Rest well and in peace, Director Richard Donner. Movie history will never forget you.

Peter Mayhew (1944 – 2019)

GARY KURTZ: 1940 – 2018

*Image from Starlog #18

 

In the early 1970’s, he suggested to George Lucas that a religion should be the backbone of Lucas’s STAR WARS story. 

There is often so much work on a large scale major motion picture, that one person cannot ‘direct’ all that traffic alone.  Studios always place such productions on a time crunch, so everything doesn’t spiral out of control and result in cost overruns.  On Superman: The Movie, multiple individuals directed approximately half of what is seen on screen.  On Star Wars, Empire Strikes Back, and Dark Crystal, it was often Gary Kurtz. 

Gary passed into Legend yesterday (Saturday, the 23th of September) due to a recent Cancer diagnosis.  May movie fans and film history never, ever forget his contributions to the movies and the business of film. 

Gary Kurtz: creator of ‘The Force.’ 

May he rest well and in peace, in a Galaxy far, far away …

 

 

A SPOILERIFIC ROGUE ONE SPAGHETTI RECIPE

I kind of feel the same way about these new Marvel Star Wars films, as I do about J.J. Abrams’ new Star Trek films.  Whatever keeps the idea alive can’t be so bad, can it?  And Rogue One wasn’t so bad.  But on closer analysis, it was bittersweet in a way that could only be properly digested and identified by a 70’s era child of the Original Trilogy.

It’s like this: while those films were made from a place of strong storytelling that recalled many well told cinematic stories of the past, this new film was designed to be a fresh take on the Star Wars universe, supercharged by modern cinematic techniques.  But because they ignored the original intent of the Original films, they wound up with a diesel engine, as opposed to a linear aerospike.   And it’s for this reason, that I think I had very little of an emotional response to this story.  Or its characters.  And that’s sad, given how good the acting is among the principal cast.  If anything the director did right it was work with the actors to build memorable characters.  Even if all they did was stand there most of the time.  I mean, at the very least, the director did a very fine job of directing these actors to give their lines the proper inflection.  Something Lucas never even gave a passing thought about doing with the Prequels.  But maybe this film, and its audience, would be better served by a plot that involved the Rebels rounding up a group of criminals, one by one, and somehow getting them all to cooperate with this mission.  Would’a, could’a, should’a.

To me, this film really felt like a long, twisted, confusing journey to find some sort of a weaving plot that justifies the happenings within it.  And the audience isn’t supposed to even be this aware of something like that while watching a movie on an initial viewing.  If your story is constructed correctly, the audience is completely preoccupied with the movie’s storyline, in the vault of their own imaginations.  But here, we don’t have a thrilling plot that unfolds, much less a mystery.  Heave ho, the art of distraction; all which is required is the overlong, episodic tale of how to get from point A to point B.  Fuck points C through Z, we don’t need those; we can feed ‘em 3D, hyperbolic videogame gobbledygook for the cerebral cortex, throughout the second half of the film, and they won’t know the difference.  This makes Rogue One a hollow meal that makes you wish for a better restaurant, or better yet, home cooking.  Unlike some movies where it seems like bits and pieces of junk-ideas and leftovers have been heaped into a single script and sloughed onto the audience’s plate, this movie seems more like a by-the-instructions, hard won recipe for nothing more than a lunch of the week special of very expensive and well-made pasta — covertly removed from the refrigerator, and microwaved to proper room temperature before serving to an unsuspecting patron, at the most expensive restaurant in town.

 

So it’s truly confusing how to feel about this movie.  While I cannot say I didn’t enjoy the movie Star Wars: Rogue One, I can definitely say that too many things about it seem all but completely distanced in my imagination from the universe of the Original Trilogy.  Much like the Prequels.  And that breaks my heart, in light of how much they got right with Rogue One.  Don’t misunderstand me, the film is a vast improvement over the Prequels.  As was Abrams’ own film, The Force Awakens.  However, while I have issues with Abrams’ film, I did feel it was connected to the essence of Star Wars.  It felt connected.  But with Rogue One ... there’s something missing.  Maybe it’s a simple spark of creativity.  Maybe it’s that the intended connection — the face of Princess Leia — is a dodgy effect at best; and the audience required better, in order to complete that illusion and generate the intended emotional response.  (Perhaps it would have been better if clearly CGI Leia didn’t fully face the camera.)  Or maybe it’s too gritty. Perhaps the filmmakers didn’t realize that a little grit goes a long way with this type of film.  Or maybe the film’s simply not intended by the filmmakers to truly belong within that universe the Original Trilogy of films inhabit, in the first place.  And that’s an issue with me.  They make a shit-ton of money off of these things.  And they likely always will.  No matter what kind of films they make.  And they know that.  Which begs the question, do they even care about the longevity of these stories?  Or are they only playing pretend on behalf of the public.  Yes, in addition to wanting to separate you from your money, we also care about Star Wars.  But do they?

 

Since the filmmakers, and I’m sure numerous Executives, could not figure out how the magic of Star Wars worked, they merely reinvented it.  Makes sense, doesn’t it.  They simply went back to the drawing board.  Question is, is that a sufficient enough copout for not trying to genuinely achieve the grand illusion that audiences require?

 

I knew something was off with the opening titles.  Which were designed to place the film on another track.  An adjacent track to Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi.  The film opened with simply a prologue.  A dark and gritty scene that portrays the abduction of the female protagonist’s father when she was a child.  A scene that any experienced screenwriter will tell you, is unnecessary.  In fact without it, her story would have unfolded much better in bits and pieces of information as the film went on.  And there would have been more of a mystery surrounding her, as well as her Father.  The entire sequence is not only unnecessary, but it plays much too long.  As does pretty much the entire first half of the movie.  In circumspect, the entire set-up of the film is handled the way today’s movies (many of them not theatrically released) are routinely tasked by today’s filmmakers and their crews.  Lots of ‘you really need to take this seriously’ bullshit cinematography, complete with the customary shaky cam, and unending exposition.  It’s a general tone we’ve all come to accept, and a modus operandi now seen repeated in film after film, since Casino Royale introduced it in 2007.  And to some extent the filmmakers miraculously manage to make this work.  But once you get beyond that, there are issues with this film that could never have been resolved, due to the way the story is constructed.  And it all points to a singular idea, intended for a single sequence in a larger story, being padded out to fill the entire runtime of this one movie.  Almost as if they looked at the original script’s structure and decided, ‘well we could make FIVE movies out of this,’ and earmarked the other five parts of the story, for five more movies.  And personally, I dread the recognition of familiar material in subsequent films.  I’ve seen this before, and it genuinely gives me a headache.  I was the one who thought it was too easy and obvious that Lucas reused the Death Star in Return of the Jedi.  Now we have a total of 4 films, count ‘em, FOUR, featuring the freakin’ Death Star.  (I’m including the planet killer in The Force Awakens; which was essentially the same plot device.)  And while this one film does have a good excuse for that, given the conceit of the story, it manages to make the Death Star far less interesting, this time around.  How the hell do you make a planet killing moon-sized space station, blasé and disinteresting?

 

And here’s a few more little touches of insanity that fell upon my head while ingesting this film:

 

1. When Diego Luna’s character (the Clandestine Rebel Agent) killed a trusted informer in one of the very first scenes … I knew the movie was in trouble. Because that could only mean certain doom for any protagonist character in any kind of Star Wars film.  This was something that nagged at me for the entire first half of the movie.  And to be fair, it is possible that his character, being who he is, was ordered to kill that individual by his Rebel Commander.  But A) that was not conveyed, and B) that makes the Rebellion no better than the Empire.

2. Did they expect that the film would only be seen by audiences in 3D, is that the reasoning behind the slightly dodgy Liea and Grand Moff Tarkin effects. I mean, I appreciate the effort, I really do, but come on, man.  They can do better than that on TV Commercials.  You expect me to believe …

3. It was nice to have the cameos from the original film. Certainly in light of this film’s place in the timeline.  But am I the only one who noticed a few issues with that?  Where the hell are the characters from the wonderful, animated Disney show Star Wars: Rebels?  When the impromptu Rebel Council – or whatever they called that inept roundtable debate – made a decision to surrender to the evil empire, and the female protagonist decides to go it alone, and suddenly Diego Luna’s character approaches her with volunteers … would this not have been a perrrrrfect opportunity to introduce the Star Wars: Rebels characters into the live action arena?  In my opinion, that would have elevated the film to a B+, as opposed to a C-.  And by the way, why is Walrus Man’s head so much larger in this film that it was in the original Star Wars?  Did he get bit by a giant Fucking mosquito shortly before the events of this film, or something?

4. The score was ho-hum. Michael Giacchino is clearly no John Williams.  To be fair, Giacchino was not the original composer, of record.  Pun intended.  The original composer was replaced, and Giacchino had to do a rush job on this one.  But he ain’t no J.W.  ‘Nuff said.

   

5. Why did the Game of Thrones mentality of ‘everybody dies,’ have to influence this film? I mean even the Robot dies.  That’s overkill.  Another pun intended.  And placed within context – it sends a not so nice message to children that a bunch of ragtag, dirty, homeless, rogue rebels went through hell and died acquiring the plans to the most destructive weapon in the galaxy, so that pretty little rich kid Princess Leia Organa didn’t get her white robes messy.

6. Too much contrivance. I loved the small Rebel ship crashing into a Star Destroyer, causing it to collide with another Star Destroyer, and have both fall and crash into a shield generating spaceship, thereby destroying all ships involved, and deactivating the shield.  Really made me laugh.  There’s just one problem.  Well, two if you want to get anal about it.  There’s not enough gravity that far up in orbit to cause those ships to fall downward.  Duh.  2. It’s too much of a stretch to believe that the Rebels didn’t know that shield ship was going to be there, and work out a method of dealing with it, beforehand.  Maybe this would have worked in a more playful film, but positioned as a plot contrivance within a story told with the gritty tone this one is told with, it just stands out like a sore thumb.

7. There is really no main character, functioning within this plot. They’re ALL supporting characters, and only one of them even has an arc.  Am I honestly the only one who noticed this?  I was very excited to see this film.  The premise seemed to be withholding much in the way of imaginative storytelling.  And some of the critics who saw early screenings touted that the film did in fact hold surprises.  But this was merely the Wizard behind the curtain.  This new kind of movie seems to be the norm these days.  Please don’t look to close, just enjoy the pretty pictures.  It wasn’t dumb, by any definition.  But it was an expert example of how to skip over the hard parts of telling a story.

8. They still haven’t fixed the issue of how easy it is to kill a storm trooper, even though they are supposedly wearing armor.

In summary, I did enjoy the film, Star Wars: Rogue One.  Just not as a Star Wars film.  I had trouble accepting that.  And in the end, there were a few little things I did like.  And Diego Luna’s character arc was one of them.  At the beginning of the film, he kills indiscriminately.  Possibly because he’s been ordered to.  After all, he is a clandestine operative.  But when faced with a moral dilemma, he chooses not to kill; which rings true with the morality that Star Wars was originally designed to impart to children.  And while that doesn’t correct the problem of his character’s initial introduction, it does give his character a proper arc; whilst none of the other characters even have an arc.  The female protagonist walks through the film and dies a martyr, whose name is only spoken of in hushed whisper, off camera for the remainder of the serial.  The Blind Guy (really the best character) who really believes he’s one with the force, walks through gunfire, flips a switch then dies walking back — guess an actual Jedi would’ve seen that coming.  The stoic rifle toting broad shouldered long haired guy … charges the enemy, gets shot, has a grenade roll his way, then just stares at it go off and dies, needlessly.  The Clandestine operative is content with having accomplished his mission and dies.  The former Empire pilot who just wants to make things right, has a grenade thrown at him, then just stares at it and gets blown to bits, too.  And the Robot is given a blaster (apparently his life’s ambition is to hold one) moments before he gets to use it, then gets himself shot.  Gets shot a lot, actually.  Matter of fact, I think the last one went right through the center of his head.  Guess those toys won’t be flying off the shelves.   Oh well, everybody else dies, why not the stepin fetchit, right.

 

**Actually, I liked the Robot.  Didn’t like that he was given artificial intelligence that practically acquaints to human intelligence, and then treated like a ‘sophisticated spanner,’ as writer Harlan Ellison once termed R2-D2.  That dehumanizes the character.  Another negative aspect of the storyline.

 

Log Entries: 12/31/2015 (Part 1)

AS THE YEAR 2015 HAS UNFOLDED, and the world has turned, I have neglected to properly pay respect to the loss of many notable, talented people, who contributed in the genres of science fiction and fantasy.  This is primarily because there have been so many notable individuals to pass away, over the previous year.  And as a result, I now find myself backed-up with a looooong list, that truly needs to be addressed.  Therefore, out of respect for these talented entertainers, I present Part 1 of a special 2-part blog post. 

