Author Topic: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy  (Read 88842 times)

Offline brokeplex

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All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« on: November 18, 2007, 02:39:30 pm »
Just a headsup for Brokies. If you love Sci-Fi / Fantasy, you might be interested in attending the 2008 World Fantasy Convention in Calgary (Oct30-Nov3).
I'm a sci-fi buff from way back, it was my chief obsession before Brokeback. I plan to attend the Calgary convention, and since I'm in the area, I think I might do a little Brokie pilgrimage activity as well. Contact me if you want to coordinate next year. For more info, go to:

www.worldfantasy.org

[email protected]

happy trails!
« Last Edit: November 23, 2007, 07:56:45 pm by brokeplex »

Offline brokeplex

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Re: 2008 Calgary World Fantasy Convention
« Reply #1 on: November 18, 2007, 03:18:11 pm »
oh god...you like Sci fi TOO??

that is it...I know you too well now to get a good head of steam at you...

dang it...

 :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

I am a particular fan of sci fi short stories...I love to find an anthology of stories that are well rounded out and have surprise endings....have you ever seen "Catastrophe!!"?? It breaks down the various types: The universe ends, the sun ends, the earth ends or mankind ends...then it presents three of four short stories with each theme...

one of my ALL time faves, I love a good end of the world story!!

yes, I love "Catast" you're also right as to why its great Sci-Fi. I just managed to secure a DVD copy of the 1956 classic "Earth Vs the Flying Saucers", it has a great interview with special effect wizard Ray Harryhausen. Pick it up, you will love it.

Do you write any Sci-fi? I am just finishing up a my screenplay based upon Larry Niven's "Man-Kzin Wars". I have coordinated with Niven at several conventions and love to go to them. Do you plan to go to Calgary in Nov 2008? If so let me know, I'd love to have someone to meet with there, especially someone who would like to do a little Brokie pligrimage.

Oh by the way, never be shy with me, if I write something, especially on the current events forum that you hate, lash right into it! I love controversy!

Offline Kelda

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Re: 2008 Calgary World Fantasy Convention
« Reply #2 on: November 18, 2007, 05:04:58 pm »
I not a huge sci fi fan but I loved Buffy - Joss whedon is a bit of a god - I liked the human real life element to it. Therefore I also liked Angel.

Also like hereos although not obsessed with it like my other half is.. I watch it cos he does so there aint anything e;se I can watch wehn hes watching that!!!
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Offline brokeplex

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Re: 2008 Calgary World Fantasy Convention
« Reply #3 on: November 18, 2007, 09:35:48 pm »
just tell me this....which did you prefer? ST the Next Generation? or Deep Space Nine?

What a great question! Obviously like me you are a Trekkie! I want to share a memory before I answer.

I'm old enough to have seen the TOS broadcast premiere on network TV back in the 60's. In fact TOS is another great Chris memory. (I am at this moment tearing up remembering) The night TOS premiered on TV, I was over at Chris's house, and Chris, his older brother and me watched it! We were just knocked out by Kirk and the boys! The memory of Chris and me running around in his parent's house imitating phaser sounds that night is as clear as a bell. We really pissed off our mothers! They were busy in the kitchen doing unexplainable mommy stuff and didn't like us running thru the kitchen making weird noises. Star Trek was thereafter a bond with Chris and myself, we even went to several conventions together in the 1980's.

As for TNG and DS9: well, I saw every episode of both. I have positive things to say about both. I think that Jean Luc Picard is my ideal of a Captain. Decisive,yet thoughtful and intellectual. And, I always suspected that Capt. Picard had a boyfriend tucked away hidden somewhere in space and time.
On DS9 I really liked the character of 7 of 9, she really reminded me in a way of someone struggling to come out of their closet. I admired her decisivness and ability to function like Spock did on the TOS. I guess I have to vote with TNG as the better of the two, overall. I have the complete collection of all of the episodes of both series. D.L. loves to watch them, he was too young remember much of TNG in its early days, much less TOS! And, I guess I serve as a source of Trekkie trivia for him.   

Offline brokeplex

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Re: 2008 Calgary World Fantasy Convention
« Reply #4 on: November 23, 2007, 12:48:52 pm »
would I be a complete geek if I said it is the "Pon farr"??

 :laugh: :laugh:

and a couple of Vulcans scrapping is sexy whoever they are scrapping over...

Hey thanks! You're a Trekkie with answers! Say, do you also like Star Wars? I really was obsessed with Star Wars back in the late 90's and up to SWIII.
I used to spend 2-3 hours every day reading and occasionally posting on the "official" forum, you know the one where Lucas would occasionally jump in.
Funny that Brokeback came along at a time when I guess I was looking for a new obsession.

My favorite SW movie is SW#5, The Empire Strikes Back. My biggest disappointment was SW#6. Can we please have a minor disputation over that? We are agreeing on too much here! I get scared when I start agreeing with liberals too often. LOL!

I had a great Thanksgiving here in Ft Worth with D.L. and 6 of our friends. We were in the middle of lunch when D.L. came running back in from outside and yelled, "Its snowing outside!". PLEASE...when was the last time it snowed in DFW in late November? We looked out and BEHOLD.....there were dime to quarter sized flakes falling, they fell for about an hour. It got down to low 30's last night! Maybe global warming has backed up a bit! Oh, can we please scrap about that! I love that issue, as I am a part of the energy industry here in Texas.

have a wonderful holiday with the ones you love!

Offline brokeplex

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All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #5 on: November 23, 2007, 07:55:58 pm »
*Jess making notes...OK, Brokeplex wants to fight about global warming...that will have to be over in the Current Events forum later....

and let's see...oh, Star Wars!! *

MY favorite Star Wars movie is The Phantom Menace!



 ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

*ding ding ding*

Round 1!!

 :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

whoops, you are too funny! yeah, I guess we need a thread over at current events concerning mankind's role in global warming, do you accept it or not?
oh and Phantom Menace is great! sorry I hate to agree with you.

I think I will rename this thread as the following: "All Things Science Fiction and Fantasy" as it has gone beyond my original intent of just a heads up to Brokies about the 2008 Fantasy convention in Calgary.

Offline brokeplex

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #6 on: December 02, 2007, 09:18:22 pm »
I just read William Shatners newest star trek novel ; "Star Trek Academy : Collision Course" about how Jim and Spock met when Jim was 17 and Spock 19 in San Fran. Hmm, when I was 19 I also met an interesting guy in San Fran, to bad he wasn't a vulcan.

also check out Larry Niven's new Known Universe novel, "Fleet of Worlds", wow it is great.....the story of the Puppeteers and their fleet fleeing the galaxy. love that Niven!

and Ben Bova's new story, "The Aftermath",   a continuation of the asteroid wars saga.....go find it, if you love hard sci-fi, you'll love this one.

Offline Kd5000

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #7 on: December 02, 2007, 09:33:14 pm »
I like the old Star Trek. I used to watch it in repeats all the time in the 1970's.  I think my favorite episode was CITY ON THE EDGE OF FOREVER.  Joan Collins was in that episode. 

Offline brokeplex

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #8 on: December 02, 2007, 09:39:02 pm »
Bingo, that is one of my favorites as well. I especially like the sad ending. Helen Keiler's life sacrificed so that Earth can avoid a nuclear war in the 1940's! Wow, I still remember seeing that episode in the 1960's as it spurred my interest in time travel sci-fi and the alternate universe sci-fi genre. For days after I saw that episode I was babbling to Chris about how great it was, he finally told me to shut up! ha,ha.......

Offline brokeplex

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #9 on: December 02, 2007, 10:35:05 pm »
Frank Gorshen was cool in that episode. Wasn't he also the "Riddler" on the 1960's Batman tv series?


Offline Meryl

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #10 on: December 04, 2007, 01:20:16 am »
I saw this thread just now and had to chime in as an old Trekkie and one who really enjoys sci-fi.  I was in high school when the original Star Trek came out and was immediately in love with the series and got a big crush on Spock.  Thanks to the millions of repeats over the years, each episode is like an old friend.  One of my favorites is "The Immunity Syndrome," where they were being pulled inexorably to their deaths by a giant amoeba-like organism.  Then of course there is "Amok Time" and "The Trouble with Tribbles" and on and on.... ;D  When I moved to NYC in the early 70's, I went to a couple of conventions and got to see virtually all of the cast up close.  What a thrill that was!  8)

Have any of you been watching "Tin Man" on the Sci Fi Channel last night and tonight?  I peeked into this forum to see if anyone had started a topic on it.  I think it's really well done and a fascinating take on the characters from "The Wizard of Oz."  It ends tomorrow night, but I'm sure it will be repeated and probably come out on DVD eventually.  I haven't ever read the original book, but I may see if I can find it just to see how it differs from the Hollywood movie and this version.
Ich bin ein Brokie...

Offline brokeplex

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #11 on: December 04, 2007, 01:31:55 am »
I didn't get to watch "Tin Man" but I look forward to the inevitable DVD. Like you I attended several Trek Conventions thru the years. I still go to sci-fi cons and plan to go up to Calgary next year for the world fantasy con.

Offline Meryl

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #12 on: December 04, 2007, 02:44:15 am »
Thanks for the info on the convention, brokeplex.  I'm afraid I'm only a dabbler when it come to being up on current sci-fi novels.  You must read quite a bit if you go to the conventions.  Who are some of your favorite authors?

