sign in sign up
<<
Home , Andreas Katsulas, Andy Hallett, Armin Shimerman, Aron Eisenberg, Bill Mumy, Burt Ward

emcj s peW

Mark Tim iamill's latest Burton's dventure—why *TV«VIDEv enchanting catch he's directing ^AiHHHH^^H^HHHHIHfmSimTT BIG FISH -\ KTASTIC WON S'IZZLING INTERVIEW*

ma Thurman

www.starlog.com

NUMBER 320 • MARCH 2004 • THE SCIENCE FICTION UNIVERSI

INSIDE THIS ISSUE 22 THE ULTIMATE ADVENTURE Jolene Blalock thinks there's still a dreams up the he'd like to see great deal of life 26 THAT VULCAN LOOK left to Star Trek: Enterprise's Jolene Blalock sizzles in pointy alien ears Enterprise (see 30 HARMONY & ME page 26). Mercedes McNab is the bad girl, like, trying to be good

34 "I AM NO MAN!" In Middle-Earth, Miranda Otto utters Eowyn's battle cry 38 ENCHANTING ELF forsakes immortality as the lovely Arwen Evenstar 42 TRULY KEECOLICIOUS Jake 2.0's Keegan Tracy defines the term 46 IN ACTION She's picking up a Paycheck and stalking off to Kill Bill 53 WOLFE AT THE DOOR Howling in pursuit, Colm Feore is the big, bad guy 56 TRU FAITH Television's dead are still calling out to 60 TWO GUNS IN HAND That's how made his latest kinetic thriller 65 DIRECTS He draws on his lifelong love for Comic Book: The Movie 70 FISHY BUSINESS reels in a tall tale of unrealities with Big Fish 74 EXPRESS Writer-director P.J. Hogan brings Peter Pan to life 78 PETER PAN VS. CAPTAIN HOOK M Jeremy Sumpter & Isaacs offer dueling quotes 83 AT THE j3 Even before her show bows, Caroline Dhavernas talks it up 86 THE WORLD OF BOB Ace STARLOG cartoonist Bob Muleady unveils wacky works

NEXT ISSUE ON SALE MARCH 4

STARLOC: The Science Fiction Universe is published monthly by STARLOG CROUP, INC., 475 Park Avenue south, New York, NY 10016. STARLOG and The Science Fiction Universe are registered trademarks of STARLOC GROUP, INC. (ISSN 0191-4626) (Canadian GST number: R-124704826) This is Issue Number 320, March 2004. Content is © Copyright 2004 by STARLOG GROUP, INC. All rights reserved. Reprint or reproduction in part or in whole—including the reprinting or posting of arti- cles and graphics on any Internet or computer site—without the publishers' written permission Is strictly forbidden. STARLOG accepts no responsibility for unso- licited manuscripts, photos or other materials, but if submittals are accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope, they'll be considered and, if neces- sary, returned. Please do not call the editorial office re: this material. Freelancer phone calls will not be accepted. STARLOG does not publish fiction. Fiction submissions are not accepted and will be discarded without reply. Products advertised are not necessarily endorsed by STARLOG, and views expressed in edi- torial copy are not necessarily those of STARLOG. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY and additional mailing offices. Subscription rates: $56.97 one year (12 issues) delivered In U.S. only. Canadian and foreign subscriptions $66.97 in U.S. funds only. New subscriptions send directly to STARLOG, 475 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016. Notification of change of address or renewals send to STARLOG Subscription Dept., P.O. Box 430, Mt. Morris, IL 61054-0430. POSTMASTER: Send change of address to STARLOG Subscription Dept., P.O. Box 430, Mt. Morris, IL 61054-0430. Printed in U.S.A.

Photo: James Sorenson/Copyright 2003 Corp. All Rights Reserved. —

Art: Bob Eggleton We mentioned Randy President/Publisher Jean-Marc Lofficier's Jules NORMAN JACOBS Vernesque graphic novel, Executive Vice President Robur the Conqueror: From FIRE RITA EISENSTEIN the Moon to the Earth (illus- Executive Art Director trated by Gil Formosa), several W.R. MOHALLEY issues ago. It has now been Editor QUOTE OF THE published in English (translat- MONTH DAVID MCDONNELL "They're like nerds. They're nerds gone ed from French) in its entirety wild. These are my people." in the December 2003 issue of Art Director HEINER FEIL —Jake Foley, Jake 2.0 Heavy Metal. Former STARLOG colum- Managing Editor STUPID MOVIE DECISION nist David Gerrold has trans- DRVID S6RROU) ALLAN DART OF THE MONTH formed his controversial, Contributing Editors Paramount. You know, when we think of unmade Star Trek: The Next ANTHONY TIMPONE Christmas, we seldom muse, "Hey, it's the Generation script "Blood and Fire" into At last, MICHAEL CINCOLD perfect time to see an ultra-action SF novel form as the finale of his Starwolf saga. David TOM WEAVER Gerrold IAN SPELLING thriller!" Wouldn't another release date for Now available, the resulting Blood and Fire JOE NAZZARO can tell his Paycheck have made for more memorable (BenBella Books, tpb, $14.95) also includes tale of Consultant box office returns? an introduction by Star Trek's D.C. Fontana Blood and KERRY O'QUINN and a Gerrold afterword explaining the orig- Fire. STUPID TV DECISION inal story's use of gay characters and an Financial Director: Deb Irwin OF THE MONTH AIDS-like disease—neither idea welcomed Executive Assistants: Dee Erwine, Phillip Cenessie, Dave Zeidler. The SCI FI Channel. For deciding to air by those then in charge of TV Trek. See the Correspondents: (LA) Kyle Counts, new TV series on Thursdays, 9-11 p.m. With website (www.benbellabooks.com). Pat Jankiewicz, Rhonda Krafchin, Bob Miller, Marc Shapiro, Bill war- all the hit network shows already broadcast ren, Dan Yakir,- (NYC) Dan Dickholtz, in those slots, are there enough eyeballs left WHATEVER HAPPENED Mike McAvennie, Maureen McTigue, over to study any cable offerings? TO... Keith Olexa; () Will Murray; () Kim Howard Johnson; ABC's Wrinkle in Time TV movie??? We (Phoenix) Bill Florence; (Orlando) STUPID STARLOC know they shot it more than two years ago. Bill Wilson; (Canada) Peter Bloch- Hansen, Mark Phillips; () DECISION OF THE MONTH Did they air it when we were asleep or some- Anne Gay, Stan Nicholls; (Booklog) cartoons last issue and thing? We published 20 — Penny Kenny, Jean-Marc Lofficier, even more this time. Some people say that's Michael Wolff; (Toons) Alain "Big Bad Bubba" Chaperon, Mike Fisher, too many. But isn't it more fun (and less sad) FILM FANTASY CALENDAR Tom Holtkamp, Bob Muleady; (Pho- than publishing 20 obits this issue? Release dates are extremely subject to tos) Donn Nottage, Albert Ortega, change. Jo Beth Taylor. Special Thanks to: Jolene Blalock, BY OUR CONTRIBUTORS March: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Michael Broidy, Tim Burton, Kris- Lee Goldberg knows murder mysteries. Mind (3/19), Dawn ofthe Dead (3/19), Scoo- tine Cheren, Caroline Dhavernas, The former STARLOG contributor- by-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (3/26). Danielle Dorfman, Eliza Dushku, Colm Feore, Lucy Fisher, Siri Garber, turned-TV writer-producer was at the helm April: Home on the Range (4/2), Hellboy Dave Gardner, Lee Goldberg, Mark

(with collaborator William Rabkin) of Diag- (4/2), Ella Enchanted (4/9), The Hamili, Jonathan Hogan, P.J. Hogan, (4/16). Jason Isaacs, Walter Koenig, Leah Krantzler, Mercedes McNab, Tahii Shrek 2 May: Van Helsing (5/7), Mendel, Miranda Otto, Armin (5/21), The Day After Tomorrow Shimerman, John Smith, Jeremy Sumpter, uma Thurman, Keegan (5/28), 13 Going on 30 (5/28). Connor Tracy, Liv Tyler, Jeff Walker, Holly Whldden, Doug Wick, John BOOKS OF NOTE Woo. images: Return: ©2003 New Shimerman, our favorite cover Armin Line Productions, Inc. The Lord of , concludes his amazing the Rings, The Return of the King & Merchant Prince trilogy with the Capital the Names of the Characters, Offense Events, Items & Places Therein are f recently published Capita! Offense ends Trademarks of the Saul Zaentz (Pocket Star, pb, $7.99). Here's a Armin Company d/b/a Tolkien Enterprises really important Rule of Acquisition: Under License to New Line Produc- Shimer- tions, inc. All Rights Reserved; Kill Buy it today! man's Bill: ©2003 Miramax Films; Enter- Battlefield Earth author L. Ron paperback prise: James Sorenson/©2003 Para- Pictures Corp. All Rights Hubbard began his career in the trilogy. mount Reserved; Tru Calling: Marcel pages of the 1930s and Williams/©2004 Fox Broadcasting Choose your adventure The Walk on a '40s pulps, writing Company; Hamill: ©2004 Buena very wild side or a new Diagnosis Murder Vista Home Entertainment, Inc. All adventure yarns, West- mystery. They're both by Lee Goldberg. Rights Reserved; Burton: ©2003 erns, mysteries, SF and Columbia TriStar Marketing Group, nosis Murder for several seasons. Now, he's fantasies. Master Storyteller: inc. All Rights Reserved. writing original paperbacks based on the An Illustrated Tour the Fic- of For Advertising Information: series. The second, The Death Merchant tion of L. Ron Hubbard by (212) 689-2830. FAX (212) 889- ($5.99), is out this month. William J. Widder (Galaxy 7933 Advertising Director: Rita Eisen- has also written a riveting new Press, he, $49.95) showcases Goldberg stein novel, The Walk (Five Star, he, $25.95). It not just his work but the many Classified Ads: Phillip Genessie Ads: The Faust Co., chronicles the perilous post-Big One odyssey talented artists who visualized West Coast 24050 Madison St. #101, Torrance, his foot, tales as Typewriter in the of a TV exec trying to make way (on such CA 90505 (310) 373-9604. FAX (310) naturally) from the massive earthquake-rav- Sky and Buckskin Brigades 373-8760. International Licensing Rep: aged desolation of downtown LA to (rela- both then and later (Edd Carri- Robert J. Abramson & Associates, tive) safety with his family in a far-off San er, Graves Gladney, Frank Inc., 720 Post Road, Scarsdale, NY Fernando Valley town. Frazetta, etc.). It's a beautiful- 10583. Capital Image: Jae Song

4 STARLOG/Marc/i 2004 Your old Lunchbdx, ly produced book featuring mated Treks ("The Himalayas, The Scarecrow of Romney a wealth of rare pulp covers Lorelei Signal," "The Marsh and TV's The Avengers. and interiors. The introduc- Ambergris Element") Jack Pollexfen (November) The writer- tion is by legendary artist as well as episodes of producer who brought to Earth The Man from Frank . Wonder Woman, The Planet X—the first man-from-space movie of Speaking of artists, let's Six Million Dollar the '50s. His genre credits also include Cap- note Neal Adams Sketch Man, The Bionic Wo- tive Women, Port Sinister, The Neanderthal Book: Pointers from a Mas- man, Land of the Lost Man, Son ofSinbad, Indestructible Man, The ter Storyteller, compiled & and Fantasy Island. Son of Dr. Jekyll, Daughter of Dr. Jekyll and edited by Arlen Schumer (STARLOG#125) Monstrosity. (FANGORIA #35) (Vanguard, tpb, $16.95). Jonathan Brandis Albert Nozaki (November) The art

It's a profusely illustrated, (November) The young director/designer of the Martian ships that how-he-does-it volume actor who played fought The War of the Worlds for George Pal. filled with extensive com- Lucas Wolenczak in He also worked on Pal's Houdini and When mentary by Adams. seaQuest DSV. He also Worlds Collide. There's also More Fan- appeared in Stepfather Wah Chang (December) The stop- tasy Art Masters by Dick II, It and The Never motion animator and creative designer who Jude (Watson-Guptill, tpb, Ending Story II: The helped bring Pal's to life. Intrigued by the artists who $24.95), which again high- Next Chapter (as Bast- He also worked his cinemagic on four other Humiliated the works of L. Ron lights the work of 10 genre Hubbard? This tome's for you. ian).(STARLOG#197, Pal productions (torn thumb, The Wonderful artists (namely 180 images STARLOG SF EX- World of the Brothers Grimm, 7 Faces of Dr. from J.K. Potter, Darrel Anderson, Ian PLORER #9) Lao, The Power), toiled on Master of the Miller, Keith Parkinson, Anne Sudworth, Robert Addie (November) Sir Guy of World and Dinosaurus! and made ape masks Judith Clute, John Harris, Phil Hale, Dave Gisburne in TV's of Sherwood. for Planet of the Apes (1968). His TV cre- Seeley and Greg Spalenka). Arthurianwise, he was also in Excalibur ations include creatures for The Outer Limits (Mordred), Merlin (Sir Gilbert) and A ( original), Star Trek and Land of the THE LAST FAREWELLS Knight in Camelot (Sir Sagramour). Lost (designing the dinosaurs). The science fiction universe sadly salutes Michael Kamen (November) This pro- Les Tremayne (December) The veteran these folks who died recently. teanly talented composer scored numerous character actor seen in The War of the Worlds Fay Helm (September 2003) One of the films including , The Adventures of (as General Mann), (the last Universal Horrors players, this character Baron Munchausen, The Iron Giant, X-Men, auctioneer), The Monolith Monsters, The actress had pivotal parts in the studio's The Highlander, Licence to Kill, The Dead Zone, Monster ofPiedras Blancas, The Slime Peo- Wolf Man, Night Monster, Calling Dr. Death What Dreams May Come, Frequency, Event ple and The Angry Red Planet. TV buffs and Captive Wild Woman. Horizon, the four Lethal Weapon flicks and know him best as Mentor, advisor to Captain Jack Smight (September) The director Marvel in Shazam. He of The Illustrated Man and Damnation Alley. also guested on Voyage to He also helmed the Frankenstein: The True the Bottom of the Sea Story mini-series, the TV movie The ("Turn Back the Clock"), Screaming Woman and episodes of The Twi- Pre- light Zone ("Night of the Meek," "The Lone- sents and My Favorite ly," "The Lateness of the Hour," "Twen- Martian and did cartoon ty-Two") and The Alfred Hitchcock Hour. voiceovers {Mr. Magoo, Mark Hanna (October) The imaginative Jonny Quest). A famed B-movie scribe brought vampires and giants radio actor in the '30s and to Earth from space (the original Not of this '40s {The First Nighter, Earth and Attack of the 50-Foot Woman The Thin Man, The Fal- respectively) as well as writing The Undead con), he appeared on and Bert I. Gordon's career-making The more than 30,000 broad- Amazing Colossal Man. casts during his career. Guy Rolfe (October) Forever smiling as (STARLOG #132) Mr. Sardonicus. The actor's other genre Paula Raymond efforts include Dolls, The Bride, And Now (December) The star of the Screaming Starts! and several Puppet the best of the 1950s' Master flicks (as puppet creator Andre dino-flicks, the Ray Har- vv To CLOWE TKod?s Toulon). MoT WcfcSH, MfcSflsR. KBtoS.tf o4K ryhausen-animated The Saul Kahan (October) The unit publicist floWT WORK, o4T, we HAVE k SKcKUF ?LAft~." Beast from 20,000 Fath- on Blade Runner, Spaceballs, The Muppet oms. She was also seen in Movie and several John Landis films. He the trilogy. He also provided music The Flight That Disappeared, Hand ofDeath also acted in Schlock. for episodes of From the Earth to the Moon, and Blood of Dracula's Castle. Raymond Sharon Johnson (October) The longtime Amazing Stories and Tales from the Crypt. was the niece of Weird Tales magazine film, TV & entertainment critic of Pennsyl- (STARLOG #268) founder Farnsworth Wright. vania's Harrisburg Patriot-News. Michael Small (November) The com- Madlyn Rhue (December) As Lt. Maria Penny Singleton (November) The irre- poser for The Stepford Wives (1975), Audrey Givers, she romanced Khan in Star Trek's pressible Blondie Bumstead in the 1930s- Rose, Jaws: The Revenge and The Lathe of "Space Seed." The actress (whose career '40s Blondie movie series and, more Heaven (1980). was impacted by multiple sclerosis) also importantly here, the voice of Jane Jetson in Robert Brown (November) As the James guested on Land of the Giants, The Man The Jetsons. Bond series' second M, he sent 007 into from U.N.C.L.E., Wild West, Margaret Armen (November) The pio- action in four films (Octopussy, A View to a Kolchak the Night Stalker and Fantasy neering TV scribe whose contributions to Kill, The Living Daylights, Licence to Kill) Island. Star Trek included "The Gamesters of and played Admiral Hargreaves in a fifth Hope Lange (December) She won two Triskelion," "The Paradise Syndrome" and {The Spy Who Loved Me). He was also seen Emmys for her performance as the better "The Cloud Minders." She wrote two ani- in The Abominable Snowman of the half of TV's The Ghost and Mrs. Muir.

6 STARLOG/Marc/i 2004 www.starlog.com CAPTURE THE ADVENTURE ON DVD Shotaro Ishinomori's Masterpiece Returns!

Featuring the Anime All Stars: Director Jun Kawagoe, Writer Shinsuke Dnishi, and Character and Mechanism Designer Naoyuki Konno

2-Disc Set Includes the First 8 Uncut Episodes in Widescreen Presentations and E3 Sound. —

UPDATES eventually transforms John into the lycan- Need to see the Planet of the Apes TV thropic Man-Wolf, but that metamorphosis is series? SCI FI is airing a marathon (11 unlikely to be part of the movie. episodes) on February 16. There have been discussions in years past The upcoming series of a possible Time Bandits movie sequel or Lowbrow has been retitled Megas LXR. TV series spin-off. Now, instead, there may mum be a TV toon. SCI-FI PEOPLE By DAVID MCDONNELL Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federa- Mick Garris is back in tion, the direct-to-video sequel helmed by

country. Garris—who directed Sleep- FX ace Phil Tippett, is due out April 1 . Look walkers, The Stand and the TV Shining—is for more on this follow-up next issue. now helming a movie version of King's heimer's 1966 film Seconds. But why! e-tale Riding the Bullet. Then, he'll do a Playwright Robert Schenkman is script- CHARACTER CASTINGS three-hour telefilm adaptation of King's ing the two-part mini-series update of Naomi Watts may play Ann Darrow (Fay novel Desperation (scripted by King). 's The Andromeda Strain Wray in the original) in 's is directing once again. for Universal Television. King Kong remake. And Jackson and Andy He'll helm Twisted Souls, based on the Oh please, you're killing us with these (Gollum) Serkis have talked about the possi- action figures line he created for McFarlane remakes. (And maybe that's the idea.) Texas bility of Serkis playing Kong for the film's

Toys. Barker and McFarlane will produce Chainsaw Massacre remaker Mike Fleiss is motion-capture and CGI-replacement the film. planning yet another Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde. sequences. In other words, Serkis could get Oscar-winner Howard Shore will reunite Steve Niles is scripting this one based on his the title role. with Peter Jackson to score King Kong. comic Hyde. Timothy Hutton is trying to solve his own Meanwhile, James Newton Howard will murder-to-be in the five-hour mini-series 5 score M. Night Shyamalan's The Village. By ANIMATION SCENE Days to Midnight (now wrapping production the way, SCI FI will be filming a multiple- Cenndy Tartakovsky is leaving the Car- in ). DS9's Nicole de Boer, Randy episode, behind-the-scenes documentary on toon Network (for which he mastermind- Quaid (as a police detective), Kari (Nero the secretive Shyamalan during shooting. It ed Dexter's Laboratory, and Wolfe) Matchett and Angus MacFayden co- will air, eventually, this summer. Clone Wars). It's not official at presstime, star. Michael (The X-Files) Watkins is direct- Peter Pan production designer Roger but he'll probably be joining a familiar com- ing this project that'll air over five nights on

Ford is conceptualizing designs for the long- pany to develop an extremely intriguing ani- SCI FI in June. planned movie version of the C.S. Lewis mated feature. Sean Patrick Flanery (once Young Indi- classic The Lion, the Witch and the Booster Gold, the Hawk & the Dove, ana Jones) and F. Murray Abraham are seek- Wardrobe. Andrew {Shrek) Adamson will Captain Atom and Firestorm, all former ing justice as Dead Lawyers (shysters brought back from the dead to make up for their misdeeds with pro work). They're They're young. bono They're not in love. starring in the TV series being shot in And they rob banks Toronto for SCI FI. Paris (NYPD Blue) Bar- or at least one bank. clay directs. They're Kristen Stewart, MaxThieriot BROADWAY RHYTHM and Corbin Bleu, Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics is doing three youngsters who the music for Barbarella: The Musical must pull a bank job (based on the original comics saga as well as to save a kidnapped the movie). It opens next month far from dad. And that's while , crooks and Broadway—in Vienna, Austria. cohorts are chasing Disney's animated Tarzan is due to swing after them to Catch onto Broadway as a stage musical (with That Kid* The fun more songs than the movie had) in 2005. begins February 6. And did we mention the musicalized Dracula! It's due this year from composer direct the movie, scheduled to shoot in New members in the comics, will be showing up Frank Wildhorn, who previously created the Zealand early this year. for heroic duty on . Broadway musical Jekyll & Hyde. Former STARLOG Managing Editor Lia The new Astro Boy premieres January 17 Meanwhile, now running in England at Pelosi now works for Random as on Kids' WB (Saturdays, 8:30 a.m.). Static the National Theater is a two-play adaptation Managing Editor of Golden Books. Shock returns for its fourth year the same day of Philip Pullman's fantasy trilogy His Dark (11:30 a.m.). This season will include a Sta- Materials, as adapted by Nicholas Wright THE REMAKE CAME tic Shock- Beyond crossover. and directed by Nicholas () was already sequeled and later remade for Kids' WB has ordered 26 more episodes Hytner. The cast is dominated by British the- It TV, but now Disney is planning a new of the anime cyberadventure MegaMan NT atrical actors unfamiliar here, though one's Shaggy Dog mounting to star Tim Allen. Warrior. well known to STARLOG readers—Timo- Brian () Robbins will direct. thy Dalton plays Lord Asriel. What are The 39 Steps! Alfred Hitchcock SEQUELS made the classic thriller in 1935 and it has Expect to see Hank McCoy (a.k.a. the THE WRITE STUFF already been remade twice (1959, 1978). A Beast) get a bigger role (than his brief X2 Screenwriter Michael (Contact) Golden- fourth version is now in the works. cameo) in X3. berg is adapting Maurice Sendak's Yet another unnecessary remake is Mary Jane Watson's other love interest in Where the Wild Things Are. revving up at Paramount (home to already- The Amazing Spider-Man is astronaut John Paramount Pictures has optioned Dou- shot redos of The Stepford Wives and The Jameson (Daniel Gillies). Of course, he's the glas (Relic) Preston's The Codex, a new Manchurian Candidate). T3 writer-director son of Spidey nemesis/newspaper mogul J. thriller about a lost Mayan manuscript just Jonathan Mostow will tackle John Franken- Jonah Jameson. In the comics, a moonstone recently published.

8 STAKLOG/March 2004 n

0!

- ON ""^VrrTTTT. Sv . AS SEEN

SP^IM | W(TH HEROIC FEATURES:

. FEATURETTBS If* *• COMMENTARIES . FOOTAGE . TEST ANIMATION . ROUGH MORE! . AND 8 DVD TODA* BUV THE

www.SonyPictures.comj

Spider-Man character: TM & ©2003 Marvel Characters, Inc.

Spider-Man series: ©2003 , Inc. All rights reserved.

©2003 Layout and Design Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment. All rights reserved. GAME OVER Mid-season replacement for UPN. It's a CG- about video-game characters featuring the voices of Patrick War- burton and Marisa Tomei.

JAKE 2.0 GENRE TV (which he also wrote). By the way, Joss Whe- |k|ew series airing Wednesdays on UPN. SCI FI will add a second night of original don (who has scripted Fray and Buffy comics mm Renewed for the rest of the season. In rat- programming Thursdays, beginning 3/4. for Dark Horse) will be taking over as the ings trouble. Keegan Connor Tracy debriefs It'll lead off with Mad Mad House (9 p.m.), a writer of Marvel's New X-Men comic. His first on page 42. reality show that might best be described as issues will appear in 2005. Big Brother with a witch, voodoo priestess, JEREMIAH vampire and other real "alternative lifestyle" Showtime says eight as-yet-unbroadcast folks as housemates. returns for The mini-series—which racked up hit rat- segments will premiere this year. a second season of all-new SF jokes and hoax- ings for a cable project—may lead to a TV es at 10 p.m. And , the net- series spin-off on SCI FI. A decision is due work's first animated series, follows at 10:30. imminently. Airs Fridays on CBS. Russ (torn thumb) USA Network will be unleashing The Tamblyn, father of series star Amber Tam- 4400 (more than 4,000 humans abducted by CARNIVALE blyn, guests as God in "Night Without Stars," aliens and now mysteriously returned to Renewed by HBO for a 13-episode second airing this month. Earth—and their stories). Executive producers season. It'll shoot this spring. (who helped steer First MUTANT X Wave), Rene Echevarria (the veteran writer- CENTURY CITY New third season episodes airing in syndi- producer of Now and Again, Dark , DS9 Mid-season replacement for CBS. It's a cation the week of 1/26: "Possibilities." and Next Generation) and Maira (Platinum) legal drama set in 2053. May air 2/2: "Conspiracy Theory." 2/9: "Art of Attrac- Suro are masterminding the TV show. Scott Wednesdays. tion." John Shea returns to the show for four Peters scripted the pilot, shooting this month episodes. (and uncast at presstime). USA has given the CODE NAME: ETERNITY series a six-episode order for a probable June The 26-episode TV series (shot in 1999) has STARGATE SG-1 or July premiere. been acquired by SCI FI for U.S. airing Seventh season episodes are now airing on The Mayor, a mid-season sitcom about a Fridays, 10 p.m. 1/30: "The Long Drop." SCI FI Fridays, 9 p.m. 1/30: "Chimera." teen politician that was to have featured Harry Could that be Ethaniel's brother Thorber on Can Osiris find the lost the Ancients in Groener (Buffy's Mayor) as his dad, has been TV? 2/6: "Watery Grave." Rogue alien Ban- Daniel's dreams? 2/6: "Death Knell." Carter's recalled by the WB. The network has decided ning (Andrew Gillies) steals an archaeological on the run from a relentless foe. 2/13 & 2/20: not to do it. stone that could turn into another planet. Bet- "" two-parter. A filmmaker—under ter get it back, eh? 2/13: "You Can Never Go government orders—documents operations at ANDROMEDA Home." Misinformed that Ethaniel is a psy- Cheyenne Mountain, the Stargate Command New fourth season episodes airing in syndi- cho, Laura's parents must cope when she HQ. 2/27: "Resurrection." Directed by Aman- cation the week of 1/26: "The Torment, brings him home for a visit. 2/20: "Tawrens." da Tapping. the Release." 2/2: "The Spider's Stratagem." Can our heroes restore ex-good guy Tawrens, 2/9: "The Warmth of an Invisible Light." 2/16: who's now in Banning's thrall? 2/27: "Making STEPHEN KING'S KINGDOM "The Others." Love." Banning is using a new perfume to HOSPITAL cloud men's minds and control them. Premieres on ABC for a 15-episode run 3/3 ANGEL (two-hour show). Will then air Wednes- Airs Wednesdays on the WB. 1/14: ENTERPRISE days, 10 p.m. Craig Baxley directed all 15 "Harm's Way." An episode focusing on Airs Wednesdays on UPN. In ratings trou- episodes (and all were scripted by King). See Harmony, whose alter-ego, Mercedes McNab, ble. Jolene Blalock offers her views on FANGORIA #230 for a preview. discusses the character on page 30. 1721: page 26. "," directed by . TARZAN 2/4: "You're Welcome." Cancelled by the WB. Fans are banding returns to the show with this 100th episode to The announcement still wasn't official at together to try to get the WB to reconsider complete Cordelia's story arc. Series producer presstime, but Farscape will return as an that decision and save the show. See the web- (and creator of The Tick) will all-new four-hour mini-series. Shooting is site (www.tarzantheseries.com). make his directorial debut on "Smile Time" underway now. TRU CALLING New series airing Thursdays on Fox. In rat- ings trouble. Renewed for the rest of the

season. Jason Priestley is joining the series for at least seven episodes, playing a forensic attendant with his own dark secrets. Eliza

Dushku talks about it all on page 56. WONDERFALLS Mid-season replacement for Fox. Created by . Tentatively scheduled for an early 2004 premiere, possibly Mon- days, 8 p.m. Caroline Dhavernas unveils her role on page 83.

an order that will eventually grow into a for its brilliant prose, numerous literary allu- hive-like secret society. And—surprise, sions and initiatic journey of self-discovery.

surprise—it's that very same society that Fans of Wolfe's New Sun series will love it. the hero of plot number one discovers. The Knight would have been worthy of being Conqueror's Moon by Julian May (Ace, Baxter handles both stories competently, published next to David Lindsay's A Voyage he, 400 pp, $24.95) although the first-person, modern-day narra- to Arcturus (which it slightly resembles) or Conqueror's Moon introduces readers to a tion is perhaps more emotionally involving Lord Dunsany and William Morris' novels in medieval-like world, a northern island conti- than the somewhat detached historical saga. Lin Carter's classic adult fantasy imprint of nent with a civilization not unlike the Vikings The ending, however, requires a huge suspen- the 1970s. However, readers seeking more of Earth, situated halfway between the worlds sion of disbelief. Baxter is no Ira Levin, and a traditional, action-oriented heroic fantasy of the Deryni, Lyonesse and defter, more nuanced realis- (maybe lured by The Knight's, gorgeous

Brother Cadfael. The island tic touch is needed to main- cover) should look elsewhere. is divided into four feuding tain the story's credibility. —Jean-Marc Lofficier kingdoms, one of which is (One could compare it with ruled by sorcerers who Frank Herbert's Hellstrom 's The Destroyer Goddess: In Fire Forged, know how to extract super- Hive, to Herbert's advan- Part Two by Laura Resnick (Tor, he, natural powers from capri- tage.) 496 pp, $27.95) cious and dangerous —Jean-Marc Lofficier Sileria is at last free from foreign celestial entities known as oppressors—at the cost of rebel leader the Lights. Young Prince Scatterbrain by Larry Josarian's life. Now, the battle for internal Conrig of the southern king- Niven (Tor, he, 400 pp, freedom begins, and the first step is to dom is bent on dominating $24.95) destroy the unlikely alliance of Waterlords the other realms, and enters Scatterbrain is a and fire-magic-wielding Guardians led by into an alliance with the breezy grab bag of fiction the betrayer Kiloran. A prophecy, a long- would-be sorceress queen and non-fiction, including lost son and open warfare are all part of the Ullanoth to achieve his the author's thoughts on Destroyer Goddess' plan for her kingdom. ends. working with other writ- The complex political relationships

Conqueror's Moon is ers, convention notes and and maneuverings of The Destroyer God- rife with court intrigue, magic and medieval opinions on certain technical and political dess are almost impossible to understand warfare—everything that a fantasy fan might subjects. Also featured are excerpts from without having read The White Dragon. desire. May is an old pro at this sort of thing, novels such as The Ringworld Throne, col- However, the characters' personal relation- and manages to deliver once again. This laborative efforts with Jerry Pournelle, ships—which are just as rich and com- novel is highly recommended. Steven Barnes and Brenda Cooper and sto- plex—are so intriguing, they quickly draw —Jean-Marc Lofficier ries featuring Gil Hamilton and Beowulf the reader in. Resnick has concluded In Shaeffer. Fire Forged in stunning fashion. Phobos by Ty Drago (Tor, he, 432 pp, The entire collection makes for an —Penny Kenny $25.95) interesting smorgasbord, and the reader In a near-future where has can pick and choose from what's being Sister by Robert Reed (Tor, he, 384 become home to an underclass of exploit- offered on the table. Along with the fic- pp, $25.95) ed miners, a Martian-born officer is sent to tion, there are lovely insights into the Reed is slowly working on building the a special research facility on Phobos to world of SF writing, making this a nice Modern SF Epic. Here, he takes the reader

find out if an alien monster is actually tutorial for those contemplating getting millions of years into a future where humani-

killing the members of an experimental into the business themselves. Especially ty is ruled by a race of enhanced beings who

research center. recommended is the epilogue "What I Tell maintain and build civilizations. One of these

A good SF thriller is a rare thing, and Librarians," a gauntlet thrown down at the super-people, Sister Alice, is punished when Phobos doesn't disappoint. Its hero, Lt. feet of people who turn up their noses at one of her experiments goes wrong, resulting

Mike Brogue, is a well-rounded character, the genre (as well as some of those who try in the destruction of several worlds. But one

smart and tough as nails, a future soldier to write it). of Alice's decides to investigate

with brains. The plot is both clever and —Michael Wolff and, if possible, restore what was destroyed.

suspenseful. The resolution is completely The problem with writing so far into the

satisfactory and, in terms of clues, is The Knight by Gene Wolfe future (or the past) is almost Agatha Christie-like in its fairness (Tor, he, 432 pp, $25.95) that—unless you're Olaf to the reader. Phobos is a bit of Hal This is part one of a two- Stapledon—you risk los- Clement, with a lot of ALIEN in its mix of parter entitled The Wizard ing your audience's identi- exobiology and dirty politics at work. Knight, in which we follow fication with the setting. —Jean-Marc Lofficier the steps of a young Earth- Reed almost slips here, but man magically transported to if you possess the patience Coalescent by Stephen Baxter (Del Rey, a multi-level fantasy world. to get into the story, you'll he, 496 pp, $25.95) With most of his memory find that it's definitely Two of Coalescenfs plot threads inter- lost, the hero embarks on a worth a look. weave before forming a coherent whole. In picaresque odyssey of dis- —Michael Wolff plot number one, a modern-day Englishman covery. The story is told as a goes looking for a sister he didn't know exist- letter to his brother, who has The Crystal City by ed, only to find himself investigating a myste- remained on Earth, making it Orson Scott Card (Tor, rious order of nuns based in Rome. In plot perhaps the first metafiction- he, 416 pp, $25.95) number two, we follow the travails and trav- al fantasy novel of its kind. The sixth book of The els of a woman during the Roman conquest of The Knight will probably Tales of Alvin Maker Britanny and her progressive foundation of be praised in many quarters finds the title character

