After you’ve been a late-night comedy writer grinding out 80 to 100 monologue jokes a day to the point where you feel worn down to a gibbering brain stem, what do you do?
If you are Stephen Levinson, you join an ad agency in Dayton, Ohio in order to keep you and your family sustained and healthy—and to satisfy that jones to still be funny, you invent a podcast that re-creates blockbuster movies as completely unhinged and likely unpublishable “novelizations,” a la the quickie paperback versions of every iteration of Star Wars that filled drug store shelves in the 70’s and 80’s.
Then you invite other refugees from late night and other comedy-writing venues to join in, recruit an unlikely phalanx of genuinely famous comedy performers to do the “narrating” of chapters of your faux novels, and you end up with a funny and buzzy comedy podcast called “The Novelizers.
If you are Stephen Levinson, you join an ad agency in Dayton, Ohio in order to keep you and your family sustained and healthy—and to satisfy that jones to still be funny, you invent a podcast that re-creates blockbuster movies as completely unhinged and likely unpublishable “novelizations,” a la the quickie paperback versions of every iteration of Star Wars that filled drug store shelves in the 70’s and 80’s.
Then you invite other refugees from late night and other comedy-writing venues to join in, recruit an unlikely phalanx of genuinely famous comedy performers to do the “narrating” of chapters of your faux novels, and you end up with a funny and buzzy comedy podcast called “The Novelizers.
- 4/22/2024
- by Bill Carter
- LateNighter
The best things come in threes, especially stories. In Western nations, we like a three-act structure in which we set a status quo, watch our heroes fall, and then see them return to greatness. Some of these stories cannot be held within a single movie. For those epics, those monumental narratives, the movie trilogy was born. Trilogies represent some of the best that cinema has to offer, movies that changed the culture and the art form. The trilogy might vary in quality from film to film, but together these three films tell a story that cannot be ignored.
Before we get too far, let’s lay out our criteria. The trilogies chosen here are those intended to be a trilogy, either from the outset or by the end of the third film. Thus we’re including things such as the Toy Story and Indiana Jones trilogies, even though those continued on with further entries.
Before we get too far, let’s lay out our criteria. The trilogies chosen here are those intended to be a trilogy, either from the outset or by the end of the third film. Thus we’re including things such as the Toy Story and Indiana Jones trilogies, even though those continued on with further entries.
- 4/20/2024
- by Joe George
- Den of Geek
J.J. Abrams' 2013 film "Star Trek Into Darkness" was a parallel universe retread of Nicholas Meyer's 1982 film "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan." In Abrams' movie, the central villain, Khan Noonien Singh, was played by Benedict Cumberbatch, while in Meyer's film, Khan was played by Ricardo Montalbán. Both films feature the death of Kirk and/or Spock, and both films feature the survivor yelling "Khaaaaan!" The plots of the films differ, however, as Khan remains the central villain of the 1982 film, while he was supplanted by a vengeful Admiral Marcus (Peter Weller) in "Into Darkness."
Both films also feature Dr. Carol Marcus, a paramour of Captain Kirk (Chris Pine in "Into Darkness" and William Shatner in "Wrath of Khan"). In "Star Trek Into Darkness," Dr. Marcus was played by Alice Eve, taking over for Bibi Besch in "Wrath of Khan." Because the characters in "Into Darkness" are...
Both films also feature Dr. Carol Marcus, a paramour of Captain Kirk (Chris Pine in "Into Darkness" and William Shatner in "Wrath of Khan"). In "Star Trek Into Darkness," Dr. Marcus was played by Alice Eve, taking over for Bibi Besch in "Wrath of Khan." Because the characters in "Into Darkness" are...
- 4/7/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
This Star Trek: Discovery article contains spoilers.
At the end of the Star Trek: Discovery season five premiere “Red Directive,” Dr. Kovich finally levels with Captain Burnham. The mission that she and her crew had been on throughout the episode has escalated beyond even Admiral Vance’s clearance, to a level that only someone as deep within the Federation as Kovich can understand.
The mission involves the Progenitors, the source of all humanoid life in the universe. “A few thousand years ago, we’d have found them gods,” says Kovich. But to long-time Trekkies, the Progenitors are also the topic of a remarkable episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
As much as we all love Star Trek and its wild world of alien races, the fact remains that the large majority of those aliens are just regular-looking humans with different bits of putty slapped on their foreheads. Romulans, Klingons,...
At the end of the Star Trek: Discovery season five premiere “Red Directive,” Dr. Kovich finally levels with Captain Burnham. The mission that she and her crew had been on throughout the episode has escalated beyond even Admiral Vance’s clearance, to a level that only someone as deep within the Federation as Kovich can understand.
The mission involves the Progenitors, the source of all humanoid life in the universe. “A few thousand years ago, we’d have found them gods,” says Kovich. But to long-time Trekkies, the Progenitors are also the topic of a remarkable episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
As much as we all love Star Trek and its wild world of alien races, the fact remains that the large majority of those aliens are just regular-looking humans with different bits of putty slapped on their foreheads. Romulans, Klingons,...
- 4/4/2024
- by Joe George
- Den of Geek
After the release of "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country" in 1991, a consensus began to form among Trekkies as to which Trek movie was the best. Most fans agreed that the even-numbered films -- "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan," "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home," and "Country" -- were the good ones, while the odd-numbered film -- "Star Trek: The Motion Picture," "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock," and "Star Trek V: The Final Frontier" -- were the bad ones. This is arguably an unfair assessment, although "Final Frontier" is still often considered the worst in the series, and "Voyage Home" remains one of the most popular.
Indeed, "Voyage Home," even when not adjusted for inflation, remains the most financially successful "Star Trek" movie released before 2009. This might seem unusual to a 21st-century eye, as "Voyage Home" was a fish-out-of-water time travel comedy and not a revenge-motivated action flick.
Indeed, "Voyage Home," even when not adjusted for inflation, remains the most financially successful "Star Trek" movie released before 2009. This might seem unusual to a 21st-century eye, as "Voyage Home" was a fish-out-of-water time travel comedy and not a revenge-motivated action flick.
- 3/31/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
After a long wait, the U.S.S. Enterprise has received a response from the planet Eminiar VII. They had hoped to contact the planet and establish diplomatic relations with the inhabitants in the star cluster. But the message they receive in return is simple: stay away.
When Kirk gets that reply, he intends to respects their wishes. But no sooner does he order the Enterprise to change course than a man arrives on the bridge and overrides Kirk. This moment must have shocked the first viewers of “A Taste of Armageddon” from the first season of The Original Series of Star Trek. After all, who could override the Captain on his own ship?
The answer is the United Federation of Planets, for whom the man, Ambassador Robert Fox (Gene Lyons), works. Although “A Taste of Armageddon” aired in 1967, the distinction between Starfleet and the Federation still confuses viewers today.
When Kirk gets that reply, he intends to respects their wishes. But no sooner does he order the Enterprise to change course than a man arrives on the bridge and overrides Kirk. This moment must have shocked the first viewers of “A Taste of Armageddon” from the first season of The Original Series of Star Trek. After all, who could override the Captain on his own ship?