You'll love being in Brokeback country!  I hope you plan to stay on for a little while after the convention, because there's an awful lot of beautiful country and filming sites to see.  Have you looked at the Alberta Pilgrimage forum?  We covered quite a bit of ground when we were up there in July.  8)
Ich bin ein Brokie...

Offline brokeplex

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #13 on: December 05, 2007, 10:58:08 am »
Thanks for the info on the convention, brokeplex.  I'm afraid I'm only a dabbler when it come to being up on current sci-fi novels.  You must read quite a bit if you go to the conventions.  Who are some of your favorite authors?

You'll love being in Brokeback country!  I hope you plan to stay on for a little while after the convention, because there's an awful lot of beautiful country and filming sites to see.  Have you looked at the Alberta Pilgrimage forum?  We covered quite a bit of ground when we were up there in July.  8)

I go up to Montana every summer to get away from the Texas frying pan. I love the N. Rockies! I look forward to doing a little pilgrimage in the Calgary area.

My all time fav Sci-fi author is Larry Niven. Last report, he is still around, goes to conventions and gives lectures. I am working on an adaptation of his shared universe anthology the"Man-Kzin Wars" for the screen. So far the various authors of the series seem to like what I have offered. I hope one day to see it glowing in your local movie theater. Because of CGI it is now very likely that a good adaptation of the series can be made, I just hope to be a part of the mix.

keep sharing!

Offline Meryl

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #14 on: December 05, 2007, 04:11:34 pm »
Brokeplex, that is so very cool that you're seriously working on a screen adaptation of Larry Niven's work!  Good luck in that endeavor.  I hope I see it on the screen someday, too.  I'll keep an eye out for his books next time I'm at the bookstore.

Two of my favorite sci-fi authors are Kim Stanley Robinson (Mars trilogy) and Ursula Le Guin (Earthsea and Hain universes).
Ich bin ein Brokie...

Offline brokeplex

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #15 on: December 06, 2007, 10:28:40 am »
yes, the Robinson Mars trilogy really set the pace for serious hard science fiction novels about terraforming. I like LeGuin as well, I notice some of the 'hard science' folks don't. When I read Leguin, I have to put on a different hat so to speak, and read it differently than I would read say Larry Niven, or Poul Anderson. Her works set in that fantastic future universe, seem to touch the fringes of fantasy.

Offline Meryl

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #16 on: December 06, 2007, 02:08:14 pm »
yes, the Robinson Mars trilogy really set the pace for serious hard science fiction novels about terraforming. I like LeGuin as well, I notice some of the 'hard science' folks don't. When I read Leguin, I have to put on a different hat so to speak, and read it differently than I would read say Larry Niven, or Poul Anderson. Her works set in that fantastic future universe, seem to touch the fringes of fantasy.

I'm glad to hear you like Ursula LeGuin, what with your being more of a 'hard science' fancier.  In her books I learn more about politics, power and morality than I do about technology.  I was kind of surprised at how much I liked the technological aspect of KSR's Mars books.  He integrated the science with the story so well that it was a pleasure to learn it along the way.  I hope I find the same quality in Larry Niven's books.  Which one would you recommend I read first?
Ich bin ein Brokie...

Offline Kd5000

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #17 on: December 06, 2007, 02:34:00 pm »
Well I saw THE JANE AUSTEN BOOK CLUB and the one male member in the book group is a sci-fi reader and he keeps telling them to read Ursula Leguin, much to the chagrin of the other bookgroup members.   ;)   I think one of the members finally reads one of her books and tell him she actually liked it.

I've got a copy of THE DISPOSSESED from the 1970's.  I've never finished it, but I've kept it around because I like the bookcover artwork.

Offline Meryl

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #18 on: December 06, 2007, 02:40:19 pm »
Ha, that's funny, Karl!  I think the screenwriters are onto something there.  I've read every bit of Jane Austen I can get my hands on, and the same goes for Ursula Leguin.  Maybe it's a female thing?  ;)
Ich bin ein Brokie...

Offline brokeplex

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #19 on: December 07, 2007, 01:06:06 am »
I'm glad to hear you like Ursula LeGuin, what with your being more of a 'hard science' fancier.  In her books I learn more about politics, power and morality than I do about technology.  I was kind of surprised at how much I liked the technological aspect of KSR's Mars books.  He integrated the science with the story so well that it was a pleasure to learn it along the way.  I hope I find the same quality in Larry Niven's books.  Which one would you recommend I read first?

For Larry Niven a good start is the "Man-Kzin Wars" series, there are in volume XI right now. Like much of what LeGuin writes it is future history, just not so far into the future as Leguin. Start with volume # 1, which will start you on the journey into Niven's "known universe" as mankind confronts the Kzinti. I'll give you a hint: the Kzinti are intelligent felinoids, if you are a cat lover like me....you will love this series. The conflict with the Kzinti is brutal, too put it mildly, so be prepared for a little sci-fi gore. If that isn't your style, go to the "Tales of Gil the Arm", set in the same future history as M-K wars, just a century earlier, before the Kzinti arrived and destroyed the long peace................. I hope I've got you interested.

Offline Meryl

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #20 on: December 07, 2007, 03:07:18 am »
For Larry Niven a good start is the "Man-Kzin Wars" series, there are in volume XI right now. Like much of what LeGuin writes it is future history, just not so far into the future as Leguin. Start with volume # 1, which will start you on the journey into Niven's "known universe" as mankind confronts the Kzinti. I'll give you a hint: the Kzinti are intelligent felinoids, if you are a cat lover like me....you will love this series. The conflict with the Kzinti is brutal, too put it mildly, so be prepared for a little sci-fi gore. If that isn't your style, go to the "Tales of Gil the Arm", set in the same future history as M-K wars, just a century earlier, before the Kzinti arrived and destroyed the long peace................. I hope I've got you interested.

This really does sound interesting.  I am indeed a cat lover, being a mother to two, and have had my own cat wars to sort out.  ;)

I hope I like the first book!  I love having a nice long series to look forward to.  8)
Ich bin ein Brokie...

Offline brokeplex

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #21 on: December 08, 2007, 10:22:28 pm »
Enjoy your exploration of Niven's "Known Space"!

For more info and a time line of Niven's alternate uiniverse go to larryniven.org in that site go to "Known Space: the future worlds of Larry Niven"

For a time line of the Man Kzin wars go to http://home.time.net/spiker/martinl.htm

Let humankind be very careful while it searches for ET's, we just may find them...........

Offline brokeplex

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #22 on: December 08, 2007, 10:35:46 pm »
Don't worry Injest.  An alien probe will find and link up with Voyager, change its name to V'ger, and later on Kirk and Spock will have a delightful old time saying hello. 

Offline brokeplex

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #23 on: December 08, 2007, 10:48:15 pm »
Injest, try to pick up a copy of the latest Star Trek Academy novel by Shatner...you will love it. Spock and Kirk as teenagers and how they were introduced to Star Fleet academy and most importantly the reasons behind Sarek's estrangement from Spock over his desire to be in Star Fleet. As I was reading the novel, I just couldn't help but think of Jack Twist and OMT.

Offline brokeplex

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #24 on: December 08, 2007, 11:00:30 pm »
I thought Spock and Kirk didn't meet til Kirk took over command of the Enterprise!!!

Garry suggested Q-in-law...LOL!...(Q is one of my favorite of all the ST characters..)

there we go...bravely we sci-fi fans charge into the confusion that results between films, television and books. Same as our earlier Star Wars discussion on another thread about the films or books being canon. In Star Trek the air has been even murkier than in Star Wars. There are films that violate canon from the oiginal TV series (TOS). Example: Star Trek VIII which features Zephraim Cochrain an Earthman living in Montana at the time of first contact. Well, in TOS Cochrain is a native of Alpha Centauri who invents warp drive there. Consensus has been much harder to reach in Star Trek than Star Wars or the Alien series. I am resigned to canonical heresy when it comes to Star Trek, and you are right according to TOS Spock and Kirk met when Kirk took over the Enterprise from Chris Pike ( wasn't Jeffrey Hunter a hunk!) But the book is great and you will love the story of the teenaged Kirk and his recalling his experiences as a child with the evil Governor Kodos..........shudder the thought of Kodos! 

Offline brokeplex

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #25 on: December 09, 2007, 11:19:23 pm »
Just finished a great new book by Ben Bova - "The Sam Gunn Omnibus"  It is a compilation of all of Bova's stories about Sam Gunn : the 22nd century spaceman turned venture capitalist and his romps thru the solar system. If you like hard sci-fi, you'll love Ben Bova and this new book.

Offline brokeplex

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #26 on: December 21, 2007, 01:27:04 am »
go get the latest Ender book by Orson Scott Card " A War of Gifts: An Ender Story". Set in the Ender future, one of the central stories is a battle in the war college of the future about the right to celebrate religious holidays. seems kind of topical to todays discussions about Christmas.

Offline brokeplex

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #27 on: December 21, 2007, 01:10:57 pm »
note your calendars:

2008 World Con will be held in Denver Co, Aug 6-8 2008. It will be in conjunction with Denvention III. Any sci-fi fantasy fans will love attending a World Con. Many of the major published authors, and many actors who have played sci-fi roles are in attendance at World Cons. World Cons are the SF/Fantasy universe's annual get-together. I have attended a few and it is always a rewarding experience.