May they live forever among the stars and the many realms of the fantastic … LADIES FIRST … TWO ALUMNI OF THE ORIGINAL STAR TREK have passed away.  The First, Grace Lee Whitney, played Janice Rand from the 1960’s to the 1990’s.  But she began her career in entertainment in her teens, as a singer on a Detroit radio show, thereafter moving on to Chicago and opening for Billie Holiday, and later touring with bandleader Spike Jones.  Eventually, she found her way to Broadway, and stared in the show, Top Banana; reprising her role in the movie adaptation.  Moving to L.A., she had scenes with Jack Lemon in Some Like it Hot, and uncredited roles in House of Wax and Pocketful of Miracles.  And segueing into Television, she secured memorable roles in The Outer Limits, and westerns like The Virginian and The Rifleman.  In time, Gene Roddenberry would cast her in roles in The Lieutenant and Police Story.  And that led to him casting her in the role of Janice Rand for the first season of Star Trek.  According to Roddenberry, her character was designed to be a nod to Miss Moneypenny in the Bond films.  Other more contemporary comparisons would be the David Addison & Maddy Hayes relationship, as seen on Moonlighting, and the Fox Mulder & Dana Skully relationship, as seen on The X-Files.  Her character, Yeoman Janice Rand, and Captain James Kirk would be attracted to one another, but never actually act on those feelings.  And although it was her character in photographs that was used to promote the show before it initially aired, Whitney was eventually let go after only a handful of episodes, and her character was gone from the original series show, for good.  Her ex-boyfriend Harlan Ellison attempted to get her back on the show by writing her character into his teleplay for City on the Edge of Forever, but it didn’t gel with Rodennberry, or NBC.  Rand stayed gone.  She was given the explanation that there was no room for her character.  The ‘too many blondes on the show’ excuse.  “They didn’t want to give the fans the idea he (Kirk) was in love with Janice Rand. That would limit him. They wanted him to go out and fool around. So, I was axed.”  Whitney commented.  But her firing had also followed on the heels of her having been sexually assaulted by an executive, who had some presence on the show.  And the show was also having budget problems, and needed to cut costs.  Whitney herself later offered that an another possible explanation may have been her drinking, and her addiction to amphetamines; which she was taking to keep her weight down so she could fit into Rand’s tight uniform. In 1976, DeForest Kelley, having felt bad that his character became more popular than hers (which was not intended,) and that he had essentially swallowed up her salary with a pay increase, spotted her on the employment line in Los Angeles, and advised her that fans had been asking for her at conventions.  She seized the opportunity, and her character was eventually included by Roddenberry in the development of a new Star Trek show, subtitled, Phase II.  When that fizzled out, she was brought aboard Star Trek: The Motion Picture to reprise the role of Janice Rand, who was no longer a ‘Yeoman’ in Starfleet, but now a ‘Chief Petty Officer.’  She again played Rand (this time a mere cameo role,) in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock.  Sporting new red locks, Janice Rand shakes her head at the damage done to the Enterprise (re: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan) from a Spacedock observation lounge.  Apparently, Director Leonard Nimoy intended this to be seen as ‘another’ character, and not Rand.  But fans had other ideas.  Nimoy later invited her to return for Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.  This appearance made Rand, like Christine Chapel, somewhat more of a utility to the plot.  The position of ‘Communications Officer’ gave her character more of a presence than she had had in the previous film, and her role and dialogue were more ‘plot-centric,’ and therefore, memorable.  Her next appearance in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country found her functioning as a ‘Lieutenant Commander’ aboard the Excelsior, for Captain Sulu.  A role and function she repeated for an episode of Star Trek: Voyager, titled ‘Flashback.’  Whitney’s son stated to the media that she wanted to be known more as a survivor of addiction than as a cast member of Star Trek, but Janice Rand’s gonna be hard to forget.  She died in her home on May 1st.  She was 85 years old.THE SECOND STAR TREK ALUM, ARLENE GRETA SAX (MARTEL,) was born in The Bronx in 1936.  As a teen she attended the Performing Arts High School, in New York, and later studied at The Actors Studio.  Moving to L.A., and residing on ‘Martel Ave.’ in West Hollywood, she took the street name as her stage name, and soon got roles on Perry Mason, Have Gun Will Travel, Bewitched, Hogan’s Heroes, I Dream of Jeannie, The Fugitive, Twilight Zone, Mission: Impossible, The Wild Wild West, The Monkees, The Outler Limits (Demon With a Glass Hand,) The Six Million Dollar Man, Columbo, The Rockford Files, and Battlestar Galactica.  But it was Star Trek that left her with a permanent imprint in pop-culture.  Season 2’s, ‘Amok Time,’ was an episode written by noted science fiction author Theodore (Ted) Sturgeon.  And it is considered one of the best of the entire series.  In it, Spock convinces Captain Kirk to return to his home world of Vulcan for a mating ritual, that his race requires to maintain sanity.  After beaming down, he is faced with his intended bride, T’Pring, played by Martel — and suddenly, things get complicated.  Once Star Trek conventions became a thing, Martel became a regular, and never stopped making the occasional appearance.  Right up to her death from a heart attack in August of last year, in Santa Monica, California.  Martel was not only an actor, but also an author, and reportedly lifelong friends with the likes of Anthony Quinn and Sidney Lumet — and dated both James Dean and Carey Grant.  She worked hard and had adventures here and there.  Arlene Martel was 78 years old.  Rest well, and in peace, T’Pring.PETER (NIGEL) TERRY was reportedly the first baby born in Bristol, England, following the end of the Second World War.  He developed an interest in acting, drawing, and painting, while in grade school, and eventually joined the National Youth Theater.  In the early 60’s, he attended London’s Central School of Speech and Drama, and later joined the Oxford Meadow Players.  Mostly a stage actor, he made a handful of film and TV appearances, including: The Lion in Winter, Doctor Who, Highlander: The Series, Troy, and most notably … he played King Arthur in John Boorman’s Excalibur, in 1981.  He passed away from emphysema in April.  He was 69. YOU KNOW WHO RICHARD DYSART IS.  You may not know that you know — Nope, don’t argue.  If you see a photo of him, you will hear his voice, and that voice will say, ‘Mac!‘  That’s right, he’s that guy from John Carpenter’s The Thing: ‘Copper.’  Dysart was born in Boston in 1929, and attended Gould Academy in Maine, before serving four years in the Air Force during the Korean War.  Arriving in Los Angeles in the early 1960’s, he made many film and television appearances.  The mere mention of many of them brings his face and particularly, his voice, into your immediate memory.  Meteor, Pale Rider, The Terminal Man, Warning Sign, Wall Street, Hard Rain, Mask, The Hospital, The Hindenburg, Back to the Future Part III,  Batman: The Animated Series, L.A. Law … but specifically, John C’s The Thing (From Another World.)Sometimes you just wish you could thank these people in person for all the work they do that entertains you.  Thespian Richard Dysart died at his home in Santa Monica, in April, following a long illness.  He was 86 years old … AND GEOFFREY LEWIS IS ANOTHER STRONG ACTOR we lost recently.  A favorite of director Clint Eastwood, Geoffrey Bond Lewis was born in 1935, in Plainfield, New Jersey.  You will recognize him from Dillinger, High Plains Drifter, Every Which Way But Loose, Salem’s Lot, Bronco Billy, Night of the Comet, Fletch Lives, Tango & Cash, etc., etc., etc. Clint Eastwood offered the following condolence: “I was very saddened by the news of Geoffrey’s passing.  I worked with him on many films and thought he was a wonderful actor and terrific performer. He had the most expressive face—which made working with him so fun. Geoffrey will be greatly missed.”  Lewis was also a father of 10, count ’em, TEN !  With actress Juliette Lewis, being his most well known off-spring.  He was a terrific actor who died in April, at his home in Woodland Hills, California.  Probably with a smile on his face.  Whenever fans recognized him, he always smiled.  I can testify to that.  Geoff was 79.AND SADLY, LOUIS JOURDAN HAS ALSO passed away.  Born Louis Robert Gendre in Marseille, France, in 1921, Jourdan’s family moved to Cannes in 1931, and there he learned English by communicating with the tourists.  He fell into acting at the age of fifteen, and began performing in Paris, just before the Second World War.  Soon after, the Germans had him digging ditches, and he was ordered to cooperate and act in German propaganda films.  He refused, and joined the French Resistance, instead.  After the War ended, Jourdan was spotted by Producer David O. Selznick in a French film, and was put under contract, immediately.  His first American film was Alfred Hitchcock’s The Paradine Case.  His looks led to him often being cast as a leading man, and as a direct result, he was routinely confused with the characters he portrayed.  Said Jourdan, “People look at me, as if I were a naughty weekend.”  In fact, nothing could be farther from the truth.  Jourdan was an introvert by nature, and remained happily married for fifty years.  He also loved classical music.  Said Jourdan, “I need music every day.  If I could not act any more I should be unhappy, but I would survive.  I could not go on, though, without music.  It is more important to me than work.”  Jourdan was top-billed in a number of American and UK releases in the 1950’s and 60’s, before finding his way to Broadway and the London Stage, and then American Television and the BBC.  He had a long resume, filled with work from France, the UK, and the U.S.  Some of his more notable performances to American viewers, include: Letter From an Unknown Woman, Gigi, Columbo (Murder Under Glass,) Swamp Thing, and the Roger Moore James Bond outing, Octopussy.  A versatile actor, Jourdan is one of the only entertainers to ever have two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  He died as his home in Beverly Hills, in February.  He was 93.EDWARD HERRMANN was an actor’s actor.  He did comedy, he did drama, he did narration, he did it all.  And he never stopped working, bouncing from theater to screen, and genre to genre.  And throughout it all, he maintained his creative integrity.  Edward Kirk Herrmann was born in July of 1943. He grew up in Michigan, attending Bucknell University, before transferring to the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, on a Fellowship.  His career began in theater in the early 1970’s, and segued into film and television in the late 70’s.  He played a law student in James Bridges’, The Paper Chase, Roosevelt in two TV movies, Herman Munster in a made-for-TV film, and made appearances in The Great Waldo Pepper and The Great Gatsby (both with Robert Redford,) an episode of M.A.S.H., The Betsy, Warren Beatty’s Reds, the Kurt Russel/Goldie Hawn comedy, Overboard, a made-for-TV version of Ray Bradbury’s The Electric Grandmother, Woody Allen’s The Purple Rose of Cairo, The Man With One Red Shoe, Nixon, The Practice, Law & Order, RKO 281, Grey’s Anatomy, 30 Rock, and The History Channel show, Automobiles.  He passed away in December of last year, while hospitalized at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.  The head vampire from the 80’s pop-culture classic, The Lost Boys, was 71 years old. ANOTHER STAR TREK ALUM, JOSEPH SARGENT worked best as a journeyman director.  He was one of the best, in fact.  Born in 1925 as Giuseppe Danielle Sorgente, in New Jersey, Sargent fought during the Battle of the Bulge, in World War II.  Returning, he attended The Actors Studio, wishing to become an actor.  Unfortunately, he only garnered roles as a basic background extra.  But somehow, he managed to break into directing in the 50’s, and garnered credits such as Lassie, Gunsmoke, The Fugitive, Kojak, The Invaders, The Man From U.N.C.L.E., and Star Trek (The Corbomite Maneuver.)  His breakthrough as a film director, however, came with helming the classic, Colossus: The Forbin Project.  And from there, he went on to take credits directing films such as The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (a project developed by Steven Spielberg,) White Lighting (another project that began as a Steven Spielberg film,) the Nicholas Meyer written TV film, The Night that Panicked America (based on Orson Welles’ infamous ‘War of the Worlds’ radio broadcast,) the 1985 TV miniseries, Space, MacArthur, and Miss Evers Boys.  He was nominated several times for his work in television, and won for 1973’s, The Marcus-Nelson Murders.  And eventually, he was nominated, and won the Director’s Guild of America’s Outstanding Directorial Achievement award, twice.  First in 2005, for Something the Lord Made, and again in 2006 for Warm Springs.  And when he retired in 2010, he accepted an appointment as the Senior Filmmaker-in-Residence for the Directing program at the A.F.I. Conservatory in L.A.  Taking into account the best of the above mentioned achievements, we will forgive him for Jaws: The Revenge.  He died of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at his home in Malibu, in December of last year.  He was 89 … ROBERT KINOSHITA IS NOT A NAME MANY WILL KNOW.  However, if you are sci-fi film and TV savvy — and I tell you he was the primary designer of ‘Robby’ in the film Forbidden Planet, and later, ‘Robot’ from the 1960’s TV show, Lost in Space — I bet I have your attention.  Kinoshita was born in 1914 in L.A., and studied architecture as USC.  While there, he saw an exhibit of work by school alumni who were working for the movie studios.  And he knew instantly that’s what he wanted to do.  But with the outbreak of WWII, Kinoshita and his new wife were interned in a Japanese prisoner of war camp, in Arizona.  After the War, the designer spent several years studying further, and honing his talent for just the job he wanted.  And he got it.  Now, it should be stated that Kinoshita didn’t build ‘Robby the Robot’ all by himself.  In fact, he had a team of professionals working to construct his most famous creation.  But the design was Kinoshita’s.  At the time, he was head draftsman at the MGM art department, and had his whole department generating drawings and general designs on behalf of the film’s art director.  But according to Kinoshita himself, he upped the bar on his own behalf.  “We had five guys designing, and we just knocked out, must have been a couple thousand drawings.  So I said, ‘The hell with it, I’m going to make me a model.'”  Little did he know then …   In 1965, Irwin Allen hired him to be the overall art director for his show, Lost in Space.  He designed the ship’s ‘Robot.’ (Based almost entirely on his earlier design for ‘Robby.‘)  And that creation, now well-known for uttering the phrase, “Danger, Will Robinson !  Danger !” wasn’t his only noteworthy design on Lost in Space.  He also designed the ‘Jupiter 2’ spacecraft, along with a whole host of other sets and accoutrements, along the show’s multiple season path.  He was also art director on Highway Patrol, Bat Masterson, Science Fiction Theater, Men Into Space, Sea Hunt, Hawaii Five-O, and Kojak.  And in 1961, he contributed to the design of the film The Phantom Planet.  In 2004, Kinoshita was inducted into the Robot Hall of Fame by the Carnegie-Mellon Institute.  He died last December at the age of 100.  Poet George Herbert said living well is the best revenge.  Looks like Mr. Kinoshita exemplified that statement.WHENEVER ANY TRUE SCIENCE-FICTION FAN THINKS OF ROD TAYLOR, they think of one specific film.  George Pal’s production of H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine.  Rodney Sturt (Rod) Taylor was born in a suburb of Sydney, Australia, in 1930.  This surprises many people.  Especially since his accent never betrayed an Australian tongue.  And for most of his career, his Australian accent was nowhere to be heard.  In fact, many of his friends and colleagues have reported that he simply lost it.  (His first performance as an Australian, would come along in 1963, acting alongside Louis Jourdan, in The V.I.P.’s.)  In fact, Taylor did a volume of work in Australian theater and radio, before he really broke into show business, in Hollywood.  He made his official film debut in King of the Coral Sea, in 1954, and played Israel Hands in a sequel to Disney’s Treasure Island, called Long John Silver.  Soon after, Taylor was on TV in the States, racking up roles, and preparing for his career in film.  Strong supporting roles in various television shows and films (including a part in Raintree County, another in Giant, and a showstopping performance in an episode of the Twilight Zone,) led to his debut as a lead, in features.  The film The Time Machine was a huge hit, and ‘Rod Taylor’ quickly became one of those ‘household name’ actors, that everybody hears about, regardless of whether they watch movies, or not.  He segued into a variety of roles, including playing opposite Doris Day in The Glass Bottom Boat, voicing a character in Disney’s One Hundred and One Dalmations, and thereafter found himself working with Alfred Hitchcock on the classic suspense film, The Birds.  In the early 1970’s, he was reportedly up for a role opposite Bruce Lee in Enter the Dragon.  But his height was taken into consideration, and suddenly he had lost the role to actor John Savage.  As time passed, Taylor amassed a longer list of television and film appearances, including The Train Robbers with John Wayne, and Michelangelo Antonioni’s Zabriskie Point.  The great Rod Taylor ended his career with a sly and very successful cameo as Winston Churchill, in Quentin Tarantino’s Inglorious Bastards.  The Time Traveler suffered a fatal heart attack in January, only days away from his 85th birthday.  Here’s to you, Mr. Taylor !  May your travels continue …

TO BE CONTINUED IN PART 2 …

REVIEW: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

“STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS” SPOILERS AHEAD!! ALL SPOILERS!!
SERIOUSLY, DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THE MOVIE!! YOU HAVE NO EXCUSES!!  ALSO: FAIR WARNING — FOUL LANGUAGE AHEAD.  THIS IS AN UNCENSORED REVIEW!!! 

**Please NOTE: I began writing a movie review, and wound up writing a paper. A thesis, if you will, that critiques the film Star Wars: The Force Awakens, but moreover subsists as a tome of frustration against, and will hopefully be thumbtacked to the very ass of, Corporate Hollywood.

IN PROLOGUE  A Writer in Requiem

In May of 1983, I was 12 years old.

Sitting in a darkened theater called “Angelina Twin Cinema,” in Lufkin, Texas, I watched as the last (and most anticipated) of the original Star Wars Trilogy, unfolded. And surprisingly, I sank lower, and lower, and lower in my seat. Having read interviews with various behind-the-scenes participants, in various movie magazines such as Starlog and Fantastic Films, I knew in advance that something hadn’t gone quite as planned in relation to the film’s screenplay. On my way in, I really didn’t think it would matter. On my way out, I was frustrated. I just kept shaking my head, ‘Why the hell did they do that??’

While watching the movie, my ability to delude myself, suspend my disbelief, and in general distract myself from the film’s faults, was not only nonexistent, it had gradually turned into full blown anxiety. I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Five drafts! All circulated among V.I.P.’s termed, “Above-The-Line Talent,” prior to principal photography. And with each new draft, reportedly came even more watered down characters and plot developments, and more and more contrived and inconsequential visual exposition. Rumor was, it was a ploy intended to sell more toys.

I was caught off guard. I could actually see the difference in the quality of the material, moving across the screen. And I could certainly hear it in the dialogue. Although the larger structure was really strong, scenes within that larger story structure were … simplified. And a little wooden. Even cartoony. But more often, pointless. This was awkward and embarrassing. Especially in comparison with the former film, Empire Strikes Back. Within two days, I knew I could have written it better. I didn’t just think I could have written Return of the Jedi better – I knew I could have written it better. This was the very moment, I realized I was going to be a writer. Whether I wanted to be, or not.

Mind you, I was only 12 years old.

…..and not a single Yub Nub was given that day.

PART FIRST  The Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing or Wherein I explain the how’s and why’s of every nightmare in the 21’st Century being systematically generated and monopolized by Opportunists

I thought Return of the Jedi was the worst Star Wars would ever have to offer.  DISSOLVE TO: Thirty-two years and Seven months have passed since then. And Luke Skywalker has vanished. In more than one sense.

After a disappointing trilogy of Prequel films, helmed by original Star Wars co-writer and director, George Lucas, Disney and Lucasfilm sought out talent to “reboot” their newly acquired franchise. Several names were thrown to the media. After months of gossip, former movie Producer, and newly inaugurated Lucasfilm President, Kathleen Kennedy announced that J.J. Abrams had gotten the job.

Abrams entered the Industry as a college film school grad who had attracted the attention of the one and only Steven Spielberg. Working in multiple roles and positions in the area of film production, “Jeffrey” Abrams had managed to write and sell screenplays such as: Taking Care of Business (1990,) Regarding Henry (1991,) and Forever Young (1992.) Eventually, he was offered work polishing scripts for film production, and did so for good payment, but little or no credit. That is, with exception to the 1998 stupidfest, Armageddon. And just why Abrams would agree to a job rewriting said script is a head-scratcher. Specifically in light of the fact that Steven Spielberg was a mentor to Abrams, and Armageddon was competing against the Steve Spielberg produced Deep Impact.

Segueing into the TV business, by writing, and creating shows such as Felicty and Alias, Abrams quickly became a well-known, successful commodity in the business of Television. By the time the TV show Lost became a phenomenon in 2004, Abrams had plopped into the Television Development Executive comfy chair, offering comments, notes, and a certain creative advice, on numerous shows. A job role which he would never be credited with, as Development Executives rarely get credited. That’s the job position they don’t want you asking too many questions about. Because Television Development Executives always have more authority than they really need, and exploit it, obsessive-compulsively.

Eventually, Abrams began directing. First in Television, but later with films like Mission: Impossible III, Super8 (a film that reportedly pitted him against both Dreamworks’ and Paramount’s Development Executives, with heartbreaking results, ha-ha) and two Star Trek films. And all the while, he maintained his role as a “Television Development Executive.” The role that actually introduced him to the corporate climate of Hollywood, and in effect, has always been his trump card in the industry.