12 STARLOG/Ma/r/? 2004 still working to create a refuge where peo- Starship by Kevin D. Randle (Ace, pb, 288 ple with certain magical abilities, or PP, $5.99) "knacks," can live in peace. On instruc- Randle continues his Exploration Chroni- tions from his prescient wife, Margaret, cles with humankind going out in search of Alvin and his companions travel to the city the alien race that initiated contact in the first

of Nueva Barcelona (the alternate world's installment, Signals. It's now 200 years later, version of New Orleans), where they soon and the multi-generational starship Alpha is become involved in an effort to free a carrying a human community toward a star

group of oppressed people from slavery. system 20 light years from Earth. All is not

The Crystal City is good, not great, well, though. Cracks have begun to appear Card. The series had much more steam within the regimented society that has devel- early on and, at this point, his alternate oped on the starship they call "Home." Resis-

world where folk magic is reality is show- tance is in the air, which could reap disaster.

ing signs of clutter. But this entry will still Starship echoes such classics as Robert A. be of interest to those who have followed Heinlein's Orphans of the Sky, Alexei Pan- Alvin's exploits so far—especially shin's Rite of Passage and dystopian pieces because of the establishment of the long- like Ira Levin's This Perfect Day. But Randle

promised "Crystal City." The reader is left gives the familiar elements his own spin, pen-

with the sense that the next book will defi- ning a neat little tale of people who feel that nitely be worth watching for. they are links in a chain and desire a destiny

—Michael Wolff of their own. It's nice to see Randle continu- ing the initial success of Signals with an The Devil's Armor by John Marco (DAW, equally readable follow-up. he, 832 pp, $24.95) —Michael Wolff The Devil's Armor demands the reader's full attention, and any attempt to summarize The Fairy Godmother by Mercedes its multitudinous plotlines is doomed to fail- Lackey (Luna, he, 432 pp, $24.95) ure. Suffice it to say, the Diamond Queen In the Five Hundred Kingdoms, every-

Jazana Carr has conquered Norvor and is one has a role—be it princess, cad or hero. turning her armies toward Liiria. In order to And if you don't fulfill that role, watch protect his , Baron Glass dons a out! The Tradition will get you. possessed suit of armor. But while that might For instance, Elena Klovis was sup- GRRHD SLHfTJ HII win the war, it will surely steal his soul. posed to be a Cinderella. Instead, she Meanwhile, Lukien, the Bronze Knight, pur- becomes a Fairy Godmother. While the thb sci«fi summiT sues Glass in an attempt to save his friend and role change frees her from sleeping in mmcH zb ze. zonv right old wrongs. ashes, she still has problems—like the pasaaena center The Devil's Armor cannot simply be cate- arrogant prince she changed into a donkey. 300 e. Green st. gorized as a struggle between good and evil Now, what's she supposed to do with that PRsnoenn. en waged by pasteboard characters. Rather, infuriating beast? noon-GPm rrnua Marco chillingly depicts what happens when The Fairy Godmother is lighter and Here's your invitation to attend the an action is called evil by one person and a steamier than Lackey's usual fare. It's also most famous sci-fi media fan convention necessity by another. charming, witty and fun. Not only is it a of all! In 2004 we have our all-time —Penny Kenny great start to a new series, it's the perfect best guest line-up: we have stars galore introduction for people who haven't read from Star Trek, , Stargate, Sun in Glory and Other Tales ofValde- the author before. Dead Zone, Smallville, Lord of The Rings mar edited by Mercedes Lackey (DAW, —Penny Kenny Buffy and Angel and more! For the full amazing guest list and to grab, the pb, 320 pp, $6.99) very best tickets available, please Twelve familiar and not-so-familiar The Grand Crusade: Book Three of the make sure to visit our website today! authors join Lackey in Valdemar, where DragonCrown War Cycle by Michael A. Heralds and telepathic Companions serve Stackpole (Bantam Spectra, tpb, 480 pp, More Creation Conventions! crown and country. $14.95) The quality varies, but Sun in Glory The Council of Kings is divided. Will AREA March 20-21,2004 hosts more good stories than bland. Nancy Norrington, the realm's prophesized savior, is Crowne Plaza Meadowlands Asire's tale of a Karsite priest and a cat is dead. Chytrine, the tyrant of the north, is Salute to Buffy & Angel • a charming take on Valdemar's traditional ready to strike, but a determined band of with , ROBIA LaMORTE, enemy, while Josepha Sherman's "In the heroes stands in her way. Among their num- IYARI LIMON, STEPHANIE ROMANOV, ' Eye of the Beholder" is enjoyable though ber are the warrior Kerrigan Reese, the . ROBIN ATKIN'DOWNES not especially Valdemaran. Judith Tarr's Princess Alyx and Sayce, who carries Will's

"Rebirth" is a stunning story of love and child. Destiny and will are about to collide. CHICAGO, ,

sacrifice, while Lackey's own novella adds The Grand Crusade is a slick piece of . April 24-25, 2004 another layer of complexity to her hero work. Stackpole knows where the story needs Creation Salutes Star Trek and Sci-Fi Media , Alberich. to go and doesn't waste time getting there. Radisson O'Hare Hotel Fans of Valdemar will for the most part The characters have already been established enjoy the fresh visions, but newcomers are and play their roles with aplomb. Every bit of For more info oh all Creation encouraged to seek out the series proper history revealed, every battle, every discus- conventions and ticket orders go to first. sion of destiny vs. free will moves the plot —Penny Kenny toward an inevitable yet unusual showdown. A/wvwicreationent.coni —Penny Kenny

www.starlog.com —

DTV DVD from Artisan ($14.98). Made in 1940- The aggressive push to get seemingly 41 and based on the Fawcett Comics charac- every popular, semi-popular and even ter, its 12 globetrotting chapters star Frank

nor-so-popular TV series on DVD contin- Coghlan Jr. as a boyish radio newscaster who, ues with crushing force. Blast off again by uttering the magic word "Shazam!", trans- with that drunken robot Bender at the helm forms into the caped, bulletproof Captain as Volume Three of 's Futu- Marvel (Tom Tyler), seeking to protect mem- rama lands on DVD (Fox, $49.98) as a bers of an archaeological expedition from the four-disc set of all 22 episodes from the hooded villain the . An imaginative third season, plus a futuristic universe of plot, great stuntwork and still-impressive FX bonus materials (Groening and David X. (most memorably, Captain Marvel's flying

Cohen commentating on all episodes, scenes) put it at the forefront of classic deleted scenes, animatics, sto- serials. ryboards, Easter eggs). Zane Grey's King of the Royal Mounted, Paramount is currently for decades a lost Republic serial, gallops

gearing up to re-package and re- onto the home video scene for the first time release the original Star Trek on courtesy of VCI ($29.99, VHS & DVD). DVD; more details when they're Years before his off-camera stint as the voice | announced. What they're doing in the of TV's talking Mr. Ed, Allan Lane starred as

meantime, however, is even more note- Sgt. King of the Royal Canadian Mounted

worthy: unleashing (first time ever on Police, hard on the trail of foreign agents who DVD) the long-awaited Star Trek: Voy- have come to Canada to obtain a valuable ager. Season One arrives February 24 as turettes, iso- mineral for use in their war against England. a five-disc collector's set ($129.99) con- lated music cues, A modern-day (well, 1937) , played

taining all 16 episodes, plus eight new collector's booklets, by John Carroll, battles baddies disrupting behind-the-scenes featurettes, a look at the trading card sets and, the press release the operation of a railroad in Republic's series' visual FX and cast-crew interviews, announces with unaccountable , Zorro Rides Again (Image, $29.95). The true including and "the first cap- "hard-to-find Easter Eggs." Why not also Zorro fan will, however, hold out for VCI's

tain," Genevieve Bujold (who exited the glue the snapcase shut and really make it a Zorro Cliffhanger Collection—the same role of Captain Janeway after a few days of challenge? price to the penny, but consisting of Zorro shooting). Subsequent seasons will be For the kiddies, there's A Charlie Rides Again and two more serials featuring

introduced every few months throughout Brown Valentine (Paramount, $14.99 DVD; the masked caballero: Zorro 's Fighting 2004. $12.95 VHS), which comes with the bonus Legion (1939) with Reed Hadley and Zorro's In Alias Season Two (Buena Vista, episodes "There's No Time for Love, Char- Black Whip (1944) starring Linda Stirling as $69.99), 's double-agent lie Brown" and "Someday You'll Find Her, a female Zorro. mother (an enemy long thought dead) turns Charlie Brown"; the same-studio, same- herself in to the CIA; family relationships priced SpongeBob SquarePants: The change; Garner's take on new roles; Seascape Capers, more mischief from and her life becomes even more Bikini Bottom, including two episodes that HOLMES SWEET HOLMES and dangerous. Then, too, there are all won't air 'til 2005; and Pokemon Heroes Return again to the musty clutter of 22 IB those sexy disguises! It's another six discs (Buena Vista, $26.99 DVD; $19.99 VHS), Baker Street: MPFs Sherlock Holmes (22 episodes) of the mind-bendingly twisty which comes with one exclusive, never- Collection Volume Two ($59.98 DVD; $49.98 spy series, in a boxed set with cast-crew before-seen short. VHS) offers four more superlative (and digi- commentaries, gag reel, a "Making of," tally remastered) cases from the Basil Rath- deleted scenes and more. bone-Nigel Bruce-starring Universal In other news from the world of espi- B-movie series of the 1940s. This time all onage, the chaps at A&E have excavated GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS four have horror undertones or are, in fact, from the vaults the first season of the Eng- First, as always, the good news: Fans of full-fledged horror mysteries. In The Pearl of lish-made spy series Secret Agent (or, to exotic action-adventure and/or the Death, Holmes and Watson are on the trail of our friends across the Pond, Danger Man), Rock will be happy to know that The the Hoxton Creeper, a spine-snapping killer with Patrick McGoohan as special security Mummy Returns and The Scorpion King played by real-life acromegaly victim Rondo agent John Drake, up to his glowering brow are now available in bargain-priced Hatton, Universal's "monster without make- in enemy agents, beautiful women and ($32.95) DVD "value packs." The bad up." The Scarlet Claw pits the Mutt and Jeff —five of 'em—for $99.99. news: Scorpion King is in a two-pack with of movie sleuths against a fleet-footed, phos- Also English very English—is the The Brotherhood of the Wolf, and Mummy phorescent fiend haunting the foggy woods tongue-in-cheek SF satire Red Dwarf tele- Returns has been paired with Peter around a remote Canadian village. Deadlier- series, the wacky exploits of the inept and Hyams' The Musketeerl (This is the kind than-the-male Gale Sondergaard is the feline antagonistic space travelers Dave Lister of stuff you just can't make up!) A third, fiend behind a wave of "pajama murders" in and Arnold Rimmer. The third and fourth slightly-less-offbeat double-bill from our The Spider Woman. Finally, a spooky Scot- seasons, now en route from BBC Video mix-and-match pals at Universal: The tish mansion is the scene of multiple mutila- ($34.98 per set), are considered by many and Jurassic Park III (also $32.95). tion murders in The House of Fear. The four fans as a turning point in the hit show, fea- Another low-cost way to stock up on films are also available individually on DVD

turing better sets and improved FX, as well action is to check out some of the vintage ($19.98) and VHS ($16.98). as the addition of the mechanoid servant serials coming our way from various dis- Is black-and-white an insurmountable Kryten (Robert Llewelyn)—another tributors. The biggest and best of the old- obstacle for some STARLOGgers? Check out wiseass robot, collect them all—to the time chapterplays—according to Republic the Chris Columbus-scripted, Barry Levin- crew. Among the special features are cast Studios aficionados, anyway—is The son-directed Young Sherlock Holmes (1985), commentary, outtakes, deleted scenes, fea- Adventures of Captain Marvel, new on a look at a in which Holmes (Nich-

14 STARLOG/Marc/z 2004 —

Blade

olas Rowe) and Watson (Alan Cox) meet as DVDS IN BRIEF tt - schoolboys as a plague of bizarre murders Godzilla vs. Megaguirus (Columbia MEEfS BvffyI grips the city. It's $14.99 from Paramount. TriStar, $24.96): Godzilla, King of Proper- From 19th-century London, we now ty Damage, takes on Japan's newest move forward to the New York of the future weapon Megaguirus in yet another foot- (well, 1997, a few years back actually), stomping, fire-breathing free-for-all. after the city has been converted into a Columbia also offers the same-priced maximum-security penitentiary. Director Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah:

John Carpenter's Escape from New York is Giant Monsters All Out Attack, while She Is All fhaT now on DVD (in a new high-def film trans- Image joins the Japanese monster wars

fer) from MGM/UA as part of a $29.98 with a $19.95 twin-bill of Gamera vs. Mon- STaiids BEfwEEn Vs two-disc Special Edition that includes two ster X and Monster from a Prehistoric audio commentaries (one with Carpenter Planet. Arm EfERPAL

and star , the other with pro- The Magic Sword (Alpha, $9.99): It's writer-producer- niGHf.

director Bert I. Gordon's finest hour (and a half) as Sir George (a pre-2007 ) bat- tles dragons, ogres, hag Vam- pira and evil sor- cerer Basil Rath- bone in this well- done 1962 fanta- sy adventure. ducer Debra Hill and production designer Underworld (Columbia TriStar, DVD Joe Alves), a deleted opening sequence (the $28.95; VHS priced for rental): In the sub- never-before-seen 10-minute bank robbery way tunnels below the city, vampires and scene, with commentary by Carpenter and werewolves are engaged in an all-out blood Russell), the featurette "Return to Escape feud. Writer-director commentary, a "Mak- from New York" and much more. ing of," Creature Effects and Stunts fea- Oh, cruel irony! Some 16 years after his turettes ad infinitum on the DVD. penniless death, the crown prince of cine- Happily Ever After (Fox, $14.98 DVD; ma schlock, Edward D. Wood Jr. —who $9.98 VHS): An animated sequel to Snow never in his life saw a good review unless White in which the late queen's evil brother he was reading about somebody else now menaces our heroine and her prince. becomes the subject of a critically According to its distributor, it "twinkles The AwAKEirinG acclaimed biopic. The movie, of course, is with stellar stars" Ed Asner, Phyllis Diller, 1994's Ed Wood, the highly fictionalized Dom DeLuise and Zsa Zsa Gabor. Your L.A BAnKS (and equally entertaining) story of the definitions of "twinkle" and "stellar" may cross-dressing writer-director of Glen or vary. avThoi^of Minion Glenda, Bride the Monster and the Frank and Ollie (Buena Vista, of A VAmpiRf HunfRfss Legeijd never-to-be-forgiven Plan 9 from Outer $29.99): Before there were computer Space. Johnny Depp plays the angora-clad graphics, before FX wizardry... maybe Look for: title role, with support from Sarah Jessica even before in-house plumbing... there Parker as Dolores Fuller, Bill Murray as were and , "Bunny" Breckinridge and, in an Oscar- two of 's greatest animators winning performance and makeup (by and the talents behind Bambi, Pinocchio, Rick Baker), Martin Landau as Wood's sig- Snow White, Peter Pan and countless oth- nature star, the down-but-not-out Bela ers. They share their secrets (plus home Lugosi. First announced in 2002, then can- movies, outtakes and much more) in this celled, this Special Edition DVD (Buena wonderful film by Thomas' son Theodore. Vista, $29.99) has in the interim been over- Tremors 4: The Legend Begins (Uni- loaded with bonus material: Six deleted versal, $26.98): A prequel to the 1989 scenes, commentary by Burton, Landau, Tremors, Legend Begins reveals the ori- writers Scott Alexander and Larry gins of the underground creatures, with www.vampirehuntress.com Karaszewski, the cinematographer and cos- film/TV series regular Michael Gross

tume designer, "Let's Shoot This F#%@r!" starring as his own 19th-century great- jj^ A Griffin Trade Paperback Original. (behind-the-scenes with Burton and Depp) grandfather. Commentary by writer- Wherever books are sold.

and the featurettes "Making Bela," "Pie director S.S. Wilson. It also comes in a Plates Over Hollywood" and (they always handy two-pack with the original *Kirkus Reviews on Minion

take it one step too far, don't they?) "When Tremors, a movie that all faithful Tremors Carol Met Larry," in which real-life cross- fans are certain to already own. Jeez, Get a dressers offer their takes on the transvestite where's The Musketeer when you really, filmmaker. truly need it? Griffin

www.starlog.com F@niDG KINGS OF

This column showcases web- ;MUCHA LUCHA! SITE sites for SF, fantasy, comics Rikochet, Buena Girl and the & animation creators and their Flea attend the hot spot for creations. Websites are listed for masked wrestling—the Interna- free entirely at STARLOG's dis- tional School of Lucha—in this cretion. Site operators may nom- cartoon battle royale. It's no inate their sites for inclusion by holds barred at sending relevant info via e-mail www.muchalucha.com only to [email protected] FESS PARKER WINERY PAGE HELLBOY WEBSITE Trade in your buckskins for wine The cigar-smoking, pancake- skins and get "Crocked" with loving demon locks horns with

www.cinemachine.net coming to big-screen life. Learn more about his Hellboy with a DON S. DAVIS SITE heart of gold at Stargate SG-l's General Ham- www.geocities.com/mignolaart

mond is more than just a military sional career in 1969 and has where the King of Horror keeps man—he's an artist, too! The been drawing, writing and paint- you updated on his latest pro- HELLBOY WEB PAGE actor gives fans a glimpse of his ing ever since. His early work jects. The Dark Tower leads to Ron Perlman is the demon personal life and artwork at appeared in such titles as Castle www.stephenking.com defender in 's www.wolfevents.co.uk/ of Frankenstein, Vampirella and upcoming film of Mike Migno- donsdavis Howard the Duck. Since then, he PRESS PAGE la's cult comic. Raise Hell at has worked in TV (Jonny Quest), Visit this trio of sites and get www.hellsite.com DON A. DAVIS PAGE features (Cellar Dweller) and introduced to some fresh and The Music Man for , Topps trading cards (Jurassic funny comic strips. Enjoy the VAN HELSING SITE Davis orchestrated a revolution Park, Star Wars Galaxy). Check adventures of the Gimblians, The original vampire slayer sets for the final chapter in the SF out this artist of the fantastic at join the Misfits of Fandom and his sights on the Frankenstein trilogy. Face the music at www.frankbrunner.net see what else is in store at Vor- Monster and the Wolf Man as dondavis.filmmusic.com texx Press. well in Stephen Sommers' sum- STEPHEN KING WEBSITE www.gimblians.com mer 2004 monster mash. Hugh FRANK BRUNNER SITE Hop into Christine and take a www.misfitsoffandom.com Jackman is on the hunt at Frank Brunner began his profes- trip to this cyber 'Salem's Lot, www.vortexxpress.com www.vanhelsing.net

CONVENTIONS Questions about cons? Please send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to the address listed for the con. Do NOT call STARLOG. Note: Listed guests prior to the event may not always appear and cons may be cancelled without any notice. Conventioneers: Send all pertinent info no later than four months Secaucus, NJ Calendar, Park South, 7th Fir, ore-mail [email protected] must provide a phone number to STARLOG Con 475 Avenue NY, NY 10016 You Creation and (if possible) an e-mail address. makes no guarantees, due to space limitations, that your con will be listed. This is service; to ensure STARLOG afree See earlier address a listing—not here, but elsewhere—contact Phillip Genessie (212-689-2830 x200) for classified ad rates & advertise there. CREATION GRAND SLAM March 26-28 Phoenix, AZ FEBRUARY CREATION Pasadena Center Creation February 6-8 Pasadena, CA OFFICIAL CON See earlier address Doubletree Hotel Bellevue Creation January 30-February 1 Guests: William Shatner (Saturday only); Hilton Burbank Airport Bellevue, WA See earlier address Stephanie Romanov, & Iyari Limon Creation Guests: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Wal- Burbank, CA (Sunday only). See earlier address ter Koenig, Sally Kellerman, Brent Spiner, Creation * Note: These are two one-day cons held in the Ethan North Central, Suite Guests: , & , Rene Auberjonois, Alexan- 1010 400 same location, individually devoted to Star Trek Phillips (Saturday only); Robert Picardo, Robert Glendale, 91202 der Siddig, Cirroc Lofton, Nicole de Boer, CA and Buffy & Angel with separate admission fees. Beltran, Peter Mayhew Jeremy Bulloch (Sun- (818) 409-0960 & , Connor Trinneer, Dominic www.creationent.com day only) Keating, Anthony Montgomery, John Rhys- Guests: Renee O'Connor (Saturday only); Steve MARCH Davies, Amanda Tapping, Michael Shanks, Sears, Hudson Leick, Ted Raimi, Alexandra CREATION CREATION , , Tydings, Gina Torres, Victoria Pratt February 14-15* March 20-21 Andy Hallett, Gina Torres, etc. Phoenix Hilton East/Mesa Crowne Plaza Meadowlands

16 STARLOG/Marc/i 2004 v\ \i \\\ \ Daredevil 2 is a go, but will FUTURE Bullseye and the Kingpin be back? Colin Farrell's busy shooting Alexander, and Michael Clarke Duncan is off dealing with dragons in George and the Dragon.

What's the Buffy cast up to? now works for Wolfram & Hart on Angel, while Juliet Landau gives a heart- wrenchmg performance in Tobe The original Fly Hooper's boys, Brett remake of Halsey and The Toolbox David (Al) Murders. Hedison, created a buzz when they "We had no caught up on old idea that the (teleporting) characters times. Hedison, of were going to course, was the be that iconic. man who would They're the be The Fly (1958); flipside of Halsey, his good and evil grown-up son in being Return of the represented Fly (1959). in black," says The Matrix Fteloadecfs Twin Ghosts Adrian & SF worlds collide Neil when Earth: Final Rayment. Conflicts Leni "The Parker and costumes Babylon 5s Julie Caitlin Brown meet up on the convention circuit. Who can act more alien?

After seeing American Splendor, it's tough to tell and actor Paul Giamatti apart. Maybe we should watch their terrific movie again. It arrives February 3 on DVD and VHS.

Rayment Twins & Parker/Brown: By & Copyright 2004 Donn R. Nottage

www.starlog.com = MARVEL HEROES! NEW LITHOS FROM DF!

HULK VERSUS WOLVERINE 18x24 LITHOGRAPH mi $19.99 MSRP C98855SG

f h-

J

WHITE QUEEN 11x17 LITHOGRAPH WITH FANTASTIC ART BY HULK SALVADOR LARROCA! $16.99 MSRP C98848SG

SPIDER-MANS DEADLIEST Send cash, check or money order to: DOZEN 18x24 LITHOGRAPH! STARLOG Unsigned Version GROUP Method of payment: 475 PARK AVENUE $19.99 MSRP C97385SG SOUTH Cash Check Money Order NEW YORK, NY 10016 Discover Master Card Visa Signed by John Estes $49.99 MSRP C97386SG

Account Number

Card Expiration Date / (mo/yr)

Name As It Appears On Card

Street

City State Zip

Signature

Description Qty. Price

Description Qty. Price

Description Qty. Price

Total Enclosed $

If You Do Not Want To Cut Out Coupon, We Will Accept Written Orders. Please print neatly.

PHOENIX RISING 18x24 Shipping LITHOGRAPH - BY ARTIST Continental US: (excluding PO Boxes) Normal- $5, Alaska, Hawaii & Puerto Rico: For additional JOSEPH MICHAEL LINSNER! books or non-comic items, please ask our operators for exact shipping and optional insurance. PO Boxes, US Territories, APO, FPO: Normal- $10 $24.99 MSRP C97811SG Canada: Normal- S10, Europe, : Normal- S25, South America, Pacific Rim, Mexico: Normal-S28. Not responsible for mistakes or typos.

You can fax: 212-889-7933 or e-mail: [email protected] VISIT

5 r.iirv-;!, H'.i'-. .Vnit'j Oi.ji.-tr., ,',"j!v-':rrr-f — ; . Sr/der-Man, Fhctr-i- | i B snd ; 1003 Marvel Ctiaraciers. Inc. All Rights Reserved. Dynamic Fortts logo is and 2Vj3 Dynamic Forces, Inc. All ^- .uif »iji=» Rights Reserved. www.starlog.com . !

Teq- Ecir! Gre*| '- HOT Tea- Earl Gre>j :WARM Tea- Earl Grevj BEARING

Tea- Earl Grevj : TORPID

Tea- Earl Gre>| : MOLTEN

Teq- Ear I Gre\f : SWELTERING Teq- Earl Qrevj :SMOLP£RINCi

•- Teq-Ecif I Grey sizzling

Teq- Earl Qrevj : SCALPING

Toons HOW SWEET, A CHOCOLATE- COVERED - - All Art: Bob Muleady x THEM' ANT."

lV EASV WITH THE- SWORDPLAV, KIPS. IT'S ALL FUN 4ND 6AMES UNTIL 2>ME0NE. LOSES THE. EVE 11

"WHOA AITACK OF THE SIXTV-FEET ( WoMANl."

THE QUICKLV RECALLED YlGHTSA&ER POP-UP BOOK"

PROFESSOR. X HAS WOLVERINE DE/OAWED.

20 www.starlog.com THE BIGGEST MOVIES! THE BEST MOVIE MAGAZINES! Please indicate quantity of each being ordered. POSTAGE & HANDLING: One magazine: add $3. Two to five magazines: add $8. Six -— 007 James Bond — Godzilla Movie Magazine $5.99 — $4.95 or more magazines: add $10. Foreign: One magazine: add $9. Two or more maga- Technical Journal $6.99 — Godzilla Poster Magazine $3.99 — Spaceballs Poster Magazine $3.50 zines: add $5.00 per magazine. New York State residents add 8 1/4% sales tax. — 007 James Bond — Jason Goes to Hell: — Spawn $5.99 Canadian residents add 10% sales tax. OVERSEAS (PLEASE NOTE: Customs The World Is Not Enough $6.99 The Final Friday $4.95 — Species $5.99 requires purchaser's daytime phone numbers on all Overseas orders.) Addam's Family Movie Magazine Living Daylights Spider-Man $6.99 , „ ., „ ., .. ., ,, ,, Cash, check or money order to: — — ,, ,, „ ,, ,, ,, „ , $4.95 Poster Magazine $3.50 — Star Trek Makeup FX Journal $6.95

Addam's Family Poster Book #1 Masters ot the Universe II: s^ssfe — — Star Trek Wrath of Khan $3.50 Account No. New York, NY 10016 $2.95 Poster Magazine $3.50 Star Trek IV: Card Expiration Date: / (Mo./Yr.) — Addam's Family Poster Book #2 Mortal Kombat $5.99 The Voyage Home S5.95 VISA $2.95 Mortal Kombat Deluxe $6.99 — Star Trek: Generations $6.95 Your Daytime Phone #: ( ) Batman 8 Other Octopussy $3.50 — Star Trek: Generations Method of Payment: Comics Heroes $5.99 Over the Top Special 3-D Cover $9.95 Name _ Cash Check — The Crow: City of Angels $5.99 Poster Magazine $3.50 IV: Quest for Peace — Print Name As It Appears On Your Card Dinosaur Money Order — $6.95 — Rambo II Poster Magazine $3.50 Poster Magazine $3.50 Discover Dinosaur Special 3-D Street _ — Cover $9.95 Rambo III $3 — Tales from the Crypt: Dinosaur Master Card Visa #2 $5.99 — Rambo III Poster Magazine $3.75 Demon Knight $4.95 Credit cards may be used for Dracula $4.95 III — Rambo Theater Program $2 — Terminator 2: Judgment Day $4.95 orders City _ - State . .Zip. over $10. Credit card Fantasy Worlds 1 Volume $6.99 — II Poster Book $1.50 Total Recall $4.95 orders may be faxed to Fantasy Worlds — Volume 2 S7.99 Rocky III $2.00 — 25 Years of Sci-Fi Movies $9.99 212-889-7933. Freddy's Dead: — Rocky IV $3.95 — The Untouchables $3.95 Your Signature _ If you do not want to cut The Final Nightmare $4.95 — Rocky IV Magazine plus — Walt Disney's Dinosaur $9.99 out coupon, we will accept — Freddy vs. Jason: $7.99 Posters $4.95 Wizbang $7.99 written orders. Please allow Total enclosed: $_ You can fax: 212- 889-7933 or e-mail: [email protected] 4 to 6 weeks for delivery.

Waaaay back in 1964, I guest-starred on Mr. Novak, a television series about a caring high school teacher and his stu- dents.

I played Alexei, the title character of the episode called "A Boy Without a Country." Alexei was a Russian student who defected to the and initially felt as alienated here as he did behind the Iron Curtain. At one point, he jumps up and admonishes his American classmates with, "You live in a world of dreamsl"

I have never forgotten that line.

Star Trek XI: A World of Dreams

It is the 25th century. War continues to be

waged throughout the known universe. What is worse than genocide? The annihilation of sentient life everywhere. There are a handful of survivors on Masdum Five. They have witnessed the death of all their kind and been exposed to atroci- And then another

ties too cruel to live with, and so have made another choice. They dream. At first, it follows have withdrawn from conscious life. They have hooked them- the familiar routine but then selves to life-support machines and induced a state of REM suddenly violence erupts. Ships in sleep from which they are never meant to awaken. For the few space, explosions, panicked crowds attacked, years that they survive, they dream their lives away. Drugs fleeing, dying. Mayhem everywhere. designed to make the subconscious world pleasurable course through their veins. Monitors gauging brain wave function reset IN THE CHAMBER the drug flow should paradise be invaded by the threat of night- Warning lights on the monitor hinged to a specific cap- mare. Nothing can go wrong. sule. The sedative flow increases automatically. Gradually, brain There are perhaps a thousand of these souls housed in a vast activity subsides. Electrical impulses are back to normal. chamber several hundred feet below the surface. The rows upon Or are they? rows of individual capsules in which they reside are nearly opaque. Only indistinct forms can be seen. THE DREAM AGAIN Nevertheless, a capsule is isolated. The CAMERA bores in, Soothing, comforting. A playful scenario is being acted out,

draws closer until... but again it changes and once more the dreamer's world becomes DISSOLVE: a burning hell. This is a world of evil and the carnage claimed knows no limit. A DREAM A pastoral scene: A verdant countryside rich with all manner IN THE CHAMBER of exotic creatures. They frolic, they gambol. Eden revisited on Lights on the monitor flash frantically as corrections are a distant planet. A world without conflict. sought. It's not working. Critical mass is reached. A powerful

CUT TO: electrical discharge and explosion. Smoke. When it clears: The machinery has self-destructed. What is left is charred and use- THE CHAMBER less.

A Different Angle. The CAMERA tightens on another cap- The dreamer is on his own. sule. DISSOLVE: BACK TO THE DREAM , , , , Dominion, ,

ANOTHER DREAM Vidiian. These are the dogs of war and the havoc they reap is It is mostly music and color. Music unfamiliar to human ears meant to steal the universe's life force. They will leave no but luring and persuasive regardless. A world without disso- mourners, no memory of beauty, no vestige of grace. There will

nance. only be dead planets and the fulfillment of a destiny so vile it And so it goes. Another dreamer, another dream. Each in turn could only have been conceived by the incarnation of pure evil. conveying a sense of safety, tranquility, even bliss. But ultimate- Is there no one who can stop them? ly, on a nearly subliminal level, the harmony becomes blandness, It is a land-based battle and the enemy heavily outnumbers the rhapsody begins to sound like a single note. this world's protectors. They are in full retreat, but then a rally- The question is there to be examined: Is it better to escape ing cry is heard. All eyes turn to... Captain Jonathan Archer. into a world of dreams than confront the reality that has caused Where did he come from? And how is it that Geordi La Forge CO

unspeakable tragedy? now stands beside him where no one stood before? There is not < www.starlog.com STARLQG/March 2004 23 —

beside him are as Admiral Kathryn Janeway details the grave nature of their circumstances. Uhura, Troi, Neelix, —they are in the fight as well, all valiant, all overmatched by the demon enemy. In each case, these are the characters as they appeared after their final assignment. Certainly, for those crew members of the orig- inal U.S.S Enterprise, time has not been gener-

ous, but it has also its toll in relative degrees on the heroic officers of Enterprise-D, Space Station Deep Space Nine, Starship Voyager and even the U.S.S. Enterprise NX-1. The interaction of the various crews lies at the heart of the story. They have all been brought here out of time and context to engage the enemy one last time. As they share the fight, they also share the same question: Why are they here? The search for answers leads to more ques- tions. The cataclysm confronting them becomes the catalyst to confronting themselves. What has

it meant to be them—the suffering and loss they've experienced, the triumph and joy they've achieved? In small individual moments amidst the chaos and confusion, the death and destruction, they reveal to one another and them- selves by both action and word who they really are and what the trek through their

lives was all about. Each shares with the others something else as well: the feeling that the enemy can be defeated. They're amazed when they realize that they all sense this. But neither Jean-Luc Picard, , Mr. Spock nor any of the others

has found the answer. Is it technology, a military strategy, a time warp, the intervention of an

omniscient being? The answer is there to be

had, but no one can quite bring it into focus. It

remains amorphous, a thing floating in the air,

and time is growing short. And what of the enemy? Are they simply

madmen or is there method to their madness? "In the short run, of course, it's about power, about the glory ofvictory and the justification of one 's existence. But it is not simply about perceived destiny. More importantly, it is about nature" one of their

time to think, only to act. The two men lead a charge forward, leaders tells Data. "The snake must shed its skin to grow a better

driving the enemy back. one, and the universe must be rid of all conscious life so that it A space battle. A Bird of Prey with an advanced design fires can start again and do it differently, perhaps do it better. For repeatedly at a Federation ship as another allied vessel speeds to after we destroy all of you, we will fall upon ourselves. It is the its support. The first ship takes a direct hit, initiating a chain dictate of nature. And in another century or two, the slate will be reaction. Inside, a klaxon sounds and the crew scrambles for the wiped clean, a tabula rasa with which to start anew. And who transporters even as some of them fall mortally wounded. A knows, maybe next time the will mind its own business!' dozen unfamiliar faces comprise the first team to beam out. No one has found the answer to stopping these monsters, and When they transport aboard the craft, however, they now the climactic battle is at hand. do not appear quite so anonymous. Admiral James T. Kirk stands It is fought on land, mano a mano. Down go Tuvok, T'Pol,

among them. This is not the young adventurer but the much . older man at the end of his career. He has no idea why he is here It is fought among the stars. The Excelsior with Sulu aboard or how he got there, and the officer who greets him, Captain is turned to ashes. A companion ship explodes, then another. William Riker—as he looked when he married Deanna Troi Resistance is crumbling—or, as the Borg might declare, futile. can offer no enlightenment. Death after death is recorded. The familiar faces of crews that

This scene is played again and again with only the characters span four centuries are lost forever. changing: Kirk and Sisko on the ground and Picard and Janeway in In a makeshift hospital, Dr. Beverly Crusher performs space are among the last still alive. And then simultaneously it surgery on a wounded civilian. The Doctor, although hits all four of them. It is as if they are a single mind with a sin- lacking his portable holographic emitter, is confounded by his gle thought, and that thought contains the answer they have been ability to tangibly assist. searching for. But then there's a final explosion on the ground, a Hikaru Sulu dodges phaser fire on a war-torn battlefield as final explosion in space, and the SCREEN turns an all-envelop- waves him on, encouraging him forward. ing, blinding WHITE. , and Miles O'Brien sit next to each No one is left alive. It is too late. other in a crowded assembly hall, each wondering who those Or is it?

