"-, " .. Exti~Ion 1~'Not a Problem TABLE of CONTENTS of Course, When One Has a Runaway Success Like Jurassic Park
Exclusive three-page StarCon '95 Report begins on Page 9. '::'\i ,i"'~" 'C • ;ar. "' •
...... " "" :"-,_ " .. Exti~ion 1~'Not A Problem TABLE OF CONTENTS Of course, when one has a runaway success like Jurassic Park. 2 Opinions & Databank one doesn't just sit by and ignore It. Michael Crichton, author of 3 Movie Review: Apollo 13 and more news the novel which spawned the movie and its attendant merchandising 4 Music Reviews: ApoUo 13 opportunities, has completed the sequel to Jurassic Park, titled 1M Lost Ones. The Lost Does can be found in hardcover form with a 5 Video Review: Doctor Who and The Silurians $25.95 price tag on bookstore shelves now. 6 To The Nines & Voyages episode reviews, Book reviews And will there be a movie? No definitive word as yet, but how 7...... •.lnside Them: On Zordon's Secret Service could they get away without turning this into a film? 8 New series review: UPN's Nowhere Man selections from The Outcast and A Fistful of Datas, The flute Nimoy Toped Down - Spiner Tokes ManhaHan theme from The Inner Light will be included, though it may appear Shotner Resurrects Kirk - Film at 111 in a different form with orchestral backing. Originally announced for Leonard Nimoy is reportedly in negotiations with Paramount's mid-1994, the album is now being pushed back to early to mid-1996. home video wing to re-release all 79 episodes of the original Star Joel Goldsmith's CD single containing synthesized and rock versions Trek, each with a few minutes of added commentary and memoirs of his father Jerry's Star Trek: Voyager theme has also been pushed added to each. It's a little more worthwhile than re-releasing all 79 back indefinitely. Whether or not these eagerly awaited soundtracks of them just to pack a trading card with each, but it's hardly enough will ever hit the shelves at all is now more or less up in the air. to make you want to run out and replace your entire library. In the In the meantime. Dennis McCarthy has confirmed that he may meantime, Nimoy's UPN series Deadly GlUlJesstarring Christopher return to score episodes of the second season of Sliders, having Uoyd has revived the Batman-like tradition of a weekly guest villain; already scored every episode of UPN's Deadly Games so far. numerous familiar faces have been seen in this capacity, ranging from LeVar Burton to Brent Spiner and Dwight Schultz. Brent Spiner has Winter Doctor Who Video Releases also landed a role in the upcoming film Independence Day, also Another slate of time-traveling adventures has been released by starring Randy Quaid, Judd Hirsch. Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman and CBS/Fox Video: included in the six new releases are: Matthew Perry. Shooting is already underway in New York City on • Jon Pertwee's seven-part epic Inferno. which concluded the 1970 this movie which is concerned with "the last three days before the season and said goodbye to Liz Shaw (Caroline Shaw). Ties end of the world." The movie opens on July 4, 1996. with Doctor Who and the Siluriaos as the editor's all-time As for Nimoy's fellow Trek star William Shatner, he's shooting favorite Pertwee story; see Silurians review on page 5. footage for a TekWar CD-ROM game due out this fall, as well as • The Curse of Peladon, a 1972 fan favorite Pertwee four-parter playing a part in a CBS miniseries Dead AIm's Eden which will air which featured Michael Troughton (son of Pertwee's predecessor, later this year. And no, he's not ready for Kirk to die. He's the late Patrick Troughton). working on another Trek novel, to be titled The Fires of Olympus, a • The Tom Baker classic The Seeds of Doom (you remember the sequel to this year's Ashes of Eden: the basic plot? Kirk is revived one with the giant plant creature being bombed by the Royal Air from his death in Sur Trek: Oent:r.tiom. While he'd probably Forcer). This story was criticized after its original airing in 1976 love to turn this into the. next movie, Hollywood's probably too for its increased violent content, though few realized until later smart for that. with the announcement that the next Trek movie will books on the making of the series revealed that the script editor focus on a showdown between the neW Enterprise and the Borg. If had pared down the violence - a lot. Kirk would have the decency to be assimilated, then his resuscitation • Sylvester McCoy's rather silly debut episode Time and the Rani could be very entertaining indeed; other than that, we can only hope (guest starring Kate O'Mara as the Rani); it also marks the first that Kirk's only place in the Star Trek franchise's future is falling out appearance of the dizzying new computer-generated title sequence of cupboards, scaring the children, and occasionally gritting the path. and the so-so new arrangement of the theme music. Though it appears that Colin Baker participated in the first few seconds of T_ Soundtracks On Hold part one, it was actually McCoy in Baker's trademark steless The long-awaited release will have to be waited for even longer. overcoat and a curly blond wig. American audiences will get to Jay Chattaway's Tin Man soundtrack now reportedly includes see part one in its original form for the first time, as the material from tha~ popular Star Trek: The Next Generation episode TARDIS crash-landing and the Doctor's most recent regeneration as well as Relics (Scotty's return), Descent Part II (a wonderfully take place as a mini-cliffhanger before the opening titles, as scored conclusion to the most recent Borg two-parter), Darmok, originally broadcast in Britain in 1987. Data's dream sequence from part one of Birthright, as well as • The Peter Davison story Arc of Infinity, continued on page 3
-Volume Twot Issue #'2 fiNAL ISSUE October 1995 2 OPINIONS October 1995J Birthdays EDITORIAl Together Alone October I. 1947: Stephea Collin •. the first Trek The u.s. and RUS$ianmanned space programs have both reached out as far as their design limits will film', Commander Decker. October 5. 1882: Robert Cooddard. American allow. Only by overcoming obJOlete Cold War prejudires and by oooperating can we reach Mars - or rocketry pioneer who came up with the idea or even return to the moon. putting something other than a bomb on the top by EarlGreen of a rocket. I'm writing this in late July. July 23rd days cooperating in medical experiments October 8. 1939: Kate O·Mana. Doctor Who', to be exact I figured since we're running a and other scientific endeavors. not the villainous Rani and occasional Dyna,ty guest star review of Ron Howard's ApoDo 13in this least of which was the test of whether or (she played Joan Collins' even-wickeder sister). And so begins the parade of Doctor Who Issue. I would go ahead and get this not a docking maneuver involving two such birthdays this month. editorial on paper well in advance before large vehicles could even take place. October 15 [year unknown]: Mark Lenard. things slip my mind. The h1gh1lghtof my The Apollo-Soyuz mission in 1975- originator of the Star Trek one-actor. multiple- vacation from work aver this past week has twenty years earlier - had proven not only species tradition. now best known as Speck's definitely been my visit to UtUe Rock's new some basic tenets and theories on docking father Sarek. IMAXTheater and Aerospace Education international spacecraft for Joint missions October 15. 1951: Katy Manninl!. known best as Center. proof that maybe Arkansas Isn't as and rescue ventures. but bad proven - in • Jo Grant, the third Doctor's spunky assistant. October 20. 1941: Annel:.. Will.. aka Doctor Who backwards as I had previously thought. an era where the Cold War was still active companion Polly. Though the !MAXexperience was every bit but in the low ebb between the reigns of October 22, 1938: Christopher Lloyd. always as marvelous as I had heard from others, Khruschev and Reagan that marked Its improving on that nux capacitor. the real thrI1l for me was the exhibit most fearful years - that knowledge and the October 22, 1950: Mary Tamm. the first Romana "Convergence in Space: A Comparative human urge to explore do not know to travel with the Doctor. History of the U. S. and Soviet Space political boundaries. October 21. 1956: Carrie Fisher. Programs: an extensive gallery of The exhibit also Includes an actual October 27. 1953: Robert Picardo. Please state the nature of the medical emergency. American and Soviet/Russian space Vostok capsule s1mllar to the one that artifacts. many of the latter on display for propelled man into space for the first time. the first time in this country. (Really the EVAsuits as used by the Mlr astronauts . Historical Noles , October I. 1953: the National Aeronautics and only connection between this display and and by the Apollo astronauts. a Sputnik 1 Space Administration was formed. ApoIJo 13Is the fact that the actual engineering mockup. a life-size mockup of October 3, 1962: Walter Schirra spent 9 hours in computer control panel from the Apollo 13 ""a Mercury capsule. and a scale model of orbit on the Mercury 8 mission. command module OdYSSeywas present. the main launch facility at the Batkonur October 3, 1917: Star Trek: The Next Generation separated from my eyes only by a glass Cosmodrorne, Russia's equtvalent of the premiered. case. If you remember the keypad with a Kennedy Space Center. Dominating the October 4, 1957: the Soviets were the first to screen above that read such things as center of the Aerospace Education Center. reach space when the Sputnik satellite was placed in orbit. "noun/verb." this Is what I was looking at. though not part of the above exhibit. Is a October 4. 