiences tend to grow cynical, knowing right off the bat not to take what they’re seeing literally since they’ve learned that what’s really happen is much more figurative OR chronologically re-ordered. Unlike the pay cable channel’s vastly superior Game of Thrones, Westworld doesn’t have all that many “change of settings” to help viewers establish definitively who is where and what’s being done; thus, the writers had to take a different tact with some unveiling some of these events, and – therefore – I thought some of it a bit muddled.
Every one of these characters is shackled with not only his or her own psychologically quandaries (“who am I?” and “why am I?”), but they’re also imbued with whatever figurative role they serve in separate or collective arcs. Apparently, it’s no longer sufficient for TV writers to bless their creations with “intellectual curiosity”; now they should browbeat them with existentialism ABOUT their own existentialism. At no point is the sheer spectacle of a world where humans fundamentally coexist with robots sufficient to sustain these ideas; rather, they’ll put the viewers through endless retreads of symbolism and substance ‘til the cows come home … though this West is curiously void of cows, now that I think about it.
I’m not captivated by the artsy program, though I curiously want to be. I don’t care about any of the key players – real or synthetic – though I hold out hope that some of this detachment is by design. The story doesn’t seem particularly novel or groundbreaking – robots run amuck by human or even divine intervention has been done to death since the invention of these machines – and I found so much of this highly-praised first season to be much ado about nothing. By the end of these ten episodes, I felt instead of seeing “Skynet on steroids” that the HBO program de-evolved into “C3PO on barbiturates.”
Now, some of this may be owed to the fact that – on one level – there’s too much going on.
Without spoiling “the twist,” it’s safe to say that Westworld toys with the narrative in much the same way park co-creator Robert Ford (serious Thespian Anthony Hopkins) toys with his creations: ever the tinkerer, the diehard roboticist has allowed his God-like tendencies to go to his head. (HBO’s storytellers have done the same here.) When narrative trickery becomes the norm, audiences tend to grow cynical, knowing right off the bat not to take what they’re seeing literally since they’ve learned that what’s really happen is much more figurative OR chronologically re-ordered. Unlike the pay cable channel’s vastly superior Game of Thrones, Westworld doesn’t have all that many “change of settings” to help viewers establish definitively who is where and what’s being done; thus, the writers had to take a different tact with some unveiling some of these events, and – therefore – I thought some of it a bit muddled.
Every one of these characters is shackled with not only his or her own psychologically quandaries (“who am I?” and “why am I?”), but they’re also imbued with whatever figurative role they serve in separate or collective arcs. Apparently, it’s no longer sufficient for TV writers to bless their creations with “intellectual curiosity”; now they should browbeat them with existentialism ABOUT their own existentialism. At no point is the sheer spectacle of a world where humans fundamentally coexist with robots sufficient to sustain these ideas; rather, they’ll put the viewers through endless retreads of symbolism and substance ‘til the cows come home … though this West is curiously void of cows, now that I think about it.
If this first season has taught me anything, it’s that robots are destined to pine for humanity even if they’re surrounded by humans curiously void of it. On the downlow, I’ve also realized that no amount of Evan Rachel Wood close-ups is ever enough; hunky James Marsden remains the modern-day incarnation of 70’s Marlboro Man without the cigarettes; and someone thought the idea of an unabashedly and persistently naked Thandie Newton needs to qualitatively serve the foundation of every HBO series (not that I’m complaining about it!). If they give Emmys for such things, then HBO will be owed in spades.
Still, the essential problem I have with so much of the show’s first season is, sadly, it’s chocked to the brim with ideas and concepts we’ve seen done much better before and elsewhere.
AMC’s Humans (itself a re-incarnation of the Swedish original) has taken the whole idea of a world where humans and synthetics co-exist and given it a much more personal and relatable presentation; HBO’s androids are a bit ‘stiff’ by comparison, though some of the roughness is probably owed to the fact that the hosts are caught in an endless loop to serve the ‘narrative.’ Ex Machina (2015) won accolades for its theatrical story of robotic duplicitousness, and one might even suggest that the Westworld writers’ room simply enjoyed a movie night (or two) and decided afterward they’d try to do it better. And why aren’t the makers of Syfy’s Battlestar Galactica all up in arms over HBO’s fledgling robot drama? In some regards, the themes seem picked right off the surface of Caprica and deposited in the Old West? As a storyteller myself, I realize inspiration has to start somewhere, but Westworld seems ‘joined at the hip’ to far too many previous explorations of artificial intelligence than it should be for originality’s sake.
