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FINAL CONFLICT CLEOPATRA Meet Jayne 2525 Heitmeyer, W Jswi hello to Hel: Resistance Gina Torres

Are you ready forSF it terror incomplete darkness? ^

THE OTHERS

TV's new eerie ^f-s»0 adventures ?L 4? ROSWELL Pursuing teen aliens LEXX Xenia Seeberg sizzles FUTURAMA My fair cyclops

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NUMBER 272 • MARCH 2000 THE UNIVERSE

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

22 AMONG THE OTHERS On this set, they know where all the bodies are buried

27 FREQUENT FLYERS Clen Morgan & head to a Final Destination

32 FAIRY TALE SCRIBE r Writer Simon Moore travels to fantasylands new & old

38 PARANORMAL PATRIARCH Bill Cobbs believes the medium is the message

43 MUSEUM PIECE Enter through this gate into science fiction &

47 PITCH BLACK VIEWS in the darkness, really nasty creatures dwell & dine Savor the mystery of 51 NIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION Jayne Heitmeyer and Director David Twohy makes this nightmare Pitch Black her role in 's 57 MY FAIR CYCLOPS Earth: Final Conflict (see page As Leela, Katey Sagal has one eye on—well, she would 65).

60 THE SLAVE OF LOVE On board Lexx, Xenia Seeberg desperately seeks romance

65 ENIGMATIC LADY Jayne Heitmeyer adds mystery to Earth: Final Conflict NEXT ISSUE ON SALE 70 FUTURE HEROINE MARCH 7 Ex-Nebula Cina Torres finds adventure on Cleopatra 2525

74 BEASTMASTER SIDEKICK Jackson Raine fondly recalls conversations with ferrets

78 THE LAW IN ROSWELL is the man who wears the star

84 TEEN Jason Behr searches for his extraterrestrial heritage

88 LORD OF DARKNESS John Bartley shoots & scores with eerie cinematography

92 TIME LORD'S MASTER Sydney Newman created The Avengers &

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NC residents add 6% sales tax. NY residents Total Enclosed: $ _ add 8.25% sales tax. Postage US: $6, Canada: $9, Overseas: $15. Allow 30 days for delivery. All checks & M.O. must be in US funds. NOTE: Customs requires daytime phone number Credit card orders may be faxed to 919-786-9150. on all FOREIGN orders. If you do not want to cut out coupon, we will accept written orders or copies. Please allow 30 Method of Payment: days for delivery. INKWORKS OCASH O CHECK V/S41 Send cash, check MONEY ORDER P.O.Box 52099 O or money order to: O MASTERCARD OVISA Raleigh, NC 27612 Email: [email protected] or 's "Spock's Brain" episode? President/Publisher Jar Jar Binks was clearly a waste of time and NORMAN JACOBS effort, and it speaks volumes for ' Executive Vice President "vision." Frankly, after seeing this movie, I won't be RITA EISENSTEIN holding my breath for the sequels—especially not to see any more of characters like Jar Jar Binks. Associate Publisher MILBURN SMITH Chris Krieg Via the Internet V.P./Circulation Director ART SCHULKIN

HAIL, TROOPERS Executive Art Director Mail cannot be forwarded. Other fans and advertisers ...Thank you, STARLOG, for Bill Warren's intelligent W.R. MOHALLEY sometimes contact readers whose letters are printed here. and insightful coverage of Roughnecks: Starship To avoid this, mark your letter "Please Withhold My Editor Trooper Chronicles (#269). Like Roughnecks produc- Address." Otherwise, we retain the option to print it. DAVID MCDONNELL Write: STARLOG COMMLOG er Jeff Kline, I was disappointed with Paul Verho- Managing Editor even's film adaptation of Starship Troopers. The 475 Park Avenue South, KEITH OLEXA 8th Floor movie's subversive wit kept LITTLE - KNOWN STAR FACT New York, NY 10016 A WARS undermining any emotional Special fx Editor DAVID HUTCHISON or E-mail: impact during the dramatic and communications starlog- @ battle scenes. Roughnecks doesn't Contributing Editors group.com have that problem, since each ANTHONY TIMPONE MICHAEL CINCOLD episode is a straight SF action TOM WEAVER ALAS, JAR JAR adventure story just like Robert A. IAN SPELLING Heinlein's novel. Hence, the mili- ...Ahmed Best (STARLOG Consultant tary tactics and hardware in the KERRY O'QUINN #269) misses the whole point animated series are more believ- in the condemnation of the Senior Art Director able. character he played in The JIM MCLERNON Razak's Phantom Menace when he You'll never see Art Roughnecks charge into battle Director says that Jar Jar Binks was RICK TENC against the savage and virtually one of the most complicated infinite Bug forces armed only West Coast Correspondents and expensive characters in MARC SHAPIRO with light body armor and a gun! movie history. Jar Jar was the BILL WARREN These troopers rely on more for- dumbest characters in of Financial Director: Joan Baetz midable weapons like the heavily which to invest all that time, Marketing Director: Daniel Sierra armed Marauder power suits Circulation Manager: Maria Damlani energy and money. I'm not Art Staff: Jang, John Dins- mentioned in the novel. The ani- Yvonne trying to disrespect the actor dale, Dmltriy Ostrovskiy, May Yung, mated series also includes a few who played him—I'm sure Ivette Zapata. ideas that aren't in the novel, but Staff: Debbie Irwin, Dee Erwine, Jose he did his best—but Jar Jar Soto, Sunny Witchel, Shane French, make tactical sense, like attack himself was quite possibly correspondents: (West Coast) Kyle fighters that can maneuver Counts, Pat Jankiewicz; (NYC) Mike the silliest character ever cre- McAvennle, Maureen McTigue, Joe through the narrow, twisting ated for a movie trilogy. Nazzaro, Steve Swires, Dan Yakir; canyons on Pluto. Or skimmer (Boston) Will Murray; () Kim Many fans Howard Johnson; (The West) Bill Flo- transports and well-armed jet skis such as myself had extreme- rence, Jo Beth Taylor; (D.c.) Lynne that enable M.I.s to be more com- ly high expectations, but Stephens; (Florida) Bill Wilson; (Cana- bat-effective on aquatic worlds da) Peter Bloch-Hansen, Mark Phantom Menace was a dis- Phillips; (Booklog) Penny Kenny, like Hydora. appointment. I blame it Jean-Marc Lofficier, Scott Schumack, Furthermore, as a CGI animat- Michael Wolff; (Cartoons) Kev squarely Jar Binks, on Jar Brockschmidt, Alain Chaperon, Mike ed series, Roughnecks simply can who was clearly on a mis- Fisher, Tom Holtkamp, Bob Muleady, pull off some shots that are cooler Jason Yungbluth. sion to ruin this movie. Who and more imaginative than those Thanks: John Bartley, Jason Behr, doesn't groan over the char- John Blllingsley, Kathryn Boxberger, ..WILL ULTIMATELY INFLUENCE in a live-. It's much acter of Tybo the carrot crea- John Brancato, Tye Burdony, David PRINCESS LEIA more fun watching Razak's Carson, Bill Cobbs, Gloria Davies, ture from Lost in Space's in HER CHOICE OF A Hope Diamond, Mick carris, Jayne Roughnecks use drop suits and jet third season show "The CINNAMON-BUN HAIRDOI Heitmeyer, Diane Herzog, Lana Kim, packs to land of a planet's surface. Leah Krantzler, Jaci Kucharski, Monica Vegetable Rebellion" Great Lewis, Caroline Mendoza, Anna Roughnecks can be surpris- Miranda, Simon Moore, , conscious even though it eschews the Morrison, Nazar, Paul (j^eorge Lucas has said that Star Wars: Episode II ingly socially Pam Marie Newitt, Steve Newman, Sydney New- will be the "romantic" episode. Hmmm... novel's neo-fascist themes. For instance, "No Substi- man, Kevin J. O'Connor, Jackson tute" is an episode inspired by the brief mention in Raine, William Sadler, Katey Sagal, the novel of the Skinnies turning against their Bug Xenia Seeberg, Karl Shook, Brian Trenchard-Smith, Cina Torres, David allies Earth. and aligning themselves with However, Twohy, James van Hise, Jeff Walker, as part of a TV series, "No Substitiute" can really Crystal Warren, James Wong, cover images: Pitch Black: ©1999, explore how the title characters must face their 2000 universal Studios; Torres: ©1999, deeply seated fears and prejudices upon learning 2000 Studios USA Television Distribu- tion LLC; Heitmeyer: ©1999, 2000 Tri- their newest recruit is a hated Skinny! On a deeper bune Entertainment. level, the episode is a great metaphor for how white For Advertising information: American soldiers discriminated against their Japan- (212) 689-2830. FAX (212) 889-7933 Advertising Director: Rita Elsen- ese-American comrades. (Recall that Heinlein's stein novel emulates the attitudes of the World War U era.) Classified Ads Manager: Tim Clark West Coast Ads: The Faust Company, Like and Stargate SG-1, 24050 Madison St. suite 101, Tor- Roughnecks proves that a lame SF movie can be rance, CA 90505 (310) 373-9604. FAX 373-8750. transformed into a good even great—TV series. (310) — International Licensing Rep: Robert Frederick D. Weaver J. Abramson & Associates, Inc., 720 Washington, DC Post Road, Scarsdale, NY 10583. Tim Burton, the creative genius behind such films as BATMAN, and THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS, brings his legendary talent to an all new horror adventure

film, based on Washington Irving's classic tale. This Paramount holiday blockbuster features

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™ ORDER TODAY—QUANTITIES ARE LIMITED'.! Tim Buiton's Sleepy Hollow Is And ©I 999 Poromount Pictures, ill Rights Reserved. ©I 999 Inkworks, Rcleigh, NC 27612 QUOTE OF THE FINAL FAREWELLS MONTH Alas, we must say goodbye to these citizens of the science "I didn't see it [Star Wars fiction universe. They died in recent months. Episode I: The Phantom Menace. Madeline Kahn (December 1999) The Bride of Young Filming] it was a pretty boring Frankenstein. experience." John Archer (December) Hero of Destination Moon and —Terence Stamp, who played a memorable radio Shadow (interviewed in STARLOG Chancellor Valorum (in a USA #202). Today interview with Susan V*' Desmond Llewelyn (December) Forever Q (STARLOG Wloszozyna) #72, #223 & #269). Clayton Moore (December) Who was that Masked Man? BY OUR CONTRIBUTORS We wanted to thank him. Adios, Lone Ranger (COMICS SCENE #9). Marc Shapiro, that ultra-prolific STARLOG writer, is at it again. His Freddie Prinze Jr.: The Unofficial Biography STUPID NETWORK DECISION (Boulevard, $5.99) is in bookstores. Due out this month is OF THE MONTH : An Unofficial Biography of the Filmmaker The Sci-Fi Channel: For ending the slide. Yes, yes, they declined to (Renaissance, hardcover, $22.95). renew Sliders a long time ago, but the last first-run episodes are sched- Read more about him, uled to air this month. but don't hold your breath for Wing STARLOG RECOMMENDS Commander IP. Pitch Black (Because we've seen it) The dark that pervades Pitch Black isn't limited to its lightless, eclipsed world, nor to its blind, STILL You can be Doc lj lethally cunning creatures. David Savage, Man of Bronze, 1 the even when you're wearing 0f Qlllllv Twohy's fright fest also explores a clean, white, dark in the human heart while offer- S pressed shirt! GET OUT ing some truly unexpected twists. Pitch Black proves a most illuminat- ing study in interstellar terror. (Because we've

seen it, too) If you see only one has- been-actors-from-popular-SF-TV- series-help-gullible-aliens-destroy- an-evil-reptilian-despot movie in

your life, make it Galaxy Quest. This hilarious, feel-good film boldly goes where no SF comedy has gone before. Sadly, the box-office returns ^ MARC SHAPIRO are not there. Fantasia/2000 (Hey, we've seen

it, too. This could start a trend) A ter- RECOMMENDED rific animated film and, on TMAX screens, almost as mind-blowing as READING There was only one subject that would make the first one. HI ere are five of the most Doc hysterical. FitI thought-provoking genre works that STARLOG's Managing Editor has ever read. These five FILM FANTASY CALENDAR books—and these five authors—have written some of the world's best SF l^elease dates are extremely subject to change. and fantasy. Check them out! 1) The Heritage of Hastur by Marion Zimmer Bradley. The finest February: Pitch Black, , The Tigger Movie. book of the Darkover saga. An epic exploration of a caste-ridden, tele- March: Mission to Mars, The Ninth Gate, Final Destina- pathic society. Part SF, part fantasy, with richly, even tragically realized tion. characters. And the Sharra Matrix is an artifact to rival at times J.R.R. April: Frequency, In Crowd. Tolkien's fabled One Ring. Spring: The Road to El Dorado, The Crow: Salvation. 2) This is the Way the World Ends by James Morrow. The world is May: Dinosaurs, Battlefield Earth, The Flintstones in wiped out in a nuclear holocaust, and everyman George Paxton is on trial, Viva Rock Vegas. defending mankind against Earth's never-to-be-born accusers. Darkly June: Chicken Run, The Red Planet. humorous, heart-breaking and terrifying. A must read for our time. July: X-Men, The Hollow Man, Titan A.E. 3) Hyperion by Dan Simmons. This Canterburesque tale of seven pil- Summer: The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle, Dun- grims who travel to the planet Hyperion seeking wisdom, while also geons & Dragons. dodging the lethally metallic Shrike, is timeless. Fall 2000: How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Kingdom of 4) The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin. One of the the Sun, Shrek, Lost Souls, The Cell. most thought-provoking novels of its day. Winter's people know no gen- December 2000: The Fellowship of the Ring, 2001: A der bias, as each can be both man and woman. A sensitive, intelligent Space Odyssey (re-release). tale. 5) Elric of Melnibone by . The first book of the author's most popular series, this is fantasy told in the anti-hero tradition: WHATEVER HAPPENED TO: With a morbid, sickly, amoral king demonically guided on various mis- Tigger??? Wow, he has his own film now (The Tigger Movie). adventures along with his soul-eating sword. Did you know the wonderful thing about Tiggers is Tiggers —Keith Olexa are wonderful things? The return of a classic in an all-new format!

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COMICS SCENE is one of the most fondly remembered magazines ever published by the Starlog Group. It had two separate incarnations, 1981-83 and 1987-1996, and now returns—bigger, better & bolder than ever—as COMICS SCENE 2000! With a brand-new format, COMICS SCENE 2000 is now an all-color, 96 page magazine, which includes two spectacular gatefold pullouts! As before, it will feature...

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GENRE PEOPLE UPDATES The legendary will Just before its airdate, Glen Larson's latest TV movie/ get a well-deserved star on Project Overkill got a final title. It debuted as Millennium the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Man. July 17. The X-Men movie has shifted premiere dates from June 30 to Dean Cain, once a , July 14. Lost Souls, the Winona Ryder variation on End ofDays, is back. He's hosting the new has really changed dates. The often-rescheduled flick is now a series mduudg fall release. Ripley's Believe It or Not on TBS. By DAVID MCDONNELL Other specific dates (all could possibly change): The Flint- Bruce Campbell's autobiog- stones in Viva RockRegas (May 12), Dinosaurs (May 19), Bat- raphy, Confessions of a B-Movie tlefield Earth (May 12 or 26, take your pick) and Titan A.E. Actor, will be published this fall. (June 16). Michael Piller and his son Shawn have formed a new pro- duction company based at Warner Bros., Piller^. They're work- ing on several TV projects including a contemporary fantasy GENRE TV already! Kevin guest stars as on 's "God (scripted by Michael Piller and Brie Shaffer), a futuristic adven- He's back Sorbo ture (co-written by both Pillers), a fantasy based on an original Fearing Child," an episode airing the week of January 31. Since the idea from SF novelist Orson Scott Card and a thriller (in collab- birth of Xena's baby may cue the twilight of the gods, Hercules has his oration with Sledge Hammer! creator Alan Spencer, a former hands full helping out while dealing with Zeus (Charles Keating), Hera STARLOG contributor). (Meg Foster) and company. Elizabeth Hawthorn—who played Hercules' mom Alcmene early in that series before Liddy Holloway succeeded her in the role—voices the Voice on Cleopatra 2525. Speaking of the Olympian gods, they're also on hand for Jason & the Arg- onauts. This new TV mini-series, airing April 30 and May 1 on NBC, features Angus (Braveheart) MacFayden as Zeus and Olivia (The Sixth Sense) Williams as Hera. Jason (Dazed & Confused) London is the heroic Jason, leading a cast that includes such genre vets as Natasha Henstridge, , Dennis Hopper and Sir Derek Jacobi. It is—need we add?—from the same folks behind The Tenth Kingdom, Gulliver's Travels, Animal Farm & such, Hallmark Entertainment. Nick (Alice in Wonderland) Willing directed from a script by Matthew Faulk & Mark Skeet. American Movie Classics has renewed their series set in a fictional movie studio

during classic Hollywood days. AMC Gena Lee Nolin will be has ordered 14 more episodes of The hanging out in the wild Lot, which stars . as TV's new Sheena, Production begins this month Queen of the Jungle. on the Sci-Fi Channel's new Invisible Man series derived from a two-hour TV movie pilot directed by Breck Eis- ner. Matt Greenberg is the show's creator-writer-executive producer. Vincent Ventresca stars. By

the way, this project is unrelated to the Dick Wolf Invisible Man pilot starring Kyle MacLachlan, which supposedly

That distinguished Bruce Campbell truly is a Jack of was a sure thing at Fox a season or two All Trades. He has written his autobiography. ago, but then didn't sell after all. The SFC series will debut in June, airing on Friday nights.

COMICS SCENE SFC is now airing Tales from the Crypt reruns. [en Edlund's The Tick is getting a Sheena is heading back to TV this fall—in the per- nnew lease on life. First a comic son of Gena Lee Nolin. Xena veteran Steven Sears is in book, later an animated scries, The charge of the syndicated series. Tick is now being developed as live- action series for Fox. Executive pro- ducers are Barry Sonnenfeld and SEQUELS & REMAKES Barry Josephson (whose two previ- ^Jniversal has, alas, apparently scrapped its CGI-animated project Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman. ous TV ventures were stylishly pro-

duced but short-lived Maximum However, Universal is now developing a new version of Gaston Leroux's The Phantom of the Bob and the Fantasy Island revival). Opera. The studio, of course, made two memorable previous versions of the property: the 1925 silent Matt Wagner's Mage is also classic with Lon Chaney Sr. and the 1943 color film with Claude Rains. Meanwhile, Warner Bros, still heading toward screens. Spyglass has a Phantom movie in the works, based on the musical hit. Antonio Banderas

Entertainment is planning a film is currently the front runner to portray the singing Phantom. Others mentioned in the past include version, scripted by John Rogers. Michael Crawford (who created the role and has a sizable fan following which has crusaded for his Look for a TV special celebrat- casting) and John Travolta. ing the 50th anniversary of Charles The Highlander follow-up, now in production, has an intriguing title: Highlander: Endgame. Schulz' recently retired Peanuts in Hmmm. Since there can be only one, does that mean one immortal star (Christopher Lambert or Adri- May on CBS. an Paul) must finally lose his head?

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Method of payment: Cash Check Q( U Daytime Your Phone #: i } Money Order; i.} Oiscove i i rj Master Card Q Visa Print Name As it Appears Your Card X- On 1 Oeri'i On::] n:ders may be IIJ lift in' 1 iaxec! 212-889-7933 : a ~~ Stariog group, Inc. Street ' 475 Park Avenue South Buffvy $1 29 — New york, NY 10016 Limited Edition Figures Stale Please indicate quantity being ordered. _ Angel $129 RESIDENTIAL FUN JET ACTION would-be dictator Let's face it—you can't keep the undead down, espe- When cially when they grab a fan following. Look at the Mizar and his horde of countless zombie movies or sequels that the more popu- insect-like Drones enslave the lar ones have spawned. Capcom Entertainment certain- peace-loving tribal planet Gold-

ly learned that dead is better when they unleashed wood, it's up to noble fighter Resident Evil for the Sony PlayStation in the mid-90s. Juno, his hot-tempered twin sister

They realized it again when they offered extra goodies Vela and their cybernetic ally for the bad guys in Resident Evil: Director's Cut, and enhanced dog Lupus to save the then with Resident Evil 2, which truly set several video- day. That's the simple premise game standards in horror, 32-bit graphics, full-motion behind Rare's new SF shooter for video and storytelling. In fact, RE2 (now available for the Nintendo 64, Jet Force Gemi- the Nintendo 64, by the way) was so good you couldn't ni ($54.95), and that's about all help but wonder if Capcom would be able to keep their that's simple regarding this game. killer franchise alive and kicking (so to speak) with Res- Rare, one of the best N64 game ident Evil 3: Nemesis ($49.99). The answer to this ques- developers, struts its stuff in its tion is yes... mostly. usual grand style, offering up an There's not much to explain in the way of the game's objective, particularly if you've read prior entertaining, stylish adventure reviews for RE and RE2. As Jill Valentine, the S.T. A.R.S. agent from the original game, you kill zombies, that combines cutesy, cartoony mutants and anything else that crosses your path, characters with an epic, high- while also looking for items or solving puzzles to octane story. help you flee from the Umbrella Corporation- Spanning across numerous controlled Raccoon City. Besides the usual ene- worlds, your mission has you mies and allies, there's a super-nasty, constantly on the run, whether rocket-launching zombie named Nemesis who's you're blasting Drones and AI

hot on your trail, and it's not because Jill's wear- enemies, rescuing Tribals, recov- ing a sexy miniskirt and tanktop. He shows up ering parts for an ancient space- early and often, and has an uncanny knowledge craft or looking for Mizar' s lair. of when his appearance will best frighten people Though you start out as Juno, if playing this game way too late at night with the you reunite with the other Jet

lights off. Force members you can also play There are a few enhancements in RE3, as Vela or Lupus to take some hits including much-appreciated 180-degree maneu- and divvy up the workload verability and being able to dodge or push off (though you'll be sent to whatev- attackers. You're also given occasional "fight or er area they're fighting in). You'll flight"-type opportunities to choose from, and find plenty of weapons and ammo can mix gunpowder to upgrade your ammo via a along the way, as well as tokens tool reloader device. The character and back- to upgrade your weapons, your ground graphics are better than ever, as are the armor and, most important, your The neighborhood looks better in Resident Evil video sequences, sounds and music provided. health. 3, but Nemesis doesn't change it all that much. You'll still get a chill from the game, a good scare There are many things to like

when you don't expect it (especially if you have a shock controller) and your money's worth in regards to about Jet Force Gemini. The playing time, cuz there's lots to do in this game, much like there was in RE2. And therein lies most of the game's terrific multiplayer game's weaknesses. options allow you to choose from characters If it weren't for the fact that RE and RE2 were so groundbreaking and worth playing over and over, you've accessed and

RE3 would be in a class by itself. As it is, however, Nemesis is at most a polished version of the scries' saved, while a unique co-op play best elements, and leaves you feeling like you've resided in this game before. Running back and forth mode enables you and a second

across Raccoon City to acquire puzzle-solving pieces is now more annoying than tension-filled, and the player to team up as Juno and climax just isn't as satisfying this time out. Overall, Resident £V;7philes will enjoy the improvements, and Floyd, a robot who has turned newcomers to Raccoon City will have a hard time leaving, but if you're looking for a totally different against Mizar. The graphics and experience, Nemesis might have you considering short-term residency. sound are out of this world, and the Dolby Surround encoding and widescreen playing option almost add a DVD feel to the game—all you need is director commentary, the latter of which wouldn't be a bad idea when you consider some of the game's negatives. There are some major problems with Jet Force Gemini, the first of which is the game's targeting and controller layout. Unless your fingers are double-joint- ed, you're gonna get real frustrated accessing weapons while trying to keep one

finger on the trigger. Even if you can do it, targeting objects is extremely diffi- cult, and requires far too much precision while you're in the middle of a major gunfight. Despite being in diverse settings and scenery, you're forced to deal with overly repetitive tasks and opponents, unnecessarily slowing down a game that already almost takes too long to play. Finally, the cart's shoddy camera con-

trol often makes it difficult to see what's in front of you, and makes it all the

more frustrating when it gets you killed (and it will get you killed). Despite these problems, the positive aspects of Jet Force Gemini still make

the trip to Goldwood well worthwhile. In many respects, it's a beautiful game

that will add class to your cartridge holders, and although it fails in some of its Despite big story and graphics, Jet Force Gemini execution, it still has all the earmarks of becoming a classic. Besides, unless you doesn't always have things under control. can rent this game for at least a week or just plan not to sleep for a few days

straight, you're better off just buying it.

12 STARLOG/Marc/? 2000 These lithographs, magnificent examples of film art, have been signed by Ralph McQuarrie, the original production artist and numbered in a Limited Edition of only 2,500. They come matted and framed with a still from the sequence pictured in the lithograph and a light- ed one-of-a-kind (no two are alike!) 70mm film eel from the actual movie scene. Batteries not included. Lithographs measure 18" x 12".