1959: the Soviet Luna 3 probe orbited for real. Almost kinda spooky, eh? I'm life-size mockup of an Apollo command/ the moon and sent back pictures of 7!Y'A. of its sure I'm not the only one who. were it not service module. far side. for the glass. would've i'ressed a few keys Despite the different shapes. colors and October 11, 1961: the Apollo 7 mission was to see If "we have a probleml") functional priorities that dominate and launched. a quiet test of the U.S.'s first three- In my study of the history of spaceflight differentiate American and Soviet space man space vehicle in Earth orbit; it was the first and space exploration. I have never been hardware. these are the Items with which Amercian spaceflight since the Apollo I fire had one to take the ethnocentric route of two nations once competed to get to orbit. killed three astronauts in January 1967. October 12. 1964: the Soviets launch the first discounting Soviet and Russian space to the moon. and these days only as far as three-man space mission. Voskhod I. achievements; after all, they did orbit the low Earth orbit again. Modern variations October 13, 1933: the prestigious British first artlflcial satellite, the first lIv1ngbeing on such equipment could get us back to Interplanetary Societ was founded. (a dog who did not return to Earth) and the the moon. or beyond. And this time we October II, 1919: the Oalileo space probe first human being (who did return). They could go in peace and cooperation. not just departed on a six-year journey to Jupiter (a were the first-to soft-land an intact space two nations ...a world. previous direct route was abandoned when its probe on the surface of the moon to send I'm convinced from the success of the planned 1986 launch was scrubbed after the Challenger explosion). It wiU arrive at its back pictures. They've been excelling in Atlantls/Mlr docking mission that the best destination in December and has launched a space station operations and have had course of action would be to abandon any probe to take the first direct sample of Jupiter's cosmonauts serving long-term orbital tours plans for tndividual American. Russian and atmosphere. of duty since well before the U.S. concept European stations and go with a truly October 29. 1991: Galileo makes history by of "Space Station Freedom" was ever international complex building onto the becoming the first space probe to study an bandied about bare bones that have already proven asteroid, 951 Oaspra, while en route to Jupiter. Imagine my surprise, while looking at a themselves more than spaceworthy - the display of scale models of Soviet launch M1rstation. Since the Soviet shuttle was In Memoriam vehicles. including the Energla booster and mothballed long ago with the advent of the October 24. 1991: Star Trek and Next Generation creator Gene Roddenbe£ . the very familiar-looking Buran space Commonweath of Independent Slates and l.ooliooK "•• a non1"oi'ri ad·1 fanzini publltll8d mal\111y by GFP shuttle, when I heard a man behind me the Russian program sun riding on the t ",_ •• llCl. .",. opIrkn. "_In _ oraIh. PJbmIffi"'" kI mutter, "Damned Commies." backs of cost-tneffectfve, expendable Soyuz' LOf1I1"'* ••••• "_oI".wrft.~ •• drN1Jdn~ ••'1JC1 . Okay. so you've imagined my surprise. capsules. a design that has not appreciably "-01"._",._"" •.•.
It may be hard for you to muster the changed since the 19605, tnternational : -2512 necessary indlgnaUon to imagine my ferry service could be provided by our own I' ",.""f-frIIiIltIdrta: ..,~.II.n3t122~1.tId
VIDEO REVIEWS Doctor Who: The Invasion (CBs/Fox Doctor Who and the Silurians (CBS/Fox Video, recoJorized, 1995) Video. B&W, 1995) . I have beat waiting for this Doctor Who story for a YnY long This vintage 1968 Patrick Troughton time! adventure is indicative of the future of Let's start at the beginning, circa in 1984 or so. The Oklahoma Doctor l-WIo video releases: having exhausted PBS network started through the Jon Pertwee era of Doctor l-WIoat many of the more desirable releases already. long last; up until then, Lhad seen Tom Baker, Tom Baker, Tom BBC Video will have to start turning to the Baker, some more Tom Baker, and one whole season of Peter numerous classic Doctor l-WIooutings which Davison. Jon Pertwee began appearing every night for half an hour are missing individual episodes. The fact and, ~ough I was simply intrigued at first, my mother had made up that the public was willing to buy such tapes her mind: Jon Pertwee was her Doctor, and I could keep my Peter as Paleks: The Early Years and Ib.!; Davison. Still, I was thrilled to be watching new l-WIo, and what Hartnell Years, in which the tapes' hosts - adventures they were! This one in particular, I recall, stopped just usually a past Doctor - reads a narrative short of giving me nightmares despite the fact that I was just into .explaining what happened in the missing my teens. It still gives me the willies, through the combination of segments, paved the way for releases such as one of the best-scripted stories in the entire l-WIocanon, Jon this one. The Invasion suffered the loss of . Pertwee's emerging command of his ultra-serious character, and parts one and four, leaving only six of its eight half-hour installments . possibly the all-time best latex and rubber creatures ever to emerge Rather than a past Doctor, a savvy bit of casting in the host from the BBC's makeup and wardrobe departments! And see if you department brings us our narrator in the form of Nicholas "The can spot young Paul Darrow, taking orders as the Brigadier's Brigadier" Courtney who, while he looks nothing like his well-loved "number. one," Captain Hawkins, Those who can ignore the very 60s 19705 Doctor l-WIo character these days, still sounds every bit like set dressings and sound effects, spoolcy creatures who speak in broad him and proves an able link to bridge the gaps in the story. The rural English accents, kooky music and the primitive special effects Invasion was the Brigadier's second appearance in Doctor l-WIo lore (The SiIurians saw the first-ever use of chroma-key blue screen in after the character debuted as a Colonel in The Web of Fear earlier Doctor l-WIo) are rewarded with a combination mysterylhorror story/ that year. The Invasio'n's guest bad guys are the retooled suspense thriller. The acting ages well, including the omnipresent Cyberrnen, looking for the lirst much more like the Cybermen we Peter Miles, often cast as a nasty; you may recall he also played the know and loathe in more recent adventures. However, the Cybermen part of Davros' sneaky right-hand man in 1975's om Baker classic don't playas large a part as human turncoat Tobias Vaughn (the Genesis of the DaJeb. Another welcome appearance is made by ever-reliable Kevin Stoney) and a curious conglomeration of acrylic the Doctor's scientist sidekick Liz Shaw, a female physicist whose sculpture called the "Cyber Controller." What's more, a device used character was allowed to be a lot more intelligent and decisive than by Vaughn to combat his own cybernetic allies seems to contradict all most .of .the Doctor's prior or later companions. An example: when of the previously known, Berg-like qualities that make the Cybennen the SII~lans abduct the Doctor from the lab where he is working on such fearsome opponents - I mean, a machine that can induce fear in an antidote to a plague the Silurians, Liz continues working on the Cybermen? Where'd they come up with this? cure until she finds the formula herself. Let's see Leela do that. The military presence is strongly felt throughout the story, since Unfortunately, the fans didn't seem to relict to her very well since she the Army felt that a television serial which portrayed them in a good didn't cower in the corner at the first sign oftrouble: nor did the light was worthy of all the real troops and hardware that could be 1970 production team seem to want to stop actress Caroline John spared. A very odd factor in The Invasion is a very strange, almost f~om allowing her contract to expire quietly and uneventfully. A James-Bond-esque music score by Don Harper. The more sinister pity. passages are more contemporary with the 60s than most of the Am~ingly, this double-ta~' set is colorized, or more precisely it is Dudley Simpson electronic/orchestral pieces of that period in the re-colorized: due to the now-infamous BBC purge of archived show's history. Some of the music accompanying the appearance of programs in the early 70s through which many early l-WIostories UNIT troops is quite cheery, almost downright Smurfy in a way! were lost forever, the only available copies