To its credit, Westworld ended these ten episodes probably where most viewers expected, with the big promise of a robot rebellion that took its time simmering to the cybernetic surface. Deaths were delivered, and rebirths (none all that surprising) were hatched. (Robots never really die, do they?) That event alone – if The Terminator franchise is any indication – might bring most folks back in 2017 … but it’s hard to tell at this point. I suspect I’ll be there to see what develops, but – in the meantime – I’m more hopeful for AMC’s upcoming season (two) for Humans than I am for a second visit to this Jurassic Lark.
Still, the essential problem I have with so much of the show’s first season is, sadly, it’s chocked to the brim with ideas and concepts we’ve seen done much better before and elsewhere.
AMC’s Humans (itself a re-incarnation of the Swedish original) has taken the whole idea of a world where humans and synthetics co-exist and given it a much more personal and relatable presentation; HBO’s androids are a bit ‘stiff’ by comparison, though some of the roughness is probably owed to the fact that the hosts are caught in an endless loop to serve the ‘narrative.’ Ex Machina (2015) won accolades for its theatrical story of robotic duplicitousness, and one might even suggest that the Westworld writers’ room simply enjoyed a movie night (or two) and decided afterward they’d try to do it better. And why aren’t the makers of Syfy’s Battlestar Galactica all up in arms over HBO’s fledgling robot drama? In some regards, the themes seem picked right off the surface of Caprica and deposited in the Old West? As a storyteller myself, I realize inspiration has to start somewhere, but Westworld seems ‘joined at the hip’ to far too many previous explorations of artificial intelligence than it should be for originality’s sake.
To its credit, Westworld ended these ten episodes probably where most viewers expected, with the big promise of a robot rebellion that took its time simmering to the cybernetic surface. Deaths were delivered, and rebirths (none all that surprising) were hatched. (Robots never really die, do they?) That event alone – if The Terminator franchise is any indication – might bring most folks back in 2017 … but it’s hard to tell at this point. I suspect I’ll be there to see what develops, but – in the meantime – I’m more hopeful for AMC’s upcoming season (two) for Humans than I am for a second visit to this Jurassic Lark.
- Published on
This morning, word had slipped via ScreenRant.com that Peter Capaldi himself may be thinking of leaving the BBC's long-running Doctor Who for its eleventh (rebooted) season.
When it was announced that Chris Chibnall would be taking on showrunner duties from the departing Steven Moffat, speculation suspected that Chibnall might want to start from Ground Zero with an all-new Doctor as well as an all-new companion; and I suspect much of this is probably owed to those rumors. While Capaldi admits openly in the piece that he's been asked to stay on, it's clear that he's as much a fan of the program as are most regular viewers. I guess this is a case of "only time will tell ..." (Oh, the irony!)
I know that Capaldi hasn't exactly made waves with his particular take on the singular time traveler. In fact, I know several persons who've been vocally opposed to his work on Who. Personally, I've enjoyed it as a nod back to the days of Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker, two previous incarnations Capaldi seems (to me) to channel in his portrayal.
As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!
When it was announced that Chris Chibnall would be taking on showrunner duties from the departing Steven Moffat, speculation suspected that Chibnall might want to start from Ground Zero with an all-new Doctor as well as an all-new companion; and I suspect much of this is probably owed to those rumors. While Capaldi admits openly in the piece that he's been asked to stay on, it's clear that he's as much a fan of the program as are most regular viewers. I guess this is a case of "only time will tell ..." (Oh, the irony!)
I know that Capaldi hasn't exactly made waves with his particular take on the singular time traveler. In fact, I know several persons who've been vocally opposed to his work on Who. Personally, I've enjoyed it as a nod back to the days of Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker, two previous incarnations Capaldi seems (to me) to channel in his portrayal.