4 New Hope A New Hope The Empire Strikes Back The Empire Strikes Back Rebel Ceremony 50006 The Contina on Mos Esley 50052 Rebel Patrol of Echo Base 50036 BatlleofHoth 50038

The Empire Strikes Back Return of the Jedi Return of the Jedi Death Star Main Reactor Cloud City of Bespin 50039 The Rancor Pit 50051 50055

Return of the Je

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Limited Edition Lithographs $200 each Print Name As It Appears On Your Card Please indicate quantity being ordered. Send cash, check or money order to: A New Hope Cloud City of Bespin 50039 Starlog Group, Inc. Rebel Ceremony 50006 Return of the Jedi Street 475 Park Avenue South The Cantina on Mos Eisley Jabba The Hutt 50050 York, 50052 The Rancor Pit 50051 New NY 10016 City State Zip The Empire Strikes Back Speeder Bike Chase 50052 IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO CUT OUT COUPON, Rebel Patrol of Echo 50036 Death Star Main Reactor WE WILL ACCEPT WRITTEN ORDERS. Battle of Hoth 50038 50055 Please allow 4 to 6 weeks for delivery. Your Signature The Black Raven: Book Two of the Dragon Mage by Katherine Kerr (Bantam Spectra, tpb, 400 pp, $13.95) This particular bird is frozen in flight, which is unusual for a The Stainless Steel Rat Joins the Circus by Katherine Kerr novel. The first portion of The Black Raven explores the animosity between Niffa and the witch woman Reana, an antipathy Harry Harrison (Tor, he, 269 pp, $23.95) going back to a previous life. The latter part focuses that earlier life This novel concludes with "The End" fol- on and the roles the characters played in bringing about their current trou- lowed by a question mark, which is as succinct bles. Unfortunately, the reader's attention is never a comment as anyone might wish concerning engaged, because it's all so uninteresting. what to be a major plot point SF's favorite thief. Since the early 1960s, Harri- Even seemed in son has been writing out these adventures with the series—the birth of Evandar's people as humans—is taken care of in a scant few pages. There's no in The Black Raven, the regularity of Rolling Stones albums. It has momentum and no reason to look forward to the next installment. become axiomatic that Slippery Jim diGriz will — be put through an entertaining array of derring- Penny Kenny do and close calls. The fun lies in finding out what Harrison has in store for his hero. The False House by James Stoddard (Warner/Aspect, pb, 416 pp, In this go-round, the Stainless Steel Rat and Angelina are hired by $6.50) a 40,000-year-old billionaire to find out how his banks are being Entering the new Millennium, it's comforting and inspiring to know robbed. The only clue our intrepid duo have is in a certain circus that that high fantasy is alive and well and being written by such an able happens to be nearby whenever a robbery takes place. The obvious practitioner as James Stoddard. While readers can guess his influences

answer, of course, is to investigate under the big top. from scattered references throughout the novel, The False House is a One can almost imagine the smile on Harrison's face as he wrote totally original, riveting work. Carter Anderson, Master of Evenmere, this, as well as wonder why he hadn't picked this milieu earlier. Fans of the house that is also the universe, must save creation from destruction. the Rat's adventures know what to expect. Newcomers to the series To do so, he must brave the plains of Darkness and enter the False will find they've selected a very entertaining entry point. House, where a captive girl's dreams turn reality into nightmare. —Michael Wolff Stoddard is an incredibly gifted writer. Never once does he lose control of language, character or plot. He gives us fantasy that shows us the reality beyond the workaday world, like a contemporary C.S. Lewis The Magic Dead: Three the Book of Changeling Saga by Peter Garrison or George MacDonald. (Ace, tpb, 352 pp, $13) —Penny Kenny Zombie gangsters, magical grifters, double-crossing mage judges and hapless humans populate Garrison's latest Changeling novel. As the battle The Price ofPeace by Mike Moscoe (Ace, pb, 336 pp, $5.99) for control of the Castle continues, alliances shift and dissimilar groups on Moscoe is the newest addition to that small number of authors who Earth and elsewhere converge to right a 1,000-year-old wrong. have managed to turn a working knowledge of the military into a writ- The Magic Dead is almost light-hearted—humorous even—compared to ing career, and do so in a manner that works for the average reader. In the previous Changeling books. It lacks the others' intensity, mainly because this example he presents Izzy Umboto, an interstellar war hero who in following so many characters no one scene ever develops to its full poten- has finally gained command of her own ship. Among her officers is tial. But who could resist such delightfully varied and intriguing characters? Lieutenant "Trouble" Tordon, a career Marine. They face a galaxy in Garrison's gift for characterization is especially evident here. Though the which peace is supposed to be reigning, but matters quickly change ending is satisfying and seems to conclude the plotline, Garrison leaves when Umboto's ship stumbles onto a slavery ring operating from one enough questions unanswered that another book wouldn't be out of place. of the frontier worlds. Umboto ends up acting as the representative of —Penny Kenny the law, and Tordon finds his hands full as he falls deep into the slavers' clutches. Jumping the Planet by (Tor, he, 288 $19.95) Off pp, It would be interesting to see Moscoe take on a Star Trek novel or For Charles, troubled middle child traveling with his brothers and teleplay, since his work has the feel of the better classic episodes. As it estranged dad amidst a ravaged future America, vacations are never pain- is, The Price of Peace starts off a bit slowly, but the story quickly less and fun. Along with his brothers, "affectionately" referred to as Weird becomes involving, and the reader comes away with an appreciation (the older computer nerd) and Stinky (the brattish younger bedwetter), of Moscoe's work. Charles constantly fights with his father. But these scenes of family dys- —Michael Wolff function literally rise to the realm of thoughtful adventure in Jumping Off the Planet. The Veiled Web by Catherine Asaro (Bantam/Spectra, pb, 368 pp, Gerrold's novel takes off in fitting SF form when Charles' father $5.99) decides to take the kids up the Beanstalk—a giant space cable/elevator as The Veiled Web is as exquisite, strong and mesmerizing as its bal- seen in Arthur C. Clarke's book 3001: The Final Odyssey—ostensibly to lerina heroine Lucia. Author Asaro completely captures Lucia's feel- give his kids one last great vacation before he leaves Earth forever. Dad's ings of inadequacy, fright and wonder as she's swept off her feet and plans, however, turn out to be more insidious. into the exotic world of Muslim Morocco by mysterious computer Unlike Gerrold's epic War Against the Chtorr series, Jumping Off the genius Rashid al-Jazari. Even as her love for her new husband grows, Planet is an intimate examination of children caught in the war between she sees the miracle of true artificial intelligence develop before her scheming, divorced parents above a ruined Earth. The space elevator envi- eyes. But Lucia's life is threatened by those who want control of the ronment is magnificently realized, and the work's only weak spot is the new technology, and her love could collapse under the weight of Kramer vs. Kramer meets Judge Judy ending. Still, this very heartfelt and Rashid's secrets. real book—the first of a series—is a worthy Gerrold outing. Check it out. By turns terrifying, humorous, romantic and heart-wrenching, —Keith Olexa The Veiled Web is sure to be welcomed by anyone who appreciates fine storytelling. The Sword: Book 1—The Sword, the Ring and the Chalice by Deb- —Penny Kenny orah Chester (Ace, pb, 432 pp, $6.99) Dain is a human/Eld halfbreed alone in the world. He finds sanctu- early chapters dealing with the true king of Nether's last mortal days ary, of a sort, among Lord Odfrey's knights; but it's all too easy for the are stunning in then action, intensity and emotion, making the remain- impetuous, headstrong boy to make enemies. And given that he's the der of the book seem rather ordinary in comparison. Still, while Dain lost heir of a troubled kingdom, chances are he'll pick up more in the hasn't quite his father's flair, he has potential. It'll be interesting to see next two entries in this trilogy. where Chester takes him. Meanwhile, The Sword is an entertaining introductory volume. The —Penny Kenny

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. . feature disc And, last but. well, maybe least, there is a double on one of still comes jam-packed with two versions of the film: first the Rebirth ofMothra 1 and 2, similarly priced, and only for fans of this genre. completed theatrical production, as well as an early work-in- Columbia TriStar is hawking a double set of the two Ghostbusters films, progress rough cut that includes the pencil animation. Also priced at $50.98—about the same as purchasing the two movies separately, included is the one-minute deleted scene, a production photo but conveniently boxed as a single unit. gallery, a 45-minute documentary and animation guru 's optional running commentary. It's all priced at $27.98 from Columbia/TriStar. Spectacularly produced as a two-disc package is the Dis- ney/Pixar A Bug's Life ($49.98), which also includes two versions of the film: the standard theatrical widescreen and the completely re-composed square video version. Addition-

ally, there is the obligatory audio commentary by the film- makers, several behind-the-scenes and how-it-was-done documentaries and a photo gallery. The $34.98 edition fea- tures only the re-composed home video version, a computer animated short and the two sets of end credit outtakes. Similar treatment is being given to Disney's animated , due out this month. The $39.98 version includes the film, a music video, a Phil Collins recording session, the trailer and a sneak preview of Disney's upcoming CGI out- ing Dinosaur. Tarzan: The Special Edition, priced at $49.98, has all the expected extra goodies—at $10 to $20 more. Con- sider, though, that the top-selling Matrix DVD comes loaded with comparable extra goodies, but is only priced at $24.98 for the complete package. Oddly, the audio commentary is not by the Wachowski Brothers, but rather from a trio drawn from cast and crew (Carrie-Anne Moss, FX guru John Gaeta DOOMSDAY STEALS And from the ridiculous to the and editor Zach Staenberg). and Natalie Wood sublime, Image has collected the These deluxe editions often include "documentaries" that star with Martin Landau and works of the Czech stop-motion were originally designed to stir up interest in the film long in Henry Fonda in the 1979 doomsday puppet animation master Jiri Trnka advance of its actual release, and while exciting to watch thriller Meteor ($24.98) from onto a two-and-a-half hour disc. then, become somewhat pointless after you've seen the MGM/UA Home Video. Wood gets Included are five of this extraordi- movie. There are some notable exceptions, however, in to show off her fluency in Russian nary artist's short films and his fea- which the documentary filmmakers have gone far beyond the and this magazine gets a tiny cameo ture-length telling of Hans Christian call of duty to obtain materials and interviews which would in one of the miniature destruction Andersen's fairy tale, "The Emper- have been impossible prior to the movie's release. Among sequences: a model newsstand is or's Nightingale" with narration by the best of these is "Crossing the Frontier: The Making of stocked only with STARLOG back Boris Karloff. The Puppet Films of The Last Starfighter" and "The ALIEN Legacy"—both creat- issues clipped from the "miniature" Jiri Trnka ($29.98) is a true anima- ed by the partnership of David C. Fein and Michael Matessi- covers seen in our back issue ad. tion collector's treasure. These stop- no. Their production experience dates from the early days of More apocalyptic chills are on motion classics still dazzle even in laserdiscs, and the kinds of supplements that were produced display in director Stanley this age of computer graphics. by the then-cutting-edge Criterion label. Their unique Kramer's adaptation of Nevil Celebrating traditional American artistry and absolute tenacity in tracking down every last Shute's classic On the Beach eel animation is Tom & Jerry: scrap of never-before-seen artwork, production footage or ($24.98, MGM/UA) starring Gre- Greatest Chases ($24.98, Warner), exclusive interview sets a very high standard indeed. With gory Peck, Ava Gardner, Fred with 15 vintage theatrical shorts dat- ALIEN, for example, they even traveled to H.R. Giger's Astaire and Anthony Perkins. The ing from the late '40s, and the addi- home in Switzerland for candid inside comments on the picture reflects the Cold War atti- tional bonus of "The Worry Song" film's making. The Fein-Mattesino team has also made extra tudes of the 1950s without the usual from Anchors Aweigh, showcasing special delights of ALIENS, The Thing and Bride of Re-Ani- polemics. Score is by Ernest Gold. Jerry's dance with Gene Kelly. mator, among others.

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Believe it. There's nothing to fear on the set of this TU series.

berg, who has been closely involved with The Others, is scheduled to meet with Wong n unconscious child rises into the later in the day, and so all eyes are peeled for a Spielberg sighting. Two hours on the set air, twisting and turning in the half- and so far there's no legend in evidence. The odyssey of The Others began early in light haze. For a television levita- 1998, when screenwriters John Brancato and Mike Ferris, who graduated from B-movies under the name Henry Dominic to the A list tion, it looks really good—but with credits like The Game and The Net, were apparently not quite good enough. approached by DreamWorks and Spielberg. "We were told they wanted to do the scari- est show on television," reflects Brancato dur- "Cut!" yells director Brian (Night of the Demons ing a break in shooting. "We toyed around with the idea of psychic phenomena and deal- 2) Trenchard-Smith. "We've got a little too much ing with the paranormal. We didn't just want to do psychic cops or a takeoff on The X-Files. swing for the camera." So we played around with some ideas and speculated about what it would be like if you An effects technician walks onto the set and grabs onto the feet of the boy, dangling on straps, some 20 feet in the air, and stead- it of like Billigan's ies the child actor so that he'll be more cam- era-friendly in his demon-induced state. The boy is encouraged by Trenchard-Smith to "hang in there," which brings a chorus of laughs and good-natured boos from the assembled crew. Realm's quick exit at Fox is the major topic were haunted by visions all the time and that "All right," announces the director. "And of conversation on the Others set. More than your power was treated like an illness or alco- action." one producer and actor has jokingly thanked holism, and finally came up with the idea of The boy pivots in the semi-darkness in a the gods that NBC, rather than Fox, picked doing a paranormal support group." scene that will be CGI-enhanced in post-pro- up this series about a group of paranormal Brancato and Ferris fashioned a pilot duction. After several takes, Trenchard- investigators (which premieres February 5). script that was equal parts ghost story and in-

Smith is satisfied and calls, "Cut. Print it." "I'm not happy that we're going to be on depth examination of what the ongoing The boy gets a round of applause as crew Saturday nights at 10 p.m.," complains co- group of seven characters went through in members lower him to the ground. executive producer Glen Morgan, who, dealing with their gifts. "When we first

This is day seven, episode four of The Oth- along with partner James Wong (see page turned in the script and they told us they ers. It's a fantasy TV series that, according to 27), is in charge of The Others. "But Profiler were going to shoot the pilot in Toronto, we " producer-director Mick {The Stand) Garris, and The Pretender have done pretty well on said, 'Great. I guess we'll be seeing you,' "will not be Touched by a Poltergeist!' Saturday, so who knows?" recalls Brancato. "But here we are with it "I'm fairly relaxed about this," chuckles every day, and we're finding it much more Other Encounters veteran character actor John Billingsley, who Following a pilot shot in Toronto, The portrays the among this group of Meet The Others (clockwise from top): Others, a DreamWorks production, has relo- psychic-powered investigators. "I'm looking Elmer Greentree (Bill Cobbs), Ellen Satori cated to Hollywood's Paramount Studios at this as an adventure. If it goes, it goes. If it (Melissa Crider), Professor Miles Ballard I'll it experience soundstages, where, like all mid-season doesn't, look at as a good (John Billingsley), Warren Day (Kevin J. replacements, it is grinding out its order of and move on to something else." O'Connor), Albert Taylor (John Aylward), 12 episodes and hoping for the best. This is But not all is relaxed and laidback this Mark Gabriel (Gabriel Macht) and Marian not the kindest season for new shows. Harsh day. The buzz on the set is that Steven Spiel- Kitt (Julianne Nicholson).

22 STARLOG/MarcA 2000

—

fun being involved in the production daily." taking some chances." Macht very much the heartthrob, Billingsley The Others tells the story of college Besides Billingsley and Nicholson, the seeming appropriately nerdy and O'Connor coed Marian Kitt (Julianne Nicholson of other Others are Gabriel (The Bookie's looking positively demented. Crider and Storm of the Century), who realizes she has Lament) Macht as Mark Gabriel, Melissa Nicholson take their places at the discussion the power to see to the Other Side after a (Strange World) Crider as Ellen Satori, Bill as the stalwart female leads. Cobbs hangs terrifying encounter with a spirit in her (The Color of Money) Cobbs as Elmer back just outside the room as a prelude to his dorm room. Her troubled search for Greentree, John () Aylward as entering with an album containing the key to answers leads to Professor Miles Ballard, Albert Taylor and Kevin J. (The Mummy) their current puzzle. Trenchard-Smith walks student of psychic phenomena and the para- O'Connor as Warren Day. his charges through this dialogue-heavy normal who, in turn, introduces her to a Adding fuel to the image of The Others as scene laced with the expected gaffes. At one group of like-powered individuals called something more than typical TV spam is the point, he attempts to iron out a line stumble the Others. Their main purpose is to help fact that various genre-smart movie direc- and inadvertently calls Macht by another each other understand their own wild tal- tors—Garris, Trenchard-Smith, Bill (Gods character's name. ents, but, inevitably, they are also drawn to and Monsters) Condon, Tobe (Poltergeist) "I suppose I'll get it right on the last day people and situations in need of psychic Hooper and William (House on Haunted Hill) of shooting," the director quips as laughter intervention by the Others. Malone—will helm the first dozen Others erupts. Such entries, as written by Garris, Mor- outings. While interested, Robert Rodriguez, A number of takes, thick with Trenchard- gan & Wong and other scribes, are not soft- and Clive Barker were not available Smith's trademark rapid camera pans and balls. In one episode, a wife must learn to due to scheduling conflicts. numerous close-ups, ensues before a mid- cope with tragedy and move on when her "I brought in a lot of FANGORIA peo- morning break is called. Producer Wong is ple," laughs Garris. "I brought in people who next on the hit list, but Spielberg has indeed

could tell a story in a suspenseful way, who stopped by to chat and, no, he's not talking to were comfortable within the genre and who the press.

could make it real." But Billingsley, relaxing in his trailer, is. "I usually play the perv or the psycho," Other ideas laughs Billingsley. "In this, I'm the nerd, so I Garris—who served as story editor of consider it a definite step up." Spielberg's Amazing Stories and co-scripted His character Ballard, despite member- ^batteries not included—emphasizes that ship in the Others, lacks any psychic power, The Others will be far from warm and E.T.- but so what? "I'm brilliant," Billingsley cuddly. "This isn't going to be oatmeal. shrugs. "That's my power. I know just about T5f^ tsSsvtelfOT! Steven has some real dark, edgy ideas and everything there is to know about the para- he's giving his creative people a lot of free- normal and the , so I'm the one husband and newborn baby are killed. In dom to push the envelope. We're definitely that the rest of the group comes to when they another case, a man who has had laser eye going for scares and emotion. What's great need a question answered. Professor Ballard surgery suddenly finds himself seeing about this show is that it's set in a very is a strong character. He's single-minded and demons. In a third, the group fly the fiendly believable world. We're treating all this para- passionate, and like the other members of the skies aboard a haunted airplane. normal stuff in a very grounded way." group, he's alone." "Ghosts were the original idea," observes Director Trenchard-Smith has moved his The actor, who has guest-starrred on The Brancato. "But, from there, we discovered cameras to a cramped living room set for this Pretender, Profiler and The X-Files, feels that there were many different ways to tell episode, which indicates that a dark force this anti-hero group will make an impression paranormal stories. We've had NBC's Stan- may be the group's ongoing companion. In on viewers. "These are the types of charac- dards and Practices people on our necks, this sequence, the Others confront an impor- ters that you don't see on TV very much. which is a good sign that we're definitely tant clue. The actors slowly wander on set We're sort of like Gilligan's Island goes

24 STARLOG/March 2000

:. ... if Five people you wouldn't want to meet in a lonely graveyard—but that's exactly where The Others are.

paranormal," Billingsley reports. It isn't ject matter, given his X-Files and Millennium being dropped into episode four of a series clear who's the psychic Gilligan or the sensi- past, but is quick to point out that The Others he knew nothing about. tive Skipper, though Billingsley is, obvious- is taking a non-rational road to fear. "Our "Doing episodic television is a com- ly, the Professor. "We each have our own set approach has been to throw out all sense of mando raid as opposed to doing a movie, of social behaviors that makes it hard for us rationality in trying to explain this stuff. which is the Normandy Invasion," he to fit very well into the outside world. We're We're saying, 'Look. For these seven people, chuckles. "But my attitude has always dealing with scary stuff, but also with rifts this amazing stuff is out there, it's scary and, been that episodic is just a film shot in and tears in relationships brought on by hav- for them, it's real. No other explanation is eight days." ing these powers. So far they've even hinted necessary." Trenchard-Smith came to Spielberg's at some romance, though I doubt my face The producer-writer sighs at the attention when the filmmaker saw a movie pops into the writers' minds when they're inevitable question of whether he truly he directed called The Happy Face Murders. thinking romance." believes all the weirdness surrounding the Chances are Spielberg had not caught his That might be true as well of O'Connor, show. "I would love to believe without Night of the Demons 2 or . "He who, sitting outside the soundstage getting reserve," he allows, "but I don't know if I can liked it, and here I am." some sun during a break in shooting, wears do that right now. I'm sort of a pragmatist. I And with his background in genre that perpetual look of the deranged even when need to experience it." flicks, the Australian director has had little out of character. O'Connor is a novice at Director Trenchard-Smith and his trouble picking up The Others' tempo. "It series television but, like Billingsley, he has charges shuffle back onto the set. There's hasn't been difficult. Within the parame- found a great deal to covet in his character. some good-natured banter between the ters of the show's policy, I've been free to

"There are a lot of levels to Warren. He's actors and an occasional plaintive whine of, put my own particular stamp on it. I have a obviously damaged, and there's the notion "Is it lunch yet?" certain visual style. The camera is always that he has spent a lot of his life in mental As Smith readies the next shot, Macht moving." institutions. But there's also a childlike, inno- attempts to shed some light on his power and The scene continues as Trenchard-Smith cent quality to him that will come through." his pain. "I'm your basic empathic medical gathers the fragments that will ultimately O'Connor believes that Day will be cru- intern," he notes. "I can physically and emo- translate into this adventure of The Others. cial to these tales told of The Others. "War- tionally feel pain and sorrow. My conflict is By day's end, actors are dragging as the ren can turn on a dime. He can be gentle, he that I don't want people to know that I have work's completion grows tantalizingly clos- can be frightening. And you often get the this power. I'm a sensitive guy who knows er. John Billingsley, during another break, feeling that he knows much more than he's there's a lot of pain in the world. Ultimately, jokes about the reality and fantasy of a series letting on." I'm a healer." designed to scare the hell out of people: Macht excuses himself and returns to the "Everybody on this show claims to have had Other Experiences living room set. The timing of Cobbs' some kind of psychic experience in their Spielberg has completed his business and entrance and the specifics of the psychic lives except me. I'm really feeling left out. departed, leaving Wong rather drained. mumbo-jumbo between actors has the num- Nothing has happened on the set. I may have Wong, however, jokes that Spielberg did not ber of takes mounting up like flapjacks. At tofake something on the set. Maybe I'll get a read him the riot act. It's just the normal one point, Trenchard-Smith halts the pro- light fixture to fall down, or somebody's sus- grind of series television. ceedings and, while cameras are moved and penders to pop off... "Television is a crazy thing," he muses. lights shifted, he offers his perspective on "Or maybe something worse." i&

"And you can get that way behind it. But it's worth it when you're doing good stuff, and that's why Glen and I are here. That and the fact that we would be crazy to turn down a chance to work with ." Wong has an obvious affinity for the sub-

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By BILL WARREN

len Morgan and strange ways... James Wong Prom The X-Files The original idea (then a brand-name dubbed Flight 180) came from writing team. to The Others Jeffrey Reddick; producers Genre fans know that when f Craig Perry and Warren Zide sold it to New they see those two names on Line, and everyone concerned aimed for Mor- a script, the chances are from Space; gan and Wong for the final script.

good that it's going to be one for the books. They first Above and Aerodynamics Duo teamed in the 1980s, work- Interviewed separately in their trailers ing on shows like Knight Beyond to Pinal on the Final Destination nighttime Van- Watch, , and The couver location, Morgan and Wong agree Commish, but it was their string of scripts Destination so often it's as if they're in the same room, but for The X-Files that established them as fan each has his own viewpoint as well. favorites. They continued on with Space: "The thematic values are strong," says Above and Beyond, a show they created James Wong & Wong. "I really like the idea of dealing with themselves, then spent a year on Millenni- Death. Also, this is a movie that I feel I can do um. They are now in charge of the new Glen Morgan well, something that's kind of exciting and series The Others. something new, in this genre at least, Somewhere in the middle of all this keep on writing f Teen horror movies have been going work, they found time to create a few unsold toward the slasher-oriented things, and pilots, write a couple of movie scripts yet to be boards the plane, he has a sudden premonition this is not that. It's more of a creepy sus- filmed—and to co-write Final Destination, that it's going to crash. He and some others pense, along the lines of The Exorcist or The produced by Morgan and directed by Wong. disembark, and watch in horror as the plane Omen, something which has a little more In this March release from New Line Cinema, does indeed go down in flames. But the deaths class, but with a youthful sensibility." Devon Sawa plays a high school student head- continue: one by one, in the order they would In terms of the movie being only for teens, ing for France with classmates. But when he have died on the plane, Sawa's die in Morgan adds, "I wouldn't doubt it would be Although Wong wasn't looking for a film to direct, Final Destination—like Fate—just sort of happened.

some smaller projects were Final Destination isn't a movie pushed—you're not going to direct a just for teens. Death is pursuing Will Smith picture the very first everyone even you, yes, you, — time—and some were offered. None reading this caption. Be warned! of them seemed too attractive, and besides, we were busy with Millenni- um, the pilots or whatever. When this

came along, it seemed like a movie we would like to do. We said, 'OK, let's do this one, then.' It was serendipitous, the sort of thing that happened for the right reason and on the right project. "It was a great experience with New Line," Wong continues, "in that they always said they wanted to

make it. Now, everybody says they want to make a movie when you first

start writing it. 'Oh, this is something we're really passionate about.' And of course, after a couple of drafts, you don't hear anything. But on this one, we turned in our first draft, and

they still really wanted to do it. It was

a quick process, from what I under- stand of how movies get made." Perry and Zide, producers on the tough to get my Dad to go see this movie, but the characters deal with their demise, and how project, showed Morgan and Wong an earlier

I think he would like it. The story about Death Death stalks them." treatment of what became Final Destination. just happens to be about these kids. You could Wong admits that he wasn't exactly look- "Their treatment had the central core of the just as easily do this movie about a family ing for a script to direct. "I wasn't saying to story: a bunch of high school kids go on a

going on a tour of Europe. You would do it the my representatives, 'This I must do.' After I field trip on an airplane," Wong recalls, "and same way." directed that episode of The X-Files ["Mus- guys get off, and Death comes after them. But

"Death is something that is all around us," ings of a Cigarette-Smoking Man"] and was how everything happens is different from the Wong goes on, "but we choose how we live or Emmy-nominated, agents decided that, hey, treatment. That and the characters are what

don't live with it, and that's reflected in how it's possible to sell me as a director. And so we brought to it." —

Space Photo: Copyright 1996

They jettisoned the idea from the thing for me, at least." treatment of presenting Death as the Morgan adds, "The producer in a classic dark-cloaked figure. "When feature doesn't have the clout that he

Glen and I got together," Wong says, does in TV. Jim and I work very much "we thought about, 'Well, what as a partnership, and so when we first about things just happening? Mun- started working on the movie, it was dane things?' We started to see the difficult for me because the crew movie as details, little tiny drops of would just kind of ignore me. I would water from a leaking toilet tank ask a question and something wouldn't how does that make you die? get done until they talked to Jim. Then Clotheslines over the bathtub that they realized how we worked. your mom hangs her stockings on "If this was a TV series, for the how does that cause you to die? It amount of time we've been in produc- became a movie about these tiny tion, we would be on the fifth episode. details, and suddenly everything For TV, you rarely shoot at one loca- seemed to work for us." tion more than a couple of days. On The idea remains that Death itself this movie, we were just on the plane is indeed causing these fatal acci- for two weeks. I was thinking, 'This is dents, but on screen, instead of the the whole movie! I'll never leave this Grim Reaper, Wong & Morgan show set!' But it's great because we don't only a gust of wind, a shadow, a door have another script due. On the moni- quietly closing. tor, our TV training says, 'Yeah, that'll "How does Death control us?" play.' But here you're trying to imagine

