Greetings, gentle readers!

One of the things I've been working behind-the-scenes on developing specifically for SciFiHistory.Net is the introduction of more daily features.  I know, I know, I know: you're all insisting that -- what with the wealth of research I've done to keep the interior Daily Citation Pages growing and growing and growing -- I've probably done enough, am I right?  Well, that wouldn't be the way I'd prefer to see the site continue expanding into strange new worlds and new civilizations, so all I ask is that you keep your eyes peeled for these new bits because they're definitely in the offing.  In fact, I'd wanted to make the transition over to doing them via YouTube.com videos, but I'm sadly behind-the-times on that front.  But stay focused ... we'll get there!

They always say that you'll remember your first doctor.

Now, the cynic in me suspects that it was some organization of pediatricians who came up with that phrase, but the truth is probably more likely owed to the contingent of fans who celebrate the wide, wide world of the Whoniverse ... more specifically, those who love all things related to the BBC's long-running SciFi/Fantasy serial Doctor Who.  Yes, I realize that property has -- ahem -- presently fallen onto pretty hard times, but -- like many of you -- I'll hold out hope that one day someone will come in and right the ship, sending the TARDIS spinning off once again the proper storytelling direction.  In the meantime -- as they say -- we'll always have yesterday.

Well, it was the late William Hartnell who gets to claim the title of 'the very first Doctor.'  While he wasn't my first (that was Tom Baker), I have had the opportunity over the years to go back and watch some of Hartnell's era on home video.  What I've seen is very good -- perhaps it's correct to say they're more 'charming' than they are moving -- and I think that he was undoubtedly the right candidate to bring the time traveler from Gallifrey to life in those first few fumbling moments.  He certainly set a welcoming tone for those who initially found the show; and for fandom owes him a debt we can never ever repay.

Happy heavenly birthday, William Hartnell!
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The 'Old Dogs' or the 'Old Guard' such as myself who cut our teeth on Science Fiction and Fantasy from the earlier era will forever be under the spell of the lovely Yvette Mimieux.

The acclaimed actress got her start in some small supporting roles, but nothing likely compared her for the path to genre fortune and fame when she scored the role as 'Weena' aboard George Pal's Oscar-winning adaptation of H.G. Wells' The Time Machine (1960) for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.  Naturally, Mimieux expanded her professional portfolio by persuing work in Dramas and Comedies of the era; but -- to fandom's delight -- she returned to the fold in 1979's The Black Hole, an early attempt of the Walt Disney Company to capitalize on the box office prospects that George Lucas's Star Wars set in motion.  While I'm not as much as fan of Hole as are so many of my generation, I'll still jump at the chance to watch the legendary Mimieux doing what she does so well on the silver screen.

Happy birthday, Yvette Mimieux!
​

Trekkies, Trekkers, and general Star Trek enthusiasts have almost always functioned from the same consumer attitude of cheering for our supporting players.

It's a big, big, big universe, you see, and because we've been boldly going for decades we've had the opportunity to be introduced to an incredibly vast number of smilers in each and every iteration of the property.  On some occasions, these guest stars make some an impression both behind-the-scenes and in front of the camera that producers or fans cry out for more; and that's the case today with actress Michelle Forbes.  Her 'Ensign Ro Laren' first appeared aboard Star Trek: The Next Generation in 1991 (though I've read that the actress had a different role in a previous installment); and she kept serving the Federation proudly for another seven adventures, each time earning more respect from her shipmates and fandom alike.

Thankfully, Forbes has been no stranger to the world of genre entertainment; and she's been able to parlay such favorable notices into gigs across several popular franchises and beyond.  She even gave a rather commanding performance aboard Syfy's reincarnated version of the beloved Battlestar Galactica during its time on the Boob Tube; and -- even though she wasn't exactly a Happy Camper in that universe (as a character) -- she definitely helped elevate that mythology to impressive heights.