As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!
- Published on
Anyone who follows me even casually can probably tell my deepest, darkest secret: even at two years running, I'm very new to this whole 'blogging' thing. I don't think this makes my particular voice any less impactful: rather, I think that it demonstrates my willingness to change and grow as the needs of SciFiHistory.Net do the same. And perhaps the biggest lesson I've learned in my short time on the Information Superhighway is that it certainly helps to give some healthy 'shoutouts' to quality smilers who are doing some quality work.
Today's SciFi-Shout-Out goes out to the happy crew behind Krypton Radio, an incredible audio resource that promises "Sci-Fi for your Wi-Fi!" Not only have they had some incredibly complimentary words to say about my little corner of the World Wide Web, but they're producing fantastic and relevant audio content for like-minded followers to stay abreast of developments important to all of fandom. I've only been listening to them a short time (vacation has curtailed my free time this past week), but -- having put in myself a handful of years in college radio (back in my day) -- I'm gobsmacked by their attention to production detail. Serious kudos there, my friends.
Check them out if you have the time or are so inclined, as they've earned an enthusiastic thumbs-up from yours truly.
As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!
Today's SciFi-Shout-Out goes out to the happy crew behind Krypton Radio, an incredible audio resource that promises "Sci-Fi for your Wi-Fi!" Not only have they had some incredibly complimentary words to say about my little corner of the World Wide Web, but they're producing fantastic and relevant audio content for like-minded followers to stay abreast of developments important to all of fandom. I've only been listening to them a short time (vacation has curtailed my free time this past week), but -- having put in myself a handful of years in college radio (back in my day) -- I'm gobsmacked by their attention to production detail. Serious kudos there, my friends.
Check them out if you have the time or are so inclined, as they've earned an enthusiastic thumbs-up from yours truly.
As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!
- Published on
Being as old as I am, I tend to "find things" a bit later than most (yes, think of me as your Virtual Grandfather). That being the case, today's Holiday Alert promising more delights for that special geek, nerd, or SciFi enthusiast in your life is Warrior Woman's Klingon Pop album.
From what I can tell, this release (available both on iTunes and Amazon audio for those interested) was a little special something from back in late 2014, and I immediately searched it out after hearing a track from it featured on Krypton Radio (today's SciFi-Shout-Out). The production quality is very, very good, though for some reason it was recorded on a fairly low 'volume' setting (a minor quibble I can fix with some re-engineering via my own audio software); but it's nothing short of a total joy to listen to.
Why not give the gift of Klingon audio this holiday season?
As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!
From what I can tell, this release (available both on iTunes and Amazon audio for those interested) was a little special something from back in late 2014, and I immediately searched it out after hearing a track from it featured on Krypton Radio (today's SciFi-Shout-Out). The production quality is very, very good, though for some reason it was recorded on a fairly low 'volume' setting (a minor quibble I can fix with some re-engineering via my own audio software); but it's nothing short of a total joy to listen to.
Why not give the gift of Klingon audio this holiday season?
As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!
- Published on
Whilst watching Part One of some old-school Doctor Who -- The Destiny of the Daleks by Terry Nation -- I noticed a book the Doctor (Tom Baker) was reading when he was trapped under some falling masonry. The book was called “The Origins of the Universe by Oolon Colluphid,” and the script editor for this particular story was Douglas Adams.
For those of you unfamiliar with Oolon Colluphid, he/she/they/it is/was the author of the "trilogy of philosophical blockbusters" entitled “Where God Went Wrong,” “Some More of God's Greatest Mistakes,” and “Who is This God Person Anyway?” Well, he/she/they/it would be or is (depending on how you want to look at it) in the world of the sadly-missed genius, Douglas Adams.
And for those of you unfamiliar with the genius that was Douglas Noel Adams (hereafter occasionally referred to as DNA), let me explain.
DNA created a radio series called The Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy. This is a straightforward tale of planetary destruction, intergalactic hitch-hiking and very bad poetry. It first aired on BBC Radio 4 back in 1978. As blockbusters go, it was a doozy.