Wong asks rhetorically. "How does it much bigger, because it has much he make things happen that ultimate- more information. At the end of it [with ly cause our demise? We also deal the studio], we got the same kinds of with predestination. Does breaking things we get on TV. They change the the pattern of death cause horrifying title, they don't like the one sheet, stuff events? You guys were supposed to like that. It's still frustrating." die on that airplane. You didn't, so the world itself is screwed up. We Partners in Crime illustrate that in our sets, in the color They've written features before, schemes...now these are very subtle though none were produced so far. things. For example, one set, Alex's Like many STARLOG readers, Morgan and Wong There's the remake of Fantastic Voy- are still annoyed at Fox's inept Space: Above and bedroom—before the plane crash age, for example; asked about it, Wong Beyond escapades. "That was a great series," and after the crash, they're actually bursts into laughter. "We worked on it Morgan says. different sets. They have different with Roland [Emmerich] and Dean dimensions, the walls aren't 90 [Devlin]," he begins. "They got into a When Ali degrees, color schemes are different. spat with Fox, left and went to Sony, Larter's "We decided that the world is out number but of course, Fantastic Voyage of kilter because Alex had this pre- belongs to Fox. About a year after comes up, we monition, and it stays out of kilter she evades finished our draft, Fox asked us to do a from that moment on, until Death her Final polish, a rewrite, but by that time, we takes over. Philosophically, it's a dif- Destination. weren't available." ferent way of looking at Death. And Death "What was great about that," Mor- Death is not trying to screw things pursues. gan adds, "is that we're friends with all "Death is up; Death is trying to make things those guys at Centropolis. They were trying to right again." going off to do Godzilla, and we were make For Wong, directing his first fea- about to write a movie for Dream- things right ture learn-while-you-earn time. said, 'Meet at was again," Works when Dean me "I feel like I'm learning every day," Wong the commissary.' He said, 'We're going he says, "which is good. I feel like I to redo Fantastic Voyage, and I think have a great crew which is very sup- you're the guys. I want this, this, this, portive. The biggest challenge may this and that.' We said, 'OK,' we made be just the continuity of energy and the deal, and he went off to Hawaii. It thought. In a TV show, you have was that easy. We turned it in while eight days, a very compact time. You they were in the middle of Godzilla. basically can keep the whole show in "What's weird about Fantastic Voy- your head pretty well. On the movie, age is that when you mention the title, we're shooting for 50-some-odd most people say, 'Oh, yeah!' But no days. Sometimes the difficulty is to one can remember much about it, and remember what you shot, just the when you indeed get around to looking memory of what it should feel like at it, you think, 'But this is awful!' The something you shot three weeks ago. premise, however, is imperishable." Keeping the energy level right and Their script was similar to the orig- all that is a challenge. The key to a inal only in that a team is shrunken tiny great movie is that every piece fits enough to move about inside a human within the whole. That's a really hard body. "It's much different from both thing to achieve; it's the hardest Innerspace and Fantastic Voyage" " NflHHHHHHHii

you show them something, and they use these dials. But many pilots test well, because they're familiar with a

little twist. It's not new, it's old and

familiar, but it tests well because they

all understand everything from the

first frame. "But when you have something

really unusual, it generally tests poor- ly because people don't understand A what's going on. They don't know what they're supposed to be feeling. Is this funny? Is this not supposed to be funny? We had people saying, T

didn't know at first whether it was supposed to be funny or not, but I

really liked it at the end.' But the dials went way down at the beginning because they didn't know what they were seeing. That's not the fault of the

show, it's the fault of testing; it's not a creative way of deciding if a show is any good or not." One of the ironic sides of the sad Wong claims. "In our version—who Morgan and tale of The Notorious was the music knows what it's like now?—there wasn't Wong track. The suits, Wong says, "said, "This a saboteur. It was more of a character announced music is all wrong. Who listens to that?'

thing that caused one guy to act not in the their reign And it was all this swing stuff before it

interest of the body. It was based on nan- on the was hip again." Lance otechnology. They were speculating that Another unsold Morgan & Wong Henriksen with nanotechnology, with the right kind pilot, for CBS this time, was Skip Trac- drama with of chemical breakdown things, you can ers. "That was a kind of departure from crew T-shirts have nanobots. Trillions of them can declaring what we usually do," says Morgan. "That break you down and reassemble you into "Millennium was a case where the studio said, 'How a different version, can improve you." Year Two: about Arsenio Hall and George Edes?' There's a lot of redundancy in the human 90% Fewer Oddly, I was pretty open to Arsenio. I body, cells that do much of the same Serial didn't like his talk show, but I really like Killers." things. So the idea in the Wong & Mor- him. So we said, here's the show. It had a gan script was that "you're dissolving lot of comedy and Doug [X-Files]

yourself as a being and having these Hutchison. Then they see it, and they go,

nanobots re-create you on a miniature T don't know if I want that. I'm puttin' scale. It led to some great visual ideas, this other show on instead.' That one runs since nanobots can screw up. There was six episodes and is off the air."

a scene where a guy is reassembled More recently, the team tried their wrong, with a hand growing out of his hand at Wonder Cabinet. "This was head." something that the head of 20th [Century Like many writers who are also Fox] came to us about," Wong explains. "show runners," Morgan and Wong have "He said, T want to do something about tried their hands at creating new series in medical anomalies.' the form of pilots. One of these was The "It's a kind of mistake you learn over Notorious (a.k.a. The Notorious Seven), and over," sighs Morgan. "Here's my an ambitious gangster series that both pilot, here's my love, I gave you what men consider the most promising one you asked for, from my heart. And they that got away. "It was a graphic-novel go, 'Nope.' You took someone else's

take on a mob story," Wong says. "You're in I was fun, funny and stylish." idea, you did your best to make it yours, and

this world called The City. Imagine if Michael "We wrote it when we were at Stephen did a lot of what they wanted. They were Corleone framed his father's death by Cannell's about seven years ago," with the director, cast, concept, look, was for j remembers happy his uncle. He is thrown into prison, where he I Morgan. "We were asked to write something stories. Then they blame you and say it meets this wise old man who tells him he has I that was unlike anything on TV. 'OK, here's sucked."

to right the wrongs of this city. There are seven I the script, this isn't on the air.' We went out

families running the mobs because the Don is there and we did it, it was very eclectic, we Space Teamsters I

dead, the seven deadly sins type of thing. really loved it, great cast. Then we turned it in, Not only do Morgan and Wong have to lick "Our hero learns to change himself and they go, 'But this isn't like anything that's their unsold-pilot wounds, but like many how | with prosthetics. His mission is to infiltrate on TV. And that music, my God, get it out of STARLOG readers, they're still really not these families from the bottom up and destroy there.' They screwed up; that one we're very over the cancellation of Space: Above and them—not just kill people, but destroy the angry about—it should still be on the air." Beyond. Morgan says, "I've worked on 200 crime empire that each of them has built. It "Who knows why things don't sell?" episodes of TV, a whole bunch of series and j —

was sort of Wiseguy meets Godfather meets Wong says. "You do a pilot and they test it. j that was a great series. It should still be on the whatever you can think of. It Basically, you have 30 people from a mall, I air. It's that simple. There was an executive at

30 STARLOG/Mia rch 2000 —

X-Files Photo: Copyright 1996 Fox Broadcasting Company

Initially, the duo earned SF fame writing some of the best early X- the network at that time wasn't happening Files. They returned in that who just didn't get it. I've there. Space: Above series' fourth season to script followed his career since such episodes as "The Field and Beyond. Notori- in trades, I ous. Let's just part the and go Where I Died." " 'Good!' company. Every- "Even now," Wong thing just kind of adds, "on the Sci-Fi worked out. Fox Channel and foreign understood what we countries, Space does were saying."

very well, it has a huge Now they've fan base. Fox told us we moved on to The would have five episodes Others and a produc- in a row, which they tion deal with never gave us; they kept DreamWorks Televi- pre-empting us and mov- sion. Just hours ing us." The show often before their STAR- followed football games, LOG interview, Mor- and many areas of the gan and Wong had a country saw only the conference call with 111 concluding fragments of Steven Spielberg, 1 the Space episode. completing the Things became worse, when details of the show, which 1 the show kept changing quickly went into produc- -111 nights. "I didn't even know tion (see page 22). "The Hi when it was on," laments Others is a group of sort m Wong, "and I was running of outcasts," Wong says. the show. "They have these para- T) OCQ "It was very expensive, normal abilities; they're m granted, although by the not superheroes—they're IB end, we had figured out how regular people who have to make the show more eco- psychic abilities. Seven 1 nomically. It wasn't per- people with different tal- forming great, but if you ents, but not so specific

look at our numbers, even at that it's T Do This And their worst, they're better You Do That.' They over- than some shows Fox had on lap in a paranormal way. just a year ago. I think they We want to scare people; wanted us to do a different these are ghost stories,

show; when we pitched it, but it's not Ghostbusters. they wanted us to do 'Star I know it should be Trek Academy,' and we scary." wanted to do 'War in Space.' gion's idea of doomsday, then working that in "It's more limited than The X-Files," Mor- j "It wasn't based on Robert Heinlein [and with the as the insists. "It's ghosts, it's precognition, it's bad guys. \ gan

Starship Troopers], but that was the vein we We agreed to do it for a year, and decided to not conspiracies and all that stuff, which I did wanted to go after—gritty action, Marines in take it away from serial killers. After a year, not like about The X-Files. But don't get me space. We wanted to have war be the crucible they took it back." started about that! I don't want to bore you. I

for these characters, how it changes their Wong says, "We definitely did not want to wanted to write three pages of what was sup- lives, their relationships with each other, how have serial killer of the week after serial killer posedly going to be my tell-all book about they find themselves through this horrible sit- of the week. In fact, our first crew T-shirt that Ten Thirteen [Carter's production company], uation. Fox wanted aliens. I dunno, they liked we sent to everyone said, 'Millennium Year I and leave it in the Xerox room, just to freak some aspects of the show, they didn't like oth- Two: 90% Fewer Serial Killers.' But those them out. ers. They weren't thrilled, but I think ulti- who took over after us rejected everything we I "We've set Tobe Hooper and Bill Malone mately had we continued, it would have been did," he laughs. "I think they didn't buy into [to direct]; Mick Garris did the pilot, and he's \ a great show." what we wanted to do, and we certainly didn't going to do three of 'em. Usually with direc- f After the collapse of Space: Above and buy into what they wanted to do, so there was tors, you write the show and the director has j

Beyond, Morgan & Wong worked briefly as a little bit of conflict there. So in the third sea- ! to come to the script. But in this case, you can "consultants" back on The X-Files. "Which son, they went back to what they were doing write towards what you know, as a fan, their meant," Wong explains, "we would write four the first season. I'm proud of some of the talent is. I'm really excited about that." episodes and produce the ones we wrote; I work we did there. Not every show was great, I Beyond Final Destination and The Others, happened to direct one of them. And we but some of them were." Morgan and Wong "have a project set up with ; would also write a couple of Millenniums,; I After their pilots didn't sell, the duo decid- Randy Stone," Morgan says. "She's executive think we did three that year. Chris Carter ed it was time for a change. "The reason why producing with Jodie Foster. It's a script we trusted us, and the network really liked us. we left Fox was that the shows we wanted to wrote, Straw Dogs-ish. In 1998, we did a lot; They wanted to have seven shows they didn't do did not get a fair shake. We had one more we did the tail end of Millennium, we did a | have to think about." year on our contract with Fox, and we said we pilot, we wrote this script, we wrote The Mark

Morgan admits that Millennium "was want to leave," Morgan explains. "They said, I for Will Smith I don't know if that'll go. ] — We never anything I was that interested in, but in 'No, you have to write episodes of Harsh did a lot, and now we just want to make sure doing the research, it was pretty fascinating Realm.' We said no. They said they were I that The Others works, and to finish up this the approach of the Millennium, every reli- going to sue us for breach of contract. It just movie. Then we'll take it from there." ^ All Photos: Copyright 2000 Hallmark Entertainment

magine a world where Why don't you still find them really erotically are only nine kingdoms, and again, fairy tales are real, charged? Somehow, that's all gone, so I won- another image that isn't in the finished

where Cinderella, Snow dered if it was possible to re-present the world script, was imagining kids put to bed in the White and Red Riding of fairy stories to adults, and out of that came Nine Kingdoms being told stories about a Hood grew up to my central idea: Instead of going back in time world where there's no magic, and saying

become great rulers, to the fairy stories, could you look at a con- how ridiculous it was. I thought, 'Instead of us forming the mythical temporary fairy-story world; in other words, a finding their kingdom, what if they found Nine Kingdoms. A world possibly as dysfunctional, confusing ours? What if they think we're made up?' So

peaceful land, where everybody lived and complex as our own? that was very much a part of it." happily ever after—or did they? Two "That thought kept nagging at me, and I hundred years after the Brothers kept thinking, what happens after 'happily Fabled Beginnings Grimm visited the Nine Kingdoms, ever after,' and could one dramatize that the Although Moore has tried to vary his past

bringing back stories that enchanted right way? Out of that came how to sell the work as much as possible, it's the fanta- the world, a new age of darkness now project, which was to say, this is all new, but sy genre that has now drawn his atten- threatens to destroy that land—the handi- you know everything you need to know about tion. "There are thousands of work of a wicked queen. That's the premise of it. When you see a wolf, it won't be the wolf, people writing cop shows and med- this month's new NBC/Hallmark mini-series but a descendant of the wolf that ate Red Rid- ical shows, but what I call adult

The Tenth Kingdom, written by Simon (Gul- ing Hood, so it's both a familiar world and an fantasy is such an underdeveloped liver's Travels) Moore, who hopes to re-ener- unfamiliar one. genre that I found myself wanting gize the fantasy genre with his lavish "As soon as I started thinking about it, I more and more to work in deconstruction of the classic Grimm tales. kept getting these images, like a giant lying that area. It comes from "I kept thinking," recalls Moore about the down on the Bridge—things that all sorts of things- genesis of his idea, "why is it that everybody aren't in the series at all, but it had to do with love of comics, SF says fairy stories are great, but when you read bringing our world and theirs together. The and them as an adult, they don't really scare you? reason it's called The Tenth Kingdom is there folk 4 —'

Selected Photos: Oliver Upton

The heroes of this epic fantasy scripted by Simon Moore are Tony Lewis (John Larroquette), his daughter Virginia (Williams) and the lupine Wolf (Scott Cohen). j stories—so it's just one of those things where I've wanted, especially as I get older, to write with that sort of liberation."

Ironically, it was another TV fantasy project Moore scripted that paved the way for Hallmark's interest in The Tenth King- dom. "Not living in America and being there when Gulliver's Travels came out," he explains, "I don't think I understood how much it was considered to be ground-

-breaking; many people thought it wouldn't work, and to see something that could work so spectacular- ly helped enormously to set up The Tenth Kingdom" Although it's now being aired as a four-part mini-series, The Tenth Kingdom actually began life over a decade ago as a feature film script that Moore had developed through half a dozen drafts without success. Five years later, the project caught the interest of producer Brian Eastman,

who brought it to the BBC, where the money was put up to pro- the nature of something you believed in, White's grandson Prince Wendell, who has

duce The Tenth Kingdom as nine one- because you still want a world where there is been transformed into a dog by the evil queen

hour episodes. There, the series destiny and where good triumphs. It's inter- (Dianne Wiest). Escaping through a magic languished in development hell until the esting to look at something like The Lord of mirror, Prince arrives in New York, with a trio intervention of Hallmark, a company the Rings, which I think is very much a piece of angry Trolls and the mysterious man Wolf

enjoying great success on U.S. televi- of work at the time it was written. Now as we (Scott Cohen) in pursuit. Virginia and Tony

sion with such fantasy mini-series as approach the next century, it's a different sort soon find themselves following Prince back Gulliver's Travels, Merlin and Alice in Won- of world, so as you reach out for those stories, through the mirror, where they become derland. ideas and characters, you can't help but treat embroiled in the queen's plot to take over the Moore's usual method of creating a pro- them in a different way." Nine Kingdoms. ject is to jot down ideas and images, letting The Tenth Kingdom follows the adven- The key to Moore's story was being able them percolate slowly over time until they tures of Virginia Lewis (Kimberly Williams). to see the various fantastic characters and

a time, Simon Moore revisits the

rothers Grimm in Tb$ Tenth Kfflj begin to take shape. For The Tenth Kingdom, a young waitress, and her dad Tony (John Lar- events through the eyes of his two

"All I did to start was re-read all the original roquette), a grouchy janitor in a Central Park "normal" characters, Tony and stories over and over, and then I read a lot of apartment building. Their lives are turned Virginia. "From early on, I books written in the '80s such as The Cin- upside down when they encounter Snow knew that I wanted to tell a story derella Complex and Women Who about two people who Run With Wolves, which used those weren't equipped to have an

• stories in order to tell people how to v. adventure. That's when I came up live their lives better," Moore with this waitress who's a

explains. "That got me very excited, s ... repressed character because I realized that here was a key although you don't really to making the series knowing but see that until her destiny hopefully having some meaning as starts to unfold in front well. of her—and her daddy, "I love the idea of taking a nice guy who's an under-

things which have been used in achieving janitor. I didn'i Jhe past as symbols of right want self-reliant people, but and wrong—this person is people who you would think, 'They so good, they're whiter than can't save the world, can they?' So white—and then saying, that's where I started to go." 'Yeah, but it's a bit more complex than that All bow before the Troll King! now.' It forces He is Relish (Ed O'Neill). Will he you to re- steal this 10-hour NBC mini- examine series, or simply be content with comfy yet fashionable shoes? — —

driven by his attraction to Vir- Mythic ginia. One thing is certain, Roles though: The character doesn't In Virginia, do anything in moderation. Moore wanted to create "What I wanted to do was try a repressed character and present someone who does whose destiny is to one the most awful things," says day become a very power- Moore, "but you find your- 1 ful woman. "She is, in the self liking him, because simplest sense, one of those girls he's to a certain who gets lost in the forest," Moore extent in control of says. "The grand plan for The Tenth his schizophrenia. He Kingdom is that those girls—Cin- meets the heroine with a derella, Snow White, Rapunzel hatchet, but then imme- all become great , so I diately says, 'What am I doing? wanted that to have a parallel. The I'm so ashamed of myself, this essence is to not make your charac- is not me at all!' It's really ters too smart or capable early on. pulling apart two differ- Virginia has become, in part, her ent characters who father's wife; she's looking after don't necessarily him and this apartment. I hope the fit together. Wolf audience will look at her and think is a schizophrenic she should move out, it's time to not and, as such, tries to be with this guy. Tony has become overcompensate, so if he so obsessed, self-pitying and is has been very bad, he then doing a job that's beneath his skills. tries to be very good.

That was an interesting thing to "The hardest thing I take into an epic journey: two peo- find to write is very con- ple who are recognizably under- ventional people. Two conven- achieving, and I wanted to see tional people falling in love is a where it went." very difficult thing to do,

Tony was originally created as a whereas if you want to let loose with someone like Wolf, then

although the story is really a romance between these people—you don't have to worry about the romance. Wolf's continually apologizing for all the terrible things he's doing, and in the process, the romance comes

out. I just found him a great, fun character to

write. I could get into his head in any situa- tion."

Rounding out the heroic quartet is Prince, played by himself. By making one of his lead characters a dog, Moore concedes he was opening up a Pandora's box of potential prob- lems, not least of which was having to write some scenes from a canine perspective. "When I first wrote the feature, I felt that

dogs had been a bit overused, and so I wrote a cat, and everybody said, 'Please don't inflict this on us. You've no idea how terribly diffi-

cult it is to do a cat!' Of course, once you do move to a dog, you can do a whole load of different things. "The big decision was whether to

have Prince talk or not. What you get <

with dogs is a lot of tricks, and you have to not be tempted to do too

many paw tricks, which is what I short, fat and balding man, but that image was pricking the bubble, who represented the feel you experience as a dog doing a 1 changed when Larroquette was cast. "As a most cynical member of the audience. Those trick. Early on, I was saying very screenwriter, you really can't get locked into a viewers who aren't carried along with all this strongly that we must shoot certain actor or a certain kind of physical fantasy fairy story stuff would have a regular this as a character and not description of things," notes Moore. "There's guy in Tony who was saying, 'What time does as a dog, so you don't " no doubt that John takes it in a different way the bar open, and what are the drinks here?' want to keep the than any other actor would take it on board, The most enigmatic character in The Tenth camera but I always wanted someone for Tony who Kingdom is the half-man, half-lupine Wolf.

34 STA R I .OG/March 20(K) looking down; you really want to see eccentricities, including a love of Bee Gees Prince's point-of-view. It's too early to say music and a penchant for exotic footwear. jeopardy? I

how successful it will be, but I'm hopeful. "With all these characters, the thing you have wanted to give the Gill Raddings, the dog's trainer, is just fantas- to do is never comment on them, you just have magic consequences, tic, absolutely at the top of her skills, so that to be them. Somebody told me years ago that not always immediately

has been great. The dog actually answers to bad people don't think they're bad. They think bad, but to suggest that it's

the name of Prince; he was specially picked they're good and right, and it's only when you not simply a thing where you for the production and trained to do all this write from that perspective that you get any sprinkle fairy dust and then stuff." degree of real honesty. So often in TV, you see something wonderful happens. people come on and think, 'Oh, I see, that's It's just another way to make the Legendary Endings this character, so we know where they're fairy story world more real." No fantasy epic is complete without going; at one point, they'll into some Another way is to create a net- its share of colorful villains, and disused factory and there will be a terrible work of kingdoms that face the same long- The Tenth Kingdom is no excep- fight and they'll be killed,' so I'm always very running feuds and tenuous agreements that

tion. In addition to Wiest as the keen to exploit the opportunities of fantasy, to characterize the real world. "For example, I wicked queen, there's also Relish the allow these characters to be more real, like the idea that the Trolls, who we present as Troll King (Ed O'Neill) and his three because then when they do bizarre things, you being bad, actually got a terrible deal. They've

quarrelsome offspring, as well as the deadly think, 'Well, it is a bizarre life.' basically been given Chernobyl, this place Huntsman, chillingly played by Rutger "It opens the characters out to have these that's crap, where nothing grows any more because of the fabulous exploits of Mayor Jack, who planted all these beanstalks, which have now ruined the land, so I'm trying to connect with our world. "Somebody read the script very early

on and said, 'I don't get it. Exactly which countries are you trying to parallel?' but

that's really not what I was trying to do.

One country is not supposed to be anoth- er real country, but at the same time, the

way you make things real is to show the pettiness of what's going on rather than

the grand schemes, and so I really love

those connections. I was thinking about a

future series, and I thought, the dwarves live underground, but they should have something like Zurich, their one place above ground, like some huge banking capital, so you can see they have this tremendous influence on everything that's going on in the kingdoms because they are underground and they see

all this stuff."

If The Tenth Kingdom is a rat- ings success, Simon Moore has Hauer. "I wanted to have an elderly killer, that six-foot-four Trolls actually obsessed with no shortage of ideas for a follow-up. was my first instinct in writing the character," lovely shoes. They have shoe parties and Not only does the final episode set says Moore. "I was thinking of people like change footwear, but at the same time, they're up events for a sequel, but seeds Jack Palance or , and I was thugs who do appalling things. When they for possible spin-off stories are totally thrilled that we got Rutger Hauer, first get Virginia, they say, 'Strip her!' and tie scattered throughout the series like

because there's just something completely her down in a chair, and then cut the bottom of magic beans. Right now, Moore is compelling about his screen presence. Rutger her tights off, because what they're interested busy writing a script for Dinotopia, an has this sort of translucence as well, that when in is her toes" The writer chuckles, realizing upcoming ABC mini-series based on James you look at his eyes, you don't really know the ludicrousness of what he's saying. "The Gurney's bestselling fantasy books, but a

where he's at. He's entirely a tunnel-vision whole foot fetish thing is really sick stuff, future visit to the Nine Kingdoms is character, his destiny has wiped out his even when I explain it like that!" one he would definitely like to make humanity, and so now, the hunt is the only It is, in fact, a pair of Troll-owned magic in the not-too-distant future. thing that stimulates him. He's completely shoes—which render the wearer invisible but "The best case scenario is disabled in the first part but then, like some become increasingly addictive the longer that this will be a huge hit, and every awful Terminator, he starts to crawl they're worn—that help demonstrate the dan- year or two, we would do another

after them. I liked that with lots of gers of magic in the Nine Kingdoms. As mini-series. Perhaps it wouldn't be as other dangers, there's also this shuf- Moore explains, whether it's an enchanted big as this, perhaps four hours a year. I'm fling deadly man, with a crossbow wishing bean or a talking fish that can change perfectly prepared to conceive a second that once it's fired, it can't miss, objects into gold, there are always conse- series that's about the same central charac-

following you." quences for their use. "This is a complex ters, or that's not about them at all, but is hap- Bringing comic relief to world, so in the same way that technology is pening in some other part of this universe.

the proceedings are the not bad, it's the way you use it. I wanted to There are enough bits and hints dropped in Trolls, whom Moore fundamentally say there's no such thing as a The Tenth Kingdom and things that are not has imbued with free magic lunch. If you have a world where entirely explained that I would love to go me odd you get into terrible trouble, and the solution back and say, 'Well, I'll tell you what that's is just to find a bit of magic, then where's the all about!'" '

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ene ratios of The Other*

iri matters

rnatural.