of this story were a black Patrick Troughton and company always prove to be a watchable and white copy s~ld ~broad, and a very old American tape which ensemble, one of the show's best, and the addition of the Brigadier ~as rat~r low-resolution but contained the correct color signal. An and - in his own lirst appearance - Corporal Benton (later a Sergeant mnovanve process WIJ utilized which overlaid the American color in the Pertwee and Tom Baker eras) explains why this story made it signal on the sharper B&W copy, resulting in a very sharp and very to video despite its "incomplete" status. - E. G. colorful copy. Despite the B&W ambience which chilled me to my adolescent bones so many years ago, the colorization process doesn't Apollo 13 continued from page 3 for that matter anything - detract from the story. and for the most part it doesn't look that makes me want to stand up and salute the strange place our colorized. (At least not as bad as some of those horrid colorized 'nation has become. At the same time, Tom Hanks - as Lovell - films that pop up on old movie channels ...) asks a most poignant question in the movie's closing scenes: when are If you're I~oking for some of the best l-WIoout there, skip the we going back to the moon? Haven't we waited long enough? other recent VIdeo releases and jump straight to this little-known gem. That is a good question. The Apollo 13 mission in 1970 was If you've got ~~ost three hours ~o kill - or half an hour nightly for considered by many to be a failure, but for a failure it certainly one week - this IS a story that will do more than thrill you ...in a succeeded in bringing three men horne safely and proving that we still way seldom equalled by other Doctor Who stories, it'll scare the hell had the pioneering spirit that we seem to be missing today. Apollo out of you. With Pertwee's first story Spearhead from Space, 13 was not a failure for lack of trying. If we fail to reach out and Doctor Who settled firmly on Earth, but it is with The SiIuriaos touch another world again, that will definitely be a tragic faitur that the show entered the world of hard science fiction and more caused by a lamentable lack of vision. ~ature storytelling. Here we have prehistoric reptiles attempting to IOf~ct ~he huma? raee. with the bubonic plague, the prospect of the Editorial continued from page 2 Various shuttles and the Mlr B.ng~d,er and his soldiers attempting to reciprocate genocide upon the station In Earth's Immediate v1c1n1ty,it's a pity that The Right Silurians, the government responding clumsily to an epidemic of the Stuff' is being wasted on quick drives around the block Instead of Black Death, martial law, and other nifty trappings of armageddon. the real voyages into the final frontier that space vlslonarles on If you thought o.octr;r Who ,!as a silly kids' show, you need to both sides of the world have been envisioning for over four check out The Salonans...oot don't do so in a darkened room. - E.G. decades. 6 LoGBOOK BOOK REVIEWS Apollo 13 (formerly thled lost Moon) by Jim lovell & Jeffrey Kluger (1994. 418 pages) J I missed Lost Moon when it w as originally released just a year before the THE WAY OF THE WARRIOR TWISTED *** movie that it spawned; when I went looking byChdyHIl "This episode," the convention reports for the autobiographical Lost Moon, I This season opener came on as strong as announced, "turned out so bad that it may instead saw numerous books bearing Tom any I've seen in the Trek universe. Besides never air." Hanks' face and the title Apollo 13. Thank introducing Sisko's new look, we got an up- Now there's a rare endorsement for a goodness the small print beneath the title dose feel of what it would look like if the Star Trek episode. Normally, the fans are mentioned that this was, in fact, the book Klingons came to dinner - all of them at spoon-fed glowing reviews for every upcoming that started it all - for a moment, I feared a once! The special effects of this episode installment; in 1989, the finale of Next ridiculous repeat of the Alan Dean Foster were almost overwhelming; but enough to Generation's second season- was touted as novelization of Totst Rea/I which itself was give it a real sci-fi feel. something special that had never been done - bared on a Philip K. Dick short story! Instead of a blow-by-blow recap, I'd like before on Star Trek. How true - the episode , That's a roundabout way to tell one story, to explore what I felt worked and what was Sbades of Grey. But to hear the This book, however, is another story entirely, didn't with this fourth season premiere. The powers that be predicting a stillbirth in and it's well worth a read or two. For retrofitting of the station in preparation Cor a public like that...1 Understandably then, a about the same price as a movie ticket, possible Dominion attack was appropos lot of us who'd heard this forecast tuned in there's a lot more story. considering the Alpha Quadrant's first line of to Twisted with some trepidation. Unusually for a book which concerns defense is Deep Space Nine. But I felt the Honestly, it wasn't all that bad. itself with events that were directly whole unraveling of the Federation-Klingon That's not to say that it didn't have some experienced by one of the writers, the entire peace treaty was merely a plot device to get problems, hut it had fewer problems than, story is told in the third person perspective, WorC back on our TV screens. That is not say, the following week's sugary-sweet Parisi switching back and forth from the spacecraft to say that it is necessarily a bad plot device, Neelix reconciliation tale Parturition. . to Lovell's home, Mission Control in but rather very obviously contrived and Twisted was originally the next-to-last of the Houston, and even leaping around in time therefore a bit disappointing. Also four episodes held back from Voyagers first from Lovell's early fascination with rocketry. frustrating was the poor continuity of the "season, and by all reports was going to be a the Apollo 1 fire and its demoralizing effects peace timeline. It's hard to believe that the complete disaster. The script came up on the astronaut corps, Lovell's earlier Khitomer accords took over 60 years to several minutes short, necessitating the writing groundbreaking flight to the moon aboard solidify. This was pure laziness on the part of "padding" scenes, which do exactly what Apollo 8, and so on. The unique perspective of the writers, and one would think that the name implies, most of the time quite allows the cast of characters to include someone somewhere would have protested it obviously. But in this case, several scenes everyone from the spacecraft designers to and asked for a correction. which were probably added to pad the script NASA's flight controllers, technicians, and But speaking of continuity, there were out to its full length turned out to be among earthbound astronauts to their families. the some bright moments. The use of gurillian the episode's best. media, two or three Presidents ...you name it. sand peas as a bar snack was a good touch, The story's weird "distortion ring" - one Lost Moon, er, that is, Apollo 13., gives as well as coming through on Odo's promise of an increasing breed of Star Trek space what is probably a more detailed, honest and to "dine" with Oarak. Interesting concept, phenomena which are not explained but interesting look into the space program than Odo's use of his sbapeshifting abilities to merely make their appearance to serve as a anything else in print. While highly create the illusion of food consumption. The plot catalyst (obviously a cousin of StIlT technical, it stops to explain things on a idea of his expanding and exploring those Trek: GeneTlltiom' spacefaring "energy down-to-Earth level in the context of both a abilities promises great character development ribbon") - is really the least important normal lunar flight and in the rather more this season. element. Neelix's continuing jealous streak urgent circumstances surrounding Apollo 13 When I saw Michael Dom at a recent regarding Kes, some sibling rivalry between specifically. The tech talk is not convention (see page ten), he stated flatly Chakotay and Tuvok, and more. I could incomprehensible, and appendices in the back that WorC was no longer going to be the onJy spot one major flaw, and this is more a are handily available in case you need to punching bag for the universe, and the matter of personal taste: the manner in which remind yourself who the EECOM or TELMU writers came through successfully in this Janeway was dismissed from the plot to was, what they did, and who was working show. Never once did he take a hit or a make room for Chakotay to take command. those jobs on which shifts. phaser blast. Nice to see WorPs fighting It just didn't work, and Kate Mulgrew, while Reading Lovell's own account of events. skills have improved. The fabled tension normally quite deservedly the show's center we find out that the animosity between liaise between Sisko and Worf sort of eluded me, of attention, delivered an atypically below-par and Swigert existed only on celluloud and as I saw nothing really overtly hostile in performance after Janeway comes into contact not during the troubled mission, which was their interactions. Perhaps another time. with the "distortion ring." "Ob...my eyes!" more technically troubled than even the lilm Nevertheless, the interplay between these two On the other hand, there were plenty of could account for. Examples of further characters was quite good. Sisko's admitting good moments, and unusually, the music was problems encountered during the mission to running from the pain of his wiCe's death something I'd actually like to hear on a CD include two more explosive events on the brought the two characters onto the same release someday - often-drab Jay Chattaway way back from the moon - both of these in plane, so to speak. Both are single Cathers seems to do best when scoring completely the IMiIDI!g module, not the service module. (even though Worf wormed out from under off-the-wall adventures. So, in truth, it severe communications problems, and direct parenting conthued on lXJ{}e 12 wasn't quite the horror we expected. - £G. numerous public relations erises on the ground. Lovell declares almost everyone in the book a hero (well, aside from Dick Cavett, but this just proves that the commander of Apollo 13 bas taste), sometimes downplaying his own involvement. 