So, why did Lucasfilm want Abrams? Because Stephen Spielberg called up Kathy Kennedy and suggested Abrams. And why would Stephen Spielberg call up Kathy Kennedy, wishing to suggest Abrams? Because Spielberg had discovered that Disney (which owns Lucasfilm) wanted to reboot Star Wars into another kind of franchise. And just what kind of franchise? An ATM Machine, that’s what kind of franchise. Specifically, an overly episodic, simplified, addicting storyline. An unending series of films, preferably designed with less emphasis on the Joseph Campbell influence, and preferably straight-jacketed by a “Bible.” A “Bible” on a show, is television industry parlance for, “We wanna know what the hell’s gonna happen, going forward; don’t hold anything back; tell us everything, so that we — those who are really in charge — can determine the direction of these stories. You know, just like the Marvel films that we release. That’s it! Simplify the fuck out of it, in advance; that works for us!” They wanted something that they, the corporate-minded people who don’t really want to watch these movies, can understand. Something that is nothing like the Original Trilogy. Something that Development Executives can understand. Something like a Television Pilot…

Enter, J.J. Abrams.

PART SECOND  “The Film,” if you insist upon calling it that, or Jar Jar Abrams Strikes Again

There will always be quibbles. So let’s get those out of the way, first. I have two minor quibbles about the opening of this new film, The Farce Awakens, and I’ll let it be that. Laugh if you wish, I’m sure you will.

A) “A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away …” was always vibrant blue in the Original films. Now, for some inexplicable reason, it’s freakin’ green. And kind of an ugly green.

B) That opening starfield doesn’t look right. Many of the stars seem to be in the same place as they are in the other films, but … Now, I know you’re laughing, but I’m tellin’ ‘ya, it doesn’t look right. All the stars are the exact same brightness, giving it absolutely no depth at all. It looks cheaper. In the Original films, the starfields have depth. Mainly because the effects artists gave them depth, by creating multiple layers of variant brightness. In the case of this new film, it appears that a computer program mapped out the generic starfield from the Original films, and re-generated it. And no one ever sought to even tweak that. They just let the computer do it. You wouldn’t think this would matter, but it does.

Let’s get back to those quibbles a little later. Presently, let me just give you the overlong, exasperated, overblown, blow-by-bow, description of incidentals that take place within this movie, minus the commercial breaks. *dusts hands* Stay tuned, I’m about to get mean.

The camera tilts down to the planet Jakku (pronounced Jack-oooo,) and after Abrams’ poor attempt at a signature opening shot (a cartoony shadowy triangle of a big star destroyer rising up in frame to cover the day-side of the planet,) we are on planet night-side. And quickly introduced to an apparently nameless character, played by world-renowned actor, Max Von Sydow. But please don’t get to comfortable with him, or curious about him, because he will be dead shortly. After having a brief exchange with Poe Dameron (played well by actor Oscar Isaac of Inside Llewyn Davis,) this makeshift camp in the desert is raided by Stormtroopers. Wait. Are they still called Stormtroopers? Screw it, I’m callin’ ‘em Stormtroopers. Poe has uttered exposition, confirming that he is part of ‘The Resistance’ (this is apparently a new word standing in for Rebellion; when in fact the Rebellion apparently never ended, and both words mean the same damn thing,) and Sydow has given him a small thumb drive (no shit, that’s exactly what it is) filled with some secret data that will assist the Rebels. I mean the Resisters. Whatever.

So the camp is attacked — and although brief, it is good action filmmaking; some nice work here – and we are introduced to BB8, which is Poe’s droid. Poe’s X-Wing fighter is damaged during the melee, so he cannot escape the Raid with the thumb drive. So he puts it in the robot, and tells BB8 to take off, that he will catch up with the cute little spanner later. Then, Poe sees an Imperial ship approach and land. Meanwhile, one of the Stormtroopers sees a comrade killed, and runs to his aid, only getting there as a bloody hand reaches up to mark his helmet. Then, the same sympathetic Stormtrooper watches as his other comrades gun down unarmed people. And even though he’s wearing a helmet, Stormtrooper is clearly conflicted. THIS guy, is the absolute best, and most wonderful thing about this fucking movie.

Soon after, a dark and shady guy in cheap black cloth and a graphite grilled helmet comes out to question Max Von Sydow. They seem to know each other. Sydow speaks to Mr. dark and shady, says something about you can hide behind a mask, and call yourself Kylo Ren, but yada yada yada… That sort of thing. So Kylo Ren lightsabers Max Von Sydow. A wonderful thespian, and unique talent, taken from the Star Wars universe so quickly it makes you want to buy a puppy, name it J.J. Abrams, and slap the living shit out of it. Then, some Stormtroopers bring Poe before the Kylo Ren person, and place him on his knees. Kylo Ren leans over, just stares at Poe. Poe comments that he’s not sure if he’s supposed to talk first. Then Kylo says something about wanting the little thumb drive, and Poe comments that he can’t understand a word he’s saying; must be the mask. They take Poe away. Stormtrooper with blood on helmet is still conflicted …

Shift to day, and across the Planet. A character we eventually come to know as ‘Rey,’ a teenage scavenger, appears, and following a series of expository bits of business revealing her shit life and knowledge of the veritable junkyard of ‘Empire’ space ships littering the planet, she rescues the nauseously cute BB8 from a junk scavenger, who would have simply dismantled the robot for spare parts. This comes to us via conversation between Rey the teenager, and BB8 the droid. You see, she speaks his language. They can communicate. Something Luke needed an X-Wing Fighter’s computer to assist him with in Empire Strikes Back. Wait, it gets better. As the movie goes on, she talks to Chewie, as well. She’d make a great protocol droid, given she speaks the language of everybody she meets. In any case, she shows dignity and integrity, by refusing to sell BB8 for food. Awwwww …

Meanwhile, after arriving on-board the Star Destroyer, Conflicted Stormtrooper needs a moment to himself. After removing his helmet to get some air, he finds a minor character named “Captain Phasma” over his shoulder. A sleek, tall, chrome Stormtrooper that looks very similar to a Cylon on the old Battlestar Galactica. By Phasma’s voice, we know the dude’s a she. This cool chick was wasted. She pops up infrequently, and only for an instant. And Later on in the movie, they just stick her in a garbage compactor, and that’s the last we see of her. And we never saw much of her to begin with, mind you. I hear she’s in the sequel. Lame excuse.

Anyway, after Poe has been interrogated by Kylo Ren, or Darth Punk-ass Bitch, as I like to call him, Conflicted Stormtrooper is placed in charge of the despot Rebel fighter, and pulls them both aside to offer to help Poe escape, if Poe will fly. Because conflicted Stormtrooper’s not a pilot. Some funny exposition, and the two of them go through a humorous sequence of stealing a Tie Fighter and crash landing it back on Jakku. But before they do, Conflicted Stormtrooper gives his name as FN and a number. Poe refuses to call him that, decides to call him “FINN.” Finn responds really enthusiastically to this. They probably should have rethought that moment, given what a white man giving a black man a name, implies.

They two are separated by the crash. Is Poe no more? Finn meets Rey, after witnessing her defend herself. Gets attacked by Rey because BB8 recognizes Poe’s jacket on Finn. Somewhere in there, Finn lies, says he’s part of the Resistance. And essentially he is, now. Whether he likes it or not. So technically, he’s not really lying. And, the Empire – I mean The First Order – Jesus, was it really necessary that they rename the fucking Empire? Okay. I’ll just have to get used to that, I guess. I’m not getting used to ‘The Resistance,’ though. That is ‘The Ridiculous.’ So anyway, The F.O. knows that BB8 is carrying the thumb drive. So they’re gonna be looking for it, right? And the last thing they would do is shoot at it, right? Wrong. Sort of a plot hole, there, people! Once they find BB8, Tie Fighters show up and start strafing the area. Clearly attempting to murder the poor little robot fart. Like I said, PLOT HOLE, PEOPLE! Or … ‘ya know, discrepancy, or whatever-the-hell you wanna call it. I don’t care.  Run, you little 1981 Nerf soccer ball.So Rey and Finn have to escape. But like Gerbils, they’re obviously going nowhere without transportation off this rock. So she leads them to a ship that’s about 200 yards away. Finn sees one closer, and shouts something along the lines of, “What about that one!?” She looks across the desert sand, and deems it to be a piece of junk. Suddenly, the very ship they’re running for 200 yards away gets blasted into oblivion, and Rey and Finn deviate to ‘piece of junk.’ Which turns out to be The Millennium Falcon, with tattered tarp covering its fuselage. IT’S A TARP! Admiral Ackbar even makes a later appearance in the movie. So this is a nice little in-joke.

Contrivance, contrivance, they escape, get caught by a freighter, which turns out to be Han Solo and Chewie, wherein we get the famous trailer moment, “Chewie … we’re home,” but a slightly better version of it. Once everyone knows who everyone is, Han tells Chewie that they will have to let the kids off at a nearby way station. Rey and Finn offer that BB8 is carrying a map to Luke Skywalker. Han is surprised. They take a look at it. The map is not complete, but it’s a good chance for some exposition. Han tells them that Luke tried to train a new generation of Jedi, and failed, miserably. He sunk into depression and vanished. Leia has been trying to find him ever since. Han says at one time he didn’t believe any of it: a force that encompassed everything, the Jedi, their powers. All of it. But now, he tells them he knows it’s true. All of it. This scene attempts to get across that these kids have heard about ‘The Force,’ and these people (Han, Luke, etc.) but assumed they were mythical. And now they’re finding out they are real. Unfortunately, it’s handled, fleetingly, and amateurishly. And after illustrating that little bit of the scene from the trailer, ‘It’s all true, all of it,’ the scene essentially goes nowhere. They really didn’t know what they had there.  I honestly thought, given that this is a key scene, that the filmmakers would have worked on it a bit longer. But oh, no, it seems like they did a couple of passes, and never came back to it, and consequently, the real meaning of it, and the opportunity to dig deeper and have it really mean something, and possibly narrow down the through-line of the entire movie, gets lost. Or is slighted. Don’t get me wrong. You comprehend what they’re telling you — the idea they’re trying to get across — but it’s not nearly as mythical or emotional or legendary as it should be. Most important scene in the movie, and they mucked it up. And they could’a done it with less dialogue. That’s the sad part. And there’s something bothering me about Han Solo. He seems familiar. But like a grandmother.  Please note: I did not say grandfather.

Next, there’s a mindlessly unnecessary sequence that follows wherein two criminal gangs dock with and board Han and Chewie’s freighter, wanting the return of their money, as cargo was undelivered. Han argues he’s got to get rid of the cargo he currently has, before he can pay them back. Seems Han is borrowing from Peter to pay Paul, again. Han’s hauling some monsters, which I cannot remember the name of, but wasn’t really impressed by much. They certainly were creepy, gooey looking things; I’ll give ‘em that. Weird looking 1990’s Sci-Fi shit, is really what it was. However, they were derivative, and not very inventive. Didn’t capture my imagination for an instant. Matter of fact, looked like a rejected creature from one of Abrams’ Star Trek films. Or any bad sci-fi movie, for that matter.

Anyway, our heroes escape in the Falcon and travel to another planet to meet a small alien woman who owns a Bar in a Castle. A small alien woman who wants to know where her boyfriend Chewbacca is. Anyway. There’s some talk at a table. Finn warns them about a new type of Deathstar. Finn wants to get the hell out of there, and head for the Galaxy’s outer rim, for safety. Rey is shocked. Finn decides to leave with some aliens who will take him there. The Bar owner, Maz Kenyata? Kanata? Sounds like a compact car. I guess it is hard for Development Executives to come up with good names in the Star Wars Universe. She asks Han who the girl is, WE CUT AWAY before he answers. But we suspect that we will eventually learn in another film, that this is Luke Skywalker’s daughter. Maybe, maybe not. Perhaps they haven’t nailed that down yet. I don’t know whether to chastise them for generating a Bible for this new enterprise, or chastise them for not having figured out the backstory to their own fucking movie. I’m conflicted.

Case in point. Rey hears something, and is drawn into the basement of Castle/Bar. Down a long stone hallway, she finds a keepsake box with a lightsaber inside. Touching it, she has a flashback to the corridor aboard Cloud City, from Empire Strikes Back, sees Kylo Ren and others like him, and finally, sees herself as a little girl, abandoned on Jakku. Apparently, by her parents. At this point, I realize that the planet Jakku is not really very interesting, and has come up far too much, and been dwelled on far too much, in this movie. It looks exact’a’fuckin’ like Tantooine. So why didn’t they just – never mind. So the little Maz Piñata Bar owner lady appears, again, tells Rey that the lightsaber belonged to Luke, how it got here is another story, but that it calls to Rey. Rey runs away, says she never wants to touch the thing again. Like a virgin. The point that should be taken, though, is that none of this makes sense, because it doesn’t make sense to Abrams, either. Keep that in mind.

By the way, there are a few brief interludes I’m leaving out between a red-headed guy in authority aboard the Star Destroyer, and Mr. shady, Kylo Ren. They are wasted time. I have also left out a character seen in giant hologram. A shitty hologram. Named Snoke. It looks like a giant naked “Dobby” from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Only without ears. Snoke wants Kylo Ren to kill his father, Han Solo. Stupid for them to give that away so early, but whatever, dude. Your story; ruin it if ‘ya gotta. Snoke is the kind of character you hope somehow vanishes in-between movies. He’s gonna turn out to be the Jar Jar of these new films, I can see that already.

So, two aliens inside the Bar/Castle have sent secret messages: one to the Rebel Alliance (once again, the ‘Resistance.’ Notice how my mind is ‘Resisting’ using that word,) the other to The Fuck Off. I mean the F.O. Both report that they’ve found the droid each side is looking for. Which is not a bad bit of business, but not handled very effectively. If I could take a moment to simply reiterate my appreciation for the fact that F.O. also stands for – never mind that; never mind that. Okay … so Rey has run off into the woods around the Castle/Bar place, and looks up to see Tie Fighters, etc., flying overhead. Uh, oh. Shit’s about to get real. Right? Not so fast, this is a sequence that could have been done much better. It’s too much ‘by the numbers.’ As if the director just walked through it. Like it was a Television Pilot — thaaaat’s right; I forgot, I’m sorry.

Rey is confronted by Finn. I mean Kylo Ren. Sorry. Finn and Ren rhyme too much. That’s not good. Anyway. Rey is still in the woods when Kylo tries to get the location of the droid out of her, and discovers that she’s seen the map. It’s in her head. Which for some reason reminds me of Star Trek. So he places her in an unconscious state, and abducts her. Finn sees this after fighting a Stormtrooper with Luke’s lightsaber. The Stormtrooper, by the by, has been magically equipped – total fucking coincidence, I’m sure – with a wonderful taser wand, that deflects a lightsaber. Let that sink in. So a moment later, Finn sees Kylo Ren taking Rey — ya know all three of their names should have been changed to something else. Rey, Ren, and Finn. What dumbass thought that was a good idea??

Okay … so anyway, Finn is sweet on Rey. And is devastated to see her being carried, unconscious into a later-day shuttle craft, by Kylo Ren. He tells Han they took her, and Han just confirms he knows; walking straight for a transport ship, landing not far away. He stands solemn, waiting. Like a guy’s who’s really done something stupid, waiting for his wife to get off the plane at the airport. And you’re expecting a really amped up Leia. Because previous dialogue from Maz the Bar owner has led you to believe that Han and Leia haven’t seen each other in a while. So she’s gonna have a word with him. Right? Wrong. Instead, you get a wooden Carrie Fisher; whose performance as Leia was clearly restricted. And that sucks. Big time. You also get C-3PO. He says hello to Han Solo and makes a small, trivial comment about his new “red” arm. Which seems forced, and truly makes you wonder if this Abrams guy is aware of how discombobulated and awkward that is. Because there’s nothing more to it than that. And why would 3PO need to mention that it’s “red?” Anyway, Han tells Leia that he saw their son. “He was here,” he says this without an ounce of grit, and suddenly I realize what it is that’s been bothering me about Han Solo. He’s been lobotomized.

Another thing I’ve neglected to mention is that Poe Dameron from the opening scenes, finally returns to pilot another X-Wing craft in defense of the aliens and resistance fighters, around the Castle/Bar. No doubt sent by Leia. So Poe’s back. That’s cool.

So now we get a protracted sequence on another planet, somewhere, wherein various characters converge and have more dialogue and exposition, which isn’t really well thought out, but also isn’t as simple and straight to the point as the original Star Wars, either. A shame really. Intercut with this, is Rey aboard the new Death Star. Which is a Death Star with a big laser gun at the equator, but with land and water all over the rest of the planet. Looks like they built this new Star Destroyer base from within the planet. Interesting idea. Wish they had dwelt on that a bit more. Even if only with a bit more dialogue about it. I’ve read they termed this technological craptastic extravaganza, “Starkiller Base.” But I don’t remember hearing that uttered in the movie.