Any brokies who happen to be planning a trip up to Wyoming or Colorado in the first week / second of Aug, give me a holler, I would love to meet you in Denver.

for more info: www.denvention3.org

Offline brokeplex

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #28 on: January 10, 2008, 03:21:01 pm »
note your calendars:

ConDFW is scheduled this year for 02/22-24/08. ConDFW is one of the literary sci-fi cons here in DFW. It is a relatively small event which allows you to have quality time with some of the guests and featured speakers. I spoke with Harry Turtledove for over an hour one year.

www.condfw.org

Offline brokeplex

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #29 on: January 10, 2008, 03:24:28 pm »
speaking of Turtledove:

I just finished his last installment on the Alternate Universe series - "Settling Accounts: In at the Death" This is part 4 of his series set in the 1940's in a timeline where the Confederacy won in the War of Secession 1860's. The North American continent is vastly changed over what we see in our timeline.

Offline Meryl

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #30 on: January 10, 2008, 04:25:35 pm »
Hey, brokeplex, I just wanted to let you know I finished the first "Man-Kzin Wars" book and really liked it.  I didn't understand all the science, of course, but that's not a real obstacle to enjoying the stories.  The kzinti are fascinating, as are the ways the humans overcome their disadvantages when facing off with them. 

The only thing I wonder about is how similar they are physically to humans.  What do their hands look like?  Are they like cat claws, or are they more like human hands with retractable claws?  It seems more likely they could better achieve all those technological advances with the latter.  The authors of the stories seemed to largely leave it up to the reader to fill in the blanks.
Ich bin ein Brokie...

Offline brokeplex

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #31 on: January 10, 2008, 04:36:04 pm »
Sure is good to hear from you again!

The Kzinti have  four digited hands with an opposable thumbs. Their reflexes are much quicker than humans and they have more control over their hind paws and its digits than do humans. They write with a stylus that make points, commas and slashes somewhat akin to what a feline would do with their claws.

go to the web site under larry niven that I shared with you earlier, it goes into great detail about the Kzinti language and culture.

I will post back to you later tonight, I have to take D.L. to the house he is working on. He is still on crutches so he cant drive with a cast on his foot.

I am delighted that you enjoyed the story, I will be happy to share any insights that I may have developed after years of reading these stories.

Bill 

Offline Artiste

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #32 on: January 17, 2008, 10:37:04 pm »
Do you collect items, such ones brokeplex?

Anyone here does?

Hugs!

Offline brokeplex

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #33 on: January 18, 2008, 12:50:29 am »
by "items" do you mean action figures?

Offline brokeplex

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #34 on: March 11, 2008, 11:29:31 pm »
reread them they are great, I met with Card at a con in Austin a while back and got his autographs on the series. He has an interesting web site. google "orson scott card" and look at the site, he is also heavily involved in political issues.

Offline brokeplex

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #35 on: March 12, 2008, 10:52:17 pm »
I had forgotten about Card's Mormon background.  I think I knew about it, but that was before my own (academic) fascination with the Mormon church.  My husband turned my on to Card originally and has read maybe 15 of his books, which are all sitting on my shelf.  Any other recommendations?  That is cool that you have met Card.


Card recommendations? The Ender series is still up and running! Read them all.

Offline brokeplex

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #36 on: March 14, 2008, 12:05:07 am »
Yes, yes, I will plan on it.  I wish I had the mental bandwidth to read several books at one time.  I can't wait for the day when we are able to download books directly into our brains - cut out the middle man.



then you might enjoy a discussion of that type of technology in Larry Niven's "Known Space" series. Some people in his alternate future worlds have drouds placed at the base of their necks which allow the transfer of direct electronic information. I am very partial to Larry Niven's works, as you can see from my earlier posts on this thread.

Offline brokeplex

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #37 on: March 14, 2008, 07:02:50 pm »

Offline Artiste

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #38 on: March 14, 2008, 09:05:27 pm »
Is it Fantasy started by the USA? Since the USA might have destroyed space vehicle, as no choice to do so, remember lately?

Or is it Sci-Fi?

Last week, there was what seems more that one meteriotes near here? Many saw.

Have you or any heard?

Hugs!

Offline brokeplex

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #39 on: July 18, 2008, 05:13:55 pm »

www.startrekmovie.com

the new Star Trek movie, Star Trek XI that premiers this year, has a web site with a forum. I have been over on the forum and it has really great sci-fi discussions, and a few current events topics as well.

you can also find some very interesting spoilers of the new actors playing Kirk and Spock as young men at the Academy.

WOW, they are hot and handsome!  ;D

go see what you think of it,  and add a few of your comments to the Star Trek Movie forum. 

Offline oilgun

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #40 on: September 21, 2008, 11:43:46 am »

By oilgun at 2008-09-21

Best Lesbian Time Travel Film Ever!!!

Seriously though, THE STICKY FINGERS OF TIME is a wonderful low budget indie treat, I'm not sure why it didn't make more of a splash when it came out back in 1997.  Although a sci-fi film, it uses no CGI and very few special effects.  It's hip, smart, funny, gorgeous to look at, and completely engrossing! The script is intelligent, if a bit too existential at times, and the characters are engaging.  I highly recommend it. 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0127302/

Offline Artiste

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #41 on: November 18, 2008, 07:20:38 pm »
Brokeplex, and others:

I do not ususually see Sci-Fi movies, and I enjoyed very much seeing last Saturday:
                   Soylent Green, done in 1973 !

Did anyone seen it ?


Au revoir,
hugs!

Offline Artiste

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #42 on: November 18, 2008, 07:22:31 pm »
Oh, the writer Soylent Green, did he say: The future, I just try to prevent it ?

Was that Ray Bradbury ?

What doe he mean by that ?

Offline delalluvia

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #43 on: November 18, 2008, 07:35:39 pm »
Brokeplex, and others:

I do not ususually see Sci-Fi movies, and I enjoyed very much seeing last Saturday:
                   Soylent Green, done in 1973 !

Did anyone seen it ?


Au revoir,
hugs!

Yep.  A classic.

Offline Lynne

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #44 on: November 18, 2008, 08:46:32 pm »
Thanks for bumping this thread, Artiste.  I didn't remember it was here.  ::)

I've been on a Joss Whedon binge for about a year, but lately I've branched out to Supernatural, and I just put the first disks of the new Doctor Who and Torchwood in my Netflix queue.  To be honest, I got the 'recommendations' by seeing what other fandoms people who write Buffy and Angel fan fiction are also involved with.

I'm looking forward to the new Star Trek movie too.  I was a big TNG fan when it was first on but have drifted away from that.

I'll have to make a note of the reading suggestions; I haven't read much sci-fi at all, sadly.

Lynne
"Laß sein. Laß sein."

Offline brokeplex

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #45 on: November 18, 2008, 10:35:04 pm »
I am really excited about Star Trek XI! There is a forum on the Star Trek Movie site that deals exclusively with fan questions and observations.

"Soylent Green" is an interesting film, and I thought well done, exploring the logical problems with extreme overpopulation. It was also Edgar G Robinson's last film, and the screenplay was adapted from a novel by Harry Harrison.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070723/

Offline Artiste

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #46 on: November 18, 2008, 11:17:13 pm »
Merci, merci !!

Edgar G Robinson sure was excellent ! Again !

You like him too ?

Au revoir,
hugs!  But much more can be said about Soylent Green ? To-day !

Offline delalluvia

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #47 on: November 19, 2008, 01:15:35 am »
I am really excited about Star Trek XI! There is a forum on the Star Trek Movie site that deals exclusively with fan questions and observations.

"Soylent Green" is an interesting film, and I thought well done, exploring the logical problems with extreme overpopulation. It was also Edgar G Robinson's last film, and the screenplay was adapted from a novel by Harry Harrison.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070723/

Did you know they launched a Star Trek miniseries online?  I had no clue.

http://www.startrekofgodsandmen.net/main/

Offline brokeplex

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #48 on: November 19, 2008, 08:10:19 pm »
great, I checked that out, looks interesting!

Offline Artiste

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #49 on: November 19, 2008, 08:12:00 pm »
Which ?

Offline delalluvia

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #50 on: November 20, 2008, 12:16:16 am »

Offline Lynne

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #51 on: November 20, 2008, 02:10:31 am »
I saw my first two Torchwood episodes tonight.  They were good - Captain Jack Harkness is hot, etc.  I will definitely watch more.

Of perhaps more interest was the trailer for the The Justice League:  The New Frontier.  I haven't seen anything about it before, but I really want to check it out - features David Boreanaz (Buffy/Angel/Bones), Neil Patrick Harris (Dr. Horrible), and Lucy Lawless (Xena).
"Laß sein. Laß sein."

Offline Artiste

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #52 on: November 20, 2008, 11:29:22 am »
I got some old comic books: The Justice League !

They are always interesting !  Does anyone have some too ?

Offline delalluvia

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #53 on: November 22, 2008, 09:24:38 pm »
Just saw the preview for the new Star Trek movie!!

Pretty pumped to see it!!!

Offline oilgun

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #54 on: November 23, 2008, 08:29:49 am »
Last night I watched disc 2 of Battlestar Galactica: Season 2.0 and really enjoyed it!  I know I'm a late comer to this amazing show but better late than never. 

The only problem, and it's a big one, is that I seem to be watching a "family friendly" version where everyone is saying "frack" instead of "fuck".  It's like watching some awful U.S. Superstation where they edit out all obscenities.  Or, is it some bizarre feature that can be turned on or off and I'm not aware of it?  Any info would be appreciated because I'd like to buy the frackin' series but not if the swear words have been edited out.