The answer is the United Federation of Planets, for whom the man, Ambassador Robert Fox (Gene Lyons), works. Although “A Taste of Armageddon” aired in 1967, the distinction between Starfleet and the Federation still confuses viewers today.
- 3/18/2024
- by Joe George
- Den of Geek
There will be spoilers for "Star Wars - The High Republic: Defy the Storm" by Tessa Gratton and Justina Ireland.
"Star Wars: The High Republic" continues its march through its third phase with the release of "Star Wars: Defy the Storm," which was co-written by Tessa Gratton and Justina Ireland. It builds off the events of "Star Wars - The High Republic: The Eye of Darkness" and shows us a galaxy in disarray thanks to the evil Nihil and their Stormwall. For those who haven't been keeping up with the High Republic era, these books are set more than a hundred years before the events of "The Phantom Menace" and are a look at the Jedi at their true height, just as they begin their descent that will ultimately lead to their destruction. They face an enemy called the Nihil, brutal pirates who will stop at nothing to take what they want.
"Star Wars: The High Republic" continues its march through its third phase with the release of "Star Wars: Defy the Storm," which was co-written by Tessa Gratton and Justina Ireland. It builds off the events of "Star Wars - The High Republic: The Eye of Darkness" and shows us a galaxy in disarray thanks to the evil Nihil and their Stormwall. For those who haven't been keeping up with the High Republic era, these books are set more than a hundred years before the events of "The Phantom Menace" and are a look at the Jedi at their true height, just as they begin their descent that will ultimately lead to their destruction. They face an enemy called the Nihil, brutal pirates who will stop at nothing to take what they want.
- 3/5/2024
- by Bryan Young
- Slash Film
Even if you don’t know an El-Aurian from an Illyrian, even if you can’t tell the original Enterprise from the Enterprise-D, you’re probably familiar with one of the fundamental rules of Star Trek: redshirts always die.
Unlike many of the popular misconceptions about the series, the redshirt stereotype does have grounding in the show. Over the course of three seasons in The Original Series, 26 characters wearing red tunics died, as opposed to 15 wearing gold and blue combined. But that trend stopped with the Star Trek movies, and continued to fall away with The Next Generation and the spinoffs that followed.
Why, you ask? Because the costume colors signify a crewman’s role on their particular ship, and the color scheme changed between Tos and Tng.
Although some Trekkies hate to admit it, Star Trek didn’t really have much in the way of canon in its first few episodes.
Unlike many of the popular misconceptions about the series, the redshirt stereotype does have grounding in the show. Over the course of three seasons in The Original Series, 26 characters wearing red tunics died, as opposed to 15 wearing gold and blue combined. But that trend stopped with the Star Trek movies, and continued to fall away with The Next Generation and the spinoffs that followed.
Why, you ask? Because the costume colors signify a crewman’s role on their particular ship, and the color scheme changed between Tos and Tng.
Although some Trekkies hate to admit it, Star Trek didn’t really have much in the way of canon in its first few episodes.
- 2/27/2024
- by Joe George
- Den of Geek
"Star Trek" is one of the most iconic and enduring science fiction franchises of all time, following the adventures of Starfleet in the far-future as they explore space, the final frontier. To bring strange new worlds and civilizations to life, "Star Trek" leans heavily into visual effects, many of them cutting edge for technology available at the time. These special effects did everything from showcasing the starship Enterprise to making the ship's memorable transporter look seamlessly functional. Simply put, "Star Trek" wouldn't be what it is without its meticulously realized visual effects.
It takes a whole team and a whole process to bring these futuristic sights to the screen and these behind-the-scenes photographs offer a look at how it was all made. From extensive use of models and bluescreen to modern digital projection, "Star Trek" uses every visual effect trick in the book to thrill audiences. Here is what "Star Trek...
It takes a whole team and a whole process to bring these futuristic sights to the screen and these behind-the-scenes photographs offer a look at how it was all made. From extensive use of models and bluescreen to modern digital projection, "Star Trek" uses every visual effect trick in the book to thrill audiences. Here is what "Star Trek...
- 2/18/2024
- by Samuel Stone
- Slash Film
"Star Trek" has always loved a deep-cut starship name. In the original series, the U.S.S. Farragut borrowed a name from a Civil War-era Union Navy officer. In "Star Trek: Lower Decks," every California Class ship is named after a different city in the West Coast state, from Redding to Riverside. Figures ranging from Ursula K. Le Guin to Thomas Edison to Elmer Fudd have all gotten the starship name treatment, but one of the earliest named starships in the series had a much less admirable origin story.
The S.S. Botany Bay made its first appearance in the "Star Trek: The Original Series" episode "Space Seed," which introduced viewers to the infamous villain Khan Noonien Singh (Ricardo Montalban). Viewers with a keen sense of geography may have realized they were due to meet a baddie before Khan ever appeared, though, because Botany Bay holds a uniquely horrifying place in history.
The S.S. Botany Bay made its first appearance in the "Star Trek: The Original Series" episode "Space Seed," which introduced viewers to the infamous villain Khan Noonien Singh (Ricardo Montalban). Viewers with a keen sense of geography may have realized they were due to meet a baddie before Khan ever appeared, though, because Botany Bay holds a uniquely horrifying place in history.
- 2/2/2024
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
The general consensus among sci-fi fans is that Nicholas Meyer's 1982 film "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" is the best of the 13 extant "Star Trek" movies. Watching the film, it's easy to see why it has this reputation; it's a corker of a thriller. It's a film that deals with Kirk getting older and having to face the consequences of his reckless younger days as a captain, facing the fact that he may not be the hero he thought he was. Moreso, though, the film features a very non-Trek villain in Khan (Ricardo Montalbán), a vicious ultra-human hellbent on revenge. Khan was such a powerful villain that he kind of altered the way "Star Trek" movies were perceived, and many of the more recent Trek flicks eschewed the show's typical bent toward diplomacy and science in favor of morally simplistic, violence-ready hero-vs.-villain stories.
Trekkies have a wonderful...
Trekkies have a wonderful...
- 1/28/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Most Trekkies will be able to tell you that Robert Wise's 1979 film "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" wasn't as big a success as Paramount had hoped. The film is famously slow-moving, aiming for cosmic grandeur and hefty evolutionary themes over the then-popular whizzbang action of "Star Wars." "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry oversaw the production of "Motion Picture," and the overall tepid response left him in Paramount's bad graces. This was in addition to multiple delays in filming, the production going over budget, and those common studio spats so often classified as "creative differences." According to William Shatner (as he wrote in his autobiography "Star Trek Movie Memories"), Roddenberry was essentially fired from the production of any potential sequel for "Motion Picture" as a result of all the drama, and the Great Bird of the Galaxy was given the faraway and somewhat demeaning title of "executive consultant" on any future productions.
- 1/28/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Nicholas Meyer's 1982 film "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" is all about growing older. Admiral Kirk (William Shatner) is rounding middle age and has to start wearing glasses. He also has to face the fact that he fathered a child many years ago, while also facing a foe he abandoned on a distant planet and forgot about. Kirk's youthful days of recklessness are catching up to him.