1 tzTrty """It in IfIt oJ4tI4ys'tluu it U IflJUl aM fotinJ to iu for OM j country. 1Jutin MCiern fWT tfrert is yet it was Lovell who was awarded a medal nctfiinJ swnt ncr follna in your iyina. 7011 will i" r~ G tfoJ for 1IC!JOOtl reaso«:• .!Emut HemVWat1!/ by President Clinton 25 years after the fact a strangely obvious ploy to cash in on the public's sudden awareness of the Apollo 13 astronauts as October 1995 LoGBOOK 7 heroes that will no doubt be cited when Clinton runs for ----J- office again next year. Still, I'm inclined to believe that 'ITuy wrote in tM ofi tlays tMt it is sweet anafitting to tfi~ there are many more heroes between this book's covers Ins. e for onei CQUfltry. 'But in trUXfern war tM~ is tIOtftineSfllut "('II than there are in Star Teet Moyie Memories (of which fittirle in yourtlying. 7'ou wilItlU ~ a 1000for1W8oo1 reason.' more in a few paragraphs). T : Ef\A ~t %milWfI'rJ'I Don't stop With the movie alone. Pick up this book and get yourself an education in the more-thrills-in-a- minute-than-any-sane-individual-could-handle voyage of Apollo 13, and in the pioneering spirit of America's space program that transcended its politicized origins and now Z 0 o awaits a wake-up call in our present era of orbital courier II WI •• missions. - EG T.II •• CII •• by Robert Parson The ApoAo Adventure: The Making of the Apollo Space and 13 byJeffrey Kluger (1995. Program the Movie Apollo History is'littered with the bodies 'of good people who have lost to evil's 199 pages) A companion volume to the above book capitalizing overwhelming forces. If history is. indeed written by the winners, then there's a on the movie's marketability seemed at first to be good chance Zordon has been influencing the chronicles in his favor. .stretching it too far. When I saw the blurb in the back Are Rita Repulsa, Lord Zedd and Ivan Ooze the bad guys, as we have seen, of Apollo 13 nee Lost Moon for a trade paperback or are they trying to loosen Zordon's tyrannical grip on the universe? Are the companion book, I figured it would be a kiddie item that five Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers fighting on the side of angels, or are they really ought to be given away with tbose Apollo Burgers. Zordon's pawns in an eons old battle for domination? I have come to the conclusion that Zordon, and his henchbot Alpha-S, are evil Wrong again. Jeffrey Kluger's insightful volume on the Apollo program from inception right through to the end is Forces bent on taking over the world. another treasure trove of information on that most daring The giant head's manipulation of the Rangers is the key to analysis. He kidnapped four teenagers and seduced them with power, cool clothes and era of American space exploration, focusing on other aspects than just the flight of Apollo 13. rad wheels (okay, 'Zords, but transportation nonetheless). Later, he managed to While the "making of the movie" segments are turn one of Rita's minions, the Oreen Ranger, into a traitor with the promise of fascinating, I wish there had been even more hard fact in uninterrupted strength. The power Zordon has provided the Rangers must be called upon before being here. Kluger needs to ait down and write anothe"'r whole used, but he controls how that power is used and how much they receive. The book on the Apollo era. Highlights of The Apollo A~ include numerous cockpit flight recorder Rangers apparently are also kept in the dark as to where the Command Center transcriptions - many declassified for the rust time and and the Zords are kept. They must be transported to the Center, while the Zords most of them not suitable for the pre-teen set! - and a simply appear from nowhere (someone has to maintain, repair and fuel those detailed breakdown of the Apollo 7 flight which caused things. Especially considering the amount of battle damage they receive). mutual headaches for Walter Scbirra's crew of three and They do not question his orders, or if they do, Zoedon gives them a simplistic NASA administrators alike. answer or appeals to their egos by telling them he "has faith in their abilities." And who gave them their abilities? That's right, Zordon. And as we have The book is certainly at its most ponderous and questionable when it conducts a double interview with seen, he can strip away those abilities at a moment's notice. Look what Head Apollo Flight Controller Gene Kranz and director happened to the original Red, Yellow and Black Rangers. Their powers were R.on Howard, askin~ how their roles in the mission and taken away from them and they were whisked away to a foreign land, ostensibly (}ie movie were alike. Give me a break! Kranz led a for a "peace conference." skilled team of professionals who had to snap out of their What happened? There was no real apparent reason for this. Did they routine and save the lives of three men against literally discover the truth about Zordon and he eliminated them before they had an .astronomical odds. Ron Howard directed a movie in opportunity to tell everyone? Are they really at a peace conference? The one Hollywood. There is no comparison. It's like comparing short note to Kimberly, the Pink Ranger, following their departure could very Jim Lovell to Tom Hanks; no doubt they're both solid easily have been forged. professionals at what they do, but one has spent hundreds His adversaries fare even less well. Rita Repulsa and Ivan Ooze were squeezed of hours in the hazardous vacuum of space, while the into tiny spaces for thousands of years. Lord Zedd, although not stated explicitly. other has logged hundreds of screen bours in the was apparently banished and has only recently returned. These are not the hazardous vacuum of Hollywood. With all due respect to actions of a benevolent dictator, but rather the actions of a frightened fascist. Tom Hanks, his contributions baven't really advanced the Among his most powerful weapons is his use of negative publicity. Rita, Zedd cause of science. and Ooze have been painted in such broad strokes the only conclusion that can The Apollo Adyenture could be better. Hopefully be reached is that they are unredeemably evil. No one, though, is unredeemable. Kluger will see this in the future and work: on a straight- Zedd nd Rita are married! There must be something nice about them. (By the facts volume that could easily be the most informative way, did you send a wedding gift?) resource of information on the Apollo era yet. The sad The Rangers themselves are held up to highest regard when they must have part is that there bad to be a movie before anyone else some frailty. Surely one of them picks his!her nose in public, or something like was interested in this material, - EG that. No one can be that good (although Kimberly does tend to be materialistic). Just who is Zordon anyway? He claims to be many thousands of years old, ~ar TrekMovie Memories bv Wilam Shatner with Chris Kreski from another planet and is here on Earth to protect us. Zordon has set himself (1994,450 pages) up as a deity, and apparently believes we can't take care of ourselves. But where What can I say? My curiosity finally got the best of are the others of his race? It seems more and more likely he was imp' isoned for me. I couldn't resist it. It was on sale. Yeah. life on our backwards planet. Rita, Zedd .and Ooze may be wardens t ensure hc Still, it's on my shelf now, and. I've read it, and it was doesn't escape, with Alpha-S acting as an early warning system . . interesting. Despite tbe relative immunity that biographers The more we delve into this mystery, the more ominous Zordon becomes. We and/or autobiography writers seem to have when telling can count our blessings that he pretty much confines his activities to Angel Grove. their side of their respective stories, I'm amazed that Shatner didn't incite SO much as a single lawsuit with his 'Miat is