Also, where does Battlestar Galactica: Razor fit into?  Between seasons 3 & 4?
 :-\

Offline Artiste

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #55 on: November 23, 2008, 11:48:03 am »
        Captain Jack Harkness is hot              ... ? Any pic of this hot man?

Offline jstephens9

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #56 on: November 23, 2008, 12:28:20 pm »
Has anyone here ever seen the old Sci Fi movie "Planet of Blood" ?

Offline jstephens9

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #57 on: November 23, 2008, 12:58:59 pm »
Does anyone remember the short lived TV show "Hard Time on Planet Earth"? That is one show that I think could have been a huge success if they would have just given it more of a chance. I was watching some clips of it last night on youtube.

Offline delalluvia

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #58 on: November 23, 2008, 01:27:27 pm »
Last night I watched disc 2 of Battlestar Galactica: Season 2.0 and really enjoyed it!  I know I'm a late comer to this amazing show but better late than never. 

The only problem, and it's a big one, is that I seem to be watching a "family friendly" version where everyone is saying "frack" instead of "fuck".  It's like watching some awful U.S. Superstation where they edit out all obscenities.  Or, is it some bizarre feature that can be turned on or off and I'm not aware of it?  Any info would be appreciated because I'd like to buy the frackin' series but not if the swear words have been edited out.

Also, where does Battlestar Galactica: Razor fit into?  Between seasons 3 & 4?
 :-\

"Frack" is a word that the Battlestar Galactica universe uses in lieu of "fuck".  They're from a different world, so they have different words than we Earth people do.   No different than Star Wars characters saying "Blast" or "wizard".  ;D The BSG also have a word for 'shit' too I believe.  They are words inherited from the original TV series - they had 'frack' and 'felgercarb'.

Yes, Razor comes between 3 and 4 

Offline delalluvia

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #59 on: November 23, 2008, 01:30:31 pm »
"Frack" is a word that the Battlestar Galactica universe uses in lieu of "fuck".  They're from a different world, so they have different words than we Earth people do.   No different than Star Wars characters saying "Blast" or "wizard".  ;D The BSG also have a word for 'shit' too I believe.  They are words inherited from the original TV series - they had 'frack' and 'felgercarb'.

Yes, Razor comes between 3 and 4 

Here it is from Wikipedia:

# felgercarb - profanity. Same meaning as "shit", only used in the original Battlestar Galactica series.
# frack - profanity. Same meaning as "fuck", used in the original Battlestar Galactica (1978) series. See frak.
# frak - new spelling for "frack" used in the new Battlestar Galactica. (Same meaning as "fuck"). Same usage as the original series, but greatly expanded, and it also seems to carry the same "social weight" as fuck, as characters sometimes apologise for their language after using it.

    * frak-head - from the new Battlestar Galactica miniseries, derived from "frak", substitution for "asshole" or "fuck-head": when the miniseries originally aired on SciFi channel the phrase "superior asshole" was used by Starbuck (Kara Thrace) - when later aired on NBC the phrase became "superior frak-head".
    * frakwit/frakwad - Used once by Chief Tyrol when explaining to the Pegasus deck chief why the Galactica deck crew was so angry. He said that Admiral Cain had assigned "some frakwad from the Pegasus" to be Galactica's new deck chief. As it turns out, the person who he was explaining it to was that frakwad, but he did not seem in any way offended.
    * motherfrakker - derived from "frak" in parallel to "motherfucker". Used first by Specialist Cally in Season 2 and later by Lieutenant Kat and Starbuck, but apparently not standard usage, as Chief Tyrol finds Cally's usage quite amusing, though this may also be because Cally rarely (if ever) curses.
    * toasterfrakker - by extension, someone, like Helo, who's had sexual congress with a human-model Cylon.

# galmonging - derogative term only used in the original series. Roughly the same meaning as "bastard" or "asshole". First used in Part 1 of "Living Legend".

Offline oilgun

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #60 on: November 23, 2008, 01:58:23 pm »
"Frack" is a word that the Battlestar Galactica universe uses in lieu of "fuck".  They're from a different world, so they have different words than we Earth people do.   No different than Star Wars characters saying "Blast" or "wizard".  ;D The BSG also have a word for 'shit' too I believe.  They are words inherited from the original TV series - they had 'frack' and 'felgercarb'.

Yes, Razor comes between 3 and 4 

Really?!!  Strange that I never noticed it while (recently) watching Season 1 ???  It's quite silly when you consider that they use the same words for pretty much everything else.  Changing only the obscenities is just childish to me.  It reminds me of the time I watched the Demi Moore movie Striptease on one of those revolting Superstations and in one dramatic scene some redneck in an argument/fight yells out "Suck my TOE!".  I just burst out laughing!

Anyway, thanks for the info.  Now that I know it's intentional, albeit stupid, maybe it won't bother me as much.   :-\

It's stilll my favourite show though, it's so damn addictive and compelling.  I can't say that I've ever cried during a Star Trek episode but it's happened several times watching BsG.  I wish Helo got his balls back, he seems pretty wimpy so far in season 2 and he's my favourite sex fantasy character.  I find it hard to take Pretty-Boy-Appollo seriously, especially when he tries to act all butch and tough.  Love the conflicted Sharon.  Does her baby survive?  And what is up with Starbuck's "second scar"?
 ;D



Offline delalluvia

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #61 on: November 23, 2008, 02:18:08 pm »
Really?!!  Strange that I never noticed it while (recently) watching Season 1 ???  It's quite silly when you consider that they use the same words for pretty much everything else.  Changing only the obscenities is just childish to me.  It reminds me of the time I watched the Demi Moore movie Striptease on one of those revolting Superstations and in one dramatic scene some redneck in an argument/fight yells out "Suck my TOE!".  I just burst out laughing!

Anyway, thanks for the info.  Now that I know it's intentional, albeit stupid, maybe it won't bother me as much.   :-\

It's stilll my favourite show though, it's so damn addictive and compelling.  I can't say that I've ever cried during a Star Trek episode but it's happened several times watching BsG.  I wish Helo got his balls back, he seems pretty wimpy so far in season 2 and he's my favourite sex fantasy character.  I find it hard to take Pretty-Boy-Appollo seriously, especially when he tries to act all butch and tough.  Love the conflicted Sharon.  Does her baby survive?  And what is up with Starbuck's "second scar"?
 ;D

Heh, well, you can't put our judgements on sci-fi shows in general.  Why don't they just say the words?  Well, the idea is is because they're not us.  Why would they use the same words?  BSG is kinda steampunk anyway.  They have the ability for light speed travel but still use phones with cords?  Men still wear ties?  WTF? 

I despised the Sharon character.  She represents - to me anyway - every bad stereotype about parents.  One episode really pissed me off about the risks she put everyone - their entire civilization's existence - into because she was only concerned about her own.  What a selfish bitch.  Or post partum.  Or just bad writing.  Who in their right mind would do such a thing?  Baltar, sure, he is off his rocker, but Sharon?  And only because she had a baaaaaby, so no one judges her for that?  Jeez, c'mon!!  I'd throw her sorry ass off on the nearest planet.  Starbuck - eh, she's so fucked up, I think in one episode a character finally said the only reason they let her fly was because she was the best.  I like Apollo, but never bought his relationship with Kara or his wife.  Kara is more butch than he and his wife...well, what can you say about such a mincing character married to the football quarterback? 

Offline oilgun

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #62 on: November 23, 2008, 02:38:26 pm »
Heh, well, you can't put our judgements on sci-fi shows in general.  Why don't they just say the words?  Well, the idea is is because they're not us.  Why would they use the same words?  BSG is kinda steampunk anyway.  They have the ability for light speed travel but still use phones with cords?  Men still wear ties?  WTF? 

I despised the Sharon character.  She represents - to me anyway - every bad stereotype about parents.  One episode really pissed me off about the risks she put everyone - their entire civilization's existence - into because she was only concerned about her own.  What a selfish bitch.  Or post partum.  Or just bad writing.  Who in their right mind would do such a thing?  Baltar, sure, he is off his rocker, but Sharon?  And only because she had a baaaaaby, so no one judges her for that?  Jeez, c'mon!!  I'd throw her sorry ass off on the nearest planet.  Starbuck - eh, she's so fucked up, I think in one episode a character finally said the only reason they let her fly was because she was the best.  I like Apollo, but never bought his relationship with Kara or his wife.  Kara is more butch than he and his wife...well, what can you say about such a mincing character married to the football quarterback? 
I realize that they are not us and that they sometime use different words, but I think the writers erred when they decided to make-up swear words because it sounds like they've been edited in instead of being an organic part of their vocabulary.

I'm at the part where they just found the tomb of Athena and the "map" to earth.   Starbuck & Helo were saved by Sharon on Caprica, when Starbuck had gone back ro get that arrow.  Just watched the episode where the reporter with "full access" to Galactica turns out to be a Cylon and where pregnant Sharon, while in lockup, wakes up in a pool of blood and taken to sick bay.

Offline delalluvia

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #63 on: November 23, 2008, 02:45:14 pm »
I realize that they are not us and that they sometime use different words, but I think the writers erred when they decided to make-up swear words because it sounds like they've been edited in instead of being an organic part of their vocabulary.

OK, it sounded pretty natural to me.  So much so I sometimes use "frack/frak" in my own everyday use - so do many fans apparently.