Meanwhile, Spock (Leonard Nimoy) is on the cusp of retirement and has found a protégé he intends to train as his replacement. This is the young lieutenant Saavik (Kirstie Alley), a half-Vulcan, half-Romulan officer who is as baffled by humanity as Spock was in his early Enterprise days. Saavik is also confident and even a little arrogant, qualities she will start to outgrow by the film's conclusion.
Prior to "Star Trek II," Alley had only appeared in an uncredited role in the sci-fi sitcom "Quark,...
Meanwhile, Spock (Leonard Nimoy) is on the cusp of retirement and has found a protégé he intends to train as his replacement. This is the young lieutenant Saavik (Kirstie Alley), a half-Vulcan, half-Romulan officer who is as baffled by humanity as Spock was in his early Enterprise days. Saavik is also confident and even a little arrogant, qualities she will start to outgrow by the film's conclusion.
Prior to "Star Trek II," Alley had only appeared in an uncredited role in the sci-fi sitcom "Quark,...
- 1/25/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
The character of Dr. Carol Marcus (Bibi Besch) was introduced in Nicholas Meyer's 1982 film "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan." Dr. Marcus had invented a revolutionary terraforming technology called the Genesis Wave which could be fired into a planet and rearrange the entire world's ecosystem to make it livable. In "Khan," the technology was still untested, and Dr. Marcus was searching for a life-free planet -- sans even scant microbes -- to terraform. With her was her bitter son David (Merritt Butrick) who expressed quite openly how much he hated the formalism and military underpinnings of Starfleet. He would rather carry out scientific experiments with his mother in peace.
It would eventually be revealed that Dr. Marcus was an old lover of Admiral Kirk (William Shatner) and that David was actually Kirk's long-lost son. "Star Trek II" was at least partially devoted to Kirk reconnecting with Dr. Marcus,...
It would eventually be revealed that Dr. Marcus was an old lover of Admiral Kirk (William Shatner) and that David was actually Kirk's long-lost son. "Star Trek II" was at least partially devoted to Kirk reconnecting with Dr. Marcus,...
- 1/24/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Dashing, magnetic superstar Ricardo Montalbán got his start in the 1940s, appearing in numerous notable hit films in his native Mexico, playing a variety of roles in romantic dramas, historical comedies, and other swashbuckling adventures. His natural dazzle and ineffable "it" qualities caught the eye of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1947, and he shot the English-language film "Fiesta" with Esther Williams, Cyd Charisse, and Mary Astor. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Montalbán became incredibly busy, starring in romances, dramas, and an enormous amount of American TV, including one-shot TV movies and multiple notable hit shows. He was in "Dr. Kildare," "The Man from U.N.C.L.E.," "Gunsmoke," "Hawaii Five-o," and, of course, "Star Trek," playing the charismatic tyrant Khan Noonien Singh.
A new generation of Montalbán fans was born with the debut of "Fantasy Island" in 1978. On "Fantasy Island," Montalbán played the mysterious Mr. Roarke, the manager of Devil's Island, a remote, hard-to-get-to tropical paradise...
A new generation of Montalbán fans was born with the debut of "Fantasy Island" in 1978. On "Fantasy Island," Montalbán played the mysterious Mr. Roarke, the manager of Devil's Island, a remote, hard-to-get-to tropical paradise...
- 1/23/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
I watch a lot of movies, but even ones that stab at my heart rarely make me tear up. "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" is, to quote Hayley Williams of Paramore, the only exception.
Spock (Leonard Nimoy) dies to save the Enterprise and his comrades, taking a lethal dose of radiation when giving the ship's engine a boost. He passes on after a final conversation with his best friend James Kirk (William Shatner). It's fair to say Nimoy was a better actor than Shatner, yet it's the latter who affects me most here. From the way his voice trembles as he yells Spock's name to the quiet heartbreak across his face as he watches his friend's final moments of pain, it's the most empathic acting I've ever seen from Shatner.
So, there's a part of me that will always resent the next film, "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock,...
Spock (Leonard Nimoy) dies to save the Enterprise and his comrades, taking a lethal dose of radiation when giving the ship's engine a boost. He passes on after a final conversation with his best friend James Kirk (William Shatner). It's fair to say Nimoy was a better actor than Shatner, yet it's the latter who affects me most here. From the way his voice trembles as he yells Spock's name to the quiet heartbreak across his face as he watches his friend's final moments of pain, it's the most empathic acting I've ever seen from Shatner.
So, there's a part of me that will always resent the next film, "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock,...
- 1/21/2024
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
Khan Noonien Singh's trajectory as a fictional character is the opposite of his in-universe life story. He was once a superhuman tyrant who ruled much of the Earth — after being overthrown, he fled to space aboard the SS Botany Bay. Upon reawakening, he was bested twice by James T. Kirk and died failing to avenge himself. For audiences though, Khan went from a villain of the week (in the "Star Trek" episode "Space Seed") to the greatest of all "Trek" villains thanks to his reappearance in the film "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan."
Before "The Wrath of Khan," however, "Star Trek" was in trouble. "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" underwhelmed, Paramount was hesitant about a sequel, and Leonard Nimoy had to be convinced to return as Spock. That's why the film famously ends with his character dying — except, during shooting, Nimoy changed his mind about exiting. Thus, when...
Before "The Wrath of Khan," however, "Star Trek" was in trouble. "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" underwhelmed, Paramount was hesitant about a sequel, and Leonard Nimoy had to be convinced to return as Spock. That's why the film famously ends with his character dying — except, during shooting, Nimoy changed his mind about exiting. Thus, when...
- 1/20/2024
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
The arc of the "Star Trek" films released from 2009 to 2016 is an odd one. In 2009, J.J. Abrams' "Star Trek" rebooted the film series in a new timeline, depicting a brand new cast of younger actors playing the "Star Trek" characters we all knew and loved but altered thanks to a causality/time travel conceit. That film was a massive hit, repurposing "Star Trek" into a slick, sexy action franchise. Long gone were the days of philosophical intellectualizing and tales of diplomacy. Thousands of nerdy conversations immediately began as to what constituted the "real" version of "Star Trek" and what didn't.
Abrams followed his film in 2012 with "Star Trek Into Darkness," a film that repurposed the character of Khan (Benedict Cumberbatch) previously seen in "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan." That film was also a hit but is generally not as liked as the 2009 film.
It's notable that in...
Abrams followed his film in 2012 with "Star Trek Into Darkness," a film that repurposed the character of Khan (Benedict Cumberbatch) previously seen in "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan." That film was also a hit but is generally not as liked as the 2009 film.
It's notable that in...
- 1/16/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
More than 40 years ago, in 1982, director Nicholas Meyer's "The Wrath of Khan" revitalized "Star Trek," overcoming its low budget to be the shot in the arm that "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" failed to be.
This was the second time that the "Star Trek: The Original Series" cast reunited on the silver screen. With how long it has been, it's sadly unsurprising that most of the original "Star Trek" main cast is no longer with us. Spock's sacrifice and emotional last exchange with Kirk in "The Wrath of Khan" are even sadder and more poignant now with Leonard Nimoy's real-life passing in 2015.