liistory 6ut an aerwf-cn fa6uf". first book, Star Trek Memories: it was in that volume !J{ppafeon ~lZf'arte that Shatner alleged everything conthued on page 8 NEW S E R I E S REV I E W Book reviews continued from page] everything from Nichelle Nichols' now well- THE WORLD IS NOT AT YOUR COMMAND known affair with Trek creator Gene by Earl Gleen Roddenberry to Grace Lee "Yeoman Rand" Forget VR.5 - it looks like someone else opportunity to name each episode after a Whitney's various addictions. That a lot of may just have managed to tap into those different BeatIes song. So many treasured Shatner's gossip turned out to be true in the qualities of The Prisoner that made it so pop hits could suddenly take on a morbid end was surprising; no doubt his co-stars instantly engrossing. That someone appears meaning at this show's handsl) would've had the opportunity to carefully to be Lawrence Hertzog, creator and Equally disturbing is the scene in which bury these facts when the time came for their executive producer of UPN's new series Veil discovers that his roommate - very likely own autobiographies. Nowhere Man. (Now, you're right - a fellow political prisoner - in a mental Perhaps with that in mind, Shatner's Nowhere Man isn't even remotely science institution has been silenced by means of follow-up, concentrating on the period from fiction. Neither is ApoUo 13. Hey, this is frontal lobotomy. tittle brutality is spared, just after the original Star Trek's cancellation the last issue in print, We can do whatever and in places the show oozes creepiness: through Star Trek: {]enentioD!J., still has its we want, eh?) Nowhere Man's answer to "Be seeing you" share of incendiary accusations, but it seems The basic story seems to owe a fair appears to be "Do you mind if I smoke?" th~t this time, Shatner has decided to err on amount to The Prisoner. Tom Veil (Bruce accompanying poking a cigar with a pencil. • the side of caution, interviewing many of the Greenwood) is a combat photographer who is That gesture has already been established as previously nameless faces in the executive and on the brink of immense farne as his first a simple and deadly identification that production ranks, as well as those actors who exhibition is unveiled. One particular photo, whoever says this is one of "them." Almost permitted the authors to quote them. Oddly titled Hidden Agenda, is a curiously brutal as terrifying is Veil's all-consuming paranoia; enough, many of those who could not or did picture of two soldiers - possibly U.S.? - at his mother's home in Iowa, he threatens not wish to speak to Shatner for his new passively watching a row of people being to kill a nurse, a policeman and a priest who book were savaged by him in print. Any hanged. Or perhaps the soldiers in question may well be innocent of any involvement number of people were relentlessly hounded, are more active participants in tile scene than with "them," whoever "they" are; these people including everyone from Gene Roddenberry. we realize. This photo will no doubt be may simply be doing their jobs, completely Persis Khambatta (Lt. Ilia from Star Trek: seen over and over and over again in the unaware of the larger picture. That Veil t ' The Motion Picture). almost every course of Nowhere Man, and the audience's teeters at the brink of going over the edge Paramount executive who was ever in a interpretation(s) of it may eventually come to and killing them generates a unique tension, position to critique any of the films, James differ as wildly as, say, the theories about "not to mention a great deal of moral Doohan, Nick Meyer, Harve Bennett, and so Laura Palmer's demise that ran rampant ambiguity between protagonist and antagonist. forth. Curiously, Rick Berman, Patrick through Twin Peaks fandom in 1989. Or, Who's right and who's wrong? Veil's actions Stewart and other members of The Next dare I draw the comparison, the have already resulted in several of his Generation who dominated Shatner's latest - interpretations of The Prisoner that are still pursuers being killed and, inadvertently, and dare we hope last? - big screen exploits, floating around to this day. several of his loved ones meeting grisly fates. are not roasted in this book. Perhaps Anyway, this picture in particular is He dares not risk enlisting new friends on his Shatner knows that his latter-day counterparts something that someone does not want dark quest. lest they wind up dead as well. are the current darlings of random and the everyone to see for some reason. Whoever Who "tbey" are remains to be seen, and media in general. Or maybe he really did that happens to be, they're willing to do perhaps it ought to stay that way a bit have a blast making GeneratiolU, who anything - if not everything - to keep longer; the second episode promises to reveal knows? To be fair, Shatner also heaps something from everyone, and turn Veil into the identity of one of the military figures in praise for good character and professionalism no one. the picture. as well as a woman who has upon many of his film era co-stars, including Any questions? similarly been relieved of her life as she Merritt Butrick, Christopher Lloyd, Ricardo Well, don't ask me for the answers. knows it. One pitfall I can easily see Montalban, Malcolm McDowell and Stephen The taut direction of Tobe Hooper (the Nowhere Man taking is a love-interest-of-the Collins. director of Poltergeist), with an able mnsical -week for Veil: hopefully this convention will It's hard to make this book out. On one assist from The X-Files' Mark Snow, created be avoided, since one of Veil's most driving hand, Shatner humbly admits that he was a a truly creepy atmosphere. Hooper's motivations should be to return his life and pain in the butt during the making of Star direction even excelled in some moments of his family to normal. Despite the fact that Trek V and even admits to numerous unusually dark humor; near the end of the his wife seemed to sell him out to "them" in reasons for that movie's less-than-successful premiere episode Absolute 2'.«0, Veil seeks the blink of an eye, most men wouldn't give addition to the Trek canon (though claiming refuge at his best friend's spacious house - up the ghost on their marriage that quickly that Roddenberry was jealous of the but can find no trace of his friend until he and this motivation should be adhered to, beautifully crafted Trek V plotline really enters the bathroom and sees a dark shape rather than unabashedly pairing Veil with an stretches credibility to its limitsl). On the swinging to and fro in the shower. Now, I occasional love interest since his wife appears other hand, Trek's beloved skipper revels in saw this and thought Don't even bother to be "one of them." his own amazing foresight, intelligence and opening the door. -tbe guy's dead, be's been As Veil, Bruce Greenwood keeps up an bravery, whether he is single-handedly hung. or course, no thriller would make unreadable, steely edge without succumbing rescuing the screenplay of the first and iuhrough this scenario without our hero to the typical portrayal of a strong, silent second films from the jaws of boredom with opening the shower door ...only this time, he type. He's still vulnerable and surprised by Nimoy's help, dropping everything to finds a suit on a coathanger hanging from events as they occur, even in the thick of the personally battle a spreading fire on Star the shower head. Veil finally finds his action. Trek ms Genesis planet set at the risk of friend's corpse hanging in his walk-in closet. The Prisoner was surreal. Nowhere Man his own uniform, bragging of his sa StarCon '95 was another success for the now formally organized Generation's The Perfect Mate. She was there to promote the new Denver Star Conventions. The activities room added a few new Bond film GoldenEye, in which she's the villainess. She also spoke features like a sign-up table for folks who want to join the fan on what it was like filming Lord or Illusions with Scott Bakula and organization Starfleet, and a massage table for the weary of body. Clive Barker. (One day she apparently stood around drenched in UPN 20 (Denver's local UPN affiliate) had a table, as well as the stage blood, 50 gallons all told, and the scene got cutl) And Penny Mountain Man Fruit and Nut Co. (yummy!) and Orion Press. Juday, Herman Zimmerman's assistant art coordinator and personal Unfortunately I did not get time to check out the Orion Press table, assistant. And of course, there were Jeff, Dave and Terry. That much to my sincere chagrin, They have published some stories would be Dave McDonnell, editor of Starlog magazine and the Next penned by some dear friends - and I missed it. Next time, ladies, I Generation, DS9 and Voyager magazines; Terry Erdmann, a very promise. I did manage to get a picture of our own Larry Kiefer in good unit publicist on such films as St.r Trek IV. Encino M.n and the Stargate, another new feature that just adds ambiance to the Wb.t's Love Got To Do With It: and Jeff Walker, a marketing room. consultant and film journalist on a list of films so long it would take The dealer room continued in its expanded space