Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek remains one of Science Fiction's richest commodities.  Arguably, it's one of the few franchises that remains as relevant today as it was when it was first launched onto the broadcast dial: granted, it's shape and delivery may have changed ... but would you believe that, perhaps, it's richest behind-the-scenes tale involves one of entertainment's greatest comediennes?

I've known this story for quite some time, and I think it's definitely made the rounds certainly in many quarters which have covered Trek to even to a passing degree.  Still, I happened across this article (link) over the weekend which once more gave credit where credit is due -- Trek's biggest fan in its earliest days was none other than comedy legend Lucille Ball, whose Desilu Studios produced the show.

For those who've never heard it, I won't spoil all of the details (I encourage you to follow the link and read it for yourselves), but -- suffice it to say -- it involves the actress greenlighting both the original pilot as well as its second chance ("The Cage" was found much too cerebral for television executives), and lovely lady even ponied up some of her own money to make that happen.  The rest -- as they say -- is history ... but when our modern era is so replete with focusing on what's wrong in our collective world I thought it worth sharing a bit of positive news when this funny lady did something that, truly, changed the world, even if it was just believing in a little ol' television program.

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

Fans of the 1972 SciFi/Drama Silent Running from visionary director and special effects guru Douglas Trumbull have plenty to be excited about as Arrow Video recently announced they'd be pressing a new release of the groundbreaking film for distribution this upcoming November 17th.  I was alerted to the release via an email from one of the company's marketing reps, but the alert contained no specific details -- a must when I'm seeking to publish the product on the MainPage.  This morning, however, I found some of the specs on the web, and I'm doing the requisite copy-and-paste thing below.  Check it out if interested!

​
In 1968, visual effects pioneer Douglas Trumbull (The Andromeda Strain, Close Encounters of the Third Kind) contributed to the ground-breaking special photographic effects of Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. Four years later, he stamped his own indelible mark on the science fiction genre with his mesmerising directorial debut – Silent Running.

In the not-so-distant future, Earth is barren of all flora and fauna, with what remains of the planet’s former ecosystems preserved aboard a fleet of greenhouses orbiting in space. When the crews are ordered to destroy the remaining specimens, one botanist, Freeman Lowell (Bruce Dern, The ’Burbs), rebels and flees towards Saturn in a desperate bid to preserve his own little piece of Earth that was, accompanied only by the ship’s three service robots.

Featuring a captivating central performance by Dern, visual effects that rival anything in 2001 and a powerful ecological message, Silent Running is a haunting and prescient sci-fi classic that resonates even more strongly today than it did at the time of its original release.

SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS
–        Brand new 2K restoration from the original camera negative, approved by director Douglas Trumbull and produced by Arrow Video exclusively for this release 
–        High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray™ presentation
–        Original lossless mono audio
–        Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
–        Brand new audio commentary by critics Kim Newman and Barry Forshaw
–        Original audio commentary by Douglas Trumbull and actor Bruce Dern
–        Isolated music and effects track
–        No Turning Back, a new interview with film music historian Jeff Bond on the film’s score
–        First Run, a new visual essay by writer and filmmaker Jon Spira exploring the evolution of Silent Running’s screenplay
–        The Making of Silent Running, an archival 1972 on-set documentary
–        Silent Running by Douglas Trumbull and Douglas Trumbull: Then and Now, two archival interviews with the film’s director
–        A Conversation with Bruce Dern, an archival interview with the film’s lead actor
–        Theatrical trailer
–        Extensive behind-the-scenes gallery
–        Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Arik Roper
GUARANTEED THROUGH PREORDERS FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Barry Forshaw and Peter Tonguette”

Ah, the Gods!  They can be so cruel.  As if any of us needed yet one more reason to hate 2020, word has come to the Information Superhighway this morning that the lovely Diana Rigg has left us.

The talented actress became 'all the rage' (as it were) for her work aboard the popular Spy/Drama television program of the late 1960's The Avengers, a runaway hit definitely for its time and place.  And perhaps defying the odds over what they say about aging women being able to find little work, Rigg certainly kept busy, though her opportunities definitely turned to more conventional fare.  Still, late in her life, she returned to the world of Science Fiction and Fantasy with a top guest spot aboard HBO's stellar Game Of Thrones, introducing her to a whole new generation of fans.  Those who came to know the lady late in the game?  Do yourself a favor and check out The Avengers, and you'll find something worthy of your undivided attention.  Sure, it may be a bit dated: this can happen to programs which define the era of the conception ... and The Avengers did it stunningly well.

Alas, none of us last forever, though milady certainly gave it an admirable try ...

​May she rest in peace.

​Zombie films have been – and probably always will be – all the rage.
 