Happy birthday, Michelle Forbes!
​

Alright, hear me out, you lucky bastards:

I realize that 2009's G.I. Joe: The Rise Of Cobra wasn't exactly everyone's cup of tea, but you know what?  I quite liked it.  The story of the wider Joe army banding together to save life as we know it was simply enough to keep me entertained, and the glitz and glamor of the action definitely appealed to the 12-14 year old boy's sensibilities still alive and well in this old man's beating heart.  No, it wasn't likely going to break any box office records nor get inducted into the National Film Registry, but it was fun ... and it had Rachel Nichols!

The lovely and talented actress may not have benefitted to any noticeably degree by appearing in the role of 'Scarlett,' but she still managed to turn more than a few heads in that costume.  (Snicker snicker!)  Plus, it gave her a chance to be seen -- something I'd imagine a great number of actresses would've been equally smitten with -- and she's also been able to expand her genre portfolio from there with work aboard Star Trek (2009), Continuum (2012-2015), The Librarians (2017-2018), Titans (2018-2019), and The Man In The High Castle (2019).  That, my friends, is some resume!

Happy birthday, Rachel Nichols!
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From SciFiHistory.Net's Daily Citation Page for January 8th:

As fans, we strive to bring meaning to those things -- films, books, TV shows, and even characters -- that give our lives meaning.  By doing so, we're given the chance to celebrate over and over and over again influences that otherwise go unnoticed by society-at-large, by the countless horde of mindless drones who haven't yet embraced these things that necessarily give us joy.  This is what I've always tried to do with SciFiHistory.Net; and it's a feature I occasionally get to draw a bit of attention through in these small(ish) Serendipity posts.  It's a tragedy when things are forgotten -- or lost in time -- and I hope that each of us -- no matter what franchise we celebrate -- share that simple trait in common.

That said: for those of you who may've missed it, 1982's seminal Science Fiction Classic Blade Runner -- from renowned director Ridley Scott -- brought us perhaps its most meaningful creation in the guise of the replicant Roy Batty.  His sometimes violent nature -- he was bred for combat, after all -- meant that he couldn't quite find peace in peacetime surroundings; and the character spent the better part of his last few days of existence trying to understand this crazy little thing called life, a journey each of us makes on his or her own.  It was a performance that continues to resonate decades later, and it's one of the most celebrated portrayals in all of Science Fiction.

According to the movie's mythology, Batty was born on this day -- January 8th -- in 2016.

That's today's serendipitous moment.

-- EZ
​

So many movies ... so little time ...

On this day in 2015 (in the United Kingdom), the big city of London, England played host for an exclusive theatrical presentation of After The World Ended.  Written and directed for the screen by Tony Sebastian Ukpo, the film starred Arinder Sadhra, Haruka Abe, Gabby Wong, and others. 

According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:

"An astronaut crashes in the middle of nowhere. A young woman searches for her family in an abandoned urban wasteland. A prisoner prepares for a space program that will make him the first human being on Mars."

-- EZ

So many movies ... so little time ...

On this day in 2009 (in the U.S.), the big city of Hollywood, California played host for an exclusive theatrical presentation of My Bloody Valentine 3D.  Directed by Patrick Lussier from a story by Todd Farmer, Zane Smith, John Beaird, and Stephen A. Miller, the film starred Jensen Ackles, Jaime King, Kerr Smith, and others. 

According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:

"Tom returns to his hometown on the tenth anniversary of the Valentine's night massacre that claimed the lives of 22 people. Instead of a homecoming, Tom finds himself suspected of committing the murders, and it seems like his old flame is the only one that believes he's innocent."

-- EZ

So many movies ... so little time ...

On this day in 2002 (in the U.S.), Killjoy 2: Deliverance From Evil enjoyed its release on home video ... and it wasn't clowning around (if you know what I mean)!  Written (in part) and directed by Tammi Sutton, the film starred Austin Priester, Debbie Rochon, Bobby Marsden, and others. 