Quote
I'm at the part where they just found the tomb of Athena and the "map" to earth.   Starbuck & Helo were saved by Sharon on Caprica, when Starbuck had gone back ro get that arrow.  Just watched the episode where the reporter with "full access" to Galactica turns out to be a Cylon and where pregnant Sharon, while in lockup, wakes up in a pool of blood and taken to sick bay.

Oops, I'm so sorry, I thought you were already past those parts. 

Offline oilgun

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #64 on: November 23, 2008, 02:55:29 pm »
OK, it sounded pretty natural to me.  So much so I sometimes use "frack/frak" in my own everyday use - so do many fans apparently.

Oops, I'm so sorry, I thought you were already past those parts. 

No harm done.  I haven't the faintest idea what will happen, it's great!

Offline Artiste

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #65 on: November 23, 2008, 05:58:08 pm »
No one seen Solvent Green ?

Offline oilgun

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #66 on: November 23, 2008, 11:51:00 pm »
No one seen Solvent Green ?

It was on TV last week and I watched it.  It holds up fairly well I thought, I really enjoyed it.

Offline Artiste

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #67 on: November 23, 2008, 11:53:50 pm »
Merci oilgun!

I did not think that I would have enjoyed it, and I loved it !

It's a surprise, isn't it ?

But why did he (Robinson) go to die ?

Offline brokeplex

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #68 on: November 25, 2008, 11:42:47 pm »
he was old, unhappy, and wanted a quick way out of the dystopia he was living in.

as a curiosity, "Soylent Green" was also the last film of Celia Lovsky who played T'Pau on the TOS episode "Amok Time"

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0708416/

Offline Artiste

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #69 on: November 25, 2008, 11:52:45 pm »
1- Oh! But I can't see that he was unhappy, but old but why do to his death ??


2- And is it Sci-Fi that one in the USA fansy now giving 10,000 $ if anyone finds the lastest meteorite near the Brokeback Mountain movie was filmed?

Offline Meryl

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #70 on: December 05, 2008, 10:29:47 pm »
I saw the trailer for the new Star Trek movie yesterday when I went to see "Quantum of Solace."  It looks great!  Too bad we have to wait til May, though.  :(

Here's a Top Ten list of sci-fi films based on interviews with scientists (go to the link for a list of the scientists):

http://www.guardian.co.uk/life/news/page/0,12983,1290764,00.html

Our expert panel votes for the top 10 sci-fi films
 
1. Blade Runner (1982) Dir: Ridley Scott

Whether you prefer the original theatrical version (with a bored-sounding narration and without the famed unicorn scenes) or the director's cut of a few years later (sans narration and unicorn duly re-inserted), Blade Runner was the runaway favourite in our poll.
 
The story revolves around Harrison Ford's policeman, Rick Deckard, and his hunt for four cloned humanoids, known as replicants, in a dystopian version of Los Angeles. Replicants have been deemed illegal and Deckard is a blade runner, a specialist in exterminating them.

The film is loosely based on Philip K Dick's short story, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? "Blade Runner is the best movie ever made," says Stephen Minger, stem cell biologist at King's College London. "It was so far ahead of its time and the whole premise of the story - what is it to be human and who are we, where we come from? It's the age-old questions."

It also discusses consciousness with an attempt to formulate a way to tell a human from a machine. The Voight-Kampff empathy test is used by the police in the film to identify the replicants - who have memories implanted and are programmed with artificial emotions. "The Voight-Kampff empathy test is not far away from the sort of thing that cognitive neuroscientists are actually doing today," says Chris Frith of the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience at University College, London.

Debates rage on whether Deckard himself is a replicant. Ridley Scott says that he is artificial, but Harrison Ford argues that during filming Scott told him Deckard was human. Whatever the answer, it is a worthy winner also because of the quality of the film-making: Vangelis' brooding score, Rutger Hauer's replicant's seminal "I've seen things..." speech and that shot of the future LA cityscape, which kicks off the story.
 
2. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) Dir: Stanley Kubrick

A very close second, this mystifying story came out of a collaboration between Kubrick and science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke. It achieved enormous fame for its then revolutionary special effects.
 
Spacecraft consultants Frederick Ordway and Harry Lange, who had worked for Nasa, persuaded companies such as Boeing and IBM to supply prototypes and technical documents for use in the film. Astronauts visiting the set at Borehamwood referred to it as "Nasa East".

Aubrey Manning, emeritus professor of natural history at Edinburgh, praises 2001 for "the brilliance of the simulations - still never done better despite all the modern computer graphics. The brilliance of using Brazilian tapirs as 'prehistoric animals'. The brilliance of the cut from the stick as club, to the space shuttle. Kubrick declaring that once tool use begins - the rest is inevitable. Hal: the first of the super computers with its honeyed East-Coast-Establishment voice."
 
3. Star Wars (1977)/Empire Strikes Back (1980)

The first two films of the original Star Wars trilogy make it onto the list probably for reasons of nostalgia rather than science.
 
Essentially westerns set in space, they both cover the universal themes of good versus evil while making lead actors Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher spit out mind-boggling technospeak on a regular basis. There is also an element of mysticism (which some say sets them apart from the rest of science fiction), with the idea of an all-pervading "force" that can be harnessed by certain people for good or evil.

The epic saga revolves around the battle between the all-enslaving Empire (led by the Emperor, a force-wielding maniac and his part-human part-machine henchman Darth Vader) and a small band of rebels.

Its use of science is sketchy at best - light-speed travel is dealt with by the use of a "hyperspace" where the normal laws of physics don't seem to apply and force-wielding Jedi fight with theoretically impossible lightsabers - but the emphasis here is certainly not on answering the problems of the human condition. Two of the first blockbusters, they also started the franchises for toys, games and replicas that no science fiction film can do without nowadays.
 
4. Alien (1979) Dir: Ridley Scott
Remembered for the iconic scene of an infant creature bursting bloodily through John Hurt's chest, but Alien was about much more. An interstellar mining vessel takes onboard a lifeform with concentrated acid for blood and two sets of jaws, which then messily dispatches the crew.
 
Praised for the gothic set design and Sigourney Weaver's portrayal of reluctant hero Ellen Ripley, it is notable for its underlying themes of motherhood, penetration and birth. But for UCL space physiologist Kevin Fong it's the mundanity of the crew's lifestyle that makes it stand out.

"For the first time we got the idea that, in the far-flung future, people who live and work in space might be a bunch of Average Joe slobs sitting around with leftover pizza, smoking and playing cards to pass the time," he says. "It captures much of what long duration space flight is about now: dirty, sweaty and claustrophobic with long periods of boredom followed by moments of sheer terror."
 
5. Solaris (1972) Dir: Andrei Tarkovsky

Remade by Steven Soderbergh in 2002, but the original still holds a fascination for fans of the novel by Stanislaw Lem. A psychologist travels to a base on a remote planet to replace a mysteriously deceased scientist. There he encounters the secretive survivors - and his dead wife. Reality is supplanted by the increasingly attractive alternative of the planet's alien intelligence.
 
"The 1972 Solaris is perhaps the only film to address the limits of science set by our constrained human perceptions, categories and tendency to anthropomorphise," says Gregory Benford, professor of physics at University of California, Irvine and author of Timescape. "That it is also a compelling, tragic drama, not a mere illustrated lecture, makes it even more important."
 
6. Terminator (1984)/T2: Judgment Day (1991) Dir: James Cameron

Robots from 2029 send a relentless cyborg (Arnold Schwarzenegger) back to 1980s Los Angeles to assassinate the mother of a future human rebel. One of a few films to deal with problems of time travel, such as the grandfather paradox: if you travel back in time and kill your grandfather, you wouldn't exist so wouldn't be able to travel back in time to...
 
The sequel featured another cyborg made of shapeshifting metal. "Despite the incoherent fictional science, it is a perfect piece of film-making in its genre, which I would call 'action movie' rather than 'sci-fi movie' if it were not for the fact that there are very few, if any, movies that genuinely deserve to be called sci-fi," says David Deutsch, quantum physicist at Oxford.
 
7. The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) Dir: Robert Wise

Set amid the cold war paranoia of postwar America, a flying saucer lands in Washington DC and a humanoid alien, Klaatu emerges, accompanied by his robot, Gort.
 
Klaatu (who pronounces: "I'm impatient with stupidity. My people have learned to live without it") tries to convince the world's leaders - and when they won't listen, scientists - to stop the rush toward mutual destruction.

It is cited by Beagle 2 project leader Colin Pillinger as one of his favourite sci-fi films. "During the showing, the cinema manager pulled a classic Orson Welles stunt and stopped the film to announce that a spaceship had landed."
 
8. War of the Worlds (1953) Dir: Byron Haskin

Famously adapted for radio by Orson Welles, HG Wells' tale of a Martian invasion of Earth became another cold war movie.
 
"The idea that there could be life that's developed in completely other circumstances in a completely different world which you would never recognise. That's a very appealing idea," says Seth Shostak, senior astronomer at the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, California.
 
9. The Matrix (1999) Dir: Andy & Larry Wachowski

Cod philosophy, fetish clothing and incredibly cool special effects combined in 1999 for a fresh take on man-made artificial intelligence enslaving the planet.
 
The science behind the fiction is conspicuously absent, being replaced with the permanently befuddled Keanu Reeves stumbling around being confused by nonsense about spoons, and jumping off buildings. Tak Mak, a cell biologist at University of Toronto, doesn't think this matters: "It's good old-fashioned entertainment value ... Future bad guys fighting future good guys."
 
10. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) Dir: Steven Spielberg

"We are not alone", declared the poster and this tale of Richard Dreyfus' escalating obsession with alien visitors against a backdrop of a secretive, omniscient government agency has provided the core of science fiction ever since.
 
"While it is highly unlikely that 'they' will rock up in a vehicle that looks like a giant, inverted Christmas tree or make their presence known by doing Jean Michel Jarre impressions on a cosmic synthesiser, Close Encounters is for me still the classiest alien visitation story in celluloid history," says UCL's Kevin Fong.
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Offline Meryl

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #71 on: December 05, 2008, 10:33:45 pm »
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081205/ap_en_ot/obit_ackerman

Sci-fi's grand old man, Forrest J Ackerman, dies

By JOHN ROGERS

LOS ANGELES – Forrest J Ackerman, the sometime actor, literary agent, magazine editor and full-time bon vivant who discovered author Ray Bradbury and was widely credited with coining the term "sci-fi," has died. He was 92.

Ackerman died Thursday of heart failure at his Los Angeles home, said Kevin Burns, head of Prometheus Entertainment and a trustee of Ackerman's estate.

Although only marginally known to readers of mainstream literature, Ackerman was legendary in science-fiction circles as the founding editor of the pulp magazine Famous Monsters of Filmland. He was also the owner of a huge private collection of science-fiction movie and literary memorabilia that for years filled every nook and cranny of a hillside mansion overlooking Los Angeles.

"He became the Pied Piper, the spiritual leader, of everything science fiction, fantasy and horror," Burns said Friday.

Every Saturday morning that he was home, Ackerman would open up the house to anyone who wanted to view his treasures. He sold some pieces and gave others away when he moved to a smaller house in 2002, but he continued to let people visit him every Saturday for as long as his health permitted.

"My wife used to say, 'How can you let strangers into our home?' But what's the point of having a collection like this if you can't let people enjoy it?" an exuberant Ackerman told The Associated Press as he conducted a spirited tour of the mansion on his 85th birthday.

His collection once included more than 50,000 books, thousands of science-fiction magazines and such items as Bela Lugosi's cape from the 1931 film "Dracula."

His greatest achievement, however, was likely discovering Bradbury, author of the literary classics "Fahrenheit 451" and "The Martian Chronicles." Ackerman had placed a flyer in a Los Angeles bookstore for a science-fiction club he was founding and a teenage Bradbury showed up.

Later, Ackerman gave Bradbury the money to start his own science-fiction magazine, Futuria Fantasia, and paid the author's way to New York for an authors meeting that Bradbury said helped launch his career.

"I hadn't published yet, and I met a lot of these people who encouraged me and helped me get my career started, and that was all because of Forry Ackerman," the author told the AP in 2005.

Later, as a literary agent, Ackerman represented Bradbury, Isaac Asimov and numerous other science-fiction writers.

He said the term "sci-fi" came to him in 1954 when he was listening to a car radio and heard an announcer mention the word "hi-fi."

"My dear wife said, 'Forget it, Forry, it will never catch on,'" he recalled.

Soon he was using it in Famous Monsters of Filmland, the magazine he helped found in 1958 and edited for 25 years.

Ackerman himself appeared in numerous films over the years, usually in bit parts. His credits include "Queen of Blood," "Dracula vs. Frankenstein," "Amazon Women on the Moon," "Vampirella," "Transylvania Twist," "The Howling" and the Michael Jackson "Thriller" video. More recently, he appeared in 2007's "The Dead Undead" and 2006's "The Boneyard Collection."

Ackerman returned briefly to Famous Monsters of Filmland in the 1990s, but he quickly fell out with the publisher over creative differences. He sued and was awarded a judgment of more than $375,000.

Forrest James Ackerman was born in Los Angeles on Nov. 24, 1916. He fell in love with science-fiction, he once said, when he was 9 years old and saw a magazine called Amazing Stories. He would hold onto that publication for the rest of his life.

Ackerman, who had no children, was preceded in death by his wife, Wendayne.
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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #72 on: December 05, 2008, 10:39:15 pm »
Oh, more please.


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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #73 on: December 05, 2008, 11:27:53 pm »
Speaking of the STAR TREK remake, there are 12 other science fiction films being remade including FORBIDDEN PLANET. How could they??? :(  It's a crying shame I tell you.   I've never seen THE ILLUSTRATED MAN, though of I've heard of it. 

A dozen sci-fi remakes are in the works
By GEOFF BOUCHER LOS ANGELES TIMES
Nov. 26, 2008, 7:07PM

Top filmmakers already have dipped into the sci-fi vault for 21st-century remakes of The War of the Worlds, The Planet of the Apes and the upcoming The Day the Earth Stood Still, so what’s next on the revival list? Plenty. Here’s a list of a dozen remakes and revival projects now at various stages in the studio pipeline.

1. When Worlds Collide

Steven Spielberg is one of the producers, and Stephen Sommers (The Mummy, Van Helsing), infamous for his “give me more” attitude toward CGI effects, is directing. Like the original 1951 film produced by George Pal, this Worlds, due in theaters next year, is about the mad scramble to build a spaceship to save humanity before Earth is destroyed by a rogue planet entering its orbit. The problem comes when there aren’t enough seats for everybody.

2. The Terminator

It’s not a remake, but filmmaker McG’s plan to revive the killer robot franchise with a sequel next summer starring Christian Bale as John Connor has been circled by fans after a strong showing this past summer at Comic-Con International. Terminator Salvation is set in the future and shows the grim war between humans and Skynet with its murderous metallic armies.

3. Robocop

If the Terminator can get tuned up for a revival, why not that other 1980s mechanical hero? After several fits and starts, MGM announced in March that a reboot of Robocop would be in theaters in 2010. Darren Aronofsky (The Wrestler, Requiem for a Dream) is directing the remake of Paul Verhoeven’s bloody movie about a Detroit cop who is gunned down but then put back on patrol as a cyborg with troubled soul.

If the Terminator can get tuned up for a revival, why not that other 1980s mechanical hero? After several fits and starts, MGM announced in March that a reboot of Robocop would be in theaters in 2010. Darren Aronofsky (The Wrestler, Requiem for a Dream) is directing the remake of Paul Verhoeven’s bloody movie about a Detroit cop who is gunned down but then put back on patrol as a cyborg with troubled soul.

4. Ghostbusters

There’s talk of making a third installment in the sci-fi comedy franchise and bringing back the original crew — Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson — as well as some new-blood, second-generation busters. Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky, writers for The Office, are at work on the script for Columbia Pictures, and Murray, in the past the most reluctant to return, has said that he’s open to the idea. There was talk of Seth Rogen being a likely cast addition, but don’t bother calling him: “It sounds,” he said in October, “like the worst idea ever.”

5. The Creature From the Black Lagoon

Breck Eisner, the director of Sahara and son of former Disney chief Michael Eisner, is directing, while screenwriter Gary Ross is on board to retell the story of an Amazon River expedition that crosses paths with a prehistoric amphibian humanoid. The presence of Ross gives the 2009 release a link to the original 1954 film — that Universal classic was written by his father, Arthur A. Ross.

6. Flash Gordon

After the Black Lagoon remake, director Eisner is planning to revive Flash Gordon for Columbia, bringing back the brand that hit the silver screen in 1980 with the campy Dino DeLaurentiis production that so memorably featured the music of Queen, not to mention Topol with wings and Timothy Dalton in tights. Alex Raymond’s classic space hero, created as a comic strip rival to Buck Rogers, celebrates his 75th anniversary in pop culture next month, but it’s not clear that his retro appeal still holds. Earlier this year, Sci Fi canceled its Flash Gordon series, which had ratings that proved that Ming isn’t the one who is merciless.

7. Westworld

The late Michael Crichton wrote and directed the 1973 sci-fi thriller about a theme park where rich visitors can live out fantasies like engaging in Old West gunfights, thanks to the park’s androids, such as the menacing robot cowboy memorably portrayed by Yul Brynner. Just like in his Jurassic Park, though, you know things are going to go badly for the smug and boozy tourists. Crichton had worked on a script for a remake (and, at one point, Quentin Tarantino was approached to direct), but the author’s death in November might mark the end of the reboot effort.

8.Logan’s Run

This is a remake that can’t seem to find sanctuary even after a decade of attempts. A few years ago, Bryan Singer (The X-Men, The Usual Suspects) was all set to re-imagine the 1976 movie about a society where everyone submits to state-ordered execution parlors on their 21st birthday or gets hunted down by agents called Sandmen. Singer dropped out to make Superman Returns, though, and now producer Joel Silver (The Matrix films) appears intent to regenerate with a newcomer as director, namely Joseph Kosinski, who has made his name in commercials.

9. Forbidden Planet

Producer Silver is also behind a planned revival of this 1956 classic that gave a sci-fi twist to Shakespeare’s The Tempest and starred Walter Pidgeon, Anne Francis and Leslie Nielsen long before his career tilted toward comedy. It also introduced the world to Robbie the Robot, a machine man who would show in film and television shows for decades. In October, it was announced that screenwriter J. Michael Straczynski (The Changeling) is on board.

10. Frankenstein

Mary Shelley’s classic horror tale of science gone awry has given Hollywood shambling visions of cemetery horror for decades, among them Boris Karloff’s iconic 1930s performances and Robert DeNiro’s very different take in the 1994 Kenneth Branagh remake. Next up? Guillermo Del Toro says that after he finishes the two-film version of The Hobbit he will turn his attention to the gothic morality tale and that actor Doug Jones (Abe Sapien in Hellboy) might play the patchwork man. This one is still a long way off; The Hobbit films are due in theaters in 2010 and 2011.