this season, a week to type them all in! These guys always contribute making shopping a delight compared to the tight squeezes of previous . tremendously to the enjoyment of Denver conventions and it was a years, The selection of dealers changed somewhat, but many of the true pleasure to see them again this season. tried-and-true dealers we're used to were ensconced in their usual Now, to those wonderful guests! Claudia Christian appeared first. spots. Lots and lots of bead-shot photos out there this time around, She is a bubbly and "up" kind of woman, not very much like Susan compared to the pitiful selections I've seen in years past. There were Ivanova. On Saturday she was wearing a silver silk blouse and a several more video dealers (but I still shop with Paul Magwood's nice pair of dark slacks; Sunday it was white blouse, black Armani Soundtrack - good quality, good selection and good prices), jacket and black jeans.' . She started off by saying that she had an particularly one who dealt in "adult" video products. Don't worry autographed cast photo for the person who asked the most unique or folks, it was placed strategically in an area with less traffic and original question. She also said that she didn't want to answer guarded at all times. The most impressive neW'''dealer was a guy who questions about her hair! She wouldn't say what it is that she uses sells authenticated autographed stuff; and quite the eclectic collection to keep it so gorgeous (and it isl) but she would say that Ivanova it was! Everything from popular 60s sitcoms, cult shows, and . keeps hers tied back while on duty so as to keep it the heck out of complete Trek cast stuff to obscure autographs like Brigitte Bardot her way. She has a great sense of humor. She teased the Trek and William Tecumseh Sherman (I). I picked up very little for franchise about its political correctness, but when asked what show myself this season, just a Babylon 5 soundtrack CD and a video she'd most like to direct, her response was ·Voyager.· (Gales of compilation of Next Ckneration actors' appearances at previous laughter from the audience.) She has directed stage productions, done StarCons & StarFests, cartoon voices (I/yperman was mentioned). she sings and has done a The scheduled, and confirmed I might add, guest was supposed to great many films. When pressed, she said her role in Never On be Kate Mulgrew, but she pulled out at the last minute to do a ~.Y was one of her favorites and she thought M.ni.c Cop 2 dedication thing in Dallas laka laka!") and insisted that only the necessary crew be on the set of such heavy material, but that's the stuIT they need to use to make when she did it. When at one point she flubbed a line in this his costumes look like they do. Some fool asked him if he realized dialogue, Paul Williams leaned over to her and said, "Y'know, I'm that Neelix's nose looks like a penis (huge crowd reaction) and he gettin' a woody," and cracked the entire crew up. After that she said said it actually is. (Hilarious') Ethan doesn't think Kes & Neelix it was much easier to finish. She said Bruce Boxleitner is quite the will marry, but he says that as soon as he makes statements like change from Michael O'Hare. She respected O'Hare very much for that, the producers prove him wrong. He dissed the Kazon big time. his acting ability, but she ,says the set has lightened up a lot since Neelix hates those guys and will do anything to get at them. lie Bruce came on the scene, I guess Bruce spends a lot of time said that Seska will be back soon! Ethan thinks Neelix & Kes would worrying about keeping his job because he ~ likes this one and is probably go back to the Alpha Quadrant with the VO)'llger crew for worried that he can be replaced as easily as O'Hare was. lie's like a the experience of it. He's glad to have the job and enjoys the big kid on the set, and they have a lot of fun teasing each other company of the fans very much. about their acting, If Claudia flubs a line, Bruce will lean over to Michael Dorn came on much later in the evening, later than I am her, extend his hand and say, "Hello, I'm Bruce. And you are?" All used to. It's not that I didn't mind not being Mommy for another in all, she was a very good guest and a good time was had by all. few hours, but it did make 'for a very long day. Oh, and the cast photo she'd promised? It went to a little kid who But when he came on, it was to a huge ovation. He launched told her a knock-knock joke! Geez, if only I'd known, I'd have right into the Q&t\. lie told us that he keeps the stuff that fans brought my brats! send him, but begged for no more prune juice. He hates prune juice! Ethan Phillips was the next guest, and a more nervous and One time his mom was snooping around in his fridge and came frenetic person I've never seen. He was pacing back and forth and across about 6 bottles he'd just received. He was then grilled on sweating like mad, He came out and did some reaUy bad lIenny whether or not there was something wrong with him! The only Youngman jokes, (Anyone who doesn't know who Henny Youngman hobby he mentioned was, of course, his flying. He said a lot of is should ask: their mother to change their diaper!) He started by technical stuff, but I'll write what I've got...he's rated LOA, for single saying that he loves his job - "I'm short, stout and bald ...and I got and multi-engine aircraft, Lear jets, T-33s and others I didn't quite the girl!" He was wearing a Tuvok t-shirt, to the great approval of catch. Hope that makes sense to the pilots out there! He says he the crowd, He refused to identify a favorite anything - role, episode, feels distinctly spiritual while flying; as a matter of fact, he new character. ..anything, He said he's just happy not to have to look for himself into Denver. Unlortunately, I didn't hear if anyone asked work for a while and loves the fact that he can say anything he likes him what he thought of DIA (Denver's Idiotic Airport). Worf is by to con audiences. and get applause, He's glad 'his character injects far his favorite role, but he mentioned his other roles in CHiPS, some humor into the shows. When asked how he likes having a Falcon Crest and Knots Landing. He was a fan of the original female captain he responded by saying that he was raised by his Trek. He wouldn't sing when requested and knows very little mother and grandmother along with his S sisters, so he's got no Klingon beyond "nuQ'neH." He enjoys being with his family because problem taking orders from women! He's Catholic and from New they "keep me in check". He still hangs a lot with Marina and her York originally and went to prep school in Brooklyn. lie says he hubby, but hates it when she tries to fix him up with dates. When got started acting what be joined the football team but couldn't get asked if Klingon food gives him gas, Michael glared at the guy and oIT·the bench, so he decided to take drama classes instead. His first told him to "just walk away." He does a passable Patrick Stewart play was Macbeth. A priest told him. he was very good so he imitation and told of how they loved to "assassinate" him on the set decided to continue on. He watx:hed the original Star Trek when it every week. Stewart would then crack the entire crew up by dying was on and subsequently Next Generation. He drinks Diet Coke and in various overdramatic ways. One time he started from the captain's just read a book called Virtual Commutinl/. He's married and chair, died all around the horseshoe of the bridge and finally croaked doesn't cook, but then, neither does his wife, His hobbies include in his chair. Michael was cracking up and gesturing grandly the reading, hiking, bird watching and identifying wildflowers. He has whole time he was relating this story. He still likes to terrorize had a varied career and has enjoyed much of it. He admitted to Marina's dog and called it a "hairy cockroach." He also thinks liking Spam. When asked about other work with other Trek actors, there's plenty of sci-f to go around and didn't encourage or he said that he and Robert Picardo have read for a lot of the same discourage loyalties when it comes to the current crop of shows. roles; Picardo read for Neelix and for the Pete character on Benson. As far as DS9 goes, he's very happy to be back at work with He sees Rene' Auberjonois all the time since he's just across the Trek. He still hates the makeup, but it's worth the chance to play street, When asked the idiotic question of "If you had a box of 64 his favorite role. He talked about how it took forever to talk the crayons and were asked to eat one, which color would you choose?" producers into giving Worf the ponytail; he finally explained to them his reply was a green one because it would be like a vegetable. He the cost-effectiveness of just pulling it back and suddenly it was a asked the kid to answer in kind and the guy chose maroon. Ethan good idea. He hated the Qpid costumes because he thought it made then told him he thought that was a weird choice because you don't Worf look like a "K1ingon pimp." That was a stunt double breaking often eat maroon-colored food. By the way, Ethan was cast