STAKLOG/March 2004 Gradually, the whiteness begins to fade, an image begins to VISIT take form:

IT IS THE CHAMBER

The rows of capsules. The CAMERA glides slowly over them. It STOPS at the one with the ruined machinery.

,R1'| vLMEN'sTrilogy concludes! I There is a CLICK and a WHIRLING NOISE, and the cover jjp of the capsule slides back. After several beats, two limbs appear from the interior and two small hands grip the edges of the con- tainer. Another beat and a body rises into FRAME. This is the m Dreamer. She is the first of this species to be seen in this story. A being not of the human race but perhaps a close relative. She is 12 years old, slender and graceful, with the most extraordinary eyes. They are the eyes of someone with great compassion but even greater will. They are the eyes of a leader, of someone with the strength to one day defy destiny and reshape nature. She looks around, gets her bearings and climbs down from the capsule. She moves from one container to another, pressing buttons that slide the lids back. Each time she leans down and whispers: "Wake up."

This is your incredible travel guide to the best that FANTASY WORLDS has to offer. Amazing articles!

Spectacular art & photos! And all the magic!

Use it to visit • Middle-Earth: Five all-new RETURN OF THE KING interviews—with Peter Jackson, , , & Miranda Otto. Plus: stars unmasked! • Hogwarts: A special preview of June 2004's HARRY POTTER & THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN. • Neverland: The new PETER PAN. • Terry Pratchett's Discworld: Fantasy's funniest land. • The Museum. Plus: David Eddings' epic universe. Dave; McKean's MIRRORMASK. And BROTHER BEAR. All in FANTASY WORLDS #3.

FANTASY WORLDS #3 Be part of the fantasy. Order your copy today! One copy U.S. ($7.99 + $3 postage & han- dling). One copy foreign ($7.99 + $9 international mailing). New York residents add 8 1/4% sales tax. Canadian residents add 10% sales tax. Overseas (Please note: Customs requires pur- chaser's daytime phone number on all overseas

!kt!!i Payment: HSU Cash JCheck QMoney Order Discover MasterCard QVisa The whisper begins taking on timber, , determina- tion. Account Number "Wake up." "Wake up." "Wake Up."

"WAKE UP." Card Expiration Date: / (Mo./Yr.)

It is now a declaration. Your Daytime Phone # ( ) THE SCREEN GOES BLACK Print name as it appears on your card

And in the blackness comes the ... Street "WAKE UP\" It is now a call to arms. City State Zip

The End. Total enclosed: $ Send cash, check or money order to: STARLOG GROUP, Inc. (Obviously, not everyone would be available to be part of this 475 PARK AVENUE SOUTH NEW YORK, NY 10016 potential Star Trek movie, and the cost of such an exceptional IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO CUT OUT COUPON, cast would be prohibitive. But, just like the fans, I can dream, WE WILL ACCEPT WRITTEN ORDERS. Please allow 4 to 6 weeks for delivery. can't I?) -3&- U www.starlog.com 1 #» M If a IzJLi K 1

By IAN SPELLING her status as resident hottie hasn't diluted the character nor made her job more of a I one of those classic real challenge, so far as convincing viewers to It's j world-meets-fantasy land i look beyond the wrapping and at the moments: Jolene Blalock, package itself. j in full T'Pol regalia—from her "From my perspective, it's just a mat- sleek cat-suit to those particu- larly pointy ears—settles in on a bench positioned between Stages 8 and 9 at Paramount Studios and fires up a cigarette. As a cool December breeze dis- perses a cloud of smoke, Blalock waxes semi-nostalgic about the fact that nearly three years have passed since she first arrived at Paramount to play Star Trek: Enterprise's sexy female Vulcan. "Time always seems to go fast, especially when there's something around the corner," Will they or Blalock announces. "Right won't they? Jolene Blalock now, Christmas is just around isn't sure if the corner and it's coming up Trip (Connor on us so quickly. So it has been Trinneer) is pretty quick, the three years. It Mr. Right doesn't feel like three years. forT'Pol. But when you look at the digit, at the number three, it isn't that many years. to shake things up, spark conflict with

I guess it's all relative." Janeway and her crew and increase the

Blalock entered the Trek picture amidst show's sex factor. And it worked. Seven of great hype. Critics, fans both casual and Nine was both a great character for the story- ardent, the studio, UPN, her co-stars and minded and, for those boys with raging hor- Blalock herself (in STARLOG #295) all har- mones, a vision in Spandex or whatever bored high expectations for the latest Star material they poured Ryan into every week. Trek incarnation. On the heels of the long- If Voyager's ratings running but never fully appreciated Voyager, didn't suddenly sky- Star Trek fans Enterprise promised to be an exciting visit rocket, they at least set their to the Trek Universe during the stardates spiked and remained phasers for "sexy" after before Janeway (Kate Mulgrew), Sisko viable to the end of being (Avery Brooks), Picard () and the series. However, introduced to even Kirk (William Shatner) roamed the Blalock has been Enterprise's galaxy. Now, three years later, it's neither there from the start sensuous inaccurate nor unfair to argue that Enterprise of Enterprise, and Vulcan. so far has dashed more expectations than it received the de has met. rigueur sex symbol "I suppose that my expectations going treatment from the into Enterprise were based on what had get-go: from glisten- already been created—the previous shows ing spreads in the Beauty & the and Vulcan characters everyone had seen, laddie magazines to Beast. With especially Spock," she says. "So no, it hasn't worshipful fan-oper- Enterprise been what I expected. But it's a new day, a ated sites. The facing "Extinction," new age. It's a time for taking risks and I feel actress has taken all will the show's that we have done that. I agree with taking that in stride, prefer- producers add risks, and I like the ones that we've taken." ring to focus on some animal the person T'Pol attraction Cool Views rather than any between T'Pol The Trek producers recruited physical attributes. and Archer midway through Voyager's journey in order And she insists that t Bakula)?

26 STA R LOG/Mcirch 2004 —

to maintain

ter of bringing the words on the paper, the dialogue to life," Blalock says. "So the sex

symbol part of it isn 't a factor. The physical-

ity is, of course, a factor, but it in no way interferes with anything I'm doing. So far as

the viewers' opinions, everyone is the master of their own outlook. I'm sure people's opin- ions and reactions vary. But as far as I'm

concerned, no, [it isn't an issue]." And the T'Pol episodes back up Blalock's point. While the character pretty much always looks great, the shows aren't about that. And purely titillating moments who can forget the decontamination sequence in "Broken Bow"?—have been mercifully few and far between. "T'Pol is

capable of a lot, isn't she?" Blalock remarks. "Last season, we discovered quite a bit about her. The episode ["Stigma"] with Dr. Phlox [John Billingsley], when she learns that she has Pa'nar, was very informative. I liked 'Carbon Creek,' too. Playing my own grand- mother [T'Mir] was something different. This season, we had the episode ["Impulse"] where we dealt with the Vulcan zombies. I loved 'Impulse.' That was interesting. 'Twilight' was good. My favorite episodes have been this season. Of course, I had favorites last season, too, but this season seems to have outshined last year. We have taken on a writer named [from Odyssey 5], and he, in my opinion, has done some successful shows. "I think that we've stretched T'Pol,"

Blalock continues. "I love it when the writ- ers give me an opportunity to expand the

character, because then I get to play with facets of her that people might not even think exist but really are there—or can be there. There's much more that I would like to see. We've never really reached into her

personal life. Where is her family? Where is her father? Where does she come from? What's her home like? Where are those roots? We've never delved into any of that, and that would be interesting to me."

All Ears Two major T'Pol episodes are imminent. In the February sweeps show "Harbinger," the A-story focuses on the rescue of an alien trapped in his pod within a gravimetric anomaly. The dual B-stories center on the rising tensions between Reed (Dominic Keating) and Major Hayes and their subse- quent dust-up, as well as T'Pol and Trip (Connor Trinneer) taking their will- they/won't-they relationship to the final frontier. In the next episode, "Doctor's Orders," T'Pol and Phlox are the only con-

www.starlog.com scious beings aboard the NX-01 after puts everyone into a coma in order to guide the ship through a treacherous part of the Expanse. Blalock slyly smiles as she contemplates whether or not Trip is Mr. Right or Mr. Right Now. "I don't know if he's the right guy for T'Pol," she says. "I don't know if she's the right woman for Trip. I don't have the answer to that. It's being explored, but who is to say where it will go, if any- where." Blalock shrugs when it's mentioned to her that many fans feel that if T'Pol must be paired off with any regular it should be Captain Archer (). "It's all exploration," she says. "As long as we keep growing and moving forward, it doesn 't matter one way or the other." That same sanguine attitude car- ries over to the increase in action on Enterprise this season—a direct result of the introduction of the MACOs and the Xindi, and also to T'Pol's new, more colorful outfit. "We'll have one action episode, with sparks flying, and then the next one will be something like 'Doctor's Orders,' which focuses on one or two characters," Blalock notes. "We're getting an even dosage of both. And I like the new costume much more. How long can you wear a brown suit?" For all the sex, MACOs and Xindi on Enterprise these days, the ratings still aren't there. And that's

28 STARLOG/Marc/z 2004 www.starlog. despite the fact that even the show's most sonal motto is, 'Be the last one on so you can much talked-about Trek brand of fame hasn't vocal critics acknowledge that the changes be the first one off.' Bandwagons come and been nearly as forbidding as she had been have significantly improved the series. The go. As we know, television as a whole is led to imagine. "I don't really know that it continued lackluster ratings deeply worry down this season. There hasn't been a break- has affected me so much," Blalock says. those who have followed the Star Trek fran- out hit show in a while, and that's something "I'm rarely recognized on the street or any- chise for years and, in some cases, decades. that the industry is dealing with right now. In where else. I look very different from the

For some, it's a case of too little too late. the years to come, especially next season, character I play on television. That has kept Others believe that it's time to give Trek a there will be different kinds of shows airing me separate from the one-on-one experience breather. UPN has officially abbreviated that will hopefully get people excited. And of Star Trek fame. But that has also been Enterprise's third season, reducing its order both for what's on now and what's com- rather nice. My family, friends and neigh- from 26 to 24 episodes. And the rumored ing—with the popularity of TiVo spreading bors are so encouraging. They love to be a reason for that maneuver is that UPN intends so rampantly—I think the Nielsen ratings part of it, and I love to share it with them. to wrap Enterprise next season with a sec- will have to change. They're going to have to That has been special." ond straight 24-episode season, leaving tap into the TiVo box to find out what people Ask Blalock what the greatest gift of the Paramount with an even 100 episodes for are actually watching." job has been and she warmly smiles. "This syndication. Blalock prefers to steer clear of group of people here," she says, sweeping a the noise and just do her job. Other Tastes hand in front of herself and past the sound- "You can't let things like that concern Despite the recent setbacks, Blalock has stages and trailers on the Paramount lot. you," she explains. "Everybody likes to enjoyed her time on Star Trek. She says that "These people, the actors and our crew have jump on a bandwagon, good or bad. My per- she has grown as an actor and adds that the blessed my life in so many ways. That has been very special. It's rare to find quality Her sex people, and I'm lucky enough to work with appeal could have become them for several hours a day, every day." a touchy Blalock has also been lucky enough to Issue, but the squeeze in some side projects. She played a Enterprise Jaffa warrior woman named Ishta in a sev- writers have enth season episode of Stargate SG-1 writ- developed the ten by series regular Christopher Judge, who comely T'Pol cast her as the romantic interest of his own Into a character, Teal'c. Blalock also beamed back complex and forth between and character. this past fall in order to shoot the dramatic thriller Slow Bum. "I had a good time doing Stargate," enthuses Blalock, who also found time to get married last spring. "They're such sweet

people. It's a small world, and many of the producers on Stargate have worked with the producers here on Star Trek. There's a nice

little SF family. Chris is a sweetheart, and I would absolutely go back if they asked me.

However, I don't think that they would bring me back as the same character. They would probably bring me back as someone else." And what about Slow Burn! "I play an assistant district attorney who works under a district attorney played by Ray Liotta," she replies. "My char-

acter is a femme fatale. She's com- plex, and without giving the movie

away, it has some twists and unex-

pected turns. It was a real joy to

shoot. It was a Bonnie Timmermann }m production, and she was my angel lV throughout the whole thing. It was hard flying back and forth between

that and Star Trek, but I would do it

again in a second, no question. It's an

indie film at the moment, but it's

going to Sundance and Miramax is

clocking it. We'll see what happens." Clearly, the actress aspires to show her range beyond Star Trek and her alluring if dispassionate Vulcan. "It's very important to me," Jolene Blalock states. "But life is long. So, all in due time. The odds are against me as far as those things go, but that's at this point, at this time. Nothing is impossible."

STARLOG/Morc/z 2004 29 MblllO Slow on the uptake but a quick

hit with fans, Mercedes McNab

is still enjoying Harmony.

just another sunny day in Los It'sAngeles, on a Paramount Studios soundstage, but Mercedes McNab is fidgeting in her crushed velvet seat. It isn't so much that she's uncomfort- able answering questions about her long on- off tenure as the misunderstood Harmony Kendall, but she doesn't From her days with want to miss the director's Butty to the nights call, which has been fre- with Angel, quent of late. That's Harmony Kendall because McNab's ditzy (Mercedes McNab)

blonde vampire is taking has evolved from center stage. For eight bitchy comic relief of years, McNab has floated to the sweetest Valley Girl in and around the world of vampires. Like totally. and Angel, but in 2003 creator asked her to become "an integral part of the plot." McNab grate- fully accepted. "There are so many actors," she reflects, eagerly awaiting her cue. "You audition all day, every day. I've been there, you know?

It's so hard. You're out there every day get- ting constantly rejected. Finally, you get a

break. It's amazing to drive to work every:

morning. I think to myself, T'm getting up

really early and I don't care because I'm going to work right now and I'm excited.' The people here are always in such a good

mood. So what do I have to complain about?"

Comic Relief Certainly there's no complaining about the potential that stands before her, because in the world of Whedon, there's more to the fool than meets the eye. For example, take teen-queen, image-conscious, narcissistic Cordelia Chase (Charisma Carpenter)— who started on Buffy—and Angel's flam- boyant, karaoke-loving demon Lome If*- (Andy Hallett). Both were once one- j% • note comic foils for the series' angst-

30 STARLOG/Marc/z 2004 —

ridden heroes, and both evolved into full- She's often the victim. I believe that the That edgy, hard-hitting part of Har- time, multifaceted personality players. audience identifies with that, so they don't mony's personality does occasionally bubble Harmony is merely the latest comic com- always blame somebody in her position. You to the surface, revealing a more vulnerable, posite to evolve beyond one-liners. Starting have to give her a little slack." human side that McNab feels is important. off as a bitchy bit player in the Buffy episode But it's Harmony's shoot-from-the-lip,

"Out of Mind, Out of Sight," McNab's char- Foolish Charm speak-before-you-think nature that is her acter found some backbone two seasons Redemption for Harmony may then lie in trademark, making her a perfect foil for the later, fighting the Big Bad in the memorable simply proving her worth. Thankfully, she's stoic, subdued Angel. As his secretary, "Graduation Day" two-parter. But Harmony not alone. Redemption and forgiveness are Harmony can state the obvious when proto- paid a price for her actions when she was bit- big themes in the world of Angel—not only col or manners may interfere. Like the clown ten by a vampire. Re-emerging the in Shakespearean dramas, Harmony next season, Harmony was now is considered too foolish to be re- fully vamped, though still blindly sponsible for her words though self-absorbed and equally inept truth they may be, and in situa- the principal components of her tions where too much thinking can comic-relief role. muddy the situation, Harmony's I As with Cordelia and Lome, the sort of person who can cut to Whedon is trying to prove with the chase. Harmony that he can find poten- "It's kind of an endearing qual- tial within the simplest of carica- ity," McNab says. "I don't think tures, making them not only sym- that it's good or bad. Obviously, pathetic figures but popular with there are people who talk off the fans. The first step, explains top of their heads and put their McNab, was for Harmony to rec- feet in their mouths quite often, ognize her failure as an evil vil- but at least she's completely hon- lain and move on. "She tried to be est, uncensored and not putting an evil. She just couldn't do it very act on for people." well," McNab says. "She tried to It also may explain why Wes- kill Buffy [] ley (Alexis Denisof), Angel's and Angel [David Boreanaz]. right-hand man, brought her How many times could she do aboard when Angel Investigations that without becoming super-bor- Harmony will always took over operations of its evil have a soft spot in ing? Especially since her brain arch-enemy, Wolfram & Hart. "I her heart for Spike. capacity isn't large enough to look at it this way: It's easier to When it comes to come up with new plans. She kept hang out with an ex-boy friend her, he can get away retrying the same one that she with murder. than it is a new guy you're dating," knew didn't work. So this [being Actually, he usually McNab remarks. "Because with good] is her new avenue. She's does get away ex-boy friends, you know what trying really hard. We'll see what with murder, but you're signing up for. You're happens. Hopefully it pans out that's beside the already familiar with the baggage better. It's definitely more pro- point. Of the and the drama, so it's whether you stake. Get it? active, and the writers can do want to deal with it or not. With a more with that." new boy friend, you never can tell

Given Harmony's past, a sense what that's going to be. So I think of remorse might be helpful in win- that's how it is with Wesley. He ning over Angel and his team—and, more for the lead character, but for another new could have hired somebody else, but they specifically, the fans. But part of Harmony's arrival this season, Spike (James Marsters). know what they're going to get with charm is her somewhat oblivious nature to The swaggering, soulful vampire who once Harmony; it's a safer bet." things not immediately affecting her. So, if had a fling with Harmony back in their evil She may lack the brain capacity to be a Harmony isn't apologizing for past mis- days is now a regular character, not to men- super-villain or the most popular girl in high takes, it isn't like anyone was expecting it. tion a major source of friction. school, but at least Harmony is trying to do "She gets wrapped up in what everyone says After shacking up together for several the right thing. Famed for her dim-witted and how people act," McNab comments. episodes during Buffy's run, Spike uncere- comments, the doomed, one-sided relation- "She doesn't really have a mind of her own, moniously dumped Harmony. As was clear ship with Spike and failure at everything especially when she was younger. Now, to everyone but Harmony herself, Spike was from the popularity contest of high school to though, she's growing up and growing out of using her as cheap relief for his frustrations. being a bad-ass villainess, Harmony has that." "She's shocked that he's back," notes evolved into a sort of hard-luck case whom Not for want of trying, Harmony's list of McNab. "She left to get away from him and audiences root for. Not only is her persis- past evil deeds remains more of a tribute to she really, really wants to not like Spike, but tence admirable, but the naivete she embod- her ineffectiveness as a lethal weapon than she has a soft spot for him in her heart. No ies makes her off-handed comments some- any credible threat, particularly when com- matter what happens, he'll always be able to times poignant and often funny. Whether it's pared to the deadly company she keeps with- get away with anything with her. It's unre- frailty or bad luck that plagues Harmony, in the walls of the Wolfram & Hart law firm. quited love. So this is a problem. Harmony McNab has found the pathos in the character McNab is circumspect about Harmony's wants Spike to love her. Whether she still and drawn on these aspects to make her misdirection in life. "I think at some point loves him or not isn't relevant. You want alter-ego more accessible and less clownish. every villain tried to kill Buffy. I tried to kill what you can't have. Harmony wants Spike "Harmony has changed," McNab insists.

Angel, too. I pretty much attempted to kill to say, 'I'm in love with you.' And at that "Things aren't the same for her anymore. All everybody. But with Harmony comes a lot of point she might tell him, 'You know what? the rules have been reversed since she was " forgiveness, because she's very vulnerable. I'm not really into you anymore.' turned into a vampire. She had a really tough

www.starlog.com STARLOG/Ma/r/i 2004 31 time fitting in. She doesn't have any confesses, "The contacts aren't comfort-

friends. She doesn't have anyone to talk to. "She tried to be evil. able, and if the teeth don't fit perfectly, And she's at this office [Wolfram & Hart] they give me a little lisp. The prosthetic is where everyone wants her to fail and can't She just couldn't do also hot, my eyes tear and I feel all the wait to laugh at her when she does. Right sweat inside. It isn't the most wonderful now, all the odds are stacked against it very well." part of the job, especially when I'm trying Harmony, and the audience identifies with to do a stunt and can't see anything. But it's that." a part of me that over-analyzes. With all good for a laugh the next day." Despite her change of heart, Harmony's Harmony, it's just, 'Poof!' Something Overall, McNab says it's just simply

turn in the corporate world is still fraught comes into her head and she just says it. fun playing Harmony Kendall. And now

with pitfalls. It wouldn't be typical That's it. It's difficult figuring out where and again there are those moments of near Whedon nor typical Harmony if her good that comes from, where she realizes things perfection that positively feed her love of intentions didn't go astray, like they do in a couple of steps after everybody else." acting. "That's when I feel absolutely in "Harm's Way." "That episode is a little dif- Yet Harmony keeps on trying, despite a the moment as the character," she says, ferent," says McNab. "It's a bit of a draw- blissful ignorance that often leaves her "when something so true comes out of my back for her. She's trying to build up trust, unaware of the dangers around her. "She's mouth that is perfectly Harmony. The emo- but she takes a step back in 'Harm's Way.' pretty tough because she's a vampire," tion is organic. It's almost like Harmony

It's going to be a constant battle with this offers McNab. "Since she's already dead, invades me for a second. That doesn't hap-

group. It will probably take longer than the how bad can things really get? She has one pen often, but those moments are what

whole season to prove herself, her loyalty major threat, and that's being staked." make it all worth it." and her trustworthiness. Every day is a Essaying a vampire in an action-orient- According to Mercedes McNab, the key

fight. Temptation is constantly in her face. ed series comes with its share of physical to knowing and loving Harmony "is that in

She actually says, 'It's harder for me. I challenges. "I'm a perfectionist to the core. her heart, she means well. Everyone has don't have a soul like you guys [Spike and Stunt work isn't something that I've trained their quirks and individuality. As an actor, I Angel].' She's the only vampire currently for or particularly know how to do well, so have to make her a bit vulnerable, and

without a soul who's trying to be good." I get frustrated if I don't do it right. But the Harmony's relationship with Spike helped

That episode is the first to focus on stunt people are the ones who should be that. I just have to make her a real person.

Harmony, and, according to the actress, "it doing it perfectly, not me," she laughs. "I There's the comedy and the ditzy blonde

really helps deepen her as a character. We guess I shouldn't be too hard on myself." [stereotype], but she's still a real person

get more insight. It isn't only about one- McNab recalls one day where she was trying to do everyday things that other peo- liners. My character carries the entire watching her fellow cast members practic- ple do. She's just like everybody else.. .only

show. After this episode, the audience will ing wire work. "I thought, 'That looks so funnier." -4ir have a better sense of Harmony' and the cool. I totally want to do that.' " But in writers will have much more to work rehearsal, when one of the actors literally from." hit the wall, she quickly reassessed her opinion. "It looks amazing on the show, but Good intentions when you see someone practicing a stunt McNab's desire to act at an early age and it doesn't go the She doesn't want to "came out of nowhere." She grew up in way it's supposed to, it's be a vampire all her Vancouver. Encouraged by her mother to pretty painful. So I said, life—or death. follow her dream, McNab enrolled in her 'Mmm...nope. Don't Harmony has first acting class; her teacher later became need to do that at all. ambitions. That evil " her manager. In school, McNab never felt Ever.' stuff is so last year nervous or insecure when performing. One thing McNab And her new Singing, however, was another matter. To doesn't mind and actu- employer Wolfram & Hart is a law firm, challenge herself, she took a musical the- ally finds helpful is the so it already has a ater class and struggled to ignore the voic- prosthetics makeup she dental plan es in her head yelling, "I can't do this! Give wears when Harmony designed with me a monologue!" That's why McNab isn't enters vamp mode. "It's heartless crossing her fingers for a musical episode weird and confining in bloodsuckers of Angel. Her passion lies with acting. terms of acting purpos- in mind "Nothing else makes me feel complete- es, because you can't ly in the moment," she says. "It's unparal- really see my facial expressions

leled. When I'm involved in the physical under the prosthetics, but it does act of being a character, I'm not thinking help me look very angry," McNab about extraneous circumstances, other peo- says. "The prosthetics give that I ple or things. Nothing else is in my head. appearance without me having

I'm not worried about what time it is. I'm to do anything. It makes my job

absolutely, 100 percent in the moment. easier. It would be hard to play

And I feel amazing." a vampire with my normal Aware of the dangers of the dumb- face. I would feel like the

blonde stereotype, McNab is eager to take biggest dork. The prosthetics on radically different and more hardened convince me that, 'Yes, I am characters in the future. But for now, a vampire.' The teeth and Harmony has her own challenges. "She eyes help me become doesn't think before she speaks," McNab angry and violent, and I

explains. "Sometimes I try not to think don't feel funny making about things too much, just let them pop weird noises." into my head and be spontaneous. There's At the same time, she

Photo: Justin Lubin 32 STARLOG/Ator/j 2004 s

m lilT THE SCIENCE FICTION UIXIIVI

i] i 1 JH mmit 1 Era

Explore science fiction, the mythology of the new Mfillennium in the pages of SMOG. its me galaxy

best Sci-fi movie S TV magazine and the original for more

than 25 years. Every

issue features

intriguing interviews

with llie Stars • Directors • Writers

...fascinating behind-the-scenes

coverage...and spectacular photos 8 art. spECiAL DiSCOUNJ oFFer?

JO SUBSCipERS ONLY. . NEWSSTAND PRICE $958«. SUBSCRIBE AND 91 AVE38 .

STARLOG Subscriptions

Mark the Subscription Offer that is right for you. Card Expiration Date: _ _(Mo./Yr.) ONE YEAR (USA) $56.97 -6-ISSUE (USA) $34.97 Your Daytime Phone #: ( ONE YEAR (Foreign) -6-ISSUE (Foreign) $66.97 (US funds only) $44.97 (US funds only) When ordering a Print Name As It Appears On Your Card One-Year Subscription, Method of Payment: check here and receive Cash your FREE $15 collectible Check Street Star Trek Pin. Money Order Send cash, check or money order to: VISA Discover City State Zip STARLOG GROUP, INC. 475 PARK AVENUE SOUTH Master Card NEWYORK, NY 10016 Visa Signature You can fax: 212-889-7933 or e-mail: [email protected] Total enclosed: $- IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO CUTOUT COUPON, WE WILL ACCEPT Account No. WRITTEN ORDERS. Please allow 4 to 6 weeks for delivery. . ...V"' niBHHi

character in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy better repre- Nosents the differences between movies and books than Eowyn, as played by Miranda Otto. J.R.R. Tolkien wrote her as the Rings saga's only fully realized female. Not content to watch the men fight, Eowyn poses as a male named Dernhelm, grabs a ride with Merry and joins the crucial battle at Pelennor Fields.

There, Eowyn pulls off a feat no man is able to: She slays the Witch-King, buying Frodo more time to destroy the One Ring. Jackson—who had already tweaked the Eowyn character to form a love triangle of sorts between her, Aragorn (Viggo Written almost Mortensen) and Arwen (Liv Tyler), not to 50 years ago, mention invented a stomach-churning J.R.R. Tolkien's romantic tease between and Worm- Eowyn Lord of the felt compelled to tongue (Brad Dourif)— Rings is, in include the Eowyn/Witch-King (Lawrence Otto's opinion, Makoare) encounter in The Return of the "a modern King. However, he was forced, because of woman's story." practical reasons, to present a variation of

34 STARLOG/Ma/cft 2004 ^Vj - j-j Lic uiaM iininM—iirf wj^^aifc^jUiUl*^- h^^WM^^to^^, 7 71 T> T> T s > r\ r r 4 J. A. .J.. \ J. . \

FIGHTING ON THE FIELDS OF PELENNOR, MIRANDA OTTO MAKES A FINAL STAND AGAINST THE FORCES OF EVIL.

You catch Eow dead in this outfit, but Miranda Otto appears pretty what avid Tolkien readers probably expected in pink at the King Theoden (Bernard Hill) and woman- from the sequence. Two Towers hood as a whole. "We couldn't do that in the film," Otto premiere. "I don't think that she's fighting for says, referring to Tolkien's decision to reveal womanhood," Otto opines. "That's a great

Eowyn's identity after she has made her him, whereas they're already emotionally thing that comes out of it, but I don't believe

presence felt. "It was too hard to do. That invested in Eowyn and have seen what she that's her inspiration. 'I'm a woman. I will was discussed before I even got to New has gone through. And watching her in these fight.' It's more that she's standing up for her Zealand. They realized that it was easier to battles, you notice that she's fearful. It's so people. She also joins the battle because

pull off in a book. Tolkien created a charac- completely overwhelming when they arrive that's who she is. It's her will, and she can't ter, Dernhelm, and you believe it in the novel there. Eowyn wants to die with honor. She suppress that, despite how much everybody because you don't know that it's Eowyn wants to fight for her people. But in that wants to protect her and have her stay at

until she reveals herself. And Merry doesn't final moment, when you face death, it's home. Her determination is to be the person realize it, either. But on film it would have frightening." she is, and so she goes to [Pelennor]. She been harder because you see Eowyn's face can't wait at home. She can't be the one on screen. It would be tough to look at her Facing Death looking after all the other women, and per- and believe that she's a man. So in the film, The reason why Eowyn enters the fray haps end up being raped, which happens to she's disguised and Merry figures out that has long been debated by Rings aficionados. them. She doesn't want her ideals crushed.

it's her. Some argue that, realizing that she can't be Eowyn is ready to fight and prepared to die "It's far more believable that way. And it with Aragorn—whether it's because he's for what she believes in." also means that you don't lose Eowyn; the likely to die or because his heart belongs to Otto, too, wanted to fight. At every audience knows that she's there and can go Arwen—Eowyn goes off on a suicide mis- opportunity, the Aussie actress prodded

with her on the journey instead of thinking, sion of her own. Others believe that she's Jackson to let her in on the action. When it 'Who is this new young warrior character?' simply proud and fighting for any combina- finally came time to jump on a horse and They wouldn't be as emotionally invested in tion of the following: the people of Rohan, wield a sword, Otto was game, though she www.starlog.com STARLOG/Ato'c/? 2004 35 who's already in a relationship, so it cannot

be. Everybody can relate to that. I think everybody dreams of making a union with someone and going forward and fighting for great causes. That doesn't happen for Eowyn, though, and she ends up fighting for herself. She takes on a male exterior and gets

to live out that side, which is another thing that modern women can relate to—they've gone out into the world in that way, too." Otto probably could have asked Mortensen about the hardships of sword-

fighting. He had already done plenty of it for the first two films by the time Otto had to face off against the Lord of the Nazgul in Return of the King. Otto, in fact, probably could have asked Mortensen anything about anything. "I was incredibly impressed with how Viggo came to the project so late and yet was so well-researched," she says. "He had an enormous number of books that he seemed to keep ordering in, about myths and female characters," Otto legends. He had material about horses and This is as close as Aragorn says. "And the costumes swordfighting. The stunt guys told stories (Viggo Mortensen) and helped with the whole idea about Viggo's amazing abilities. He's a nat- in Eowyn get bed. She may of feeling like I was in that urally and incredibly physically gifted per- love the man, but she place, time and story. son. He's one of those people who can easi- doesn't really know him. 's outfits ly pick up and master a physical skill. were so specific in terms [Legendary sword master] Bob Anderson of the fabric and the look. was tremendously impressed with Viggo. Everything about them One of the head stunt guys, Kirk, told me had a femininity and a about a scene in the first movie where some- strength. They contained a one pulls a dagger out of his leg, throws it at human quality that was Viggo and then Viggo clocks it with a sword. different from, say, the Elf Viggo practiced that for months and didn't

costumes." get it all the time, but he nailed it on the first take when they shot the scene. Courting Love "Viggo's just good at all those things. Tolkien's Lord of the Sometimes, in the middle of fighting, he Rings has an unique would come up with stuff that he had read appeal for the actress. "In about in a book and try out different moves.

the end, I think it's very He was always looking to enrich the story cops to at some moments thinking she had much a modern woman's story," Otto offers. and his character as much as possible, just gotten in over her head. "When I arrived on "It's hard to believe that it was written 50 adding some details while staying true to the set with Pete, I came in at what I thought years ago. It's a modern woman's story Tolkien's novel. Viggo is also very generous was a really high energy level, but he expect- because Eowyn falls in love with someone and kind. He cared about the whole group. ed 100 times that," Otto says. "He wanted me so desperate, out of control and enraged. He was looking for such a tremendous amount of energy. I have to admit that it was physically very hard. Maybe I'm a wimp, but it was a huge endeavor. "I had to perform things so many times. I did [the Witch-King conflict] six times for the wide shot, three or four times for the mid-shot and a few more for the close-up. And the whole sequence is only about a minute long. But within that period, I kill around 14 people. That's fighting quite a number of Ores, and it required a hell of a lot of energy, particularly since I was wearing armor, which slowed me down. That weighed somewhere between seven and 10 kilos [22 pounds] and made me work, aero- bically, much harder." These physical demands, however, helped Otto to get into character and better

understand Eowyn. After all. few female parts require an actress to decapitate a cor- rupt king's undead spirit. "The fighting made Eowyn different from most other

36 STARLOG/Afa/r/j 2004 But he's both a connector and a loner; he's a years of being under a spell. He's attempting married and is currently filming a remake of creative force. Viggo was always churning to recapture his glory and courage. His jour- The Flight of the Phoenix. "When I came out paintings—like this engine who acts, ney in Return of the King is to rediscover back to LA after finishing the initial shoot- o reads and music. creates all the that. he does. In the beginning, he's ing, I told people, 'I've been making The makes He And in £ time, and I think that anybody who's creative worried that Eowyn doesn't respect him. But Lord the Rings. You have no idea what of *5 needs time on their own, so they can get in she does. She loves him. And in Return of these films are going to be. They're just 1<

out with his person. Viggo's a pret- Otto can look back and marvel at its it.' makeup success. heard something about They were skepti- ro 0. ty chilled-out guy." No one, she points out, expected the Rings cal. We really were an underdog at that As for the relationship between Eowyn trilogy to capture the imaginations of so stage, before the first film came out. People and Aragorn, that's an issue still up for many millions across the globe. "It's really were saying, 'Oh yeah, that thing New Line debate. Eowyn definitely respects him, but interesting," says Otto, who recently got financed down there. Nobody knows very 2 2

she may or may not love him in the classic much about it.' o u sense of the word. However, fans of the book "I always believed it would blow every-

know that it's Faramir (David Wenham in body away," Miranda Otto concludes, "but it the film) who wins Eowyn's hand in mar- was interesting going to LA and listening to riage after they both recover from their people who had no clue what was being respective injuries. "My impression is that made there in New Zealand." Aragorn symbolizes everything that she However, now they do know: There's one j£ UJ respects and loves," Otto notes. "There is a Rings trilogy to rule them all. ^ real connection between them, but I don't think that she loves him as a person, as a Tolkien didn't disclose that Dernhelm was man. She knows him as a king, a warrior and Eowyn until late in the novel, but Peter a symbol. They're living in these incredibly Jackson wanted audiences to know the heightened times, in the middle of war, and identity of the mysterious male soldier. only know each other under those circum- stances, as people besieged.