11. Fahrenheit 451

It’s been 55 years since the publication of Ray Bradbury’s dystopian novel about Guy Montag, a “fireman,” a term for state-employed book burners of the future. Francois Truffaut brought the story to the silver screen in 1966, and there have been numerous efforts over the past decade to cook up a remake, with Mel Gibson, Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt among the stars who have flirted with the Montag role. Writer-director Frank Darabont (The Green Mile, The Shawshank Redemption) is on the job now with a planned 2010 release even though his announced star, Tom Hanks, dropped out of the project in March.

12. The Illustrated Man

Another Bradbury work that is planned for a 2010 release is this project from the Watchmen duo of director Zack Snyder (who also directed 300) and screenwriter Alex Tse. The Illustrated Man was a 1951 book of 18 short stories (including one, “Rocket Man,” that inspired the Elton John hit) that were linked by a bizarre framing device — a bum who is covered in tattoos from the future that move and represent the characters in the tales. It was made into a 1969 film starring Rod Steiger, but it’s not clear what direction Snyder is taking the property.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ent/movies/6134533.html

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #74 on: December 05, 2008, 11:30:31 pm »
I guess everyone is out of ideas huh? No more stories are being written, no new screenplays...

come on.

this is very irritating, they have all the money and all they want to do is regurgitate stuff...take a huge leap of faith and give us something NEW!!

Offline delalluvia

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #75 on: December 06, 2008, 12:06:56 am »
I guess everyone is out of ideas huh? No more stories are being written, no new screenplays...

come on.

this is very irritating, they have all the money and all they want to do is regurgitate stuff...take a huge leap of faith and give us something NEW!!

That's what I was thinking... >:(

Offline Kd5000

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #76 on: December 11, 2008, 11:11:33 am »
The remake of THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL is getting lousy reviews. Its 27% at Rotten Tomatoes.  Well, with Keanu Reeves in it, my expectations were somewhat lowered.  It  comes out Friday and I was really looking forward to seeing it.  Now I am hesitant.  I wonder how other scheduled  sci-fi remakes are going to fare?

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1193610-day_the_earth_stood_still/

Offline Meryl

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #77 on: December 11, 2008, 11:33:27 am »
The remake of THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL is getting lousy reviews. Its 27% at Rotten Tomatoes.  Well, with Keanu Reeves in it, my expectations were somewhat lowered.  It  comes out Friday and I was really looking forward to seeing it.  Now I am hesitant.  I wonder how other scheduled  sci-fi remakes are going to fare?

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1193610-day_the_earth_stood_still/

I was afraid it would be a stinker.  But I do like Keanu in his deadpan alien guy mode.  If it didn't cost me $12.50 a pop, I'd probably still go see it.
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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #78 on: December 11, 2008, 12:53:21 pm »
The remake of THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL is getting lousy reviews. Its 27% at Rotten Tomatoes.  Well, with Keanu Reeves in it, my expectations were somewhat lowered.  It  comes out Friday and I was really looking forward to seeing it.  Now I am hesitant.  I wonder how other scheduled  sci-fi remakes are going to fare?

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1193610-day_the_earth_stood_still/

A shame, and Keanu's role was going to be such a stretch for his acting.  :laugh:

Naw, it didn't look that good from the previews and what endeared the original to everyone wasn't even hinted at in the previews.

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #79 on: December 12, 2008, 01:32:25 am »
The remake of THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL is getting lousy reviews. Its 27% at Rotten Tomatoes.  Well, with Keanu Reeves in it, my expectations were somewhat lowered.  It  comes out Friday and I was really looking forward to seeing it.  Now I am hesitant.  I wonder how other scheduled  sci-fi remakes are going to fare?

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1193610-day_the_earth_stood_still/

sci fi movies rarely get good scores (in my experience) the hoity toity critics dont' consider them 'true art' ya know...

Offline Kd5000

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #80 on: December 12, 2008, 05:03:57 pm »
If you HAD USD 240,000 to spare, you could have purchased Skywalker's light sabre used in THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK.  Shouldn't this be in the Smithsonian?  ;)  Here's a breakdown of what else was auctioned off. It wasn't all Star Wars related items. Incidentily, the Star Wars crowd must not be feeling any economic pain as they expected the light saber to go for ONLY USD 180,000.   

Luke Skywalker's light sabre fetches $240,000 US at auction
Last Updated: Friday, December 12, 2008 | 1:45 PM ET Comments16Recommend17CBC News
The iconic light sabre carried by Star Wars' Luke Skywalker has sold at auction for $240,000 US.

The movie prop was included in a memorabilia auction held by Los Angeles-based Profiles in History. The auction house had expected the light sabre would fetch bids of up to $180,000 US.

The light sabre, used in Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back, was made using an old flashgun and was listed as being in good condition. The prop was sold by Star Wars producer Gary Kurtz.

Among the auction's other sales:

The C-3PO droid helmet worn by Anthony Daniels in the Star Wars films for $120,000.
A handwritten screenplay for You Only Live Twice by Roald Dahl for $96,000.
Jim Carrey's Riddler costume from Batman Forever for $39,000.
A Wolverine leather suit from X-Men for $90,000.
Original art used for the back cover of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone for $39,000.

http://www.cbc.ca/arts/story/2008/12/12/light-saber.html

injest

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #81 on: December 12, 2008, 08:18:04 pm »
I would think there would be several copies of that lightsaber. I went to see the museum exhibit of the memorabilia when it came thru Houston. Pretty cool.

(Darth Vaders costume is intimidating even in a case with no one in it!)

Offline delalluvia

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #82 on: December 12, 2008, 09:58:51 pm »
Re the lightsaber

To quote Indiana Jones

"it belongs in a museum!"

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #83 on: December 13, 2008, 05:45:22 pm »
I was afraid it would be a stinker.  But I do like Keanu in his deadpan alien guy mode.  If it didn't cost me $12.50 a pop, I'd probably still go see it.

I would not go to the film unless you wish to have your mind numbed down completely. I saw a sneak preview a few months back. This version of a great classic is so bad, that I don't know where to start.

But, I am still looking forward to the release of Star Trek XI in a few months!

Question: after watching some of the second season of "Enterprise" on DVD , I wondered - why did the Tellarites join in with Earth, Andoria, and Vulcan in setting up the Federation after the Romulan Wars? It isn't clear that Tellar was ever threatened by the Romulans like the Earth and Vulcan and by proximity Andoria were. 

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #84 on: December 13, 2008, 05:55:59 pm »
Besides oilgun:       No one seen Solvent Green ?       

The ending of the wise man, reminds me of my brother who accepted dire his death !

Why did that old man accept that?

Offline brokeplex

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #85 on: December 13, 2008, 06:01:44 pm »
Besides oilgun:       No one seen Solvent Green ?       

The ending of the wise man, reminds me of my brother who accepted dire his death !

Why did that old man accept that?

the EG Robinson character accepted death because life was a hellish nightmare.

Offline Artiste

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #86 on: December 13, 2008, 06:07:07 pm »
But since as you say:         life was a hellish nightmare.               ... everyone would be dead ?

No humans would be left on Earth?

Offline brokeplex

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #87 on: December 13, 2008, 06:08:31 pm »
But since as you say:         life was a hellish nightmare.               ... everyone would be dead ?

No humans would be left on Earth?

in the "soylent green" scenario, life on the planet was definitely dying off.

Offline Artiste

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #88 on: December 13, 2008, 06:13:36 pm »
So kill yourself by letting others murder you, before it's all dead beings; no more human left?

Is that the negatif of that author? Or what's his positive ?

Offline brokeplex

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #89 on: December 13, 2008, 06:15:13 pm »
So kill yourself by letting others murder you, before it's all dead beings; no more human left?

Is that the negatif of that author? Or what's his positive ?

in the Soylent Green scenario, the plankton in the oceans were dying due to pollution. when the oceans die, then the rest of the planet dies too.


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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #90 on: December 15, 2008, 01:32:10 pm »
Merci brokeplex!

Yes, I can see that; maybe that movie could have added more realism since now seals in the North are being nearly dead when born since they are too much unnourished when born and so their mothers know that, and their mothers leave them to defend themselves right away to die in search of food, warmth, and to freeze to death! Do you know?