So Rey is restrained within Kylo Ren’s interrogation room (the same one he interrogated Poe in,) and she convinces Kylo to finally take off his helmet. And as suspected, it’s Adam Driver. But we all knew that, because Disney and Lucasfilm can’t keep a secret for shit. They even paraded him out at Comic-Con – alongside the other villains featured in the film. Driver, while earning my respect in spades as both a thespian, and former United States Marine, is nonetheless playing a character that is not genuinely a threat to anyone. It’s easy to understand why they cast him, though. He looks like he could be the bastard child of Han and Leia. Looks a bit, in his own way, like each of them. And I can see what they’re going for here. The concept of the character is that he’s sort of a young 21 year-old guy from one of the X-Men movies, who drifted way past Magneto’s prejudice, and straight into complete madness … because he meant to do that. Kind of creepy, actually. But by his own exhibited behavior, the character is still just a child. And that just doesn’t work within this film. Because he’s the only real heavy, and he ain’t that damn heavy. Maybe if he was more acrobatic, and moved around like lightning. Something, anything scary. I’ve always believed that what makes a fantasy villain work is whether or not you could bean him in the head with a big rock, and he would still kill you. I mean that takes courage on your part. But what if it has no effect on the villain. Then you know you are dealing with something closer to evil. As opposed to a soul you can relate to, and have a dialectic argument with. But, from what I know of Kylo Run, I mean Ren, I could bean his ass in the head from 20 feet away and run like hell, and he would not recover quickly enough to chase me. He’s too weak. I fear no retribution from him.

Anyway, Kylo Ren soon finds that Rey is strong with the force, and he’s not getting that map out of her. So he leaves her under the guard of a Stormtrooper. So she tries the Ben Kenobi, “You don’t need to see his identification. These are not the droids you’re looking for.” And at first, she’s ineffective. It doesn’t work. However, after a second try, it does work. And a Stormtrooper that sounds suspiciously a lot like actor Daniel Craig, frees her, leaves the door open, and walks out, dropping his weapon on the floor. It’s mildly humorous.

So a few of Abrams small potatoes actors make cameos in the Rebels final briefing meeting. And there, of course, is Admiral Ackbar. And across the room, BB8 discovers R2-D2 underneath a drop cloth. C-3PO informs BB8 that when Master Luke went away, R2 went into low power mode, and has been in that state ever since. Maybe that will make more sense in the plot of the next movie. But it would have been nice if it had made sense in THIS movie. But let’s not forget, THIS IS TELEVISION. That’s the way they’ve designed this movie. They’re trying to get you addicted to nonsensical bullshit, with the promise that there will be a payoff. Just like the TV show, Lost. Remember Lost? Yea, that was Abrams.

To wrap things up, Han, Finn and Chewie travel to the big new Deathstar base to complete their part of the sabotage mission. There’s some bit of business about the Empire’s shield’s being at a certain modulation, and therefore the falcon will need to come out of light speed past the shield. Sounds like an idea leftover from Abrams’ Star Trek, but it’s kind’a cool when they do it. And that is when you realize this movie will play better on TV. Once they crash the falcon through some trees, and into some snow, they infiltrate the base, and Finn – who has offered to help them sabotage a vital part of the base – reveals that he lied. He doesn’t know anything about where that that part of the base is, or how to sabotage it. But he wanted to rescue Rey, and he knew they wouldn’t let him come along if he didn’t lie about being a sanitation worker for the F.O. No shit.

So they take Captain Phasma hostage, throw the poor maligned and unused character into a garbage compactor, and find Rey just in time. Now they have to set explosive charges. Whist Han and Chewie are doing this, Han sees Kylo Ren searching for them. Han decides to confront his son, “Ben,” who’s walking across a catwalk platform over a deep chasm leading down into the heart of the base. It does not go well. Kylo “Ben” Ren is definitely conflicted, but his inner conflict exists simply because he’s been ordered to kill his father, Han Solo, by Snoke, the giant earless Dobby clone. And though Kylo Ren/Ben he wants to kill his father, he doesn’t have the gumption. He’s simply not man enough. And Han doesn’t realize that. This reminds me of something Han and Leia had discussed earlier in the hidden Rebel base. Leia says something along the lines of, “If you find our son, bring him home.” But Kylo is no longer Ben. For whatever reason, his psychological transformation from the person he used to be, to the person he now wants to be, is complete. Or it’s about to be. Ben offers his lightsaber to Han, and once Han takes it, Kylo ignites it, right into Han’s chest. Han’s expression is complete surprise. He strokes his son’s cheek, and Kylo further slices the lightsaber blade out of Han’s side, and this sends Han falling into the chasm. Kind of like the Emperor falling into the same type of chasm in Return of the Jedi. Maybe Kylo was always just a bad kid. Maybe he was bullied. Maybe, maybe, maybe; whatever. If they knew, we would know. Abrams and co-writer Lawrence Kasdan never figured that out, so they just never addressed it. Because they don’t have to do that in Television. In light of Harrison Ford terming Return of the Jedi, “… nothing but a big toy commercial,” I’m sure he’s secretly pleased as punch with having shot the most expensive Television Pilot ever made.

So Chewie sees this, HOWLS, and shoots at Kylo. Kylo evades his gunfire, looks up and spots Rey and Finn at an exit on their way out. Rey and Finn run out and into the woods. More woods. Scenes in the woods on two different planets. Interesting. Someone has a one-track mind. Once they get out there, Kylo magically appears from out of nowhere, and uses the Force to slap Rey into a tree. Finn goes to her aid, Kylo gets his attention with, “That lightsaber! It belongs to me.” Clearly Kylo wants Luke’s lightsaber. It is possible, that Luke gave it to him as a boy, and an adult wisely took it away from him. Clearly, Luke tried to train this kid, who, according to dialogue between Han and Leia earlier, was already a bad kid. But they only have a few words about this. So it just puts an image in your head that this kid might have been suffering from a sociopathic personality disorder, before Luke tried to train him in the Jedi arts. So why would Luke blame himself that the kid grew up to be an evil freak, and run away? To be fair, perhaps Luke didn’t run away for that reason. Perhaps Luke ran away because he knew that Kylo Ren could feed off of his power, and become more powerful. And perhaps that’s bullshit.

So Finn fights Kylo, and gets injured badly. We think he’s dead, in fact. Because Kylo Ren sliced him in the back, and we don’t know how deep. So Rey wakes up, sees Fin, and is emotionally overwhelmed. At the end of the previous fight, Luke’s lightsaber went flying off and landed in the snow, several yards away. Kylo uses the Force to grab for it — but it goes right past him and lands in Rey’s hand. And she fights him like she’s been trained. Like a Boss. Plot hole? Perhaps? Or perhaps her memory was wiped by Luke. Or something else. I’ve read theories, but honestly, I don’t think Abrams and Kasdan considered it important enough to determine that. And Rey was a little young in her flashback to when she was abandoned on Jakku. So when they hell did she learn to feel the force and use it, and train with it, and all that stuff??? Another questions we’re not supposed to ask. So she defeats Kylo Ren (sounds like a brand of Ramen Noodle,) leaving him injured, but alive on the other side of a canyon-like chasm that develops between them, following the explosion from the charges left by Han and Chewie. Chewie arrives in the Falcon, helps get Finn aboard, and they leave the planet, with Poe and his Squad in pursuit. The base explodes. Big Bang Boom. And we’re back at the Rebel Base. There is some celebration by the Rebels out on a tarmac. R2-D2 wakes up. He has the rest of the map, and the Rebels put it together with what was on the thumb drive, discovering Luke’s location.

Rey and Leia say goodbye. Rey takes Han’s seat aboard the Falcon. Chewie seems pleased with this. And they take off to cheering. On a distant alien planet, the Falcon surfs across the ocean as they approach an island of grass and rocks. Then, Rey walks from the Falcon, about a half a mile up a series of rock stairs to see a cloaked figure on a cliff, looking out over the ocean. He turns, she takes a step forward. He removes the hood of the cloak (looking a bit too dramatic, and trying to look cool) and she pulls out the lightsaber. Incidentally, I promise you the pose he makes will be turned into an endless series of gifs and memes on the internet. They will appear without hesitation or pause, as soon as that image and/or video is available. Facebook, here it comes. Trust me on this. By the way, Mark Hamill’s clearly wearing hair extensions. But the look on his face, the pain in his eyes … it works because of that. Even though he looks ridiculous.

Next, Rey offers him the lightsaber, and he just stares back at her. He’s a little stunned. Give him a minute, he’s old. Or that’s the impression we’re clearly supposed to get. Self-enforced ageism in Hollywood is getting a tad tired, at this point. “Sure,” they say. “He can be Luke Skywalker. But he has to be Luke Skywalker old and tired and everything that goes with.” Ridiculous. Luke would be more alive than that. Depressed, or not. And to be fair, we have all seen the more recent photos of Mark Hamill on the internet, evidencing his new haircut and waistline. And he’s already in the UK. Rumor is they’ve already started shooting the next movie, even though their official start date for principal photograph is in January. Regardless, it appears Luke will be much more alive, active, and overall present, in the next movie, than he was in this one. Which wouldn’t be hard to accomplish. Lastly, we get another shot of the two them still standing there from above, and we’re out.

First thing you see next, is “Directed by J.J. Abrams.” This comes full circle to my original quibbles about the credits. Said credits look oddly like a lazy approximation of the original credits. A pale imitation is really what they are. And there’s something about that simple detail that really bothered me, and still does. I mean, seriously. You heard of “Harmy,” yet? The individual (or possibly a group of individuals) who generated the De-Specialized Editions of the Original Films; thereby removing all changes made by George to the 1997 Special Editions? You know who I mean. Based upon samples I’ve seen, that person(s) did a much better job simulating those original credits, in a clear attempt to get those Original films as close to the versions that were theatrically released (in ’77, ’80, & ‘83,) as possible. Much better job. And although I’m not saying it had to be perfect — I’m not nitpicking, trust me – the fact is: if you’ve seen the Original films enough times, you will notice the glaring difference, pretty quickly. Once the film is released on home video, compare those opening and closing credits of Force Awakens (a title I do not like, and will address shortly) with that of the Original three films. You will instantly notice a clear difference. Again, I’m not stating this to be nitpicky. I’m pointing out how fucking lazy a job they did on the new film’s credits.You don’t see that with the Prequels. I gotta give ‘em credit for that, if nothing else. That element of the Prequels, Lucasfilm handled fairly well. They generated credits that were at the very least an attempt to be faithful to the pre-established look of those credits. But these new credits just look cheap and superficial. And while I’m sure many people will laugh at me being bothered by something like that, the truth is — it’s a clue. A big one. If approximating that look was done in such a slipshod manner, how much respect do you think they really have for Star Wars, in general? It says a lot about their actual intentions, as opposed to the public’s perception of their intentions.

All right. So, I think I’ve made my point.

PART THIRD  A fair analysis by a fair-haired 6-year old; loaded cap pistol in hand

Star Wars: The Force Awakens has a plot that is “almost” literally the same as the original Star Wars. Secret Plans are the McGuffin. A farm boy (or girl, this time) on a desert planet. Han and Chewie aboard the Millennium Falcon spirits her away from her home, with Stormtroopers hot on their trail. There’s another bar with aliens. There’s a Death Star. Need I go on?

“This isn’t your father’s Star Wars.” That was the comment I saw on the internet that incensed me. That really bothers me. Because A) it’s not even close to being in the same league as the 1977 film, and B) it’s ripping off the original film, along with elements of Empire and Jedi — and doing a very poor job of it. This is a film with a budget reportedly north of $200Million. And maybe … just maybe, that’s part of the problem. A “Star Wars” film, needs to be a film with a more manageable budget, a spirited and inspired filmmaker, and a support group behind it that does not consist solely of Corporate Hollywood, in order to escape the dreaded by-the-numbers “Star Wars Rip-off” sensibility. Which is exactly what this feels like. One of those movies that simply rips-off Star Wars. Some associated with this new film have termed it, “an homage.” Proving they have no idea what the true nature of homage is, any more than they understand the Forces at work that made the original film work so damn well.

Luckily, everything in this movie goes by so fast, you don’t have much time to complain. And you do generally enjoy it. The film is a Class-A production, all the way. Disney made sure of that. But an hour later, it feels hollow, trumped up, like an interesting diversion from the actual Star Wars Universe, and worst of all, regardless of the money they spent on it, it feels cheap. This doesn’t feel like Star Wars on the big screen. AGAIN: It feels like Star Wars on Television. Or something worse. And it’s too easy. Really great movies are A LOT harder to make than this. And most people never stop and wonder why. It’s because it’s a lot harder to really get it RIGHT.

In truth, I have absolutely nothing against Star Wars being on Television.  Actually, Star Wars: Rebels is frankly the best thing that has been done with the franchise, since Star Wars (1977) and Empire Strikes Back (1980.)  But a production “intended” for Television is an entirely different animal, than a production intended to theatrical release; which is this case, has been promulgated as the heir apparent to the original film that started it all, and isn’t even trying to get honor the sources of inspiration for the original film.

In Thesis, just because you are terrified of repeating the mistake that was the Prequels, doesn’t mean that you go to the opposite extreme, essentially using every sleazy, derivative tactic ever employed in the annals of Television, to rip-off your most cherished predecessor. No. You do the work, and you do it right.

In closing, I really hope the kids enjoyed it. But based upon recent statistics of the average age of ticket buyers for the film, either the kids are simply not interested in this film, or they didn’t feel they were invited. Which is sad. Because Star Wars should be for the kids. It should always be for the kids. And if they don’t feel welcome. Something has gone terribly wrong. In fact, that 6-year-old kid still inside of me did not feel welcome at all. Maybe it will play better on Television. Where it belongs.

Good move not killing Finn, by the way.

Good article at Hollywood Reporter website on why the Star Wars franchise has to pay off for Disney: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/how-star-wars-will-change-846918?facebook_20151212

Log Entries: 07/14/2015

IN STAR WARS NEWS … The Force Awakens — I guess we should all just learn to swallow that title — had it’s Comic-Con panel in San Diego on Friday, and in addition to a surprise appearance by a slightly limping Harrison Ford, they brought along an all-too-brief collection of behind the scenes footage for the audience.  The next trailer isn’t due until Fall, Star Wars fanatics, so enjoy this in the meanwhile:

STAR WARS: ROGUE ONE will be the next film to be released under the “Star Wars” banner, following Episode VII.  In fact, according to Lucasfilm’s own Kathleen Kennedy, the film begins production approximately three weeks from July 10th.  Gareth (Godzilla) Edwards will helm the film, which involves the elite unit that stole the plans of the first Deathstar; the very plans, in fact, that set the plot of 1977’s Star Wars, in motion.  Reportedly, Darth Vader will have a role in this stand alone prequel film, as well.  And there are also rumors that Boba Fett, and the other bounty hunters featured in The Empire Strikes Back, will play a role in the story … THE DIRECTORS OF 21 JUMP STREET AND THE LEGO MOVIE, will helm a stand alone Star Wars film, centering on Han Solo.  Phil Lord and Chris Miller are set to begin production on their film immediately.  Josh Trank was previously slated to direct a Han Solo movie for Lucasfilm and Disney, but bowed out due to creative differences.  This project is said to have no relation to any material developed by Josh (Fantastic Four) Trank.  The film is tentatively scheduled for a May 25th, 2018 release date … IN DC NEWS … a new trailer for Batman V. Superman was unveiled during the recent, annual San Diego Comic-Con.  A trailer which gives much more depth to the plot and plight of Bruce Wayne.  As well as featuring other characters and hints, we finally get our first look at Wonder Woman.  And although brief, she’s worth the watch.

AND IT APPEARS BEN AFFLECK himself will co-write and direct a new stand alone Batman film for Warner Bros. and DC Comics.  He has already reportedly filmed a cameo in David Ayer’s upcoming Suicide Squad, but if negotiations work out, Affleck will co-script with comic writer Geoff Johns his first solo effort, as the brooding caped crusader.  The film would potentially have a release date of 2018 … THERE’S A SUPERGIRL TV Series coming to CBS, this Fall.  Here’s a recent, short teaser they hope will wet your appetite.