The story begins with our hero, Arthur Dent (or rather our everyday mister average), waking up to find that his house is about to be demolished to make way for a motorway by-pass; soon, he’ll discover that his planet is about to suffer a similar fate. His friend, Ford Prefect (he picked the name because he thought it would make him blend in easier with the inhabitants of the planet he accidentally became stranded on), visits him and suggest they go to the pub, wherein several pints of beer will make the matter transporting onto one of the alien space ships currently orbiting earth and hanging the air in the way that bricks don’t easier.
There are packets of nuts involved as well, but it’s pretty much alcohol, matter transportation, and green bug-eyed monsters after that. Oh and Arthur discovers that his friend is not from Guildford in Surrey after all but from a planet in the vicinity of the star Betelgeuse. (Let’s face it, that’s an easy mistake to make.) He’ll also encounter Vogon poetry (the worst kind in this or any other solar system), the two-headed former president of the galaxy (Zaphod Beeblebrox), the infinite improbability drive, and the most depressed and depressing paranoid android (who goes by the name of Marvin) that was ever his misfortune to encounter.
After “The Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy,” there was “The Restaurant at the End of the Universe” where our heroes (Arthur, Ford, Zaphod, and Marvin) arrive at Milliways to see the end of the universe. After that, the story continues with “Life the Universe and Everything,” “So Long and Thanks for All the Fish,” and finally “Mostly Harmless”.
I had the privilege to see THHGTTG performed live at the Playhouse Theatre in Edinburgh with the original radio actors playing Arthur (Simon Jones) and Ford (Geoffrey McGivern). Filling the boots of two-headed former president of the galaxy, Zaphod Beeblebrox (once described as the best bang since the big one by Eccentrica Gallumbits, the triple-breasted whore of Eroticon Six), was musical/comedy performer and major Doctor Who fan boy, Mitch Benn. Providing vocals for Marvin the paranoid android was Stephen Moore who also performed the same task on the original radio broadcasts.
It was a lot of fun. Some people even turned up in their dressing gowns. (I haven’t explained that Arthur spends the entire story -- all five books -- in his night clothes and dressing gown, have I? Well he does.)
However, DNA didn’t stop there. There was “Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency,” and the follow up to that -- “The Long Dark Teatime of the Soul” -- and then the non-Hitchhiker/Dirk Gently “Starship Titanic.”
Also, Adams was also responsible in one way or another for some of the best story lines in the Tom Baker years of Doctor Who. Writing and script editing on the following stories:
If you haven’t read any of Douglas Adams’ books or books based on his work, I would heartily recommend them. Just as a reminder I’ll list the books and dates of publication.
The Arthur Dent Trilogy (in Five Parts)
Dirk Gently
There is so much more, but those are the diamonds in the crown.
Sadly, DNA died of a heart attack at the young age of 49. His remains are buried in Highgate Cemetery in London. Adams was such an influence in the lives of many so much so that the Minor Planet Centre named an asteroid 18610 Arthurdent in his honour.
For those of you unfamiliar with Oolon Colluphid, he/she/they/it is/was the author of the "trilogy of philosophical blockbusters" entitled “Where God Went Wrong,” “Some More of God's Greatest Mistakes,” and “Who is This God Person Anyway?” Well, he/she/they/it would be or is (depending on how you want to look at it) in the world of the sadly-missed genius, Douglas Adams.
And for those of you unfamiliar with the genius that was Douglas Noel Adams (hereafter occasionally referred to as DNA), let me explain.
DNA created a radio series called The Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy. This is a straightforward tale of planetary destruction, intergalactic hitch-hiking and very bad poetry. It first aired on BBC Radio 4 back in 1978. As blockbusters go, it was a doozy.
The story begins with our hero, Arthur Dent (or rather our everyday mister average), waking up to find that his house is about to be demolished to make way for a motorway by-pass; soon, he’ll discover that his planet is about to suffer a similar fate. His friend, Ford Prefect (he picked the name because he thought it would make him blend in easier with the inhabitants of the planet he accidentally became stranded on), visits him and suggest they go to the pub, wherein several pints of beer will make the matter transporting onto one of the alien space ships currently orbiting earth and hanging the air in the way that bricks don’t easier.