"There is a connection, though, and I believe that he's interested in her, too.

Aragorn sees her predicament and is one of the few people who understands her, but I don't know if he loves Eowyn. She certainly feels a love for him, but given the situation

that they're in, it can never be. It has so much to do with war, honor, , courage and bringing people together. That's what they're concerned about. There isn't any

time for love. And I feel that, deep down, Eowyn never really gets to know Aragorn as a man, as a man in normal times." Redeeming Honor

The other man in Eowyn's life is I Eowyn's fighting prowess made the Theoden. She adores her uncle, but The j Two Towers revealed her sense of dis- female part unique for Otto. Ngila Dickson's appointment in him. That is, until she splendid costumes realizes that the sinister Wormtongue also helped the and Saruman () have actress assume the long controlled the King. Events late challenging role. in The Two Towers and particularly in The Return of the King go a long way toward restoring her faith in the fallen man. "She was disappointed in him to a degree, but she loves him greatly and still respects him," Otto explains. "There's a lovely relationship between Theoden and Eowyn in the third film, because Theoden not only senses her disappointment but he is dissatisfied with himself. Even at Helm's Deep, I believe Theoden realizes that Aragorn is really responsi- ble for their victory. Theoden, through the course of the second film, is trying to reassume his kingly character. He's struggling to find himself after www.starlog.com 38 STARLOG/Mtff-c/j 2004 = i if II S 01 .5 £

>> »3 asE E°- Initially O Q> O £ included in the Fellowship's fighting, Tyler believes that " S placing Arwen in Aragorn's dreams was the right direction for her character.

uch as Sauron hovers over all of Middle-Earth, a most- wasn't working. We admitted it and were able to say, 'OK, let's just ly unseen yet inescapable, foreboding and dark force, scrap everything, reinvest ourselves and look at this again.' And we Arwen Evenstar is somehow equally omnipresent, a realized that we didn't have to put a sword in her hands to make serene and optimistic presence whose love—in words, Arwen a strong woman or presence in the film, that there was a way deeds and visions—shines down on Aragorn as he to truthfully stick to the story in the appendix and convey this incred- struggles not only to defeat Ores and harness the armies of the Dead, ible connection that these two people have. but to accept his role as a king among men. "I wasn't shooting yet, I was just preparing, and I was like,

"I think that for me, I would say hope is the thing that Arwen rep- 'What's wrong with this picture? Why am I here for three months?' resents," notes Liv Tyler, who portrays Arwen, daughter of Elrond I thought that maybe there was something wrong with me, but then (Hugo Weaving) and Celebrian, granddaughter of Galadriel (Cate I realized, in talking with friends, that [the filmmakers] didn't know Blanchett), in Peter Jackson's adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of what they wanted and were struggling to find the direction for

the Rings trilogy. "I love the idea of who she is and the necklace that Arwen. So, once I realized that I could participate in the develop- she wears. She had that beautiful line in the first film where she says, ment and the finding of the character, a whole new world opened up

'The light of the Evenstar does not wax and wane; it is constant even for me and I was able to invest myself in it and become excited and in the greatest darkness.' That is sort of what she is and what she rep- inspired by that possibility. Now I think that it works really well, resents. In everything, especially her relationships with her father especially the [dream visions]. But it's hard for me to step outside and Aragorn [Viggo Mortensen], she's a symbol of endless hope, and watch the movie." belief and encouragement." That the character makes such an impression on the proceedings Her Eternal Love is a tribute to Tyler, Jackson and co-screenwriters Philippa Boyens Jackson, Boyens and Walsh wove Arwen into the Rings tapestry and Fran Walsh. Arwen rates as a major figure in the trilogy despite in a fashion different from Tolkien. She's a supporting character the fact that Tyler spends relatively little time on screen. "I didn't within the film's A-story, so to speak, whereas in the novel she's a really think about it like that, about mak- peripheral figure mostly relegated to the ing an impression," the actress notes. appendices. Jackson, Boyens and Walsh "That would be more of a Peter question, also heightened the romantic triangle only in the developing of the . hinted at by Tolkien, more or less pitting "I know that at one point, my part was Arwen and Eowyn (Miranda Otto) against much bigger. They felt that the love story each other—albeit from afar—in a quest and the character of Arwen were beautiful to win Aragorn's affections. At various and important, particularly in the support- points in the production, the filmmakers ing and understanding of Aragorn once considered flat-out pairing Aragorn and you get to Return of the King. But they Eowyn. And had he wanted to, Jackson were kind of confused at how you take could have pushed matters further simply these two people who are on opposite by choosing alternate takes of scenes in sides of the world from each other, who which either Mortensen and/or Otto have no physical connection, and make a expressed more yearning. believable situation where the audience Observant moviegoers will notice that understands and is invested in their love Arwen and Eowyn never interact or even story. Originally, they wanted to make her make eye contact during the coronation more of a fighter, as Elves are incredible sequence in Return of the King. And Tyler warriors. They thought, 'We'll show her confirms that no such scene of them doing strength, and she'll be a tough cookie.' so was ever shot. "Initially, we shot a big "That was interesting because I was version of that sequence, and then we suffering a lot during that time. We were came back and did that in pick-ups," she already in New Zealand, and I was home- explains. "Everyone was separated. I was sick, depressed and felt like I wasn't con- there on the same day Miranda was, but I Homesick while shooting the trilogy in a necting to the character. I didn't really distant country, Tyler was much happier didn't have any scenes with her. I never know what was wrong with me, but then I participating in New Zealand's Return of the thought about that until you said it. I'm figured it out when we decided that that King premiere parade. happy with the film the way it is now. www.starlog.com STARLOG/Marc/j 2004 39 Staying with the mortal man she loves means that Arwen won't be traveling with her father Elrond (Hugo Weaving) and the other Elves to the Undying Lands.

There are really only these two women in the films, and I don't think Pete wanted The light of the them to be seen fighting over the same Evenstar does not guy." wax or wane. Even That's not to say Arwen isn't a con- in this time of great flicted Elf. She is, and very much so. But darkness, Arwen that conflict isn't about giving up immor- remains a beacon tality to be with the man she loves; it's of hope and more to do with the fact that in order to optimism. stand by Aragorn she must leave her peo- ple. "I felt that she had already made her things that I loved the most, character- decision," Tyler says. "I know that there is wise, are at the end of the books, which a lot of drama in the story, with Arwen we don't ever see in the film," she communicating with her father and ^| explains. "There's a sweet connection in expressing these visions, but there's still a \ the books, because it's actually Arwen part of her that knows deep down inside who gives Frodo her place on the ship to that this is what she's going to do no mat- the Undying Lands. You don't see that in ter what. It's quite a scary moment in The this film. And she gives him the Evenstar. Two Towers when he shows her the vision That's quite a beautiful moment, and of what will come and what will be, and I Arwen says to Frodo, 'When you're think that she accepts and realizes that, remembering and it makes you feel scared and is still willing. Arwen would rather and sad, this will protect you and help you have 50 years with this person whom she loves rather than spend an feel better.' " Tyler, however, didn't share her concerns with Jackson, eternity alone, never having experienced that." Boyens or Walsh. "I would never do that," Tyler notes. But why?

Talk to the trilogy's cast and, to a person, each can rattle off Was it just not her place to do so? "No, it was at certain times," she scenes, lines or random bits of character development depicted in the replies. "You would have to ask them that." book that didn't make it into the movies. Tyler is no exception. "The Tyler isn't knocking anyone or the films. Every actor wants what's best for their character. In the end, Tyler notes, the trilogy captures the essence of both Arwen and Tolkien. "Absolutely," she says. "I see them as one film. I've never really sat down and watched all three. I've only seen the third one once. So I'm really looking for- ward to, in the future, being able to sit down and digest them more as a whole."

Her Elvish Courage The experience of making Rings will live on even as the movies themselves fade into memory. Tyler will remember the physical training, lessons in speaking Elvish and her long sessions with cos- tume designer Ngila Dickson. Likewise, she'll always think fondly of the two actors with whom she worked most closely, Mortensen and Weaving. "Actually, out of all the cast, Viggo is the most myste- rious to me," Tyler explains. "I didn't personally get to know him all

that well and yet I feel like I understand him. I believe, in retrospect, that I learned the most from Viggo because never in my entire life Fortunately for the actress, the Rings films and Intense have I seen an actor completely give in to a character and experience publicity came at a point in her career where she was able to it to that capacity. deal with all the media ballyhoo. "There were times when I would get mad at him because he

40 STARLOG/Morc/2 2004 www.starIog.com otherworldly. We used to laugh a lot after the Elvish lines. Hugo would have the most incredibly serious speeches, and they were

so funny. I really adored working with

Hugo, and I enjoyed the father-daughter relationship." < And when she looks back, Tyler will also 1 i recall her last day. In her final scene, a moment from the coronation sequence, E Z Arwen and Aragorn kiss. She shot that not O 3 O -a only as her farewell task during pick-ups, Sia 2 but also as her last bit during principal pho- 0) a) tography. "That was interesting as well as

sad," Tyler notes. "I sort of didn't feel like it

was happening, like it couldn't be possible.

But the moment that I looked into Fran's eyes, we both just started to cry. I'm crying

thinking about it now. We both had a big cry there, then they brought everybody into and it = a big room with all the crew and cast that was around that day. "They had a party with champagne and snacks, and Peter got up and spoke and pre- sented us with gifts. I was given one of my dresses and my sword and then they showed these absolutely brilliant gag reels. That was such an incredible example of Peter Jackson

and the whole experience because half of it was completely serious, except for the song, was kind of goofy. My song was 'Total

Eclipse of the Heart,' and it was like, 'Turn around, every now and then...' and shots of me turning around. There are so many shots of Arwen, when you watch them in that con- "WE DIDN'T HAVE TO PUT A $ WORD IN HER HANDS TO MAKE ARWEN A STRONG WOMAN." would push me harder. There was a weekend when I got really sick text, turning around and crying and so sad and heartbroken. And then and had a horrible flu, and that was my one and only day to sleep and it cut into 'Walk This Way' [an Aerosmith tune sung by her father, recover and not work. We were supposed to go horseback riding Steven Tyler], and it became me, Liv, who's such a goofball. It was together and I cancelled it because I wasn't feeling well, and Viggo hysterical clips of me messing up my Elvish lines, doing blue screen gave me a really hard time about it. So I went, and it was one of the in slow-motion and blue-screen moments where I was riding and greatest days of my life. It was actually the one time, while I was rid- getting nauseous on the horse. At the Wellington, New Zealand pre- ing, that I really broke through to the other side with the canter and miere [in December 2003], we all got a DVD with everyone's good- becoming more comfortable on the horse. I had a beautiful day and bye reel on it as a gift. I haven't been able to watch the whole thing am incredibly grateful to Viggo for pushing me further. He taught yet, but I've seen a few and they're hysterical." me so much about that, about really being willing to submit and sub- Now, with the Lord of the Rings adventures under her belt, Tyler merge yourself into making the film and the character work. is moving on with the rest of her life and career. She has a new film "With Hugo," Tyler continues, "it was sometimes quite funny coming out in early 2004, the comedy Jersey Girl, in which she co- and hard for us because the Elves are so bizarre, sort of alien and stars with Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez. A newlywed, she lives in New York City with her husband, musician Royston Langdon. And

she's the face of Givenchy in its international ad campaign. Juggling

it all, Tyler admits, can be a challenge, but it's nothing she can't han- dle. "I think that at this point in my career, because it's not the begin- ning for me, like it is for Orlando Bloom—he's going through what I went through just a few years ago—I've now gotten to this place where I'm able to be selective. "The Lord of the Rings and the perfume campaign, financially, gives me the opportunity to spend time at home and with my fami- ly. It's really important for me to know that I'm going to work for a certain amount of time and dedicate myself to that project, and that's

wonderful, but I also then need to know that I'll have time to dedi- cate to myself, my own heart, family and loved ones," Liv Tyler con-

cludes. "I'm always trying to balance those things, but I don't find it

particularly hard because I love what I do and I'm fortunate to have

a husband who is so encouraging, loving and supportive of me. I

don't think I could do any of this stuff if I didn't have his support and Their scenes were sad and sober, but Weaving and encouragement, because there are times when I'm like, 'I'm going Tyler had a hard time not cracking up after uttering the earnest to die. I can't go on,' and he says, 'You're doing great. I'm so proud Elvish dialogue. of you.' That really helps me a lot." ^

STARLOG/MarrJt 2004 41 on't be fooled by the geeky glasses or her meek, reserved nature—Keegan Connor Tracy, w who plays NSA (National Se- C, curity Agency) nanobot expert Diane Hughes on Jake 2.0, isn't what she appears to be. "In general, I'm really liberal," she

reveals, "and I love the outdoors. I spend a lot of time adventure-seeking—Whitewater rafting, kayaking, climbing, snowboarding,

all of that. I'm not by nature timid, conserv- ative or necessarily awkward. So in many

ways, it's challenging to come to work and put on a different skin. But all of the quirky things about Diane, that's just really a lot of Keegan. She's like a cloak that I put on—the hair, glasses and lab coat—this sort of per- sona of not having much confidence. Things like that." According to the Canadian actress, her transformation into the self-conscious Dr. Hughes happened by accident. "I was down in Los Angeles, going through the whole rig- marole of pilot season," she recalls. "I was reading for something else, and there was

this sign up that said 'Weapon X.' I remem- ber sitting there in this lobby and saying,

'Oh, God, I would never read for a show

called Weapon X.' Sure enough, it turned out to be this show. That was an early name, and

then it changed to Nanobots, then The Tech,

and finally it became Jake 2.0, which is a great name. "I actually read for the part of Sarah

[played by Six Feet Under's Marina Black].

I was concerned that Diane wasn't going to be present enough, but my version of Sarah was so goofy that they made me read for Diane instead." Even after being cast as Diane, Tracy rec- ollects how Jake 2.0' s producers—creator Silvio (The Chronicle) Horta, Gina (Urban Legend) Matthews, Grant (The Wishing Tree) Scharbo and David (Angel) Greenwalt—"weren't originally sure what they were going to do with Diane or how

they were going to go about it. I think she's

still evolving. She's really different; she isn't

your typical character. We're all finding her as we go along. It's the blind leading the blind," she jokes. -6

"I've envisioned Diane's whole backsto- % ry—her parents were scientists, and they're jj very, very smart. She sort of fast-tracked »

through school and had a bunch of things .|> that she had to live up to. Diane lives in a = By MIKE MCAVENNIE man's world, not just in science but in the z NSA, and has a youthful exuberance about = Guys don't make her. She has many things to counteract—she § has to be smarter and harder-working. She „- passes at girls who leads with her heart, even though she's a sci- 8 entist and everything she does is based in |, fact and experimentation." >. wear glasses, but o Kindred Soul 1 Keegan Connor Tracy Where the scientist's heart leads her is 5 usually toward her "patient," Jake Foley q hopes Jake 2.0 could (Odyssey 5's Christopher Gorham), the « young computer geek whose unplanned run- 3 be an exception. in with nanotechnology has made him the <

42 STAKLOG/March 2004 ultimate human upgrade, as well as a super- spy for the NSA. While most researchers, male or female, might have salivated at the opportunity to poke and prod Jake like some lab rat, Tracy insists the nanotechnology was never a factor in Diane's infatuation. "In the pilot, there's that scene [with Jake] where Diane's like, 'Are you all right?', and then she thinks, 'Of course you're not all right.' She understands from the beginning how much the nanites are going to affect Jake's life, because it's such untried technology. Nobody had ever had this happen before, and here's this poor guy, who in many ways is like her—the guy peo- ple don't take seriously, who's a little awk-

ward and smarter than your average bear. I think she sees a kindred soul. And Jake's so

sweet, disarming and charming, it's just nat- ural for her to like him. Besides, she has

been working with mice all day. Finally, she has a human]" Unfortunately for Tracy's character, Jake already has his nanite-enhanced eyes orr someone else, and the show's producers did not initially factor in any romantic variables between him and Diane. "To my knowl- edge, Sarah was meant to be the sole

love interest, and I believe Diane's 1 role originally—and it was part of why I was a little afraid in the beginning—was that she was only the technical person, the scientist. But my take on her, and what made her interest-

ing to me, is that she isn't your normal scientist, and the producers saw that, so they started writing

toward it. Then the audi

ence really liked it, so they continued to go from there. "I can say, from a viewer's perspective,

that I am always, al- ways drawn to charac- ter," Tracy adds. "Cer-

tainly, if there isn't a

story, I don't care about the characters; so there has to be a

story. But I also think there can be many interesting things hap- pening, and if you don't have chemistry between the characters, then why would people want to watch? Ultimately, people tune in because they care about the relationships bet ween the characters, and the relationship between Jake an Diane has proven to be some-

thing unexpected. It's fun, and it gives people something to root for. They're both bumbling around in their own ways,

and you're like, 'Oh, I want " them to be happy.' www.starlog.com —

within myself. Although I suppose in life I'm much more boisterous and hardheaded than Diane. When was here for his episode ["Double Agent"], his character makes a comment to Diane that's somewhat sexist. At first, I was playing— it the way Keegan would react to it 'Look, pal, I'm an ardent feminist and you better not try any

of this.' Then I realized that Diane probably wouldn't be like that. Maybe she would even

be flattered by his attention. Sometimes I

have to remind myself that Diane is not Keegan." Tracy's certainly right about that. For one, she's much more ambitious than her Jake 2.0 alter-ego. She runs her own produc- tion company, Drama Queen Productions, for which she has written several screen- plays and short films, and she's in the process of launching her own bath line, tan-

"I As for whether or not Diane will ever tell during which Diane uncomfortably had to Jake how she feels, or if they'll ever get reassure Jake that his nanites would likely EMPATHIZE together, Tracy is playfully evasive. "Oh, pose no threat during amorous activity. "I I'm not going to tell you that," she laughs. have a very strange little mind," she notes WITH DIANE "However, the producers can't be deaf to with a chuckle. what the fans want to see. They would be "I often get asked whether or not the ter- BECAUSE crazy to say, 'Well, maybe in the third sea- minology is difficult for me. It really isn't, son you might see them come together.' If mostly because I'm a vocabulary freak. I'm I'M IN TOUCH that's what people want to see, then they'll always trying to learn new words. We're want some sense that it will happen. They're shooting an episode right now where for the slowly drawing the circle closer, but who first time I had to draw a diagram of what I WITH MY knows what will occur? I mean, these are was talking about because I couldn't get it to two people who work together in a very seri- stick in my head. It seemed sort of nonsensi- INNER ous environment, under a great deal of cal; it was all about neural pathways, the " scrutiny. And office relationships are diffi- cerebral cortex and feedback loops, so I dork: cult at the best of times, let alone when you drew this whole really complicated diagram have millions of tiny computers inside you for myself. talizingly entitled "Keegolicious." Then and the other person is your doctor." "I empathize with Diane because I'm in there's the whole "being active" thing touch with my 'inner dork,' " she muses. "I besides enjoying rigorous outdoor activities, Vocabulary Freak certainly know what it's like to be uncom- she's into Pankration, a specialized form of

Was it destiny that Tracy be cast in the fortable, so I try and be open to that place martial arts, and admits to having watched role of a doctor? The Sarnia, Ontario-born the occasional UFC "ultimate fighting" performer attended Wilfrid Laurier competition. In fact, one can't help but won- University, where she earned a Bachelor of der if Tracy would make a better spy than Arts degree in social psychology. ("I was Jake Foley. always going to be an actor," she asserts. "I "I would love to see Diane go through just didn't want to be an uneducated actor.") basic training and try to be an agent," she

Besides finding it useful in her part as Dr. remarks. "It would be quite a hoot, and Hughes, Tracy believes this particular brand wouldn't it be wonderful if she turned out to of therapy is "inherent in what pretty much be really good at it? Intellectually, I believe any of us—I mean anybody who I think is a she could understand what's going on. good actor—does. That's really what social Whether or not she would have the social psychology is—it's [understanding] what confidence to really be out there and doing it makes people do what they do, either in remains to be seen." groups or individually. Certainly, what I Regardless of whether or not Diane ever learned there becomes applicable, but it's sees NSA field work, Tracy is very pleased also just part and parcel of analyzing a script about the direction Jake 2.0 is heading in, as an actor and asking, 'What do I want of and with her co-stars. "We have so much fun this character, and why would I want it?' All together," she says. "The other night we of those things are inexorably tied together." were shooting, and Judith Scott, Philip Although her studies never included Anthony-Rodriguez and I were in a car, try- comprehending nanotechnology, she isn't ing to find Jake. We were sitting there, fazed by the technical terms her character laughing our heads off about something, and uses on the show. In fact, one can't help but we didn't realize that the cameras were already rolling. It was the middle of this be impressed as Tracy easily spouts off tech- Tracy truly goes through a transformation nical jargon like "cross-transference-slash- process to play Diane. The actress really serious scene, and suddenly we heard, infection" while recalling one of her favorite doesn't have much in common with her Action!', but we were all howling with episodes, "The Spy Who Really Liked Me," timid, tech-head alter-ego. laughter. They have to keep us on our toes,

44 STARLOG/Marc/j 2004 because we're always having fun on the set." that. I might as well have had a different underneath Diane's lab coat. For two sea- It's that relaxed environment the actress head on me," she laughs. sons, viewers paid particular attention to her credits for the strong character interaction on Perhaps having a different head might every ditzy word as Audrey Malone on the series. "Obviously, the action is very have spared her from a gruesome departure Showtime's Beggars and Choosers. Josh important. I mean, people like the car chas- in Final Destination 2, where Internet fans Hartnett had a hard time remaining celibate es, the guns, the running and all those things, are in agreement that Tracy's character Kat after her advances in 40 Days and 40 Nights, but I think it speaks to the characterization. suffered "the best death." "The pole through and she's sure to make many male psychic For example, my mother was here about a the head was a very popular death," she con- friends in the upcoming month ago, and she couldn't bring herself to curs. "I still get fan mail about that one." As thriller White Noise. Sadly for Jake 2.0 fans, call Chris 'Chris.' She always refers to him for the overall experience, she reflects, "It however, displaying such wares just isn't in as 'Jake' because that's how she sees him. was a popcorn film. I had never done that character with the more self-effacing Dr. That's a testament to the kind of work Chris genre—you know, the whole horror and Hughes. does." dying thing—and I remember when I met "It's hard," she admits. "Sometimes It also helps to have well-written the director [Matrix Reloaded second-unit when I put on an outfit, I'll be like, 'That's

episodes, several of which Tracy numbers director David R. Ellis] the first time, he was gonna look really good.' Then I'll go, 'But among her favorites. "I know it's sort of like, 'So, we're doing this movie. It's not Diane wouldn't wear that.' She wouldn't biased because I was in it a lot, but I loved Shakespeare.' I just showed up and was a wear little boob-tops and tight things or

'Last Man Standing,' where Jake was at the bitch. It was fun." whatever. I have to remember, 'Yes, while

wedding. I enjoyed it because it had so much heart.

Those are the episodes that I like the most. In that one, you see how much this has

affected Jake's real life. Like

I said, Chris is such a won- derful actor and he's so hon- est. I really believe all of the things that he does, and he just breaks your heart in that episode. And although I'm more a fan of character- based shows than action- based ones, I enjoyed 'The Spy Who Really Liked Me.' It was beautifully shot—all that Santa Costa and South American stuff was so cool. I also liked 'Whiskey-Tango- Foxtrot,' the one with the Wolf Pack. Really, I've been impressed with all of them." Drama Queen In contrast to the "good girl" image she projects on Jake 2.0, Tracy—whose genre credits Tracy corrects herself about her horror Keegan or many of the characters that I've include Seven Days, First Wave, Night Man experiences when she's reminded of a 1998 played might wear that, Diane isn't neces- " and The New Addams Family—has her dark guest stint on Millennium, in "Omerta." sarily as overt as I am.' side as well. Her performance as an ex- "That was another different role. There were Still, keeping her looks low-key isn't junkie in the acclaimed Canadian series Da all these Mafia guys, and they take Jon [The Tracy's biggest concern; that's reserved for

Vinci's Inquest earned her a 2002 LEO Chronicle] Polito out in the bushes and kill what she notes is the biggest challenge for

Award for Best Supporting Female him. I played this strange little mute, a kind everyone involved with Jake 2.0: "Getting Performance, as well as a Gemini Award of fairy who could heal people. I don't think people to know that we're on the air." nomination. Tracy attests that she has always I said a word in that entire episode, even Despite low ratings, UPN acknowledges the been good at being bad, even during early though in the audition I made up my whole series' good word of mouth, and has demon- acting jobs on shows like Viper. sign language thing." strated its commitment to the show by

"The first time on Viper [in "The Best Of series star (a STAR- renewing it for the rest of the season. So, Couple"], I played some junkie guy's girl LOG reader favorite), Tracy has nothing but what can we expect to see from Keegan friend. He was dying and I was screaming. I praise. "What a nice man. I asked him for an Connor Tracy's character? had blue nail polish on. I remember that very autograph for someone, and he was so "If I knew, I would tell you," she says specifically," she chortles. "When I was on sweet. He came to my one day, and he almost regretfully. "Right now, we're one or the second time [in "Safe House"], I was this had an autograph for them, and also one for two episodes ahead [of viewers]. I would really bad little schoolgirl. I'm always play- me. Seeing him in all those dark roles, it just love to see them take Diane out of her com- ing bad girls. That's why it's so funny about goes to show that you never know what peo- fort zone. She's getting to a point with Jake Diane. I'm usually either the quirky, dorky ple are really like. I'm actually six feet tall where she's like, 'You have to notice me, or girl or the sexy, bad vixen. It's a pretty and gorgeous," she teases. I'm going to move on.' I mean, c'mon, how dichotomous position to be in." Tracy may not be six feet, but she should can you resist her with those little glasses? Tracy next recalls her guest role on Dark not mock her looks. Flare magazine labeled She's like a cute doll! You know, when I

Angel, playing Rain, "a really creepy Goth her a "21st Century Fox" back in September watch her on TV, it really is like watching a kind of vampire" in "Love in Vein." "That 2000, while the December 2003 issue of different person. I'm like, 'Oh, my God, " was a strange one. I was unrecognizable in Stuff magazine showed fans just what's she's so dorky and affable!' www.starIog.com STARLOG/Marc/i 2004 45 www.sta rlog.com ging Woman memories may be erased, Uma Thurman remains unforgettable.

By IAN SPELLING ma Thurman knew next to noth- ing about the works of Philip K. Dick before signing on to co-star opposite Ben Affleck in John Woo's adap- tation of Dick's short story "Paycheck."

'I had only read Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, which I read after having seen [its film version] Blade Runner,

which I saw when 1 was about 11," Thurman recalls. "It was one of the great

movies that I had seen at that time and 1

read it, actually, years later and enjoyed it entirely separately from the movie. It was fantastic. Thurman never did read "Paycheck," however, not even after she agreed to do the film. Instead, she chose to rely on the Michael Jennings (Ben Affleck) wishes he had total recall about his relationship script by Dean Georgaris. And, for the with Rachel (Thurman). She's his only record, it was neither the story nor the script ally against Rethrick's henchmen. that compelled Thurman to play Rachel to Affleck's Michael Jennings. Rather, she was

wooed by the Woo factor. "To me, it's more

a John Woo experience than it is a Philip K. Dick experience," Thurman explains. "My interest in it was a cinematic interest and not a sci-fi fascination. If John Woo were mak- ing a Western, I would have done that." Mind Games Like other features based on Dick's short stories (which also include Total Recall, Screamers, Impostor and Minority Report), Paycheck takes the initial seed of the story

and extrapolates on it. And so the film ver- sion gives us Jennings, a hi-tech freelancer who arrives on the scene, takes existing tech- What wooed Thurman to the project? nology, tinkers and tweaks it to the next The opportunity to collaborate with level, then grabs his paycheck and lets his director John Woo (center). memory be erased. Rachel is Jennings' gal, a

biologist who's still there for of Rethrick and Wolfe, they also race the him when he completes his lat- clock to piece together the clues that may est gig after three long years. help Jennings reclaim his past. And Jennings needs her desper- Woo called upon Thurman to provide ately, even though he barely some heart and to kick a little butt. And the remembers her, because his actress pulled off both tasks with aplomb. most recent employer, Allcom's "John wanted me to bring emotional Jimmy Rethrick (Aaron strength and love and something truthful to Eckhart), wants him erased per- the supporting part of the woman," Thurman manently—i.e. dead—and has says. "He wanted me to be an equal. He did sent his chief henchman, Wolfe not want me to be some little girl who runs (Colm Feore), after Jennings. around in cute outfits. He wanted Rachel to Thus, as Jennings and Rachel be a woman, someone that you respect, and struggle to stay one step ahead someone that you remember."

So far as the action goes, Thurman claims not to have found hitting her marks amidst Woo's trademark mayhem at all

tricky. "I found it incredibly liberating

because his team is so good and his shots are Piecing together so fluid," she explains. "He's doing his thing the puzzle of his with his frame, and what he needs you to do past, Jennings is be free and in the moment and very alive hopes to reclaim his identity as well in that moment, and he is where he needs to as his romance be. 'You don't have to worry about where I with Rachel. am. I've got you in the frame. You just be

48 STARLOG/Ma rch 2004 www.starlog.com want to go and play some part in this guy's

kind of cinema?' I've always felt, from The

Adventures of Baron Munchausen on, that I wanted to be a part of that guy's movie. The

fact is, I've made other kinds of movies and made decisions for other reasons, but as a student of acting, a student of movies—and I'm a bad student—but as a student of the process, once you get that addiction of what

it's like to watch an incredible director work,

you want to do more of it. You want to be a part of movies with people who are really doing something different with this medium. [Munchausen director] sunk Kill Bill director those teeth into me as a 17-year-old girl. I was delighted that Thurman (pictured here with was like, 'Wait, this is something. This is co-star Daryl Hannah) decided to work different. He's different. And there are great with one of his directing idols. actors, too.' To watch Terry and learn from

those actors [including John Neville and teach me and show me something. And it's

Oliver Reed], at 17, I thought, 'This is how the same with the actors. I took it very seri-

to do it.' It's each one of these directors who ously. I really wanted to be a part of that." is going to see something in me, push me, Duel Actions Returning to the action aspects of

Paycheck for a few more moments, it didn't hurt that Thurman arrived on the Paycheck set not long after having wrapped production on Quentin Tarantino's two-part Kill Bill saga. Thurman, of course, stars in the films as the no-nonsense, revenge-seeking charac- ter referred to as the Bride, a.k.a. Black Mamba.

"Paycheck was fun because I got to play the girl," Thurman says. "I had a really nice

time. Ben did all the heavy lifting; I got to

watch John Woo work and Ben hit people. I wasn't covered in blood. John had been a big inspiration to Quentin, and way back when we started to develop the idea for Kill Bill, Quentin said, 'You want to see something?

I'll take you to something.' He actually got a

even care.

