15 15 15 Publication of the U.S.S. Chesapeake Star Trek and Science-Fiction Club January, 2009 Trek XI won’t be “too steamy;” Abrams assures fans of quality Despite hints in the trailer, don’t expect Television Critics Association press tour. “It Star Trek XI to be too steamy, according to honors what’s come before, but I didn’t really Chris Pine, who plays James T. Kirk. make the movie just for the people who are al- As reported by E!Online, in spite of Pine’s ready inside, because I like Star Trek but I was previous statement that the Star Trek franchise never a massive fan. So I think the movie’s go- Chris Pine says not to expect crazy sex in had been “sexed up for a new generation,” ing to not satisfy everyone, of course. It can’t. Trek XI. don’t expect anything that goes over the line. But it’ll satisfy most of both.” “It is a different Star Trek, but there’s no crazy Abrams made another effort to respond to sex scene,” said Pine, speaking at the HBO William Shatner’s recent YouTube interview, Golden Globes party. “There may be some in which the original Kirk actor disputed ever bare midriffs, but you know it’s been a long being asked by Abrams to appear in the film. time since the bikini was invented, so I don’t “I think what Mr. Shatner was responding think we’re going to ruffle any feathers.” to was a misunderstanding,” Abrams said. “I Pine had previously predicted that the was quoted as saying we tried to get him in scene in which Uhura (Zoe Saldana) is shown the movie. What I meant was we were trying in her bra while changing would “become internally to find a way to take a dead charac- famous.” Another trailer scene showed Kirk ter and resurrect him without it seeming lame. in a provocative scene with an Orion woman We couldn’t figure out a way to do it. When (Rachel Nichols) in what was said to be one of I said we tried to get him into the movie, he the two love scenes in Star Trek XI. read it as if we were trying to call him. I would With the release of Star Trek XI several not have wasted his time with a bad idea.” months away, Pine is ready for what is to Finally, Abrams talked a bit about the come. “I’m waiting patiently,” he said. “I’m ships in the new film, following up on a com- like an 8-year-old on Christmas Eve.” ment by screenwriter Roberto Orci who had Trek XI director J.J. Abrams says that called the space battles as still being maritme- the new film should appeal to both existing influenced. “They’re big ships, so there’s a fans and people new to the franchise. little bit more flash, fun and action than you’ve “I would say that the fans of Star Trek will seen before,” Abrams said. “There are some be very happy with the movie,” Sci-Fi Wire pretty spectacular visual effects. [Industrial quoted Abrams as saying during the recent Light & Magic] outdid themselves.” IN THIS ISSUE: Art Credits 3 Captain’s Log 2 It’s Hard Times again for the first 2009 meeting! Club Members Insert front The next meeting of the U.S.S. Chesapeake what fellow club members have been up to re- Coming Events 6 Star Trek and Science-Fiction Club will be held cently, as well as discuss the latest news about Directions to Meeting Insert front on Saturday, January 24, at the Hard Times Star Trek and other sci-fi television shows and Meeting Minutes Cafe located in College Park, Maryland. feature films. Insert back We’ll get together at 5:00 p.m. to order our Do you need directions to get to this Phasers on Fun 6 dinner. As usual, our club meeting will start month’s meeting? Then be sure to download Reflections 4 Science Trek 3 no later than 7:00 p.m. this month’s Insert, which is in our Yahoo! Wayne’s Worlds 5 During our time together, we’ll find out Group. Volume 18, Issue 1 CAPTAIN’S LOG: Of Gods And Men As a big fan of “independent produc- Kirk had never been born (yeah, like George tions,” I’ve been interested in Star Trek: Bailey), I’ve referred to the project as “It’s a Of Gods and Men for a while, but my old Wonderful Trek.” computer’s lethally So, let’s see. Where did I leave my Clint slow dial-up speed Eastwood hat? Oh, here it is. And by the prevented me from way, if you don’t want to be spoiled regard- watching it—until ing the plot, move along to Phil’s column for now. the month. The film was The good: There is lots of fun in the directed by Tim Russ movie, including some fannish ideas