There are packets of nuts involved as well, but it’s pretty much alcohol, matter transportation, and green bug-eyed monsters after that. Oh and Arthur discovers that his friend is not from Guildford in Surrey after all but from a planet in the vicinity of the star Betelgeuse. (Let’s face it, that’s an easy mistake to make.) He’ll also encounter Vogon poetry (the worst kind in this or any other solar system), the two-headed former president of the galaxy (Zaphod Beeblebrox), the infinite improbability drive, and the most depressed and depressing paranoid android (who goes by the name of Marvin) that was ever his misfortune to encounter.
After “The Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy,” there was “The Restaurant at the End of the Universe” where our heroes (Arthur, Ford, Zaphod, and Marvin) arrive at Milliways to see the end of the universe. After that, the story continues with “Life the Universe and Everything,” “So Long and Thanks for All the Fish,” and finally “Mostly Harmless”.
I had the privilege to see THHGTTG performed live at the Playhouse Theatre in Edinburgh with the original radio actors playing Arthur (Simon Jones) and Ford (Geoffrey McGivern). Filling the boots of two-headed former president of the galaxy, Zaphod Beeblebrox (once described as the best bang since the big one by Eccentrica Gallumbits, the triple-breasted whore of Eroticon Six), was musical/comedy performer and major Doctor Who fan boy, Mitch Benn. Providing vocals for Marvin the paranoid android was Stephen Moore who also performed the same task on the original radio broadcasts.
It was a lot of fun. Some people even turned up in their dressing gowns. (I haven’t explained that Arthur spends the entire story -- all five books -- in his night clothes and dressing gown, have I? Well he does.)
However, DNA didn’t stop there. There was “Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency,” and the follow up to that -- “The Long Dark Teatime of the Soul” -- and then the non-Hitchhiker/Dirk Gently “Starship Titanic.”
Also, Adams was also responsible in one way or another for some of the best story lines in the Tom Baker years of Doctor Who. Writing and script editing on the following stories:
- The Destiny of the Daleks by Terry Nation (Script Editor Douglas Adams);
- Shada by Douglas Adams (Script Editor Douglas Adams, although un-broadcast on TV it did appear as a Big Finish audio adaptation starring Paul McGann);
- The Pirate Planet; and
- The City of Death (co-written with Graham Williams based on a story by David Fisher)
If you haven’t read any of Douglas Adams’ books or books based on his work, I would heartily recommend them. Just as a reminder I’ll list the books and dates of publication.
The Arthur Dent Trilogy (in Five Parts)
- The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy (1979)
- The Restaurant at the End of the Universe (1980)
- Life the Universe and Everything (1982)
- So Long and Thanks for all the Fish (1984)
- Young Zaphod Plays it Safe (short story – 1986)
- Mostly Harmless (1992)
Dirk Gently
- Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency (1987)
- The Long Dark Teatime of the Soul (1988)
- The Meaning of Liff with John Lloyd (1983)
- The Deeper Meaning of Liff with John Lloyd (1990)
- Last Chance to See with Mark Carwardine (1990)
- Douglas Adams’s Starship Titanic by Terry Jones based on an idea by Douglas Adams (1997)
There is so much more, but those are the diamonds in the crown.
Sadly, DNA died of a heart attack at the young age of 49. His remains are buried in Highgate Cemetery in London. Adams was such an influence in the lives of many so much so that the Minor Planet Centre named an asteroid 18610 Arthurdent in his honour.
- Published on
One of the unfortunate tasks to playing catch-up after returning from vacation is culling through some of the news reports regarding anything of substance for SciFi enthusiasts (such as myself) and sounding off on them, even though I risk appearing 'late to the game.' Still, important matters do need a bit of further discussion from time-to-time, so bear with me if any of this sounds more than a little redundant at this point.