"I wouldn't have done a part like this if it weren't for someone like John Woo. I've had that addiction my whole career, being a Tarantino found the director junkie. It's like, 'Do you want to go ht balance of carnage and comedy to make and do this vehicle for yourself or do you Kill Bill the ultimate martial arts homage. print and hired a screening room, before the camera playfulness and ease that we had a futuristic cautionary tale in which days when he had a screening room—which with each other a joy." Thurman starred with then-future and cur- he likes to brag about—and he sat down and Next up for Thurman is Kill Bill: Vol. 2 rently estranged husband Ethan Hawke. showed me The Killer. He talked me through (premiering February 20). The first film, a Thurman played Irene Cassini, a woman this moment and that moment. That's why I whirlwind of swordplay, gushing blood and who falls for the genetically imperfect have long hair, because he wouldn't let me rolling heads that paid homage to Vincent Freeman (Hawke). "Gattaca was a mess with my hair in Kill Bill, because he Tarantino's favorite 1970s really great experience," she raves. "It's a loved the way John Woo in The Killer had action epics, grossed nearly $70 million movie that I'm proud and happy to have the woman's hair fly in slow-mo. Quentin upon its release last fall. Some industry made. My agent sent me that script as an was like, 'You're not going to take that hair observers expected it to perform better, but example of this new writer, Andrew Niccol, from me.' So, in a way, the intense gauntlet others were more realistic; highly stylized, and I read it and I was blown away. The part of work and struggle and defining ultra-violent R-rated pictures rarely pull in wasn't the greatest part. In fact, it was a moment of work that Kill Bill was, when blockbuster dollars. tricky role because they were always chang-

John called me, it just seemed like it was "I'm really pleased with it," Thurman ing it, as they do with movies. But I was so meant to be. I probably wasn't in good says. "It's hanging in there. It did very well, impressed with him. I sat down with Andrew enough condition to carry a movie in that and it will have another life [on DVD]. and he came with a luggage cart full of moment, but to go work with him, it was Surfing the universe with a director like images and ideas, and I could see that he was almost a healing process. It was like, 'Let me Quentin, with free-style creativity like his, to the real deal. He was someone special, and go see that, let me see how he does it.' And get to see someone be able to work in film so so I wanted to make a movie with him. that's why it was fun." creatively and have the courage of their own That's how it happened." Thurman spends most of her screen time convictions and do what they like, it's not And no, Thurman insists, she would not in Paycheck in Affleck's company. That, she something you see every day. Nor do you see delete The Avengers from her filmography says, was fun as well. "I had met Ben it much in the world; not many people get to even if she could pull a Paycheck and erase before," Thurman reveals. "I actually sat do what they like, so I applaud somebody one movie. For those who've forgotten or with him one night with a group of actors who has the courage to do that. And I think never seen The Avengers, that was director and friends, on election night, the last elec- it came out great. I have no complaints. It Jeremiah Chechik's egregious attempt to tion, and I was totally struck then by his was so scary. It's a rough piece of material in adapt the classic British spy series into a big- humor and intelligence. And we're both its own intense way, and it's not your every- screen franchise. Thurman oozed confident from Massachusetts. He reminded me of the day thing. And those kinds of extraordinary, cool as Emma Peel (and discussed the flick kind of people I went to high school with. odd, unusual things that might break ground in STARLOG #252), but despite the pres-

He seemed very easy and familiar and fun in ways, they're really risky. So I think it ence of as the baddie and and gracious, like somebody from home. went fantastically. Kill Bill: Vol. 2 will be Ralph Fiennes as John Steed, The Avengers

That's what he seemed like to me. I was different. The opening is like, 'Yeah, a big had little else going for it. Scathing reviews totally comfortable. He was great to work party, kill a lot.' It starts out like that and then and moviegoer indifference—the bears with. I haven't had a lot of parts where you it's coming to Bill [David Carradine]. It's sequence still haunts some folks—further work with a leading man in a certain way, narrowing down." doomed the film, which ranked among

where it's kind of playful. I tend to get dif- With the Kill Bill story complete, she's 1996's biggest duds.

ferent sorts of things. I haven't done a lot of soon due to go before the cameras to reunite "The Avengers was actually a very posi-

straight-up romantic parts; there are usually with her Pulp Fiction co-star John Travolta tive, pivotal moment for me because it didn't

some other elements at play. So that was in Be Cool, the sequel to Travolta's stylish work and it was right off of The Avengers that

really fun for me, especially after Kill Bill, hit Get Shorty. I decided to change my life," says Thurman.

since I had to do them all in. I didn't keep a "I went home and got pregnant [with first

co-star around for very long on Kill Bill. I Training Exercises child, daughter Maya, now five] before it

was quite lonely, and it went on for a year, Dipping back into the past, Thurman even came out and didn't work. I just said, 156 days of shooting, not including training. accedes to a request to revisit two of her pre- 'You know what, I'm pulling up stakes here. " But training was the most fun because every- vious genre excursions. First up, there's This teepee is going on a horse.'

body was together. So it was quite nice to writer-director An- And now, with back-to- actually be interacting with somebody who drew Niccol's vastly back-to-back action films to wasn't choking me, at an acting level. So I underrated Gattaca, her name, Thurman seems just really enjoyed it and I ready for something a little found the off-camera to on- more relaxing. How about a nice simple project, say some- thing along the lines of My Dinner With Umal "That sounds like a good movie," Uma Thurman says, laughing. "I think I've shot that about

10,000 times [in my head]. I _ follow my instincts and I like to try to surprise myself. I never would have thought that

I could talk about slap-kicks and stop-points or roundhous- Writer-director Andrew es or that I could hold my Niccol's Gattaca screenplay wrists up and they wouldn't go attracted Thurman to the like this [limp], but they would ambitious SF drama. go like this [fists]. So I feel Fans didn't much care for very thrilled with how many After The Avengers, Batman & Robin, but after different things I've gotten to Thurman "decided to seeing Thurman, they were itching to catch a case be a part of, and I'll go forward change my life." Jeez, it wasn't fhaf bad! of Poison Ivy. like that."

50 STARLOG/Marc/z 2004 www.starlog.com Order now while issues last! Note: All issues include numerous articles & interviews. Only a few are listed for each entry.

#2 . Guide. $10. #54 3-D issue. Bob Culp. #80 Billy Dee Williams. Roddenberry. $10. #125 Bruce Dern. Gerry Gibson. Shatner 2. Dalton. Space: 1999 EP Guide. Connie Selleca. Terry Anthony Ainley. Anderson. Carpenter. Moranis. Cobb. RR FX 2. Logan's Run. War of the #29 Erin Gray. Buster Gilliam. Leslie Nielsen. Jedi FX. $1 0. #101 Ellison. . Cameron. $10. $10. Worlds. $50. Crabbe. $10. Trek bloopers. $10. Sting. Roddy McDowall. #81 Alan Dean Foster. Macnee. Takei. $10. #126 . #146 Matt Frewer. Andre #3 Space: 1999 EP Guide. #30 Robert Wise. #55 Philip K. Dick. Ed Fred Ward. Veronica Schwarzenegger. Macnee. Norton. Phil Akin. Cesar

Nichelle Nichols. George Chekov's Enterprise. Bishop. Culp 2. Trumbull. Cartwright. Greystoke. #102 Spielberg. Bill Paxton. Michael Praed. Romero. Doohan. Takei. Takei. DeForest Kelley. $35. Q.uestorTapes.^5. Trek bloopers 2. $1 0. Buckaroo Banzai. $10. Mel Blanc. Michael Robert Hays. B&B. $25. Abyss. RR FX 3. $10. Douglas. 2. #4 3-D SF Movie Guide. #31 Empire. 20,000 #56 Zardoz. Triffids. Trek #82 Schwarzenegger. Max Alley. Doug Adams. Peter #127 Lucas. Harryhausen. #147 . Richard Anderson. Outer Leagues Under the bloopers 3. $10. von Sydow. Chris Lloyd. Davison. $10. Davison. Kathleen Nimoy. John Varley. River Limits EP Guide. $50. Sea. Chekov's2.$W. Faye Grant. Dr. Who. Jedi Kennedy. Gates Phoenix. Norton 2. Koenig. #57 Robot. FX 2. $10. #103 Daryi Hannah. McFadden. RoboCop. $50. CD Barnes. S7EP Guide. #5 3-D films. Space: 1999 #32 Sound FX LP Buck Conan. Caroline Munro. Hauer. Rob Bottin. Elmer RR FX 4. $10. & UFO EP Guides. $15. Rogers & Trek designs. Ron Cobb. $10. #83 Kate Capshaw. Robin Bernstein. $10. #128 . Ron Chekov's 3. $10. Curtis. Fritz Leiber. Perlman. James Earl #148 Tony Jay. Julie #6 Robert Heinlein on #58 Blade Runner. The Marshall. Dr. Who. V. $10. #1 04 Peter Mayhew. Jones. William Campbell. Newmar. Chaves. Biehn. Destination Moon. #33 Voyage EP Guide. Thing. . Trek Stephen Collins. Ken Weller. Darrow. Koenig. Warner. RR FX 5, S7EP Animated Trek. $25. Ellison reviews Trek. $10. bloopers 4. $10. #84 8th Anniversary. Johnson. Outer Limits. $10. Prowse. Bradbury. $50. Guide 2. $125. Nimoy. . Chris #7 Sfar Wars. Rocketship X- #34 Tom Baker. Irv #59 Arnold Schwarzeneg- Lambert. Marc Singer. B. #105 Lambert. Colin #129 William Windom.Wil #149 Yvonne Craig. M. Space: 1999 Eagle Kershner. Buck Rogers. ger. Kirstie Alley. Merritt Banzai. Jedi FX 3. $10. Baker. . Wheaton. . Robert Lansing. BTTF 2. blueprints. Robby. $35. Martian Chronicles. $15. Butrick. $75. . Planet Michael Cavanaugh. Aft FX 6. $10. #85 . of the Apes. VEP Guide. Starman. RoboCop. $75. #8 . Star #35 Billy Dee Williams. #60 6th Anniversary. Star Jeff Goldblum. Japanimation. $10. #152 Leslie Stevens.

Wars. The Fly. $25. Voyage FX. $10. Trek II. Carpenter. Scott. Bob Zemeckis. Ivan #130 Tim Burton. Denise Gareth Hunt. A. Nation. TRON. $10. Reitman. Dante. $10. #106 Nimoy. Tim Curry. Crosby. . B&B."Rea\ Indy." $10. #10 George Pal. Ray #36 4th Anniversary. Clancy Brown. Terry Pertwee. Munro. S

Harryhausen. Isaac Nichols. Prowse. #61 Trek II 2. Walter #86 Peter Weller. John Nation. ALIENS. #153 Bradbury. Lee Asimov. $20. Glen Larson. Yvette Koenig. . Road Sayles. Chris Columbus. Japanimation. $10. #131 . Meriwether. Scott Bakula. Mimieux. $10. Warrior. $1 5. Rick Moranis. Lenard. Jedi Hays. Geena Davis. Edward Albert. B&B. $10. #11 CE3K. Prisoner EP FX 4. $125. #107 Henson. . Larson 2. S

Fred Freiberger. $10. #64 David Warner. V. Dune. Gremlins. $10. BTTF.V.SW. Cherryh. . #1 56 1 4th Anniversary. #14 Project UFO. Peter Barton. $1 50. Patrick Culliton. Sirtis. Schwarzenegger. Gale. Jim Danforth. Saturday #40 Hamill. Gerard. #89 Jane Badler. Helen #1 09 Sigourney Weaver. Goldsmith. Badler. ft Dorn. Nielsen. Dante. Night Live Trek. $10. Roddenberry, Jane #65 Arthur C. Clarke. Slater. Patrick Troughton. Henson. Carpenter. Takei. Rabbit. V. B&B. $10. Farmer 2. Starman EP Seymour. Freiberger 2. Hamill. E.I FX. $10. Jim Cameron. Irish Ally Sheedy. Melanie Guide. $10. #15 Twilight Zone. This Empire FX. $10. McCalla. Starman. $10. Griffith. $10. #1 34 Zemeckis. Crosby. Island Earth. Galactica. #66 Dark Crystal. Cherryh 2. . #157 Paul Verhoeven.

Richard Donner. $10. #41 Sam Jones. Frank Herbert. #90 Scheider. Karen Allen. #1 1 0 Bradbury. Cameron. Ken Johnson. Sylvester . Marshall. . $10. Frank Marshall. $10. Ironside. Dean Stockwell. Cronenberg. Bob Gale. McCoy. Big. $10. Weller. Walston. $10. #16 Phil Kaufman. $200. Rare. Geena Davis. Nimoy. $10. Fantastic Voyage. Invaders #42 Robert Conrad. Mark #67 TRON. "Man Who #135 ft Rabbit. B7. #158 Chris Lee. Kershner.

EP Guide. $10. Lenard. Dr. Who. Killed Spock."$10. #91 Koenig. Michael #1 1 1 Columbus. Sarah Patrick McGoohan. Haldeman. Darkman. $10. Childhood's End. $10. Crichton. V. Dune. Douglas. Nick Courtney. Jerry Sohl. . #17 Roddenberry. Ralph #68 007. Harve Bennett. Terminator. $10. Martin Caidin. $10. Van Williams. Alien Nation. #159 Orson Scott Card. McQuarrie. Spielberg. Joe #43 Altered States FX. Richard Maibaum. $10. $10. Nicolas Roeg. Michael Haldeman. $10. . #92 Carpenter. Tom #113 Doohan. Robert Piller. Leiber. Land of Hulk EP Guide. $10. #69 Anthony Daniels. Selleck. Gilliam. Brazil. Bloch. Rick Baker. #136 Mandy Patinkin. Jock Giants writers. $10. #18 Empire. Joe Dante. Tom Mankiewicz. $10. Barbarella. $10. Sfarman TV. $50. Mahoney. Carpenter. Sohl . Richard M4 Altered States. 2. Lost Trek. $10. #160 . Hatch. $10. Bob Balaban. $10. #70 Man from U.N.C.LE. #93 Donner. Lithgow. John #114 Nimoy. Guy Williams. Kim Hunter. GRR Martin. Debbie Harry. Chris Lee. Hurt. . Robert Hays. Gareth #137 Marshall. War of the Eric Pierpoint. Ghost. #19 . Gil #45 Thorn Christopher. . $10. Simon Jones. Dr. Who. Thomas. $150. Worlds. $10. Flash. Giants 2. $10. Gerard. Star Wars. $10. Peter Hyams. Jedi FX 5. Escape from NY. $10. #71 Carrie Fisher. Judson . $10. #116 . Robin #138 Michael Dorn. John #161 Jane Wyatt. Martin 2. #20 Pam Dawber. Kirk Scott. Dan O'Bannon. $10. Curtis. Whitney. Paul Larroquette. Jean-Claude Suzie Plakson. Liam Alyn. Buck Rogers. #46 Harry Hamlin. #94 Doohan. Sayles. Darrow. Nichols. $75. Van Damme. Lenard. Neeson. Ghost. Robin of Superman. $10. Superman II. Greatest #72 7th Anniversary. William Katt. John Barry. Phyllis Coates. John Sherwood. $10. American Hero. $10. Bradbury. Hamill. Shatner. . V. Jedi #117 . Oz. Colicos. ft Rabbit. B7. $10. #21 Mark Hamill. Lost in Roger Moore. June FX 6. $10. Nation. Lenard. RoboCop. #162 Stockwell. Patrick Space EP Guide. Buck #47 Takei. Sarah Douglas. Lockhart. S10. $10. #139 Patrick Stewart. Swayze. LeVar Burton. Val Rogers. $10. Doug Adams. Outland. #95 Grace Jones. Matthew Gareth Thomas. Landau. Guest. Don Matheson. $1 0. $10. #73 Cliff Robertson. Broderick. Butrick. Hauer. #118 Shatner. Rod Taylor. Coates 2. Nigel Kneale. #22 Special FX careers. . Roy Mad Max III. Cocoon. $10. Jeff Morrow. Michael Phantom of the Opera. $10. #163 Mumy. Guest 2. Lome Greene. Veronica #48 5th Anniversary. Bill Scheider. Jason Robards. Keating. D.C. Fontana. McFadden. B&B. B7. $10. Cartwright. ALIEN. $10. Mumy. Ford. George Hamill 2. $10. #96 9th Anniversary. Peter George RR Martin. $10. #140 Bill Murray. Kneale 2. Lucas. Carpenter. $10. Cushing. . Wheaton. Rex Reason. Eric #1 64 Dan Aykroyd. John #23 Dan O'Bannon. #74 Molly Ringwald. Tina Turner. John Cleese. #119 Doc Savage. Takei. Stoltz. B&B. $10. Agar. Richard Denning. Prowse. Dr. Who. The Day #49 Kurt Russell. Lucas Michael Ironside. Malcolm Moore. Jedi FX 7. $10. Kerwin Matthews. $10. Tim Burton. Jerome Bixby. the Earth Stood Still. $10. 2. Takei. 007 FX. $15. McDowell. Lorenzo #141 Diana Muldaur. Alien Nation. $10. Semple. $10. #97 Mel Gibson. Ron #121 Chris Reeve. Mel Jared Martin. Amanda #24 3rd Anniversary. #50 Lucas 3. Spielberg. Howard. . Brooks. Dante. Lithgow. Pays. Gilliam. Bennett. #165 Dick. FX 2. $10. William Shatner. Leonard Sean Connery. Lawrence #75 Nancy Allen. John Chris Walken. Donner. Weller. Henriksen. Karen Kneale 3. $10. Nimoy. $10. Kasdan. . Lithgow. George Lazenby. Glenn. B7TF$10. Allen. $10. #166 Robin Hood. Heavy Metal. $1 00. McQuarrie. Semple 2. $10. #143 Perlman. Kelley. Rocketeer. Mark Ryan. #25 . #98 Michael J. Fox. #122 007 Film Salute. Robert Picardo. Tracy WWorlds EP Guide. $10.

ST:TMP. Thing. $10. #51 Kasdan 2. #76 Crabbe. Sybil George Miller. Dante. Martin Short. Duncan Torme. Indy III. Batman. Shatner. Harryhausen. Danning.$10. Jennifer Beals. $10. Regehr. Lost Boys. $1 00. SF costuming. $50. #1 67 Pertwee. Mary E. #26 Ridley Scott. Giger. Roddenberry. Jerry Mastrantonio. Creature Gerry Anderson. $10. Goldsmith. $10. #77 Phil Kaufman. Chuck #99 Anthony Daniels. #123 Nancy Allen. Dolph #144 13th Anniversary. from Black Lagoon. $10. Yeager. Tom Baker. Zemeckis. "Cubby" Lundgren.Tim Dalton. Shatner. Richard Chaves.

#27 Galactica EP Guide. #52 Blade Runner. Trumbull. $10. Broccoli. Mad Max. $10. RoboCop. ST:TNG. $1 00. Kim Basinger. Harry #1 68 1 5th Anniversary. ST: TMP. ALIEN FX. Shatner. $10. Harrison. Roger Rabbit Terminator 2. Lost in

Nick Meyer. $10. #78 Ferrigno. Meyer. #100 Lucas. Nimoy. #124 . Kevin FX. Indy III. Batman. $10. Space. . #53 Bradbury. Patrick Clarke. Trumbull 2. Carpenter. Ellison. McCarthy. Gary $10. #28 Lou Ferrigno. Macnee. Blade Runner. Lance Henriksen. Harryhausen. Nichols. Lockwood. Courteney #1 45 Tim Burton. John Wonder Woman EP $10. Scott Glenn. $10. Cushing. Irwin Allen. Cox. ST:TNG. $15. Rhys-Davies. William #169 Schwarzenegger. Roald Dahl. . Bill #189 Dale Midkiff. Robert #212KateMulgrew. Voyager\am interview. Flores. Costner. Steve Liam Neeson. Siddig. SG-1. $10. a Ted 2. Dr. Who. $10. Patrick. DS9. $10. Shatner. Stewart. Bakula. Auberjonois. Shimerman. Railsback. $75. Sonnenfeld. Van Damme. Lambert. Geraint Wyn Writing Buck Rogers. $10. Young Here. Tarzan. $10. #285 Jeri Ryan. Tom #1 70 Cameron. Keanu #190 Armin Shimerman. Davies. X-Files. $1 00. #249 Jeri Ryan. Tracy Braidwood. Alexondra Reeves. Robert Patrick. T2. Mark Goddard. Anne #232 Russell. Dorn. Scoggins. Crusade. Lost in #266 Kelley tribute. Lee. Pratt. Farscape. BTTF. Dr. Who. Time McCaffrey. Danny #213 . Keaton. Emmerich. Space. SG-t.$10. McDiarmid. Will Smith. $10. Tunnel writers. $10. John-Jules. Koenig. $10. , Malcolm Writing Buck 2. $10. Kevin Kline. Mystery Men. McDowell. CD Barnes. #250 Duchovny. Berman. Iron Giant. Tarzan. $1 0. #286 Jonathan LaPaglia. #171 Brent Spiner. Gilliam. #191 Rene Auberjonois. Robert D. McNeill. #233 Gillian Anderson. Bennett. Van Dien. Gary Anthony Simcoe. Chris Fred Saberhagen. T2. Lucas. Jurassic Park. $1 0. Jessica Steen. $10. Stewart. Frakes. Koenig. Oldman. From the Earth to #267 Berman. Eric Idle. Carter. Stephen Tunnel writers 2. $50. Torme. $10. the Moon. Lost in Space. Branagh. Sebastian Snedden. Joel Tobeck. #192 17th Anniversary. #214 Mumy. Roxann Daw- Deep Impact. $10. Spence. Geoffrey Rush. Julie Benz. Michael #172 Koenig. Brian Aldiss. Spiner. Crichton. Frederik son. Rebecca Gayheart. #234 Peter Jurasik. Tim Shirley Eaton. Pernilla Landes. McCaffrey. Russ. B7. Baa. $10. Pohl. $1 0. Species. Outer Limits. $10. Burton. Star Wars. "." #251 Heather Graham. August. Crusade. $10. Beltran. $10. $10. Matt LeBlanc. Hudson #173 Kelley. Frakes. #1 93 Schwarzenegger. #21 5 Duchovny. Leick. X-Files. Deep #268 Chris Carter. #287 Angelina Jolie. Bakula. Teri Garr. Alien Chris Lloyd. JPark. $10. . #235 . French Impact. SG-1. $10. Mulgrew. de Lancie. James Arness. David Nation EP Guide. $10. . Stewart. Robert Trebor. Darren. O'Connor. Oz. Boreanaz. Emilie de #1 94 . Brian Nigel Bennett. $10. Doyle. Carrey. Elfman. #252 22nd Anniversary. Roswell. Iron Giant. $10. Ravin. Wayne Pygram. #1 74 Stewart. Nimoy. Bonsall. Jurassic Park. $1 0. $10. Chris Carter. Nimoy. Dawson. Phillips. Bruce Takei. Lambert. $10. #216 19th Anniversary. Boxleitner. Jerry #269 Weaver. McNeill. Harwood. Shrek. $10. #195 Piller. Praed. Picardo. . #236 Star Wars 20th Sa- O'Connell. Earl Hoiliman. Sorbo. . Ray #175 Roddenberry Salute. Ann Robinson. 25 best Richard Dean Anderson. lute. Hamill. Daniels. Re- . $10. Park. Daniel Goddard. Toy #288 25th Anniversary. Shatner. Dorn. Nichols. Next Generations. $10. Antonio Sabato Jr. $1 0. nee O'Connor. Alice Krige. Story 2. $10. Jules Verne. H.G.Wells. Macnee. $10. $10. #253 Antonio Banderas. Steven Spielberg. #1 96 . #217 Chris O'Donnell. Ben Affleck. Dante. Kari #270 Nimoy. Tim Allen. Reitman. Joe Johnston. #176 . Sirtis. Hatch. Richard Marshall. Howard. Nimoy. #237 Lucas. Lawless. Wuhrer.S5.$10. Natalie Portman. Witchblade.$-\5. Doohan. Kim Caftrall. Llewelyn. Alan Hunt. $10. Piller. William Alland. $1 0. Cronenberg. Spiner. Bully. Brendan Fraser. Wheaton. Jon Lovitz. Andrew Robinson. #254 UmaThurman. Desmond Llewelyn. #289 Burton's Apes. Rick Kathy Ireland. $10. #197 Bruce Campbell. #218 Jim Carrey. Stan Highlander. X-Files. $10. . Catherine Gerrit & Heather Baker. John Chambers. Wesley Snipes. Michael Winston. Crosby. Kennedy. Zeta-Jones. Farrell. Graham. Dana Wynter. Duchovny. Tomb Raider. #177 Nick Meyer. Whelan. Peter Davison. Alland 2. $10. #238 Sorbo. Christian. Tim Pileggi. Jessica Steen. Cleese. 2. $10. $10. Carpenter. Tarzan. $10. Jonathan Brandis. $50. Russ. LeVar Burton, indy $100. #21 9 Kevin Costner. Dr. Who. $10. #271 . Johnny #290 Carpenter. West. #1 78 . #198 Lockhart. James Stephen Furst. Dorn. #255 Gillian Anderson. Depp. Brosnan. Ben Ming-Na. Law. Haley Joel

Honey, I Blew Up the Kid. Bama.Ted Raimi.$10. Nimoy. Alland 3. Writing #239 . . Snipes. Browder. Marc Singer. Osment. $25. Young Indy. $10. Lost in Space. $10. Richard Biggs. Howard Sean Patrick Flanery. Vin Diesel. Columbus. #1 99 Nana Visitor. McCoy. Gordon. . Hatch. Jefferson. First Wave. Cleopatra #291 Tim Burton. Takei. #1 79 Tim Thomerson. John Barry. John #220 Jennifer Hetrick. Hauer. Xena FX. X-Files. Galactica. $15. 2525. $10. Frakes. Rhys-Davies. Robert Colbert. B&B. D'Aquino. TekWar. $10. Space: Above a Beyond. Highlander. Spawn. $10. Braga. Lani John Tupu. ALIEN. $10. X-Files. Writing LiS 2. $1 0. #256 Elizabeth Gracen. #272 Jason Behr. Gina Chad Willett. $25. #200 Gibson. Gale Ann #240 21st Anniversary. Matheson. Antz. X-Files. 7 Torres. Jayne Heitmeyer. #180 16th Anniversary. Hurd.Tim Burton. Dante. #221 Chris Carter, de Rhys-Davies. de Lancie. Days. Pleasantville. $50. William Sadler. Xenia #292 Liv Tyler. Jet Li. Tim Burton. James Bova. Gilliam. $15. Lancie. Spiner. Barry Winston. Gordon 2. Men in Seeberg. Pitch Black. Alba. Holm. Berman. Darren. Mariette Hartley. Morse. Toy Story. $10. Black. Contact. $10. #257 Robert Leeshock. $10. Daniel Radcliffe. Samurai Henriksen.$10. #201 Chris Carter. Norman Lloyd. Stewart. Jack. Mutant X. Andro- Alexander Siddig. Colin #222 . #241 Jodie Foster. Rick Shatner. Carpenter. $50. #273 Jeri Ryan. Larry meda. Smallville. $25. #181 Asimov tribute. Baker. Red Dwarf. $10. Dwight Schultz. Garrett Baker. Goldblum. MiB. $10. Niven. Jet Li. Victoria Deanna Lund. Stuart Wang. Cameron. Gilliam. #258 Justina Vail. Kevin Pratt. Cole Hauser. #293 Bakula. Shatner. Gordon. Lundgren. Voyage #202 David Duchovny. Auberjonois. $10. #242 Will Smith. Barry Smith. Russell. Frakes. Radha Mitchell. Nimoy. Sean Astin. writers. $10. Mira Furlan. Stephanie Sonnenfeld. Ironside. Frewer. A Bug's Life. $10. . $10. Warwick Davis. Nigel Beacham. X-Files. $10. #223 . Roy Event Horizon. Kull. Bennett. Patrick #1 82 Lloyd Bridges. Thinnes. Verhoeven. Spawn. Star Wars. $10. #259 Sirtis. Rick Baker. #274 Charisma Warburton. Columbus. Van Damme. Roland #203 Rod Serling. Ray Weller. Koenig. $10. Nation. B5. Batman Carpenter. Terry Kilner. 65 jam interview. Emmerich. Voyage Liotta. . $10. #243 Mimic. MiB. Glen Beyond. $10. Pratchett. Christian. Vail. Monsters, Inc. $50. writers 2. B5. $10. #224 Bruce Willis. Robin Larson. Robert Beltran. Tim Matheson. Keith

#204 1 8th Anniversary. Williams. Kristen Cloke. Aron Eisenberg. Erin Gray. #260 Bruce Campbell. David. John Billingsley. #294 Peter Jackson. #183 Danny DeVito. Claudia Christian. Frakes. Ford. Lithgow. $10. Joseph LoDuca. Kevin Bacon. Piller. EFC. Frequency. $10. Elijah Wood. John Pfeitfer. Walken. Tim McFadden. $10. Zemeckis. V$10. Wonder Woman. $10. Lasseter. John Shea. Powers. Chad Oliver. #225 . #275 Gillian Anderson. Billingsley. Lexa Doig. Young Indy. Voyage #205 . Mitch Pileggi. Thompson. #244 Max Grodenchik. #261 . . X-Men. X- Valarie Rae Miller. writers 3. $10. Lionel Jeffries. Gerry FX. MST3K. Casper Van Dien. Stewart. Michael Easton. Spiner. Fites. Now & Again. $1 0. Michael T.Weiss. HB Anderson. $150. . $10. Earth: Final Farscape. Art of Matrix. Carter. Jimmy Neutron. #1 84 Blade Runner. Scott. Conflict. X-Files. MiB. $10. $10. #276 24th Anniversary. Justice League. $10. Quantum Leap. #206 de Lancie. Peter #226 Jason Carter. Duchovny. Verhoeven. Stephen Donaldson. Beagle. Time Cop. Sabrina Lloyd. Day in the #245 Starship Troopers. #262 Samuel L. Jackson. Wolfgang Petersen. #295 Jolene Blalock. $10. Invaders writers. $10. Trek. X-Files. $10. Verhoeven. X-Files. Matt Groening. Carrie- Virginia Hey. Vincent . Viggo Hercules. SG-1. $10. Anne Moss. Reeves. Ventresca. Quaid. Park. Mortensen. Robbie #185 Highlander. Old Indy. #208 Michael O'Hare. #227 . Nick Freddie Prinze Jr. Dinosaur. $10. Coltrane. Laura Bertram. Zemeckis. Robert Ed Wood. $10. Tate. Meaney. Dr. Who. B5. #246 Alien: Resurrection. Wachowskis. Bulloch. Lauren Lee Smith. B5. Sheckley. Immortal. $1 0. X-Files. $10. Tomorrow Never Dies. Franklin. Matrix. $100. #277 Ian McKellen. Anna $10. #209 Sfart3ate. Weaver. Ethan Hawke. Paquin. James Marsden. #186 Stewart. Anne Generations. Helena #228 20th Anniversary. Rare! $100. #263 Ewan McGregor. Russ. Lathe of Heaven. #296 Annabeth Gish. Francis. Adrian Paul. Red Bonham Carter. Andrea Goldblum. O'Bannon. Nicole deBoer. Inv. Man. $200. McKellen. Tim Guinee. Dwarf. Anmorta/ 2. $10. Thompson. $10. Mulgrew. John #247 Jimmy Stewart. Cronenberg. Tarzan. Gordon Woolvett. Frankenheimer. $10. Pierce Brosnan. Winona Mummy. Matrix FX. $50. #278 Chris Carter. Nichols. $10. #187 . #210 Mario Van Peebles. Ryder. David McCallum. Famke Janssen. Gigi Gordon Scott. Craig West. Barrett. Nichols. #229 ID4. . Leni Parker. Ted Raimi. #264 23rd Anniversary. Edgley. Kevin Bacon. #297 Chris Lee. Howard Charles. Time Trax. $10. Brown. X-Files. $10. Dina Meyer. Paxton. $25. Weaver. Visitor. Furlan. Gary Coie. Jude Law. Joe Shannon Kenny. Space Shore. Winston. Ice Age. Perlman. Benedict. Pantoliano. Warren Cowboys. The Blob. $10. Jeremiah. Spider-Man.

#188 Terry Farrell. Doug #21 1 . Jerry #230 Van Peebles. Jeff Ferrigno. $10. Stevens. Shimerman. $50. Adams. Chris Barrie. Hardin. . Conaway. Will Smith. $75. Tarzan. Matrix. $10. #279 Farscape FX.Yancy Andreas Katsulas. Debrah Farentino. Russell. #248 Jonathan Harris. Butler. Stewart. Paul. #298 $50. Bennett. $10. Wise. $10. #231 Trek30th Salute. William B. Davis. Von #265 Lucas. Mike Myers. Andromeda. Dark Angel. $10. #299 Willem Dafoe. James Gurney. Portman. #280 Schwarzenegger. Linda Park. Charisma STARLOG BACK ISSUES! Cameron. Sorbo. Bruce Carpenter. $25. Card Expiration Date: / (Mo./Yr.) Issues 2-8 & 10 are reprinted. Campbell. Anthony S. Some issues are in very short supply. Head. Gena Lee Nolin. #300 26th Anniversary. NickWechsler.$10. Lucas. Spielberg. Chris Issues not listed are sold out. Your Daytime Phone #:( ) Carter. . Piller. Postage & Handling: One magazine: add $3. Two to five #281 . Shiri Yancy Butler. Boreanaz. magazines: add $8. Six or more magazines: add Appleby. Mulgrew. Browder. Weller. Hayden Lawless. Rebecca Christensen. $25. $10. Foreign: One magazine: add $9. Two or Print name as it appears on your card Romijn-Stamos. Brian more magazines: add $5.00 per magazine. New Jacques. Futurama. $10. #301 Cruise. Dunst. 1 sales tax. York State residents add 8 /4% Chris Lee. Sonnenfeld. Method of Payment: Street #282 Patrick. Picardo. Anthony Michael Hall. Cash Check Money Order Lisa Ryder. Brendan Kevin (Ares) Smith. $10. Fehr. . Discover MasterCard Visa Dune. $10. #302 Tommy Lee Jones. City State Zip Will Smith. Christian #283 . Bale. Sam Jackson. Majandra Delfino. Banderas. deBoer. $10. Please send me these STARLOGS. Total enclosed: $ Jennifer Sky. Keith Stewart. Price > Issue* Price Hamilton Cobb. Lorenzo #303 Whedon. lssue# 3 order to: Send cash, check or money Lamas. Pileggi. Wang. Craig. Hedison. Dina STARLOG GROUP, Inc. Christopher. $10. Meyer. Corin Nemec. lssue# Price > Issue* Price 3 475 PARK AVENUE SOUTH $10. #284 Traci Elizabeth Issue* Price 3; Issue* Price NEW YORK, NY 10016 Lords. Dean Haglund. #304 November. $10. IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO CUT OUT COUPON, WE Michelle Lintei. Richard Kiel. Zuleikha Robinson. #305 December. $10. Issue* Price 3; Issue* Price WILL ACCEPT WRITTEN ORDERS. Please allow 4 to 6 weeks for delivery. . McNeill. Torres. Flores. #306 January. $10. Issue* Price 3! Issue* Price You can fax: 212-889-7933 or e-mail: [email protected]

have his memory wiped clean at every which is where I first met John Woo. He stage of the contract to protect company told me that he has been following my secrets. Wolfe serves as Rethrick's execu- work since Face/Off. That was one of my tive assistant and hatchet man. first movies. Face/Off'was followed close- "I nearly got Aaron the How to Be a ly by City of Angels, which I did almost Villain book," Feore quips. "In it is a sub- the next week. And Nic Cage was in that,

section on 'How to Pick an Evil too. People thought I was attached to Nic,

Henchman.' But I figured that he had but I wasn't. I owe John Woo a big debt." already gotten a copy, so I was too late. Although based on a futuristic source But yes, there's a certain 'Yes, Boss; no, story, Paycheck has been mounted on a Boss; three bags full, Boss' feel to [my Hitchcockian North By Northwest-stylt

role]." canvas. "Much of the style of Paycheck is Just like the guy who plays him, Wolfe in John's head," says Feore. "It evolves

is not without a certain Martini-dry sense and he defines it as we shoot. But the look

of humor. "When asked by my boss, of it is fairly classic and clean. It's very 'What were you doing when you were stark. Certainly in the interiors. Large supposed to be doing X, Y and Zed?', As Andre Linoge, Feore cement structures that are very spare. And Wolfe's reply—rather cryptically and made the residents of then explosions of horticultural activity challengingly—is, 'I was eating pie.' And Little Tall Island suffer here, scientific activity over there. It's damn you if you can't take a joke. So he's through the Storm of the very lean. It's meant to create a very crisp a fairly cool guy. He does like to take his Century in the Stephen kind of intelligence, and there's a noirish King mini-series. time. If there's ugly stuff to be done, he'll feel to it."

dispatch somebody else to do it. That's Under Woo's direction, Feore and the rest of the cast function more like human chess pieces than actors. "John knows exactly what he's doing," relates Feore. "He has very specific instructions for us, and we just have to accomplish them and not mess things up too badly. Choreographically speaking, John has

exceptionally fine instincts about how it's all going to go together."

