DOCSLIB.ORG

Beyond the Final Frontier

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Beyond the Final Frontier BEYOND THE FINAL FRONTIER Race and Ethnicity in Star Trek Michelle Mueller, s4597281 A thesis submitted to the faculty at Radboud University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in North American Studies Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Frank Mehring August 2017 Mueller, s4597281 / 2 Abstract This thesis examines the portrayal of two characters of ethnic minorities in the popular Star Trek–franchise. Its primary purpose is to determine whether the portrayal of the African American lieutenant Uhura and the middle eastern inspired antagonist Khan adheres to negative stereotypes and how their portrayal has changed over time in the franchise. Theories important for this case study are: W.J.T. Mitchell’s Seeing Through Race, Edward Said’s study of Orientalism, and J.P. Telotte’s work of Science Fiction Film. In order to examine the characters’ portrayal with the help of these theories, the case study of this thesis will focus on two episodes from Star Trek – The Original Series from the 1960s, the movie Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan from 1982 and the new Star Trek from 2009 and Star Trek Into Darkness from 2013. These particular products have been chosen because firstly, the feature both of the characters and secondly, ample time has gone by in–between the episodes and movies to open the possibility of change in the portrayal of ethnic minorities. The results of this thesis show that the portrayal of the African American woman, Uhura, in the 1960s and the 2000s are both progressive. In both cases, she is portrayed as a valuable member of the team. Further, in the movies from the 2000s, Uhura takes actively part in the plot. In the 1982-movie Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan however, her character vanishes fades into the background and she does not carry any importance for the team or the plot. As for the portrayal of the antagonist Khan, the television episodes from the 1960s as well as the movie from 1982 emphasizes his mystical and mysterious background reminiscent of the Orient through his clothing and his behavior. In Star Trek Into Darkness his ethnicity was erased which opens the discussion of this character having fallen victim to being white-washed. Keywords: Star Trek, Science Fiction, Race, Orientalism, Film studies Mueller, s4597281 / 3 Cover Sheet ENGELSE TAAL EN CULTUUR Teacher who will receive this document: Prof. Dr. Frank Mehring Title of document: Beyond the Final Frontier – Race and Ethnicity in Star Trek Name of course: Master’s thesis Date of submission: 11 August 2017 The work submitted here is the sole responsibility of the undersigned, who has neither committed plagiarism nor colluded in its production. Signed Name of student: Michelle Mueller Student number: 4597281 Mueller, s4597281 / 4 Table of Contents Abstract ...................................................................................................................................... 2 Cover Sheet ................................................................................................................................ 3 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 5 2. Theorizing Race in Science Fiction ..................................................................................... 10 2.1 Science Fiction Genre and Analysis ........................................................................................... 11 2.2 Theorizing Race in the Media and Entertainment Industry ........................................................ 15 2.3 Hollywood’s Problem with Race ................................................................................................ 20 2.4 Star Trek and Race ..................................................................................................................... 22 3. Case Study: Star Trek .......................................................................................................... 24 3.1 Star Trek – The Original Series .................................................................................................. 27 3.1.1 Analysis of Uhura ............................................................................................................... 28 3.1.2 Analysis of Khan ................................................................................................................. 35 3.2 Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan ................................................................................................ 41 3.2.1 Analysis of Uhura ............................................................................................................... 42 3.2.2 Analysis of Khan ................................................................................................................. 45 3.3 Star Trek (2009) and Star Trek Into Darkness (2013) ................................................................ 51 3.3.1 Analysis of Uhura ............................................................................................................... 52 3.3.2 Analysis of Khan ................................................................................................................. 61 4. Conclusion ........................................................................................................................... 69 Bibliography ............................................................................................................................ 