Even most of the film's own supporting cast have passed on. Ricardo Montalbán, who delivered the performance of a lifetime as Khan Noonien Singh himself, died in 2009 at age 88. However, a select few of the movie's cast are still with us.
Read more: Celebrities You...
This was the second time that the "Star Trek: The Original Series" cast reunited on the silver screen. With how long it has been, it's sadly unsurprising that most of the original "Star Trek" main cast is no longer with us. Spock's sacrifice and emotional last exchange with Kirk in "The Wrath of Khan" are even sadder and more poignant now with Leonard Nimoy's real-life passing in 2015.
Even most of the film's own supporting cast have passed on. Ricardo Montalbán, who delivered the performance of a lifetime as Khan Noonien Singh himself, died in 2009 at age 88. However, a select few of the movie's cast are still with us.
Read more: Celebrities You...
- 1/14/2024
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
Nicholas Meyer's well-regarded 1982 sci-fi film "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" is all about failure. It begins with Admiral Kirk (William Shatner) looking down the barrel of middle age, having to acknowledge that he's likely past his prime. His eyesight is failing, and Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley) prescribes old-fashioned glasses. As the film progresses, we learn that Kirk has an adult son named David (Merritt Butrick) that he wasn't present to raise, and an old enemy, Khan (Ricardo Montalbán), whom he had left on Ceti Alpha V decades ago and had completely forgotten about.
Kirk tells a story of taking a test in Starfleet Academy called the Kobayashi Maru, a test that is designed to make the subject fail; it's meant to gauge a student's command acumen in a no-win scenario. Kirk so wanted to win that he changed the test, effectively cheating. He had, audiences learn, never...
Kirk tells a story of taking a test in Starfleet Academy called the Kobayashi Maru, a test that is designed to make the subject fail; it's meant to gauge a student's command acumen in a no-win scenario. Kirk so wanted to win that he changed the test, effectively cheating. He had, audiences learn, never...
- 1/9/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Both "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" and "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock" ended poorly for the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise. "Khan" did see the defeat of a vengeful villain and the reunion between Admiral Kirk (William Shatner) and his son David (Merritt Butrick), but it required the sacrifice of Spock (Leonard Nimoy) and the severe buffetting of the Enterprise itself. "Search" ended with the resurrection of Spock, but required the theft and the destruction of the Enterprise, as well as the death of David at the hands of vengeful Klingons. Spock was back, but Kirk was now a wanted criminal with no vessel to command.
It's no wonder, then, that the makers of "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home" decided to affect a much lighter tone. "Voyage" saw the Enterprise crew, on board a clunky old Klingon vessel, traveling back in time to...
It's no wonder, then, that the makers of "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home" decided to affect a much lighter tone. "Voyage" saw the Enterprise crew, on board a clunky old Klingon vessel, traveling back in time to...
- 1/8/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
It's most popularly accepted by Trekkies and by general audiences that, of the 13 "Star Trek" movies to date, Nicholas Meyer's 1982 film "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" is the best. It's certainly the most celebrated, and one might find "The Wrath of Khan" the most commonly programmed Trek flick at repertory movie theaters. It's easy to understand why it's so beloved; "Khan" is, compared to its 1979 predecessor, a straight-up action picture. "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" was a deliberately paced psychedelic light show akin to Stanley Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey," and ended with a character evolving into light. "Khan," meanwhile, was a juicy revenge film starring Ricardo Montalbán as an overacting supervillain, hellbent on destruction, and climaxing with a battleship-like, weapons-forward faceoff in a nebula. "Motion Picture" is for meditating. "Khan" is outright thrilling.
When a follow-up to "Motion Picture" was still in development, "Star Trek...
When a follow-up to "Motion Picture" was still in development, "Star Trek...
- 1/1/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
One of HBO’s former hot properties returns in a big way this January, as True Detective season four finally arrives on the service. Will this be a return to form for the gritty show? Well, that remains unclear, but this time around the anthology series will follow detectives Liz Danvers (Jodie Foster) and Evangeline Navarro (Kali Reis) as the long winter darkness in Alaska. When eight people at the Tsalal Arctic Research Station vanish without a trace, these detectives need to get on the case quickly.
Also hitting Max this month is the final season of Sort Of. Season three finds Sabi (Bilal Baig) dealing with the unexpected death of their father, and making some big life choices as a result.
Here’s everything coming to (and leaving) HBO and Max this month…
HBO and Max New Releases – January 2024
January 1
90 Day Fiancé: Holiday Special 2023 #3 (TLC) 90 Day Fiancé Pillow Talk...
Also hitting Max this month is the final season of Sort Of. Season three finds Sabi (Bilal Baig) dealing with the unexpected death of their father, and making some big life choices as a result.
Here’s everything coming to (and leaving) HBO and Max this month…
HBO and Max New Releases – January 2024
January 1
90 Day Fiancé: Holiday Special 2023 #3 (TLC) 90 Day Fiancé Pillow Talk...
- 1/1/2024
- by Kirsten Howard
- Den of Geek
It's pretty well known among Trekkies that Robert Wise's 1979 feature film "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" came about after the proposed 1977 TV series "Star Trek: Phase II" never quite made it off the ground. "Phase II" was meant to be the initial "Star Trek" spinoff series, but various behind-the-scenes decisions eventually saw the project mutating to fit the big screen. "Phase II" characters were changed to be part of "The Motion Picture," and several ideas for "Phase II" scripts made their way into future episodes of "Star Trek: The Next Generation," which debuted in 1987.
Trekkies will also tell you that Paramount was unimpressed by the box office numbers for "Motion Picture," a film that "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry was heavily involved in. Harold Livingston is the credited screenwriter, but Roddenberry aided in the story and served as producer. Because "Motion Picture" was a relative dud, Roddenberry was pushed out of the sequel.
Trekkies will also tell you that Paramount was unimpressed by the box office numbers for "Motion Picture," a film that "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry was heavily involved in. Harold Livingston is the credited screenwriter, but Roddenberry aided in the story and served as producer. Because "Motion Picture" was a relative dud, Roddenberry was pushed out of the sequel.
- 1/1/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
The Starfleet uniforms seen on the original "Star Trek" series back in 1966 were designed by William Ware Theiss, a costume designer who had previously worked on major Hollywood productions like "Spartacus," and who would go on to design for films like "Harold & Maude," "Bound for Glory," and "Pete's Dragon." According to an article on StarTrek.com, Theiss became friends with D.C. Fontana on the set of "Spartacus" (Fontana worked as a member of the studio's typing pool), which gave him the connection he needed to land his "Star Trek" job. It was Theiss' idea to make futuristic space uniforms look more shirt-like and casual, which stood in contrast to the shiny-and-chrome sci-fi costumes that were more in vogue at the time.
Theiss was also notorious for the skin-revealing outfits he designed for the show's many female guest stars, and he was noted for being able to ride the line...
Theiss was also notorious for the skin-revealing outfits he designed for the show's many female guest stars, and he was noted for being able to ride the line...
- 12/30/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Max’s January 2024 lineup includes season four of True Detective, led by Oscar-winner Jodie Foster, as well as the third and final season of Sort Of with Bilal Baig. Max is also kicking off the new year with the debut of On The Roam, an eight-part documentary series featuring Aquaman star Jason Momoa.