that (Tuvok on Voyager) had rolled around in our brains for a while, and featured many of such as who would win in a battle between the actors whose con- Charlie X and Gary Mitchell. It was great to tact with Trek had just see other actors strutting their stuff decades been playing a charac- after a one-shot appearance in Classic Trek. Alan Ruck, Nichelle ter in one episode about 40 years ago. I liked a lot of Russ’s directing as well. In Nichols, James Cawley That reunion included Lawrence Mon- one segment, a weapon is fired at the planet and Walter Koenig take a break during filming taigne, who was Stonn in “Amok Time;” and below, and instead of viewing the trajectory of Of Gods and Men. Robert Walker, Jr., who played Charlie from the planet’s or starship’s perspective, Evans during “Charlie X.” we follow the missile in a beautiful sequence On the other hand, several actors who that intrigued me. had already been in Trek came back in dif- The costumes, props and makeup were Copyright 2009 U.S.S. Chesapeake ferent roles than the ones they played before, absolutely terrific, and Chase Masterson is NCC-9102, a such as Cirroc Lofton (who was Jake Sisko in very … green. not-for-profit Deep Space Nine) portraying Sevar, a half- The bad: Occasional deviations from organization. All rights reserved, human, half-Vulcan son to Uhura and her Trek continuity baffled me. For example, including husband, Stonn; and Garrett Wang (who was Uhura, Harriman and Chekov were stand- reproducing parts of Harry Kim in Voyager), was Garan, a suspi- ing right next to the Guardian of Forever this document. cious and devious security officer. and were thrust into a new timeline. That Check out our club Two other parts interested me. The first flies into the face of the episode “City on website: www. usschesapeake.org was the casting of Chase Masterson (Leeta the Edge of Forever,” when Kirk, Spock and the Dabo girl on DS9) as Xela, a sultry and other Enterprise crew members were said to The opinions very green Orion slave girl; and J. G. Hertzler be protected from the alterations because expressed in this publication do not (Martok from DS9) as Kovar, an ambitious they were near the Guardian. necessarily represent Klingon first officer on a very different En- Now, I realize Charlie X’s power could those of the terprise. have changed that, but it would have been entire club. The original script focused on Chekov nice to have that explained in a line or some- “Star Trek,” (Walter Koenig), Uhura (Nichelle Nichols) thing. “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” “Star and Sulu (George Takei). However, Takei While I absolutely loved the special ef- Trek: Deep Space was on his “I’m Gay and I’m OK” tour when fects, I think the big battle in space could Nine,” “Star Trek: filming was to start, so his part was rewritten have been cut in half to be made more dra- Voyager,” and “Star Trek: Enterprise,” for Alan Ruck (Harriman in Generations). matic. as well as the terms Many of the internal starship shots were Still, it’s nice to see someone who had “starship” and done at the New York base for Star Trek: too much FX than the alternative of not hav- “starship Enterprise,” are registered Phase II, which led to James Cawley getting ing enough. trademarks of a part in the film as a grown-up Peter Kirk, The ugly: The item that bothered me Paramount Pictures Corporation. who is all over the fan films lately (including most was Charlie Evans’ conversion to All rights reserved. the new “Blood and Fire”). the side of the angels. While the universe Absolutely no The premise was an interesting one: is hanging by a thread, Uhura sang (yes, infringement on these rights is “Legends come together one last time … SANG) to encourage Charlie to do battle. intended. to destroy each other.” Since the movie And then, Charlie says something to the featured what life would be like if James T. continued on page 6 COMSTAR, page 2 SCIENCE TREK: The fantasy village is closed The world of fandom lost two icons last Looks like he missed a show that appeared week: Patrick McGoohan, 80, and Ricardo on NBC (rival to The Prisoner’s American Montalbán, 88, on January 13 and 14, respec- broadcaster, CBS): Star Trek. Of course, men- tively. tioning that little show would have One is best known for his role as a spy blown his paradigm out an airlock.