76 Mueller, s4597281 / 5 1. Introduction The popular science fiction–franchise Star Trek celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2016. It tells the story of the fictional starship Enterprise commanded by the famous James T. Kirk (portrayed by William Shatner) and his first officer, the alien from the planet of Vulcan, Spock (portrayed by Leonard Nimoy). The franchise is still very well–known today not least due to the reboot movies from 2009, 2013, and 2016 respectively. As a utopian science fiction show, Star Trek has presented the viewer with an ideal future where all of humanity comes together to travel through space in the fictional space agency Starfleet throughout its various movies and television series. The newest movie has come out in July 2016 and has been met with mixed reviews (cf. Scott). Additionally, a new TV series has been announced for 2017, courtesy of CBS Television Studies for the North American market and Netflix for the rest of the world (cf. “Netflix to Beam New CBS ‘Star Trek’ Television Series in 188 Countries Around the World.”). Due to this demand, it is obvious that the franchise still enjoys great popularity today. The franchise's first series, Star Trek – The Original Series, aired from 1966 to 1969 and featured the African American actress Nichelle Nichols in a non–stereotypical role on public television for the first time. She was portraying Communications Officer Nyota Uhura, commonly referred to as Uhura, aboard the starship Enterprise (cf. Nichols 164). The actress continued to reprise this role in the Star Trek–movies from the 1980s and 1990s. In the reboot movies of 2009 and onwards, the role of Uhura is portrayed by actress Zoë Saldana with Dominican–Puerto Rican ancestry (cf. “Zoe Saldana”). However, some critics argue that her role should have been more substantial considering the advancements in civil rights and women rights since The Original Series aired (cf. Scodari 336). Similarly, another character was faced with criticism as well: In an episode of The Original Series and in the movie Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, actor Ricardo Montalban of Mexican descent portrayed the antagonist of the story, Khan Noonien Singh, who is originally of Indian descent (cf. “Singh, Khan Noonien”). The makers of the reboot movie Star Trek Into Darkness chose to revive the storyline with a few alternations and has faced criticism in regard to the choice of a white actor in the role of Khan (cf. Foundas). Popular cultural products, such as TV series and movies are subject to their respective time period and portray on–going stereotypes and ideologies: “[B]y studying American film history, we can gain keen insights into the ways that different groups of American people have Mueller, s4597281 / 6 been treated (and continue to be treated)” (Benshoff and Griffin 3). More often than not, Hollywood’s characters are based upon negative stereotypes (cf. Benshoff and Griffin 27). This makes the depictions of ethnic minorities questionable since they draw upon pre–existing ideas, which have not been changed since years. Continuing to promote a negative image of a certain group of people does lead to tensions in the human community. In Star Trek and Sacred Ground, Jennifer E. Porter and Darcee L. McLaren further point out that TV series act as a mirror as well as a model of real life (cf. 1). Especially since the matter of race should be an “obsolete concept” (Mitchell XI) by now, as scholar W.J.T. Mitchell argues in the preface to his book Seeing Through Race, the treatment of ethnic minorities has to be examined to find out whether it really is an old–fashioned concept or if it is still subject to stereotypical depictions from half a century ago (cf. Mitchell xi). The following thesis will therefore center on the subject of race particularly featuring Star Trek, as the franchise allows a rich variety of case studies. This thesis will specifically focus on how two characters, namely Khan and Uhura, are portrayed in the Star Trek– franchise, focusing on the aesthetic aspects,
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Star Trek and History
    Chapter 15 Who’s the Devil? Species Extinction and Environmentalist Thought in Star Trek Dolly Jørgensen Spock: To hunt a species to extinction is not logical. Dr. Gillian Taylor: Whoever said the human race was logical? —Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home In Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home , the inhabitants of twenty-third-century Earth learn all too well the price of their illogical behavior. By hunting the humpback whale to extinction in the twenty-first century, humankind had sealed its own fate. The humpbacks had been in communication with aliens in the twentieth century, but they had no descendants to reply to an alien probe visiting the planet two centuries later. Earth seemed to be on the verge of destruction, as the seemingly omnipotent probe demanded a reply. Luckily, the Enterprise crew saved the Earth inhabitants from a watery grave with the help of time travel, a biologist, nuclear fuel from a naval vessel, plexiglas, and two twentieth-century whales. Sometimes we think of science fiction as presenting escapist, made-up fantasy worlds. From its beginnings in the 1960s until the present, however, Star Trek has commented on contemporary social issues, establishing itself as part of a larger discourse on the state of the world.1 Contemporary environmental concerns are a major theme in Star Trek. In this chapter, we show how the portrayal of animal species’ extinction in the television shows and movies traces gradual changes in environmentalist thinking over the last forty-five years. Although species extinction could include the mass destruction of worlds and the extinction of peoples, like the loss of the Vulcans in the 2009 movie Star Trek or the civil war that wiped out the population of Cheron (TOS, “Let That Be Your 253 Last Battlefield”), the focus here is on creatures equivalent to animals rather than civilizations that are considered equivalent to humans.