By IAN SPELLING

As Elmer Greentree, Bill Cobbs is mentor to The Others. m ust outside Stage 23 at Para- Master Medium investigating for a long time. That's what mount Pictures, a fatherly Cobbs co-stars as Elmer Greentree, an 83- makes him the most knowledgeable of the looking figure sits on a milk year-old medium who serves as the spiritual group or at least the most experienced. He's

crate, blissfully playing a tune on guide and mentor to the Others, a group of also a teacher. I like him because, by investi- a clarinet. people blessed/curse with otherworldly pow- gating, he's always searching for something. The man could very well be ers. There's Mark Gabriel (Gabriel Macht), He's not all-knowing. Some people seem to JBill Cobbs, but he isn't. He's not an empath; Albeit Taylor (John Aylward), a think he's a sage, but I think of him more as Cobbs or Cobbs' identical twin brother, grumpy blind man with a heightened sixth a researcher, a scientist. either. The man is Cobbs' stand-in, and he's sense; Satori (Melissa Crider), a New Age "An actor does pretty much the same proof positive that nothing is as it seems on sensitive who has all but dispensed with her thing. Every time you reach a certain plateau,

The Others. Moments later, the real Cobbs first name, Ellen; Warren Day (Kevin J. you realize it's all very fleeting. There are steps off the golf cart that has just shuttled O'Connor), a deranged, mercurial seer; and very few absolutes in our profession. Each him from the set to his trailer. He thanks the Marian Kitt (Julianne Nicholson), the situation takes you somewhere else. Each production assistant who gave him the lift group's latest addition, a college student who role takes you someplace else. There's no for-

and settles into his trailer to discuss The Oth- can see into the Other Side. Finally, there's mula to it. You can't just say, "This is absolute

ers, NBC's just-launched genre series, which Professor Miles Ballard (John Billingsley), gospel.' Life is like that as well. Much of The

comes from DreamWorks Television, with who oversees the Others' group sessions and Others is about life being so fleeting. We

John Brancato and Mike Ferris as its cre- believes deeply in the paranormal, but pos- have a good deal of what I call surrealism

ators/executive producers, and X-Files veter- sesses no special abilities of his own. grounded in truth. It's an interesting mix. I ans Glen Morgan and James Wong on board "Elmer, more than anything else, is an like that we float back and forth across that as well as executive producers (see page 27). investigator," Cobbs says. "He has been line between reality and the surreal."

This isn't the first group of wild talents to which Greentree has belonged. He's the last active member of the original Others—all of whom are retired or are dead and buried.

STA R 1 XXi/Man h 2000 39 Design & Layout: RickTeng " ' :

'

Many of the Others' gatherings take place They're usually going through something Hearts. Cobbs' only previous forays into at Greentree's house. A visitor to that specif- that our characters have to try getting them genre work were Wes Craven's The People ic set can't help but note that it feels trapped through, so they have it really rough. Under the Stairs, Demolition Man, the made- in a time warp, as if the last time Greentree "When I do have to deal with the special for-cable SF comedy Out There, the little- purchased anything new was at least 1955. effects, I can honestly say it's just another seen Fluke and two episodes of the Outer

The furniture is old, as are the appliances, the part of the work. It goes back to my stage Limits redux (including "The Camp"). decorations and the like. Cobbs grins slyly at experience. I've donrf so many different "I've enjoyed every minute of it," Cobbs the mention of this factoid. "I'm actually kinds of things under so many different cir- says of his career. "When I started, I started quite interested by what's in his house," the cumstances. I've played animals; I've been in in the theater. There was a different kind of actor says. "The things he was buying, up theaters where we had almost no lighting and enthusiasm. I didn't have any real training. I until the time he stopped buying things, were I've been in theaters where we had all the went out on a limb when I decided to act for mostly pieces of African art and a living. There was a drive and a

African artifacts. These are things peo- determination that I had that's a little ple right now are cherishing and are different from what I have now. Per- looking all over for. So, Elmer has very haps that's because I'm older. Per- good taste, and I like that he has a lot of haps that's because I'm working in

Eastern art because it fits in with his film and television. There's a certain quest for knowledge. It's not only the fellowship in theater that you don't paranormal that he respects and wants have in the film industry. You can to learn more about. He has, as do I, work with many people, but you're not as much a part of a community "i went out on as you are when you do theater. And it's not just the difference between a limb when I theater and film. It's also, I think, the difference between Los Angeles and decided to act New York. Nobody walks around in LA. In New York, everybody walks it for a living and you can run into people you know on the street. In LA, you need great respect and an appreciation for all to go everywhere in a car. Your car religions." almost becomes a part of your per-

Likewise, just as Greentree feels sonality, you're in it so much." great respect for the other Others, Outside Cobbs' trailer, a produc- Cobbs thinks highly of his young co- tion assistant waits not in a car, but stars. "They're all very capable," he in a golf cart to whisk the actor back enthuses. "I get recharged by them in to the set for the next shot. Before the sense that I know I have to keep up hopping onto the cart, Cobbs takes a with them. The choices the producers moment to consider the notion that made were all right on. Many of my he could be driving through the Mel- scenes are with lulianne. Certainly as Serving as a medium with a message, Greentree often rose gate at Paramount deep into actors, we hit it off right from the visits the Other Side. And more and more, with every 2005 or 2006 if audiences embrace beginning. We get along well. I think trip, he wants to stay there. The Others. "When I received the we have that mutual respect for each script for The Others, I liked it and

other, and that's reflected a little bit in the equipment in the world. Sometimes, having thought it was interesting," Bill Cobbs con-

relationship between our characters. Elmer so little made for great performances, and cludes. "I felt it could have a life as a series.

sees in Marian great potential for psychic other times it hurt. It was also different. And, of course, anything accomplishment, and he believes that she can "By the same token, I've seen situations put together by Steven Spielberg would be of

go far beyond where he has gone. In a way, where we had so much to work with that it a certain quality. So, I thought I would have a

not only is he a mentor to her, but he's a only helped and, at other times, having so go at it. My longest run in anything was I'll father figure. Elmer has no children, and in much became a problem." Fly Away, which was almost two years, and Marian he sees someone to whom he can I've been in four series. The possibility of a leave his legacy, someone who can pick up Gifted Actor show running for some amount of time is the mantle, pick up the baton and carry on his Cobbs knows of what he speaks, as he has always exciting, but I don't get carried away

work." been acting for three decades. But he didn't with it too much because I saw potential in Unlike Nicholson, Macht and the others, start acting until age 36. That came after an all of the shows I've done, and three of them, Cobb spends relatively little time dealing eight-year stint in the Air Force, then jobs at I thought, were on their way to becoming

with the show's state-of-the-art special FX. IBM and a Chevy dealership in . something worthwhile. And they didn 't last. But he's fascinated by them nonetheless. As a favor to a customer, he performed in a "This is a very iffy business. I'll be far "I'm the senior citizen on the show, so I don't local play, and so enjoyed himself that he more excited when [STARLOG] comes back

have to do as much of it," states the actor, relocated to Manhattan. After making his to talk to me in our fifth year than I am right

who's in his mid-60s. "They make it a piece mark on the stage, Cobbs turned his attention now. Now, I'm excited in the sense that I'm

of cake for me. I get to sit back and watch to TV and film. His many credits include proud to have this job and very happy to have what our writers and directors come up with. roles as a regular on I'll Fly Away, The Slap been given such a wonderful opportunity. I

I get to see how our crew makes it all work. Maxwell Story and The Gregory Hines Show, think this show also has great potential. But, People like Julianne and Gabriel, the guest spots on , NYPD Blue more than anything else right now, I'm con- younger people, have a much more grueling and ER, as well as appearances in such films cerned about The Others living up to its time. And the people who come onto the as The Bodyguard, The Color ofMoney, That potential and creating a respectable, digni- show as our guest stars really get a workout. Thing You Do, Hope Floats and Random fied character in Elmer Greentree." -Ar , :

Order now while issues last! Note: All issues include numerous articles & interviews. Only a few are listed for each entry.

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r • Hom¥e¥¥eTROPOus « "BUCK ROGERS"' & "" you can boldly go—to a museum—whc Iow has gone before. Sure, SF historical exhi A 1950 S SPACE STATION N there have been traveling Star Trek displaj I FX shows and even a Star Wars exhibit. But there HOMAGE TO IRWIN ALLEN. been a museum devoted entirely to the history of si tion—until now. STAND ON THE BRIDGE OF THE I Welcome to "Travels in Time," an instructive jau \ past and future of SF. It's located at 1017-B Front CSTARSHIP U.S.S. JOHN SUTTER ! Sacramento, California 95814. This exhibit, under i

I manager Randy Adams, actually owes its existence man. During summer 1997, University of Califon LET OUR DOCENTS TAKE YOU THROUGH graduate Paul M. Newitt creating A HOLOGRAPHIC AND TEMPORAL ADVENTURE i considered an a tribute to SF, and it didn't take long to put that idea i:

THROUGH OVER KX> YEARS OF SCIENCE FICTION Newitt is best known for writing The IN LESS THAN 45 MINUTESL. TRULY AMAZING! I Manuals from 1977-1984, which taught advanced how to customize Star Trek model kits with electi other features. He was excited about this new oj ADULTS $1. STUDGnTS. CHILDRCH UODCR II. 8 SCfllORS ORLM $2 I "This allows me to explore my talents," he says, "a YOUR ADVENTURE BEGINS IN THE environments that excite and inspire visitors." GALACTIC IMPORTS STORE! In October 1997, Newitt began designing and si I the construction of the exhibits—a project which v 1017 FRONT STREET, OLD SACRAMENTO, CA more than a year to complete. He started with a cl; Jules Verne Study—but it wasn't long before he wa 916 • 444 • 2320 / 916 • 444 • 2710 I on every aspect of the project. • • • • SCHOOL I TOUR CROUPS WELCOME! During this early period, the building's owr Solomon Jr. (encouraged by a local contrac —

Brackett), visited the site. He saw the blueprints, and as a sup- eled the timeline in the 1960 George Pal movie, The Time porter of the arts, asked that Newitt discuss the possibility of Machine. Although the room's textured brick wallpaper expanding the SF exhibit to fill the entire lower (3200 square trimmed in white and artfully dated—is evocative, the most feet) space of the Booth Building. Eagerly, the team designed compelling set feature is the time machine itself. This model a new, expanded blueprint, as well as a scale model to present is a full-size working replica (though it, of course, doesn't to Solomon. Solomon agreed to finance all improvements and work well enough to actually transport visitors to a future specifications to the space. filled with Morlocks and Eloi).

Actual construction didn't get underway until March The Dioramas-War Machine exhibit is next on the tour, 1998. Installation of the exhibits was undertaken by Newitt presenting scenes from Verne's 20,000 Leagues and From the and a crew of University of California at Davis students Earth to the Moon using miniature sets and scale models. The (including Tranh Pham and Joyce Wong) along with other display's forced perspective visually illustrates the two stories volunteers. The enthusiasm to bring this museum to life was in the style of the 1870s World's Fair. One of the highlights is infectious. Although unfinished, the museum opened on a a buried Martian War Machine, the work of University of limited basis in November 1998, with the official bow in California design graduate Guy Green. spring 1999. The Mefropo/w-Special FX Beginnings display is a small The exhibit entrance is marked with grand gold-and-cop- set that illuminates how 's Metropolis influenced per doors—the Gateway of Time. At the top are clocks, which SF, not to mention future filmmakers. A TV monitor displays mark the passing not of hours, but years. Side "Temporal an animated clip from a Canadian computer modeler called Indicators" display status for entry. But what lies beyond "Softimage." This Me/ro/w/w-inspired clip gives the visitor a doors so reminiscent of Verne and H.G. Wells? feeling (by today's standards) of how far advanced that film

Why, the classic SF masters, of course. First on the tour is was for its time. the "Jules Verne Room," dedicated to Disney's 20,000 A Buck Rogers-Flash Gordon display follows. An homage Leagues Under the Sea's model master Tom Scherman. Large to Buster Crabbe, the art-deco stage houses items from his rivets and ornate moldings, along with rich wallpaper, per- films and serials. Framing this portion of the exhibit are pulp fectly set off this room's Verne-esque style. But the adventure covers, as well as articles from 's is only beginning. Spacemen magazine of the early '60s.

Next is the Wells-Time Machine room. This greenhouse Walk onto a space station imagined half a century ago, and exhibit suggests the place where H. George Wells first trav- you've arrived at the 1950s-Atomic Age exhibit. This set i Paul M. Newitt holds a time in his hands: H.G. /ells' time machine. But xamples of his timeless dication to the genre lie iroughout the museum.:

According to Wells, they began the rout of civilization, but that doesn't mean nes the SF particulars of the period with representations by a K'Tinga class that War of the Worlds' Martian ous rockets and spaceships in forced-perspective scale, Klingon ship. In mid-tour, fighting machines ition, the right-hand portion of the station is a restau- the red alert sounds, and don't deserve a ith portholes that view onto the planet outside, the Sutter has to engage place in the tingly, the 1960s TV-Irwin Allen exhibit, which honors the Klingons to save the exhibit. > SF work, is dominated by the Time Tunnel. Scale Copernicus and its con-

S of the Seaview, Flying Sub (Voyage to the Bottom of tainers. The Star Trek: The i) and Spindrift {Land of the Giants) are also featured, Next Generation set dis- lay, supported by the base of the YM-3 Robot, shows a plays rotating props and nodel of the Robinson Family landing site, with the other items seen on Next

//, Robot and Chariot. Generation as well as DS9

II in the works is a 2001: A Space Odyssey area, along and Voyager—including more comprehensive 1960s SF exhibit, Geordi's visor. lat would science fiction history be without Star Trek! After the Trek exhibit only natural that this timeless series be represented with is the Gallery of Special ardian of Forever. Walking through the ancient archway Events. This area has been tar Trek classic's "City of the Edge of Forever" trans- designed to rotate shows ou to the future and the past of this SF milestone, dedicated to various aspects of science fiction, whether film unusual attraction is the Scout Class Starship U.S.S. or literature. A recent exhibit honored the genre works star- display. Featuring the Bridge of the U.S.S. Sutter, ring Harrison Ford. Future shows will highlight special FX I I is registered in Franz Joseph's Starfleet Technical craftsmen. The rear courtyard area will feature signings and . I 1 Wm il as "NCC-587," this exhibit has an interesting origin. presentations from actors, moviemakers and FX wizards.

:d by an acquisition of the Captain's chair from a repro- Despite the exhaustive work put into this exhibit, it's by o of the Bridge by a group headed by in the no means complete. Enhancements and additions to existing

70s, the exhibit was expanded into its present form for displays are always ongoing. But the museum is now open to cy through close-up expe

.iseum. The visual displays describe how the Sutter, the public seven days a week. Visitors embark on a guided visitors to read the actual st escorting the Copernicus Class Tug, along with the tour lasting about a half-hour. "We want everyone to be er Dormer and dry goods container Booth, is attacked Paul Newitt hopes that the museum will encourage litera- by visiting our museum." l Welcome to "Travels in Time," an SF tribute that takes its patrons from a Wellsian study to the edges of the 25th century and beyond. You can't see these dark dwellers very well, but you sure can feel them— especially when they get their chompers into you.

Photo: Sean Ban

Twohy is not ashamed of anything on Davidhis resume. But the writer-director does cringe a bit when certain films are men-

tioned. "Critters 2 is something I'm still not

terribly pleased is on my resume. But there it is. I've done better work. Don't you see The Fugi- tive anywhere on my resume?"

The Fugitive is definitely at the top of his list. Further down are The Arrival, G.I. Jane, Water- world and Terminal Velocity as well, and Twohy, who is prone to tongue-in-cheek asides and moments of dry irony, claims he has learned hard lessons on each and every one of those movies. "Sometimes, over a writer's dead body, things turn out well and sometimes they don't. As a writer, you just don't have control over that. The only way it gets better for the writer is if the writer directs." exploited. They action. And a great deal of it! invited me aboard Pitch Black, shot in 70 days in the Aus- and said, 'If you tralian Outback on a relatively modest $25 mil- can get this story lion budget, features creature designs by working, you can Patrick (Godzilla) Tatopoulos, cinematography Rather than " load Pitch direct it as well.' courtesy of David Eggby and production Black with In Pitch Black, design by Graham Walker. The film is pro- stock roles, directed and written duced by Ted Field, Scott Kroopf, Anthony Twohy by Twohy, and star- Winley and Tom Engelman. wanted / ring Vin (The Iron So set was the plot in his mind, that it only characters, Giant) Diesel as took four rewrites for Twohy to refine Pitch like Shazza Riddick, Radha Black. "The broad strokes were already there. (Claudia (High Art) Mitchell They crash-land on another planet, there's a Black) to and big creature that's photopho- "change as Fry and Cole big eclipse a from where (Good Will bia The original drafts also had a female con- you expect Hunting) Hauser as vict. But I felt there was a great possible engine them to wind Johns, a spacecraft at the story's core, and that the story had to get up." carrying passengers up on its heels and run." (and Riddick, a vio- And that, according to Twohy, meant char- lent super killer) acter and plot turns that are rarely explored in crashlands on an this AL/HV-inspired subgenre. "One of the unknown planet. A things I insisted on with Interscope early on small group sur- was that this was going to be a science fiction vives, but they must story with action, horror and good characters. I persevere against the planet's barren arid- mean, even ALIEN had stock characters who Dark Days ness—seemingly the result of its three suns. A merely reacted to what was going on. I didn't Which leads to Twohy's latest outing, Pitch sudden unexpected eclipse adds new terrors as want that. I said, 'These characters have to Black (opening this month), a science fiction- the survivors are attacked by nocturnal preda- evolve in order to keep the audience's interest action-horror flick big on monsters and even tors. So far this sounds a lot like ALIEN, and and my interest.' I've got three characters in bigger on characterization, story arcs and plot Twohy admits, "Pitch Black has many similar- this film who not only change from where they twists. Twohy was brought into the Pitch Black ities to ALIEN!' But what ultimately elevates L begin but also change from where you expect ' mix early in 1998. "Interscope had this script the film to something approaching "A" status is them to end up. in development that, after two drafts by the a script that highlights unexpected and ambi- "The central notion is that you have to sur- original writers [Ken & Jim Wheat], they felt tious story and character arcs, some taboo- vive on this alien planet with a killer in your j&as a good concept that wasn't being fully breaking moments and, yes, tense I midst. And there comes a point where you real- 0m- ^ —

Sure, a big name actor could have played Johns—but using talented new faces like Cole Hauser, you never know, as Twohy says, "who's going to live or die."

A murderer and a madman Riddick (Vin Diesel) is just what these desperate castaways need to survive an even worse horror.

ize that the only way to get off this planet is to are not many rely on the killer. There's the question of places in the whether you can rely on this guy—is he your world where Savior or is he Satan? Those are the elements you can go to I played up in the screenplay and the film." find a [barren] The closest thing to a sticking point in 360-degree Twohy's script centered on the violent deaths vista." The of certain characters. "The usual suspects are downside of shooting in Australia was that the this movie was dealing with the characters. not running around with targets on their company would be filming in the dead of that We had to be very careful in charting these backs, so we had some minor discussions country's winter, limited to eight hours of character arcs. I had to determine if a line

about certain people who end up dead. My sunlight. And of course, there was that little being delivered was going to work for or feeling was that the film either had to feel real matter of flies. "Australia is the most fly-rid- against the picture's continuity. I was always or not feel real. If you want the film to feel den place you've ever seen," laughs the direc- concerned if a line or a moment would be giv- real, then you must break certain taboos." tor, "and you can't have flies on an alien ing too much away, or if it was just a nice bit

Casting Pitch Black initially started out planet. I was assured that the flies would die of foreshadowing. I had three leads, and they with overtures to the expected big-league off from the cold. So I took it as an act of faith each thought they were the lead, which made action actors. However, after about three that, when we got down there, there wasn't a for a lot of ego problems on the set. But ego weeks of tossing around names, Twohy con- fly to be seen." problems are not always a bad thing." vinced the studio heads that big names would Twohy's third foray into directing present- not work. "Loading up this film with name ed new challenges. "I wanted to bring a cer- Night Shoots actors would have jacked up the budget, tain style to the picture, and I was really intent The days and nights of filming tended to delayed it for at least two years and destroyed on pushing the technical side. In the first cou- blend together for Twohy, but the director many of the surprises I had built into the story. ple of films I directed, the machine tended to does remember some memorable moments.

Let's face it, if Nick Cage is in the movie, you drive me. In this movie, I wanted to make sure "The scenes where Riddick is fighting the know he'll be standing at the end of the day. that I drove it." beast is fun. The whole running-the-gauntlet Finally, the studio agreed that, since we were But the machine wasn't going to give up thing was cool. One of my favorite scenes, doing different things with these characters without a fight. Pitch Black was an odyssey of just for suspense reasons alone, is the scene and that we had different surprises in store for six-day weeks and 17-hour days. "It was a where the three characters are in the cave, the them, the movie would play better with an bitch," Twohy recalls. "It was like pushing a last bottle torch is going out and we can hear unknown cast. With all new faces, I wouldn't piano across a beach. I had to totally concen- the creatures gathering outside." have the baggage of name actors. In this trate at all times." Twohy found his previous science fiction movie, you're never quite sure who's going to He relates that the expected challenges of directing assignment relatively easy. "The live or die." dealing with special FX and blue-screen crea- Arrival was easier than Pitch Black in that Australia was chosen for what the director ture sequences were there, with added condi- there was only one lead to focus on; every- explains as "the budget and the look. There tions as well. "The toughest part of making body else was secondary to him. There were directorial film, you're willing to say, 'No! Go away! " effort, Disaster need everything I'm getting.' in Time (a.k.a. Twohy briefly reviews his genre writing The Grand credits. It's an uncertain list, beginning with Tour), Twohy his co-writing credit on Waterworld. "I think

claims that he it's a great first half of a film. It loses itself in learned some the second half. A big problem was that they very important were rewriting on the set with other writers. lessons that he They were also losing pages. Even on their put to use on budget, they didn't have enough to do every- Pitch Black. thing they wanted, and the second half really "You're always looks fragmented because of it." being asked to G.I. Jane, also co-written by Twohy, was a compromise box office success. "And the first two-thirds of your own film, the movie is very good. I felt we had a good

and it's usually three acts and then, suddenly, Ridley Scott by the produc- decided we had to go to war. He wanted to fol- tion people. low that whole Top Gun scenario and, by hook,

And, unfortu- crook and threat, he got it."

nately, it's usu- And then there's the cringing experience of On a world in a trinary star system, a solar-powered jalopy is a life- ally by the co-writing Critters 2 back in Twohy's early saver. But when that once-every-23-year eclipse occurs, this car days. "I did one draft. Then, New Line Cinema becomes dangerously useless. people who seem to be your asked me to add some stupid things and I was scenes in which I had nine or 10 actors in a friends. It's things like, 'Can we lose that page, so new to the business that I didn't know f room and that was difficult. But bottom line it combine that scene' or 'It's getting late. Can enough not to tell the studio heads that they was just Charlie Sheen's character. I was only we shoot that scene tomorrow?' Early on, you were stupid things. So I did and that was it. But following one guy. Fortunately, Charlie was don't know enough to say no because you're enough of my stuff ended up in the film that I fairly sober during that whole experience." trying to make a good film and trying not to ended up with a co-credit. I've definitely done On The Arrival and his previous genre ruffle too many feathers. But by your third better work." \

After graduation from Cal State Long Beach, Twohy went six years before breaking into the screenwriting game with his horror script War-

lock, and is candid in saying that he went from writing to directing as a form of self-defense. "I've just gotten tired of seeing my work turned over to other people. Sometimes those other

people improve it but, more often than not, There's more than meets the eye in the they don't. But that's only half of it. The gloom of Pitch Black. Twohy promises other half is that I only began writing as a plot shifts galore—even Jack (Rhianna way to direct. I went to film school and I Griffith, right) harbors a bloody learned the basics, but that doesn't prepare important secret. you for directing a feature, and nobody was going to let me direct a feature straight out of and the fact that there's already talk of a

college. So I began writing. sequel if it does well. "Right now we're just m ** *** "Because you are a writer, you realize waiting. The thinking around the studio is that you've thought about more options and that this film must do at least $50 million possibilities than any hired director ever domestic to justify a sequel. If it happened, could. That gives you pause after a while. I would want a bigger budget and more Many times I've felt like whispering some- ^*J8*r shooting days. And, of course, more toys." thing into the actor's ear that the director David Twohy is cautious about the par- hasn't thought of. Yet as the writer, you have ticulars of the storyline and character arcs. to step back and not step on the director's But finally he offers that one of the big toes. It's a frustrating thing and it's a big rea- shocks in Pitch Black will come when cer- son why so many writers become directors." tain people die. "I make no bones about it. The director, who is currently consider- This is a tough film. And the fact that certain ing a number of projects, including the leg- people die lets people know that, from the endary Harlan Ellison script of Isaac get-go, Pitch Black will be defying conven-

Asimov's /, Robot, returns to Pitch Black tion." PUT YOURSELF INSIDE THE ACTION

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. §CIPUBTECH Katey Sagal keeps her eye out for the laughs on Futurama.

By PAT JANKIEWICZ "

1 Leela is lonely and looking for love."

! ith a twinkle in her eye, actress Katey Sagal way. I definitely enjoy being able to hop in a shower and come to looks at her past, present and her promising work, but I do that anyway," she giggles. "I'm not a high-mainte- Futurama. nance gal.

Tall, pale and pretty as she sits before a "This animation work is really unusual. I don't have the same

microphone, Sagal looks more like a singer experience doing it as the people I work with. These people are than an actress. Hardly surprising for a woman unbelievable! Between Billy, John DiMaggio [who voices Bender] who started out as a back-up singer for Bette and Tress [MacNeille, who does Mom, and almost every other Midler.wNow, clad in an oversized windbreaker, Sagal is back in a female on the show], I just do what I do and I haven't ventured forth recording studio, this time to voice her role as Leela, the one-eyed very much. That's a good SF term, don't you think? 'Ventured heroine of Fox's SF cartoon satire Futurama. forth!' The soft-spoken Sagal, daughter of the late director Boris (The She isn't surprised by people recognizing her voice from Futu- Omega Man) Sagal, is nothing like the acerbic housewife she rama. "Most people recognize me by my voice anyway," the actress played on the long-running Married.. .With Children. While shy in notes. "I don't really look like Peg Bundy from Married... With person, she's quite funny as alien astronaut Leela, who seems to be Children, and the most recognizable thing about me seems to be my a cross between Sigourney Weaver in ALIEN and Marge from The voice. Some people put it together that I'm Leela, but most people Simpsons. still stop me for the Married stuff." The actress joined Futurama in a As for ad-libbing on Futurama, manner unusual for an alien, but typical "There's none at all," Sagal states. "This for such a talented Earthling. "My agents is very different from when I was doing called and asked me if I would like to Married. We didn't do a ton of ad-lib- audition for Matt [Groening] for his new bing on that, but you could paraphrase

show. I said, 'Sure!' I went down and things a little bit. But not in this world on

auditioned and I guess I did a good job, Futurama. I think it's because they have because here I am," she laughs. to be so succinct with their drawings, "I love my character—I think Leela's plus the writing's really great on this great," Sagal says. "She is a cyclops who show—why would I want to think about is the captain of the delivery ship. Leela ad-libbing?"

is the one in charge. I think it's always Groening, the artist behind The Simp- interesting when you play this kind of sons and Life In Hell, has left his unique tough, strong career girl who just can't stamp on Futurama. "I really only see

get it together in the rest of her life. Matt at the table reads," Sagal says.