in down the doors in Genesis, but he loved doing the big belch. lIe Platypus Man two days before he got the role on Voyager. Talk ,. called Gates McFadden a "tyrant" director, with a smile of course. about serendipity .., January '96 is when the filming of the next Trek film begins and it As far as VO)'llgcr info goes, he was very tight-lipped. (Berman looks like a late falVearly winter release. He did make a crack about and Piller must bave something good on him!) He said it takes three women drivers in reference to the demise of the Enterprise-D. lie hours to put on the makeup and an hour and a half to take it oIT. stated flatly that Worf will !lQt get beaten up againl When asked It gets very hot to work in, especially around the burners in the how it is that Worf will be back on the Enterprise when he's kitchen set. "But when it comes off, it's ...orgasmic!" The stove be stationed on DS9, he said that they'll find an excuse. After all, he's works with is a real rocket burner and the food he works with is just going to be a Federation-Klingon liaison on DS9 and not taking real. Some of it is from strange far-away places and some is just the position of anyone else already there. In Way of the Warrior, unusual, like ostrich eggs, No one actually eats much of the food, DS9's season premiere, he had a line about he and Deanna ' but it is all real. He loved doing the food fight stuff in Projections, relationship being over, but it was edited out, so that possibility is and when asked what kind of a director Frakes is, his response was still there. Apparently Marina is talking to the producers about a "a nut." When asked if be doesn't think it's a little weird that guest shot on DS9. Michael thinks the women on the show are Neelix dates a two-year-old, Ethan's response was that she's not really "cute, really cute." lie said the premise of Worfs return is that the ~ it's more like doggie- years and she's more like 14. The K1ingons have been at peace way too long and are getting restless. audience loved thisl He hates NeeIix's outfits because they're literally Alexander is going to be returned to his grandparents because Worf made out of upholstery, He would really like it if they weren't made just isn't a good dad. Nana Visitor has a "new outfit" - and October 1995 LOGBOOK 11 Michael says he likes to peek at her when she passes his trailer. the convention. (I'm going to go see it because the screenplay is hy Rene Auberjonois has directed an episode for this season. He's Buck Henry.) Terry very strongly recommended the newest variation enjoying his work on DS9 very much. of Lt:s Miscrablcs. a film he termed as "epic". Starring Jean-Paul Michael was quite gregarious and absolutely gorgeous. It's a Belmondo. shame he has to hide that handsome face behind all that makeup. In December we get Cutthroat Island, a good old-fashioned Everyone enjoyed his appearance. Just before he left the stage an swashbuckling pirate film starring Geena Davis, Matthew Modine and audience member's cellular phone rang. He told her to send it up Frank Langella. Renny Harlin directs. The promo looked fabulous! and chastised the caller (jokingly) for interrupting his appearance. Here's a film I will go see. The caller was this person's mother, and she apologized profusely! Another interesting promo we saw was for Robin Williams' next He was really sweet to her and it just topped the appearance off role as a father playing a very realistic game with his kids in a film nicely. called Jumanji. The computer animation & graphics in this movie Now to the new movie news and reviews. Terry, Jeff and Dave looked very realistic: there's a shot of an elephant crushing a car that were quite excited about the new crop of offerings on TV and in the was completely computer generated but as realistic as any I've ever theaters. They began with some promo footage of Jonny Quest: The seen. Also stars Bebe, Neuwirth (aka Cheers' Lilith Crane). Real Adventures. It's a new cartoon series based on the 60s series. The newest Bond film is called GoldenEye and stars Pierce The animation is film quality and the show will include expanded Brosnan (of course) and Famke Janssen. Terry did some work on storylines about virtual reality, space villains and alien beasties. The the film and brought along a very rough cut of scenes he had characters from the old series are aU the same, but a female child managed to put together just before flying out to Denver. The character (Jessie) has been added. It is slated to premiere in the fall expected release date is around Christmas but could be moved to of '96 on the Cartoon Network, TBS and TNT. There's also a live November; the film was shot in London. Farnke's character's is action lonny Quest film being talked around right now, so that's a : Xenia Onatop (she pronounced it Oh-na-tope), Bond's boss is now a real possibility. Also on the cartoon front is a feature film called woman, there's a new Moneypenny, and the original Q returns. The Balta about a half-dog/half-wolf and his adventures. The big screen guys said it has more of a serious Connery-Bond feel as opposed to live action Flipper feature is slated for release in the summer of '96. a more comedic Moore-Bond feel. In the promo, some words come An interesting looking film we saw the promo for was up on the screen and the Bond silhouette shoots them out until it DagotJlJcMt, starring Dennis Quaid and Julie Christie. It's a live says 0 0 7, then Pierce comes up to the camera and says "It's about action film but the dragon in it is completely computer generated. time." (I loved that part!) The movie promises lots of action and The voice of the dragon.will be done by Sean'connery. Another Pierce Brosnan rci!.lli' looks the part. He was born for this role. promo we saw was a childrens' ensemble piece called The War of. The movie that turned my head the most is the new Terry tbt: ButtOlU, from the people who brought us Cbariou of Fire and Gilliam film. 12 Modeys. It stars Bruce Willis in a complete Local Hero (one of my personal favorite Iilmsl) It looks very departure role. It was difficult to tell just exactly what the plot of amusing. the film is, even though we got to see a very lengthy trailer. It has Eddie Murphy is back at the studios again, and we get two the feel of a cross between Brazil and Metropolis. The guys said it offerings from him soon. First, Vampire in BrooiJyo, scheduled for will be a cult fiction type of movie and highly recommended it. release on October 27, in which Eddie plays a vampire. The film Other stars include Madeline Stowe, Christopher Plummer, Brad Pitt also stars Angela Bassett and is directed by Wes Craven. The guys (in a role the likes of which we've never seen before - he bares his said that the promo we saw pretty much included all the humorous backside for us ladies!) and Frank Gorshin. I didn't hear a release scenes and that it isn't really a comedy vehicle for Eddie. Apparently date, but I would encourage anyone who seems remotely interested in it's quite a serious part with a little humor tossed in. Eddie looked this movie to watch carefully for it. It looks like a film that may fantastic in the makeup. Next spring we get Eddie as Tbe Nutty get relegated to art theaters as opposed to a wide release. I plan to ProFessor in a remake of the Jerry Lewis film. It looks kind of bolt to the theater as soon as it comes out! goofy, like the original, but the makeup is by Rick Baker so that We saw a promo for a film called Joc's Apartment, apparently should provide some interesting moments. Instead of turning into the based on a series of short films about a guy named Joe and a bunch suave Buddy Love, I guess Eddie's character goes from grossly obese of computer animated singing and dancing cockroaches. I've never back to his regular self... seen the shorts, so the storyline took me a bit by surprise. But it There are a lot of action films on tap for this fall! Already being looks cute! Stars Jerry (Sliders) O'Connell and Robert Vaughn - promoted are Fair Oamt:, with William Baldwin and Cindy Crawford wearing women's underwear! Slated for release in April '96. Other in her film debut. This is a Joel Silver production. Se-. starring newsworthy tidbits include the fact that Dean Devlin and Roland Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman; Terry called this film "very intense". Emmerich, the producers of StarGale, are readying for a film called And Jade, David (NYPD Blue) Caruso's film debut. This film also Independeoce Day, a science-fiction story to be released around July stars Linda Fiorentino, Michael Biehn and Richard Crenna, slated for 4 of '96; and the news that the Star Waa theatrical re-release is release October 13th. Also on the schedule for October is a serial" apparently slated for February of '97 and then the Clone Wan series killer story called CoPyUt The killer copies other serial killer (as they're referring to it in Hollyweird) should begin in the theaters patterns and terrorizes a TV or radio (can't remember which) shortly after that. psychologist played by Sigourney Weaver. Holly Hunter stars as a The last bit of information I have is about