WARNER BROS. Studios have announced the title of the Green Lantern reboot, which apparently will NOT involve Ryan Reynolds.  (Reynolds has stated firmly that Deadpool will be his last superhero film.  But based upon a very successful obscenity laden, hard R trailer for Deadpool, played at San Diego Comic Con — Reynolds is going out in style.)  Warner Bros. & DC Comics’ The Green Lantern Corps. has no production date or release date, at this time … GUILLERMO DEL TORO has unfortunately dropped out of Justice League Dark.  The film that partnered Sandman with Constantine, Zatanna, Deadman, and Jason Blood.  It isn’t clear if Del Toro passed on directing this project due to scheduling conflicts, or changes within Warner Bros. handling of DC’s Vertigo titles and characters … IN MARVEL NEWS … ALTHOUGH ACTOR HUGH JACKMAN had recently stated that he would be willing to play Wolverine, ‘forever,’ he later changed his mind and stated that the next Wolverine film (to be directed by James Mangold [3:10 to Yuma, The Wolverine,]) will in fact be his last full performance of the character.  Said Jackman, “One – last – time.”  Clearly, he feels it’s time to move on, and he’s getting a bit too old for the physical regiment required to continue playing the character.  The only hint that has thus far been given as to the last Wolverine film’s intended storyline was another cryptic comment made by Jackman: “Old man Logan.”   However, there are more than substantial rumors that Jackman will cameo in at least two other films before he turns in his claws.  And while director Bryan Singer confirmed at Comic-Con that X-Men: Apocalypse will be one of them, the other has been the source of much debate.  Until recently, it was thought to be Marvel’s upcoming Deadpool film.  However, that has since been debunked.  More on this as further information becomes available …AS FOR “SPIDER-MAN” CAMEOS … well, due mainly to a deal struck between Marvel/Disney and Sony Pictures, Spidey will indeed cameo in Captain America: Civil War.  He, along with Black Panther, and reportedly many other Marvel characters, will cameo in that film.  And he will additionally make appearances in The Avengers: Infinity War Parts I and II — and according to Marvel, the wall crawler will soon have his own reboot film; which is part of the deal with Sony, as well.  Marisa Tomei (My Cousin Vinny) has been cast as Aunt May.  Anyone else feel old now ?  Nineteen year-old actor Tom (The Impossible, Wolf Hall ) Holland will play Peter Parker, a.k.a. Spider-Man in the film that will reportedly have, “a John Hughes vibe.” … AND AS FOR X-MEN: APOCALYPSE, new details have come forth since the X-Men: Apocalypse panel at the recent San Diego Comic Con, revealing that the film takes place in 1983, and indeed focuses on the character first established in the book, “X-Factor,” in the late 1980’s.  An immortal born 5,000 years ago in Aqaba, with what may be the very first mutant gene.  A man, creature, or entity that also may be part extraterrestrial, whom secretly harbors no sympathy for either normal humans, or mutants.  But rather, strives for perfection in his quest to refine the evolutionary process into the anachronism of, ‘survival of the fittest.’  Thus making him the literal manifestation of everything humans secretly fear about mutants.  A superhuman antagonist with the clear potential to mercilessly abuse his powers, who may also very well be the devil himself.  Footage shown at Comic-Con reportedly reveals him to be the “literal” Apocalypse, with Magneto, Storm, Angel, and Psylocke, as his corrupted four horsemen.  His scheme and ploy, seems to be made obvious by his initial appearance and dialogue contained in the footage shown: “I’ve been called many things over many lifetimes.  Ra, Krishna, Yaweh …  You are all my children.  And you’re lost.  Because you follow the wrong leader.  Everything they’ve built will fall, and from the ashes of their world we’ll build a better one.” … JOSH TRANK recently announced that he was cancelling the conversion and release of the “3D” version only, of his Fantastic Four reboot.  He cited concerns with quality as the principal reason, but rumors have swirled that a proper conversion would not be possible, given the limited space of time between completion of the film, and it’s release date.  Mainly due to reshoots enforced by 20th Century Fox, who are reportedly, very unhappy with the film … AND FANTASTIC FOUR has a new poster …. which suspiciously markets the film in a similar fashion/color pallet to 2005’s Fantastic Four. 

The earlier version(s) notably starred Michael Chiklis as Ben Grimm, Chris Evans as Johnny Storm, and Jessica Alba as his sister Sue Storm.  Neither of the previous two films (including 2007’s Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer) were very popular with fans, or as profitable as Marvel or 20th Century Fox had hoped.  Probably not a good idea to use a poster that brings back that memory … BUT FANTASTIC FOUR does have a nifty new trailer, so maybe that will ofset the negative responses to the poster.  See here:

WESLEY SNIPES has stated for the record that another Blade film might actually happen.  The original 1998 Blade film was really the first of the Marvel films, to actually turn a profit.  Marvel Studios have regained rights to the character and are looking to bring Snipes in to cameo in certain projects, and possibly star in yet another solo film.  “The project is controlled by Marvel and we did have a really productive and wonderful meeting, and we discussed a number of things.  I don’t know where it’s on their schedule at this point; that hasn’t been decided.  I guess it’s still up in the air.”   Snipes went on to hint that he might be chosen to return to the Marvel Universe as another character … MARVEL’S DR. STRANGE MOVIE is coming into focus.  Benedict (Sherlock, Star Trek Into Darkness) Cumberbatch will play the title role of Dr. Stephen Strange.  A neurosurgeon that looses his career due to damage done to his hands in a car accident.  After much soul searching, Strange treks to the Himalayas, in search of a cure — and finds himself the keeper of an ancient magic, bestowed upon he who protects this world from evils from alternate dimensions.  Including one we call ‘Hell.’  Tilda Swinton has been cast as ‘The Ancient One.’  Chiwetel (Serenity) Ejiofor has been cast as Baron Mordo.  And actress Rachel McAdams is rumored to play a role in the film, directed by Scott (The Day the Earth Stood Still, 2008) Derrickson.  The script is by Jon (Prometheus, Passengers) Sphaits.  Filming begins in London in the Fall, and is do for release in November of 2016 … AND THE GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY SEQUEL will be called Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. II.  Put that in your pipe and smoke it … AND IF YOU’RE IN THE MOOD FOR A SWANK SUICIDE SQUAD TRAILER, step right up.  Ladies and gentlemen: ‘Rick Flag,’ ‘Captain Boomerang,’ ‘Deadshot,’ ‘King Shark,’ ‘Enchantress,’ ‘Katana,’ ‘Slipknot,’ ‘El Diablo,’ ‘The Joker’ … and the the lady herself, ‘Harley Quinn,’ cordially invite you to an evening of destruction and insanity.

IF YOU HADN’T HEARD (DUH!) THE NEW GHOSTBUSTERS have been chosen.  And while Dan Aykroyd has confirmed that he is filming a cameo in the new film, rumors point to him playing a role other than that of original Ghostbuster, ‘Ray Stance.’  Anywho, debate on Sony’s decision to take Bill Murray’s advice and remake the original film with an all female cast, rages on.  Here’s a pic from the set of the film, currently in production for a July 22nd, 2016 release.  Decide for yourself.  Was this a wise decision ? THE FIFTH ELEMENT DIRECTOR, LUC BESSON has decided on his next film.  He’s returning to the science-fiction arena with, Valerian.  A massive $180 Million space opera, which adapts a famous European comic, “Valerian and Laureline;” which ran from 1967 to 2010.  The story follows Valerian, a man from 28th Century Earth, and his beautiful, intelligent companion Laureline, a peasant girl from 11th Century France. Both are temporal agents based in a distant future, working for the Spatio-Temporal Service, which  protects Earth-like planets and guards against temporal paradoxes caused by rogue time-travellers.  Their adventures take them through space and time, aboard their astroship, XB982; which reportedly resembles the millennium falcon.  In fact, numerous similarities have been pointed out between the “Star Wars” films, and the “Valerian and Laureline” comics.   The film is currently scheduled to begin shooting this December, for a July 21st, 2017 release … AND BUCK ROGERS is scheduled to return to the screen.  A company called, AngryFilms, is adapting the original story that the comic and serial character, is based upon, with the intention of bringing that story to the screen.  The 1928 science fiction story, “Armageddon 2419 A.D.” was originally published in Amazing Stories magazine.  In the story, the character was originally named, ‘Anthony’ Rogers.  But the film will apparently use the well known and later altered name, instead.  Originally, Rogers was held in suspended animation for almost five Centuries, before awaking to an Earth caught in Civil War between the United States and Russians and Mongolians.  Ed (RoboCop, Starship Troopers) Neumeier, is co-writing … BACK TO THE FUTURE is getting an interesting comic book companion, by way of original BTTF screenwriter Bob Gale, and IDW.  Set to hit shelves this October, the initial issue of the forthcoming anthology book, is said to show how Doc and Marty met in 1982.  The second will deal with Doc’s involvement in The Manhattan Project during the Second World War.  Said Gale of the series: “Much the way Part II showed different, unseen aspects of the original movie, the comic will do the same.  And then there were the fan questions.  Bob Zemeckis and I had been asked many times, ‘How did Marty and Doc meet?’ and ‘How did Doc’s house actually burn down?’  So I thought that a series focused on tales in these areas, dealing with the characters as we know them from the movies, answering some of these questions, would be worthwhile.  Maybe these stories could enhance or fill in things from the trilogy.” … SPEAKING OF STEPHEN SPIELBERG, DREAMWORKS has acquired the film rights to Michael Crichton’s “Micro” (2011).  If you’re a Crichton fan, you may remember that “Micro” is one of the books stolen off Crichton’s computer hard drive by an assistant, on behalf of Crichton’s Publisher, “after” his death.  The other was “Pirate Latitudes,” which was published without several intended illustrations, and a bibliography.  Micro’s story centers on a group of college students studying the microscopic landscape, in pursuit of pharmaceutical discoveries.  Ala Timeline, they are lured by a biotech company, and ala Dr. Cyclops, they get miniaturized and thrown into a common Hawaiian rain forest.  “Micro” was an unfinished manuscript, completed by author Richard (“Crisis in the Hot Zone,” “First Light”) Preston.  Problem is, Preston turned out to be not so good at mirroring Michael Crichton’s talent.  And the book quickly developed a really bad reputation upon publication.  Hopefully, Producer Frank Marshall can do something better with the material than Preston did.  This is one book-to-movie adaptation that can only get better.  Be on the lookout for MICRO … AND SPEAKING OF CRICHTON-ESQUE SCIENCE-FICTION, Ridley Scott’s film of author Andy Weir’s bestselling science-fiction novel, The Martian, has a strong trailer circulating in release, that really speaks volumes for the film’s intention of being a “science fiction” film, as opposed to “sci-fi.”  It’s about a man trapped on Mars, who in order to survive, will have to “science the shit outta this.”  Give it a watch.  The film hits theaters in October.

IN TV NEWS … IT APPEARS THE LAST STARFIGHTER is finally being brought back to life.  Over the years, many people, from Steven Spielberg to Seth Rogan have tried to acquire the remake / sequel rights to the 1984 sci-fi cult classic.  But none have ever been successful.  At least until now.  Original screenwriter Jonathan Betuel is teaming with Surreal.tv to work on something called, The Last Starfighter Chronicles.  The new production is billed as “the first TV show to embrace virtual reality.”  While the core TV series will air on standard television, viewers owning Virtual Reality headsets designed for cell phones, will get a better look inside the world of the TV show, simultaneous to the show’s airing.  The project is currently at the beginning of its development phase, but all involved are confident that they are generating something ground-breaking … TERRY BROOKS’ “THE CHRONICLES OF SHANNARA” has become more than just a project in development at MTV.  In fact, the network recently released a trailer for the upcoming television series, now retitled The Shannara Chonicles, which should have wide appeal for fantasy fans.

DAVID LYNCH & MARK FROST are hard at work on bringing a 25 year Twin Peaks reunion to Showtime.  First it was on, then it was off.  Due mainly to disagreements between Lynch and Showtime over scheduling and budget.  But now, there’s this from Frost: “We had 32 hours back in 1991 and ’92, and with my partner David Lynch, we kind of blew open that genre of the nighttime soap and took it in a whole other direction.  A lot of people always look back at Twin Peaks and say that was the start of this explosion we’ve had in good TV drama, but we did it in a time when there were still only three networks.  The challenge for us is to try and come back and raise the bar above what we did the last time.  We’re coming back with season three of Twin Peaks after a 25-year absence.  We’ve finished the scripts, we start production in September, and that will be coming out on Showtime sometime in 2017.”   Hallelujah ! … AND SPEAKING OF HALLELUJAH … THE X-FILES is returning to Fox for a 9-episode “short season” run (said to be a mini-series designed to get their feet wet,) and is set to begin airing this January.  And Fox have given up a very brief, initial look at the show.  It’s only a few seconds long, and you have to watch closely, but at the tail end of this video, you will see Mulder and Scully, in action.  And both are clearly wearing suits; betraying the fact that they are back working for the FBI, again.  Take a look:

SADLY, THERE WILL NOT BE A NEW STAR TREK show on TV for some time.  Due mainly to issues over a divorce between CBS and Paramount.  This is somewhat of a blow to Star Trek fans; specifically in the wake of a new series being recently pitched to Paramount by Star Trek fan, Michael Gummelt.  Star Trek: Uncharted, an idea Gummelt had been working on for 20 years, is set aboard a new Starship Enterprise, sent to the Andromeda Galaxy, two Centuries after the era of Captain Kirk.  One Century after the era of Captain Picard.  Some years before, a war between the Romulans and the Federation resulted in a collapse of the Romulan Empire, leaving the Federation in charge of the the Milky Way.  And as a result, the Federation has changed quite a bit.  From an exploratory force, to a police force.  But something is brewing within Starfleet.  A signal is being received from the Andromeda Galaxy.  From someone claiming to be the creators of life in our Galaxy.  The signal is inviting us to pay them a visit.  And it’s being broadcast across the entire, vast expanse of the Milky Way Galaxy.  So, after much brouhaha, the first exploratory mission in decades is authorized, and utilizing a new ‘space folding’ technology, the new Enterprise is sent to investigate.  Sounds spiffy, huh ?  Given the ship’s technology, this new Enterprise could clearly travel back and forth between Andromeda and the Milky Way.  Removing the Voyager crux.  Also, a new Starbase was to be under construction in Andromeda, and two additional Starfleet ships would have made their way around Andromeda, during the course of the show.  You can see the entire pitch at StarTrekUncharted.com.  But unfortunately, that is as much as you’re going to see of Star Trek: Uncharted.  In fact, it will reportedly be some time before Star Trek will be on Television again.  The only related good news is that Zackary Quinto and Chris Pine have both signed on for a fourth Star Trek film, intended to follow the forthcoming, Star Trek Beyond.  That film, directed by Justin (Fast and Furious) Linn, is now shooting, and already getting good word of mouth … HEROES FANS REJOICE !  Heroes: Reborn begins airing as a limited series, September 24th …