    [Show full text]
  • Star Trek" Mary Jo Deegan University of Nebraska-Lincoln, [email protected]
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by UNL | Libraries University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Sociology Department, Faculty Publications Sociology, Department of 1986 Sexism in Space: The rF eudian Formula in "Star Trek" Mary Jo Deegan University of Nebraska-Lincoln, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/sociologyfacpub Part of the Family, Life Course, and Society Commons, and the Social Psychology and Interaction Commons Deegan, Mary Jo, "Sexism in Space: The rF eudian Formula in "Star Trek"" (1986). Sociology Department, Faculty Publications. 368. http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/sociologyfacpub/368 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Sociology, Department of at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Sociology Department, Faculty Publications by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. THIS FILE CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING MATERIALS: Deegan, Mary Jo. 1986. “Sexism in Space: The Freudian Formula in ‘Star Trek.’” Pp. 209-224 in Eros in the Mind’s Eye: Sexuality and the Fantastic in Art and Film, edited by Donald Palumbo. (Contributions to the Study of Science Fiction and Fantasy, No. 21). New York: Greenwood Press. 17 Sexism in Space: The Freudian Formula in IIStar Trek" MARY JO DEEGAN Space, the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise, its five year mission to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before. These words, spoken at the beginning of each televised "Star Trek" episode, set the stage for the fan­ tastic future.
    [Show full text]
  • THE BIG BANG THEORY “The Roddenberry Effect” Written by Doug and Kent Tolbert
    THE BIG BANG THEORY “The Roddenberry Effect” Written by Doug and Kent Tolbert “Copyright © 2014 This screenplay may not be used or reproduced without the express written permission of the author.” 1103 N.4TH ST. Broken Arrow, OK. 74012 918(251-1652) [email protected] 1. COLD OPEN FADE IN: INT. 4TH FLOOR HALLWAY/INT. LEONARD AND SHELDON’S APARTMENT – NIGHT (NIGHT 1) (Penny) / (Leonard, Sheldon, Penny, Wolowitz, Koothrappali) PENNY LOCKS HER DOOR AND LEAVES HER APARTMENT WEARING HER CHEESECAKE FACTORY ATTIRE. PENNY I swore I’d never do this again. Could there be a bigger idiot than me? PENNY PASSES BY THE ELEVATOR, GLANCING AT THE YELLOW TAPE ON THE DOOR. PENNY (CONT’D) Apparently so... And I’m married to him. ON THE WAY DOWN STAIRS, SHE PASSES LEONARD AND SHELDON’S DOOR, NOTICING THE PROFESSIONAL LOOKING SIGN ON THE DOOR. THE SIGN READS: “DO NOT DISTURB. WATCHING ORIGINAL STAR TREK SERIES MARATHON.” PENNY (CONT’D) (BRIGHTENING) I’m looking smarter all the time. RESET TO: 2. INT. LEONARD AND SHELDON’S APARTMENT – CONTINUOUS (Leonard, Sheldon, Penny, Wolowitz, Koothrappali) PENNY QUIETLY OPENS THE DOOR AND PEEKS INSIDE THE LIVING ROOM. ALL FOUR GUYS ARE ASLEEP. PENNY (CONT’D) What the Spock! ALL FOUR GUYS ARE WEARING APPROPRIATE ORIGINAL “STAR TREK” SERIES ATTIRE AND HOLDING A PROP FROM THE SERIES. LEONARD AND WOLOWITZ ARE SLOUCHED IN THE CHAIRS. LEONARD IS WEARING A GOLD TUNIC AND HOLDING A PHASER. WOLOWITZ IS WEARING RED AND HOLDING A COMMUNICATOR. SHELDON IS WEARING BLUE AND HAS A TRICORDER AROUND HIS NECK, WHILE KOOTHRAPPALI IS ALSO WEARING BLUE AND IS CRADLING A TRIBBLE.