Being subservient to his director is how Feore prefers it. "I love working with directors," he says. "I see myself as a paint on the

director's palette. I'm bright blue today. Or green. Or whatever it is

he needs. I don't offer opinions on what everybody else should be doing. Some people may have that genome, but I don't. It's not part of my makeup. I don't see the natural evolution of an actor becom- ing a director. It's so hard just to get good at acting. That's all my limited skills can handle at the moment." In the six years between Face/Off and Paycheck, you would expect a noticeable evolution in Woo's directorial style. If there is,

Feore hasn't yet detected it. "No," he states. "He was very clean and to the point on Face/Off and he remains so now. I was a bit overawed by Travolta and Cage the first time I saw them. So 50 percent of my work was getting over the fact that we were actually in the same room and working together. But John Woo evens the playing field very quickly. He just said, 'Did you meet John? Did you meet Nic?

what you have goons for. His idea is to delegate, to take the hot Do you have your character? Great. Have fun.' Then it was Action!'

information from Rethrick and move forward." and we were thrown into it. Here, it's pretty much the same thing. Wolfe has his roots in a number of different characters. "He's an "If you watch John work," Feore continues, "you'll see him evolution of several roles that I've played before," Colm (pro- deflect with unbelievable simplicity of concentration and focus. 'AH nounced "column") Feore explains. "I'm using bits and pieces of all of this is extra shit. That's extra shit. I don't want anything to do with

sorts of things. But I like Robert Shaw in From Russia With Love. that. I'm just doing this.' And in his head is the movie he's now mak- Those kinds of very effective, efficient guys who do their job really ing on this stage. What he does with it in the editing room, I'm going

well. It's always fun to have something in mind that makes sense to to buy a ticket and see. So I'm game for whatever happens." you, so you can key in on it at the last minute—which is usually when I get to do my work." Goon Leader Most recently, Feore scored as the District Attorney in Chicago. Most Woo films place a great emphasis on weapons handling, Past genre credits have included Peter Benchley's Creature as well and Paycheck is no different. That's why Woo's longtime weapons as guest stints on The Outer Limits ("The coordinator Rock Galloti was imported to Heist"), The War of the Worlds ("Totally Vancouver. "You've talked to the Rock?" Real," "The Last Supper") and Forever Feore asks. "He has done more for me Knight ("Blood Money"). with weapons in five minutes flat than Landing the part of Wolfe is a feat most guys have done in days. He gives Feore makes sound easy. "I got the role by you a signature grip, something that's hook and crook. My people spoke to their comfortable and suits you, but also won't people. Their people spoke to my people. make you look like an idiot. You see guys

Luckily, it was there. And I have it. That's in movies flying through the air—except-

all there was to it." ed are John Woo films, where flying Well, not entirely. Paycheck is Feore's through the air is de rigueur—and tough I second film with Woo. The actor quickly guys coming at people with 9mm pistols fesses up: "I imagine having worked with pointed sideways. But the first thing that a bit," allows dryly. "I was happens when you fire a pistol like that is John helped he Frequently appearing in get shell straight in the eye. the exchanged [Nicolas Cage genre roles on TV and in film, you a casing and John Travolta's] faces in Face/Off, Feore journeyed to The They never show you those shots where Outer Limits for "The Heist." 54 STARLOG/MarcA 2004 — —

the guy goes, 'Oww! I need lemon juice.' Consequently, we're very or Richard III. I'm treating it extremely classically. He's a

keen on making it good and making it clear. delicately layered [character] with intelligence and far-sightedness." "Rock is very helpful in getting that to happen," he adds. "So I The plot is similarly off limits. "I might have to kill you," he have my signature [grip], which is two thumbs over and straight. drawls. "It's one of those sort of things. Obviously, Vin is a carry- That allows me to focus with professional accuracy. But the fact of over. But Riddick goes in a different direction. It's 500 years in the the matter is that I haven't managed to hit it yet." future, and there are powers that work in the world—worlds—who This is Feore's third Affleck film. The others were The Sum ofAll are taking over." Fears—where he played a nuclear bomb broker—and Pearl Harbor, Feore does offer this hint: "David has described it as the dark side as Admiral Husband E. Kimmel. But Feore didn't share screen time of Star Wars. It's that upside-down. We've discussed at length the with Affleck in either of those pictures. In Paycheck, though, the two nature of the very challenging and interesting classical references actors go head to head. "Ah- made throughout the film.

ha! It's you, Moriarty," Feore The writing is very strongly jokes. "There's a bit of that. structured. The story is fabu- Ben has been delightful to lous and [will be] exciting to

chase. It's very straightfor- watch. David has managed to ward acting. We have so much cobble Riddick together in action to accomplish." such a way that it has dozens Suddenly, two beefy guys of allusions to great classical in professional pinstripes works—be they Greek, begin hovering threateningly. Shakespearean or Biblical "So many days are—oh, look. and the histories of con- Goons. Watch out." The si- quered worlds and conquered lent duo represent only two peoples. It's a magnificent of Wolfe's underlings. "Oh, attempt to effortlessly add

I have many minions," he dozens of layers of depth." laughs. "They're called Paycheck, like Face/Off, Goons. Goon #1, #2, #3, #4, belongs to that subgenre of #5 and so forth. They're all SF films that looks at the terrific guys. Some of them tomorrow of right around the are stunt doubles as well." corner. The Chronicles of Wolfe's Goons withdraw Riddick will be Feore's first in menacing silence. Feore hard SF venture. For the clas- resumes speaking. "We've sically trained actor—who is had many days where we've as much at home on the stage just been standing around as on the screen—it's not too waiting to execute something quantum of a leap.

when the light is right, or "I think we're all very

when all the action lines up. It familiar with that SF genre," has been quite complex. But he observes. "Yes, it's a bit in Ben has been absolutely de- the future. Yes, there are con- lightful." quering heroes. Maybe they As for Uma Thurman, have rubber heads and do who plays Affleck's biologist things that way. But the real partner in peril, Rachel: "She reason we respond to [these

has been in the main delight- films] is because they're us, The eerie actor almost ful, although she did—and got Paycheck co-star thinly disguised. We delight she will pay for this later Eckhart the How to Be a in that thin disguise, because have some issue with the Villain book, but we can see ourselves straight

scene Aaron and I played over probably should have through it. And yet we're her limp and unconscious just lent him a copy of removed enough to comment Storm of the Century. body. Something about our on it, as members of the audi- lines made her laugh. She ence did in Greek amphithe-

couldn't quite get through it. She was supposed to be unconscious, aters thousands of years ago." having her brain scanned. I'll get her for that later..." With one film about to wrap and another awaiting him, Feore feels he has "been extraordinarily fortunate. I do all kinds of things.

Black Hat I keep working. And the babies are in shoe leather. There's a roof A bell rings on the other side of a dividing wall of the Vancouver over their heads. Things are going just great. It's fun to have bigger Film Studios soundstage where Paycheck is lensing. It's followed by parts and more responsibility, but I've never failed to learn some-

the familiar call, "Action!" Voices grow hushed. With six weeks of thing on any movie set that I've ever been on. I just hope that it

shooting left, there's one thing Feore doesn't have to worry about. continues."

That's where his next paycheck is coming from. Once this film But first Wolfe has to die. "The ending has gone through some wraps, Feore will remain in Vancouver to start a new project. revision," notes Feore. "I did have a merciful ending—quick and "I'm in The Chronicles of Riddick," he reveals, referring to the fast—but that has changed. Looking at some of the stunt guys who Pitch Black sequel, which again stars Vin Diesel. "David Twohy, the have come back from what they call rehearsals—they're all battered writer-director, is heavenly," Feore enthuses. "He's very smart. He and bruised, scraped and gouged. I'll say [in a mock tone], 'So, it " knows exactly what he wants—yet at the same time he's open to didn't go very well, did it?' ideas and will listen and guide you. Our relationship so far is very As for the gory details, Colm Feore can't say. He's as much in the carefully and intelligently [built upon] a common goal: making dark about his character's ultimate fate as anyone. "I don't know.

Riddick clear and good. So I'm looking forward to that." That's the problem. I actually have no idea. I'm hoping not to be

Feore plays the Lord Marshal, but the actor is tight-lipped about injured too terribly." character details. "You mean is he bad1." Feore laughs. "I think he's On the other side of the dividing wall, a voice yells, "Cut!" You probably pretty bad, yeah. I'm preparing for the part as I would for can almost hear the doomed actor wince. www.starlog.com STARLOG/Marc/z 2004 55 Eliza Dushku has had strange encounters with dead people before, slaying vampires and other beings on both Buffy and Angel.

S because as a lifelong ADD sufferer, I might the 'normal' issues that a young woman wake up one morning and want to go to faces, and then she has to go out and save

Africa and study in a hut somewhere, but I'll complete strangers, not to mention the peo- be contractually unable to do that. On the ple who are closest to her. And Tru doesn't

other hand, at my age, I feel like life is long, have all the answers, so she has to figure out and Tru Calling was too good an opportuni- what she's saving people from—and what

ty to pass up. So I went for it. It was hard to she's saving herself'from, at the same time."

make such a big decision, but I have confi- dence in my instincts." Tru Facts What called Dushku to Tru Calling, Although Dushku has only seen the first

specifically? Her answer is simple: "Why of the final seven scripts, she's intrigued by not?" Pausing to consider the question more the direction the series seems to be taking. deeply, she continues: "I like to try every- "It's going to be very cool to have someone thing—different roles, different personali- like Jason's character around, who can go ties. I like to work with different people in head to head with Tru, because even though different areas of the business. Besides, I've she's vulnerable and selfless, Tru is also a never had my own show before. And the strong, outspoken, tough person," the actress premise of Tru Calling seemed really cool, offers. "Meeting someone whom she can

with many possibilities. I identify with Tru. spar with is going to create an interesting She's in a space similar to the one that I'm in dynamic. right now—an early-20s, identity-crisis "I would like to see us explore the place. Then you add the situation she's faced mythology of the show more," Dushku adds. with, her gift of hearing the dead and turning "We should investigate why Tru can do what

the set of Tru Calling, it's the last night before wrapping for the holi- Ondays, and series star Eliza Dushku is excited. Not only is she about to fly home to spend a couple of

weeks with her family (her dog is already on the flight to Boston), but she can relax about the fate of her fledgling Thursday-night TV series: Fox recently picked up Tru Calling for the rest of the season. What's more, for- mer Beverly Hills, 90210 actor Jason Priestley will join the cast for seven episodes as Jack Harper, a forensic attendant working with Dushku's character, Tru Davies, in the morgue. "We just found out about that a few days ago," laughs Dushku, who turned 23 on

December 30. "I think it's great! We just got the script that we'll start working on after

New Year's, and Jason is in there as this hot,

new, kind of dark character. He's replacing back time. It seemed like a fascinating story she does, and delve into her mother, father one of the morgue workers, and his intro- to explore." and all these things that we've just been

duction is rather mysterious. Jason will add While trying to stop other people's given a small taste of. Nothing has really

more heat to the morgue scenes. He has tragedies before they occur, Tru also takes been explained much, and I know some fans some secrets that might conflict with Tru's the opportunity to intervene in her own fam- have expressed [disappointment] about that. calling." ily's and friends' crises. Her brother, At the same time, though, the sense of mys- Harrison (Shawn Reaves), has more than a tery helps keep the show intriguing and Tru Believers few issues with gambling and girl friends, keeps viewers asking questions. They want The series, forging ahead despite lacklus- and her sister, Meredith (Jessica Collins), is to know what's going on, why this [power] ter freshman ratings, stars Dushku as a battling a drug problem. There's also Tru's came to be. Now that we're invested in the

young morgue attendant who has the ability new boy friend, Luc (Matthew Bomer), and show, it'll be exciting to watch that unfold. lie OWN TV SNOW IS ALMOST TOO GOOD TO BE TkU.

to hear the voices of the dead, relive days her best friend, Lindsay (A.J. Cook). The In fact, in this next episode we're shooting, and thereby prevent untimely deaths. After relationships between Tru and all these char- where Jason is introduced, his character attracting a considerable fan base for her acters are among the series' strong points. brings some answers and intriguing facts. work as Faith on Buffy the Vampire Slayer "The relationships are very real," Dushku The fans are going to love it." and Angel—not to mention a burgeoning avows. "There's a human, universal theme to Of course, Tru Calling isn't the only career in films {, Bring It On and the show. Here's a girl who's just trying to show this season to present a heroine who most recently Wrong Turn)—Dushku admits get by. She has her family, friends and her hears things and then tries to affect how she hesitated about signing on for another own problems. She's a 22-year-old girl who events will occur. Joan of Arcadia and TV show. "Yeah, the business end of it is feels like she has the weight of the world on Wonderfalls also bear similarities to Tru like, 'We want you to come do this series, her shoulders. Then you suddenly throw in Calling. Dushku suspects the trend is fueled " and we want you to sign on for six years,' this time-tripping, and now her pressures are by our collective desire to control or prevent she remarks, a bit ruefully. "That [sort of even bigger than most people ever experi- dire events, especially death. "That's

commitment] has always been scary to me, ence. It's interesting watching her deal with absolutely what it is," she says. "Death is

www.starlog.com STARLOG/March 2004 57 Tru's siblings are both addicts. Older sister Meredith (Jessica Collins) has drug issues, and younger brother Harrison (Shawn Reaves) can't stop gambling.

meant to be is meant to be.' These are things There is no purely good or evil. They make that people question, especially now, in light you feel sympathy even for characters who of current events. So I think the entertain- do the most horrendous things. That's more ment business tapped into that and tried to realistic than 'This person's good, this per-

create programs that can be healing and son's bad, love this one, hate that one.' It's soothing. Tru Calling takes viewers to a safe more honest when you show people with

place for an hour." flaws who still manage to triumph, and let viewers feel for the characters instead of Tru Faiths telling them what they should feel." Early indications are that many Buffy and Tru Calling, she says, already is making Angel viewers are giving Tru Calling a try, strides in those directions—but it wasn't thanks to Dushku in the title role. She speaks easy at first. "We're certainly growing," of her work on those shows with great enthu- Dushku observes. "The first couple of shows siasm. "It was so wonderful just living each sometimes can be a little shaky, where such a strong theme. It has been especially scene and episode and day on Buffy, and you're kind of forcing the relationships. It's intense in the years since 9/11. We are a being a part of something that I really like, 'This is your brother, this is your sister, country at war, and there's a lot of fear and thought was profound," reflects Dushku. now make the chemistry. Make it fly!' 'But I confusion out there. People don't know "We made huge strides in terms of portray- just met these actors yesterday!' Things are what's going to happen next, and that's very ing young women in entertainment in a moving very fast, though. I already feel uncomfortable. One of the things that's strong, serious, thoughtful, intuitive way. I close to these people. We've started to draw attractive about our show is the 'What if?' love working with [BuffylAngel creator] Joss from real situations and feelings, and you'll angle. What if you could go back in time a Whedon. I've worked with Joss for years, see that in our latest episodes." day? What makes fate? What makes destiny? and would do so again What makes things occur the way they do, because he's so smart. He and what would happen if someone had the gets it. I always trust power to change them? It touches on spiritu- where he's going, what ality, and the notion held by some that he's saying and what his

'Everything happens for a reason' or 'What's vision is. That's the ulti- mate for me, in terms of

where I want to be as an actor. "I feel the same way about my time on Angel" Dushku continues. "They take so many risks and push the envelope with the

stories they tell and the way they portray the char- acters. Nothing is black- and-white on that show.

It's a grave show, but Zach Galifianakis' ":i "WSk (center) gallows humor keeps matters from getting too morbid.

After starring in Final Destination 2, A.J. Cook—here playing Tru's pal Lindsay—can Is Dushku seeking "Closure" from her give Dushku some Angcl/Buffy days? Actually, she would pointers on dealing love to work with Joss Whedon again. with death.

58 STARLOG/Morc/i 2004 —

Photo: Richard Cartwright

Not all of Tru's attempts to resurrect the dead work, but that won't stop her from time-tripping back into the past.

Fans of both Buffy and Angel have tuned into Tru v • Calling, but x Taking a shot at starring in her series sharing a time slot own with Friends and was an opportunity that Dushku couldn't pass up. She wouldn't change thing Survivor isn't easy. a even if she could.

While Tru is She chuckles again, this cousin or someone in my life who has time with embarrassment. passed away." f very different from Dushku 's Then, more soberly, Dushku The conversation takes a lighter turn * role as continues: "On a greater when Dushku considers all the levity on the Faith, both scale, I think death is so hard Tru Calling set. "God, we have so many * characters and unexplainable that funny moments," she says, "especially with have their there's really no answer Zach Galifianakis [Davis, Tru's boss at the V crosses sometimes. I believe that morgue]. He's so funny! But his jokes are to bear. many people, myself includ- only funny when they come from him; he's a ed, would want to go back true comedian. It's bizarre being on a show

and preserve their relation- where we tell stories about death, there are

ship with a lost family mem- bodies under sheets and it's so serious, and ber or loved one. I would yet we'll make jokes. We're all human, and ii want to spend time and when we're on the set, working in the laugh with my aunt, my morgue, we sometimes ask ourselves, 'Are " we sick humans for finding this funny?' The next question naturally arises: If With that, Eliza Dushku prepares to head Dushku had Tru's ability to relive days, how "WE SHOULD back to rehearsal for the evening's final would she use that power? The actress scenes. "Everyone is working very hard to laughs; she has been asked this one before. INVESTIGATE tell these stories and make the show fun, "I think everyone, at one time or another, has thoughtful and interesting to people—in said, 'What would I do if I could go back an spite of our time slot," she asserts. "We'll see hour, a day, a week, and make a phone call WHY1M what happens when Friends Survivor and or do something different that would change give way. Hopefully, we can lock the spot. fate?' For me, it would mainly be little CAN DO WHAT I'm excited, happy and grateful that we're things, like what would I have done to this still going, and I'm delighted that we're guy who dissed me, or what would I have SHE DOES." coming back in 2004. It would be a sad time said to that guy who was rude to me." right now if we had to say good-bye."

Everyday problems plague Tru, too. After breaking up with old boy friend Mark (Kristoffer Polaha, left at sofa), she's hoping that new boy friend Luc (Matthew Bomer, on bed) is Mr. Right. www.starlog.com STARLOG/Marc/z 2004 59

the lovebirds for Rod Taylor? There's also the sequence where Ben learns that he has been cheated. He's angry, comes home, slams the door close, makes phone calls and then realizes that the door is open. He closes it again, and—all in one shot—the camera follows him. Those suspenseful movements were in Psycho. And the whole story sur- rounding this character in danger who's try- ing to find out about himself and discover the truth—that pace and tone are pretty much from The 39 Steps. That's one of my favorite movies. I'll never forget it." The Standoffs Hitchcock, however, never had access to this kind of budget or technology. the For Uncomfortable with the SF aspects, Woo toned down the "visualistic stuff" and focused elaborate motorcycle chase through the on creating a suspenseful love story. streets of Vancouver, second unit director

Brian Smrz and his brother Gregg, the pro- shot to start from very high. Then I want to with using the cable and hanging and sliding duction's stunt coordinator, went to great see the motorcycle appear around the corner the camera to follow them." lengths. They set up remote-controlled rigs and suddenly come down to meet the motor- For years and years, Woo fans on these which enabled the camera to dip and lift, and cycle and then [have it] drive by.' I don't like shores hoped and prayed that he would lend ran cable from building to building across cheating. I was eager to do some crazy shot his legendary Hong Kong touch to American the length of a city street, which allowed that I've never done before, so they came up films. He first did so with the Jean-Claude Woo to follow Affleck, Thurman and their with the idea of building that camera rig. In Van Damme adventure Hard Target, which stunt doubles as they dodged cars and pedes- the construction site, I wanted the major gag paved the way for Broken Arrow, Face/Off trians heading in assorted directions. to involve the motorcycle doing something and Mission: Impossible 2, as well as the

"When I shot those sequences," Woo impossible—like following it going into a pilots for the TV series Once a Thief and recalls, "I let them know, 'OK, I want the hole or through something. So we came up Blackjack. Some of his most ardent admir-

Woo's trademark doves are again on display in Paycheck, but Inspired by Alfred Hitchcock, it's no wonder this time there's a Wolfe (Colm Feore, left) as well. He's Allcom that Woo's Paycheck features a suave bad guy and a exec Rethrick's (Aaron Eckhart, center) main minion. blonde bombshell.

ers, however, feel that Woo sold his soul to It isn't easy finding actors physical enough for Woo's intense action, but the devil in exchange for his shot at main- having a samurai (Uma Thurman) and stream, commercial ventures. While they're Daredevil as your stars helps. laden with Woo signature shots and themes, there's some heated debate as to whether or not any of his American ventures should be considered true Woo. Asked straight-out if he has compro- mised anything in order to wade in Holly- wood waters, Woo grimaces. 'Actually, let

me put it this way," he begins. "I try to add my style into American films. In Paycheck or

even in Face/Off, I just want to maintain something that I'm interested in, like the themes of friendship or honor, or using two

guns. I thought the Paycheck script was pret-

ty interesting, but then I realized that I'm not a good sci-fi movie direc- Woo's most recent project, Windtalkers, tor because I don't know was a clear attempt at something different. A much about special effects. WWII drama starring Nicolas Cage, the film

So I toned down the visual- tells the story of two men (Cage and istic stuff, and focused on Christian Slater) assigned to protect the love story, characters codetalkers—Navajo Indians whose lan- and [change of time]." guage was used by the Marines as a secret According to the di- code, which the Japanese failed to break. rector, the definition of a Unfortunately, the would-be epic never took John Woo film "has off and went down as both a critical and box- changed a little bit. Maybe office misfire.

I'm getting older. Before, I "I'm disappointed that it didn't work, but

made so many tragic I'm still proud of the movie," Woo says.

movies. They were very "The reason I wanted to make that film was dark. I think I should try because it has so much great meaning—feel- something happier. I want ings about honor, friendship and loyalty. I Windtalkers reunited Woo with Nicolas Cage, but it didn't the audience to feel good think that it's the most relevant and best share the success of Face/Off. The director after seeing Paycheck. I movie I've ever made. I still need to find out still doesn't know where the WWII drama went wrong. want them to feel happy [why it didn't work]. I've been told that about the future. Even though there's so beauty of dancing and action—like a mix- some of the characters were too cliche. The much going on, so many bad things happen- ture of The Killer and Cabaret. We'll get a racist problem in the film is something

ing, I still wish that people would realize that draft pretty soon, in a few days, and I'm hop- you've seen in so many movies. And then the future won't be that horrible. There's ing that it's my next project." some of the action was a little too much. But

always hope. There are always good people I need to find out more [about those are there are around. There so many depressions in ; criticisms], because many this world, especially in Asia. I've heard that good things in the movie, like the many young people don't see much of a performances. All the actors were future or feel much hope. And even some great."

young kids, very young kids, have given up ' While he one day may get around on life. It's happening in Hong Kong, to that action-musical, Woo's next

Taiwan, Japan. I feel very sad. Sometimes picture is actually The Divide, a I'm asked to say something to those young drama that will reunite him with both

people, but I don't know how. So I wanted to Cage and Yun-Fat. "It's the story of a make a movie to let them know that there's Chinese immigrant [Yun-Fat] and an always hope and don't give up. Try to find a Irish immigrant [Cage]," he says. way to work things out, like Michael "They're building a railroad in Jennings." America in the 19th century." The director hopes that The These Guns Guns are an Divide joins his list of motion pic- Directing big-budget American films f essential element of tures with which he is most satisfied. also means that Woo must collaborate with any Woo project. "There are quite a few," John Woo big-ticket American stars. That part of the JQSt don't expect foo remarks. "The Killer, A Better equation, the director points out, has been much double-barrel Tomorrow, Face/Off. I really love action. the least of his worries over the years. "I '^Utillw Face/Off. And I had so much fun

think it's pretty easy," he notes. "I had no making Hard-Boiled. But Bullet in

problems working with Ben, John Travolta the Head is my favorite. And as for or Tom Cruise. They're really nice and easy Paycheck, I think that there's a nice

to work with. It was just the same as collab- mix of action, a love story and sus-

orating with Chow Yun-Fat [Woo's leading pense. I believe that I maintained a man in A Better Tomorrow, The Killer and pretty good balance." Hard-Boiled]. We worked together as friends. There weren't any problems." In the next issue of The bottom line is, despite some harsh reviews, Woo sounds pleased with Paycheck.

"I'm very happy with it," he says. "It has a strong , and my whole idea was to use

the motorcycle in a smart way. I also wanted the film to be a bit of a Western. I've never

made a Western. I love horses, and I tried to make the motorcycle look like a horse." So, does Woo one day want to make a bona fide oater? "Of course," he says, his eyes brightening. "I've dreamed of making a Western for 10 years. And I've been trying to make a musical for a decade, too. Actually, I'm working on a [musical] project right now. We almost have a script. It's an action-

musical, but without singing. I have the story in my mind. It's a gangster movie set in 1930, about a tough guy who is also a great dancer. I want it to be a combination of the www.starlog.com STARLOG/Marc/z 2004 63 CD Cassette Quan. Price Each Total Price Send cash, check or money order to: Starlog 475 Park Ave. South, New York, NY 10016 Fax (212) 889-7933

Name Address

Postage: US - $3.00 per order Postage and Shipping ay _3L Canada - $3.00 per unit Phone# Foreign - $5.00 per unit Total Amount Due Vrsa4Vlas1ercard# Exp Please allow 4-8 weeks lor delivery • Foreign orders send US funds only.

Don't want to cut magazine? Write order on any plain piece of paper. You can fax: 212-889-7933 or e-mail: [email protected] lore than 60 years ago, Jackson Courage for the big-screen treatment,

I Tobias Whitney indelibly entered no force could stop Hamill from turning

I the annals of comic book history. over a new page in his career, or from Fueled by the attack at Pearl Harbor on making a directorial debut he calls "a

December 7, 1941, the young cartoonist labor of love": Comic Book: The Movie. imagined his greatest creation: Commander There is one small catch: Jackson Courage, a patriot with powers stemming Whitney isn't real. His "creation" has from Native American mysticism, and a never actually seen four-color combat. desire to end the Axis threat. Tragically, And Timely Studios doesn't exist. Whitney became a casualty toward the end They're the products of HamiU's fertile

of WWII. His Golden Age champion, on the imagination, all brought to life in a new other hand, lives on into a seventh decade, two-DVD set from Miramax Home and is now, inevitably, the focus of a Entertainment and Creative Light Hollywood blockbuster. Entertainment ($29.99). Enter Mark Hamill, whom the entire "The premise of Comic Book: The

planet remembers as Luke Skywalker from Movie is a combination documentary/im- the Star Wars saga. While most fans recog- provisational comedy," explains the star- nize the actor's voice from his countless ani- director-co-producer. "Take the Money and

mated efforts and know him to be a comics Run was the first time I ever saw a fictional

aficionado, what they don't realize is that documentary, though that was tightly script-

Hamill is Whitney's biggest fan. Therefore, ed by . This is Spinal Tap was called comic lover Hamill when Timely Studios tapped Commander the next logical leap; it had a storyline, but

P debut. COURAGE £ his directorial By MIKE MCAVENNIE PROFILE fl

MM

oftcornice,

Say hello to the courageous cast of Comic Book: The Movie (clockwise from left to right): Taylor Donohue (), Anita Levine (Lori Alan), Leo Matuzik (), Ricky (), Liberty Lass (Donna D'Errico), Donald Swan (Mark Hamill) and Commander Courage (Daran Norris). : STARLOG/Marc/j 2004 65 A mockumentary in the tradition of This is Spinal Tap, Hamill's film was inspired by his fascination with comic books and conventions.

San Diego's ComicCon is the place to be. Heck, even the Dynamic Duo dropped by to chat with Donald Swan.

much of the dialogue was largely impro- and panels, he instantly realized that he Hamill pauses momentarily to consider vised. Comic Book: The Movie is even more needed to rethink his entire approach to his words, then says, "I have to be a Libra experimental in that we didn't have a com- shooting Comic Book: The Movie. and think of what other people are thinking. pleted outline or know exactly what was "They've changed so much over the [ComicCon personnel] said they wanted to going to happen. years," he says, in startled comparison to his protect the fans in terms of being able to "Commander Courage and his sidekick, first ComicCon more than 30 years ago— 15 express themselves, and I know what they Liberty Lad, are being revamped and mod- dealers' tables and a 16mm projector in a mean. Some of the costumes are revealing, ernized for a big-budget movie adaptation," small hotel. "You can't truly convey the real but not any more than what you see on MTV.

Hamill continues. "My character, Donald convention experience. I was hoping to Whatever. It's their con. I am grateful to Swan, is hired nominally as a technical advi- shoot the movie like Woodstock and have them and shouldn't even complain, other sor, more as a publicity move than for any stories emerge, but that was a little too ambi- than we needed that big audience. We real input he might offer the filmmakers. He tious. If nothing else, the film could have always planned to have that panel as our cli- doesn't know that they're planning on followed a family from Wisconsin that runs max, but I think we would have had a vastly changing the character into Codename: a vintage comic book store. They would different ending."

Courage, a more realistic, almost CIA type drive to the con, set up and it would become Regardless, the director remains pleased who's souped up with SF and fantasy ele- the story of their kids and this and that. overall by how well things turned out. ments. There's also a gender switch for the Instead, it turned into guerrilla filmmak- "There are moments in Comic Book: The sidekick, to Liberty Lass, so there can be ing—get in there, get as much stuff at the sexual tension." con as we could and get out." Most novice directors would have been Pop Cultures daunted by the prospect of having to adapt Hamill admits his improvisational mid-shoot to "guerrilla filmmaking," but

"mockumentary" is born from a lifetime Hamill remarks, "It was fantastic. love affair with the visual medium. "It also Obviously, you can only fool people for so

comes from my fascination with why I'm long. Even with the beard and glasses, it got fascinated by comics, and by these archival out very quickly that I was running around books that picture nothing but covers. It's the con and doing this film. So I would

why I first started buying the Overstreet tell them, 'Look, if you call me Mark, I

Price Guide: I just love that color cover can't use it. If you call me Donald, you gallery section, and the way the art reflects might be in the movie.' Once people got

the period in which it was produced. We the idea, they got into the spirit of things look at all these artifacts of pop culture, very quickly. whether they're movies, plays, songs or "We're also very grateful that the fashion, to get a feel for what those times ComicCon let us film there," he adds.

were like. And I think comics, being such a "Having said that, they gave us total populist kind of entertainment that was access at first, then changed their minds affordable to the poorest of Americans, are about us being able to film the costume just so compelling. That's part of what drives competition, which was a big blow. Part of me." the plot was Donald commissioning these Another driving factor was the conven- costumes of Commander Courage and tion circuit. In July 2002, Hamill, in his Liberty Lad, and to have them be part of the secret identity of fan-on-a-mission Donald, contest. Not in real competition, but to just

pointed his polymylar-sealed bags in the have the audience pretend. It would have direction of the Convention given the film an epic scope and would Center, home to the world's largest annual have been visually appealing." fan gathering, the ComicCon International. But upon entering the Convention Center's Fry guy West is exhibit hall (which has 350,000-square-foot just one of many since doubled in size), where more than voiceover artists whom 50,000 fans and industry professionals Hamill has worked crowded around hundreds of booths, tables with over the years.

66 STARLOG/Marc/j 2004 An SF icon after starring in the Star Wars saga, Hamill has come a long way since his desert days on Tatooine.

Switching to "guerrilla filmmaking" halfway through the shoot influenced HamiN's decision to make a more impromptu movie.

