Starburst Magazine 005 (1978 12) (Marvel
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Vol.l No. 5 50p SCIENCE FANTASY IN TELEVISION, CINEMA AND COMICS THE FILMING OF SUPERMAN THE MOVIE PRIZE WINNING COMPETITION IK STAR -REVIEW PLUS FULL COLOUR GIANT POSTER DOUG TRUMBULL SPEAKS! 1978 INC V1ICS C eoc SPECIAL PREVIEW - ^ SAVE ONTHE VERTBESTSCIENCE FICTION For the best science fiction look no further than the titles*, and a range of sf books costing as little as 85p! Science Fiction Club. Book For 26 years we have been PLUS a feature by a top author and a column of sf news. * offering some of the finest sf ever written, books carefully These are publishers' editions and slightly more expen- selected from the very best of all that is newly published. sive, but still amazingly good value at up to 25% less Special hardback Club editions at big savings on the than the bookshop price. bookshop price: for books costing £3.95 or more in the publisher's edition. Club members pay £1 .50 to £1 .75, Send no money, just return the coupon today. Your saving up to £2.50! only commitment is to take the first six top value Main On joining you will receive your first SF Book Club Selections, books by some of the giants and rising stars News describing the Main Selection, at least two new of the sf galaxy. Your introduction to a future of great sf reading TAKEANY4BOOKS Christopher Priest (plus ONLYIS'^EACI carriage) 2 nw.TixKf.i and save up to £16.55 vy/hen you join the Science Fiction Book Club Pub at £3.95 •ARWVE/IT EASTERWINE- THE "Divarno} IbnfrIWiabitaMt i AUTOBIOGRAPHY 0f{ AU-MYgNSREMEMBBlH) A KTISTEC MACHII Wessex •AS CONVEYED T( U6 al £3.9 R A LAFPERTY- FVTH hiM^Ubciai £4. at £3.96 f’ub at ‘Jo PHILIP Ke! DICK RO^Jl I HlfMMraiM ZELAZNY RICHARD ttftimk COWPER A i*ch iiWf To: Science FMjon Book Club, Brunei House,^lNewton Abbot, Devon Caliaupp I would like to join the Science Fiction Book Club for e six I month membership (one book e month) end will thereefter give one month's notice if I wish to resign. I clelm the four Introduc- tory books Indiceted et only 15p eech (plus 75p totel cerriege). PLEASE „ „ I SEND , ——— Pleete allow 21 I INTRODUCTORY | I T days for dalivary ^—"—*—" I BOOKS NOS. Mr/Mr»/Mit» I AddreM^ I THE SF BOOK CLUB MEANS I THE BEST IN SCIENCE FICTION I Signature (or If under 18 signature of Perent/Guerdlen IVK Science Fiction Book Club, Brunei House, Forde Rood, Newton Abbot, Devon Reg In Englend No 843946 {send no money POST TODAY! Vol 1, No 5 Dec. 1978 Edited and designed by Dez Skinn Assistant Editor: Alan McKenzie Layout : Chas Farnsbarns Art Assistance: Alan Murray Elina Fell Advertising : Top Team tCIENCE FANTASY IN TELEVISION. CINEMA AND COMICS Mail Order: Jill Howard Distribution : Comag elcome to issue 5 of Britain's Superman—The Movie 4 David Castell, editor of Films Illustrated, takes a look at the making of the most expensive only media science fiction W motion picture of all time. magazine, this month spot- lighting another eomic-book crea- The Starburst Competition 9 tion that has leaped over to the Win yourself one of many Hamlyn books in our special competition. silver Superman. Vreen, Things to Come 10 F or this special lead feature, we'd Find out all that's new in the world of movie and tv science fiction. like to thank I'ilms Illustrated editor, Starburst Review 16 David Castell. for taking time out We review not one but two sf movies that will be coming your way in the very near future of his hectic schedule to urite such an interesting and informative article. Lucas and Spielberg 20 True to our established style, Starburst looks at the two cinema giants behind Star Wars and Close Encounters respec- tively and brings you up to date on their latest ventures. we'll be featuring special elfects expert John Brosnan's look at Super- Dark Star 22 man — I he Mrivic next month, Starburst regular John Fleming casts a critical eye over this little-seen sf classic. as we did with Star Wars and ( lose Dark Star Poster 24 Kneounters in previous issues. A bonus 16^x111 full colour reproduction of the original Dark Star poster. Also next month, we'll be report- ing on the recent l irst British fan- John Carpenter Speaks 28 tasy film Convention. One half of the creative team behind the Dark Star movie talks to Starburst in this revealing interview. Plus, we'll be taking a look at Japan's new sf feature film. Message The Starburst Interview 34 from Space, and presenting the Douglas Trumbull, the genius behind the special effects of such movies as 