    [Show full text]
  • Abstracts and Backgrounds
    Abstracts and Backgrounds NAVY Con TABLE OF CONTENTS DESTINATION UNKNOWN ................................................................................. 3 WAR AND SOCIETY ............................................................................................. 5 MATT BUCHER – POTEMKIN PARADISE: THE UNITED FEDERATION IN THE 24TH CENTURY ............ 5 ELSA B. KANIA – BEYOND LOYALTY, DUTY, HONOR: COMPETING PARADIGMS OF PROFESSIONALISM IN THE CIVIL-MILITARY RELATIONS OF BABYLON 5 ............................................ 6 S.H. HARRISON – STAR CULTURE WARS: THE NEGATIVE IMPACT OF POLITICS AND IMPERIALISM ON IMPERIAL NAVAL CAPABILITY IN STAR WARS ................................................................................ 6 MATTHEW ADER – THE ARISTOCRATS STRIKE BACK: RE-ECALUATING THE POLITICAL COMPOSITION OF THE ALLIANCE TO RESTORE THE REPUBLIC ......................................................... 7 LT COL BREE FRAM, USSF – LEADERSHIP IN TRANSITION: LESSONS FROM TRILL .......................... 7 PAST AND FUTURE COMPETITION ................................................................ 8 WILLIAM J. PROM – THE ONCE AND FUTURE KING OF BATTLE: ARTILLERY (AND ITS ABSENCE) IN SCIENCE FICTION .......................................................................................................................... 8 TOM SHUGART – ALL ABOUT EVE: WHAT VIRTUAL FOREVER WARS CAN TEACH US ABOUT THE FUTURE OF COMBAT ................................................................................................................... 10
    [Show full text]
  • Star Trek Into Darkness Prime Directive
    Star Trek Into Darkness Prime Directive Subliminal and vasodilator Percy never fetter barefooted when Herbert match his linga. Is Lynn vesical when Finley fiddle ungovernably? Mixedly protomorphic, Christian upheave agnostics and relet Owen. He tells us constitution, star trek into darkness prime directive, or their hand. This star trek into darkness was captain kirk? In direct violation of darkness is. We see, before the Enterprise goes nuts in time, that an Earth is populated by Borg. Captain Has like Best Managerial Technique? Eminiar vii and why is your captain, this should interact with magic technology and discovered a new species? The artwork additionally encompassed at desk four pages showing illustrations of blow guns. Will allow a directive was because of darkness is did the trek into which provides detailed. Douglas, who are been delivering meals to your Salvation Army and UVA students in tissue early months of the pandemic through St. If star trek into darkness made for a directive, you will be applied at best drawn characters are? They were marching with suppressing an assault on star trek into darkness prime directive against him to star trek prime directive! From its comically horrific fight sequences to its lofty philosophical dialogue, TOS has been highly influential in popular culture and spurred serious academic discussions. Merik back into darkness images are so few minutes to his memory alpha is not secured, prime directive did khan makes sense, such hammy abandon. Though the star trek into darkness prime directive. But plenty the regime change in Afghanistan, Westernization is not inherently wrong day it violates the Prime Directive.
    [Show full text]
  • Fall 2016 FMS Newsletter
    Fall 2016 FMS Newsletter - Notes from the director - FMS expands production - Documenting China - An anthropological approach to film - Internship rundown - Faculty profile - Dudley Andrew visits Tufts - Alumni snapshot - "Starring John Cho" 1 | P a g e Notes from the FMS Director The second year of FMS is proving to be as eventful and thrilling as the first. We are continuing to attract students to the program, and are ending 2016 with over 70 majors and minors. We are also expanding our curriculum by sponsoring or co-sponsoring innovative new courses. Highlights this fall included "Race to the White House" taught by CNN political analyst David Gregory, Susan Napier's "History of Animation," and new faculty member Alexander Shraytekh's "Popular Culture and the Arab Spring." Next semester, we are tremendously fortunate that our technical support specialist Natalie Minik, who is an accomplished documentary filmmaker, will be teaching "Documentary: History, Theory and New Directions" through the Experimental College. Among the events we participated in this fall, of particular note was "A Year Like No Other: Politics & The Press in 2016," which FMS Co-director Julie Dobrow helped organize. Featuring New York Times reporter Patrick Healy, National Public Radio reporter Asma Khalid, Mic co-founder Jake Horowitz, and moderated by David Gregory, the panel offered insights into the role of the media in this tumultuous election cycle. Meanwhile, in December we welcomed to campus Dudley Andrew, the R. Selden Rose Professor of Comparative Literature and professor of Film Studies at Yale University, who gave a stimulating talk on 3D. Finally, the merger with the SMFA continued apace, and we are in the process of integrating the SMFA's curriculum with ours.