the first feature-length policewoman and Harry Connick: as a psycho looking guy who we're fully computer animated film, Toy Story. We saw a lengthy trailer led to believe is the killer. This one looks pretty intense to me as of this film, including an interview with its creator (gads, I didn't get well. Another October release being promoted now is Assassins, his name!) and a bit of history about the genesis of the technology. with Sly Stallone, Julianne Moore and Antonio Silver...need I say It's Disney-inspired and produced, starring the voices of Tom Hanks, more? Also slated for later this faIl is a Jean-Claude Van Damme Tim Allen, Jim "Ernest" Varney, Don Rickles, John "Cliffy" vehicle called Sudden lJr:JJtb. The plot' involves an ice hockey game, Ratzenberger and WaUace "Grand Nagus Zek" Sha Randy he kidnapping of the vice-president and a time limit. Powers Boothe Newman scored the film, which is slated for a November 22 release. stars as the bad guy. Jeff described this film as "Die liard on ice." It looked like a very original film with a tried-and-true storyline. Among the recommended films the guys talked about are Devil in Toys come to life and interact with each other when no one's in the a Blue Dn:u, starring Denzel Washington and Jennifer Beals. room. Tom Hanks is the voice of Woody, a cowboy marionette-like Everyone on the panel said Denzel's bound to be going back for toy and Tim Allen is the voice of Buck, a space guy character who another Oscar nomination with this one. They also agreed that is the newest toy competing for the affections of the boy who owns Nicole Kidman's role' in To Dit: For is an Oscar-caliber performance. them. It looks like a picture people of all ages can enjoy. This movie also stars Matt Dillon and should open within a week of And that's it! Whew! Next time: Captain K. 12 :...., :,' ~ Way of the WorTiorcoofhue<1 from DQQ6 6 responsibilities) and both have lost the . . ,;.... ! Convention Announcement woman they loved. Both have suffered with The following info was passed along to us disorientation and disassociation issues and POSITIVE from Lea Carr at Comicsworld: both are struggling to return their lives to CON RAD Science Fiction Convention some semblence of normalcy. It will be CONFIRMATION On October 27-29, 1995, at the Universal interesting to see how the relationship City Hilton and Towers, over 50 stars, between them develops over the course of the OF "NEW" PlANET producers, directors, writers and other season. And it will be especially nice to Confirmation has been announced of the luminaries from 19 different science fiction & continue to hear those two baritone voices in discovery of at least one planet orbiting the fantasy TV series and movies will meet with chorus! star 51 Pegasus, approximately forty light fans holding a charity convention to benefit It was pleasant to see every regular cast years from Earth. The planet is likely large the Pediatric AIDS Foundation and The member spotlighted in one fashion or and gaseous like Jupiter, though some Nature Conservancy. All program another, but the Bashir scenes left me cold. estimates of its proximity to 51 Pegasus place participants and convention workers are The writers tried to incorporate too much it well inside the limit at which such worlds donating their time and all of the profits into one show, two hours or not. The should be able to maintain their massive, from the gathering to the charities. continuing exercise of Kira's imagination low-density atmospheres. The planet - which Events include: questions and answer promises to be a highlight of the season, could likely go years without receiving a panels, presentations, autograph signings, though. The woman really needs to get out name from the International Astronomical charity auction, &;i-Fi Universe magazine of the former terrorist/present woman without Union - was detected by observations of readers' poll awards and banquet. movie a cause mode and move on with her life. gravitational perturbances in 51 Pegasus itself, previews, dealers' room with collectihles and Hopefully this will occur, with the help of a kind of observable "wobble" which memorabilia. Roger Sides' collection of props Dax, I truly wish they would have dwnped astronomers have been trying to use to detect and costumes, all weekend long tournaments Dax's "I've been a man ...several times" line, such extrasolar planets for many years. of Wizards of the Coast-sanctioned Type II though. It sounded hokey and contrived, No departing nights are currently Magic and The Great Dalmuti. and didn't explain anything to those of us scheduled from this end. Almost seventy of your favorite TV science who have watched more than six episodes. fiction stars will be there, including: Alien This episode also proved that the On The Net, There Nation's Ron Fassler, Gary Graham, Fric peripheral characters are as important to this Pierpoint, Terri Treas: Red Dwarfs Craig show as the regulars. Who didn't get a Can Be Only One Charles; SCar Trek: Voyager's Robert Beltran, thrill from seeing Worf and Gowron Further proof that there's a world wide Jennier Lien, Kate Mulgrew, Robert Picardo, together again, or seeing Garak and Dukat web site for absolutely everything, you may Tim Russ, Garrett Wang: Star Trek: Veep take pot-shots at one another7 The want to check out this UR L: Space Nilles Nana Visitor, Mark Shepherd. burgeoning love relationship between Kasidy http://mithral.iit.edu:8080Ihighlander/ Armin Shimerman, Karen Westerfield, Yates and Sisko was taken at just the right ...if you happen to be a Highlander fan. Andrew Robinson. Siddig El-Fadil, Chase pace. This is a storytine worth pursuing, as Fan-written fiction and images from the Masterson; Bsttlestsr Ga/aetiea's Dirk opposed to the usual Trek contrived series and movies are available. Benedict, Jim Carlson, Richard Hatch. Glen relationships that manage to blossom and die A. Larson, Anne Lockhart, Terrence within the span of one mere hour. Penny hair. ..ugh. It must go. I guess they thought McDonnell, Stu Phillips; Baby/on 5s Bruce Johnson adds a refreshing change to the cast it would lighten her character up a bit or Boxleitner, Claudia Christian, Bill Mumy, J. and her character promises to relieve some of something, but it just looks too girlish for Michael Straczyn ski, Mira Furlan. Mojo, the monotony of Sisko's station life. my taste. She's still a tough chick with a Peter Jurasik: Bcsuty and the Beasfs Jay The new intro for the show was not as lot of emotional baggage hanging around. Acovone, David Greenlee; Scar Trek: The . impressive as I'd been led to believe, Her hair should reflect that attitude. Quark Next Generation's Roy Brocksmith, Jonathan although I truly enjoy the shot of the got just enough airplay to make his character Del Arco, Jennifer Hetrick, Robert O·Reilly. Defiant entering the wormhole. The endearing. I would like to see just that Dwight Schultz, Pauy Yasutake: Robert reworked theme' did not seem to have been amount of him and not much more per Blalack, Broce Campbell, David Bennett too much of an effort on the composer's episode. It was great to see Morn ensconced Carren, J. Larry Carroll, Cathy Lee Crosby. part. But of course there were the fantastic in his usual spot! I'd like to hear him get a Robert Culp, "Dragon" Dronnet, Kirsten battle scenes and the expanded fighting line or two this season, perhaps just to order Dunst, Dana Elcar, Harlan Ellison, Mike capability of the station, which should more a drink ...and if the powers that be make Fenton, Catherine Hicks, Gillian Horvath, than make up for the complaints of many Worf have to choose sides or question his Martin Hove, Marta Kristen, Peter Kuran. fans over the last couple years. loyalty again, I am going to scream. He's Donna Letow, Deanna Lund, Dennis The scene that impressed, me the most made his choice, now make him live with it! "Danger" Madalone, Don Matheson, Tim was one we would not be likely to see in I'm hoping that along with the breakdown O'Connor, Walter Olkcwicz, Jack Paranee. any other incarnation of Trek. It was the of the Cardassian governmental structure the John Wesley Shipp, Adrian Paul, John one between Quark and Garak in the bar. writers will also tap into the slow erosion of Kapelos, Michael Slone, and Michael York. Quark's remarks were suitably selfish and the Romulan government that was established (All guest appearances subject to professional Garak's were typically sarcastic. But the late in Next Generation's run. The potential commitments.) comparison of the Federation to root beer for Dominion oriented storylines started by For more information, visit Con Rad's (of all things) was pure gold. It was a view this episode could prove great story fodder. web site at of our favorite interplanetary organization . Contrived arrival of Worf or no, I still http://www.comicswortd.com conrad that was so uniquely alien that I never think this was one of the strongest episodes (Disclaimer: LollDook Is not in any way affilial«l with ('nn thought I'd hear anything of its like. The of Deep Space Nine that has been produced. Rad: the editor cannol take any respon,;ibility for II>