​According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:

"En route to a run-down shelter they are set to renovate as community service, a group of juvenile delinquents and the two chaperones accompanying them run into a minor set-back when their bus breaks down. When trying to find a phone, one of the teens is shot, and the group finds shelter with a voodoo priestess. While trying to use voodoo to save their friend, two of the teens accidentally unleash the evil spirit known as Killjoy."

-- EZ

So many movies ... so much to celebrate!!!

On this day in 1971 (in West Germany), The Horrible Sexy Vampire enjoyed its theatrical premiere.  Written and directed by José Luis Madrid, the film starred Wal Davis, Patricia Loran, Barta Barri, and others. 

According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:

"People start getting murdered, and the coroner is convinced the killings are the workings of a reclusive odd baron who died decades ago. The baron's great grandson arrives to stay at his ancestor's castle as the strange murders continue."

-- EZ

From Google:

The Horrible Sexy Vampire (1971), also known as El vampiro de la autopista, is a slow, often dull Spanish vampire film set in Germany where a mysterious, invisible vampire stalks and kills women, often after they undress, leading to predictable nudity but little actual horror or sexiness, according to reviews, with its plot involving a young man inheriting a castle and uncovering his vampiric great-grandfather's curse. Critics found it misnamed, as the vampire wasn't particularly sexy or even consistently vampiric (often strangling or stabbing instead of biting), making it a generally tedious entry in the genre despite its title.

Key Aspects:

• Plot: A young Count Oblensky moves into his ancestral castle near Stuttgart, where a series of murders plague the area, linked to an ancient, invisible vampire curse tied to his family.
• The "Vampire": The killer is an invisible, ancient Baron who attacks women, but rather than typical neck-biting, he often strangles or stabs them, leading to confusion about his vampiric nature.
• Tone & Quality: Described as slow, plodding, and disappointing, it fails to deliver on the promise of its title, relying heavily on gratuitous nudity (women stripping before being attacked) to fill time.
• Production: A Spanish production filmed in Germany, it's noted for being a less-than-stellar example of 1970s Euro-horror, lacking atmosphere.
• Alternate Titles: Vampire of the Highway. 

​In essence, it's a notorious film for its misleading title, offering minimal thrills and a forgettable story despite its attempts at gothic horror and exploitation. ​

Greetings, gentle readers!

One of the things I've been working behind-the-scenes on developing specifically for SciFiHistory.Net is the introduction of more daily features.  I know, I know, I know: you're all insisting that -- what with the wealth of research I've done to keep the interior Daily Citation Pages growing and growing and growing -- I've probably done enough, am I right?  Well, that wouldn't be the way I'd prefer to see the site continue expanding into strange new worlds and new civilizations, so all I ask is that you keep your eyes peeled for these new bits because they're definitely in the offing.  In fact, I'd wanted to make the transition over to doing them via YouTube.com videos, but I'm sadly behind-the-times on that front.  But stay focused ... we'll get there!

In the meantime, let me introduce to you the first installment of the SciFi TopFive, a bit of extra spotlight shown on what I believe are the five biggest bits of trivia from the day of choice -- namely January 7th, 2026 -- worthy of our attention and celebration!
​

Technically, January 7th, 1929 wasn't exactly the first day that Buck Rogers -- of the incredible franchise Buck Rogers In The 25th Century -- was first seen by audiences.  Google.com reports that the character first appeared in the August, 1928 issue of Amazing Stories -- under the name of Anthony Rogers, as well -- but it was on January 7th of the next year that Buck finally came alive in his own serial format in glorious comic strip fashion.  From what I've read, not only was the strip a huge, huge, huge sensation with readers, but there are many -- far more educated than I -- which credit that serial as bringing Science Fiction to the masses-at-large for the very first time.

That, my friends, deserves a round of applause, am I right?