The streaming service’s January 2024 roster includes the return of Real Time with Bill Maher for season 22, along with the seventh season of Rick and Morty. The critically acclaimed documentary Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project arrives on January 8.
Series & Films Arriving On Max In January 2024:
January 1
90 Day Fiancé: Holiday Special 2023 #3 (TLC)
90 Day Fiancé Pillow Talk: Single All The Way (TLC)
The A-Team (2010)
After Earth (2013)
Alvin and The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (2009)
Aniara (2019)
Austenland (2013)
Bachelorette (2012)
Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me (2013)
Body at Brighton Rock (2019)
Booty Call (1997)
The Breakfast Club (1985)
The Brothers (2001)
Cabin Fever (2003)
Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever...
The streaming service’s January 2024 roster includes the return of Real Time with Bill Maher for season 22, along with the seventh season of Rick and Morty. The critically acclaimed documentary Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project arrives on January 8.
Series & Films Arriving On Max In January 2024:
January 1
90 Day Fiancé: Holiday Special 2023 #3 (TLC)
90 Day Fiancé Pillow Talk: Single All The Way (TLC)
The A-Team (2010)
After Earth (2013)
Alvin and The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (2009)
Aniara (2019)
Austenland (2013)
Bachelorette (2012)
Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me (2013)
Body at Brighton Rock (2019)
Booty Call (1997)
The Breakfast Club (1985)
The Brothers (2001)
Cabin Fever (2003)
Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever...
- 12/21/2023
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
People old enough to remember the "Police Academy" movies may recall a scene in Hugh Wilson's 1984 original might recall a scene wherein the irascible horndog Carey Mahoney (Steve Guttenberg) sidled up to fellow cadet Karen Thompson (Kim Cattrall) and asked to see her thighs. Karen was too flustered in the moment to respond, but was eventually won over by Mahoney's comedic charm and loose manners in the face of the Metropolitan Police training facility. She eventually donned a pair of jogging shorts and, of her own accord, playfully showed them off to Mahoney while in the middle of her morning run.
The "Police Academy" movies are, naturally, horrendously dated in their attitudes today, but Kim Cattrall likely didn't object to the jogging shorts scene as, it so happens, she is quite fond of her own legs. It was that fondness, it seems, that led to a minor disappointment when...
The "Police Academy" movies are, naturally, horrendously dated in their attitudes today, but Kim Cattrall likely didn't object to the jogging shorts scene as, it so happens, she is quite fond of her own legs. It was that fondness, it seems, that led to a minor disappointment when...
- 12/18/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
In Nicholas Meyer's 1991 film "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country," the usual crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise-a was joined by a new member of the senior staff, Lieutenant Valeris (Kim Cattrall). Valeris, Trekkies will be able to tell you, was initially meant to be the character of Saavik, played by Kirstie Alley in "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" and by Robin Curtis in "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock" and "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home." According to a DVD commentary track provided by longtime "Star Trek" designer Mike Okuda, Saavik was changed into a new character when show creator Gene Roddenberry objected to the character's unexpected turn to villainy. Valeris proves to be in league with some of the villains of "Star Trek VI," you see, and Roddenberry couldn't abide a turncoat.
Additionally, Cattrall didn't like the idea of being the third actress to play the same role.
Additionally, Cattrall didn't like the idea of being the third actress to play the same role.
- 12/16/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
The "Star Trek" franchise was nearing a crossroads in 1986. 20 years after the premiere of The Original Series on NBC, moviegoers were showing up in significant numbers to follow the big-screen exploits of Captain Kirk and the crew of the Starship Enterprise. But while 1982's "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" and 1984's "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock" were hits for Paramount (they both grossed in the $78 million range domestically), they were not blockbusters. So when stars William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy asked for salary bumps, the studio had some tough decisions to make.
Paramount almost received an unexpected windfall when their under-contract box office juggernaut, Eddie Murphy, asked to be in the fourth "Star Trek" movie. Murphy had just starred in "Beverly Hills Cop," the highest-grossing movie of 1984, and, as a hardcore Trekker, wanted to be a part of Gene Roddenberry's sci-fi universe. The studio was thrilled,...
Paramount almost received an unexpected windfall when their under-contract box office juggernaut, Eddie Murphy, asked to be in the fourth "Star Trek" movie. Murphy had just starred in "Beverly Hills Cop," the highest-grossing movie of 1984, and, as a hardcore Trekker, wanted to be a part of Gene Roddenberry's sci-fi universe. The studio was thrilled,...
- 12/7/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Just over forty years ago, on November 20th, 1983, ABC aired the most influential TV movie ever made. The Day After, which starred Jason Robards, John Lithgow, JoBeth Williams and Steve Guttenberg, was a riveting dramatization of the aftermath of a nuclear war, focusing on the residents of a small town dealing with the most terrifying outcome of all – surviving. Along with other movies of the era, such as Testament and the UK’s Threads, it was seen as a cry for disarmament, as no one could ever possibly “win” a nuclear war.
This week, PBS is airing a documentary on the film called Television Event, and in it, they put forward the notion that the movie may have helped prevent a nuclear war. In it, director Nicholas Meyer (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan) relates the following intriguing anecdote (excerpted by THR):
“The movie may have indeed helped prevent a nuclear war.
This week, PBS is airing a documentary on the film called Television Event, and in it, they put forward the notion that the movie may have helped prevent a nuclear war. In it, director Nicholas Meyer (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan) relates the following intriguing anecdote (excerpted by THR):
“The movie may have indeed helped prevent a nuclear war.
- 12/5/2023
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
Walter Koenig joined the cast of "Star Trek" in 1967 as Ensign Pavel Chekov, the feisty Russian upstart who was always quick to point out that a lot of human culture originated in his home country. He was often hot-headed and a little brash, but always capable.
By the events of the 1982 film "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan," Chekov had been promoted to the rank of commander and served as the executive officer on board the U.S.S. Reliant underneath Captain Clark Terrell (Paul Winfield). In that film, Commander Chekov and Captain Terrell were captured by the revenge-bent Khan (Ricardo Montalbán), who forced miniature Ceti eels into their ears. The eels burrow into their hosts' brains and make them docile and suggestable, forcing Chekov to turn against Starfleet and aiding Khan in his evil schemes. By halfway through the film, Chekov is reunited with his old captain, James T. Kirk (William Shatner). Luckily,...
By the events of the 1982 film "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan," Chekov had been promoted to the rank of commander and served as the executive officer on board the U.S.S. Reliant underneath Captain Clark Terrell (Paul Winfield). In that film, Commander Chekov and Captain Terrell were captured by the revenge-bent Khan (Ricardo Montalbán), who forced miniature Ceti eels into their ears. The eels burrow into their hosts' brains and make them docile and suggestable, forcing Chekov to turn against Starfleet and aiding Khan in his evil schemes. By halfway through the film, Chekov is reunited with his old captain, James T. Kirk (William Shatner). Luckily,...