AND NOW FOR SOME ASSORTED TIDBITS: The title of the Independence Day Sequel will be Independence Day: Resurgence … Indiana Jones producer Frank Marshall recently reiterated, and stated for the record (as of June 11th, 2015) that there are no current, immediate plans for a new Indiana Jones film.  They don’t even have a story yet.  It was all just gossip …  Westworld, Jonathan Nolan and J.J. Abrams’ retooling of Michael Crichton’s classic theme park gone awry thriller, will not be airing on HBO this year.  Although they just exhibited Westworld at Comic-Con, it nonetheless seems the cable network don’t see how the shows creators can live up to the pilot, so they are recasting certain roles, and tinkering with “other ideas.” … Skydance Productions and Universal Pictures are developing a ‘Bermuda Triangle’ film, written by the guys who wrote “Ouija.”  A separate, competing Bermuda Triangle film is in development at Warner Bros, which producer Charles (Rollerball, Batman V. Superman) Roven, is producing … Eli (Hostel) Roth is in talk to direct Meg, based on the Steve Alten novel about a giant prehistoric shark, sixty feet long, swimming along the California coast.  btw Warner Bros. are said to be fast-tracking this project, due to the enormous success of Jurassic World … 20th Century Fox are developing a remake of John Carpenter’s Big Trouble in Little China, with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson playing the role of Jack Burton (don’t shoot the messenger; I don’t make this stuff up) … Stephen King’s The Stand will be both a miniseries AND a movie.  The Fault in Our Stars writer/director Josh Boone is currently typing up a three hour version of King’s novel for a major feature.  And Warner Bros. and CBS Films are developing an eight part TV mini-series based upon earlier segments of King’s novel — that will lead up to the release of the film.  So, much of the book will air on Showtime, whereas the remainder of the book will have to be seen on the big screen.  Interesting.  Novel approach. Get it ? Novel ? …  A third TRON movie is not happening, so brush it aside in your mind … League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is getting rebooted, though.  20th Century Fox and Davis Entertainment are planning a new film of Alan Moore’s graphic novel series.  The initial film in 2003, was somewhat loosely adapted from its source material, and resulted in a shaky film, at best.  One that sadly proved to be the last performance of esteemed actor Sean Connery’s career.  Producer John (The Man From U.N.C.L.E., The Blacklist, Predator) Davis will oversee production on this new version … Alas !  Jonny Quest might finally make it to the silver screen.  Robert (Sin City, Spy Kids, El Mariachi) Rodriquez has been signed to direct a live action adaptation of the 60’s Hanna-Barbera cartoon.  Rodriquez and Terry (Pirates of the Caribbean) Rossio are currently working out their script … Cinematographer Roger (Skyfall, No Country for Old Men) Deakins has been signed to photograph the Blade Runner sequel for Alcon Entertainment, and the film’s director Denis (Prisoners) Villeneuve.  Filming is scheduled to begin next summer, with Ford returning to the role of Rick Dekard.  The screenplay was written by Hampton (Blade Runner) Fancher, and Michael (Smallville, Heroes, Green Lantern) Green … Kate Beckinsale will again star as “Selene” in a fifth Underworld movie … And a trailer for the long-awaited Warcraft movie, will premier in November … Director Joss Whedon will not offer up a director’s cut of Avengers: Age of Ultron, on blu-ray, contrary to previous reports … AND NOW FOR THE SAD, BAD, AND ALL AROUND DEPRESSING NEWS … AMANDA PETERSON, the young ingenue well-known by many of a certain age from Joe Dante’s film, Explorers, as well as Can’t Buy Me Love, recently died from a possible lung infection.  Known by family and friends as, ‘Mandy,’ Phyllis Amanda Peterson was a native of Greeley, Colorado.  At the age of 7, she got a part in a stage production of “The Sound of Music,” at the University of Northern Colorado.  A year later, she appeared as a dancing extra in “Annie.”  Eventually, she would book guest spots on a handful of 1980’s television shows, before landing her first big role in Explorers.  She was nominated for the ‘Young Artist Award for Best Young Actress Starring in a Television Drama Series’ several times, and won in 1987.  But it was the romantic teen comedy Can’t Buy Me Love that cemented her posterity and teen idol status.  Do to it’s unexpected tug on the heart, and some tricky licensing of the classic Beatles tune, the run-of-the-mill teen comedy was uncharacteristically popular with critics and audiences alike, quickly becoming a sleeper hit, and eventually, a cult classic.  In the mid 1990’s, Peterson left the entertainment industry, returning to Colorado.  On July 3rd, she passed away in her sleep, at the age of 43.  Director Joe Dante said of her: “A very sweet girl, fun to work with.  River (Phoenix) had a HUGE crush on Amanda during the making of Explorers, but was very upset when he found out she preferred Ethan (Hawk.)”  Friend, and co-star Meredith (The Journey of Natty Gann, Lake Placid) Salenger tweeted photos of herself and Peterson from their childhood, and stated simply, “Rest in Peace my dear old friend. Amanda Peterson. I loved you.” OMAR SHARIF was born in April of 1932, in Alexandria, Egypt.  He studied at Victoria College, later graduating from Cairo University, garnering a degree in mathematics and physics.  He later studied acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.  In 1955, he changed his name from Michel Demitri Chalhoub, to Omar Sharif, converting to Islam, as part of the matrimonial process to an Egyptian actress.  He performed nobly in a handful of Egyptian films in the late 50’s and early 60’s, before being cast by David Lean, in a role many have called the greatest screen entrance of all time.  A scene David Lean confessed was very much inspired by John Ford’s film, The Searchers.  Sharif had been originally cast in a separate supporting role in the film, but when the character of ‘Sherif Ali’ proved difficult to cast, Lean placed Sharif in the role.  And the director was pleased with the results.  Omar Sharif spoke several languages, was very sophisticated, and had an ambiguous ethnicity that greatly enhanced the realism associated with his character.  Based upon T.E. Lawrence’s autobiographical book, “Seven Pillars of Wisdom,” Lean’s film was a grueling shoot, filmed on location the deserts of Egypt and Spain.  But Sherif reportedly dealt with it like a pro, lifting his reputation and bringing him not only a flood of offers over the ensuing years for even more strong roles, but also an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, and a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor.  But Sharif was best known for his role in Lean’s next film, Dr. Zhivago.  A film set during World War I and the Russian Revolution, which showcased Sharif as a poet and physician.  For this role, Sharif won another Golden Globe.  This time for best actor.  He starred alongside Barbara Streisand in Funny Girl, Gregory Peck in Mackenna’s Gold, Richard Harris in Juggernaut, and with Peter Sellers in, The Pink Panther Strikes Again.  This was probably the first film he made which could be considered close to fantasy.  Oh Heavenly Dog (1980) came next.  A Benji / Chevy Chase comedy that had little impact on anyone over the age of eight.  It received sour criticism as both a “family” Benji film, and as a film in general.  But, either because of its flaws, or in spite of them, Oh Heavenly Dog maintains a cult 80’s B-Movie status among a certain generation, that has ensured its strange posterity.  In 1984 Sharif starred in David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker’s theatrical follow-up to Airplane!, Top Secret!  A unique parody of both spy films and Elvis Presley films, that was considered a disappointment at the box office, but played well on cable.  In 1999, Sharif would be cast in a small, but pivotal role in John McTiernan’s film of Michael Crichton’s novel, “Eaters of the Dead.”  And while The 13th Warrior didn’t set the box office on fire, it has grown to become a very popular historical action film.  The great Omar Sharif was also well known for being one of the world’s foremost “contract bridge” players.  He played professionally, wrote a syndicated newspaper column for the Chicago Tribune on the subject, authored several books on the subject, and even licensed his name to a video game, “Omar Sharif on Bridge.”  In 2005, Sherif was awarded the Sergei Eisenstein Medal by the “United Nations  Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organizaion” (UNESCO.)  An award recognizing the significant contributions made by Omar Sharif to the world of film, and cultural diversity.  The infrequently awarded medal was one of only 25 ever struck.  Omar Sharif died from the effects of a heart attack on July 10th, only months after the death of his ex-wife, and companion of sixty years.  But his numerous great accomplishments as an artist will be viewed long after we are all gone.  AND JOHN STEED A.K.A. PATRICK MACNEE has died.  Daniel Patrick Macnee was born in Paddington, London, England in 1922.  As a young man, Macnee attended Eton Private College, and was a member of the Officer Training Corps., before being expelled from the school for selling pornography and for being a dog track bookie.  He went on to study acting at ‘Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art.’  But in 1942, he was called up for duty in the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and thus, joined the Royal Navy.  And he quickly achieved the rank of first lieutenant, becoming a navigator of Motor Torpedo Boats.  In fact, only days before the D-Day invasion, Macnee was diagnosed with bronchitis, and remained on bed rest in a hospital while his boat and crew were lost in action.  He later left the Royal Navy in ’46, with the rank of lieutenant.  Soon after, Macnee began winning small roles in films and TV shows, and thus climbed the ladder of notoriety within the entertainment industry, acting alongside celebrities like Gene Kelly.  Taking a short break from acting in the early 1960’s, he served as a producer of a British documentary on WWII … but soon after, he returned to acting, and was cast in the role that would make Patrick Macnee a household name.  The character of John Steed in the BBC production of The Avengers, was mysterious and suave, and always left audiences wanting more.  Macnee fought his character’s use of a gun in many instances, and won.  Forcing the shows writers to invent new ways for his character to gain the upper hand on any opponent.  Among his many additional roles in the world of science-fiction and fantasy entertainment, included the role of a Doctor with a nasty secret in Joe Dante’s The Howling, a minor, but pivotal role in Waxwork (1988,) a bastardized version of John Steed named Sir Godfrey Tibbett in the last Roger Moore James Bond outing, A View to a Kill — a role which even fellow actor Moore agreed was “a slight, distasteful disrespect” to Macnee.  And the voice of the Cylon’s Imperious Leader in the original Battlestar Galactica; which can be heard here:

Yes, Patrick Macnee was known for being an Englishman, and a fine actor.  Among his many other accomplishments — in life and careeer — Patrick Macnee is credited with being one of the only actors to ever play both Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, on screen.  When he passed away in June of this year, Macnee, that quintessential Englishman, had become a United States citizen, and a nudist, who simply referred to himself as, “A retired actor.”  He was 93.
JAMES HORNER’S DEATH HIT A LOT OF MUSIC SCORE LOVERS HARD.  It’s difficult to know what to say to memorialize such beautiful music.  I mean people were speechless, slack-jawed, and caught off guard.  Said James Cameron, “I think he’s up there with John Williams and Hans Zimmer; firmly implanted at the top of the firmament of the current great masters.”

James Roy Honer was born in Los Angeles, in 1953.  He was playing piano at the age of five, and as a child attended the London Royal College of Music, before relocating to first Arizona, and then finally, back to Los Angeles.  He studied music at UCLA, earning first a bachelor’s, then a masters, and finally a doctorate, in music.  After scoring projects for the American Film Institute, he taught a course in music theory at UCLA, before turning to film scoring, professionally.  His first major film scores were The Lady in Red, Humanoids From the Deep, and Battle Beyond the Stars.  Decidedly low budget fair, which shined in part due to Horner’s participation.  A round of scores followed for various, inconspicuous films.  But then there was an explosion of creativity in his work.  Heralded by Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, which launched Horner’s career, right into the mainstream.

That same year, he also scored Walter Hill’s 48hrs.  A Nick Nolte / Eddie Murphy comedy / thriller that showed Horner’s true versatility as a composer.  He followed this with a whole host of film scores that will resonate in the hearts and ears of film score lovers, forever.  Something Wicked This Way Comes, Krull, Brainstorm, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, Cocoon, The Journey of Natty Gann, Commando, and episode of Stephen Spielberg’s Amazing Stories, Aliens, The Name of the Rose, An American Tail, Project X, *Batteries Not Included, Willow, Red Heat, The Land Before Time, Field of Dreams, Glory, The Rocketeer, Patriot Games, Sneakers, Searching for Bobby Fischer, The Pelican Brief, Clear and Present Danger, Legends of the Fall, Braveheart, Casper, Apollo 13, Jumanji, Courage Under Fire, Titanic, Deep Impact, Bicentennial Man, The Perfect Storm, A Beautiful Mind, Avatar — and many, many more.

In 1987, he was nominated for two Academy Awards.  One for James Cameron’s Aliens, and one for the theme song to the animated film, An American Tail; which he composed and co-wrote, and which was sung by James Ingram and Linda Ronstadt.  But he finally won two Oscars for both the score and theme song to James Cameron’s Titanic.

The score for Titanic remains the best-selling score in history, having sold over 27 Million copies around the world.  Horner and his co-writer on the theme song, ‘My Heart Will Go On’ also won three Grammy’s and two Golden Globes.  In 2006, Horner composed the theme for the CBS Evening News, following in the footsteps of John Williams and Jerry Goldsmith, both of whom had scored themes to popular prime time nightly newscasts.  He spent part of 2007, and much of 2008 and 2009 working on the score for a single film: James Cameron’s Avatar.  And he was yet again nominated for Oscars and Golden Globes, and so much more.  To date, James Horner’s music has become some of the most recognizable in movie history.  Many of us have grown up with it.  And some of his music has become some of the most sampled music in movie trailer history, as well.  And it’s even been reused.  Roger Corman notoriously reused Horner’s score for Battle Beyond the Stars, on a small number of other low budget productions.

The theme to Ron Howard’s Cocoon, ‘Through the Window,’ was famously used in the Superbowl trailer for J.J. Abrams film, Super8.  And one particular piece of Aliens music was even reused during the climax of John McTiernan’s Die Hard.  And while Horner himself was often criticized for borrowing passages from either classical compositions, or even contemporary scores by other composers, the argument can be made that he was advancing the medium by incorporating said passages, and utilizing them in another fashion.  James Horner was an avid pilot, and died on June 22nd, when his turboprop aircraft crashed in a California Forest.  The 61 year old composer was scheduled to score James Cameron’s forthcoming Avatar sequels.  No word on who, if anyone, will ever be available to truly fill his shoes.

AND SADLY, MARY ELLEN TRAINOR HAS DIED.  You may not know her name, but you certainly know her face.  She was the Mom in both The Goonies and The Monster Squad, the police psychiatrist in the Lethal Weapon films, a TV anchorperson in Die Hard, a TV reporter in Ricochet, a cop in Back to the Future Part II, Joan Wilder’s kidnapped sister ‘Elaine’ in Romancing the Stone, a television development executive in Scrooged, a flight attendant in Executive Decision, a mother throwing a birthday party for a group of children in Ghostbusters II … the list just goes on.  Trust me, you know her face.  Trainor also worked in television, and had a recurring role on Roswell.  She died of complications of pancreatic cancer, back in May.  She will be remembered …
THAT’S IT FOR THIS POST.  With exception to Leonard Nimoy’s death (which I reported in my last post,) I have neglected to update this blog since … about this time last year, actually.  And as one would expect, I got precisely what I deserved: a list of 34 talented professionals — all having made an impact in the world of science-fiction and fantasy; and all having passed away over the course of the past year.  And while I am currently generating a follow-up post that specifically and only reports on the passing of those remaining 29 individuals not mentioned here, I now find that I just cannot keep going at the moment.  It’s far too depressing.  And I also cannot expect readers to read through my memorializing all 34 artists at the tail end of a single typical post.  So that’s it for now.  Please check back on July 28th for the remaining 29.  In the meantime: life is short, go out and have some fun.