​Over the years, Buck's mythology expanded into radio serials, TV shows, and the silver screen, cementing the hero as one to watch as much for action and intrigue as he was for pure escapism.  Can you believe that the iconic figure turns an incredible 97 years young today?  Say it isn't so!
​

Now, little do most folks know, but it was precisely the impressive popularity of Buck Rogers that forced King Features Syndicate, illustrator Alex Raymond, and ghostwriter Don Moore to step into the realms of the Fantastic with their own do-gooder!  It was on this day all the way back in 1934 that audiences were introduced to Flash Gordon and his growing cast of sidekicks, all of them focused on the task of bringing down Ming The Merciless before the villain could bring all of Earthmen (and Earthwomen) to their knees!

Like Buck, Flash was greeted to wide acclaim by young and old alike.  Over the decades, the athlete-turned-astronaut has graced newspapers, comic books, and screens big and small, never shirking the responsibility to save every one of us from the clutches of evil lurking not very far out there in the cosmos.

Happy 92nd birthday, Flash!  Keep up the good work!

And speaking of Buck Rogers (as mentioned above) ...

You see, folks, I was there in the late 1970's when the latest iteration of Buck Rogers In The 25th Century came to life.  Alas, I never got the chance to see the Glen Larson produced film on the big screen -- I hold out hope that maybe someday I can convince the local bargain theater to run both that and the original Battlestar Galactica in a double-bill for fans -- but I did catch it on television as stuck with it through the somewhat campy series that followed.  Being young and impressionable and -- ahem -- of a certain age, I can assure you that a good many of my fellow male classmates tuned in for those weekly escapades as much for Buck as we did the glorious time spent at the altar of actress Erin Gray, the hero's fetching counterpart Col. Wilma Deering.

Just as the late Gil Gerard (who passed recently) embraced the good and bad of the program, Gray gave an inspired take of a kinda/sorta feminist-in-the-making who still had a bit of old school classy stand-up lady in her, meaning that she wasn't opposed on occasion to being swept off her feet.  Yes, the scripts didn't always put her character to the best use -- you see, this incarnation of Buck pretty closely followed in Captain Kirk's shoes and was fond of his female companionships -- but when the scribes got it right they really, really, really got it right.  Gray was a delight, one who wasn't afraid to trade barbs and blasts with the best of them; and the actress deserves a bit of extra attention on this, her celebrated birthday.

Happy birthday, Ms. Gray, and thanks for the memories!

What with AI -- Artificial Intelligence -- being all the rage these days, can I take a moment to tell you about Hallie Todd?

Star Trek: The Next Generation expended a great deal of effort in exploring its Spock-like clone -- Commander Data -- across its incredible seven seasons and subsequent motion pictures; but the truth is a great deal of Data's overall character arc was actually presented equally well in a singular episode ... but not necessarily by actor Brent Spiner as the singular android.  No, kudos go out to another of today's birthday girls -- actress Hallie Todd -- who was blessed with the opportunity to playing the sentient 'Lal' in the third season episode "The Offspring."

For those of you who missed it, Data created a moral quandry (of the week) in the adventure when he went about the business of building his own child not so much to show that he could do it but because -- in his pursuit of becoming more and more human -- he longed to experience parenthood up close and personal.  Lal -- as played by Todd -- brilliantly took viewers through her awakening and all the way until her bittersweet ending.  Unlike Data -- who seemingly lives forever in Trekdom -- Lal had an extremely limited scope with which to fully appreciate the mystery of existence; and the actress deserves a special place in all of Science Fiction for putting such a human face on 1990's flirtation with AI on the small screen.

Happy birthday, Hallie Todd!  (Sigh)  You broke our hearts!
​

Those of you who've never heard this, let me tell you the brief story of Star Trek's other Gene ...