& Q © © 0

you would see on sitcoms, nighttime dra- Book: The Movie ensemble are The Fairly mas, on stage or wherever." OddParents' Daran Norris, donning the A former VH-1 host with voice credits mask and foam-sculpted outfit (complete including in Paris, Rose perfectly with "idealized" codpiece) of Commander suits the role of Taylor Donohue, the mar- Courage for the convention; Lori (The Tick) keting slimeball out to quiet Donald's Alan, who wheels, deals and spiels as fre- attempts to sabotage the studio's Codename: netic studio veep Anita Levine; Donna Courage film. Harnell (a.k.a. Wakko Warner () D'Errico, who eats up screen from ) plays Ricky, the pothead time as Papaya—the actress vying for the cameraman who follows Donald, Taylor and fruity role of Liberty Lass. There's also Tom any female hotties hanging around. ("He's Kenny, laying aside the voice of SpongeBob an irrepressible, non-stop entertainment SquarePants to play Don's best buddy, machine," says Hamill. "We had to let him Derek Sprang—unfortunately for unen- go wild.") Before playing Leo Matuzik, the thused (and real-life) wife Jill and son Mac, only living (albeit clueless) relative of both of whom are dragged around the Commander Courage's creator, West sprawling abyss that is ComicCon impressed fans as the crudish Stimpy, Doug International. Despite the beard and glasses, Hamill's on Doug, Futurama's, Fry and other charac- disguise didn't work. Conventioneers ters (see the West interview in COMICS quickly realized that Swan looked an awful 2000 #1). lot like Star Wars' Luke Skywalker. SCENE Hamill fills out this fantastic foursome e e « s @ as Donald, though he points out that his Movie that people respond to because role took on more significance than they're real. They know when something's at first anticipated. "There's

an accident or really happening. I guess nobody in that group that really some things skirt close to comedy setpieces represents comic books," he or cinematic cliches, but the movie has a explains, "so that had to be my rawness to it. It's tricky because telling a character. Originally, I was just

story is very important; even if it seems like going to be a documentary nothing's happening, you must have a begin- filmmaker, but that makes me ning, middle and end. I wanted to maintain a coming from Hollywood, and tone of reality within the goofiness, and I leaves me with nobody who think the film offers up a nice blend of knows about comics. I wanted spices." Comic Book: The Movie to be authentic and as genuine a Unknown Comics look at the hobby and people In the comics, heroes are called upon to who collect comics as possi- handle crises too big for us mere mortals. ble. It took on a life of its own,

Therefore, it seems somehow appropriate but we whittled down a lot of that Hamill would trust only super-special- footage into something I'm ized talent to tackle the fictional storyline very proud of." within Comic Book: The Movie, which finds Rounding out the Comic itself in good voice with the likes of articu- late co-stars and co-producers Roger Rose, Hired as a technical Jess Harnell and Billy West. advisor, Swan initially "I cast nearly all voiceover people whom doesn't realize I've met through the years," Hamill divulges. that the Hollywood I "These are some of the best character actors moviemakers (typically) I've ever seen, who have specialized in this want to completely revamp niche of entertainment. Given the chance, Commander Courage ^ they would make perfectly fine characters and Liberty Lad www.starlog.com ——

When it comes to know- Cartoon work is a major knowing that it's going to be whittled down." ing vocal talent and their part of Hamill's career. If so far there have only been allusions to His most famous character is capabilities, Hamill's slew of the fanboy that resides within Hamill, there's the ; one of his funniest was voiceover credits—from the no mistaking it when he goes into the four Teamo Supremo's Bandit. hysterical (Birthday Bandit hours of special features that accompany the on Teamo Supremo) to the two-DVD set. Included among those extras savage (Solomon Grundy on are audio commentary from himself and the Cartoon Network's Justice League) cast, in-depth discussions with Lee, Smith, to the game-unfriendly (Wol- Campbell and Hefner, deleted scenes, a verine in the video game Commander Courage art gallery, excerpts Wolverine's Revenge)— from the character's "classic" radio show says volumes about his own diver- and a behind-the-scenes featurette. sity. And that's not even including "The second disc alone is a wonderful the star's other famous role—the Joker, gift to people who love animation the way I whom he began voicing a decade ago on do," he says. "It's a chance to see all these Batman: The Animated Series and con- icons of the cartoon world in the flesh. In tinues doing so today on Justice between takes of this panel we did, we have League. some of the most gifted actors in Hollywood "With voiceover," he says singing, doing impressions, telling jokes and "you're pretending to a degree that anecdotes. There's one part where someone you sometimes don't have to if you have the in the audience asks, 'I'm interested in doing props, sets, costumes and makeup. It goes voiceover. How did you get your start?', and back to the most primal kind of storytelling one by one each of these people whom I've there is—to turn out the lights and tell a tale. known for years tells the story of how they I know the visuals come later, but you're got their first job in voiceover. That was asked to do so much more when you're information that I never knew, and when I adding 40 pounds to a voice simply through watched [the— footage] later, my mouth just timber and inflection. hung open 'Oh my God, I didn't know he "People ask me, 'What do you prefer was working in a video store, just doing TV, movie or stage?' They all have their dead-on impersonations of Winnie the advantages and disadvantages. But for Pooh!' someone who was born too late for radio and "It's also a joy to be able to include the had aspired to be a character actor like full interviews we did with people like Hugh Fredric March, Claude Rains and Lon Hefner, who talks about his comic book Chaney Sr.—people who were known for background: His relationship with [Plastic wanting to disappear into their roles Man creator] Jack Cole, raiding the voiceover work presents an opportunity staff in the early days that doesn't exist outside of theater." pick up the Commander Courage costume of Mad, how Will Elder and Harvey from [makeup FX wizard] . Kurtzman came over—all of that stuff is so Guest Shots There are many real people in the movie. interesting to me, and we use it to comedic Hamill's voice nearly creeps up an octave Even my niece, a wonderful actress named effect in the movie." regarding the film's cornucopia of cameo Megan Cornelius, is in it." For Hamill, who at one time wanted to be appearances, which he opines "help you sus- The filmmaker becomes almost apolo- the next Bob Kane or Charles Schulz, the tain interest in the nominal storyline." The getic as he laments over those who didn't most rewarding aspect of the Comic Book: movie features a veritable Who's Who of make the movie's final cut, and for having to The Movie experience has been "to start with pop culture, including: ultimate be "brutal" in trimming most of the 100-plus just a pad and pencil in a field in Wisconsin, ; comics superstar ; hours of footage he shot throughout the four- create a patriotic character out of thin air and

Simpsons creator Matt Groening; Evil day convention. "I even had to cut out my then see it realized so quickly, not only in the Dead's, Bruce Campbell (and his chin); Debi kids, Chelsea, Nathan and Griffin. Only our pages of a comic book, but in the flesh. Derryberry (the voice of Jimmy Neutron); dogs remain in one shot," he laughs. "It's ter- Seeing Daran, who looks like a '50s movie 's ; former STARLOG rible getting to do what you want to do, star, play Commander Courage in the sculpt- contributor & comics scribe ; director Kevin (Jersey Girl) Smith; Tired of outer space, Hamill embarked on an underwater adventure for his voiceover greats Gary {Space Ghost) Owens guest spot on seaQuest. and Jim (Winnie the Pooh) Cummings; and FX legend . There's also an unforgettable appearance (though Jack Whitney might have disagreed) by comedic icons Sid (Your Show of Shows) Caesar and Jonathan (Mork & Mindy) Winters. And, if you're paying close attention, you'll notice Hamill running into some familiar faces from a galaxy far, far away.

"Everybody I can think of who's a friend of mine—not just from comic books, but from movies I've done—is in this film," he says. ", Stan Lee, Bruce Campbell. I had done a Simpsons comic for

Halloween, so I asked [Bongo Comics'] and Nathan Kane to come aboard, and they did a couple of ersatz comic books for us. We also go to KNB EFX, where we

68 STARLOG/Marc/; 2004 Man) is what the star deems as the right vibe for The Wrong Coast. "If you think show

business is funny, then you have to watch

this show. I think it's hilarious, and it's fun that's meant for the whole family." He's less than amused, however, that AMC has repeat- edly changed the series' premiere date. "I've thrown up my hands," he remarks, a tad exasperated. "I've been promoting the show

for almost a year now. All I can suggest is to check your channel listings for AMC." At presstime, AMC had scheduled The Wrong Coast for Wednesdays, 10 p.m. EST, begin- ning January 27. Hamill also turned up on stage at New York City's Belasco Theatre, co-starring opposite Tony Award nominee Polly (Follies) Bergen in a production of Richard Alfieri's dramedy Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks. "It's an odd-couple story about a senior citizen who has this middle-aged dance instructor in her apartment to teach her literally six dance lessons in six scenes," he says of the play, which closed in November. "He's an embittered ex- R2-D2 and C-3PO aren't the only droids Hamill hangs with. Here, he poses with some of SF's most memorable machines. Broadway performer with a foul mouth and short temper, while she's a Baptist minister's wife who matches him in obstinance and ed bodysuit Greg built—I can't describe the stubbornness. The sparks fly between them feeling, or how exciting it was for me. right away. It was funny and touching."

Embarrassingly so, in a way. I was like, What's next for the entertainer? "I'm

'OK, relax, Mark. It's just sculpted foam and working on a project right now that uses the

a leather helmet.' same form as Comic Book: The Movie, but it

"Originally, I designed him with a tri- takes place here in New York. It's a period cornered hat, and his outfit had breeches, piece in the late 1950s, about a television

sort of like a Minuteman. I thought I was star involved in a scandal."

being so clever and original, until I remem- Hamill also remains steadfast in seeing

bered that I had seen a character like that. another of his comic book creations take the Woody Allen spins webs and one-liners So, I revamped Commander Courage into a filmic route—specifically, The Black Pearl, in Hamill's new AMC stop-motion series, buckskin frontiersman melding of our cul- the mini-series he co- The Wrong Coast. ture, with Native American culture and mys- wrote with screenwriter (and cousin) Eric ticism as the genesis of his power." Johnson in 1996 (STARLOG #236). Their Hamill is hopeful that Commander screenplay of a sensation-hungry press that Courage will himself officially enter the elevates a not-so-ordinary individual to hero comics scene someday. "I would love to do a status has yet to be picked up by a studio. It's double-sided comic," he says, "where one being rewritten (to lens on the East Coast)

side is Codename: Courage, then you flip it and retitled Dark Diamond (to avoid conflict

over and it's Commander Courage. It's with Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean: The doable, and there was talk of doing a story in Curse of the Black Pearl).

Radioactive Man, but I think Bongo is smart "I am going to make this movie," Hamill to wait and see if there's a response to the insists. "It's now a personal thing. I don't Oz isn't so wonderful after the it it'll relevant character that would justify producing a Osbournes arrive in The Wrong Coasfs have to make right now; be comic." skewed version of L. Frank Baum's whenever I do it, because it examines the storybook universe. effects of someone who has read far, far too Laugh Lines many comic books and isn't completely bal- Since wrapping Comic Book: The Movie, anced in the first place." Hamill has not only returned to his usual Finally, Hamill reveals that there's talk of hectic workload, but added several new pro- a follow-up to Comic Book: The Movie, jects. One includes co-creating, executive- which he would love to see happen. "The producing and serving as principal voice film does suggest, 'Well, what happens artist on The Wrong Coast, an original when they go to make Codename: " primetime series for AMC. Done in stop- CourageV he notes. "The question is, do

motion animation (a la MTV's Celebrity we want it to be like The Player, where it's Deathmatch) and set against an Access more behind-the-scenes, or do we arc toward Hollywood-type backdrop, the series is a trilogy, where in the third film we actually described by Hamill as "a send-up of all What's "Mel-a Lugosi"? Apparently, see big sections of the Commander Courage those 'Hooray for Show Business' programs. it's a Wrong Coast send-up of Bela Lugosi movie? If the trajectory's correct, by the We do parodies of celebrities, upcoming and Mel Gibson. Get it? We don't. time we get to the third film, our budget movies, TV shows, albums, whatever. It's should be about $30 or $40 million. like MadTV and Saturday Night Live meet ed Britney Spears going medieval in "That's my prediction," Mark Hamill The Twilight Zone, then go to Hollywood." Braveheart) to the absurd (Woody Allen laughs. "What can I say? I'm a hopeless Careening from the bizarre (a war-paint- spinning webs and one-liners in Spider- optimist." www.starlog.com STARLOG/Ma/r/t 2004 69 —

\iUm WmmmM, . M mo

Amos Calloway (Danny DeVito) is the short man running the big top. Beware the ringmaster this barker has bite.

Tim Burton is, at first, evasive. Asked if thing he has ever done. Better, for the Big Fish is his most personal film to moment, however, to talk about the date, the filmmaker becomes wide- film's casting. and eyed and starts running his fingers through Ewan McGregor share the responsi- his crazy, electroshocked hair. Then, the bility of portraying Edward Bloom, director of everything from Pee-wee's Big a traveling salesman who has led a Adventure and Edward Scissorhands to remarkable life, or so he says in tall

Batman and Sleepy Hollow hems and haws. tale after tall tale. Finney is the elder Finally, he gives one of the shortest answers Bloom, who's at home and suc- to any question he'll field over the next half- cumbing to cancer. McGregor, in hour. "I don't know," he shrugs. "I treat them flashbacks, plays the youthful all as personal, but it's up there on some Bloom, who leaves his small town level." for some really big adventures that Later, Burton will let the conversation include encounters with a witch veer into personal terrain. And, yes, Big Fish (Helena Bonham Carter), a giant reveals as much about the director as any- (Matthew McGrory), a poet-turned- robber (Steve Buscemi), a circus ringmaster/werewolf (Danny DeVito) and a pair of conjoined twins (Ada and Arlene Tai). Alison Lohman co-stars as young Sandra, the object of Edward's affections In Burton's and ultimately his wife, with Jessica Tim latest film, Albert Lange as her adult incarnation. And Billy Finney portrays Crudup essays the role of Edward's the larger-than- estranged son, Will, who's angry at having life Edward become a footnote in one too many of his Bloom, a great father's stories. Only when word reaches teller of tall tales Will that Edward is dying does the journalist and fish stories. return from France—accompanied by his pregnant wife (Marion Cotillard)—to try to make peace with his dad and once and for all separate the facts of his father's life from the many fictions he has been told. Storyteller's way "It was funny casting for Edward because

I couldn't think of just one person," Burton

explains. "It had to be a dual thing. I was very lucky. I looked at pictures and saw Albert in Tom Jones. You look at that and then you look at Ewan and you just see a

connective spirit there. Then I met both of Recently losing his father made Big Fish them and realized that it was even better than one of Burton's more personal projects. I thought because they're similar in a weird

70 STARLOG/Morc/! 2004 www.starlog.com —

Sandra (Alison Lohman) and young Edward (Ewan McGregor) are at the center of Bloom's life story. And yes, those are real daffodils.

sort of way. They're both really open and were always talking about Albert's charm ton that she play both the witch and her

ready to try anything, and I found that very and getting that yin and yang, but the audi- younger incarnation, Jenny. positive. [The elder Edward] is a tricky part ence has to understand Will's point-of-view "Jessica's great," the director enthuses. because you have to see the charm, but you as well. He's repressing his feelings, and I "I'm so happy because the actors in this film also need to understand his negative side. understand that. I find that quite difficult to fit together like a puzzle. One person affects That's the classic parent-child conflict. But do in a movie, locating that balance. So Billy another and nobody has a lot of screen time. you can't get somebody to do that. They just had the trickiest part because he had to hold It's not even an ensemble, really. It's an odd grateful and have to have it. And Albert has it—in great back. Will has a problem with his father and structure for a film. I'm very abundance. then, at the end, there's this emotional fortunate that I had somebody like her. "Ewan is the kind of actor I love working unleashing. It's on a smaller scale, that Jessica gave her scenes a simple reality. with, where there's no nar- repression, and Billy did really well with it Most actors would say, 'Well, this isn't big cissism. He isn't concerned because, in my mind, it wasn't easy." enough,' but Jessica just got into [the charac- about how he looks, and he Then there are the ladies to consider. ter]. Sometimes the hardest thing for an was ready to do what First up, there's Lange, the Oscar winner and actor to do is to be simple and just let a cer- the role required, former King Kong starlet whom audiences tain emotion come through. And Jessica is like wrestle rarely see on screen these days. And then beautiful at that. with the there's Bonham Carter, Burton's off-screen "Originally, Jenny was dual casting [with leading lady and mother of his infant son, two actors sharing one role]. I didn't know 2 i— Billy. Big Fish producer Richard Zanuck how that part was going to end up; it was a

deserves credit for her casting, as it was tricky one. Zanuck brought Helena up, and I wolf and he—having worked with both Burton said, 'Yeah, I can see that.' But I [initially] take the burn- and Bonham Carter on the wasn't thinking that way because it was ing dog out of Planet of the going to be dual casting again. Then I said, the house. He Apes remake 'We'll age her up.' She has that kind of skin was willing to do who suggested where she'll probably age that way anyway." anything, which to Bur- It's no surprise that old friend and fre-

a joy because it was a quent collaborator Danny Elfman scored the quick schedule and we needed people who film. "It's a beautiful score," Burton were ready to go. The whole cast was that praises. "I used to go see Danny in clubs way. when I was a student, before I even thought

"Billy is good, too," Burton continues. of doing movies. I would go see Oingo "The son was the trickiest role because we Boingo [Elfman's band], and they were so

STARLOG/Marc/z 2004 71 —

theatrical. They were different "All of that got me thinking.

from the other club bands, and I Early on, my father was quite, I thought they were quite filmic. think, magical. He would do this Much of their music felt like thing. He had lost his front teeth, scores to me. So when I had the but still had his two incisors. So opportunity to direct a movie when a full moon came out, he both Danny and I had never real- would pretend to turn into a ly done a film before—I called wolfman. And all the other kids on him. We've come through would get freaked out and hide things together, and he's my and he would start howling. So friend." that was very magical, but then you get older and things turn a Father's Day little more sour and you forget Watching Big Fish, one gets those [good memories] and grow

the sense that Burton sympa- apart. That's why I said that this thizes with the larger-than-life film, after my father was gone, Edward. It's as if Burton is say- brought up all these things. Even ing, "He's a great storyteller, if you have a bad relationship, and why not?" Burton smiles at your parents are a part of who that description. "That was the you are. Obviously, something beauty of the story to me," he comes from them." says. "When you lose a parent whether your relationship was Child's Play good or bad or whatever—you And now Burton has a child recognize that yin and yang. of his own. The director figures

Where your parent was like a he'll teach the kid a few life hippie and you're a straight lessons based on his own experi- arrow or vice versa. There's ences, but doesn't care to get too

always that sort of classic juxta- deep at this juncture. "It's a little position, and trying to capture early," Burton says. "I think at

that was interesting." And, for five weeks I haven't completely Burton, it was also personal. screwed him up yet." There's "Losing my father the year still time, right? "Oh yeah," before certainly brought up Burton laughs. "I'm prepared for many things," he acknowledges. that. I'm quite ready to be able to "I was thinking about how diffi- do that." And he's ready to No one had bigger shoes to fill than Matthew McGrory. cult it is to put into words those regress, too. "I'm rediscovering His Karl the giant is one of many unusual people Edward meets kinds of themes." on his amazing journey. the joys of burping and farting," Burton's father was a Triple- he jokes. "And the humor of A baseball player who worked for the Parks Burton notes. "I search for some connective Helena."

and Recreation Department in Burbank, thing that I can understand. So it was easy to The joking stops, however, as Burton California after an injury cut short his base- understand the [older Edward's situation]. contemplates which of his films he might ball career. The director remembers that his The thing about my parents is that I treated show Billy first. "I don't know," Burton father "didn't discourage me from any- them like parents. I didn't treat them like muses. "I started watching monster movies

thing," but Burton nevertheless left to live normal people and they didn't treat me like before I could walk. Everybody's different. with his grandmother at age 10. Still, Burton normal people. So it was a weird relation- He'll probably be forced to watch what I'm

always invited his parents to his movie pre- ship, and not until the very end did I realize, watching. I haven't gotten that' far yet."

mieres, and jokes about their reaction to his 'Oh yeah, they're human beings and have a Whenever it is that Billy gets around to success. "They were probably pleasantly life and feelings like everybody else.' watching Big Fish, he'll probably notice that surprised," he says. "Better that than prison, his dad chose to use as few CGI shots as pos- you know?" Dark Horse Comics has turned sible. Burton went with forced perspective His father's death had an impact. "He Burton's unconventional for most of the scenes featuring the giant. was 69 or 70," Burton says. "He had been storybook creations The sequence with McGregor, Lohman and (like the sick and I really didn't have a close relation- ¥ f ^ 10,000 daffodils was accomplished using melancholic ship with him. But the last couple of years real flowers. And the titular big fish that Oyster Boy) into we made some lame attempts to try to con- McGregor wrestles was made of rubber. a series of offbeat nect a little bit. [When a parent dies], toylines. "I've worked with digital effects, but on those mixed feelings come through, this movie it was important to do it and you kind of time-travel and think live because of the nature of the sto- about the whole relationship." ries," Burton comments. "It needed a Did that process prompt Burton to handmade kind of funky quality. So identify with Will more than Edward? we did as many effects live as possi- It's a fair question, particularly given ble. With the giant, much of it was the fact that in the acclaimed Daniel camera lenses, angles and putting

Wallace novel on which John August him on different planes. We did it the based his Big Fish screenplay, Will J old-fashioned way because it felt serves only as the narrator and isn't near- more appropriate. And there wasn't any ly as integral a character as he is in the blue screen. I've found that actors film. "I try to identify with all of the enjoy dealing in real spaces with characters, because that's the only real people and real things. way I can bring something to it," Ewan was literally out there

72 STARLOG/MarcA 2004 www.starlog.com with a big rubber fish. It was like going back to the Ed Wood octopus. I was like, 'Make his head move.' That was fun, and doing things that way, for me, fed into the movie's spirit. To see Ewan wrestling with a big rub- ber fish was quite enjoyable." Right now, Burton is in London, where he and Carter live in adjoining houses. When he isn't playing daddy, he's prepping his next project, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The film will reunite Burton with Edward Scissorhands and Sleepy Hollow star Johnny Depp, who is on board to play Willy Wonka. "I like working with Johnny," Burton says. "He's always surprising and fun and he's a big star now. It's like he just arrived on planet Earth. I always find that with good things it's a delayed reaction. When people are... not ahead of their time, but don't fit into a category quite so easily, there's a little bit of a time delay." Now that's one hell of a big fish! The circus setting serves as a perfect backdrop for Burton goes on to add that his Chocolate Edward's extraordinary anecdotes. Factory will stick far closer to the Roald Dahl book than the first big-screen adaptation, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971). "I like chil- dren's books that have adults because children are like adults," he says. "Adults forget that. There can be darkness. Foreboding and sinister things are very much a part of child- hood. I really enjoy how Dahl puts humor and emotion togeth- er." Production will begin after Burton receives the screenplay. "I'm tired of having a release date before I get a script." Some people consider the Gene Wilder-starring Willy Wonka a classic. Burton doesn't. HnHgHf "Have you seen it lately?" he asks. "I don't want to crush peo- ple's childhood dreams, but I would rate Chitty Chitty Bang Bang much higher than that one. *. Lots of things [are wrong with Unable to imagine the part being played by one actor, Burton cast McGregor as half of Willy Wonka]. It's sappy when it shouldn't the Edward equation. be sappy, and it's weird when it's. ..whatever.

It isn't my personal favorite." Nor, apparently, is Planet of the Apes— i.e. Burton's own remake. Despite the fact that the Big Fish production notes mention the possibility of an Apes sequel, the director shoots down any such notion. "No, no," Tim Burton concludes. "I realized after Batman

Returns that it isn't a good idea for me to do sequels. 'All right, move along.' You know?" / \ For more of Tim Burton's thoughts on specific past films, see the interviews with him in these STARLOGs: - juice (#130), Batman (#145), Edward Scissorhands (#164), Batman Returns (#180), Ed Wood (#200, also FANGORIA #138), Mars Attacks! (#234), Sleepy Hollow (FANGORIA #188), Planet of the

Apes (#291). Living with Edward for so long, it's hard for Sandra (Jessica Lange) not to get her feet wet after hearing so many of his fishy tales.

STARLOG/Marc/! 2004 73 —

Moviemaker PJ. Hogan imagines on screen fantastic tales of Peter Pan, Captain Hook & Wendy.

By DAN YAKIR

When husband-and-wife producers Lucy Fisher and Doug Wick approached P.J. Hogan to direct their ambitious project Peter Pan, some industry insiders must have wondered what made the veteran director of such movies as Muriel's Wedding, My Best Friend's Wedding and Unconditional Love the right man for the job. But the 40-year-old native of ,

Australia had no second thoughts. "I felt absolutely comfortable with this material," he recalls. "It seemed right for me, because Hogan's heroes what I loved about the character of Peter are, of course, § Pan is that he's the ultimate outsider, the Peter Pan (Jeremy boy who refuses to grow up. He doesn't Sumpter) and belong anywhere but in a world of his own Wendy (Rachel creation. Hurd-Wood). "That," continues Hogan, "is an element

present in all my fdms. Indeed, own way of existing in the world," the film- nonconformist. And the ultimate example is in Muriel's Wedding and Julia Roberts in My maker explains. "Why? The simple answer Peter Pan," the character created by J.M. Best Friend's Wedding play characters who is that I grew up as one. I was interested in Barrie in both the classic play and the novel. don't belong, as do and Rupert film, music and reading, and I grew up in a In the movie, Peter invades Wendy's bed- Everett in Unconditional Love" They're all town that had a famous football team. My room to hear her spinning yarns to her two eccentric dreamers who dare strive for a dad was a sports journalist—and that sim- younger brothers, and ends up convincing fantasy and have the guts to make it come ple thing of not being interested in football the three to fly away with him to Neverland

true, against all odds. made me an outsider. My town didn't even to experience life on his own magical turf.

"I'm drawn to characters who don't fit have a cinema. and who have created their own world, their "It's always tough as a teenager to be a Lost Boys Hogan considers the literary source especially the play—"a masterpiece, an

amazing piece of writing. There's a lot to it;

it has adventure, tragedy, romance. It has

something for everybody, and it's moving in

ways that you don't expect it to be. Barrie said about the play, 'All children grow up that's their tragedy; except Peter Pan

that's his.' That was something I always kept

foremost in my mind when I was working on the film." Although this extravagant production creates a lavishly imaginative fantasy world inhabited by pirates and Indians—in which seasons change on a whim, and adventure rules the day—Peter Pan's Neverland also has its dark side, with danger at every turn.

Similarly, the story of Peter Pan is at once a whimsy about perpetual adolescence and a Inhabited by Captain Hook, Indians and Lost Boys, Hogan's Neverland is darker and more dangerous than the Disney version.

74 STARLOG/Morc/i 2004 www.starlog.com

1

I i

"When you cast actual kids in these roles, something happens. And in this case, Jeremy and Rachel had a chemistry that

had nothing to do with us. Sometimes I felt that I was recording what was happening between the two of them no less than telling the story of Wendy and Peter." Not everything turned out as smoothly, though. When Fisher first asked Hogan, who

is also a screenwriter, to script, he read the book and confesses that "I didn't know how

to do it. I said, 'I don't see the film here. I haven't got a clear path.' I suggested that

she get someone else to write it and send it to

me, if she was still interested in me." After a year-long wait, Fisher and Wick sent Hogan a screenplay by Michael (Contact) Goldenberg. "He had found a way

76 STARLOG/Marc/z 2004 www.starlog.com —

to do it," Hogan says, "isolating Peter and ferent world. I don't think this film looks 1

Wendy's story. The focus was on their rela- like anybody else's film. I said to [visual FX 11 tionship. He gave a reason for her to fly out supervisor] Scott Farrar, [cinematographer] the window with Peter Pan, who's irre- Don McAlpine and [production designer] sistible to her, promising adventure, fun and Roger Ford, 'We've got a great opportunity a way out of responsibility. to do something that nobody has dared to "I felt there was a Romeo and Juliet try, which is a complete storybook world quality to the story; it's so sad. I hadn't read with all available special effects.' the play at that point, and Michael encour- "For example, rather than making the aged me to read it. But after we discussed clouds real, how do we make them unreal"! the project for about a week, he quit, How do we make them a child's idea of because he felt that his draft was pretty clouds? For me, when a child thinks of much it, while I still had a long way to go." clouds, it's the way I felt about clouds when It was the next draft, written by Hogan, that I flew about them in planes for the first time: ended up as the shooting script. The duo surely you must be able to jump off them! share screen credit. rified by the Wicked Witch in The Wizard of And when you fly out of the Earth's atmos- Oz, and I told Jason that if we could come up phere, the planets must all be there, because Pirate Crews with a Hook who was truly scary, the kids that's how they look in your book about Casting was even more daunting a would have more fun and take us seriously." planets. It was the excitement of putting a process. For the part of Captain Hook, The director accredits Isaacs' amazingly child's universe on film—there's nothing Hogan assumed the studio was looking for a dichotomous performance as the reason why real in the entire movie—and using effects to star "because it's written like a star part many moviegoers fail to realize that both do so." he has all the best lines—but they said, 'No, parts are played by the same actor. "They Another good example is Tinker Bell, the this film is going to cost enough, so you'll see the credits and ask, 'Why did they do fairy, played by French actress Ludivine have to do without a movie star.' that?' But if you think about it, it's pretty (Swimming Pool) Sagnier. Hogan quotes "I was simultaneously terrified and lib- obvious." Barrie, saying, "Tinker Bell is a fairy, and erated. Terrified, because when you look for Equally appealing is Since, Hook's aide, fairies only have room for one emotion at a somebody who has star power in their mid- played by Richard Briers. "How can you not time, so they're volatile creatures." The

30s, they're usually already a star. love Smee?" Hogan enthuses. "He's wonder- author's Tink is insanely jealous, very pro- Liberated, because I could search for some- ful; he and Hook are like an old married tective of Peter and constantly trying to body who needed this role, someone born to couple. It's a dysfunctional relationship. murder Wendy. Barrie imagined both Tink play it. I met Jason Isaacs in England. I was They can't do without each other. I love and Peter as creatures of the forest, in touch familiar with his work in The Patriot, though that." with magic and the primal things of nature. that didn't tell me that he had a sense of The movie's main challenge was finding "So," Hogan notes, "I decided that Tink humor, which is imperative to play Hook a cinematic Peter Pan. "It's a very difficult should be very mischievous, naughty—and you can't play a part that flamboyant with- role to play," admits Hogan, "and I was not cute. I didn't want dialogue because out a sense of humor. But when he came in beginning to despair of finding him. It's very she's a fairy, and I felt that fairies don't to read for me, I was convinced. complex emotionally and you need amazing speak English—they speak a fairy language. "I wanted him to play both [the stiff physical ability to pull off the part," he adds, But Ludivine constantly dropped French upper-lipped] Mr. Darling and [the outra- referring to the abundant swordplay and words in there. She's a French fairy." geous] Captain Hook," Hogan says, "be- flying scenes Peter must perform. "When Is Peter Pan all its director hoped it cause traditionally that's how it was done on the door opened, and Jeremy didn't so much would be? P.J. Hogan smiles and, after a stage. What's interesting is that Mr. Darling walk as swagger in—I knew it was him, even moment's reflection, responds, "It's pretty becomes just like Captain Hook when he before he opened his mouth." close. I always feel I'm lucky if I can get SO puts the dog [Nana] out. With that act, Mr. percent of what I had imagined on screen." Darling banishes fantasy and imagination Fairy Dustings from his household, and he turns to Wendy To re-create landscapes imagined by and says, 'It's time for you to grow up.' He Barrie, Hogan felt the movie should have "a becomes almost another Hook. He's the dreamlike quality. It's a fantasy, and Barrie dark side of somebody we thought we knew said that he saw the story as taking place in and liked. He's the dark side of growing up: the five minutes that precede falling asleep, a constricted, scared, humorless, scary guy. between nodding off and dreaming. You're And the movie asks, 'Is this what happens? awake-not-awake, it's real-unreal. That's Is growing up like thisV the world of Peter Pan. It's one thing to say "And then there's Captain Hook, who's that, but how do you transpose that to the 5 all of these things, but also, for Wendy, screen? everything the father is not—a man of "I went to the painters of Barrie's time, action. And he has followed his dream the romantic period—John William Water- 0& which the father only does at the very end, house, Edward Coley Burne-Jones—and after he makes sure he protects his chil- that was the inspiration for the look, because dren." they were very interested in dreamlike

In the long conversations Hogan had states, and they did it through mythic fig- with Isaacs about Hook, "we determined ures—both Greek and Roman—rather than that he should be genuinely scary, charming painting actual dreams. It's beautiful but not trustworthy. Dustin Hoffman's take imagery." on Hook in the Spielberg version was very Another major contribution to the witty but lighter. We wanted a scary villain, movie's look is the special FX by ILM. What Having to do without a movie star for because that's what our favorite films as excited Hogan most about the company's Hook wasn't a problem. Isaacs convinced Hogan that he could be both kids had in common. I remember being ter- input was "the creation of a completely dif- flamboyant and frightening as the legendary pirate.

STARLOG/Ma/r/i 2004 11 —

By DAN YAH :7 9L Peter Pan can fly and swordfight. He can do everything, and that's what every kid wants," says Jeremy Sumpter. Pushing 15—and having essayed a charismatic, energetic portrayal of the boy who refuses to grow up—he should know. "When I was little," the actor con- tinues, "I watched the animated Disney version all the time. That was my favorite movie, other than Batman. My favorite part is when Peter Pan imi- tates Captain Hook on Skull Island he teases Smee and mimics Hook's voice. I really feel sorry for Smee, because he doesn't know any better. And Peter Pan makes him release the Lost Boys, John and Tiger Lily. That's funny!" The blond, blue-eyed Sumpter V. who may well enjoy status in a few years—says he enjoyed the fantasy world of pirates and Indians, and points out that of the feats he had to accomplish as the fearless young adventurer, nothing gave him more of a rush than flying. What did "Flying was my favorite part. My umpter enjoy Dad used to sky-dive when I was little, nost in Peter and several times I tied a pillow around Pan'? Why, my waist and tried to jump out of a flying, of two-story window, but they always course! caught me before I could do it. Peter Pan was my favorite char acter, and so was Batman, who's a cool, karate kind of guy. He kicks butt and stuff." So, when it was suggested that Sumpter audition for the Peter Pan role, he couldn't wait. "I told my man- ager, 'You really have to get me an audition,' " he recalls. "I went in, but I thought I was too small for the part, so I was bummed out. But three months later, they called me in for a meeting with P.J. Hogan, the director, and by then I had grown an inch or so. "They flew me to London to audi- tion with Jason [Isaacs, who plays Captain Hook], and we were supposed to do this swordfight routine in a park, but instead Jason took me to an arcade t/u and bought me Chinese food. Finally, they called up and asked, 'Are you guys ready?' And Jason said, 'No, give us 20 minutes.' We rushed to the park, and fhl for 20 minutes we really went at each other with the swords and stuff. These Essaying cops ran over to us and asked, 'What Peter Pan was are you guys doing?,' because it looked like this man was beating on this little much more kid. This was during the Queen's Jubilee, so there was all this stuff going than child's play on right next door—the Osbournes, Paul McCartney and Eric Clapton for actor were singing. And there we were, going at each other in the park..." Jeremy Sumpter. Hogan liked what he saw, and next had Sumpter fly to France "to audition some Wendys and Tinker Bells. At the

www.starlog.com I

when I came back home, I was Jeremy again." Peter Pan's relatively uncomplicated

existence is mirrored by the actor's sunny disposition and view of the movie as a whole. "I think Wendy likes Peter because he doesn't have to grow up, and she has to but doesn't want to," says Sumpter. "Back then, growing up, when you turned 13, you had to get married. So you had to learn about marriage, kissing and all that other stuff, and Wendy does not think she's ready for that. So Peter comes in and takes her away, and she slowly discovers what love means and falls in love with Peter. But Peter tells her no, that he doesn't want that. He doesn't like love, period. Peter can't love. He can't have love, and he can't grow up. He likes Wendy—she's a mother to him and the Lost Boys, tells great stories and is a brave girl—but Peter doesn't want any of that love stuff. "Me, I didn't even know what love meant when I was filming this movie," airport, he drew this picture and asked Sumpter smiles. "I did it so long ago— me, 'What is this?' I went, 'It's Peter was 13. 1 knew what the word expressed, Pan!' And he said, 'No, it's Jeremy but I didn't comprehend what it really Sumpter. You got the part. But don't tell means. I knew the significance of when anyone, because I have to run it by the you say, 'I love you, Dad' or T love you, studios.' So I said, 'OK.' And the first Mom.' But I didn't understand what that thing I did at the hotel was [tell my involves when you say it to a girl. Peter father], 'Dad, I got Peter Pan!' I got the doesn't get that, either. So, if you put two part on June 6, 2002—P.J. wrote the day and two together, it works out." on the drawing—and I wrapped the The attraction between Peter and movie on June 6, 2003. That was my gift Wendy carried over into real life for fromPJ." Sumpter and co-star Rachel Hurd-Wood. "Rachel and I were really good friends on Forever Young the set, and we were close off the set, too. The young performer learned to play But boy friend and girl friend when his character before the cameras while you're 12 or 13 is, you know, playing leaving his real self behind. "It's chal- games and swimming. So that's what we lenging pretending to be another per- did. son," offers. I acting as Peter for a he "When was Ironically, Sumpter literally needed to "I think and Wendy meet Peter Pan, I just asked myself, 'Who is grow up to play the boy who never wants reason," he adds. "They're supposed to Jeremy?' I went in there saying, 'I'm to grow up. Putting on an inch or two find each other so that Wendy can get Peter Pan! Let's do it!' And I did. And helped him get the part. away from all this growing-up stuff and Peter can discover things about love and go on new adventures." However, Peter is only interested in Wendy, not her siblings. "When she asks him if they can come to Neverland, he thinks that Wendy will only go if they do, too. So, he takes them along," says Sumpter. "Then, in the end, when Wendy decides to grow up, Peter brings her back and it's over. The movie is about a boy who can have anything he wants other than love and growing up. Peter can grow up if he wants to, but he doesn't desire that. He's happy to stay a child forever, do kid things and be free. When the Lost Boys leave him to stay with Wendy, Peter is sad, because they're his boys. He actu- ally believes that they're nothing without him—and Peter thinks that he's never wrong—but he is wrong, and he's sad because he'll miss both them and Wendy." Peter could kill Hook (Jason Isaacs) any time he wants to, but then that would end the adventure.