Log Entries: 03/01/2015

Let me begin by apologizing for my tardiness in addressing the need for a regular post on this blog.  For the past several months, I have been busy writing a screenplay that takes place within a theme park in Houston, Texas in 1979, called AstroWorld.  And with generous assistance from the park’s former employees, I have created something very funny, and very magical.  But it has taken a lot longer than I expected to produce a First Draft.  So from here on, I resume my regular monthly posts on this blog featuring entertainment news and tidbits from the worlds of sci-fi and fantasy.  **Also, please NOTE: I have a backlog of obituaries over the past several months.  And all will be addressed at the end of my next blog post, in April.  But for now, I have chosen to only focus on one: Leonard Nimoy.    BLADE RUNNER 2 (or whatever the eventual title may be) has been given a green light by Alcon Entertainment and it’s associating partners.  As reported many months ago, Harrison Ford will reprise his role as android hunter Rick Deckard, and a new director has now entered the mix, taking over for Ridley Scott; who will now service as Producer.  Denis (Prisoners) Villeneuve will now helm the film.  The only other details offered were that the film will officially begin production in 2016, and that Harrison Ford believes it to be,  “the best script I’ve ever read.”  Unfortunately, there is no further word as of yet, on any “definite” involvement on the part of Ford in a potential Indiana Jones 5 (excepting previous statements by Disney C.E.O. Bob Iger, and those pesky Chris Pratt rumors,) but Starlogger will keep you posted …  HOWEVER, IN OTHER REBOOT-REMAKE-SEQUEL NEWS, director Neil (District 9, Elysium, Chappie) Blomkamp has managed to persuade 20th Century Fox to finance his own Alien film, based upon a personal art project (at left.)  As of this writing, the film is said to be a sequel to all previous Alien films, and Sigourney Weaver is in negotiations to reprise her role as Lt. Ellen Ripley, or some variation of that original character.  The film, thus far, is untitled.  But director Blomkamp made a point to pin down the approximate angle his film will take by stating the following: “I want this film to feel like it is literally the genetic sibling of Alien.  So it’s Alien, Aliens, and then this movie.”  Blomkamp later clarified that he will not be revising the current cannon of the Alien franchise.  Offering that he will not ignore events depicted in Alien 3 or Resurrection … MARVEL & SONY PICTURES recently made a deal for $0 (that’s right, no money involved; both parties simply agree not to share profits or sue each other,) allowing for appearances of Spider-Man in Disney-Marvel films, specifically including Captain America: Civil War (said to involve cameos of many characters in the Marvel Universe,) and possibly, the forthcoming Avengers sequels, Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 and Avengers: Infinity War Part 2.  It is not certain at this time if the Spider-Man character will make appearances in any of the other Marvel films planned by Disney, which in part include: Doctor Strange (starring Benedict Cumberbatch,) Black Panther (starring Chadwick Boseman,) Captain Marvel, and The Inhumans.  And although Sony’s The Amazing Spider-Man 3 has been effectively cancelled, due to the lackluster performance of The Amazing Spider-Man 2, The Sinister Six and Venom are still in development at Sony, and Marvel’s own Kevin Feige will be producing a new stand alone Spider-Man film, which is aiming for a summer of 2017 release date.  Actor Andrew Garfield will not be returning … ON THE SUBJECT OF CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR, the film’s storyline reportedly pits Captain America against Iron Man, due to opposing views over something called, “The Hero Registration Act.”  Robert Downey Jr., who will appear in the film as Iron Man, had this to say regarding the nature of his role in the film. “Ultimately, it’s Steve’s (Rogers) story; it doesn’t say ‘Iron Man 4: Civil War.’  I think that’s great, too.  I think Chris has been hungry to bring even more of an underside and some shadow to that.  I remember the comics — on the surface, you got the sense that Cap was baseball and apple pie, but underneath, there was all this churning stuff of being a man out of time.  Now we know he’s made his peace with that.  What’s the bigger issue ?  It can have a little something to do with the past, but it can be about someone becoming more modernized in their own conflict.”   DAREDEVIL WILL SOON BOW on Netflix.  The series is said to be set after the events of the first Avengers film, and on the subject of the general plot of the show, Marvel’s Emma Fleischer offered the following: “We are still part of the Marvel Universe, but we are not explicitly in that Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. world.  We’re in our own corner.  So the aliens (of The Avengers [2012]) came down and ruined the city (New York,) and this is the story of Hell’s Kitchen’s rebuild.”  Among the cast will be Vincent (Full Metal Jacket) D’Onofrio, who will play Wilson Fisk, a.k.a. The Kingpin … MARVEL’S A.K.A. JESSICA JONES will also begin airing soon on Netflix.  The show, already in production, is a 13 episode series starring Krysten Ritter as a former superhero, turned detective.  It premiers later this year …THE BEAUTIFUL MORENA (FIREFLY) BACCARIN has been cast as the female lead in the Ryan Reynolds Deadpool film.  Having languished in development hell for several years, Deadpool somewhat reboots the character Reynolds first played in the film X-Men Origins: Wolverine.  Here he plays an assassin who undergoes a procedure to cure his cancer, but the operation leaves him twisted and scarred while also giving him extraordinary abilities.  The film, directed by newcomer Tim Miller, begins filming next month in Vancouver, Canada … BRYAN SINGER’S X-MEN: APOCALYPSE has entered production.  The sequel to X-Men: Days of Future Past will star a variety of new talent as the young X-Men characters we all know, dealing with the threat of the character, Apocalypse, in the mid 1980’s.  Thus far, Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellan, and Even Peters (Quicksilver,) are the only returning actors from previous films of the franchise.  As for Patrick Stewart, the plan is for he and Jackman to team up for another Wolverine film.  And good news for Jackman-Wolverine fans.  Jackman recently stated that he intends to play the character of Logan/Wolverine, until he dies … A MINOR STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS news item: Jony Ive, a VP at Apple Computer responsible for many of their designs, including the iPhone, iPad, iMac, and more recent iOS platforms, was consulted on certain aspects of the new “crossguard” lightsaber seen in the recent teaser trailer.  Specifically, the idea that the light blade isn’t so well defined.  Said Ive: “I thought (the lightsaber) would be interesting if it were less precise and just a little bit more spitty.”  He also suggested the redesign be, “more analog and more primitive and I think in that way, somehow more ominous.” … MEANWHILE, FELICITY (THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING) JONES has won a role in an as-of-yet unnamed Star Wars spin-off film.  The script for that top secret project is now being rewritten by Chris Weitz … AND TARIANA (ORPHAN BLACK) MASLANY has won a separate role in a separate Star Wars spin-off film, set to be directed by Gareth (Godzilla) Edwards.  Reportedly, Muslany will be playing the live action version of “Sabine Wren,” a character featured in the animated Star Wars Rebels … ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (scheduled to begin shooting The Legend of Conan this fall,) will yet again reprise his role as “The Terminator” in yet another sequel, scheduled to follow the upcoming Terminator: Genisys reboot.  According to Schwarzenegger, the next Terminator film will begin production “next year.”  The new Terminator films are reportedly designed to be a trilogy, and production is scheduled to move quickly to take advantage of the Terminator rights, before said rights revert to creator James Cameron; who has no intention of revisiting the Terminator franchise … SPEAKING OF LEGEND OF CONAN, Producer Chris Morgan has stated that the film will be more inspired by the original film by John Milius, than by the work of Robert E. Howard.  “We look at all the source material and we love things that kind of speak to that tone.  We’re incredibly respectful to Howard.  I’m a huge fan of the stories and the books, but I’m a super-huge fan of the first movie; because that crystallized and distilled it all for me.  Milius just killed it.  He did such a good job.  And Legend of Conan is really resonant and it really digs into the legacy of that original film.  I’m already very proud of it.” … IN GHOSTBUSTERS NEWS, director Paul (Bridesmaids) Feig recently commented on his personal inspiration for the development up the reboot featuring an all female cast.  Said Feig, “I will say, I was very inspired by (The Walking Dead.)  What I love is how they play with the danger, they play with the scariness, but also the idea that it’s always about gauntlet run.  And that’s something: an element I want to bring to this Ghostbusters reboot is having to get through these various obstacles that are supernatural and all that.  I really feed off of The Walking Dead.” … PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES has officially started production in Queensland, Australia, directed by Espen Sandberg & Joachim Ronning.  The story: ghost pirates lead by Captain Salazar (Javier Bardem) escape from the Devil’s Triangle, determined to kill every pirate at sea, including Captain Jack Sparrow.  His only hope is in finding the legendary Trident of the Greek God Poseidon, which gives its possessor total control over the seas … IN VARIOUS DC NEWS: Gal Godot will reprise her role as Diana Prince a.k.a. Wonder Woman in a stand alone film that begins shooting as soon as this fall … Legion of Superheroes (a comic that followed a team of super-powered 20-somethings, in the 30th Century) is being developed and possibly prepped by Warner Bros. as a ‘superheroes in outer space’ story, ala Guardians of the Galaxy … Actress Margot (The Wolf of Wall Street) Robie has been cast as “Harley Quinn” in Suicide Squad, while Jared Leto has been cast as “The Joker,” and Will Smith has been cast as “Deadshot.”  The film is being directed by David (Fury) Ayer … The CBS Supergirl series is finalizing casting and will begin shooting soon.  The show is described as being about Kara Zor-El, Superman’s cousin, who was born on Krypton, but escaped its destruction the same as Kal-El, by being sent to Earth.  Taken in by a foster family, she’s been a “Super girl” in hiding, living in a “Superman” world, until turning twenty-four and coming into her own … Director Zak Snyder has offered this image for his version of the “Aquaman” character, as he appears in his forthcoming Batman Vs. Superman:  Jason Mamoa had this to say about the role: “It’s not my movie.  it’s the first time in history to have them (Superman & Batman) both on the screen together, and I’m just excited to see those two up there.  Justice League is quite a ways away.  But I’m looking forward to it.”  He added, “There’s definitely a plan in this whole universe that Zack (Snyder) is designing.  And it’s amazing to be a part of it.  I think everything that you see that is building, there’s a purpose behind the whole plan.  What’s great about this is Zack, man.  We don’t want to just reinvent it, but he’s got a whole idea of what Aquaman should be and I’m really honored to be playing it.  I’m excited for the world to see it.”  Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice is scheduled for release March 25, 2016.  Justice League is tentatively scheduled for release in November of 2017.  A potential and eventual Aquaman film is also in the offering … IN BRIEF: A remake of Walt Disney’s Pete’s Dragon (1977) is now shooting in New Zealand.  The film is being directed by David (Ain’t Them Bodies Saints) Lowery, and stars Bryce Dallas Howard, Wes Bentley, Karl Urban, Oona Laurence, and Robert Redford.  The film is due in theaters August, 2016 … Steven Spielberg’s film Minority Report (2002) has spawned a television series.  Set 10 years after the film, and the end of the Precrime Division, another generation of characters will secretly relaunch the Precrime Division in a genuine attempt to avoid possible Armageddon.  Casting is complete and the show begins shooting very soon … Evan Daugherty (Divergent, Snow White and the Huntsman) is writing the Tomb Raider reboot for GK Films and MGM.  Warner Bros. will release the film … Director Rob (Parks and Recreation) Schrab will helm the sequel to The LEGO Movie.  The LEGO Movie Sequel is due in 2018.  This film will follow on the heels of The Batman LEGO Movie, which will be released in 2017 … Michelle Gomez will reprise her role as “Missy,” or “The Master” in the upcoming season of the BBC’s Doctor Who … Ash Vs. Evil Dead begins production very soon (if it hasn’t already,) and will air in half hour episodes on the Starz Channel, later this year.  Sam (Army of Darkness) Raimi will helm the initial episode.  And it appears that many members of the same team that made that film, are also involved here.  Gimme some sugar, baby. … Amazon Prime has ordered a full series commitment after evaluating viewings of the pilot for The Man in the High Castle.  Based upon the 1962 novel by Philip K. Dick, the story centers on an alternate history (set in ’62) wherein the Germans and the Japanese won the Second World War, and each control half The United States.  When tensions between these two sides rise, things get interesting, creating a highly complex story that won a Hugo Award in 1963.  According to Amazon’s VP Roy Price, The Man in the High Castle is the most watched pilot Amazon has yet produced.  And they’ve produced a lot of various pilot episodes of various shows.  The Man in the High Castle’s subsequent episodes will be available later this year to all Prime Members. … The 1982 comic Dreadstar is headed for television.  Benderspink and Universal Cable Productions are producing the live action pilot, without a current Network commitment.  The story centers on Vanth Dreadstar, the sole survivor of the Milky Way Galaxy, who teams up with a band of strange characters to stop an ancient war between two evil empires, from spreading throughout the Universe.  Jim Starlin, who created the character, will pen the screenplay.  Starlin is also the creator of a trio of characters featured in Guardians of the Galaxy: “Thanos,” his adopted daughter “Gamora,” and “Drax the Destroyer” … Writer George R.R. Martin has revealed that Producers of HBO’s Game of Thrones are about to completely mess with both readers, and TV viewers heads by killing off a number of characters on the show, who live on in the books.  Martin had the following to say, “People are going to die who don’t die in the books, so even the book readers will be unhappy.  So everybody better be on their toes.  David Benioff and D.B. Weiss are even bloodier than I am.” … 20th Century Fox TV and New Regency are developing what they call an “event series,” based upon the graphic novel, Enormous.  The story is set in a near future and involves an ecological crisis that spawns massive creatures.  No writers or Network commitment has been announced … David (Jurassic Park) Koepp has been hired by Sony Pictures to pen an adaptation of Sylvain Neuvel’s debut science fiction novel, The Themis Files.  The story concerns a covert project to assemble ancient body parts of a giant humanoid relic, buried long ago and all over the world, by aliens …  Warner Bros. hasn’t given up on that Space Invaders movie just yet.  They’ve hired writer Dan Kunka, author of a blacklisted screenplay that got a lot of attention, to re-draft the material based upon the classic early 80’s arcade game …   Warner Bros. is also developing a motion picture version of Adventure Time.  Roy Lee and Chris McKay (The Lego Movie) will produce, and series creator Pendleton Ward will co-write.  Originally a TV movie was in development in-between the show’s 4th and 5th Seasons, but was cancelled … And last but not least, the 24th Bond film, Spectre has started shooting, with Daniel Craig being joined by series regulars, and Lea Seydoux, Monica Bellucci, Christoph Waltz, and Dave (Guardians of the Galaxy) Bautista.  The story is said to involve a cryptic message from an unlikely source that sets down Bond inside a maze of a criminal organization.  As ‘M’ fights political pressure to shutter MI6, Bond uncovers a hidden truth that could destroy everything he fights to protect. HOW MANY ENTERTAINERS: ACTORS, DIRECTORS, WRITERS, PRODUCERS, DANCERS, SINGERS, what-have-ya, how many can you name (and trust me, you can count them on one hand,) how many can you name right now, without having to research the matter, thoroughly, that showed the integrity, the discipline, the sincerity, the dignity, and the poise that Leonard Nimoy did in his career ?  How many ?  I can name one or two off hand.  Sidney Poitier and George Pal.  After that, I start searching my memory, and eventually, I dodge my failing memory for that old Cinemania ’97 program that I have installed on my computer; which I consult regularly for research and the occasional adventurous foray into film history.  And while that wonderful tool may lead me to find a new list of potential treasures I haven’t seen, and though I may discover endlessly interesting personalities I was completely unfamiliar with, there aren’t many that stand out with a certain tangible integrity, or that shine with that simple honesty that is a person’s true and own character.  Most, are simply people who are paid to be artificial.  They keep their true nature to themselves.  And besides, who could blame them for getting lost in that unending cycle of publicity, pomp and circumstance, artificial humility, and a certain ‘when in Rome’ mentality, that affects all who work in such an industry.  But Nimoy seemed to sidestep all that jazz.  How ?  The man was the very portrait of how to be a professional actor.  ‘Nuff said, right ?. He was also known for being a terrific director.  Stop there ?  Photographer.  Writer.  Teacher.  Lecturer.  All of these are roles that are hard to master.  And according to many who knew him, he was also a good friend, a fair man, and a endlessly curious rascal, who most found difficult to hold a grudge against.  Was he simply meditating, or did he really learn that much from playing the character of Mr. Spock ?  To quote In Search of …, I suggest there must be, “some possible explanation, but not necessarily the only one, for the mystery we will examine.”  Leonard Simon Nimoy was born in March of 1931, in Boston.  His parents were immigrants from what is now The Ukraine.  His father a barber, his mother a homemaker.   Their son (Lennie) began acting when he was 8 years old in a neighborhood theater.   After high school, he studied drama and photography, and received honorary doctorates from two different Universities.  In ’53 Nimoy enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve, and as a Sergeant, he served in Army Special Services, helping put on shows for the troops.  Then he moved to Hollywood and did more than 50 small parts in various films and TV shows; generally as, ‘the heavy.’  He also took on ‘ethnic’ roles during an era when Hollywood sought out the scarce ethic talent they could find, to play any ethnic role they could accomplish on camera, with said actor.  He played everything from Italians, to Russians, to Mexicans, to Native Americans.  And throughout, he picked up extra money teaching acting classes, on the side.  But Gene Roddenberry’s Wagon Train to the stars, made him first a star, then a pop culture phenomenon, and finally, a legend.  Star Trek was almost instantly popular.  Although at the time, no one at Lucille Ball’s company “Desilu,” or Paramount, or even NBC knew that.  There was press; there was lots of press.  But the sponsors just weren’t there.  Mainly because the “Nielsen Ratings” weren’t accurate.  But it was a great run for him, and he made great money for the term of the show’s run on television.  And after the show ended, he kept working.  First came Mission: Impossible, playing the master of disguise, “Paris.”  Then, the film Catlow (1971,) starring alongside Yul Brynner.  Rod Serling’s Night Gallery gave him his first opportunity to direct.  And he gave a calm, cool performance as a murdering surgeon in a terrific episode of Columbo, titled, ‘A Stitch in Crime.’  And there were plays, and commercials, and appearances on other television shows.  His role as narrator on the mysteries of the unexplained show, In Search of… kept him in the public consciousness for some time.  Almost everyone who was alive at the time saw it in syndication, at least once.  His role as a psychiatrist in Philip Kaufman’s successful remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, remains a clear standout.  And there was more.  You can be sure of that.  He just – kept – working.  And then, somewhere in the early to mid 70’s, Nimoy began spotting his likeness as “Spock” on billboards advertising alcohol.  He immediately started looking around and found that his likeness was being loaned out by Paramount to all matter of product placement.  Right across the board, “Spock” was everywhere.  And he looked just like Leonard Nimoy.  So Nimoy began the process of trying to get paid for that.  Which was a long, convoluted legal nightmare.  Both to get the residuals he was owed for co-opting his image, and as an attempt to influence some element of responsible control over what products the image endorsed.  Concurrent to this, Star Trek was coming back to life.  First, there had been an animated series.  Which, just like the original show, was massively more popular with the public than anyone knew at the time it was being produced.  Then, there had been conventions.  Small conventions that got BIG turnouts.  Thousands showed up.  Nobody saw that coming.  Including Nimoy, Shatner, Kelley, Doohan, Koenig, Takei, Nichols, et al.  Even Roddenberry, who had been attending Star Trek conventions almost since the day after the last episode aired on NBC, had no warning as to the mobs that would eventually begin descending on those later conventions.  Then, in 1976, Star Trek went into syndication.  