- 12/2/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Here's a fun piece of trivia: when Dr. Carol Marcus (Bibi Besch) proposes the Genesis Device in her proposal video in "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan," is it accompanied by an animated simulation showing a dead moon being magically terraformed within a matter of seconds. The animated simulation, rendered by Industrial Light and Magic, was the first instance of a fully rendered CGI sequence in a feature film. According to the October 1982 issue of American Cinematographer Magazine, the Genesis simulation was originally envisioned as a more traditionally realized sequence wherein a character turns a rock into a flower. Special effects supervisor Jim Veilleux felt that something more impressive was required to capture the scope of the Genesis Device's power, and the CGI sequence was developed instead.
The Genesis Device is one of the more magical objects to have emerged from "Star Trek." Introduced in "Star Trek II," it...
The Genesis Device is one of the more magical objects to have emerged from "Star Trek." Introduced in "Star Trek II," it...
- 12/2/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Clockwise from top left: Candy Cane Lane (Prime Video), Your Christmas Or Mine 2 (Prime Video), The Flash (Warner Bros.)Image: The A.V. Club
Prime Video—perhaps more than any other streaming provider—is really leaning into Christmas-themed movies this December. Eddie Murphy plays a family man desperate to win...
Prime Video—perhaps more than any other streaming provider—is really leaning into Christmas-themed movies this December. Eddie Murphy plays a family man desperate to win...
- 11/29/2023
- by Robert DeSalvo
- avclub.com
It’s that time again; Holiday Gift Guide time! We kicked off things with Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals and we will also feature guides on Blu-ray, Box Sets, Collectibles, and Toys! But first, here is our list of the best books to buy for the movie fan in your life (or maybe just for yourself!)
If you’re a geek like me, then you’ve probably got rows upon rows of pop culture books that hold a strong sense of nostalgia and importance to your nerd habits. From written works of fiction, behind-the-scenes art books, movie-related tie-ins, or comics and graphic novels, there’s a bevy of book-bound goods that bring joy and happiness to satiate any fanboy/girl and help fill those lonely shelves. This year is no different, with plenty to offer in all those departments. Take a gander at some of the coolest (and timeliest) books for this Holiday season!
If you’re a geek like me, then you’ve probably got rows upon rows of pop culture books that hold a strong sense of nostalgia and importance to your nerd habits. From written works of fiction, behind-the-scenes art books, movie-related tie-ins, or comics and graphic novels, there’s a bevy of book-bound goods that bring joy and happiness to satiate any fanboy/girl and help fill those lonely shelves. This year is no different, with plenty to offer in all those departments. Take a gander at some of the coolest (and timeliest) books for this Holiday season!
- 11/29/2023
- by Alex Maidy
- JoBlo.com
Directed by Nicholas Meyer, The Day After disturbed a generation of TV audiences in 1983. On the 40th anniversary of its first airing, we look back at its immediate and lasting impact.
“If you can, take a quick look out of the window,” said TV host Ted Koppel immediately after the first airing of The Day After on the 20th November, 1983. “It’s all still there. Your neighbourhood is still there. So is Kansas City. And Lawrence. And Chicago, San Diego, Moscow and Vladivostok…”
Koppel’s words of reassurance were a sign of how nervous the ABC Network was about airing its multi-million dollar, two-hour feature about the nuclear destruction of the United States. The company had reason to be on edge: aside from the expense, the film had alienated advertisers, angered the political right, and left ABC executives fearing that audiences would switch off their televisions – all before the film had even aired.
“If you can, take a quick look out of the window,” said TV host Ted Koppel immediately after the first airing of The Day After on the 20th November, 1983. “It’s all still there. Your neighbourhood is still there. So is Kansas City. And Lawrence. And Chicago, San Diego, Moscow and Vladivostok…”
Koppel’s words of reassurance were a sign of how nervous the ABC Network was about airing its multi-million dollar, two-hour feature about the nuclear destruction of the United States. The company had reason to be on edge: aside from the expense, the film had alienated advertisers, angered the political right, and left ABC executives fearing that audiences would switch off their televisions – all before the film had even aired.
- 11/20/2023
- by Ryan Lambie
- Film Stories
The "Star Trek" movie franchise was almost a one-and-done fiasco. Paramount had the highest of hopes when they released "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" on December 7, 1979, and, at first, it appeared as though their commercial expectations would be exceeded. The film scored the biggest opening of the year with a gross of $11.9 million (slightly better than the openings for "Alien" and "Moonraker"), but mixed reviews and ho-hum word of mouth (particularly from non-fans) kept it from being the runaway blockbuster it needed to be given its then exorbitant $44 million budget. It wound up being the fourth highest grossing film of 1979 behind "Kramer vs. Kramer," "The Amityville Horror" and "Rocky II").
The film's primary problem was its length and lack of action. At 132 minutes, Robert Wise's movie kind of lumbered; there are long, reverent shots of the U.S.S. Enterprise that, for many in the audience, quickly went from awe-inspiring to tedious.
The film's primary problem was its length and lack of action. At 132 minutes, Robert Wise's movie kind of lumbered; there are long, reverent shots of the U.S.S. Enterprise that, for many in the audience, quickly went from awe-inspiring to tedious.
- 11/19/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Fabio Passaro, who passed away in October of 2022, was a beloved mainstay behind the scenes of "Star Trek." He was a famously self-taught and extremely skilled computer modeler who contributed 3D models of the many "Star Trek" ships, often to be used on authorized "Star Trek" magazine covers. Specifically, Passaro's model of the U.S.S. Reliant, the ship that Khan stole in "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan," was featured on the cover of the March 2002 issue of Star Trek: The Magazine. Passaro once said that it took him 60 hours of work to make the Reliant look as photorealistic as possible.
From then on, Passaro became an invaluable contributor to ancillary "Star Trek" projects and makers of collectibles. Passaro helped design the interiors of the Borg ship for "Borg Invasion 4D," the theme-park-ready short film that was included in Star Trek: The Experience (1998 - 2008) at the Las Vegas Hilton.
From then on, Passaro became an invaluable contributor to ancillary "Star Trek" projects and makers of collectibles. Passaro helped design the interiors of the Borg ship for "Borg Invasion 4D," the theme-park-ready short film that was included in Star Trek: The Experience (1998 - 2008) at the Las Vegas Hilton.
- 11/14/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
To state a very true, indisputable thing right up front: Pierce Brosnan is the best James Bond (in my opinion). What's more, Martin Campbell's 1995 entry "GoldenEye" is one of the three best of all the James Bond movies, and Roger Spottiswoode's 1997 film "Tomorrow Never Dies" is nothing to sneeze at. Indeed, watching "Tomorrow Never Died" in 2023 posits an eerily accurate trajectory of the future computer technology, and its Steve Jobs-like villain Elliot Carver (Jonathan Pryce) easily predicts the culture of I'm-always-right tech-bros we currently find ourselves mired in.
Briefly, the villain in "Tomorrow Never Dies" seeks to digitally control the flow of information, making him a soft-spoken, cyber-jacked version of William Randolph Hearst. He aims to start a war between China and England, hoping to secure broadcasting rights in China for the rest of his life. In 1997, such a plot seemed both hopelessly nerdy and legitimately terrifying.