That's where she's at. Leela is lonely and "He's kind of quiet, low-key and a really looking for love, but she feels different nice guy. I first met him years ago when because she's the only cyclops on the we were both first on the network. He planet. She has that lonely little streak oversees everything on Futurama. I about her. don't know if he requested me for the "What's really appealing about her is show, but it was kind of cool to get it." that she's vulnerable and hard at the Futurama parodies various elements same time. Leela has a tough exterior. in genre films, books and TV, but that The strange thing is that I had never done doesn't mean that Sagal is savvy to every any voice work before this, but now I'm reference. "I was not a science fiction fan

doing more. I do a few voices on a car- at all," the actress declares. "I did do toon show called Recess, where I play a some SF stuff, like the Disney movie character's mom. Smart House, but I'm not really familiar "Still, Futurama is my first real ani- with the SF world." mated job," Sagal notes. "It seems I'm In the made-for-TV Smart House, always on Fox. I've only done about Sagal plays a home-monitoring comput-

three episodes of Recess, but I heard it er with a maternal streak that gets way just got renewed. That show is not really out of control. But this begs the question, like Futurama—I don't have a lead part how in control are Sagal 's maternal on that." instincts? For instance: Are her kids Sarah and Jackson allowed to On Futurama, Leela deals with man-out-of-time Fry, felonious watch the occasionally very adult Futurama! "They're five and robot Bender, slimy aliens, slimier starship captains and the slimi- three. I let them watch it once and that was all," she laughs. "It was est of all—a wealthy, mean-spirited corporate mogul with the a little too violent and the language is a little too. ..Well, it isn't for unlikely name of Mother. After a season and a half, do any shows that age group. For eight and nine-year-olds and up, fine—they stand out as her favorite? "Not that I know of," she states. "There seem to be cool with it. In my defense, I don't let my kids watch hasn't been any particular one that I could name. I like them all. Of Pokemon, either! I'm a bit more conservative; I think I can see how

Leela's situations on the show, I like her relationship with Zapp their behavior reflects what they watch." Brannigan. He's a sleazeball captain of another ship who's quite Nevertheless, Sagal did visit Tales from the Crypt ("For Cryin' full of himself. Zapp is great, and Billy [West, who also voices Fry Out Loud"). "Wasn't that fun? That was a lot of fun for me," she and others] does him really funny. Billy is amazing; he does a zil- notes. "Iggy Pop was in it, and I was the contortionist who got lion voices on this show, and I do only one." shoved into the guitar case. Of course, I didn't actually do that

As a live-action actress, what is it like for Sagal to boldly go into because I'm not a contortionist. Totally fun." this new world of animation? "It's fun," she says cautiously. "This As for her future, Katey Sagal can be said to have the singular

is acting, but a different type of acting. You're not using your whole vision of the animated action heroine she plays, but frankly, she tool there—your body and physicality—but it's challenging that offers simply that she's "looking forward to more Futurama)"

58 STARLOG/March 2000

. ; .

enia Seeberg takes a deep breath and begins. "We are basi- cally three and a half people, although 790 would definitely not like me to say that he's only a half a person,' notes Seeberg, who co-stars as Xev on the Sci-Fi Channel's latest acquisition, the way-out-there SF series Lexx, which began airing on the cable net- work last month. "Xev was transformed into a love slave very early on. She is madly in love with Kai [Michael McManus], not only because of her uncontrollable sex- ual desire and her accelerated lust, but also because she is just truly, really, madly in love with him.

She is, so to speak, obsessed with him.

Unfortunately, Kai is dead. He's a dead assassin who was killed more than 2,000 years ago and, therefore, he doesn't have any feelings, like love. In a way, the feelings only go in one direction, and that's from Xev to Kai. "On the other hand, there's Stanley Twee- die [Brian Downey], who is a man like most other men. He has the same desires and wishes, ideas and dreams as most men do. Since we're out there in space, it's kind of difficult for him to fulfill most of those human needs. And Stanley has the hots for Xev. He pretty much concentrates on Xev, but only because she's the only woman available. As the series goes along, this rela- tionship actually

grows quite a bit. It grows deeper and deeper, into a friend-

ship. They're still always teasing each other and .'

TV movies that Hirschfield]," aired on Showtime a few years ago. The 20

continues the actress, who speaks English with I episodes of Lexx currently airing on Sci-Fi ,' making fun of each other, though, and| a decidedly German accent. "He's truly, madly Channel (which were previewed in SCI-FI TV sometimes they can be pretty mean, in love with Xev, too. He was involved in the #7) are actually considered, in European termi- like human beings can be. EvenJ process of her being made. She was trans- nology, series two, and have already aired in though they're friends, he still tries, I formed from a big, not exactly pretty woman most international markets. In fact, they were would say daily, to convince' into a love slave. During this process, she got shot internationally as well, on soundstages

Xev to have sex with him. bit by a Cluster Lizard. Therefore, part of her I and on location in Nova Scotia and Germany. "After Kai, Stan- nature is Cluster ley and Xev, Lizard, which gives there's 790 her this extra posi- [Jeffrey tion of strength, but

it only comes through in dangerous situations."

Lust for Life OK, and now to

fill in some details: Xev, Stanley, Kai and 790 are the denizens of the Lexx, a sentient spacecraft that's actually a

e n e t i c a 1 1 y enhanced bug. Dashing across board the Lexx, the cosmos in On Xev (Xenia Seeberg) is madly in love with Kai (Michael McManus, right), but he's a remarkably well-preserved Lexx, the four- dead guy with no need for romance. some precipi-

tate much chaos, destroying worlds and At presstime, it was still too early to tell just killing millions of people and crea- how much of Lexx's sexual and violent content

I tures in their wake. If the concept might be toned down in order to make the sounds familiar—or perhaps even episodes conform to American broadcast stan- [ reminiscent of Red dards. It should help that the show runs on Fri-

Dwarf? it should . day nights at 10 a slot usually — | p.m., regarded as Lexx is essen- a safe haven for shows of a more mature tially a spin- nature. Despite the possibility that U.S. audi- off of Tales ences might be stuck with a watered-down ver-

from a Par- jj sion of Lexx, Seeberg sounds thrilled that allel Uni- Sci-Fi Channel has added the show to its verse, a schedule.

series of "We're all very excited," notes the actress, a

STARLOG/Ma/r/i 2000 61 "

>

much of that on TV. On Ally McBeal, they deal with a lot of that, too, and I really like AllyMcBeair Those aware of Lexx's genesis know that actress Eva Habermann portrayed a previous- incarnation of the same character, whose name was then spelled Zev. Habermann even, appears in two of the 20 episodes airing on the Sci-Fi Channel. Seeberg assumed the role,

in episode number three, namely "Lyekka," a" *^ fact that hardly matters as SFC isn't airing

the episodes in order. Though she might have i

preferred not to screen Habermann's perfor- 1 mances as the character, Seeberg did exactly * that. Paul Donovan, the executive producer 1 of Lexx, had seen Seeberg in a German- Jj American short film during the re-casting process and decided that she might be right for the Xev role. He contacted her, asked that' she watch a few tapes of the series and then Xev offers valuable lessons requested her feedback, her honest opinion to viewers. For example, what of the show. • , would it be like to be an alien

love slave with an uncontrol- . "So," Seeberg says with a laugh, "I was <

lable sexual appetite? kind of forced to watch the tapes. I really, ;*

liked what they were trying to do. I thought it i

Stanley Tweedle (Brian Downey, below right) really desires was absolutely new. I Xev—as he reminds her daily. However, she wants to be couldn't think of any^ just friends. thing like it. It reminded

me a little bit of Monty Python. When I looked at Zev, Eva was playing the character pretty

straightforward. I

thought, T like what she * <

' did, but if I'm going to

do this character, I'rfi«

' going to take it a little

more toward the sense < of humor edge and try" to play that more.' She also needs to have a cer-; tain kind of warmth, so that the audience can * feel for her and identify a little more with her. That can be difficult [for the audience] to do

in SF. Everything is so/* bizarre, people often can't identify with the

characters, but I wanted ? Xev to be a real person. She couldn't be only the*

would happen, and I kept saying, 'I don't fighter and love slave because that gets boring ^

know. I don't know.' And now, finally, it's after a while. That doesn't last." • « happening. So, that's great news." It's too early to tell how much of Lexx Ameri- Audiences who tune in to Lexx are in for Kiss and Tell can audiences won f be seeing on the Sci-Fi a jolt with Xev. She's a relentlessly sexy Overall, Seeberg reports, she's pleased Channel. The sex and violence will, of course, be toned down. character with blue-green eyes, ripe lips and with the wave of 20 Lexx episodes now wash- a shock of red hair (actually a wig covering ing over Sci-Fi Channel viewers. And, she Ct

27-year-old who grew up in Germany and' Seeberg's blonde tresses). More than sexy, adds, there are several that stand out in her j studied in Dusseldorf and Milan, as well as inp Xev is sexual. And Seeberg, a former model, mind as among the best hours devoted thus far Los Angeles and . Most of her holds nothing back. "If you want to play a to Xev. "It might sound strange, but my *1 " credits have been German-language outings, P character like Xev, you have to be pretty free favorite is 'Brigadoom,' she reveals. "That though she did appear in an episode of Total\ in your mind," she notes. "If you're afraid of episode is a musical. We tried to pull it off in Recall 2070. "Me, personally, I'm very excit-| expressing that aspect of yourself, then you're 12 days, which was ridiculous. It's a musical

ed, too. All of my friends in New York, in the' wrong for the character. Xev gets to express out in space. It's not as twisted as most of our ! ; , were saying, 'When will Lexx\ many things that are on everybody's minds, episodes, and it gets pretty deep. It fascinated

be seen in the States?' So, I was hoping it male and female. And we don't get to see too me a lot, personally, because I had a chance to V

62 STARLOG/Ator/i 2000 i1

yout: RickTeng

sing. From the bottom of felt drawn to acting and I

1 niy heart, I'm a singer, decided one day, 'I have to do

*and that made the show this.' That's when I decided to an exciting challenge. We do part of my acting classes first live-recorded every- in the States, in New York thing on a huge stage at City. I also have to admit that

the studio, and then we I did some modeling, but it went and shot it again. I was mostly to pay the bills for

loved it. In that episode, I my acting classes. / also got to slip into a dif- "I'm always looking for

ferent character from a challenges, and I always hope long time ago. I can't to continue learning. That's specify too much more very, very important to me. I

because that will take hope I will never get stuck in away from what you'll be a situation where people say,

I Wherever the crew of the Lexx goes, they leave chaos , seeing soon, and don't 'OK, she's good for this. in their wake. Their inadvertent Prime Directive means want to do that. She's nice. She looks kind of death and destruction to all. "Another one is 'Love decent.' That's what hap- Grows,' which was chal- pened in Germany before I lenging because it shows an started doing Lexx. If you're a aspect of Xev's personality blonde, you're this typical that we don't see much of on woman in Germany and, i the show. There are some especially in acting, you'll male aspects in women and have a hard time. Right away,

some female aspects in men, you'll get typecast and it's

1 »ahd in this show that some- usually one-dimensional. In

how gets mixed up. And you real life, I have blonde hair,

1 .can imagine what happens. my hps are big and my eyes

, As an actress trying to get are big. So, you can try to into that and play it out, it change the way you look, but lj was very exciting. In another people are still not convinced episode, I had to become a that you can play something zombie, but it was actually other than what they think

stranger to become a man in you are. Therefore, it was a

'Love Grows.' I found it eas- The robot 790 (Jeffrey Hirschfield) is great opportunity for me ier, somehow, to be a zom- also in love with Xev. It must be when I was asked to play Xev **bie. something in the water. on Lexx." " "I also like 'Nook,' she Most of Seeberg's credits " notes. 'Nook' is very pleasing to the eyes. terrible monster. That always reminded me of are of the German television and film variety, I We land on a planet full of monks. Monks- stage work in a theater. It just forces you to use* though SF fans may have caught her guest

• don't usually get to see too many females, 1 your imagination a little more. Last year, we" spot in "Assessment," an episode of Total especially in space. You can imagine what's I had great sets, great locations and great FX. I Recall 2070, which debuted in syndication last going to happen in that one. Everything looks Everything works hand-in-hand." month. "I did Total Recall right after I did the pretty much like a very sweet fairy tale, how- season of Lexx" Seeberg says. "My character ever, and maybe even 13-year-olds can watch Dream of Passion on Total Recall was so very different from this one." Seeberg was born in Geldern, Germany, Xev. It was just fun for to I love to g | me do. do While shooting Lexx, Seeberg spends most and can barely remember a time when she did something different from what I've done."

of her time around men, namely co-stars not yearn to entertain. She was just four years That said, what would Seeberg like to see • Downey, McManus and Hirschfield. And, | old when her grandmother's cousin told herp for Xev in the future? And there will be a given the nature of the show, the actress also that she would eventually follow in the foot-| future, as the actress and the rest of the Lexx

|

• spends a good deal of time dealing with spe- l steps of the grandmother, who was an actress cast are currently back before the cameras '* t;ial FX, images created by C.O.R.E. Digital I in Berlin during the 1920s and 1930s. "MyL shooting another season's worth of episodes. * Pictures, Effectory Fimeffekete and pixelMo- cousin was in her late 80s when I was four, but™ Whether or not that future extends to the Sci- tion. "Brian is just such a great person," See- she knew I would become an actress," Seeberg Fi Channel depends on how fervently viewers g f **berg raves. "He's my buddy. I really love him. marvels. "For some reason, although I don't take to the initial 20 episodes now airing. "I It's the same with Michael. He's a little more remember much from the time I was four- think I'm looking for a girl friend relation- i ,' serious. I think it shows that the cast has a I years old, that somehow stuck in my head, il ship," Xenia Seeberg replies. "Xev has not * * good time together. I'm also not against any of always loved performing. I started out, basi- had that so far. That would lead us to all sorts the FX or animation. For a SF series, the FX cally, in kindergarten. I did kids theater. I grew of possibilities—on several levels. I'm look- really help the process. Our guys do a great _ up in a small German town and did theater- ing forward to this next season. Everything

job. When you first start working against there. Everything started out on stage. In Ger-' will develop again. Hopefully, I'll get more

green screen, it can be pretty difficult. You many, it's actually not that easy to get into things to do that are challenging, that I

usually have some green cardfboard] boxes to movies or TV, and my parents did not really haven't done so far. Like I said, I never want

deal with and you have to imagine that it's a want me to become an actress. But my heart to stop learning." *

STAKLOG/Marvh 2000 63 ) )

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If you do not want to cut out coupon, we will accept written orders. II I I I I I I I I I I Please allow 4 to 6 weeks for delivery. Account No. All Earth: Final Conflict Photos: Copyright 2000 Tribune Entertainment MA Rebellious Jagne Heitmeijer adds musterq to Earth: Final Conflict.

has this amazing ability to come in from nowhere and shock and

I amaze. As the season develops, she becomes more complex; her mystery

I only deepens," says Jayne Heitmeyer. That description seems appropriate Shefor her character, Renee Palmer, who's battling the Taelons, TV's most enigmatic aliens. Now, with the syndicated series' third season, the Cana- dian actress has joined the simmering warfare of Gene Roddenberry's Earth: Final Conflict. ' Heitmeyer stepped into the opening left by Lisa Howard, who has taken a leave of absence from the series to care for her newborn daughter. "I'm not really replacing Lisa Howard," says Heitmeyer. "Except that they're both strong women, Renee is such a different character from Lili Marquette [Howard]. Lisa is still an inte- gral part of the show. She has a very strong fan base, deservedly so. They're all desperate to have her back, and I think that's wonderful. I was anxious to see how fans would respond to Renee. They have been very welcoming and receptive. They just put them in two different

corners. I think it would be interesting to see Renee and Lili meet."

Such a meeting likely will occur, since Howard's reappearance is planned. And even if it

wasn't, anything is possible in a series noted for its frequent, dramatic reconfigurations and

role reversals. Perhaps the most surprising such change is the transformation of Jonathan Doors (David Hemblen) from secretive leader of the Resistance to presidential candidate and ostensible business partner of the increasingly sinister-seeming Taelons. Heitmeyer's character arrives to manage a division of Doors International. At the same time, she secretly works in the Resistance with—and sometimes even against—Major Liam Kin- caid (Robert Leeshock) to discover and expose the Taelons' true reason for visiting humanity. And working with Kincaid means working with the computer genius Augur (Richard Chevolleau).

Human Mysteries On a busy filming day, in their Toronto waterfront studio, the three actors sit talking in Augur's underground home, formerly Doors' Resistance headquarters. For take after take, Augur pours out drinks, discussing the latest Taelon situation with Kincaid and Palmer. "There is an interesting dichotomy to the character," observes Heitmeyer near the end of her day, "not only in terms of her role in the show, but also her fundamental personality. On the one hand, Renee's this brilliant, high-pow- ered corporate executive who works for Doors International as a liaison to the Taelons, but she's also a committed Resistance fighter whose ultimate goal is to free Earth from the Taelons' influence. So this double agenda

makes it interesting to play in terms of the dynamics and relationships with the other characters. "Renee's really sharp and intelligent, a very passionate idealist, but she also has a dark side, in that she'll go to any lengths, use drastic measures to achieve her goals. She's willing to kill. She has to look at the long term and the global result of what she's doing. She can be very manipulative. She's not willing to compromise very easily. She doesn't have time for any disloyalty. Who is the mysterious Renee Palmer? Jayne "She has this definite wall, this icy exterior Heitmeyer, who por- which can be perceived as cold, but behind that trays her on Earth: there is a certain vulnerability that we're slow- Final Conflict, pro- ly discovering. At this point, we don't know vides some clues. why [these attitudes are] there. There are very specific, fundamental reasons for her behavior. I do have a back story, but I don't want to give away too much." Heitmeyer adds, "Renee's very headstrong. She's smart and she will evaluate the conse- quences of what she would do, but her goals are very clear in her mind. There's an episode coming up called 'Time Bomb' where this ten- dency to bulldoze forward in the name of the Resistance costs her and forces her to step back and evaluate her willingness to do anything to fight the Taelons. That will be a turning point, and some of those walls will be broken down." The filming moves slowly because for each shot, camera and lights must be positioned to avoid glare and reflections on the set's mostly glass and plastic walls. Designer Stephen Roloff has simplified that task somewhat by angling all the reflective surfaces slightly upwards. The scene finished, the cast disappear for costume changes while the crew moves equipment across the massive studio to Renee Palmer's office set. "The sets are incredible," Heitmeyer remarks. "Look at the Mothership. That's all part of creating the illusion and being part of

that imaginative world of the future. It helps enormously in being part of a scene and believ- ing that you're in that scene. And there's a cer- tain comfort there. When I go into Renee's t office, I know where her desk is, where things

are set up, so sometimes I can contribute some- thing in terms of blocking."

In her office set, Heitmeyer, with Leeshock at her side, watches a news report on a comput- er screen. As they discuss the news, the camera makes a complex move around them. Then Will Palm and Liam they reset for another take. Kincaid "I don't always stay in character when I'm (Robert working, although it depends on the scenes Leeshock) we're doing that day. If they're very emotional, end up a then, yes, I tend to close off and go to my own couple? space, stay more with the character. But nor- Heitmeyer mally I don't. I've learned to tune out and con- isn't sure, centrate on what I want to do. I've though she experimented with different ways of working acknowl- over the last few years," Heitmeyer reveals. edges their mutual "Christopher Reeve was on the A&E show, attraction. Inside the Actors' Studio. He said something that really resonated with me: 'Come prepared

and be prepared to throw it all away.' That's so true, especially on a TV show. You're working at a very fast pace. You have to come in know- ing your lines and what you're going to do. I try to be very focused. Sometimes it's difficult, with the long hours; you can get a little tired and giddy. That's where having a good sense of humor really helps a lot."

Alien Riddles Working in television with its rapid pace and long hours provides many challenges as well as distinctive experiences. "The most annoying thing that has happened," Heitmeyer —

discloses, after considering for a moment, "was

when we were shooting in this decrepit building. It was a food bank and they actually stored food there. I cannot begin to describe to you how awful the smell was. We were shooting there for three or four days. Beside the door was a huge pile of rotting garbage. That smell was the most aggravating thing. "The saddest thing was about a month into shoot-

ing when Robert's father, who had been ill from the beginning of shooting, passed away. It was difficult for Robert, but he was a real trouper." Humorous moments are harder to single out. "There have been so many!" she exclaims. "You have to keep a good sense of humor, and I'm sur- rounded by so many who do have them. Anything with Richard makes me laugh. We all feed off each other. There's one section of my website devoted to funny things that go on. "The advantage to developing your character over 22 episodes is enormous. At the same time, you want to leave room for spontaneity. It's easy to stick to what's safe. I'm learning that I want to take more risks, and you have to have a comfortable environ- ment to do that in. There's a supportive atmosphere here, in terms of cast and crew. There's room to say,

'What do you think of this? Let's try this.' In televi- sion, you only get a few takes, but here there is still room for experimentation." Heitmeyer has only praise for the established ensemble cast she has joined. "I think Leni Parker and Anita La Selva have just done an amazing job," she enthuses, "not only with all the prosthetics they go through, but with their movements as Taelons

[Da' an and Zo'or]. Von Flores is a sweetheart, and a very bright man, too. He's also a musician and he sings. He was telling and sometimes they're not. I really look forward to our scenes together. me the other day about this attachment to his computer where he can You'll see some things happen that are fun to watch." play on a keyboard and it will write the music that he's playing. I've During its first two seasons, Earth: Final Conflict avoided any never heard of that before. romantic pairings between Howard's Marquette and any of the strong "I really have a lot of respect for the way he plays Sandoval, because leading men surrounding her, preferring instead to develop the dramat- that character could so easily be one-dimensional and he's not at ic possibilities in their working relationships. Now, with the third sea- all. There's a great deal going on beneath that surface. We've ^Ifek son underway, could romance be in the cards for Palmer? The had some interesting scenes together and I've been enjoy- actress laughs at the question. "At this point," she notes, "she ing them. They're both very strong individuals with very is without a man. With Liam, there's obviously that under- strong intentions, and there has always been a mutual lying attraction and sexual tension between them, but they suspicion. It's a battle of wills. don't know how far they can trust each other. How far the "Richard and I have a lot of fun. There's a lighter writers are going to go with that, we'll see. It's more relationship between our characters that he and I are interesting to have that tension there. And there are other developing. There's certainly a degree of competitive- men coming in and going out of her life. She has other ness that's set up right from the beginning when I priorities right now. That's a sign of the '90s. What I screw up one of Augur's computer systems because he like about the character is that there is room for anything. gets too close to discovering who I am. That sets the 0Sim We're on the 17th episode, and I'm happy to see that we're pace for our relationship, though Liam and I rely on him not losing that." for technical information. Renee likes to play with her sexuality and use that a little bit with him. He's certainly Genre Conundrums willing to jump in and play that back. And there's a lot of Though not previously a fan, Heitmeyer is no humor, too, a bit of back-and-forth which we're newcomer to the science fiction universe. enjoying. The writers are open to suggestions She appeared in Sci-Fighters, The Lost that we've made in terms of setting up a sit- World, the 1998 movie based on Sir uation or ad-libbing a few lines here and Arthur Conan Doyle's novel, and in there to kind of juice it up a little, jjt TV's NightMan (which she enjoyed), Richard is full of creative ideas. He ^fp The Outer Limits, F/X: The Series, comes up with some and I come up The Hunger, Matthew Blackheart with some and we chew on them a and Total Recall 2070. "My interest little bit. Sometimes they're used in science fiction has grown as I Why have the Taelons worked in it," she explains. "It's fas- come to Earth? That's cinating. I find myself wanting to one question Heitmeyer look up old episodes [of past and thousands of fans series]. In New York, they have a would really like museum where you can go and see answered.

TARLOG/A/a/c/i 2000 ' , is-i s j2;i5 ,.>>.:/. ;.<-

in Montreal a few years ago," she

reveals, "and renovated it. I have an apartment in Toronto near the water-

front. It's about an hour by air, but with our schedule—sometimes days, sometimes nights—lately I'm

finding it easier to stay here." One benefit that Toronto, with its three annual SF conventions, offers

the actress is unaccustomed contact with her fans. "I just attended my

first convention here," she notes.

"I've had a wonderful response. It

was a smaller one, so it was good for me so see how they work. I've set up a website under my name. It's good to get feedback, and that's where the

Internet is becoming very important to understanding fan response. I think they like the mystique that Renee has. Fans are concerned about her being cold and ruthless, but as the show goes on, they're starting to see that there's another side to her, a bit more going on underneath. Overall, the response has been very positive." old episodes of shows dating back to the beginning of television [the Museum of Television & Radio]. Here I've been watching a lot of Space: The Imagination Station [the Canadian SF outlet]. "I had a great time on The Outer Limits. The episode, 'First Anniversary,' was shot in Vancouver and I was working with Matt Frewer, Clint Howard and Michelle John- son. Michelle and I played aliens who have come to Earth and taken on human form. But when humans are in close contact with us for any length of time, they start to see how we really are, which is really horrible- looking creatures who smell bad. Then they start to go mad because nobody else can see what they see. It was a lot of fun. "Total Recall was shot here in Toronto.