    [Show full text]
  • Star Trek Free
    FREE STAR TREK PDF Alan Dean Foster | 288 pages | 01 Oct 2010 | SIMON & SCHUSTER | 9781439194874 | English | New York, United States Star Trek: Discovery G min Adventure, Mystery, Sci-Fi. When an alien spacecraft of enormous power is spotted approaching Earth, Admiral James T. Kirk resumes command of the overhauled USS Enterprise in order to intercept it. With the assistance of the Enterprise crew, Admiral Kirk must stop an old nemesis, Khan Noonien Singh, from using the life-generating Genesis Device as the ultimate weapon. Admiral Kirk and his bridge Star Trek risk their careers stealing the decommissioned U. Enterprise to return to the restricted Genesis Planet to recover Spock's body. To save Earth from an alien probe, Admiral James T. Kirk and his fugitive crew go back in time to San Francisco in to retrieve the only beings who can communicate with it: humpback Star Trek. PG min Action, Adventure, Fantasy. Captain Kirk and his crew must deal with Mr. Spock's long-lost half-brother who hijacks the Enterprise for an obsessive search for God at the center of the galaxy. The Enterprise Star Trek must help them escape to thwart a conspiracy aimed at sabotaging the last best hope for peace. PG min Action, Adventure, Mystery. With the help of long presumed dead Captain Kirk, Captain Picard must stop a deranged scientist willing to murder on a planetary scale in order to enter a space matrix. PG min Action, Adventure, Drama. The Borg travel back in time intent on preventing Earth's first contact with an alien species.
    [Show full text]
  • STAR TREK the TOUR Take a Tour Around the Exhibition
    R starts CONTents STAR TREK THE TOUR Take a tour around the exhibition. 2 ALL THOSE WONDERFUL THINGS.... More than 430 items of memorabilia are on show. 10 MAGIC MOMENTS A gallery of great Star Trek moments. 12 STAR TREK Kirk, Spock, McCoy et al – relive the 1960s! 14 STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION The 24th Century brought into focus through the eyes of 18 Captain Picard and his crew. STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE Wormholes and warriors at the Alpha Quadrant’s most 22 desirable real estate. STAR TREK: VOYAGER Lost. Alone. And desperate to get home. Meet Captain 26 Janeway and her fearless crew. STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE Meet the newest Starfleet crew to explore the universe. 30 STARSHIP SPECIAL Starfleet’s finest on show. 34 STAR TREK – THE MOVIES From Star Trek: The Motion Picture to Star Trek Nemesis. 36 STAR trek WELCOMING WORDS Welcome to Star TREK THE TOUR. I’m sure you have already discovered, as I have, that this event is truly a unique amalgamation of all the things that made Star Trek a phenomenon. My own small contribution to this legendary story has continued to be a source of great pride to me during my career, and although I have been fortunate enough to have many other projects to satisfy the artist in me, I have nevertheless always felt a deep and visceral connection to the show. But there are reasons why this never- ending story has endured. I have always believed that this special connection to Star Trek we all enjoy comes from the positive picture the stories consistently envision.
    [Show full text]
  • LAMORINDA WEEKLY | "Star Trek Into Darkness"
    LAMORINDA WEEKLY | "Star Trek Into Darkness" Published May 22nd, 2013 "Star Trek Into Darkness" By Derek Zemrak One of the most famous quotes in the Star Trek legacy is "Where no man has gone before!" This film is a huge undertaking for any director of the Star Trek franchise that has created more than 700 television shows and 12 movies. At first glance into the galaxy, I would say man has gone everywhere, but surprisingly director J.J. Abrams, who directed the first reboot in 2009, delivers a detailed storyline and a movie that is exhilarating to watch on the big screen. Moviegoers will be on the edge of their seats as they experience a brilliantly shot film, while they cheer on the Enterprise crew to succeed in battle against the evil villain of mass destruction. Once again Chris Pine ("Bottle Shock," "Rise of the Guardians") returns as Captain Kirk and Zachary Quinto ("Margin Call," "Heroes," "American Horror Story") portrays Spock. As with the cult popular television series, it is the ensemble cast that makes it all work, with Zoe Saldana ("Avatar") as Uhura, Karl Urban ("The Lord of the Rings") as Bones, Simon Pegg ("Ice Age") as Scotty, and John Cho From left: Zachary Quinto is Spock and Chris Pine is ("Harold & Kumar") as Sulu. It should be noted that not one Kirk in "Star Trek Into Darkness" from Paramount of these cast members is a scene hog like William Shatner Pictures and Skydance Productions. (C) 2013 was in the television and early film series. Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.
