Tag Archives: star trek

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David Warner, R.I.P.

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This very recognizable and enjoyable actor died in 2022. I have been very negligent in posting about some of the entertainers I have admired who passed away during the run of this blog (not just this year). I need to make amends in my own mind and list those who have passed that I have very badly neglected.

David Warner appeared in a number of memorable roles over the years. I was fond of his performance as the mentally challenged instigator of the societal clash in Peckinpah’s “Straw Dogs”. He played the inquisitive photographer who stumbles on the supernatural forces at work on Gregory Peck’s family in “The Omen”. Warner played Jack The Ripper in the time travel adventure “Time After Time”. And he can be found in some of the theatrical and television series productions of the Star Trek franchise. Wow.

Cool career. Definitely an actor with a particular style. Equally at home playing good or evil characters.

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Star Trek 6 – The Undiscovered Country (1991)

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This was the final film gathering of The Original Series Star Trek crew after a long line of cinematic adventures. Star Trek started out as a TV series but after only lasting three seasons in its original run, a devoted fanbase rallied to get the creative forces that be to realize that there was still an audience out there and, after Star Wars proved to be a box office smash, that maybe there was gold in them thar science fiction film hills. The resultant movie franchise lasted for six installments. This time out, our heroes are ordered to take a Klingon ambassador to a peace summit onboard the Enterprise. The ambassador and his escort vehicle are attacked and it looks to all the world as though the Enterprise and the very Federation has conspired in the attack. Kirk and McCoy are arrested after attempting a rescue mission onboard the Klingon ship. A kangaroo court convicts them and sends them off to a penal planet for the rest of their lives. It is up to Spock and the remaining crew to prove their innocence by finding out just who perpetrated the actual attack and save them, the Universe and the looming peace talks. Very rousing romp with a lot of character interaction reminiscent of the old TV series popping up again. There is even a symbolic round of applause for the retiring Enterprise crew toward the end of the film. Kind of brings a tear to your eye!

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HARLAN ELLISON – R.I.P.

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Legendary science fiction and fantasy writer Harlan Ellison has passed away.  Call him an iconoclast, outspoken, a larger than life character who didn’t suffer fools, especially those he felt tampered with the integrity of his work.  He reached a settlement with CBS 40 years after his script for “Star Trek”-TOS, “City on the Edge of Forever” had been delivered to reclaim his share of the profits generated from his work.  He had more impressions on the television industry collected in his series “The Glass Teat”.  Acidic observations to say the least.

I count Ellison as an early influence in my life.  He was outrageous, profane, and definitely embodied a punk sensibility.  He didn’t take shit from anybody and let the world know it.  When I was maybe a teen or 12 years old, the years recede rapidly, I found out that Ellison would be in town at a book store reading from his latest work.  I got my dad to bring me down there and crowded in to the small store to be in the Man’s presence.  He read from his book and the profanity flowed.  It felt a little awkward with my dad there but he understood the content much better than I could hope to!  A good memory.

I highly recommend the novella “I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream”.  I reread it recently and it retains its nightmarish hold.  The idea has been a source of inspiration through the years.   Call it “Skynet” before it was known as such.  You’ll see what I mean.

Harlan Ellison was a great and influential writer.  Go find his stuff and enjoy!

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LEONARD NIMOY R.I.P. – INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS (1978)

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It is with a heavy heart that I comment on the passing of our very dear friend, Leonard Nimoy.  Nimoy proved to be a man of many talents.  Among his accomplishments were successful turns as actor, director, writer, singer, and photographer.  We all best remember him for his iconic portrayal of the Vulcan First Officer aboard the starship Enterprise, Mr. Spock.  The “Star Trek” role endeared him to fans and established his place as one of the most beloved fictional characters in the history of, well, the world!  Nimoy’s work as psychologist Dr. David Kibner in “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” is to me a beautiful showcase for the actor.  I find his character to be one of my favorite parts of this movie.  Seek out more of Leonard Nimoy’s artistic contributions.  It is fine work indeed.

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FORBIDDEN PLANET – 1956

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Very influential, big budget science fiction film from the 1950’s.  In the future, a starship from earth ventures to a remote planet to check on the well being of a colony established by earlier explorers.  Only two survivors are found from the previous expedition but they flourish in their compound with the assistance of their super workhorse robot, Robby.  It seems that survivor Dr. Morbius has learned a few tricks from the previous inhabitants of the planet, the uber advanced Krell.  But not all knowledge is necessarily good to have.  Morbius harbors some dark secrets of his own that have a bad habit of manifesting themselves in solid form thanks to tapping into Krell technology.

Among the movie’s strengths are very cool special effects, an otherworldly electronic music score from Louis and Bebe Barron, impressive movie sets and dioramas and, of course, the introduction of the amazing creation, Robby The Robot.  The functioning of the earth ship and its captain and crew seem to have been an influence on Gene Roddenberry who created the TV series “Star Trek”.  Leslie Nielsen played the captain of the second Earth starship.

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“THE DOOMSDAY MACHINE” – STAR TREK – THE ORIGINAL SERIES

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My favorite episode from “Star Trek” – The Original Series.  A marauding super weapon of ancient origins plummets through space destroying astral bodies in its wake to provide fuel for its continuing existence.  The Enterprise, commanded by Captain James Kirk, attempts to put a stop to the machine’s path of destruction before any more lives are lost.  Very well paced, exciting episode that provides plenty of action and suspense.  Going back and watching “The Original Series” today, I am struck by the rather talkative, slow paced nature of a lot of the episodes.  This segment provided a welcome alternative to that trend.  The musical score is also well matched to the action.  “The Doomsday Machine” is well worth watching over again.  Not so with a great many of the other episodes.  Nice acting turn by William Windom as the doomed Captain Decker.