I knew the producer from Sirens. The sets were unbelievable, very, very elaborate. I liked the way the series was shot. The light- ing was that warm, yellowy, but dark light. "I had an interesting character on The Hunger," the actress says, punctuating her there's always that curiosity about what's out Heitmeyer pauses. She is informed that comment with a long laugh. "She was basical- there. If you're at all a thinking person, you she is finished for the day. It's late, so the ly evil incarnate. She would form a relation- can't believe that we're the end and that's it. interview proceeds quickly. "What lights me ship with people who were borderline Then, we start using our imagination, and its up about the character," she offers, "is the geniuses, or on the verge of changing the fascinating to see how this is displayed in a TV fact that you never know what Renee's going world, and she would manipulate them until show, what our perceptions of aliens might be. to do next. There's almost no limit. I look they killed themselves. She didn't want them What would they look like, what would their forward to receiving each script to see what on Earth because they were changing the world culture be? How would they respond to us? she's going to do this week. She surprises for good, and she wanted to go in the other Would they be antagonistic? Would they be our me. direction. It was challenging to play because friends? I don't think that's something that's "Also, I admire her confidence. I think we you don't see her face until the end. The whole ever going to go away until they actually land." share some qualities, like being tenacious idea is that she takes on the face of whoever Actors, from the wandering troupes of the and determined, wanting to get things done would be most appealing to each victim. That Middle Ages to today's TV thespians, have our way. I don't have her ruthlessness," Jayne was an interesting show to shoot." long been itinerant, traveling to wherever the Heitmeyer admits. "She's a lot harder and Earth: Final Conflict also piques her inter- work is. Heitmeyer, who has worked across more manipulative than I am. As an actor, est, in large part due to its enigmatic alien Canada, has currently landed in Toronto. But you look for the things you can relate to, but invaders. "Why are we so interested in aliens?" not quite. Each week she commutes from her there's also that side of you that says, 'Wow, Heitmeyer asks. "As we look at our universe, home in Montreal, Quebec. "I bought a house let's explore this!'" Explore science fic- tion—the mythology of the new Millenni- um—in the pages of STARLOG. It's the galaxy's best Sci-Fi movie S TV magazine and the original for 23 years. Every issue features intrigu- ing interviews with the Stars • Directors •

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1 Swashbuckling as the n a world that has went, 'Oh, them. Right!' pirate queen Nebula of been ravaged, its "So, we renewed our rela- "War Wounds," Torres people surviving in tionship. They knew my work became a fan favorite and knew that I had been fear underneath the while guest starring on surface, bands of Hercules. around and was working and rebels take steps to honing. It was a nice reintro- bring mankind back duction to their world and to

to where it what I could do. And in speak- —1 ing to Rob, he holds I belongs. And in one case, the heroes are three M.A.N.T.I.S., at least the pilot, women thrust together under in a special place in his heart, unlikely circumstances. so that never hurts. From there begins the tale "Then, Nebula became of the action-packed Cleopa- popular with her appearances tra 2525 (which debuted last on Hercules, but during that month). Gina Torres, best time, I felt like we had taken known as Nebula on Her- Nebula as far as we could," cules: The Legendary Jour- Torres concedes. "I mean, neys, stars as Hel, a woman they killed off her boy friend out to save the world. "Isn't [Iolaus] and all that. It was that a kick in the head?" the time for me to move on, and I

actress asks. "Sometimes lit- thought it was the natural erally." thing to do." Leading the band of And although ancient three in this new syndicated Greece and Egypt were series, produced by the through with her, Torres was Renaissance team of Rob about to step into the future.

Tapert and , is "A few months later, Rob quite a feat for Torres. 'tS^^M called my agent and said he "Well, that's something I wanted to meet with me. He

say every morning. 'I think had this project, which was I'll get up and save the still in his head. There was no world!' " she laughs. "It's a script, which is kind of weird

lot of fun, I have to say. For when you go in. T have this

all these reasons: its campi- idea,' " she chuckles. "One of

ness, the little-girl-dream- the great things about Rob is

come-true part of it, the that he is one of the few peo- really wacky costumes. Just ple on the planet who can from a grown-up girl's point-of-view, to be custom-made for Torres. "That's true," she really make good on that sort of promise. He able to play a strong, heroic, intelligent confirms. "It doesn't happen very often. We gave me a rough outline of what he wanted to woman who can kick some serious ass—it's started our relationship when Rob and Sam do and how he wanted to do it. And he asked not a bad thing. did M.A.N. T.I.S. a few years back. me if I wanted to be a part of it," she pauses, "I was standing there one day with the "When I auditioned for Nebula, I had for- "because he wanted me to be. That's pretty

stunt coordinator and about a dozen beefy gotten that Rob and Sam were attached to much how it started. A few months went by, stunt guys, and the coordinator goes on about Hercules, because I was doing something and here I am." how I'm going to kick them all, how I'm else. This came along at a time when nothing And to be honest, the actress admits, "I

going to wipe the floor with them. And I'm was going on and I said, 'Sure, I would love to didn't know where New Zealand was," she

like, 'Yeah, OK! Great!'" go to New Zealand. What do I have to do?' It laughs. "Geography isn't my strong suit. I really wasn't until I got down there that I real- knew there was a whole world out there that I wonder woman ized what the connection was—actually, a lit- wanted to explore, but never in my wildest In an odd twist, something that rarely tle before then, because I saw all the faxes and dreams did I expect it to take this form in a

occurs in series television, the role of Hel was who I was going to see down there, and I place so far away."

70 STARLOG/Morc/; 2000

Xena Photo: Copyright 1 997 Universal Television Enterprises

Coincidenta|ly, Torres played Queen Cleopatra in "The King of Assassins" her only Xetja stint.

more traditionally I don't want to give anything away." what one would call So, she begins at the beginning, the pre- a superhero. And that miere episode, "Quest for Firepower," where- brings up great in Hel gets to see the world for the first time. images and barriers "She has been brought up in the underground, that have never been the underworld, reared to be some kind of broken through. leader. It is at hand!" Torres exclaims. "The Iwm lit* TO 4 iO? for syndicated adventure in Cleopatra 2525 are She's the female time has come to face the enemy! And it's Victoria Pratt (left) as Sarge and Jennifer Sky as Cleopatra. leader of a female very difficult for her. That's something you'll superhero team. see. The fact that she has to now adapt to a To play a strong, heroic, intelligent "I'm excited new reality—sunlight and grass are new about what the part things—is huge. The world as compared to woman who can Kick some serious of Hel means and, as what she has known all her life is enormous.

I say it," Torres She's not quite sure she likes it, but again, it's ass it's not a bad thing," — "it mission to get humankind back up on the observes, will the sound arrogant, so I surface where they belong. apologize, but this "I like to think of her as a reluctant hero. show and these char- Hel's very human. She has all this stuff going acters have the ability on; she takes her responsibilities seriously to make a tremendous and relishes all that she can do. She's honored

impact. I find it by the position she is put in, but she has fears,

intriguing and a little worries and a big heart as well. That makes scary, too. Mostly, I'm her vulnerable at times and makes her come honored to be put in up against the Voice that's in her head—in her

this position. I under- jaw. She's the only one who can hear the stand the responsibili- Voice [the clandestine rebellion leader broad-

ty, and I don't just casting from elsewhere], and they go at it mean as a woman, and sometimes. She's not afraid to confront that a leader of this futuris- for any variety of reasons."

tic world, but as a One might even go so far as to compare woman of color. Hel to Joan of Arc, to which Torres responds That's breaking a softly, "Oh God—but with a better haircut," whole other barrier. I and laughs. "You know, that comparison has don't believe that there definitely floated through my head, I've got to Torres feels Nebula's Hercules story was over long before the has been a woman of say. She has her moments of that and for me," series' finale. The producers had killed off her boy friend, personal aside, the actress lolaus (Michael Hurst), though he got better. color in this position and as almost a ever, in flesh and whispers, "I think it's weird because some of Cleopatra 2525 continues what Xena blood—they've been drawing us this way for my friends think it's bang-on." began with the emerging trend of women as years now [in comic books]—but an actual According to Torres, "Hel can be a little action heroes. Torres enjoys being part of the flesh-and-blood figure is different. I think it's self-righteous sometimes. That's interesting tradition. "Nebula opened a door because she important. It's probably one of the reasons to play. She was described in the script as the wasn't a wuss by any stretch of imagination. why Nebula was so popular." moral compass of this team. That's a tough

It brings up a whole other element, because one to chew on, and I don't think anyone sets Nebula wasn't so much a superhero as she Reluctant Heroine out to be that. It's reflected in her decision to was someone special," Torres laughs at her As for her new heroic gig, Cleopatra bring Cleopatra [Jennifer Sky] along, this sort own choice of words. The actress goes on to 2525, "We've shot 14 episodes, and they of lost child. No good will come of her pre- explain, "Hel is indeed special, but because of won't be aired in the order we shot them," she sent situation, but Hel decides, 'Let's take her. the way we tend to define a superhero—we explains, "so it makes it very tricky to explain We can't leave her here.' place them in the future, with certain powers, what's going on, especially in February, "Sarge [Victoria Pratt] is more the 'Kill, strengths and leadership skills—I think she is because only two or three will have aired and kill!' character. We have our moments, too.

72 STARLOG/Ator/i 2(X)0 Design & Layout: Rick 1

a Q

It's an interesting relationship of revisited the sets before Hercules' final

checks and balances. We can't imagine journey. "Except for the time I played doing what we do without the other. Beth Tyson in the 20th century's 'Yes, It's the mutual respect, the deep friend- Virginia, There Is a Hercules.' They kept ship that gets us through the moments wanting me to come back and play of disagreement. Cleopatra, but the timing was always "It's great working with Victoria wrong. So if anyone was going to reoccur

and Jennifer. Cleo's in training, she has on Xena for me, it was going to be Cleo, quite a bit to learn. I have my lieu- and Nebula for Here." tenant in Sarge, and we're definitely a The actress has made a broad step, dynamic duo," Torres explains. "We're corning from theater to action television. these incredibly different women and So, which one is harder? "They're both it works for that reason. You see how special in their way," Torres says. "They we all go about things in different really present different sets of fascinating

ways. The scripts reflect how certain challenges. It's in my genes. I have the things resonate in us, and it makes for acting gene, so I look for the challenge in

great characters that people can take whatever I'm doing. It helps you feel like

turns identifying with. I think the audi- you're moving forward. There's still so ence is going to find it all fun; I know much to learn.

the crew did." "I feel comfortable on stage; it's where

If the series hits, Torres may be in I cut my teeth, and it's what I did mostly action on Cleopatra 2525 for a while. for the first six years of my career. Singing

"I would like to see the show go for as is something I enjoy doing, but I haven't

long as we can maintain its integrity," mastered it. I look forward to doing more

she offers. "As long as it remains fun theater, and I miss it terribly. Wrapping my

and we go places with these characters mouth around great words, whether it's and explore all facets of our humani- prose, verse or contemporary, and finding

ty—I can't believe I just said that. the beauty in all of it eight times a week

"As long as Cleopatra remains and keeping it fresh, that's great.

interesting, let's keep doing it. And as "In terms of television, it's keeping it long as I can have my six months out fresh in a whole different way. You get to of the year to do other things and feed take a character from A to Z, depending this artistic soul of mine in other ways, on the run of the show, and create a reali- then that would be great. Best of both "They had to call upon everybody they ty in a completely artificial setting. That's the worlds—I like the way that sounds." thought was good to fill in the blanks. That challenge of television and film. You work on added to the number of episodes I did. Nebu- moments and try to keep those moments as Warrior Female la sort of became who she became, and there pure and fresh and as real as possible for As for her Legendary Journeys, Torres' I was." seven takes or so. In theater, you work on a trek was originally intended to be a brief one. Her Nebula casting led to a stint as the real world for two hours and you go from begin- "Nebula was only planned for three shows," Queen of the Nile in the "King of Assassins" ning to end and you don't stop until you're Torres notes of the very popular pirate queen. episode of Xena. "Playing Cleopatra hap- done. You have the support of the group ener- "They were toying with the idea of getting pened at this same time," Torres explains. gy, of a communion that takes place. So, they Hercules a new playmate because even then, "They hired me for Nebula first and they had both take your energy in different ways. I'm

early on, they were thinking of killing Iolaus. this role of Cleopatra for Xena, which was not the one to say which is harder; I have so So they were playing with different ideas, dif- going to be shooting first. So they knew I was much to learn about both. ferent characters with whom Here could hang coming down [to New Zealand] and they "I am very much enjoying working on out and do good deeds. I think I was part of asked me if I wanted to do it, because it made Cleopatra 2525. I'm not going to lie to you," that plan, but nothing was ever said. Then, sense that I could play Cleopatra. So they flew Gina Torres laughs, "it's exhausting and that,

Kevin Sorbo got sick, so they had to postpone me down early." in and of itself, is also a challenge, but it's a that storyline. Given the opportunity, Torres would have good one."

STARLOG/A/a >r/z 2000 73 An accomplished martial artist in real life, Jackson Raine wants everyone to know: He isn't as clumsy asTao. —

^^^^^^^^ n the Gold Coast of Aus- JK tralia, Jackson Raine has been sleeping in. And who can blame flf him? The previous night, l^k JK he finished his very last ^B^^^^^^ day of shooting on the first ^^^B^^ season of BeastMaster, the syndicated adventure series based on the Andre Norton book. Now, he's looking forward to a few months without tigers, nimals or children! ferrets and eagles. Though the actor usually Obviously, enjoys working with his non-human co-stars, Raine ignores he admits they can try his patience. W.C. Fields' are the animals," "The animals says Raine rective in every slowly and deliberately. "It's the whole thing BeastMaster that W.C. Fields said about children and episode animals—some days it really applies! Then especially in other days, you get these pieces of magic and "Chameleon."

you say, 'Well, it's worth putting up with all of the madness for that.' "One take comes to mind, where we used the two ferrets. One ferret is supposed to

come and take some food, while the other is supposed to go and save the BeastMaster. And

they did it, first take! Other times, a simple thing, like a ferret is supposed to come up to my foot—20 takes later, OK. I'll probably work with animals again for those moments of magic." Animal Encounters Raine plays Tao, the inquisitive, inventive and often clumsy sidekick of Dar the BeastMaster (Daniel Goddard), the hero who can communicate with the animals of the mythical universe known as the Mydlands. Although Raine notes that Tao can't communicate with the animals himself, he

still has plenty of scenes with them. And the highlight of his on-the-job interaction with the beasts this season involved those occasional magical moments. "It has probably been a couple of the conversations I've had with the ferrets," Raine notes. "Some of those have been quite HHH amusing, because the little guys sit there and look at you. They'll scamper around, eat a bit of food, and one of them will pop up his head when you say something and look at you.

"But I have to say that working with Sasha the tiger is quite incredible. Some days you can just walk up and pet her, and other days, you wouldn't want to get near her. She's a very moody animal, but wonderful to work with."

The most difficult aspect of dealing with the animals is that the human actors always have to be ready for anything. "Often, they get the animal set [to go] and say, Action,' and you've got to be on the ball, because if you miss it, you're going to wreck the whole take. It might be another five set-ups before we get it again, which is a lot of time—and in television, we haven't got time!" says Raine. "It really shows you the necessity of being on the ball, and gets you into a very high-energy state. At other times, you feel like you're compromising your performance around the animals—but you have to." Raine agrees with Goddard in that if the human actors give a less-than-satisfactory performance in a shot but the

As Tao, Raine aids Dar the BeastMaster (Daniel Goddard) on their fantastic adventures. 1 " —

Selected Photos: Sean Barnes

animals perform correctly, that shot will very moments, how clear your mind can become. through the character's mind. I'm also very

likely be used. "It's just one of those things You just switch over!" much into science in general. That's what has when you work with animals," says Raine. blown my mind the most, particularly things

"You've got to lump it, really." Beastly Origins like Stephen Hawking 's Universe, a BBC As Dar, Goddard has had some rather Raine graduated from Sydney's Universi- video series—that was incredible." unpleasant experiences, even enduring a ty of Wollongong in 1994, and quickly went According to Raine, Tao is actually a part resurrection sequence in which he was to work in TV and theater in Australia. He of him, which he draws from when portraying covered with spiders, snakes and other landed the leading role of Dr. Wu in Aus- the character. "He's my rational side. He's my critters. Raine laughs at the thought and says i tralia's popular TV series All Saints, though 4 clear-thinking side, and none of my athletic he hasn't suffered through anything nearly that wasn't what led him to BeastMaster. side," says the martial arts expert. "Really, the that unpleasant. "The producers hadn't seen All Saints" Raine only way I can describe him is that he's just so

"I haven't had anything done to me where t recalls. "Basically, I went through the audi- ^ much fun! It's a hell of a lot of fun playing I've said, T don't want to have that rat on me t tion process—the initial audition, then one I him, but I have to get back to myself now, today,' " he laughs. "I've done things like ride I callback, and another and another—and final- because I've been Tao for such a long time! I donkeys, but I seem to get the better end of the | ly they called my agent while I was at work. | love his enthusiasm for life and willingness to stand up for an ideal. I love the way he

thinks, but I won't say I love his clum-

siness! It gives me a good opportunity

to sit down and look at the set every

day and say, 'Is there anything that I can fall over here? Something that can

get in my way?' It keeps your mind very active. To me, that's who Tao is."

He agrees that Tao is more than a mere sidekick, usually representing what the average man today would be

like if he were suddenly dropped down next to Dar in this savage fantasyland. "Tao often asks the questions that people are dying to ask of Dar," notes Raine. "Dar can't always be accessible because he has to knuckle down and focus on the job

ahead. Tao is the guy who says, 'Uh,

Dar, what is it you're doing and why

are you doing it?' Dar can't ignore me, and so for that reason, you get a lot of inside hints into the BeastMaster character."

Skilled in the martial arts, Raine

emphasizes that he is not really as clumsy as his alter-ego. "All of the pratfalling and that sort of thing "I HAVEN'T HAD ANYTHING DONE TO some of those falls are pretty heavy, because I want them that way. I know

ME WHERE I'VE SAID, 'I DON'T WANT I can do them because of my martial THAT RAT ON ME TODAY.' arts training," says Raine. "I know TO HAVE how to fall. You can do some amazing deal. Daniel cops many of the things, like, I He said, 'Well, Jackson, you better pack your things, fall over in ways that look like they 'OK, today we're going to have this monkey bags. They want you in Queensland tomor- really hurt, but I've only fallen so that I can " crawl all over your head—just sit there and row!' just pick myself up and keep on going without take it.' I don't get much of that!" The actor enjoyed the Beastmaster movies even thinking about it. But some of the bruises The actor has had only one nervous starring Marc Singer long before he ever on my knees have told me maybe I had better encounter with a co-star, and he momentarily auditioned for this TV series. "As a kid, I used fall a slightly different way!"

thought it might be his last. "I had a snake to watch Beastmaster and think, T want to "The Minotaur," a recent episode, features crawl around my neck," explains Raine. "We control the animals like that, that looks like a scene which Raine feels sheds new light on did this whole sequence of the python g fun!' " Raine chuckles. "But I ended up being g Tao's character. Notes Raine. "For anybody strangling me and doing all sorts of stuff, the sidekick, so I have no control over the who watches avidly, it has a moment that was which got cut from the show anyway! It was animals. I'm usually quite scared by them!" written for me—I feel like it was a gift to me, one of my better pieces of acting. It was quite Raine reveals he's an SF fan, whether it's and so I made everything of it. I got to do things physically in that episode, an amazing thing, holding it and feeling its I film or books. "I always have been," he says. many more strength. The snake was actually, really 1 "At the risk of sounding like a cliche, I've got and I was able to use other facets of me, but

strangling me at one stage. I was sitting there I to say I'm a . I always got off on Star I still be Tao. I stepped away from the classic

doing the scene and I'm thinking, 'OK, there's ' Wars, but there are very few people in the I Tao that everyone has gotten to know, and was

it. after not a breath that I can take in right now, and I world who haven't. As far as books go, i able to add more bits to And that reckon I've got about 45 seconds to a minute Michael Marshall Smith has written two episode, you see more and more added to Tao. before things start to get really bad.' So I keep fantastic books, including Only Forward; both I There were improvements in my performance

going for 30 seconds, then called, 'Cut!' It's are absolutely fantastic. He's a really dark - technically, and ideas I was able to bring in as amazing what you think about in those I writer, and often takes you on journeys I Tao grows up. I can bring in different facets of

76 STARLOG/Mnrc/;

7^1- K. % • m

my personality and other peoples' through onto the screen. I've is is What found ; Goddard genuine. "What you see on-screen personalities into Tao. that Zad and Tao—while they are enemies, is friendship that's off-screen too," says "One example just recently was when I and while Zad still sees himself as way above Raine. "We respect each other to the point was sitting across a fire from Dar and I'm Tao—understand each other, even though where we can do a take and tell the other talking about love," says Raine. "Just the they each think the other is an idiot!" person, 'You know, you could probably do way that it was delivered, it was very Tao- Raine has a number of ideas for the that a bit better,' or 'That was awesome.' I like, but showed a new facet: a measured, second season of BeastMaster. "There may not believe Daniel when he tells me that, relaxed, focused Tao. And I think that's should be more learning about Tao's world," or he might not believe me, but it doesn't where he ends up in a few years, but he has he says. "I have a feeling that the audience matter. We're comfortable enough that we can more growing up to do before he Hgmiwmmmammm can get there. That scene, for me, Minotaur," airing the embodies what Tao will become January 31 in syndi- cation, offers Raine a magical when he's 30. I find a lot of men moment. "I feel like it was a seem to change around 30, they hit gift to me," he says. that age and usually fall together or fall to pieces. And Tao will come together and be a very measured and switched-on guy."

The character's growth is part of a natural process, according to the actor, as he and the writers get to know Tao better. "The one thing about television that really fascinates me is being able to take a character and really develop him," Raine observes. "On stage, you do the same moment over and over again for the run of the show, so those moments become very specific, and you learn a lot from them. But in television, you're dealing with a different moment every single day, every single minute. So it's a different way of developing a character." Savage ways

With first season shooting completed, say it. And we can just sit and chat about Raine believes the final shows, due to air in anything. Anything and nothing. We have a May, could be the best. "The last two are really good time because of that." sensational," says Raine. "They're called Likewise, Raine likes working with 'Rescue' and 'Revelation.' The stories Natalie Mendoza, who plays Dar's long- focus more on Dar and Tao. It has been a lost love Kyra, and Monika Schnarre, the nice journey over the year to get to these supernatural Sorceress. "I haven't had the moments, and there's so much that happens chance to work with Natalie much, but like over these two episodes—it's high drama. the entire ensemble cast—it's the same There's a hell of a lot of action, but it's with Steve, Monika and Daniel—we emotionally involving for all of the understand that it's all about having a characters because the stakes are so high. conversation. We don't try to act, because

That's as much as I can say without giving that's not what it's about. If someone looks anything away, because it's worth like they're acting, then they're not doing it watching. It's a wonderful way to finish up. right. It should just be like a natural It's going to leave people thinking, 'Where conversation, so when we do the scenes " do we go from here?' together, we just go and have a talk. There's BeastMaster doesn't end its freshman nothing more rewarding for an actor than season on a cliffhanger. "It ends up with a getting to that level, to be able to do that new adventure," Raine says. "The essence consistently. And working with Natalie is of the show will be the same, but the series Raine's least favorite BeastMaster experi- very much like that. She's a girl you can will become more about the ensemble cast. ence so far was truly pythonic, involving just sit down and chat with on-screen, and We spent this year introducing everyone and slow strangulation by a really big snake. Monika's the same." their capabilities. Next year, we get to dive Of his non-human co-stars, Jackson deeper into all of the characters with some . will be seeing more of my world. That's Raine says he can't name his favorite very interesting match-ups. Tao and King Zad really all / want to see! I just want to get because it's always changing. "That depends will have more direction; there's an unexpect- home and see what happens there! We're on the day and my mood," he says. "Some ed on-screen thing which develops in the last going to open the whole world up. We've days, I can't think of anything better than to few episodes between them. Steven Grimes, (seen the Territories, the Downs, the work with the animals. Other days, I think, who plays Zad, and I have a great deal of Mydlands. It's time to see a new world, and I 'Oh my God, what am I doing hereV.' But respect for each other as actors. We're very think that's what's going to happen." when the cameras start rolling, you switch good friends, and that can't help but permeate The actor says his friendship with that off and focus on the scene." | _j„ | Entertaining as

hen he was a lit- a not-so-Grim Reaper, Sadler tle kid growing simply stole up in Orchard Bill & Ted's Park, New York, Bogus Journey. William Sadler lived on a farm and played regularly with a boy who lived down the road. That boy had a chicken coop, and he and Sadler would take the lids off mayon- naise jars, draw numbers on them and then nail the lids to the coop wall. You're getting the idea, right?

"My friend and I would sit on the dirt floor and play with the lids, because they were the dials on our spaceship," Sadler recalls fondly. "We would look out the chicken coop window and play Star Trek. We were Spock and Kirk, and we would trade off playing the characters. It went on for hours and hours and hours. Every time we stepped out of the chicken coop, we were on a different planet. In a way, I feel

like I've been rehearsing for all the genre Photo: Gemma La Mana/Copyright 1991 Pictures projects I've done since I was about eight

years old. So, it really doesn't surprise me that police department and made the laughing life that's as important or more important to I'm so comfortable in the genre." stock of the town because he believed," Sadler me than my own son. At the episode's end, I notes. "Now, all these years later, I'm con- go to see my own father because I've realized Lawful Nemesis fronted with the same evidence my father saw. what I've been doing all this time. These days, Sadler is one of the most So, there's this sense of, 'Oh my God, what if "So Valenti is the villain, but what makes familiar faces on the genre scene, with an this was trueT him a fun villain is that he's not cartoonish.

Great American character actor William Sailer has fount a tome in the science fiction universe.

insanely long list of SF and He's not Mr. Freeze in horror credits that includes Batman. He has very real Project X, Bill & Ted's problems. He has a girl Bogus Journey, Freaked, friend. He flirts with the Demon Knight, Bordello of ladies in town. He's deal- Blood, Solo, Rocket Man, ing, as I said, with a Disturbing Behavior and teenage son. But when

The Green Mile, all on the he's chasing the aliens, he big screen, and episodes of is a very real threat to Tales from the Crypt, The them. For whatever rea- Outer Limits ("Valerie son, he's after them. He's 23"), Poltergeist: The really after them. That's Legacy ("Fifth Sepulcher," just a function of his char- Thanks to Bill & Ted the series pilot) and Star acter," Sadler continues. co-star Alex Winter, At "He has to keep the heat Trek: Deep Space Nine. Sadler ended up on them. They can't ever this moment, he's sitting in getting Freaked in a golf cart just outside the Winter's little-seen relax. It's like The Fugi- door of the soundstage co-directorial effort. tive in that way, with where his latest SF gig, the Inspector Gerard. If Ger- popular WB series Roswell, is filmed. "As an actor, that's great stuff, very human ard is ever not chasing Kimble, we can all Roswell co-stars Sadler as Sheriff Valenti, stuff, to play. If he ever gets his hands on these relax, but then you wouldn't have a show. If who's hot on the trail of the show's alien kids, they're in trouble. He won't know what there isn't the danger that Kimble will be trio—Max (Jason Behr), Isabel (Katherine to do with them. But his reasons for wanting found, what's the point? It's the same thing, Heigl) and Michael (Brendan Fehr). them are very human. And the fact that he has pretty much, with Valenti and the aliens."