And everyone was watching.  It was instantaneously one of the highest rated syndicated shows in television history.  Nielsen had finally fixed their unique system of establishing somewhat accurate numbers, that matched programs with television viewers.  And POW !  Paramount wanted the show back on the air.  Which is precisely what Gene Roddenberry had been trying to accomplish for some time.  But then suddenly, Paramount did an about face, deciding they would rather try this Star Trek thing out as a film.  In theaters, to be precise.  Thus, Roddenberry oversaw the initial development of a grand vision of a screenplay, and the studio developed a short list of directors for the project.  But when they threw bait into the water, the only bite they got, was from director Philip Kaufman.  Kaufman would eventually leave the project after clashing with Roddenberry over the script (he wanted Toshiro Mifune to play Kirk’s arch nemesis in the form of a Klingon Commander,) and once the script was deemed by the studio brass to have been developed “by committee,” it was summarily shelved.  But the script cooked up by Roddenberry and his writers, was a unique story idea.  Kirk and crew (including Spock,) arrive to investigate a planet sending out a distress signal.  The planet is phasing in and out of our dimension, in intervals.  After briefly clashing with the Klingons, Kirk and a few Red Shirts beam down.  The planet unexpectedly phases away, and doesn’t come back.  Through subspace radio, Starfleet instructs Spock, now in command, to wait.  A protracted period of time passes, but finally, Spock must leave orbit.  Three years pass and Spock and crew are unexpectedly ordered by Starfleet to return to the planet.  Passing ships keeping a wide berth of the area, have reported the planet’s recent reappearance.  Soon, Kirk is returned to the Enterprise with a whopper of a story about the planet’s human inhabitants, and the bizarre alien race (the Cygnans) that both control the planet, and steal the technology of other races for their own purposes.  But Spock intuits that Kirk is not telling them everything.  He’s hiding something.  And this generates conflict between the two men.  When the Cygnans eventually realize they aren’t going to get what they want (the Enterprise,) they utilize technology stolen from another civilization to generate a wormhole singularity, which pulls the Enterprise in, along with their own planet.  The scenario resolves with the Cygnans being defeated, but with the Enterprise and it’s Crew in orbit around the planet, in another distant time and place in the Galaxy.  The planet is dramatically revealed to be Earth, now relocated to its present location, the solar system we all know so well.  Upon beaming down to check on the human inhabitants, Kirk introduces his crew to the ancient civilization of human inhabitants, in residence.  And then reveals to Spock evidence of the Sumerian culture, including the history of the Cygnan race’s rule over them, inscribed on tablets.  And the kicker … before departing, Kirk and his crew are heralded as Gods by the inhabitants, and its clear that the Enterprise crew are in fact the source of the mythical Greek Titans recorded in ancient human history.  Kirk and crew beam up, and head back through the wormhole singularity, to their own time and proper place in history; making calculations and getting ready to contact Starfleet for assistance in closing off the wormhole singularity, for good.  The film was to be titled, Star Trek: Planet of the Titans.  Nimoy read it, liked what he read, but inquired yet again about resolving the dispute over his likeness being used without his permission, and without being compensated.  Paramount were tired of hearing about this.  As it turned out, they never even asked legal about it.  They didn’t give a damn and assumed the situation would resolve itself without their intervention.  Bad judgement call.  Without Nimoy, they were dead in the water.  A Star Trek movie was never going to be the same without Mr. Spock, anymore than it would be the same without Captain Kirk.  But until the legal situation regarding his likeness being used as product placement without his consent, was resolved, Nimoy of course, just kept declining to participate.  And without the Spock character, Paramount were hesitant to pull the trigger.  So they merely kept Star Trek in development.  Languishing.  It was a film, then it was a TV series, then there was talk it would be a series of made for TV movies, ala Columbo.  Then it was a feature film, then it was a TV series again.  The execs at Paramount were just playing with the idea, really.  But there was no real momentum.  Finally, they pulled the trigger, and began pre-production on Star Trek: Phase II.  A television show wherein the Enterprise crew had been away for a short time, and change had come to Starfleet, life had moved on, and the Enterprise had been refit.  They contacted Nimoy.  He asked them if there was any progress on resolving the dispute over his likeness being used without proper compensation or permission.  Paramount terminated contact with the actor, and another Vulcan character was created to take Spock’s place.  The show would go on.  Supposedly.  Paramount kept things moving slowly.  And Roddenberry took his time developing scripts.  Sets were built, actors were cast.  And then … one day … on May 25th, 1977 … it hit.  Star Wars.  And reportedly, the executives at Paramount were stilted.  Both by the vision of the film they were all “required” by the Studio hierarchy to see, as well as by the box office receipts that rollllllled in, week after week.  Only days before it was scheduled to begin shooting, Star Trek: Phase II was put into turnaround.  The Paramount brass had to think this through.  And while almost everyone involved in the production of Phase II suspected they knew why, it wasn’t until Close Encounters of the Third Kind was released, that they found out for sure.  The studio now made no secret of what they wanted.  They wanted a “big idea.”  In fact, many at the studio were chatting endlessly about the dazzling effects in CE3K, as well as the compelling and emotional momentum of the film’s storyline.  And the executives were saying, “This could have been us!”  Now it was a certainty.  There was going to be a movie.  From here on, they were only looking at making a motion picture.  Finally, Roddenberry understood what they were after.  And when Roddenberry turned in a quick rewrite of Alan Dean Foster and Harold Livingston’s script for the pilot episode of Star Trek: Phase II, Paramount felt that this was the big idea they were waiting for, and the project was given a green light.  Within days, a young executive asked to meet with Leonard Nimoy.  Nimoy acquiesced, but during their lunch, refused to read the new script until the lawsuit was resolved.  They parted ways, amicably, and soon after Nimoy got the script, a letter of resolution regarding the lawsuit, and a check for past due residuals for the use of his likeness as Spock — and a promise that it would never happen again.  Nimoy opened the larger envelope, read the script, had a meeting with the director of The Andromeda Strain, Robert Wise, and agreed to sign on.  It goes without saying, that Star Trek: The Motion Picture not only had production problems, but that the film was never actually completed by the director.  (*Star Trek The Motion Picture was finally re-edited by Wise in 2001, utilizing CGI and sound effects that had been recorded by Alan Howarth in 1979, but never used.  The Director’s Edition, was much favored by director Wise over the theatrical release, and is currently available only on DVD.  Paramount is said to be working to bring it to Blu-ray.)  In fact, according to Robert Wise, the film that was released to theaters was in fact his workprint.  And according to Leonard Nimoy, when he asked the head of the studio at the film’s premiere in Washington D.C. how long they had to finish the film before it’s release, the head of the studio replied that as far as he was concerned the film was done, and scheduled to open in theaters the following Thursday.  Simultaneous to their conversation, employees of Paramount were actually already getting the release prints from the film lab, and lining them up in a large empty sound stage in preparation for delivery to the theaters.  Nimoy was crushed.  And shocked.  He simply assumed, ‘Oh well, on to the next thing, I guess.’  But Star Trek had a funny way of hanging on.  Shockingly, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, already nicknamed “Star Trek The Motionless Picture” by critics; and at the time, the second most expensive motion picture ever made — right behind Superman – The Movie … actually made money.  With a final budget that had ballooned to almost $46 Million dollars, the film still brought in close to $140 Million.  And in 1979-1980 business climate, a film had to make three times it’s budget to clear a profit and be considered a success.  Paramount didn’t get a windfall out of it, but the film cleared a profit, and would make them additional money in cable and other ancillary markets, nonetheless.  So the consensus among the staff at Paramount, was simply, ‘Let’s get the next one right.  And let’s get it cheap.’  Dumber words were never spoken by a studio executive in such ironic conundrum.  Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan was produced with the assistance of a television crew to keep costs down.  Nicholas Meyer, the writer and director of Time After Time (a time travel story about H.G. Wells chasing Jack the Ripper to the present in his time machine,) was brought aboard to give the film more life.  And he did.  He eschewed the tired cliched and boring pacing of early 70’s sci-fi that had dogged the first film, and looked for a fresh approach that would appeal the both Star Trek fans and the Star Wars generation.  He screened episodes of the Original Series, and discovered Ricardo Montalban’s character in the episode, “Space Seed.”  Then, he made the creative decision to take inspiration from Captain Horatio Hornblower, and instantly, Star Trek II (originally titled “The Undiscovered Country,”) was off and running.  There was only one problem.  Although Nimoy loved his character, he didn’t want to “only” be associated with it.  Spock hadn’t wrecked his career, but the Vulcan had definitely limited his options and opportunities.  Due mainly to the stigma inherently associated with typecasting.  So Meyer met with Nimoy, and asked, “How would you like to have a really good death scene?”  Nimoy was hooked.  And when news of Spock’s death leaked, Meyer and the film’s producer came up with a fun solution.  Fake the death of Spock early in the film, belaying the audiences expectation of it, and then hit them with that zinger in the last reel.  When another obstacle emerged, the producers dodged it with ease, as well.  The studio felt “Undiscovered Country” was too vague and irrelevant to the plot, so Meyer and Producer Harve Bennett changed the title to Star Trek II: The Revenge of Khan.  However, as soon as that title was announced, Paramount got calls from attorneys for Lucasfilm and 20the Century Fox Film Corporation.  “That’s too similar to the title of our next Star Wars film, ‘Revenge of the Jedi.’”  So Star Trek II became The Wrath of Khan, and 6 months later Revenge of the Jedi became Return of the Jedi.  Yea, thanks for calling.  Everyone involved thought the surprises were over.  Until they screened the completed film for the first time, and the director saw that his ending had been altered by Paramount.  There it was.  Spock’s shiny new torpedo coffin, resting on the surface of a planet that was created by a device designed to regenerate life from death.  All they could do was laugh.  Even Nimoy thought it was hilarious.  The movie was a hit.  And those who made it accepted that their Frankenstein monster was in fact, a real beauty.  And judging by the profits it made in June of 1982, every kid in every neighborhood saw it.  More than once, in fact.     Nimoy knew there would be a sequel.  And he knew what the fans were going to want it to be about.  So he moved quickly to get a meeting with Paramount, and told them that he wanted to direct the next film.  They balked at that.  Although Nimoy had, by that time, been working here and there as a director (mostly in television,) a had acquired a reputation for being a true professional — Star Trek III was slated to be a major feature film.  With a sizable budget, to match.  They weren’t sure he could handle the responsibility that came with the monolithic task of directing a major motion picture.  Nimoy argued that he knew the character of Spock, knew Star Trek, and that he knew they needed Spock to be the momentum of the next story.  And Leonard Nimoy direct’s The Search for Spock, had a nice ring to it.  But Paramount still had reservations.  Finally, Nimoy dropped a bomb on them.  Either he directed Star Trek III, or this was the last conversation they were ever going to have with him again.  Star Trek III: The Search for Spock wasn’t as much of a critical success as the the previous film, but it was the 10th highest grossing film of 1984.  And whereas Star Trek II had made $79 Million, Star Trek III had made $76 Million.  Not bad, as far as diminishing returns goes.  But it wasn’t really Leonard Nimoy’s film.  The storyline was mostly cooked up by Producer Harve Bennett, with generous suggestions from the Studio brass.  And as a direct result, it was a very uneven storyline.  And while being entirely watchable (certainly for Star Trek fans,) it nevertheless had retained no semblance of spirit of what had made the previous film so incredibly popular.  But regardless, Leonard Nimoy’s work as a director, shined through.  And Nimoy was immediately asked back to helm the next film.  The studio told him, “the training wheels are off.  We want your Star Trek film.”  Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home was one of the most successful films of 1986, generating over $100 Million, and remains one of the most critically and commercially successful films in the history of the Star Trek franchise.  But it was something else: the most accessible to non-Trekkies.  And that was alllll Nimoy.  He wanted to lighten things up.  The first Star Trek film was pretentious to the point of boredom.  The second one was a bit gritty, and featured the death of a major player.  The third was was operatic, and featured the death of Captain Kirk’s only son.  Nimoy felt the fourth one should have something to say, but should also be light.  Even frivolous.  Still dealing with interference from Paramount, the initial draft was a retread on their biggest hit at that time, Beverly Hills Cop.  It featured a “fish-out-of-water” team-up between the crew of the Starship Enterprise, and Eddie Murphy.  And reportedly, the script came off as a Mad Magazine parody, similar in may ways to comedian Richard Pryor being wedged into the plot of Superman III.   Thankfully, Murphy bowed out to do The Golden Child.  A film he later regretted making, stating, “I just walked through Golden Child.  I would have been better off doing Star Trek IV.”  Soon after he departed, Nimoy called the cavalry: Nicholas Meyer.  And the rest is movie history.  Thanks in large part to screenwriter Nicholas Meyer, and the one and only Leonard Nimoy, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home was the one Star Trek film that everybody saw.  No matter who they were.  Star Trek had finally generated a story that appealed to the general movie going public.  And for a brief moment in time, those cult-like walls had come down, changing the fan base to include just about anyone and everyone.  It was a magical moment for Star Trek fans.  But it didn’t last.  As stated, the fourth film cleaned up at the box office, during the ’86 holiday season.  And by January, Captain Kirk himself, William Shatner had requested a meeting with the Paramount studio brass.  And as it had been agreed during secret contract negotiations for Star Trek IV, Shatner would indeed direct V.  During production of the fifth film, Nimoy serviced as a consultant and confidant to his friend, but the film, and it’s story, was Shatner’s creation.  Nimoy had climbed into the backseat and made no derogatory comments about Captain Kirk’s driving skills.  The film was about the Starship Enterprise being hijacked by a religious evangelist who believes the intelligent source of all creation lies just beyond a barrier separating the outer areas of our Galaxy, from the large middle interior mid section thingy place, of our Galaxy.  Notice how awkward that sounds.  I did that on purpose; that’s what it’s like watching the movie.  And while fans had high hopes (based primarily on the teaser poster seen at right,) the film was a flop for Paramount.  And dependent on what sources you cite, the film cost just over $30 Million (much of it not even on the screen, due to some rather badly produced effects,) and had only made somewhere between $52 and $63 Million.  While Paramount’s other big summer release that year, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, cleaned up at the box office, the Studio essentially took a bath in red ink on Star Trek V: The Final Frontier.  The cast, including Nimoy, initially thought it was the end of Star Trek, once and for all.  Then, Paramount called again.  No kidding.  Literally days after the failure of the film was official, the head of Paramount called Leonard Nimoy.  “We want to do something for the Anniversary coming up.”  Nimoy quickly, and wisely, suggested Paramount also contact writer/director Nicholas Meyer (a prime factor in the success of both Star Trek II and Star Trek IV,) and put the two of them get together to toss around some ideas.  So, on a long walk on the beach somewhere on the East Coast, Nimoy and Meyer chatted.  The Berlin Wall had come down in ’89, and and one of them (Nimoy says it was him, Meyer says it was him,) offered that there could be a Klingon parallel.  As originally planned by both men, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (Meyer finally got to use his title) was to be an expansive, big budget 1970’s style political thriller in space; with shades of Rod Serling and John Frankenheimer’s Seven Days in May, in the background.  But Roddenberry was displeased with the direction and tone of the film.  As well as many of the plot contrivances.  And Paramount wanted to keep Roddenberry happy for the upcoming Anniversary.  On top of that, and for reasons unknown, Paramount quickly began slicing away at the film’s budget.  A lengthy scene that came hot-on-the-heels of Captain Sulu’s observance of the destruction of a Klingon moon that was a prime energy producer for the entire Klingon economy, had to be cut.  Kirk was to be reactivated and sent to round up his retired crew.  He knows where Scotty is, so he tears him away from teaching a class in a Starfleet Academy hanger, utilizing the Bird of Prey from Star Trek III and Star Trek IV.  (Storyboard seen above.)  Scotty knows that Uhura is commuting to Mars to host a radio program, so they rescue her from utter boredom, leaving the mic open in their wake.  Next, they tear Chekov away from a chess game he’s loosing in Russia, and then, the group find Dr. McCoy drunk at a social gathering.  This all had to go.  And as mandated by Paramount, via Gene Roddenberry, the Seven Days in May subplot had to go, as well.  So no reason for the military ribbons on some of the uniforms of some of the Starfleet personnel is ever given.  The story behind that was that several months before the events of the film, the Military had re-organized and attempted a political coup to take over Starfleet.  It failed and the Military was simply ingested into the Starfleet ranks.  It made for great political intrigue and added more ingredients and red herrings to the plot.  But it was gone.  Then, there were small moments that cast doubt on many members of the Enterprise crew.  Did they possibly have a motive to get involved in sabotaging a peace summit between the Klingons and the Federation ?  Roddenberry wanted that gone, too.  Then, there was the massive battle at the end of the film, that involved a cloaked Klingon ship attacking the Enterprise, only to be set upon by the Excelsior, and then surprisingly, by another Klingon ship, and also a Romulan ship.  All four ships playing cat and mouse with a cloaked ship they cannot see, moving about the battlefield freely.  The effects for that alone constituted about $11 Million of the films budget.  Paramount simply told Nicholas Meyer, you no longer have $35 Million, you have $18, do what you can.  The result was a movie that is a shell of its former self.  Really.  A good film, but not the great film it could have been.  Not by far.  Nimoy, however, like all involved, enjoyed the reunion, and the chance to build a Trek film that would leave a better lasting impression that Star Trek V.  And now, finally, it was over.  Right ?  Nope.  Nimoy rightfully turned down a walk-on in Star Trek: Generations, due mainly to a badly designed script and opening scene.  (Shatner did the film and they reportedly shot his character in the back, before Paramount saw the scene and made them reshoot it; giving Kirk a more dignified death.)  But between audio book recordings, convention appearances, funny commercials, and even two returning appearances in J.J. Abrams Star Trek and Star Trek Into Darkness, “Mr. Spock” never really parted ways with Leonard Nimoy.  Over the years, he had written two separate books about his relationship with the fictional character.  “I’m Not Spock (1975,)” and “I Am Spock (1995).”  The first was highly controversial among Star Trek fans, but both sold well.  This added ‘Author’ to his colorful resume, and multifaceted career.  He even helped produce a comic book: Primortals.  And he made regular appearances on both The Simpsons and Futurama.  He never stopped working.  Even after he announced his retirement, Leonard Nimoy made appearances on Fringe, The Big Bang Theory, and others.  He was a constant success, and truly a positive example to anyone wishing to achieve such success.  And, he was a man filled with philosophical insight and wisdom.  You only had to listen.  Without a certain journal, or road map of the man’s intentions in life, I am not certain of his personal goals, or his general target of accomplishment.  But I can say one thing for certain.  Lennie hit whatever he was aiming at.