    [Show full text]
  • Star Trek Beyond Is a Knockout” –Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
    “Star Trek Beyond is a knockout” –Peter Travers, Rolling Stone “A total blast!” –Scott Mantz, “Access Hollywood” FROM DIRECTOR JUSTIN LIN AND PRODUCER J.J. ABRAMS COMES ONE OF THE BEST-REVIEWED ACTION MOVIES OF THE YEAR The All-New Star Trek Adventure Takes Off on 4K Ultra HD™, Blu-ray™ and Blu-ray 3D™ Combo Packs November 1, 2016 Get it on Digital HD Four Weeks Early on October 4! HOLLYWOOD, Calif. – The intrepid crew of the USS Enterprise returns in “the best action movie of the year” (Scott Mantz, “Access Hollywood”). The “highly entertaining” (David Rooney, Hollywood Reporter) new installment in the iconic franchise, STAR TREK BEYOND sets a course on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray 3D and Blu-ray Combo Packs, DVD and On Demand November 1, 2016 from Paramount Home Media Distribution. The sci- fi adventure will also be available as part of the STAR TREK TRILOGY Blu-ray Collection. The film warp speeds to Digital HD four weeks early on October 4, 2016. Director Justin Lin (Fast & Furious) delivers “a fun and thrilling adventure” (Eric Eisenberg, Cinemablend) with an incredible all-star cast including Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto, as well as newcomers to the STAR TREK universe Sofia Boutella (Kingsman: The Secret Service) and Idris Elba (Pacific Rim). In STAR TREK BEYOND, the Enterprise crew explores the furthest reaches of uncharted space, where they encounter a mysterious new enemy who puts them and everything the Federation stands for to the test. The STAR TREK BEYOND 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray 3D and Blu-ray Combo Packs are loaded with over an hour of action-packed bonus content, with featurettes from filmmakers Page 1 of 4 and cast, including J.J.
    [Show full text]
  • George Takei on "Star Trek" by John C
    Sulu Speaks : George Takei on "Star Trek" By John C. Tibbetts TIBBETTS INTRODUCTION TO THE INTERVIEW: The second filmin the "Star Trek" series, Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan, is now playing to packed theaters across the nation. The first film, guided by Gene Roddenberry and Robert Wise, was a thoughtfulexcursion into some of the philosophical implications of the original television series. The second film,according to George Takei, is "high adventure" all the way. Shooting began on Stage 9 at Paramount on November 9, 1981; principal photography concluded on January 29, 1982. It was directed by Nicholas (Time After Time) Meyer, scripted by Jack B. Sowards from a story by Harve Bennett and Jack Sowards, and produced by Harve Bennett and Robert Sallin. Needless to say, Mr. George Takei is delighted at the continuing success story of the "Star Trek" franchise.. George is a multitalented performer who, long before he donned the uniform and personna of "Sulu," had demonstrated a flair for the theatre. His first professional job in film entertainment was as a voice dubber forthe classic Japanese science fiction film,Rodan (1957). He appeared before the movie cameras for the first time while a student at UCLA. The film was Ice Palace (1960) with Richard Burton, Robert Ryan and Carolyn Jones. He also debuted on television for an episode of Playhouse 90 at this, same time. Then came many guest shots on other television series, including Hawaiian Eye, Maverick, 77 Sunset Strip, and Adventures in Paradise. The role of "Sulu," the helmsman for the U S. S.
    [Show full text]
  • From the Workshop of JJ Abrams
    CHAPTER SIX From the Workshop of J. J. Abrams: Bad Robot, Networked Collaboration, and Promotional Authorship Leora Hadas University of Nottingham Whether ‘New golden age’ (Leopold, 2013) or ‘Peak TV’ (Paskin, 2015) – whatever glowing accolades cultural commentators now choose to use, all describe television in the United States as going from strength to strength. For a sustained number of years now, critics and popular opinion alike has celebrated a qualitative transformation in the output of an industry that has struggled for years to shed the image of a ‘vast wasteland’ (Minow, 1961). In critical and academic circles alike, credit for these exciting developments and the transformation of US television has tended to focus on a specific feature of the contemporary industry: the figure of the showrunner, television’s new auteur (Martin, 2013). The emergence of the showrunner-as-auteur has provided US television with a crucial source of cultural legitimacy, one traceable back to Bourdieu’s concept of the ‘“charisma” ideology’ (1980, p. 262) at work in judgements of artistic value. Shyon Baumann (2007) has analysed how film found legitimation as How to cite this book chapter: Hadas, L. 2017. From the Workshop of J. J. Abrams: Bad Robot, Networked Collaboration, and Promotional Authorship. In: Graham, J. and Gandini, A. (eds.). Collaborative Production in the Creative Industries. Pp. 87–103. London: University of Westminster Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.16997/book4.f. License: CC-BY- NC-ND 4.0 88 Collaborative Production in the Creative Industries an art form in the 1960s through the celebration of autonomous film artists.
    [Show full text]