His name was Gene L. Coon, and he had pretty much established his entertainment industry bona fides as a screenwriter, penning episodes for such genre programs as Zorro, Peter Gunn, My Favorite Martian, and Off To See The Wizard (animated) when he was tapped to assist Gene Roddenberry in bringing the ultimate 'Wagon Train To The Stars' to life for Desilu Studios.  As well as helping to produce the show, Coon was responsible for thirteen of its scripts, either directly or collaborating with others.  First season's "Arena," "Space Seed," and "The Devil In The Dark" are just a few examples of his genius at work, as are second season's "A Piece Of The Action" and "Bread And Circuses" along with third season's "Spectre Of The Gun" and "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield."

In fact, a quick search of Google.com suggests that Coon played a heavy hand in crafting some of the original lore for the groundbreaking Science Fiction fra70nchise.  A great many credit him for pushing at all costs for narrative focus on Trek's Trinity -- Kirk, Spock, and McCoy -- whenever possible; and I think it's very difficult to imagine what the entire property might look like without his participation.  Sadly, he passed away (from cancer, I believe) in the early 1970's, meaning he never got the chance to see how Trek evolved into the entertainment juggernaut it became in television syndication and film history.

Happy heavenly birthday, Gene L. Coon!

​-- EZ

So many movies ... so little time ...

On this day in 1995 (in the U.S.), audiences in attendance of The Hamptons' Film Festival were treated to an exclusive theatrical premiere presentation of Serpent's Lair.  Directed by Jeffrey Reiner from a story by Marc Rosenberg, the film starred Jeff Fahey, Lisa Barbuscia, Heather Medway, and others. 

​According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:

"Tom is seduced by a succubus (Lilith) who's out to drain him and destroy his marriage."

-- EZ

(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters.  If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for the final assessment.  If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
 
From the film’s IMDB.com page citation:
“An alien sound wave appears to take over a woman's body through a radio broadcast, while her disbelieving boyfriend struggles to accept her identity and save their relationship.”
 
Folks, I’m often confused of overthinking a premise – something that’s especially the case with independent flicks – to the point of absurdity.  Of course, I’m not using this space to defend myself, only trying to point out right up front why I might find a picture like That Alien, Sound (2025) as being a bit too broad or even a touch to saccharin for my tastes.  This isn’t to suggest that I didn’t enjoy it because it’s actually quite charming and maybe even a bit invigorating with its concept in spots: my issues lie with the totality of the presentation, stating categorically that it goes on for far too long for what it is, having made its simplest points more times than any audience should require.
 
Micah (played by Mia Danelle) is a record store clerk who – in the opening scenes – finds herself ‘Freaky Friday’d’ with Sound (also played by Danelle), literally an alien lifeform of a soundwave trapped in the ether but suddenly and unexplainably forced into the young woman’s human body.  Overcome with an onslaught of sensory overload, Sound begins the journey to understanding what life could be like “on the other side of the spectrum,” eventually finding more about herself in the process than Micah was doing while being the shell’s original owner.  En route to discovering a means with which to swap their souls back to the respective places, Sound comes to grips both with what life is beyond mere her simple existence while balancing out the emotional requirements of those Micah has surrounded herself with.
 
So … essentially, Sound (the film, not the character) is intended to be a journey of discovery, one wherein the childlike Sound (the character, not the film) embraces those daily surprises regular humans have grown to take for granted.  It’s this blissful innocence that fuels some of the flicks better sequences; and I say that even though there’s literally little to no explanation for how some intellect who had zero capacity of sight, taste, feeling, movement, and bodily control knows how to use all of them (well, most of them) right out of the gate.  In other words, if you’ve never eaten, then how would you know to eat?  If you’ve never read or spoken or sang, then how would you know that not only you were doing them but also doing them properly?  Writer/director Brando Topp only touches on such things circumstantially, instead relying on Danelle’s comic intensity to salvage the mood.  Luckily, it works most of the time, and that’s a nod to both his and her effectiveness in their respective roles.
 