There's no denying that Valenti is the vil- a teenage son [Nick Wechsler as Kyle], who Sadler has worked on the stage, in film lain of the piece, but he's not strictly a black- he has trouble with, makes him more human, and on TV for more than two decades. He has hat baddie. He's more of a de facto villain. too. They don't communicate very well and enjoyed long runs on Broadway, with his

"From the pilot, he was given a reason to be that's very real. We've done an episode ["Into Biloxi Blues stint lasting a year-and-a-half . He so driven to find out the truth, the reason the Woods"] in which Kyle makes me con- has also played recurring roles on TV, notably being that his father was drummed out of the front the fact that there's something else in my Sloan on DS9. Roswell, however, represents

STAKLOG/March 2000

—

As "The Man Who Was Death," Sadler got punctuated by capital punishment in one were stellar and the reviews were glowing. of TV's initial Tales from the Crypt. "I don't know if I should have been aston- ished," Sadler admits. "I've done a number

of pilots, but I never had one that was as widely well-received. Critics who don't like anything liked the pilot. And the response since the pilot has been very good, too. At

the beginning, it was really the critics who

weighed in, and now it's more one-to-one. People in stores come up to me and say,

'Hey, I saw the show last week. It was great.' That's nice to hear." So, what's working best in Sadler's view? "I think the humor is one of the things that works the best, when it's there," he replies. "The show doesn't take itself too seriously. It's a delicate balance, to build suspense, to have something at stake, while at the same time letting the characters laugh at their own human-ness and the ironies of

the situation. I would like to see more of the humorous sides of these characters come out. I also love the directing. Every once in a while we get a director—David Nutter is one; Jonathan Frakes is another—who just has a great instinct about moving that camera. They're in and out of cars, across the lawn and through the front door and up the stairs. It goes by like a freight train. It's great to watch,

as an audience member. It has a great energy that static shows just don't have. Also, when a show that David or Jonathan does direct actu-

ally grinds to a halt, it's for a real reason. Everyone goes, 'Oh, shit. Wow,' and they pay even more attention to what's going on." On the set, the 40-something Sadler is among the oldest actors. As a result, he feels simultaneously ancient and recharged by being surrounded by so young a cast. That

was especially the case early on. "At first, it was very apparent to me that I was quite a bit older than everybody else on the show, the rest of the regulars, at least," he comments. "It

was great fun because of that. I always felt that they sort of looked up to me or respected me, which was very nice. Now, I blend in. I don't go out dancing with the rest of the cast, fielded an impressive cast with Sadler simply delighted The Shawshank Redemption but when it comes to the work, the age differ- to be part of the ensemble. ence never comes up. We're all here for the

his first assignment as a series regular on a Valenti is basically the same man week to same task.

weekly TV show. It is, he explains, a unique week, but the situations keep changing. I like "And I really like the cast. Most of my challenge. "You don't have the luxury of the getting to see the character evolve. In all my scenes so far have been with Nick, who is an time that you would put into a film, where years as a film actor, I never got to have a girl extraordinary actor. He's very gifted and, by you know a month ahead of time that you'll friend. My tasks were different. I never had a the way, very funny. He has a dry, twisted be doing these particular scenes, in this story, teenage son to deal with. So, there are chal- sense of humor that you don't see right away with these actors," he says. "On a film, you lenges to doing something like Roswell on a when you meet him. They're all good. One of can start digging and thinking about character weekly basis, but I'm being called upon to the things that Nutter did in the show's casting background. You can ask all the millions of explore lots of new places as an actor. Let's was that he saw to it that each and every one questions you ask yourself. We start shooting put it this way: Colonel Stuart from Die Hard of these roles was cast with someone who an episode on Wednesday, and I saw the 2, who was also a very driven man, never had more than looking right, more than having the script for the first time on Monday. So, there's any of these things to consider or worry right credits or the right TV-Q—could act. If a lot of thinking on your feet that happens on about. He didn't have these other colors to people are buying the performances, buying a weekly show. him, the way Valenti does." the story, we can take them anywhere. Jason "You have to make quick decisions. and Shiri Appleby are superb, too. They're all There's no rehearsal. You fall back on your Alien Pursuits very good at what they do." instincts and your bag of acting tools that you Like everyone associated with Roswell, Sadler serves up additional words of bring with you. At the same time, it's great Sadler was astonished by the reception praise for executive producer and frequent fun that everything changes so quickly. afforded the show upon its debut. The ratings director Nutter, from whom he first took

XO STARLOG/.W,7/t7; 2UIH) 1

Cleaning up as an enigmatic janitor, Sadler co-starred in Disturbing Behavior, a movie maimed by its distributor.

direction on the ill-fated fear feature Disturbing Behavior. The actor recalls that just a few days into the lensing of Disturbing Behavior he and Nutter came to trust one another. "We got to a point where he knew that I knew my character, this janitor, and that what I was going

to bring to the scenes would be good. We knew it might not all work,

that it might not all end up in the film, but he could trust that it all

came from the right place and that it was corning for the right rea- sons," Sadler says. "Once that trust was established, the working rela-

tionship became fabulous. I felt a freedom to go as far as I wanted to

go, knowing that he would edit me either on the set or, after choosing from takes, in the editing room. 'To some degree, that has carried over into Roswell. That's one of the main reasons why I did the series, to work with David again and, hopefully, to recapture that working relationship. That does not hap- pen all the time. A director's insecurities and his need to control a set, control his vision, often makes him hold onto things with an iron grip. Every once in a while, though, you run across a director who sees in a character what you see, and the director then His genre appearances also include a relaxes and lets you do turn in "Valerie 23," an early venture your job. David is one beyond The Outer Limits. of those directors." What happened to Disturbing Behavior, however, still disturbs the actor and Nutter as well: "David was just so upset, so upset. He put his heart into that movie. I've seen direc- tors watch their stuff get edited down before.

That happens all the time. But it was so severe in David's case. I didn't like what got cut out of Disturbing Behavior, like any romance, any humanity, any back story. You've got the kids, the SF and people getting drills in their eyeballs. If it was- n't that, [the studio felt] Realizing a childhood dream, the audience didn't Sadler finally made his Star Trek portraying the called Sloan, need to see it." man a Section 31 master spy.

Genre Chasers Reaper for Bill & Ted's Bogus Sadler takes a big gulp from a cup of cof- Journey. "That was a blast!" he exclaims. "It Frank Darabont was one of the fee and begins to offer a few thoughts about was just flat-out fun to take such a silly char- Tales from the Crypt. He came up and memories of his previous genre credits. acter as far as I wanted to take him.. .and then the set and said, 'I'm going to do this,' and he

Of Project X, he says, "Helen Hunt was some. I had a ball. Bill & Ted led to Freaked. handed me the book. I said, 'Yeah, sure you great. I loved working with her and Matthew I did that because [Bill & Ted co-star and are.' And he did. Demon Knight [the first Broderick, who had been in Biloxi Blues with Freaked co-director] Alex Winter asked me to Tales from the Crypt film] was a great time. I me. The film scared me to death. I had had no do it. I don't remember much about the film, was running around with the blood of Christ experience in Hollywood before that, no but it's remarkable how one project leads to in a bottle, shooting demons. Bordello of experience to speak of acting in front of cam- another." Blood [the second Crypt movie in which eras. Pretty much everything up until then had Similarly, the TV terrors of Tales from the Sadler cameoed as a mummy] was just one been stage, where you had tremendous free- Crypt spawned other roles for Sadler. "I did day." dom. I didn't understand the craft of the cam- the first episode, 'The Man Who Was Death,' As for The Shawshank Redemption, era. I didn't know the difference between which Walter Hill directed. That led straight Sadler notes, "We didn't know we were mak- playing a close-up and a wide shot. It took me to Die Hard 2, because was one of ing something special. One of my fondest a while to learn and, fortunately, I had direc- the producers of both Crypt and Die Hard 2. memories was sitting around during the din- tors like [Project X's] Jonathan Kaplan, who Crypt also led to Trespass, which Walter did, ing hall scenes. We had James Whitmore, Tim were very patient with me." and to Demon Knight, which was Joel again. Robbins and Morgan Freeman. It was like Sadler took up the scythe as the Grim It led to Shawshank Redemption, because playing tennis and suddenly you're on a court

STA R I .OG/March 2000 8 with the best players on I writers took great care to make the planet. Your game sure it never sounded like 20th- just gets better. Every- century American dialogue. The one at that table sat actually dying of the body wasn't around, listened, as much fun as the dying that watched and fed off happened in my mind. The trav-

each other's energy. It els through Sloan's brain were

was fabulous. I knew just so interesting to me." the script was strong, As the Sun slips beneath the

but it's hard to tell that Hollywood skyline, Sadler must something's actually get ready to head home. Before going to come together doing so, however, he contem- so well. You really just plates his future on Roswell, as don't know; at least, I well as the future of Sheriff don't. And, of course, Valenti. "When I did Biloxi Blues

Shawshank led directly on stage, it was the same charac- to The Green Mile. ter, the same exact words eight Frank [who directed times a week for a year and a Who would have thought that the both] called me and I half. That was hard to keep fresh. hippest dude that Bill & Ted would

' said, 'Yes.' The Green ever meet would be.. .Death? Valenti sort of keeps himself Mile was about a week fresh," William Sadler says. "I'm

of work." "They approached me about it and asked me still fascinated by where they could take him. Rocket Man marked a different kind of if I wanted to play Sloan," Sadler recalls. "I I don't believe that he'll remain the villainous

experience for Sadler. "That was a kids' film. read it and said, 'Yes.' I wanted to be a part of heavy. I don't think they'll try to sustain that.

Harlan Williams played this goofy astronaut Star Trek. It was the fulfillment of a dream I think that, at some point, he may flip over

and I was the straight man," he explains. "It that started when I was eight years old, step- and become an ally to the aliens. After he

has one of the funniest fart scenes on film. ping out of that chicken coop. It was great to finds out [about them], what's he going to do? We're tethered together by an air hose be a part of a show that's part of the fabric of He can only chase them for so long. He is between our spacesuits. He farts in his and—it the American culture. I was very flattered that going to find out what he needs to know. The

was big fun for younger audiences." they asked me to do it, and the role fit like a question becomes 'What do you do with Trek fans, of course, know Sadler best for glove. I loved the leather outfit. I loved that he that?' The FBI has treated him so shabbily, his recurring role in Deep Space Nine's final was a sinister man with a wry sense of humor. I'm not sure that he's going to turn in the seasons as Sloan, the Section 31 operative The last episode was remarkable. I basically aliens to the FBI. So, he may very well turn who appeared in "Inquisition," "Inter Anna died three times. There was a heightened into an ally. Enim Silent Leges" and "Extreme Measures." quality to the writing. Ira Steven Behr and his "And wouldn't that be fascinating?" .a.

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I ason Behr has just wrapped a I long, long day on the set of I Roswell. The young actor I has been immersed in the I episode "The Toy House" and in his char- ^^^u^^P^^^^^^ acter, Max Evans, for nearly 12 time the audience is, and that's the case for all ing that Max's simmering relationship with hours. So maybe he knows what's going on. of us in the cast. It's a little cryptic, and I think Liz (Shiri Appleby), whom he saved in the Maybe, just maybe, he can answer the ques- that's good. You can't tell the whole story too series pilot by using his E.T-like healing pow-

tions that are mercilessly killing off the pre- soon, because then you don't experience it as it ers, doesn't leave them vulnerable to discov- cious brain cells of many a Roswell fan: Are happens. What we do know is that the three ery. And if the Max-Liz union doesn't blow Max, his sister Isabel (Katherine Heigl) and aliens believe that they're from this 1947 their cover, there's always the possibility that their good friend Michael (Brendan Fehr) crash. They don't know if they're descendants Maria (Majandra Delfino) might run off at the actually the aliens that crash-landed in of aliens on the ship or whether they were on mouth in the wrong place at the wrong time. Roswell? Or are they the descendants of those the ship. To date, Roswell has done an exemplary job of

aliens? Oh yeah, and do the aliens, whatever "Do they age? It seems as if they do. mixing it up, of exploring personal relation- they are, age? They've been in human form since they broke ships and delivering a compelling combina- tion of SF, thrills, suspense and romantic longing. Behr, who spoke briefly about Roswell in SCI-FI TV #8, believes that the show has made consider- able strides since the pilot aired on the WB in fall 1999 to strong reviews and impressive ratings.

"The first episode didn't utilize all of the characters," he notes. "It had one main story and that was the one about Liz and Max becoming aware of each other in this new light. Because we know that we have a season ahead of us, we've been able to pick different charac- ters and try to explore their person-

alities, emotions and relationships. In the second episode ["The Morn- ing After"], we really got to know Michael a lot more than we did in the pilot. We explored his feelings, what his motivations are, where he's coming from. We know he has a foster family, that he doesn't

think his life in Roswell is so great. So, he has more of a motive to leave Roswell, to want to go else- Behr, sitting in his trailer, smiles. out of their pods, and they have aged in regu- where, than the others. "That's the beauty of the story," he lar human time. But how long do they live? I "Then, in 'Monsters,' we got a chance to explains. "It's the wonder of Roswell!'' don't know. And that's great. We do not know. see Maria, her paranoia, how she sees us. I

Yeah, yeah. And the answer is...? At any moment, things can change. I guess the thought her dream sequence was interesting. It "...We don't know',' he finally says. "As an moral of the story would be to live every day was a very telling way to get her perception of actor playing this character who is completely as if it's the last." us. She sees us as these monsters. So, what I clueless about what's going on, it's OK for me like most about the way the show has evolved not to know. As the scripts come in, as I learn Human Pursuits is that we've been able to explore individual more about Max and where it is he comes Of course, Max, Isabel and Michael live characters from episode to episode. Now that from, it's fine not to know for sure because it's each day in fear for their lives. If they're not we've gotten to know most of the main char- new information for everyone. I'm finding out being pursued by the dogged Sheriff Valenti acters pretty well, we can go ahead and tell about the character pretty much at the same (William Sadler, page 78), then they're pray- stories. And the words, all the inflections Though Max shares his alienness with sister Isabel (Katherine Heigl) and friend Michael (Brendan Fehr), they are still Roswell's distinct minority.

does that put him? He opens himself up to

vulnerability. If, in fact, Michael, Isabel and I are exposed, and we had to leave Roswell, I would now have to leave behind one more person I really, really care about. The more the relationship evolves, the more difficult the decision becomes. "Also, if we do find the truth, if some- where down the line we do find out where we come from and possibly even how to get back to our home, how does Max leave not only his family, but also Liz, this woman he has come to love in a different way than he has ever gotten to experience?

I think that Max realizes that the closer he gets to the truth, the closer he is to losing

and all the little looks mean so her and the more uncertain his future is much more at this point, because in Roswell. the audience knows the characters, "For me as an actor, it's a chal- knows more about them. As charac- lenge," Behr continues. "For a while, it ters, we're constantly searching to wasn't that Max was stagnant, but he find out more about our past, about was not really actively looking for the where we came from. In searching truth or pursuing the relationship. He for that past, we might actually find was just kind of sitting there. Lately, a different kind of future. So, the they've allowed Max to become a little more we know these characters, the more proactive and to actually do some- more we care about them, the more thing. Mostly, Michael has had that

interesting their search is." proactive feeling about him. He has

gone out and done something about it. Teen Troubles Max, for a while, sat there, conflicted At this point, about a dozen about everything. Finally, he realized episodes into Roswell, we know that he can't do that. And he made the that Max, who works, ironically decision: 'You know what? I do want to

enough, in a UFO museum, is a ter- know about my past. I do want to know

ribly conflicted young man/alien. where I came from. When it's time to He's frustrated and confused as to make decisions, I'll make them then, " what's the right choice to make but right now I need to know.'

when it comes to Liz. And he's wor- Making most of the behind-the- ried that what might be right for scenes decisions on Roswell is the tan- him may not be right for Isabel and dem of David Nutter and lason Katims, Michael. "He's very aware of other both of whom serve as the series' exec- people's emotions and feelings, and utive producers. Nutter, of course, is the he tries to take them into account," X-Files veteran who has directed sever- comments Behr, who considers the al episodes (STARLOG #268), while Star-crossed passion. "Route 285"-"River Dog" two- Katims is the former My So-Called Life Max feels love, but he producer-scribe oversees the writ- parter the show's best outings to won't pursue a romance. who date. "He knows that Michael does "How can he really get ing. "David is the heart and soul of , not want to be in Roswell anymore, together with Liz?" notes Roswell," raves Behr. "He's one of the that he's the one most actively seek- Behr. "He doesn't know most gifted and brilliant men I've ever ing the truth. Max understands that. himself." worked with. He has a heart of gold. He Max knows that his sister is the really, really cares about you. He cares polar opposite. She likes her life in Roswell. ward, honestly, in a relationship. If he doesn't about this show. And you can tell that, just by Although she might have a tough exterior, know himself, doesn't know his own capabil- talking to him. He's so passionate about

she's a very sweet and loving person. She just ities, where he's from, what emotions he's Roswell. Jason is the brains behind it all. He tries to put up this facade and not let anyone capable of or what physical things he is or has a wonderful knack for writing situations else in, but she really does like Roswell. So, isn't able to do, how can he really get togeth- that are honest, that are real. What he does she doesn't necessarily want to know the er with Liz? Procreation? How do you do helps me understand everything, so that I can

truth, though some part of her probably does. that? There are questions hanging in the air try to do my best with it. I don't know where "Max is stuck somewhere in the middle. and, hopefully, we'll answer them all over the show would be without him. The premise He's in love with Liz, this girl he knows he time. There's actually a lot I would like to is such that Roswell could be made in a very can never be with because they're just so explore. There's a great deal just in that con- bad way. It's a good combination of people, different. He doesn't know enough about flict about his relationship with Liz that inter- David and Jason."

:c who he is to allow himself to move for- ests me. If he allows himself to love, where Behr speaks of his co-stars with enthusi- Teng

I "The more the relationship evolves., I the more difficult the decision becomes."

asm. "We were very lucky to get the peo- ple we got for this show," he notes. "These actors are giving, honest and willing to work hard. If we've backed ourselves into a wall somehow, every-

body is willing to work it out in order to

make the show as good as it can be. And

they're all good people, too, so I feel very lucky."

Alien Endeavors Tomorrow, Behr will be back on set with his fellow actors, but chances are that nothing for a long while on Roswell will compare with his strangest day yet. The day unfolded a few months back, during production on the episode "Mon- sters," which featured a rather memo- rable—to watch and to shoot—dream sequence. "They dressed me up in this horribly cheesy green jumpsuit, painted my face green and put this really nasty wig on me," Behr says, shaking his head at the memory. "I looked like an alien Elvis. Then, they gave me Behr listens to the bitter- those really cool alien eyes. I sweet scenario and nods his guess it worked out in the end, head in agreement. He can, no because it was all about how doubt, relate to much of the Maria saw us. She's a little above, but he's not looking for quirky, a little abstract, so she anyone to share tears over his projected her personality onto plight. "You wait, you starve her dreams of us. and you try really hard to get "It made sense that her work," Jason Behr concludes. visions of us were a little left of "And once you get work, you center. I had to sit in this cos- long for free time, just to take tume all day. Everything I a breath every now and then.

touched in my trailer became But it gives you such opportu- green. For the longest time, I nities. It does open doors. You just sat there in my chair and just have to find a way to make

didn't move, didn't touch any- it work, to make the schedule

thing. By the day's end, I was work. Right now, though, it's

so sick of it, so sick of doing Are they among us? Behr doesn't know from aliens, but about all about the story and the peo- nothing, that I was using my great co-stars, he's quite effusive. "These actors," he says, "are ple that you work with, at least giving, honest and willing." phone, touching things on pur- that's what it is for me. If it's

pose and reading scripts. By the time I went face suddenly open with ease. Yet, except for not interesting and fun, it's not worth doing.

home that night, I had green palm prints that tiny window of opportunity called hia- If you can't tell a good story and tell it as well everywhere." tus, actors on TV shows rarely have time to as you can—and in the process enjoy who As the interview nears its end, Behr con- maximize their newfound star power. An you're with and where you are—it's not templates both his current good fortune and actor, in a sense, can be trapped by the very worth doing. the impact of Roswell on his present and vehicle that raised his profile in the first "So far, Roswell has been a treat. Hope- future. After all, every actor yearns to latch place. Then there's the loss of privacy and the fully, whatever project I take on next, when-

on to a hit series that can then, potentially, crazy hours spent filming a show, not to men- ever that is, will be with people I think are

serve as a springboard to even bigger and bet- tion the time and energy spent promoting it interesting and, hopefully, it will have an % ter things. Doors often slammed in an actor's and one's self. interesting story." ^Ji —

[J : Emm

I JJ JAJ JAiJiJ Fwifi the shadows, John BMimWumlMtid the WOPM of tt» I#es.

By JOE NAZZARO

is good. That could easily be that was a dark show, too. I don't know it doesn't need to be so dark, but 1 kept it Darkthe first rule handed down to any what they had seen, or what they were real- too dark, and did get a comment from director of photography on The ly looking for. 1 think what it comes down to Chris on that one." X-Files. This series has certainly is they're not sure what they want, but they revolutionized the look of net- know what they don't like, and they're pret- work television through its skill- ty vocal about that." Needless to say, darkness needs light ful use of darkness and shadow. That From time to time, Hartley admits, the for contrast, and Bartley had to find new distinctive (and now widely imitated) look series might have gone just a bit too far and imaginative ways of providing it. That was in large part created by award-winning with its darkness quotient. "There was one included the now-trademark use of high- cinematograpber John Hartley, who worked, episode that 1 think was too dark, 'Hell powered Xenon bulb flashlights, which cut

on the show's first three seasons. i Money' about the Chinese body parts. It a brilliant swath through the darkness. Ironically,, when Bartley first signed on was still an interesting show, and I liked it "When we were doing , the

as The X-Files ' DP, he wasn't certain what a lot. When I finally saw it all cut together, Xenon representative brought one on set

series creator Chris Carter was looking for I said, 'Oops!' When you do a scene that's and showed it to us, and I thought, 'This is in terms of the overall visual style. "I had kind of dark—let's say it's a crime scene kind of interesting, but do you have any taken over a series called Booker with and in the aftermath, the police or the FBI more, because one is not enough,' so we

Richard Grieco, a pretty dark show, and I come to investigate it, you usually lift it up said forget it, because it was ridiculous for had also done a few episodes of Wiseguy, and a little more and make it brighter because the Commish to be carrying this great big

88 STARLOG/Ato-e/7 2000 heavy flashlight, so we dumped the flashlight idea. Later when The X-Files came along, there were more of these flashlights around, and I think we were trying to do some very wide shots, and I can't remember who actually said, 'Let's use these

flashlights,' whether it was in pre-production or later on, but we ended up with five or six of them eventually. They weren't very reliable; the batter- ies would die and sometimes they wouldn't fire up. They would also go into a big flood mode at times and you couldn't spot them down. Every time you turned them on, they would do something differ- ent, so you had to have several of them there to play with. "I got kind of sick of them in the third season Cm and found a little flashlight that looked just as good. It was a very bright tungsten quartz bulb that

put out a little beam, and it also flared the lens quite nicely, so I went with those. Of course you get the director who says, 'Let's use the big flash- lights!' so you would bring them back for an episode and they would hopefully go away again." Other aspects of Bartley's work weren't as obvi- ous to viewers. Take the nearly one-foot height dif- ference between leads David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson, which could prove problematic at times. "When we started doing the show, the camera oper-

ator and I figured out very quickly there was a defi- nitely a problem here. Her heels weren't that high, not as high as they were in the last season, so we had a little board made up to raise her three or four inch- es, just so her neck wasn't on the bottom of the frame. The camera operator would say, 'She looks like a Muppet!' so we tried to fix that. I still do that with people today, because it doesn't look good if one actor is a bit shorter than the others, particularly the leading lady." The X-Files may be a career watershed for Bartley, a New Zealand native who worked in Aus- tralia for four years before moving to Canada in the early '70s. "I wanted to go to New York, but couldn't emigrate to the States at the time, so I ended up in Toronto and worked there for a year.