STARLOG/Marc/j 2004 79 —

The other feminine presence in Peter's life is the fairy Tinker Bell (Ludivine Sagnier). "She's very jealous," says

Sumpter, "and it makes her turn evil, but Peter doesn't care. He doesn't worry about girls or love. Tink's a friend, but she does naughty things like try to shoot Wendy down out of the sky, and so Peter banishes her for a while." Peter has a better understanding of and more of a natural inclination to engage in—masculine pursuits, such as swordfighting with his nemesis, Captain Hook. "Jason and I trained for three or four months before the [shoot], all day, every day, sometimes in six-hour ses- sions," says Sumpter. "We really went at it. It was great—even if we sometimes did get hurt. Jason and I also had to learn how to master our routines right before

reason Hook hates Peter is] because Peter chopped off his hand. Peter could actual- ly kill Captain Hook any time he wants to—that's how good he is—but without Hook, there wouldn't be any more adven- tures." However, Hook isn't Sumpter's favorite character. That title belongs col- lectively to the Lost Boys. "Slightly [Theodore Chester] is the funniest kid in the movie. He's like Peter's agent or his secretary, and when Peter is gone, Slightly takes over the Lost Boys." One of Sumpter's favorite people turned out to be his director. "P.J. He loves many thought I was Peter," says Sumpter. "I things—climbing look and act like Peter. I'm wild, ener- trees, flying, fighting Captain getic, funny, physical and strong, and I Hook—but, think P.J. felt that when he met me. P.J.'s unluckily for a brilliant director with so much passion Wendy, no girls. for his work. Without him, this movie wouldn't have gone very well. P.J. and I the shot. We didn't have much time to ing fun. And the villains are always trying are really close friends. We connected the rehearse those sequences. We would dare to kill him, just like Peter is the target for first time we met. I love the guy. His son each other to see who could flip their Hook, who wants to destroy him. [The Spike and I hang out all the time." sword the most times in the air and then

catch it by the handle!" Isaacs recalls that his co-star kept insisting on using the more dangerous metal swords. At one point, when he over- ruled his younger partner, "we finished the swordplay, and I stabbed him right in the stomach," laughs Isaacs. "Of course, had it been the metal sword, there would have been no more Peter Pan. It was

tough to convince Jeremy that he wasn 't actually Peter Pan." Friends Forever During the casting process, director Hogan pursued a Peter who could pass for a young version of Errol Flynn someone with a devil-may-care attitude and handy with a sword. "I saw Errol Flynn in The Adventures of Robin Hood, and it was great," says Sumpter. "My favorite part is when you see the shadows fighting on the wall. Flynn swordfights like Peter does. He's fluent, free and hav- As the headstrong leader of the Lost Boys, Peter is in for a sad surprise when his friends decide to depart Neverland.

80 STARLOG/Ma/rft 2004 www.starlog.com Sumpter also spends plenty of time with his own father. "He's my best friend. We play tennis and golf." Unlike his Neverland alter-ego, Sumpter is ready to grow up and reap ason Isaacs leaves an indelible mark on Peter Pan with his dual casting as the wild, such benefits as getting a driver's license evil Captain Hook and the responsible, earnest Mr. Darling, Wendy's father. The and becoming interested in girls ("I actor manages to transform himself so thoroughly between his Neverland self and already am"). Still, he is willing to forgo his Edwardian alter-ego that many fail to recognize that both roles are played by the such "corny stuff' as "taking care of same affable, passionate 40-year-old Liverpudlian.

taxes and doing contracts." And, he "In England, we have the horrible tradition of the pantomime," he says, "which is not

insists, "If I could fly, then I would never the same as mime in America. [In pantomimes], Peter Pan is always played by a middle- grow up! aged woman with a singing career behind her. My first experience in the theater was seeing this middle-aged woman playing Peter Pan, and wondering why ," Wendy found her so attractive. . But when director P.J. Hogan offered him the two parts, Isaacs was as-: thrilled. "When I first read the script, I couldn't believe what a magnif- icent story it was. I had read the novel many years before, but only had

a sketchy memory of it. Suddenly, it made sense that Peter Pan had endured 100 years."

In fact, as stage tradition would have it, both Hook and Mr. Darling were time and again played by the same actor. Besides the economic pragmatism, Isaacs understands why: good and evil are both parts of the life equation, and the same goes for reality and imagination. "According to [Peter Pan author] J.M. Barrie," Isaacs says, "if you could stay awake when you're asleep, you would find your mother tidying up your mind much like she tidies up drawers. She takes all the of adulthood, pretty thoughts and puts them at the top, and she hides all the evil, dark Captain Hook ones at the bottom so you can't find them in the morning. Children's (Jason Isaacs) minds are preoccupied not just with pirates and adventures, but also lights up the screen as the with going to school, taking nasty-tasting medicine and having to pass nefarious pirate. tough math exams." To a great degree, Hook's reality depends on Wendy's own imagi- "I would like to live in Neverland, nation. "Wendy is placed in this horrible position where she's told she has to grow up," even if I couldn't fly," notes Sumpter. "It Isaacs explains. "And growing up in those days meant marriage, kids and knitting; there has just about any place you might want was no hanging around with an I-Pod or dancing in the mall. So she goes to this place, to visit, I mean, you can go where there's Neverland—maybe in her imagination, maybe not—and in order to help her work this snow in the mountains, and then there out, there's Peter Pan, someone who's never going to grow up, who represents staying are areas with waves and surf. I would childish for the rest of her life. And then there's Hook, who represents the very worst [of build a golf course; that would be cool." adulthood, just as her father stands for] the very best things about being grown up. This Sumpter's penchant for the fantastic repulsive creature whom she's strangely attracted to looks oddly enough a bit like her also has a dark side. He cites The Omen dad, because who do little girls think about when they imagine being married? Their and The Good Son ("that's actually a dad! And that's as far as I can go without alienating the entire audience!" Isaacs adds, thriller") as his preferred movies within laughing. the genre. TV's original Twilight Zone Although his nemesis is a 12-year-old boy, Isaacs found a worthy opponent and and Tales from the Crypt are other swordfighter in Jeremy Sumpter. However, their dueling scenes weren't child's play. favorites, although he finds the latter "One of the hardest things about swordfighting is that it all comes from the feet, like

"more funny than scary." boxing," Isaacs remarks. "It's footwork. And it's tricky to thrust when you don't have

Actually, Sumpter doesn't scare all anything to thrust against. I was looking forward to teaching Jeremy a lesson, because I that easily. Perhaps starring in Bill had done a lot of swordfighting before, at drama school. I was ready to be the on-the-set Paxton's psychological horror tale expert, but then, at the last second, P.J. said to me, 'You do understand that you have to

Frailty helped. Sumpter played Paxton's fight with your left hand, don't you?' younger son, who buys into his dad's "That completely screwed me!" Isaacs smiles. "And Jeremy is embarrassingly coor- murderous rampage, believing that the dinated. From the first day, he wanted to have little competitions: 'Let's see if we can victims are really demons who must be thrust through the eye of that needle here!' and 'Can you hit that target over there?' destroyed. "I was playing someone "We fought with different kinds of swords: the shiny, metal hero swords—which we who's chopping people's heads off. That only used for very-tight close-ups—and the ones with metal on the inside and dark rub- was really cool. It wasn't scary to shoot, ber on the outside, which we used for most of the fighting. The rubber swords were but then no film is. pretty heavy, but if you miss, at least you really aren't going to put the other person in "It's exciting making movies," the hospital. remarks Sumpter. "To play someone "Jeremy always wanted to use the metal ones, because they were a bit lighter and he whom you would never think of in your thought he was better with them," Isaacs adds. "We would have big rows about it. But I real life—I love it. If I had a choice, I wouldn't budge. We ended up using the rubber swords, and Jeremy immediately hit me would play James Bond, because he has in the face. I flew across the ship, went feet off the ground and landed hard. Another all the chicks, all the guns and all the time, I landed on my back... cars. And, he has all the moves..." "Acting is a bizarre thing to do for a living," comments Jason Isaacs (who discussed The same could be said of Jeremy his role as Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter movies in STARLOG #307). "Clearly, Sumpter himself. Maybe one day some what I do is incredibly childish, no different from what I see my 20-month-old daughter intrepid producer will cast him in The and her friends do—pulling things out, dressing up and putting on funny voices. And Adventures of Young 007. I've never pulled out more things and funnier voices than I did on this film. Peter Pan is the ultimate childish acting part." —Dan Yakir

STARLOG/March 2004 81 -

jAU NEW ST/in TREK AOVENTURES

Writers Naren Shankar & Peter Allan msnexreeneHpnan jsaSfe Fields. $7. SPECIAL #22 All-writers issue: 15 interviews. $7. #7 Dorn. Next Gen art. Weapon & uniform ISSUE! The Official Magazines designs. $7. Journeys These classic editions include pasts ,#23 Director Timothy Bond. Writers. $7. present: interviews, detailed #8 Diana Muldaur. Posters. $7. exclusive How they #24 Writer David Kemper. Directors. $7. episode synopses & amazing pho- made the #9 Trek comics. Posters. $15. series' tos! Some issues also feature most #25 100-page issue. Brent Spiner. Sirtis. acclaimed Frakes. Burton. McFadden. 15 synopses. posters, designs & blueprints. #10 Directors Rob Bowman & Corey Allen. episodes $10. Complete your collection now Next Gen art. $7. while limited supplies last! #26 Spiner. Directors Alex Singer & #11 Frakes. Nine gatelold posters. $7. raj Gabrielle Beaumont. Writers. $7. THE NEXT GENERATION #12 Gates McFadden. Sirtis. FX. $7. #27 Writer . Carolyn Seymour. #1 Gene Roddenberry & entire Next Gen $7. cast interviews. Posters: Enterprise, cast. #13 LeVar Burton. Writer Ronald D. Moore. $7. $15. #28 McFadden. Hallie (Lai) Todd. $7.

#2 Majel Barrett. John de Lancie. Michael #14 . Composers Dennis #29 Q's Wit & Wisdom. Five writers. $7. Westmore. Special FX. $15. McCarthy & Ron Jones. $7. #18 Nimoy. Composer Jay Chattaway. $7. #30 Final Issue! Season milestones. 21 #3 Marina Sirtis. Jonathan Frakes. $15. #15 Dorn. Designers Rick Sternbach & portraits. $10. Mike Okuda. $7. #19 All-directors issue: 10 interviews. $7. #4 Patrick Stewart. Michael Dorn. $7. #16 Costumer Bob Blackman. Artist Keith #20 Bebe Neuwirth. Director Robert #5 Frakes. Posters. $7. Birdsong. $7. Scheerer. Trek Trivia quiz. $7.

#6 Bridge sets. Posters. $7. #17 Leonard Nimoy. Sirtis. Director Cliff #21 Directors Rick Kolbe & Les Landau.

Auberjonois, Farrell, Visitor, Shimerman. #10 Auberjonois. Posters: U.S.S. Defiant, #20 Chao. Masterson. Felecia M. Bell. Shimerman, Grodenchik, Rosalind Chao. Posters: Farrell, Visitor, Chao, Masterson, $7. Bell. Art of DS9.$7. #3 Co-creator . Designer Herman Zimmerman. Director Paul Lynch. #11 Meet Morn. Creating graphics. Posters: #21 Jeffrey Combs. Shawn. J.G. Hertzler. $7. Farrell, Visitor, Auberjonois, Meaney. $7. Posters: Combs, Fletcher, Grodenchik, Shawn, Hertzler. Ferengi Rules of #4 All-station log issue: 13 synopses. $7. #12 Shimerman. Paul Dooley. Posters: Acquisition wall poster. $7. Brooks, Lofton, Shimerman, Siddig. $7. #5 Meaney. Auberjonois. Cirroc Lofton. #22 Dorn. Farrell. Shimerman. Bole. Posters: Marc Alaimo, Visitor, Farrell, #13 Dorn. Louise Fletcher. $7. Posters: Dorn & Farrell (wedded & solo), Siddig. $7. Shimerman, Brooks, Siddig, Auberjonois, #14 Farrell. Seven synopses. $7. Meaney. $7. #6 Ferengi Special! Max Grodenchik. Aron Eisenberg. Alaimo. Posters: Auberjonois, #15 Siddig. Colicos. Kenneth Marshall. #23 All-synopsis issue. Posters: Alaimo, Shimerman, Wallace Shawn, Daphne Writer Hans Beimler. Posters: Dorn, Farrell, Lofton, Anglim, Visitor, Melanie Smith, Ashbrook. $7. Siddig, Auberjonois. $15. Marc Worden. $7.

#7 All-synopsis issue, Posters: Visitor, #16 Visitor. Robert O'Reilly. Posters: #24 . Smith. Meaney. Posters: Auberjonois, Siddig, cast. $7. Barrett, Chase Masterson & Mark Allen Brooks, Dorn, Visitor, Meaney, Biggs, Shepherd, Marshall, Shimerman. $7.; Shepherd. $7. #8 William Campbell. Writer interviews. DEEP SPACE NINE Posters: Meaney, Brooks, Farrell, #17 Brooks. Posters: Brooks, cast. $7. #25 Final Issue! Synopses. Posters. $7. #1 On the DS9 set. Interview: Westmore. Shimerman. $7. Posters: , Avery Brooks, #18 Farrell. Posters: Dorn, Farrell, Alexander Siddig, DS0cast. $10. #9 Andrew Robinson. Camile Saviola. Shimerman, Auberjonois. $7. ECIAL OFFER: All 25 issues. Normally Posters: Robinson, Morn, Visitor & Philip 86. As a DS9 COMPLETE COLLECTION Siddig. Visitor. Terry Anglim, Campbell, John Colicos & Michael #19 Shimerman. Posters: Brooks, Visitor, #2 Brooks. Nana IT: $150 (+$10 shipping). Save over $30! Farrell. Armin Shimerman. Posters: Rene Ansara. $7. Siddig, Meaney. $7.

#15 The five directors behind 25 episodes. VOYAGER #8 Wang. Designing starship realities. $7. Six Men of Voyager posters. $7. #1 Interviews: Co-creator Rick Berman. Kolbe. Designer Richard James. Regular #9 . Michael McKean. $7. #16 CGI FX secrets. Posters: FX, Mulgrew, Edition: S7. Foiled Edition: $15. Ryan, Dawson, Lien & McKean. $7. #10 Robert Picardo. Co-creator Taylor. $7. #2 Tim Russ. Garrett Wang. Westmore. $7. #17 Russ. Wang. Andy Dick. Posters: Ryan, #11 Robert Duncan McNeill. Jr. Russ, Wang, Hirogen & Species 8472. $7. #3 Ethan Phillips. Jennifer Lien. Writer Art of Voyager. $7. Kenneth Biller. $7. #18 Picardo. Kurtwood Smith. Anthony de #12 . New gatefold format. Longis. Biller. Writer Bryan Fuller. Posters: #4 Co-creator Piller. Shankar. Voyager Five posters: Mulgrew, Dawson, Lien, de Mulgrew, Picardo, Ryan, Phillips, Russ, music. $7. Lancie & Suzie Plakson. $7. Virginia Madsen, $7.

#5 Kate Mulgrew. . Sharon #13 Tom (Tuvix) Wright. Posters: Men of #19 Final Issue! Synopses. Posters. $7. Lawrence. $7. Voyager, Wright. $7.

#6 de Lancie. Joel Grey. Writer Lisa Klink. #14 Jeri Ryan. Mulgrew. Picardo. Phillips.

$7. Six posters: Ryan (two posters: full & partial Borg), Lawrence, Hackett, Takei & Susan #7 Robert Beltran. Martha (Seska) Hackett. Diol. 37. $7.

Postage & Handling: One magazine: add $3. Two to five Send cash, check or money order to: magazines: add $8. Six or more magazines: add $10. STARLOG GROUP, INC. Foreign: One magazine: add $9. Two or more magazines: Print Name As It Appears On Your Card 475 PARK AVENUE SOUTH add $5.00 per magazine. Special Offer Complete Sets: NEW YORK, NY 10016 Include shipping cost indicated. Please write in issues being ordered. Method of Payment: STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION Cash Check Money Order # # # #SFT- Discover Master Card Visa City Zip STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE

I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I # # # #SET- Account No. Your Signature STAR TREK: VOYAGER Card Expiration Date:_ . (Mo./Yr.) Total enclosed: # #

Your Daytime Phone #: ( If you don't want to cut out coupon, we will accept written orders. Please allow 4 to 6 weeks for delivery.

You can fax: 212-889-7933 or e-mail: [email protected] —

toy, doll or Niagara Falls trinket fact that the show is set in Niagara Falls and da-VERNA—first auditioned for Fox's new Notold Caroline Dhavernas that she that these inanimate objects talk to me. It mid-season replacement series in New York needed to explore the possibility of had an absurd quality to it that I loved." City. A few days later, the show's creators starring in Wonderfalls. Dhavernas, a Star Trek and Dead Like Me writer-producer French-Canadian actress, figured that out all Talking Shop Bryan Fuller (who discussed it in STAR-

on her own. "When I first read the script for Wonderfalls casts the 25-year-old actress LOG #314) and writer-director Todd

the show, it was one of several pilots that I as Jaye Tyler, a bright but young slacker Holland (whose credits include Twin Peaks, had been given," she recalls. "I had been in whose life nudges into the realm of the the FreakyLinks pilot and the unsold Time New York for three years and hadn't been bizarre when inanimate objects at the store Tunnel pilot)—invited her to a final callback, around LA for pilot season at all. So where she works begin to converse with her. a screen test in LA. Wonderfalls was the first pilot script that I In the pilot, for example, a lion and monkey "That's a very stressful part of the wanted to audition for. It was so different, give Jaye marching orders, which she fol- process," Dhavernas notes. "I spent all day quirky and funny, but, at the same time, it lows and result in people's lives being forev- on the Fox lot doing two auditions—first in was also dramatic. er altered. Dumbfounded and confused by front of the studio executives, and then in "Once I got here to Toronto, where we her awkward situation, Jaye knows she can't front of the network and the studio execu- shoot the show, we really worked on that tell anyone—not her mother (Diana tives. There were about 40 people watching

mix of the funny and dramatic. That's what's Scarwid), father (Roswell's William Sadler), me, and I had one shot at it. I couldn't do it great about doing Wonderfalls—finding the brother Aaron (Lee Pace) or sister Sharon over and over again. So it was very stressful, balance between the two sides. It's very dif- (Katie Finneran). Likewise, she isn't sure and I had to keep myself together and make

ficult as an actor, but that's part of what how much she should reveal to her best sure I didn't mess it up. I couldn't forget my makes my job interesting and different. And friend Mahandra (Tracie Thorns) or the local lines or stumble over my words.

I think that the other actors feel the same bartender, Eric (Dinotopia's Tyron Leitso), "The only way I kept myself from crack-

way because all of the characters are really with whom Jaye seems to have an instant ing was by telling myself that if it happened,

rich, complex and interesting as well. But connection and mutual attraction. good, and if it didn't, that was good, too. My going back to the pilot script, I also liked the Dhavernas—who pronounces her name career was going really well, I was happy

By IAN SPELLING

Talking to trinkets, conversing with critters,

Caroline Dhavernas delights in the Wonderfalls of it all. www.starlog.com —

with what I was doing and I didn't need the ty to take care of her own life. Although who knows what they're doing and is mak-

job that desperately. Then when I got it, I sometimes her job is to aid her family, so in ing sure that you're doing the best job you was so surprised. I came out of the audition that sense, maybe she's helping herself, too. can do," Dhavernas continues. "Bryan and

and they called me that same night. But it However, it's never really made clear what Tim are in LA most of the time, while Todd was still a very big surprise because I had Jaye is getting out of all this. is up here in Toronto, but they're great, too. never done much comedy before. I've been "You'll see a lot of her family. Jaye's I don't believe those two are going to direct working for many years, but mostly in dra- brother isn't in the pilot much, but he's actu- any episodes right away, but they've talked

mas. Plus, I'm not American. Usually, a ally a big part of the show. Out of her whole about it. And the cast is brilliant. We have a country's humor is very specific, and I'm family, she's probably closest to Aaron. He good time. Everyone has created a great

from Canada. I'm French-Canadian. I don't realizes that Jaye is going through some- character. Bill Sadler is excellent, Lee Pace

have the same cultural references. So I was thing difficult, but I don't think her sister just received an award in New York and

extremely excited when I got the role." really sees it. Still, Sharon will always be Katie is so funny. What can I say? They're The Tyler family can barely contain its there to get Jaye out of trouble because she's amazing." disappointment in Jaye. They consider her a lawyer. Jaye has a pretty good relationship an underachiever because she has a degree in with her father, too, but dealing with her Speaking in Tongues philosophy but instead works in a gift shop mother is more difficult. So all these rela- Dhavernas had an interesting beginning in Niagara Falls. "Jaye doesn't know what to tionships are moving along. to her acting career, French

do with her studies and what she has accom- "I think Wonderfalls is about Jaye realiz- voiceovers for American movies when she plished," Dhavernas says. "She doesn't ing that she isn't living life the right way was only eight years old. "Both of my par-

know where she's going. Jaye can be pret- in terms of her family and not opening up to ents are actors and I started doing that ty... not mean, but really straightforward them. And then there's the bartender. because my father was also a dubbing direc-

when customers annoy her. And these Everyone wants the friendship between Eric tor," she explains. "Then, when I was 1 1 or objects are freaky to her at first. She really and Jaye to develop into a love story. It will 12, 1 landed my first roles on television and

thinks she's going crazy, but at some point slowly open up to that, but it'll be hard in movies, in which I always spoke French.

she has no choice but to deal with them. I because of the animals [and other things] When I turned 17, I started working mostly

believe that they're there to open her eyes talking to Jaye. How can you be in love with in English. I don't know why. I had audi- and life to the people all around her. As a somebody if they have issues like that in tioned for a long time in English, but maybe result of these talking trinkets, Jaye becomes their life? Mahandra is Jaye's best friend and I didn't trust myself as much in that lan- more involved with her family and interacts becomes her confidant, but Jaye isn't ready with people she would otherwise ignore. just yet to explain what's going on. And even "When we shot the pilot, the director if she was, who would believe her?"

[Holland] and I set up a triangle for Jaye, Previewing the program last summer, with three different reactions that she could critics pronounced the Wonderfalls pilot a go through. One was, Am I crazy?' Another winner. As shows that debuted in the fall fell was her just being annoyed with what was by the wayside, TV journalists promised that going on. And the third was Jaye having something special was waiting in the wings. heart, feelings and sympathy for these things Now comes the hard part: Fuller, Holland happening around her. I basically went and co-executive producer Tim {Firefly) through those three emotions, both at the Minear—who joined the team once Fox same time and in different places. Jaye does greenlit Wonderfalls as a series—must wonder if she's crazy and is at first annoyed reproduce the pilot's tone, quirkiness and by what's happening, but then she starts to visual panache on a weekly basis. see that she's helping people. She realizes "We're shooting each episode in eight that it's her doing, but she doesn't under- days," Dhavernas says. "That sounds like a

stand why these things are telling her what lot of time, but it isn't. We're always rushing

to do. But by the end of the pilot, she knows to get everything in. But you'll continue to that she's doing something right." see those kinds of things even after the pilot.

The animals still talk, there are bits and Gift of Gab pieces at Niagara Falls and the episodes are The pilot sets several stories in motion, just as quirky. I've already seen many of the which will be played out in subsequent episodes, and they're as fast and dynamic as episodes. Part of each show, especially early the pilot. But we'll also be going more >- on, will be devoted to Jaye coping with her strongly into the relationships and seeing §. newfound power—if talking to inanimate what they're all about. There couldn't be o objects can really be deemed a power. much of that in the pilot because we only g> Another section will find her interacting had time to set up the characters and their | with her dysfunctional family. And a larger relationships. Now, we can delve deeper. g chunk of every Wonderfalls hour will be "I'm really lucky. This is my first given over to Jaye stepping into the lives of American show and I'm working with Jj TV g people she doesn't know and shaking things some amazing people who have so much m up but good. experience and are incredibly talented. The 8 "We will see animals talking to Jaye," entire writing crew is just great. We laugh

§, Dhavernas says, offering a preview of things while we're shooting, and we laugh when we | to come. "She will try, more and more, to watch the episodes. And Todd is one of the 0 understand why this is happening to her. most amazing directors I've worked with. g Sometimes she'll be accepting of it and He knows how to talk to actors and under- 5 sometimes, later on, she'll be angry because stands the level of emotions you can play in a it takes up so much time in her life. It's caus- a scene. He understands comedy, too, which •g ing things that she would like to have happen is great for me, because I'm still learning g in her personal life not to happen. She's that. He can tell what will provoke laughter 1 doomed to help these people she doesn't and what will make people cry. < even know, and isn't allowed the opportuni- "It's fabulous working with someone

84 STARLOG/Morc/z 2004 guage. Once I started to believe in myself, I to her. Then she said, 'Why don't you move Adventures of Jules Verne. "Being a mid- began to get parts in English-language down to New York, so we can really get season replacement can be difficult, but right

movies. I did many independent pictures things going?' I did, and a week later I got now there aren't that many great shows on and, after doing an independent Canadian my first American movie, the Disney film the air. I think we'll receive much more

film shot in , I moved to New York Out Cold. I then landed a guest lead on a attention than if we had come out in the fall." City. Law & Order episode, and followed that up As for that CBS series that shares a few "That movie was The Baroness and the with a Peter Greenaway movie, The Tulse striking similarities with Wonderfalls, Pig," she remarks. "Patricia Clarkson played Luper Suitcases: The Moab Story, which Caroline Dhavernas comments, "People are

the baroness and I was the pig. After we got opened at Cannes this year [and will play probably right in saying that Joan ofArcadia back from Hungary, Patricia introduced me other film festivals before receiving a U.S. opened things up for this show. We're com-

to her agent in New York. Her agent and I release]. And then I got Wonderfalls." pared a lot, but Wonderfalls stands on its started talking, and she sent me on auditions Dhavernas believes that the series is own. There's more comedy in our show, it's the next day. I got good feedback, so I went h debuting at an opportune time. "It's quirkier and we have inanimate objects. The back to Montreal, bought a camera and perfect timing for us," enthuses the fantasy is way out there, whereas Joan of lights and put myself on tape. The agent actress, whose only previous Arcadia is about talking to God. So we're would send scripts to me in Montreal genre credit was. the "Golem" really quite different. I think that there's

and I would tape myself and send it episode of The Secret room for both of us." -4g

Who are the five people Jaye will meet in Wonderfalls 1? They're mostly family—brother Aaron (Adam Scott in the pilot, pictured; Lee Pace in the series), mother Karen (Diana Scarwid), bartender Eric (Tyron Leitso), sister Sharon (Katie Finneran) and father Darrin (William Sadler).

PI ¥777/ So sjOU the. ^lection for MAXIMUM Qoverhor of C°i\rforr\'\q. run for FVesi4eht/

V v <2 t

A DOPEV IDEA.

,X " 106A ! IWVOU SHOULD TAKE. UP WQ/\ !

STARLOG's ace cartoonist skewers the science fiction universe once more.

Somebody, stop him! AFTER VO'fAQERTHE DOCTOR &ECAMETHE MOST POPULAR PLASTIC SURGEON IN THE UNIVERSE.

86 STARLOG/Marc/i 2004 www.starlog.com " " "

EDWARD SCISSoRHAMPS AS A KID.

THE LEAGUE of ordinjarW gentlemen.

4'H0WMAWN TIMES HAVE I TOLD W? NO RUNMIMQ WITH SCISSORS IN THE HOUSE?

U AN INFINITE NUMBER OF MOKIKENS WITH TYPEWRITERS,AND DO WE GET SHAKESPEARE? NOOOOl WE GET "TEW O'CLOCK BATTLEFIELD EARTH!" , A m/oW-BELLIED, SCRUFFV-CHINN/EP TOIDAR \AU !

PR0JECT:GENESIS

"I DONT EAT ELOl, I JUST hunt FOR SPORT. mm TRI&BLE BA5EBALL MAXIMUM

BEFORE THE CENSORS OK'D BENDER'S ASS.

THE FLY VS. MICHIGAN! X FR06.

outlived his USefu/heSS.

)-(aVe hiCA

SCHIZOPHRENIA GONE AWRY

JUSTWHEM YOU THOUGHT THE HULK COULDNY GET AMY MADDER. AUPlTlOHSFoRTHIK/a 1 4NDTWNG 2-

X NtaHTCRAWLERS 5URE6ET £H BITlNl'!

88 STARLOG/March 2004 www.starIog.com NEW AND IMPROVED!

p-fro-dafe* editorial from the be&f »nt-e>rrc3inme»nr journalists in the qenre: SUBSCRIBE News! BernncJ-fhe-£.c:er»eE» reports.1 HR5 NEVER Bt Exclusive3 interviews! DVD/F-llm/TV reviews! Magazine previews!

1 STf* • X Fj'S F"R . ' 15 CARTOONS ~ Ers/IRIL W TO yOUR F 1 tfT)lTH THE HUbE SUCCESS J-,j jJ £^-fJ, JJlyJ J^j_J OF THE PIRATES °F THE CAR/BBEAW MOVIE, Sense of Wonder? Yes, that's what science fiction & fan- OWNERS OF OTHER. lished interview I

tasy is famously supposed to create. But, you know, so "R.IPES" WANT TO GET listed here that is

I IMTD THE FILM 6/Z/... Am mlOften when venture into the dark to see a genre movie-j- not completed as which I've edited (or written) and published articles about in of presstime), pro- I STARLOG—I soon emerge back out into the light with a Sense ducer Barrie M. of Disappointment. Osborne (#288; How especially true last year! Like just about everybody, I FANTASY I loved , X2, Pirates of the Caribbean and Elf. And I WORLDS #2), co- liked Peter Pan, Daredevil, Brother Bear and Sinbad (although writer Philippa your mileage may vary on those last four opinion-wise; I know Boyens (#315), I people who loathed them). Everything else? Disappointing. visual FX guru Except, of course, for The Lord of the Rings: The Return of Richard Taylor the King. Another masterpiece to match, even surpass The Fel-\ (forthcoming), lowship of (a great movie) and The Two Towers (an even composer Howard I greater movie). Kudos to Peter Jackson, cast and crew for not Shore (#297) and disappointing us. And thanks for restoring that Sense of Wonder. Making Fellowship Anyhow, it's a real pleasure to publish articles about films (FANTASY I that turn out—as we always sincerely hope they will be—to be- WORLDS #1). good. For my part, I keep getting asked about our Rings cover- As for the Fel- age. So, let me devote the rest of this column to noting our Mid- lowship themselves, Elijah Wood (Frodo, #294, #306, #318; I dle-Earth line-up. FANTASY WORLDS #3), Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn, #295, Without further ado, for more Rings interviews, see these #308, #318; FANGORIA #208), Sir Ian McKellen (Gandalf, issues of STARLOG and our sister magazines: director-producer- #277 on X-Men and his career, #296 and next issue, #321), Sean I co-screenwriter Jackson (#294, #309, #319; FANTASY Astin (Sam, #293, #306, forthcoming; FANTASY WORLDS WORLDS #3; FANGORIA #209, #217, #229), producer-co- #3), Dominic Monaghan (Merry, #305, #318), Billy Boyd (Pip- writer Fran Walsh (forthcoming, although this is the only unpub- pin, #305, #317), Orlando Bloom (Legolas, #298, #316, forth- coming; FANTASY WORLDS #1), John Rhys-Davies (Gimli & I (SliZteMAL. SURPRISE ENDING OF RIPLEY Treebeard, #145 & #240 on Indiana Jones and his career, #291, ^Scott's ALIEN f. forthcoming; FANTASY WORLDS #2), (Boromir, #304) and the all-four-Hobbits'-jam interview (FANTASY I WORLDS #1). And the others? Sir (Bilbo, #99 on his career, #292), Liv Tyler (Arwen, #292, page 38 this issue; FANTASY I WORLDS #2), Hugo Weaving (Elrond, #310; FANGORIA #222), Cate Blanchett (Galadriel, #295), Christopher Lee (Saru- man, #70 & #158 on his career, #297, #301; FANGORIA #41, I #56, #94 & #150 on his career, #209, #227-28), Brad Dourif (Wormtongue, #309; FANGORIA #218), Bernard Hill (Theoden, #307, forthcoming), Miranda Otto (Eowyn, #307, page 34 this issue; FANTASY WORLDS #3), (Eomer, #308; I FANGORIA #218), David Wenham (Faramir, forthcoming), (Denethor, forthcoming) and, preciously, Andy Serkis (Gollum, #315, forthcoming; FANTASY WORLDS #3). I There may be more later, but that's it for now.

IIHHiHHHBH^^^I^HIi^B@HKSi^lB«D —-DavidDavid McDonnell/Editor (Januaryi 2004j

jj

For as little as $60, reach Earth's largest SF audience. SUBSCRIBER SERVICES DEADLINE: For #323, in our offices by 3/5. For #324, in by 4/5. Absolutely no ads accepted afterXhe deadline. Missing copies? Moving? Renewals? BASIC RATE: $20 per line. Minimum: 3 lines, 48 charac- ters per line (including punctuation, symbols & spaces). Receiving duplicates? VIDEO/AUDIO Small display ads: $150 per column inch. (Camera-ready Subscription questions? only!) YOUR TICKET TO HEADLINE: On the first line only, words of your choice Write to: STARLOG (underline them) will be printed in BOLD CAPS. Subscriber Services, P.O. Box 430 CATEGORY: Please indicate. STARLOG reserves the right

Mt. Morris, IL 61054-0430 to list ads under a label it chooses due to space limitations. Earn Tickets for Free Videos Inquiries to editorial offices only delay matters. PAYMENT: Cash, check or money order must accompany Free Video Search ad. Checks payable to Starlog Communications Int. NEW SUBSCRIBERS: MAIL TO: STARLOG Classified, 475 Park Avenue South, Pre-Viewed Videos As Low As $10.00! See subscription ad in this issue. 7th Fir, New York, NY 10016 READERS: Beware! STARLOG is not liable or responsible Do NOT send money to above address. SCI-FI, HORROR MORE! & for any product or service printed herein. When ordering Attach Mailing Label Here For an updated catalog from anyone, print your name & full address carefully. NAME Please send $ 4.95 to:

ADDRESS. Paul's Hobby Zone, BOOKS P.O. Box 650113, Dept.FG, SCIENCE FICTION ROMANCE NOVELS for men: CITY . STATE _ _ZIP_ West Newton, MA 02465. Order yours today from www.ninjabearpress.com

I