Briefly, the villain in "Tomorrow Never Dies" seeks to digitally control the flow of information, making him a soft-spoken, cyber-jacked version of William Randolph Hearst. He aims to start a war between China and England, hoping to secure broadcasting rights in China for the rest of his life. In 1997, such a plot seemed both hopelessly nerdy and legitimately terrifying.
- 10/7/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Movie goers have always been fascinated with films that take place in outer space. Infuse that with some fun adventures, and you’re guaranteed a big hit. With Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 hitting big in theaters and bringing fans to tears since it’s their last adventure, now is the time to look for other space operas to fill that gap. What should you be watching?
Galaxy Quest (1999)
This film starts as a joke, making fun of the culture that can spring up around franchises like Star Trek. We see the cast attending a convention celebrating this long over TV series. Most of them seem like they want to be doing anything else, but we hear about the problems of them being typecast as their characters. At first, they think they are being courted for a new show but quickly find out that they are actually...
Galaxy Quest (1999)
This film starts as a joke, making fun of the culture that can spring up around franchises like Star Trek. We see the cast attending a convention celebrating this long over TV series. Most of them seem like they want to be doing anything else, but we hear about the problems of them being typecast as their characters. At first, they think they are being courted for a new show but quickly find out that they are actually...
- 10/3/2023
- by Bryan Wolford
- JoBlo.com
According to Whats-On-Netflix.com, 2009's "Star Trek" and 2012's "Star Trek Into Darkness" are going to be removed from Netflix in October of 2023. Their removal indicates that an era is over.
The handlers of "Star Trek" have, ever since the late 1960s, been very good about letting the shows remain available. Even before home video, "Star Trek" was put into seemingly eternal syndication, able to be enjoyed pretty much in perpetuity. Older Trekkies may also recall the Columbia House VHS days, when eager Trekkies could subscribe to a mail-in service that would deliver cassettes -- containing two episodes apiece -- directly to their doors. Eventually, "Star Trek" would be released in season-by-season DVD box sets, followed by massive proliferation across many major streaming services. Ultra-crunchy Blu-rays also eventually crept into the marketplace.
A lot of Trek's widespread availability stems from Janet Jackson's infamous wardrobe malfunction during Super Bowl Xxxviii...
The handlers of "Star Trek" have, ever since the late 1960s, been very good about letting the shows remain available. Even before home video, "Star Trek" was put into seemingly eternal syndication, able to be enjoyed pretty much in perpetuity. Older Trekkies may also recall the Columbia House VHS days, when eager Trekkies could subscribe to a mail-in service that would deliver cassettes -- containing two episodes apiece -- directly to their doors. Eventually, "Star Trek" would be released in season-by-season DVD box sets, followed by massive proliferation across many major streaming services. Ultra-crunchy Blu-rays also eventually crept into the marketplace.
A lot of Trek's widespread availability stems from Janet Jackson's infamous wardrobe malfunction during Super Bowl Xxxviii...
- 9/22/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.
From low-budget romps to high-energy blockbuster films, Star Trek has become one of the most influential sci-fi franchises of all time. While Trek has decades worth of TV, film, and animated iterations that might rival Star Wars, it also has its own unique legacy and long-time, passionate cult following (and merch).
With the release of Star Trek: Discovery in 2017, the Trek television universe has become one of the...
From low-budget romps to high-energy blockbuster films, Star Trek has become one of the most influential sci-fi franchises of all time. While Trek has decades worth of TV, film, and animated iterations that might rival Star Wars, it also has its own unique legacy and long-time, passionate cult following (and merch).
With the release of Star Trek: Discovery in 2017, the Trek television universe has become one of the...
- 9/8/2023
- by Sage Anderson
- Rollingstone.com
Clockwise from upper left: Superman II (Warner Bros.), Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan (Paramount), Gremlins (Warner Bros.), The Last Airbender (Paramount), Twister (Warner Bros.), Prince of Persia: The Sands Of Time (Disney)Graphic: AVClub
What we think of today as summer blockbuster movies arguably began in 1975 with Jaws.
What we think of today as summer blockbuster movies arguably began in 1975 with Jaws.
- 8/21/2023
- by Luke Y. Thompson
- avclub.com
The finer details of George Lucas’ original Star Wars trilogy were anything but set in stone when the Maker first outlined his grand space fantasy saga back in the ’70s. Take the shifting relationship between Luke and Leia in across all three installments, for example, or the differences between the Emperor in the movies and his backstory in the novelization of A New Hope. In the rough draft of The Empire Strikes Back by Leigh Brackett, Lando was a clone, a veteran of the mythical Clone Wars, instead of Han’s smooth-talking counterpart. Then there all the ways Return of the Jedi changed during the writing process, and in the pivotal story meetings between Lucas and co-writer Lawrence Kasdan that would decide the fate of the galaxy.
Star Wars: The Annotated Screenplays by film historian Laurent Bouzereau chronicles many of the discussion points from those meetings, and those transcripts paint...
Star Wars: The Annotated Screenplays by film historian Laurent Bouzereau chronicles many of the discussion points from those meetings, and those transcripts paint...
- 8/16/2023
- by John Saavedra
- Den of Geek
According to its own mythology, the utopia of "Star Trek" had to be earned. Sometime between the present day and the franchise's idyllic future, several destructive wars will break out, causing humankind to experience a reckoning. Recall that Trek creator Gene Roddenberry was born in 1921, so he had very sharp memories of World War II and all of the horrors it produced. Roddenberry came to feel that humanity ought to learn from such horrors, and began to depict war -- at least in "Star Trek" -- as humanity's "low point." Once faced with self-destruction, Roddenberry felt, humans would eventually set themselves on the path to healing and recovery.
It was antithetical, then, for Roddenberry to depict the character of Khan Noonien Singh (Ricardo Montalbán) the way he did. In the "Star Trek" episode "Space Seed", the Enterprise rescues Khan from a cargo ship called the Botany Bay. Khan and several...
It was antithetical, then, for Roddenberry to depict the character of Khan Noonien Singh (Ricardo Montalbán) the way he did. In the "Star Trek" episode "Space Seed", the Enterprise rescues Khan from a cargo ship called the Botany Bay. Khan and several...
- 8/13/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
This post contains spoilers for the latest episode of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds."
In the latest episode of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds," "Subspace Rhapsody," the crew of the Enterprise falls under the influence of a mysterious psychic field that is activated by a broadcast of Cole Porter's "Anything Goes." The crew becomes unable to keep its emotions hidden, and individuals find themselves confessing their more passionate inner lives ... in song. "Subspace Rhapsody" is a full-blown musical.
As established in "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow," Lieutenant LA'an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong) has developed a powerful romantic attraction for James T. Kirk (Paul Wesley). This was complicated for her, however, as the Kirk she met hailed from an alternate timeline that was ultimately erased (dating in "Star Trek" seems quite difficult). In LA'an's native timeline, however, Kirk is still alive, and she has to wrestle with the fact that she...
In the latest episode of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds," "Subspace Rhapsody," the crew of the Enterprise falls under the influence of a mysterious psychic field that is activated by a broadcast of Cole Porter's "Anything Goes." The crew becomes unable to keep its emotions hidden, and individuals find themselves confessing their more passionate inner lives ... in song. "Subspace Rhapsody" is a full-blown musical.