I’ve often wondered why.  After all, why would we – as a society – be so obsessed with seeing one cinematic version of our inevitable doom?  It isn’t as if we’re unaware that ‘the big sleep’ is coming for every single one of us, but what is it, specifically, that interests us about plague films?  Could it be that there’s this fear deep down inside of everyone that – as crazy as it sounds – unites all of us, regardless of color or creed?  Is there some latent behavior somehow genetically stitched into the very core of our DNA that makes audiences crave for yet one more glimpse into the darkest fate that awaits us all?
 
Truth: much has been written about this collective fascination with ‘zombiedom’ since George A. Romero’s Night Of The Living Dead reanimated the dead in such a way.  In fact, I’d argue that so much has been said about them that – unlike life itself – the business of plague films has become a vicious circle: a motion picture sparks the public’s interest, which leads to more films, which only leads to more discussion, which only leads to even more films, etc. upon etc. all the way until the undead are practically everywhere.
 
Given the breadth of such interest, I’d imagine it’s very difficult to bring something new to the whole zombie genre … but writer/director Jeff Barnaby and his cast and crew swing away with the release of Blood Quantum, now available on VOD, Digital HD, DVD and Blu-ray (just in time to inspire you for Halloween).  Having seen the film, I wanted to offer a few thoughts about what makes it different than the usual run-of-the-mill ‘living dead’ release.
 
[NOTE: the following review will contain minor spoilers necessarily solely for the discussion of plot and characters.  If you’re the type of person who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the end for the final assessment.  If, however, you are accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …]
 
From the promotional materials: “The indigenous people in the isolated reserve of Red Crow are immune to the zombie plague that has taken over the nation, but that doesn’t mean their lives aren’t at risk.  It’s up to Traylor, the tribal sheriff, to protect the families residing on the reserve and a flood of desperate refugees from the hordes of bloodthirsty, walking white corpses that are closing in.”
​

​I shouldn’t have to recount the sad but true history of what the ‘white man’ has done to the various tribes of Native American Indians throughout the years (rest assured, this review will not devolve into a political commentary as I’m fully capable of separating story from storytelling): Barnaby’s script doesn’t shirk that reality either, and he uses that background largely as ‘beats’ for his various characters.  From what I’ve read, “Blood Quantum” is a controversial and dated method by which government genealogical records determined (theoretically) how much Indian blood a person has.  Simply put, it’s the amount of Native blood in the person, and despite the evidence of its ‘bean-counting’ flaws some tribes still use it to establish citizenship within their ranks.
 
How does this political commentary contribute to the film?
 
As fate would have it, the indigenous people of the Red Crow reservation are immune to this particular strain of the zombie virus.  Where other storytellers might have gotten lost in the obvious political ramifications of that reality, Barnaby really only uses it as a springboard to explore his characters.  Traylor (played by Michael Greyeyes) is the reservation sheriff who has grown hardened over the years having to navigate both sides of the social coin – his own people and the neighboring ‘white folk.’  Joseph (Forrest Goodluck) – one of Traylor’s two sons – is disillusioned the way most normal teenagers are but has found love with Charlie, a white girl who is carrying his unborn child; he acts out his frustration in ways that typical amount to little more than juvenile vandalism.  Lysol (Kiowa Gordon) – Traylor’s other boy – is equally disillusioned but chooses to vent his frustration in potentially more destructive way; it’s clear that he’s the story’s ‘ticking time bomb,’ and he can’t wait to drag his two worlds into confrontation.
 
Still, setting aside Quantum’s social context isn’t all that hard: the core of any good zombie flick is – you guessed it – the thrill ride, and director Barnaby performs masterfully once the end of the world as we know it finally arrives.  Be warned: there’s a bit of a time jump – you can’t fashion all of mankind’s expiration in ninety minutes of film – but the story’s set-up is delivered with an almost Hitchcockian elegance – one most audiences probably aren’t expecting given the rules of the zombie genre.  Quantum is grim, indeed, when and where it needs to be; and that’s all the average viewer truly cares about with quality horror.
 
Now, I’m not above pointing out that Quantum has a few flaws.  Pacing is off just a bit in the second half, and – as characters are stereotypically prone to do in horror films – Barnaby’s make their own share of boneheaded decisions.  Still, as carnival thrill rides go, the film is about as effective as it can be while still relying on its political subtext right up until its last frame.  Don’t let those messages intrude upon your entertainment; don’t ask questions about just where a Native American samurai might come from; and you’re likely to be satisfied with this smaller, quieter, gentler (not) depiction of mankind’s inevitable doom.
 
The verdict?

​Recommended.  Blood Quantum might be one of the more interesting indie-style zombie films I’ve seen to come down the pike: though it moves along at a leisurely pace (unlike its plague-infected undead), it’s exceedingly well made and boasts solid performances from all of its players.  True, it’s a bit uneven at times, neglecting ‘the science’ about where/when the affliction comes from and why it affects only those it does, but – in the end – zombie outbreaks are all about ‘endings’ anyway … and, on that count, it delivers mankind’s finale much better than most.
 
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at RLJE Films provided me with a screener copy of Blood Quantum by request for the expressed purposes of completing this review; and their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.