Last week, Trek fandom got up on its haunches with the news (Variety.com) that Star Trek: Discovery has cast no less than international sensation Michelle Yeoh for the new streaming program, perhaps a bright spot on the horizon following the news of showrunner Bryan Fuller's kinda/sorta departure from the property. Yeoh certainly brings with her a track record of interesting accomplishments: while most fans know her best for her work in the more popular films like Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) or Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000), I tend to like her more thoughtful performance in the oft-misunderstood SciFi sleeper, Sunshine (2007).
I will, however, reiterate my lack of faith in Star Trek: Discovery; and this stems not so much from any knowledge I may have with plot and/or character points that have leaked onto the Information Superhighway. Rather, I'm just not thrilled with the fact that I have to pony-up extra cash via CBS's web portal to view the show. I -- like your father and grandfather -- am an old-school Trek enthusiast; and that means I prefer it best on the perennial boob tube instead of streaming.
What can I say other than "get off my lawn"?
I'll remain optimistic about the franchise, but I do hope they suffer an epiphany and decide to put it back on the TV dial at some point.
As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!
Last week, Trek fandom got up on its haunches with the news (Variety.com) that Star Trek: Discovery has cast no less than international sensation Michelle Yeoh for the new streaming program, perhaps a bright spot on the horizon following the news of showrunner Bryan Fuller's kinda/sorta departure from the property. Yeoh certainly brings with her a track record of interesting accomplishments: while most fans know her best for her work in the more popular films like Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) or Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000), I tend to like her more thoughtful performance in the oft-misunderstood SciFi sleeper, Sunshine (2007).
I will, however, reiterate my lack of faith in Star Trek: Discovery; and this stems not so much from any knowledge I may have with plot and/or character points that have leaked onto the Information Superhighway. Rather, I'm just not thrilled with the fact that I have to pony-up extra cash via CBS's web portal to view the show. I -- like your father and grandfather -- am an old-school Trek enthusiast; and that means I prefer it best on the perennial boob tube instead of streaming.
What can I say other than "get off my lawn"?
I'll remain optimistic about the franchise, but I do hope they suffer an epiphany and decide to put it back on the TV dial at some point.
As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!
- Published on
Truth be told, I never much cared for The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984). It was one of those films that had some undeniable charm, but I never found its story all than interesting or all of its 'golly gee, aren't we grand' characters all that ... well ... 'grand.' Still, as a lover of cult flicks, I can certainly understand why fandom embraced the feature as something more than the sum of its cinema parts, and in that respect I'll always wish it well.
However, I was caught completely unawares in reading that efforts to mount a television series based upon the property had hit the 'legal snag' (via TheHollywoodReporter.com). Apparently, Kevin Smith and Amazon Studios had been involved (I do recall reading something about Smith bowing out for much of the same wrangling) in pre-production talks with Banzai's original screenwriter and director; but MGM wants to hash out just who owns what in court.
No disrespect intended, but the original Banzai didn't have the legs to so much as launch the sequel advertised in the film's closing scenes (perhaps that's where the proposed television series would've headed). I'm guessing that many of its stars have moved on in their professional careers and may not have been involved (though this kinda thing does look tailor-made for Jeff Goldblum), which would lead me to believe a loose reboot was in order anyhow.
At this point, I guess "it is what it is," but I won't be looking for this project to line up in front of the cameras any time soon.
As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!
However, I was caught completely unawares in reading that efforts to mount a television series based upon the property had hit the 'legal snag' (via TheHollywoodReporter.com). Apparently, Kevin Smith and Amazon Studios had been involved (I do recall reading something about Smith bowing out for much of the same wrangling) in pre-production talks with Banzai's original screenwriter and director; but MGM wants to hash out just who owns what in court.
No disrespect intended, but the original Banzai didn't have the legs to so much as launch the sequel advertised in the film's closing scenes (perhaps that's where the proposed television series would've headed). I'm guessing that many of its stars have moved on in their professional careers and may not have been involved (though this kinda thing does look tailor-made for Jeff Goldblum), which would lead me to believe a loose reboot was in order anyhow.
At this point, I guess "it is what it is," but I won't be looking for this project to line up in front of the cameras any time soon.
As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!