Where Sound (the film again, not the character) kinda/sorta goes awry is that a bit too much character development eventually reveals both Micah and her beau Shannon (Will Tranfo) as lovers ill-suited to provide for each other’s needs. 
 
Micah has crossed into her ‘Social Justice Warrior’ era, essentially coming to hate just about anything and everything that goes hand-in-hand with being a responsible member of society and marital-like partnership, of which she’s seriously involved with the young man.  Similarly, Shannon – who is rather thinly drawn by comparison – apparently only seeks to respond to her every request as if he’s the sole mover and shaker of her happiness; and the relationship is shown mostly in tatters through some weirdly inserted flashbacks that could’ve used a bit more context.  The message here is that these two should most definitely not be together, and that robs the film’s second half – their road trip to a music festival wherein they believe they can lure Micah’s essence back into her body – of any impact.  We know they’re not destined to be, so why (oh why) should we be rooting for their reunion?
 
To Topp’s benefit, this second half does fulfill most of the requirements of the traditional independent movie.  There’s a lot of self-discovery packed into rather ineloquently staged moments – i.e. Shannon begins to realize he’s not really up for effective partnering; Sound explores homosexual sexual attraction that buds literally out of nowhere; only the truly quirky individuals need apply to such off-the-beaten path storytelling; etc. – so kudos are extended to all involved for knowing this wasn’t likely going to be a big, crowd-pleasing summer blockbuster.  Again, that’s not intended as any insult because I’m a fan of flicks that know what they are and stick to a gameplan: Sound (the film) does no less.
 
Entirely too long to support its central premise, Sound could’ve benefited from a trimming that clarified whether or not the journey was better suited as a comedy or an indie commentary on the wider state of global affairs.  Methinks it works best with its rather obvious humor of the first half that’s glaringly absent when it grows serious in the second, and maybe even the script could’ve invested a bit less with making Micah so unlikable.  Her somewhat self-absorbed rants feel a bit too much like Reddit soapboxing (of course, we’re destroying our world, just look at how someone thought Reddit was a good idea), and I ended up confused at why Shannon clung to their relationship for so long in the first place but not surprised when he gives Sound the chance to give peace a chance.  Who’d want to shack up with that proverbial space case when a real one was maybe right around the corner?
 
That Alien, Sound (2025) was produced by Poembaked Productions and Streets Ahead Productions.  DVD distribution (for this particular release) has been coordinated by the fine folks at Rising Sun Media and Darkside Releasing.  As for the technical specifications?  While I’m no trained video expert, I can assure readers that there are no obvious blemishes anywhere in this 100-minute running-time … but there is a curious plunge into blackness that I believe was a poor artistic choice.  Lastly, if you’re looking for special features?  Sadly, this is a bare bones release, meaning there’s nothing much to behold except the film itself.  A big miss, but what do I know?
 
Alas … only Mildly Recommended.
 
As good as That Alien, Sound (2025) is an independent feature (and it is quite good), it’s only surprisingly monosyllabic, meaning that it only hits one beat.  While it’s also easy to give kudos for sticking to the premise, writer/director Brando Topp still could’ve given his talented lead a bit more to do by pushing for more experiences in this compressed road-trip-of-a-movie.  Sadly, Micah (not Sound) seems to have surrounded herself with folks only interested in the here and now; and Sound (not Micah) falls fairly easily into the trap of keeping things a bit too superficial.  While the script occasionally stretches for a bit more relevance, what we learn in the final reveal is that Micah (not Sound) is far too invested in ‘checking out’ anyway; and this ultimately gives Sound (not Micah) the chance to continue her odyssey in a sequel, though I’m not sure many would show up for more of the same.
 
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Darkside Releasing (via Allied Vaughan) provided me with a complimentary Blu-ray of That Alien, Sound (2025) by request for the expressed purpose of completing this review.  Their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.

-- EZ
​