2001. Silent Running and Close Encounters talks of his early career. second part of our Doug Trumbull talk-in. The Cannes Film Festival 40 But our big surprise feature, in Tony Crawley was there and covers the movies that were on show, all of which will soon be answer to many questions about surfacing at your local cinema. Blake's 7. Dr W ho and T he .Survivors, Book World 42 is an interview with writer creator Our monthly look at the wide variety of sf books currently on release. Terry Nation. Battlestar Galactica Be here! 45 A bonus, colour photo-preview of the film/tv series that threatens to out-star Star Wars. uHMthly hv V/izrvr/ ( or/rrt v. Jih/hio Kt’nii\h town Hihi'I, / \ I// pfum^rt/phii ttmtrm i\ iopirmht o! . HHi \/K. AM . i n\, i otunthia. < li . I Ml. M(,M. IK. M< Al nivftsal. Stmiu- imrrmin. Kititk. iHtntiflh ( enlurf-^l it.x, I iiilrtl Arity/s. ti'mm'r Itrnthfrx. I*nrutmmnt IHA twii (Ippitlun. am! upprars m rf/r thfir Editor kitui pt’nniwion. All rrttuwttfi^ toiUrnt ix topyriulu © Murvel ( imiu\ I hi IV7/i All rtKliix rfxrrvnl. C otuepi hy Dr; Skinn. Minted in I nylund. 4 AVith Superman: The Movie set for a December 15th London release, David Castell, editor of Films Illustrated and former presenter of BBC tv’s cinema showcase programme Film Night, takes a look at the progress of the movie from the initial concept to the completed film. fourth 933, the year of the Great The following year, George Lowther effects and agreed to a big budget. The sky 1 American Depression. A dreamy teen- presented him in novel form. The Adventures was the limit. Would $25,000,000 be ager named Jerry Siegel wiled away a of Superman television programme started enough? Spengler and Salkind Jnr hot, summer night thinking up a character in America in 1954, more animated swallowed hard. Yes, they said, that would for a story he was toying with. The next cartoons in the '60s and a Broadway be enough. Wrong again. Superman: The morning he took his idea to a close friend, musical in 1966. The guy got around. Movie ultimately burst its financial banks Joe Shuster, an aspiring cartoonist. Between You might think that the decision to to the tune of an additional $40,000,000. them they thrashed out the details. Their make a major movie would have been a The start date was put back and back. And hero would be “like Samson, Hercules and momentous one, taken with cigar-belching once the cameras rolled, as late as Match all the strong men we have ever heard of, enthusiasm around a Hollywood board- 1977, the thirty-week schedule stretched to all rolled into one,” said Siegel. “Only more room table. Wrong. It was in May 1974, sixty-five. so,” added Shuster. They called him in a sidewalk Paris cafe that producer The gestation period was elephantine. Superman. Alexander Salkind turned to his son, Ilya, Pierre Spengler negotiated the rights with Forty-five years later, the Man of Steel and family friend, Pierre Spengler, both DC Comics. The Salkinds were unknown was being born again, for Superman: The in their twenties, are asked what they were to the publishers so all manner of things Movie. Not so casual this time, for the going to do next. The trio had just had a were written into the contract. Among the interim years had built a detailed mythology resounding success with The Three Musket- clauses was one agreeing that the film would around Superman. He had become one of eers and were delighted to have its sequel, not be a send-up, another that it would not the most durable of the American legends, as well as The Prince and the Pauper in the be pornographic (not so bizarre a condition outlasting Betty Grable, outselling the pipeline. “What next? What about Super- when you think of the fairy tales and Bible. During World War IF, Superman manT’ asked Ilya. Alexander had never children's classics that have lately been was standard issue in Gl duffle bags. heard of him, but his son described the revamped into soft-core sex material). Goebbels attacked him publicly as being incredible feats of the Man of Steel in a way Spengler’s business nose told him that they “a Jew-monger”. He had been the central that excited the older man’s imagination. were sitting on a veritable goldmine—not .” figure in Action Comics; in a syndicated “It would have to be big. he mused, a single film, but a Bond-\\V.e series that newspaper strip; in a serialised radio suggesting that he go to his backers and see could last a decade and hinge on four programme from 1940 onwards; in three if the idea tickled their fancy.