Then I came out to Vancouver and said, 'Oh, I'm going to head— back to Australia and beg for my old 'I really didn't think The X-Files job back ' I gave it a little while, though, met some nice people and stayed ever since." 1 Besides Booker, Wiseguy and The Commish, ras going to be as big as it was. Bartley also worked on before moving on to The X-Files. Executive producer R.W. Goodwin had suggested him to Carter. "I had worked with Bob on a couple of TV movies years ago. I had done two years on The Commish, and was going back for a third when he phoned me and said, 'I've got something you might be interested in,' so I met with him and Chris, and I came out of that meeting really wanting the job. I went home, and the more I thought about it, I thought, 'This is a really great opportunity; it sounds like an inter- esting show to do.' I think it was the energy level from Chris and the commitment from Fox to try and make something interesting. They had already done the pilot, which I hadn't seen, but then I looked at it and thought it had possibilities. I real- ly didn't think The X-Files was going to be as big as it was. Our first pickup was for 12 episodes, and I thought, it's going to be 12 episodes, finished at Christmas-time, have a nice vacation and come back in February looking for work. Then it was three years later, so I was actually very surprised." One of the challenges in the show's early days

STARLOG/Marc/? 2000 89 was trying to create a cohesive because it's a combination of my

visual style while still allowing work and someone else's, and I can't

directors to put their individual take credit for it. The one I won for, stamp on episodes. But considering 'Grotesque,' was a Kim Manners all the first-timers coming in, that episode. We shot most of that our- wasn't easy. "It does make a big selves. It was a fun episode and one of difference," claims Bartley. "We those good stories." went through quite a few directors. "Grotesque" was also notable for It's not that they weren't any good, its use of a single-color theme, in this but a director coming on the show, case, a chilling blue. "It just worked after a few days would say, 'Hell, for the story, and I thought it looked you do this every day?' I would really interesting. I usually have to yes, and they would say, 'Wow, this watch the blue a little bit, because

is a tough show!' I would say, 'Yes, there was another show that used

but we told you it was a tough show blue, Silk Stalkings, so we tried to going in. You've got to keep in avoid that kind of blue. I actually touch with Chris and find out what experimented with a lot of different he wants; you've got a cell phone blues to try and find one we liked.

here, so use it, call him, talk to him. That one had some interesting use of Tell him what you're doing so there colors. There was another episode, are no surprises.' Most of the direc- 'The List' that Chris directed, and we tors were pretty smart and figured went very green in that one. I used to that out themselves." a. call it 'the green show,' because we To help ensure a continuing added green to everything, except for style for The X-Files, Carter decided to one of the first times that we did some day flesh tones. We tried to keep them, but

make two of his main directors, Rob Bow- exteriors, and it had some nice stuff up in the everything else was green, the sets were man and Kim Manners, producers in their lakes. There was also some interesting stuff green and it had a different look to it." own right. Although both directors would in the hospital, some good moments. Usual- Even more satisfying than Bartley's ultimately be working toward the same ly, the best episodes are the first and last Emmy were three nominations and two visual end, Bartley insists there were major episodes of the season, because you have a awards from his peers in the industry, the

differences between them. "Rob takes more little more time. Not so much for post-pro- American Society of Cinematographers. His chances. He'll push a cinematographer and duction, though. Each season dovetails into first nomination was for the Carter-directed he makes you take more chances. Kim is a each other, so whatever they left you hanging "Duane Barry," which guest-starred Steve little more conservative. He'll still make with, the first episode of the next season Railsback as an apparent alien abductee. "It

you take chances, but not quite so on the takes it up. They're the ones they spend a lot was tough for Chris [making his directorial edge. Rob is a very edgy director. He likes of time on script-wise. They're usually the debut], because he had to be producer as to give you opportunities, so he'll say, 'Hey, ones that Bob Goodwin directs, so he puts well, not necessarily on that episode but on

we've got an opportunity here; let's play the producing behind him and just goes for it other stuff coming up. We spent a lot of time

with it,' and push it in many ways. Some- as a director." in pre-production on that episode—even times they're right and sometimes they're weekends on a few different occasions. I wrong, but you get to give your opinion. Grotesque Success used to do that if I liked the director. David Rob's a very good and definitely an up-and- The following season, Bartley submitted Nutter was one of those directors. We used to coming director. It's interesting to watch his the episode "Grotesque" for Emmy consid- do a walk around the studio on a Sunday, and career go." eration, this time earning the coveted award that would work out for everybody. Some- It didn't take long for the show's out- for Outstanding Achievement for cine- times, David, the gaffer and I would meet in standing visuals to start getting some atten- matography in a series. "You have to submit the studio and have another look at whatever tion. Bartley's work earned an Emmy an episode that doesn't have much second sets were there to be more prepared. We got

nomination for the second season episode, unit in it, because otherwise, if it's all sec- that script early, so Chris and I spent a lot of

"One Breath," directed by Goodwin. "It was ond unit, there's no point in considering it time working on it."

90 STARLOG/Marc/1 2000 "

Bartley's work on The X-Files also done in eight maybe nine days with the odd wait; he wants to shoot and make the most earned ASC nominations for "Grotesque" second unit." of his time, and you have to be ready for "731," and the ambitious wrap-up to After The Visitor, Bartley reunited him. We went a little over [schedule], and I "Nisei," with Mulder trapped on board a with former X-Files director Nutter, who think our lighting budget was higher than speeding train along with what may be an was getting ready to shoot a new sus- they had expected, but we still came in alien's corpse "We did a lot of stuff in rail- pense thriller called Disturbing Behavior. about right." way yards; it was a real mixture of main "We were originally going to do it in After finishing Disturbing Behavior, Bart- unit and second unit. The thing I liked about Northern California when David first ley has re-teamed with Nutter on Roswell, the it the most was the rail car interior, and called me, and that changed as they dis- WB series about a group of crash-landed when I went through the episodes, I covered they wanted to do it in Vancou- aliens now disguised as human high school thought, 'I've got to put this one in.' I also ver. David has had a lot of experience students. Once again, the Nutter/Bartley duo thought maybe this was a chance we might working there and thought he could film has been able to create something special; in win one with this episode of Rob's and that it pretty effectively there." fact, the Roswell pilot, according to Nutter, would get it going. One shot we did, where Disturbing Behavior takes place in the "tested through the roof." "I usually know we move in and find the bodies, had very coastal town of Cradle Bay, where a exactly what David is thinking about, and

poor lighting. So to get that shot, we strange force is turning the school's slack- prepare for it," says Bartley of his frequent switched to a high-speed film stock and ers into soulless over-achievers. Key to collaborator, "because he likes to have a lot pushed it a stop." the film's visual tone was creating a of leeway to do what he wants to do. You Leaving a high-visibility series like The dichotomy between an attractive subur- can't tie him down too much. If he sees X-Files at the height of its popularity may ban town and the chilling events taking something that he wants to do or shoot, then

not appear to be a wise career move, but place beneath the surface. According to you've got to let him do it; you can't lock Bartley had his reasons for moving on. "I Bartley, "It's dark when it has to be, but him into a certain area and you've got to be actually wanted to leave after two-and-a- not so dark that it gets oppressive. I can't ready to make changes. You can't restrict a half years," he explains, "and told Chris I handle those movies that are continually director. You have to give them everything wasn't going to come back for another sea- dark. You need to give the audience a they want to do." son then. I felt that I had done all I could do, break. You also want to feel that there's And the darkness that so signifies The X- and I won't say I was starting to get bored, something wrong in this place, but you Files may well have crept into the memory but maybe I was a little bit. The second unit don't quite know what it is. The locations of John Bartley—at least regarding his was taking over a lot more, so that gets dis- created a lot of it, and so did the weather, work on the series. "To be honest, it's a bit

couraging. I also felt my life was going by so it all fell into place." tough to look back at it. I don't think it

me, and a season is 10 months, which is 200 Work with Nutter on The X-Files sharp- interests me that much. If I happen to be sit-

shooting days a year. I'm not that young ened Bartley's speed and efficiency on the ting there and it's on, I might watch it just to anymore to do that kind of stuff. You get so modestly-budgeted feature. "In some ways, see what they're doing. A couple of shows tired of coming home at 4 a.m., the house is with the speed we had to shoot this movie, were really good, but I did 72 episodes. in darkness, you wake the dog up, go to bed there were days when we could do a little Actually, I like watching the repeats now,

and wake up at noon the next day. It wasn't more than we could on TV. Sometimes we it's fun to look at them. Sometimes I cringe the money, I just wanted more time to just had to move very fast. David is kind of and other times I think, 'That worked out myself and to have a life." an impatient director, he doesn't like to pretty well!'

Disturbing work Bartley may have left The X-Files, but his involvement in the genre continued. Temporarily leaving Vancouver behind, he went to LA to work on the short-lived Fox series, The Visitor, which starred John Corbett. "Kevin Kerslake who directed the pilot, and my agent knew each other some- how through the music business, because i w Kevin does mostly music videos, so we met and liked each other, and I did the

pilot, and it just went from there to the series. It was a good show for me to do

actually. I quite enjoyed it, and it was a chance to work in LA." Sadly, The Visitor didn't last one sea- son. Bartley has his own theories why. "Basically, there were problems between the producers and Fox Television. You had two producers from Fox Features, and I don't think Fox Television wanted them. They were people who couldn't be con- trolled. Also, 77ze Visitor was done with very little second unit, compared to a show like The X-Files where there were days mmmmmMmimmmiiM Roswell Photo: Copyright 2000 The WB STARLOG/Morc/j 2000 91 J A S T E R Looking back at his career, Sydney Newman explained the

Newman also created the man who oper- at Sydney Newman was Head of Drama BBC ated the time/space machine, the Doctor. "I When dreamed up the idea of this very old man Television in Great Britain, his superiors asked him who is senile," he said. "He has flashes of brilliance, but he's also very forgetful, and to fill a time slot. The show he created, Doctor Who, he doesn't know how to operate the became the longest-running SF television program on Earth. time/space machine. I had worked out the background: He came from a distant planet, And it all began because of a concern with ratings. which was invaded by some other planet, so he got into the spaceship and fled. But he "The BBC has always ruled the roost on Ray Bradbury and the better writers. I used never knew how to operate the thing, and Saturday afternoon [on British television]," to hate SF which had bug-eyed monsters, that's how he ends up on Earth." explained Newman in this interview con- slimy things, alien creatures and that ducted several months before his death in garbage. I always liked SF which took con- Doctor Time fall 1997. "Its sports coverage is simply temporary issues which were too tricky to Like the character he created, Newman gigantic. I inherited doing a children's clas- deal with in a contemporary context, and was a fascinating man. A pioneer in British

sic serial at 5:15. It had a modest following, positioned them in a strange world, or in the television drama, he actually began his but after sports, the rating suddenly dropped. future, so you could say the most revolution- career as a painter in his native Canada, later

They were good dramas, but they didn't ary thing and get away with it. Usually, the becoming a commercial artist and a teacher. interest grown-ups. Then, at 5:45, the BBC best science fiction is somehow a marvelous- Taking photos of children's activities led to did a terrific pop music show for teenagers ly satirical, comic or horrendous version of making a movie with a borrowed camera. "I

[Jukebox Jury]. It got very good ratings too. what life is like on Earth today. made the movie and fell in love with So there was a drop in ratings for a half-hour, "Of course, I read H.G. Wells, Jules Verne, movies," Newman said. "I read all the books, and my bosses asked me to dream up anoth- the classic SF writers. So, I dreamed up the and I went to Hollywood in 1938. Disney er show. So I dreamed up Doctor Who." idea of a time/space machine. I wrote a memo offered me a job, but I couldn't take it, According to Newman, the creation of of my idea and said the time machine would because I was Canadian and had to get a Doctor Who resulted from his love of science be a common object that everybody sees work permit. I returned to Canada and con- fiction literature, as well as his experience in every day, but when you go inside, it's as vast tinued with my artwork. Then, the National

television drama. "I've always been a sci- as a spaceship. It worked out that it was a tele- Film Board of Canada was started, and I got

ence fiction fan, and I used to be a voracious phone box, a police callbox. Unfortunately, a job as a filmmaker." reader. But I read good science fiction. I read the memo cannot be found." Newman worked as a filmmaker for sev-

92 STARLOG/Marc/z 2000 irigins of Doctor Who.

eral years before deciding to try his hand in another medium. "In the late '40s, I became interested in television and convinced my organization that television was the future.

They sent me to New York, and I worked at NBC for a year. I was in the center of televi- sion in New York, at the beginning of its Golden Age, when American television was simply marvelous. From 1949 through 1955,

it was terrific, so I had a very good indoctri- nation and education in television." He returned to Canada and eventually worked for the Canadian Broadcasting Cor- poration. "I started off doing outside broad-

casts, sports. I was the supervisor in charge, but I got bored. They needed a head of drama, so I applied, although I knew nothing about drama. Earlier, I had been a set design- er for the theater, but that was my only con- nection with drama. I came in, and watched my directors, some of whom are now well- known, like Silvio Narizzano, who directed Georgie Girl, and David Green. And I trained Arthur Hiller, who directed many

features. I became more adept at drama. I became a very good producer. I was doing General Motors Theatre, a live one-hour drama every week." General Motors Theatre led to a job over- seas. "The BBC bought 26 of my plays and put them on the air in England. There was

Ry KAPI SHOOK.

my name up in lights every week. I then got very similar to The Ed Sullivan Show. So And I went from a staff of 30 at ABC to 170 at a call from ABC in England—the commer- when I went on the air with my drama imme- the BBC. A second channel, BBC2, was creat- cial TV station that has nothing to do with diately after it, I inherited this vast audience. ed, and my work was increased 40 percent. So, the American network—and I accepted an I didn't let the audience down, and some- when I left the BBC, in 1968, at the end of my offer to come to England." times I even beat Palladium with the ratings, five-year contract, I had a staff of 420, and we Now, Newman had a great opportunity to which meant the audience grew. I was the were doing 720 different kinds of dramas." make an impact on British television. "The Head of Drama and producer of this series English set-up in those days was very pecu- called Armchair Theatre. During this period, Doctor Space liar," he said. "A company was given a 'terri- I dreamed up the idea of The Avengers, and After imagining Doctor Who, Newman

tory' by the British government to be on the being the boss I had no trouble getting it into assembled a staff to make it a reality. He air for a portion of the week. My company production. It turned out to be England's selected veteran TV writer David Whittaker only had Saturday and Sunday, and while its most famous international show." to be script editor. As producer, Newman shows were networked throughout the whole Soon, the BBC decided to hire away the chose Verity Lambert from ABC. "When I

country, it was only on the air those two architect of ABC's increasing success. New- got to the BBC, I discovered that my staff days. And my drama was in the hottest spot man said, "In 1963, the BBC lured me away was elderly and old-fashioned," Newman of the week, 8:30 to 9:30, Sunday night. It from commercial television. I came over as explained. "There were lots of kids, but the was preceded by the most popular show in Head of Drama. My work escalated from 80 permanent positions that they were trying to England, Sunday Night at the Palladium, dramas a year at ABC to 250 at the BBC. move up to were being held by the older ones

STARLOG/Marc/i 2000 93 Never enamored of the Daleks (who he viewed as "bug-eyed monsters"), New- man had to put up with them when they became viewer favorites.

about it, to maintain the educational value." The second Doctor Who story introduced an alien race of shell-encased mutations called the Daleks. An immediate success with the audience, they became the Doctor's arch-enemies. Newman was less than delighted by the Daleks. "One of Lambert's writers, Terry Nation, came up with the Daleks, and I was very angry because to me that was a bug-eyed monster. And I bawled

her out. She protested that they weren 't bug- eyed monsters. She said, 'Once they were humans whose brains became big and fheir bodies had atrophied, and they had this encasement to help them move around, but the brain was human.' Of course, the Daleks hich had bug-eyed monsters." who weren't leaving. Here were these won- over as the first producer of Doctor Who, took off, became the most popular goddamn derful kids stuck at a level where I didn't Newman gave her definite instructions on thing and, well, I had to live with it. That know them. Now, Verity had worked for me at the direction he wanted the program to take. captured the imagination of the world's audi- ABC for four years as a production assistant. "One of the most important elements was the ences, and that, I think, was the basis for the She was very intelligent and excellently edu- time machine," Newman said. "The beauty program's world success." cated. She had been to the Sorbonne in of it was that you could go back in history. One of Lambert's initial production France. She was charming, but also tough. As So the Doctor would turn up with Nero fid- responsibilities was the casting of the first a production assistant, she worked with my dling while Rome burned. We did one about Doctor. She chose veteran British actor directors. When I would have an argument the Thirty-Year Religious Wars in Europe. In William Hartnell. Initially, Newman was sur- with one of them, she would be there taking terms of outer space, I laid down the rule: no prised, although Hartnell fit his conception of notes, and she would chip in and defend her bug-eyed monsters, and the rule that we not the character. "I did specify that he was a director. And I knew her. I had looked over the be fanciful. Conditions on the Moon had to crotchety, half-senile old man," Newman said. existing talent on my BBC staff, and I did not be up-to-date in terms of what we knew then. "And Bill was certainly crotchety as a very feel any one of them could cope with this new Or Mars stories be limited to what we knew nasty sergeant-major in a comedy series idea in the fresh way I wanted." Selecting Lambert as producer of Doc- tor Who caused some resentment among the more seasoned BBC staffers. "It wasn't pro- found and it wasn't deep," Newman said, "and she was so charming. And then they realized that Verity knew as much about production as anyone at the BBC. Although she had never been a producer, as a produc- tion assistant she really knew the guts of the business. And after two or three months, she was simply part of the place." According to Newman, choosing new people to implement new ideas was an important factor in his own success. "I was always pretty bold in finding new people. I discovered , one of the greatest playwrights in the world today. I found him when he was nothing. He had holes in his sleeves. And Ted Kotcheff, who directed First Blood, and endless other pictures, was a stagehand when I found him in Toronto, Canada. My reputation is based on finding new talent, which is such a great asset in our business, because the audience so quickly becomes tired of things." Lambert was another successful discov- ery. After producing Doctor Who for two seasons, she went on to do several other British TV series. She is now an and TV producer, best known for the 1988 film A Cry in the Dark, with Meryl Streep and Sam Neill. When Lambert took

94 STARLOG/Marc/i 2000 .

called The Army Game. I liked that quality,

because I wanted him to be acerbic with the EarthJings. I wanted him to be so superior to DOnT MISS WhAT's them that he slightly despised them. He liked them, but he also despised them.

"A pilot was done, but the trouble with it was that Hartnell was too unlikable. I sug- on SCI-FI TU! gested softening him and showing a little Here's the proqramminq lineuo of oast editions. Order NOW. kindness from time to time, and it was great.

There was also an element that he was some- BYLO'n V body's grandfather, who was benign, and yet

could become irritated for the stupidest little reasons. And that he couldn't work the machine made him rather adorable." As Doctor Who premiered on the British airwaves, Newman turned to other responsi- bilities as the Head of Drama at the BBC. When Lambert left the program, Newman chose John Wiles to replace her and later Innis Lloyd to succeed Wiles. When Patrick #3 #4 Troughton took over as the Doctor from Interviews: David Interviews: Chris Interviews: Kate Mul- Interviews: Robert Picar- Hartnell, Troughton and Lloyd consulted Duchovny, Rene Carter, Nicole deBoer, grew, Michael Dorn, do, Garrett Wang, Alyson Newman for advice on how the actor should Auberjonols, Salome , Robert Armin Shimerman. Hannigan, Cirroc Lofton, Jens, Tim Russ, Pat Duncan McNeill, Rox- LaPaglia, X- play the part. Newman said, "Patrick and the Jonathan Anita La Selva, Richard Tallman, Richard ann Dawson, Mark director . Burgi, Sabine Karsenti, producer came to me, and Patrick said, 'He's Chevolleau. Sliders. Dacascos, X-writer Young Jules Verne. Kevin Conroy, B5 pro- not Bill Hartnell; he's a different person. I $10 Vince Gilligan. Ani- Episode Guides: Baby- ducer John Copeland. can't really play Bill Hartnell.' We talked it mated Godzilla. $6 lon 5 Year 1 -5 Complete, Episode Guides: The Millennium Y1-2. Sentinel Y1-4, Sliders Y1- out. And then I dreamed up the idea that he S6 4. $6 should play it like Charlie Chaplin. A tramp from outer space. Hence, his clothes hung on him, and he seemed slow-witted, then would be brilliant. And in fact, I liked Patrick in that part very, very much." Newman left the BBC in 1968. "I went out to Elstree film studios as their chief of pro- duction," he said. "The company was taken over by another company, and the new presi- dent fired my whole creative staff. So I hung around for six months, did nothing, and then they bought me out for a handsome sum of #5 #6 #7 Interviews: Christopher Interviews: Jeri Ryan, Interviews: Tia Car- money. My wife and I hung around in Eng- Interviews: Richard Dean Judge, Ben Browder, Sarah Michelle Gellar. Anderson, Ethan rere, Eric Close, land for four months, and then I got an offer to Michael Easton, Chris Renee O'Connor, Phillips, Daniel Dae Kim, Jonathan Frakes, return I little to Canada. was frankly a bit Owens, Kevin Kilner, Nana Visitor, Terry David Allen Brooks, Rob Robert Trebor, Aman- homesick. Also, my wife had become ill, and Nick Searcy, B5 director Farrell, Carrie Dobro, LaBelle, Sam Whipple, da Tapping. Roswell. Janet Greek. Writing Jason Carter, Alan 7 Days. Episode she wanted to be near her family. So we went Helen Shaver. Angel. Trek. Stargate SG-1 Scarfe, First Wave Lexx. Episode Guides: Guides: Buffy Y1-3, back to Canada. The government offered me Episode Guide. $6. creator Chris Branca- Crusade, Earth Final Voyager Y1 -5. $7 the most prestigious post in Canada, which to. $6 Conflict Y1 -2, Xena Y1 -4, was head of the National Film Board." DS9 Complete Y1-7. $7 Newman spent his last years in retire- XL JJInterviews: Gillian Anderson, Robert Leeshock, James Marsters. Big Guy & Rusty. S7 ment. Fans remember him for the creation of The Avengers and Doctor Who, two pro- #10 February $7* #11 April $7 • #12 June $7 »#13 August $7 grams he regarded as only minor accom- plishments in his career. "I believe very firmly that entertainment is for the benefit of SCI-FI TV BACK I5SUE5 people," Sydney Newman said, "and not to escape. It's a very important element in my Please send me these SCI-FI TV issues whole career. Everybody knows me as the # Price # Price Total enclosed: $_ # Price # Price creator of Doctor Who and The Avengers. # Price # Price What they forget is that for four years, I pro- Account No. Postage & Handling: York State duced the most outstanding drama this coun- New residents add 8 1/4% sales tax. One mag- Card Expiration Date: / (Mo./Yr.) try has ever seen. By drama, I'm talking . azine: Add $2. Up to five magazines: Add about one-act plays, which were equivalent $3. Six or more magazines: Add $5. Your Daytime Phone #:( )_ to the United States' Playhouse 90 and Method of Payment: Philco Playhouse, the great days of [writers] Cash Check Money Order

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Even in Star Wars, a movie obviously tion, the speed of light clearly has a "limit- not bound by rigorous science, the effect of ing nature." faster-than-light travel was an important Asimov, a great believer in unlimited story device. Audiences were thrilled by scientific possibilities, concluded his the "streaked stars" as the Millennium Fal- STARLOG article by saying that faster- The Ultimate Threshold con leapt into hyperspace after escaping than-light travel was only a maybe. "From Star Trek would not be alive today if the from stormtroopers in Mos Eisley. Fans where we sit here and now, it's a very, very good ship Enterprise had not been able demanded the same visual effect in weak maybe." to travel through space faster than light. sequels—and George Lucas happily com- In his book Profiles of the Future, Without warp drive, the original TV series plied. In countless SF space adventures, in Arthur C. Clarke says that even if we might never have had a first season—much fact, faster-than-light propulsion has been achieve travel at the speed of light, "that less that coveted third season. essential technology. But is it realistic or ultimate 670,615,000 mph will be totally The ability to travel faster than the just wishful thinking by writers and fans? inadequate to meeting the challenges of speed of light allowed the crew to move interstellar space." beyond a single solar system, to explore "Travel faster than In the introduction to his latest novel, strange new worlds and to go where no one the speed of light is a Timeline, explains, "On has gone before. In other words, warp drive definite maybe." the threshold of the 21st century, physicists made their mission possible. believe the physical world has been Star Trek approached future progress so That was the question I posed to Isaac explained, and that no further revolutions logically that books have been written Asimov long ago. In STARLOG #10 lie ahead." Then, in the novel, Crichton examining the science of the series, crucial (December 1977), Asimov wrote an article proceeds to explore the mind-boggling to the show's appeal and longevity. "It isn't titled "Faster Than Light" in which he laid landscape of advanced quantum technolo- just fiction," I've heard fans declare. "It's a down his best thinking on the subject. 'The gy—a scientific frontier in which three futuristic possibility." Universe acts in the way that Albert Ein- demonstrations of primitive teleportation

In the original series, Captain Kirk bat- stein's theory says it acts," he wrote, "and have already been documented in laborato- tled a powerful Gorn on a distant planet the limiting nature of the speed of light ries around the world. one week, got the Enterprise entangled in a would seem to be as solid as the Earth we The renowned painter Robert Henri 20th-century UFO conspiracy after an acci- stand on. once said, "When those who are not artists dental time warp two weeks later and, three "Anything moving at the speed of are trying to close the book, [the artist] weeks after that, was reviving the con- 186,283 miles per second," he continued, opens it, shows there are still more pages quest-obsessed Khan from suspended ani- "can move from New York to San Francis- possible." mation aboard the SS Botany Bay. That co in 1/60 of a second—but any object We who are dedicated to the infinite pos- kind of weekly leap from planet to planet, would take 4.3 years to reach Alpha Cen- sibilities of tomorrow never like to say never. from one quadrant of space to another, tauri, the nearest star; 540 years to reach As we enter 2000, we know there are more from present to past to future, would have the bright star, Rigel; 30,000 years to reach pages possible. Science is not finished, and demolished all sense that the laws of the center of our Galaxy; 80,000 years to neither is science fiction. Travel faster than physics govern the 23rd century—without reach its far edge; 2,300,000 years to reach the speed of light is a definite maybe. warp drive. the Andromeda galaxy." For science fic- —Kerry O'Quinn CD Cassette Quan. Price Each Total Price Send cash, check or money order to: Starlog 475 Park Ave. South, New York, NY 10016 Fax (21 2) 889-7933

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"Sometimes I think Jules the other hand, are collaborative. —Richard Matheson MM Verne may have reincarnat- And often it doesn't turn out quite Interview: Tom Weaver, issue #1 51 ed himself as Ray Brad- the way you wanted it to, and peo-

bury." ple who say that it does are liars." "I think Stephen King was a beau- 20 Years Ago in —Joseph Bottoms —Michael Crichton tiful segue [to film with Pet STARLOC Interview: Alan Brender, issue #31 Interview: Lee Goldberg, issue #91 Sematary after leaving TV and "I personally did not know H.G. The Next Generation]. I think Star Wells well. I was introduced to 15 Years Ago 10 Years Ago Trek and Stephen King comple- him; his son was working in the art "Philip K. Dick was fantastic. He "[The reason why he doesn't like ment each other. They always department of London Films didn't write typical SF; his work the film versions of his novel I Am have. They're both part of pop cul- where I started my career. They doesn't fit neatly into a slot—it's Legend is] they never follow the ture." did two Wells films Things to his attitudes. He was a very book. The Last Man on Earth fol- —Denise Crosby Come and The Man who Could strange, funny man." lowed most closely, but it was Interview: David McDonnell, issue #151 Work Miracles. I wasn't engaged —Terry Gilliam inept. [The Omega Man] was so on any of them, but I had admired Interview: Kim Howard Johnson, issue #91 far removed from the book that it Five Years Ago Wells since my childhood." was almost unrecognizable. They "I just loved Famous Monsters of —Miklos Rozsa, legendary film "I would summarize it by saying should do it today with, say, Filmland. I really got into the composer (who also scored Time books are harder to write and more George Miller directing and Harri- makeup and the special FX. And

After Time) satisfying. When you write a son Ford playing the lead; it would Dracula, of all people, was my

Interview: David , issue #31 book, that's your book. Films, on make a wonderful movie." hero." —Michael De Luise

Interview: Bill Wilson, issue #211

"If Mary Shelley was alive today, she would be bound to be writing about strong women. She was the daughter of an extraordinary woman and she married and knocked around with some of the most extraordinary literary figures of any age." —Kenneth Branagh Interview: Lynne Stephens, issue #211

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