As established in "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow," Lieutenant LA'an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong) has developed a powerful romantic attraction for James T. Kirk (Paul Wesley). This was complicated for her, however, as the Kirk she met hailed from an alternate timeline that was ultimately erased (dating in "Star Trek" seems quite difficult). In LA'an's native timeline, however, Kirk is still alive, and she has to wrestle with the fact that she...
- 8/3/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Los Angeles, July 29 (Ians) The helmet worn by Robert Downey Jr in ‘Iron Man 3’, wands used in the Harry Potter film series, the mask worn by Ryan Reynolds in ‘Deadpool’ and a Captain America shield used by Chris Evans, are among a host of film paraphernalia set to go on sale.
The helmet, made of fibreglass material and with eyes that shine a blue-white colour, is being sold at an event from Julien’s Auctions and Turner Classic Movies (TCM) for US Dollars 50,000 to 70,000.
The Legends: Hollywood And Royalty auction, featuring more than 1,400 items, in Beverly Hills, California, in September will celebrate 100 years of Warner Bros, as per Evening Standard.
Previously announced items include three designer dresses worn by Diana, Princess of Wales which have not been seen in public for more than 30 years.
The auction will also see Star Wars, Stark Trek, Game Of Thrones and James Bond props...
The helmet, made of fibreglass material and with eyes that shine a blue-white colour, is being sold at an event from Julien’s Auctions and Turner Classic Movies (TCM) for US Dollars 50,000 to 70,000.
The Legends: Hollywood And Royalty auction, featuring more than 1,400 items, in Beverly Hills, California, in September will celebrate 100 years of Warner Bros, as per Evening Standard.
Previously announced items include three designer dresses worn by Diana, Princess of Wales which have not been seen in public for more than 30 years.
The auction will also see Star Wars, Stark Trek, Game Of Thrones and James Bond props...
- 7/29/2023
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
‘Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan’ (Photo © 2002 by Paramount Pictures)
Created by the late Gene Roddenberry, Star Trek has been around in one form or another since the first episode of Star Trek: The Original Series (Tos) debuted on NBC on Sept. 8, 1966.
Tos lasted three seasons and 79 episodes. However, it found a new life in syndication. With the success of 1977’s Star Wars and 1977’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind (during the nascent days of the summer blockbuster), long-time Trekkies were hoping to see their beloved characters on the big screen, which they did in 1979’s Star Trek: The Motion Picture.
Today, Trek is a pop culture juggernaut. It has to its name 13 feature films, eight TV series, three animated series, and numerous novels, comics, action figures, and other merchandise. Pretty impressive. Not to mention pretty intimidating if you want to go where no one has gone before for the first time.
Created by the late Gene Roddenberry, Star Trek has been around in one form or another since the first episode of Star Trek: The Original Series (Tos) debuted on NBC on Sept. 8, 1966.
Tos lasted three seasons and 79 episodes. However, it found a new life in syndication. With the success of 1977’s Star Wars and 1977’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind (during the nascent days of the summer blockbuster), long-time Trekkies were hoping to see their beloved characters on the big screen, which they did in 1979’s Star Trek: The Motion Picture.
Today, Trek is a pop culture juggernaut. It has to its name 13 feature films, eight TV series, three animated series, and numerous novels, comics, action figures, and other merchandise. Pretty impressive. Not to mention pretty intimidating if you want to go where no one has gone before for the first time.
- 7/24/2023
- by Kurt Anthony Krug
- Showbiz Junkies
Plot: A deep dive into all the great movies that came out in 1982.
Review: Everyone has their own take on the greatest year ever for cinema. Scholars tend to cite 1939, as that’s the year Gone With The Wind, The Wizard of Oz, Gunga Din, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, and several other seminal classics came out. Modern film fans tend to cite 1999, thanks to The Matrix, Fight Club, Being John Malkovich, Magnolia and many more. I’d make a strong case for 2007 myself, with Into the Wild, The Assassination of Jesse James, Gone Baby Gone, Zodiac, There Will Be Blood, No Country for Old Men, and others. But, if you’re a movie geek, one year stands above them all, and it’s 1982.
Think about it. E.T., The Thing, Star Trek II, Rocky III, Poltergeist, Blade Runner, the list goes on and on. And now, 1982 is getting a...
Review: Everyone has their own take on the greatest year ever for cinema. Scholars tend to cite 1939, as that’s the year Gone With The Wind, The Wizard of Oz, Gunga Din, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, and several other seminal classics came out. Modern film fans tend to cite 1999, thanks to The Matrix, Fight Club, Being John Malkovich, Magnolia and many more. I’d make a strong case for 2007 myself, with Into the Wild, The Assassination of Jesse James, Gone Baby Gone, Zodiac, There Will Be Blood, No Country for Old Men, and others. But, if you’re a movie geek, one year stands above them all, and it’s 1982.
Think about it. E.T., The Thing, Star Trek II, Rocky III, Poltergeist, Blade Runner, the list goes on and on. And now, 1982 is getting a...
- 7/22/2023
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
Put down the marshmallows and stop singing “Row, Row, Row Your Boat.” It’s time to gather ’round the campfire and listen to the contract squabble that led to one of the strangest movies in the Star Trek franchise. Star Trek: The Motion Picture and Star Trek III: The Search For Spock certainly have their fans, but it was Star Trek V: The Final Frontier that cemented the adage that “only the even-numbered Star Trek movies are good.” How in the world did the franchise follow its most successful movie Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home with a film about Spock’s long-lost brother and God needing a starship?
As with most things in Trek, the answer leads back to Kirk and Spock. William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy had a strange, complex relationship on-screen and off, resulting in contract negotiations that changed the course of the franchise.
Shatner and Nimoy...
As with most things in Trek, the answer leads back to Kirk and Spock. William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy had a strange, complex relationship on-screen and off, resulting in contract negotiations that changed the course of the franchise.
Shatner and Nimoy...
- 7/18/2023
- by Joe George
- Den of Geek
Nostalgia is hotter than ever, so it's no surprise that The CW is hopping on the bandwagon and airing a show like Greatest Geek Year Ever. The first season focuses on the movies of 1982, but producers have said that, if the show is popular enough, they'll make a second season focusing on another year. Will Greatest Geek Year Ever be renewed, or could the series be cancelled before the first season has finished? Stay tuned.
A pop culture docuseries, the Greatest Geek Year Ever TV show looks at iconic movies that help define a specific year for a generation. The first season spotlights the movies of 1982. Stars, directors, writers, producers, and pop culture historians share their insights about such legendary movies as E.T. - The Extra-Terrestrial, Blade Runner, John Carpenter’s The Thing, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Poltergeist, Creepshow, Night...
A pop culture docuseries, the Greatest Geek Year Ever TV show looks at iconic movies that help define a specific year for a generation. The first season spotlights the movies of 1982. Stars, directors, writers, producers, and pop culture historians share their insights about such legendary movies as E.T. - The Extra-Terrestrial, Blade Runner, John Carpenter’s The Thing, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Poltergeist, Creepshow, Night...
- 7/9/2023
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
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