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #91 on: January 23, 2009, 02:15:42 pm »
From the UK's The Guardian:

1,000 Novels Everyone Must Read: Science Fiction and Fantasy (Parts One, Two and Three)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/jan/22/1000-novels-science-fiction-fantasy-part-one

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/jan/22/1000-novels-science-fiction-fantasy-part-two

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/jan/22/1000-novels-science-fiction-fantasy-part-three

Books listed alphabetically by Author:

1. Douglas Adams: The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy
2. Brian Aldiss: Non-Stop
3. Isaac Asimov: Foundation
4. Margaret Atwood: The Blind Assassin
5. Paul Auster: In the Country of Lost Things
6. Iain Banks: The Wasp Factory
7. Clive Barker: Weaveworld
8. Nicola Barker: Darkmans
9. Stephen Baxter: The Time Ships
10. Greg Bear: Darwin’s Radio
11. Alfred Bester: The Stars My Destination
12. Poppy Z Brite: Lost Souls
13. Algis Budrys: Rogue Moon
14. Mikhail Bulgakov: The Master and Margarita
15. Edward Bulwer-Lytton: The Coming Race
16. Anthony Burgess: A Clockwork range
17. Anthony Burgess: The End of the World News
18. Edgar Rice Burroughs: A Princess of Mars
19. William Burroughs: Naked Lunch
20. Octavia Butler: Kindred
21. Samuel Butler: Erewhon
22. Italio Calvino: The Baron in the Trees
23. Ramsey Campbell: The Influence
24. Lewis Carroll: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
25. Lewis Carroll: Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There
26. Angela Carter: Nights at the Circus
27. Michael Chabon: The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay
28. GK Chesterton: The Man Who Was Thursday
29. Arthur C Clarke: Childhood’s End
30. Susanna Clarke: Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell
31. Michael G Coney: Hello Summer, Goodbye
32. Douglas Coupland: Girlfriend in a Coma
33. Mark Danielewski: House of leaves
34. Marie Darrieussecq: Pig tales
35. Samuel R Delaney: The Einstein Intersection
36. Philip K Dick: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
37. Philip K Dick: The Man in the High Castle
38. Umberto Eco: Foucault’s Pendulum
39. Michael Faber: Under the Skin
40. John Fowles: The Magus
41. Neil Gaiman: American Gods
42. Alan Garner: Red Shift
43. William Gibson: Neuromancer
44. Charlotte Perkins Gilman: Herland
45. William Golding: Lord of the Flies
46. Joe Haldeman: The Forever War
47. M John Harrison: Light
48. Robert A Heinlein: Stranger in a Strange Land
49. Frank Herbert: Dune
50. Herman Hesse: The Glass Bead Game
51. Russell Hoban: Ridley Walker
52. James Hogg: The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner
53. Michale Houellebecq: Atomised
54. Aldous Huxley: Brave New World
55. Kazuo Ishiguro: The Unconsoled
56. Henry James: The Turn of the Screw
57. Richard Jefferies: After London: or, Wild England
58. Gwyneth Jones: Bold as Love
59. Franz Kafka: The Trial
60. Daniel Keyes: Flowers for Algernon
61. Stephen King: The Shining
62. Marghanita Laski: The Victorian Chaise-longue
63. Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu: Uncle Silas
64. Stanislaw Lem: Solaris
65. Doris Lessing: Memoirs of a Survivor
66. David Lindsay: A Voyage to Arcturus
67. Ken MacLeod: The Night Sessions
68. Hilary Mantel: Beyond Black
69. ichael Marshall Smith: Only Forward
70. Richard Matheson: I am Legend
71. Charles Maturin: Melmoth the Wanderer
72. Patrick McCabe: The Butcher Boy
73. Cormac McCarthy: The Road
74. Jed Mercurio: Ascent
75. China Mieville: The Scar
76. Andrew Miller: Ingenious Pain
77. Walter M Miller: A Canticle for Leibowitz
78. David Mitchell: Cloud Atlas
79. Michael Moorcock: Mother London
80. William Morris: News from Nowhere
81. Ted Morrison: Beloved
82. Haruki Murakami: the Wind-Up Bird Chronicle
83. Vladimir Nabokov: Ada or Ardor
84. Audrey Niffenegger: The Time-Traveller’s Wife
85. Larry Niven: Ringworld
86. Jeff Noon: Vurt
87. Flann O’Brien: The Third Policeman
88. Ben Okri: The Famished Road
89. Chuck Palahnuk: Fight Club
90. Thomas Love Peacock: Nightmare Abbey
91. Mervyn Peake: Titus Groan
92. John Cowper Powys: A Glastonbury Romance
93. Christopher Priest: The Prestige
94. Francois Rabelias: Gargantua and Pantagruel
95. Ann Radcliffe: The Mysteries of Udolpho
96. Alastair Reynolds: Revelation Space
97. Kim Stanley Robinson: The Years of Rice and Salt
98. J K Rowing: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
99. Salman Rushdie: The Satanic Verses
100. Antoine de Sainte-Exupery: The Little Prince
101. Jose Saramango: Blindness
102. Will Self: How the Dead Live
103. Mary Shelley: Frankenstein
104. Dan Simmons: Hyperion
105. Olaf Stapledon: Star Maker
106. Neal Stephenson: Snow Crash
107. Robert Louis Stevenson: The Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde
108. Bram Stoker; Dracula
109. Rupert Thomson: The insult
110. Mark Twain: A Connecticut Yankee at King Arthur’s Court
111. Kurt Vonnegut: Sirens of Titan
112. Robert Walser: Institute Benjamenta
113. Sylvia Townsend Warner: Lolly Willowes
114. Sarah Waters: Affinity
115. H G Wells: The Time Machine
116. H G Wells: The War of the Worlds
117. T H White: The Sword in the Stone
118. Gene Wolfe: The Book of the New Sun
119. John Wyndham: The Day of the Triffids
120. John Wyndham: The Midwich Cuckoos
121. Yevgeny Zamyatin: We


My friend at LiveJournal who posted this has read huge amounts of this genre and had the following comments:

This is an odd list, particularly on the fantasy front.

A lot of the recognised classics of SF are in here (though where are The Martian Chronicles, Fahrenheit 451, Stand on Zanzibar, Mission of Gravity, Slan etc?) but on the Fantasy front Tolkien, CS Lewis, Phillip Pullman, Terry Pratchett and Ursula K Le Guin have all been sidelined to a short section on “Imagined Worlds” and pretty much the rest of the major forces in fantasy have been ignored altogether (Tad Williams, Robert Jordan, Stephen Donaldson, George RR Martin, David Gemmell etc.). I would have said that it was a brave attempt to bring new titles to the SF&F buying audience’s notice, but the descriptions of a lot of the books plus the fact that many are only SF or F if you squint really hard makes it look more like an attempt at making the choices pretentious enough for The Guardian’s core readership.

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Offline Artiste

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #92 on: February 08, 2009, 09:05:57 pm »
Which such film did you see lately Brokeplex/others ??

Offline Kd5000

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #93 on: February 10, 2009, 04:00:01 pm »
"Soylent Green," isn't it time for a remake!  ;)  It could be framed against more current issues. In 1970, there was much talk of overpopulation.  Of course, the world is overpopulated, but there was  the "green revolution"
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Revolution )  and we found other things to worry about.

I see they are remaking LOGAN'S RUN, another 1970's classic. Death is now at 21, not 30.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0402344/

Offline brokeplex

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #94 on: February 10, 2009, 04:15:06 pm »
"Soylent Green," isn't it time for a remake!  ;)  It could be framed against more current issues. In 1970, there was much talk of overpopulation.  Of course, the world is overpopulated, but there was "green revolution"
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Revolution )  and we found other things to worry about.

I see they are remaking LOGAN'S RUN, another 1970's classic. Death is now at 21, not 30.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0402344/

good idea, SG is a classic that cries out for a good remake, not some Keanu Reeves snore-fest like the execrable remake of "The Day the Earth Stood Still"



 

Offline delalluvia

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #95 on: February 10, 2009, 07:49:11 pm »
I see they are remaking LOGAN'S RUN, another 1970's classic. Death is now at 21, not 30.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0402344/

In the book, the original age of death was 21.  Our country has fallen into the youth-worship that the book was actually warning about -  :-\ go figure - so instead of remaking the movie with adults, they're remaking it with - what teenaged actors?  We talking Miley Cyrus here?  That's kinda squiffy, seeing as how the teenagers in the book Logan's Run acted like little adults and not children (sex/drugs/violence).

Offline oilgun

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #96 on: February 10, 2009, 10:27:22 pm »
In the book, the original age of death was 21.  Our country has fallen into the youth-worship that the book was actually warning about -  :-\ go figure - so instead of remaking the movie with adults, they're remaking it with - what teenaged actors?  We talking Miley Cyrus here?  That's kinda squiffy, seeing as how the teenagers in the book Logan's Run acted like little adults and not children (sex/drugs/violence).

Miley as Holly?  Really?  I know that Rory Culkin will play Logan and the Jonas Bros will be Sandmen.  ;D

Offline delalluvia

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #97 on: February 10, 2009, 10:39:10 pm »
Miley as Holly?  Really?  I know that Rory Culkin will play Logan and the Jonas Bros will be Sandmen.  ;D

 :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

I wish.  We know how Holly ended up.  ;D

Offline Artiste

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #98 on: February 10, 2009, 10:47:27 pm »
I am surprised that one or two or... are asking for a remake, as I was like-bashed when I asked a remake of Brokeback Mountain, has that changed? What is your driving force now? Awakening to many issues now?

I think that a remake if Soylent Green is a good idea, as that there is a need for that more and more foods, since too much of  our foods are coming from too far and from poor countries with starving populations, plus we are neglecting now to produce more food in our own yards!! Plus more ?

Offline oilgun

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #99 on: March 03, 2009, 10:00:07 am »
I'm in the middle of watching season 3 of BATTLESTAR GALACTICA. I'm so happy Kira finally chopped off her awful hair extensions.  And what was the point of seeing Jamie Bamber in a fat suit.  Seems like a lot of trouble to go through just to show that the character has gone "soft".  Anyway, this is probably the first sci-fi program that has me in tears every second episode.  I just have to hear the first notes of the theme music and I feel waves a sadness and melancholy.. :'(


Offline Meryl

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #100 on: March 03, 2009, 07:18:43 pm »
I'm in the middle of watching season 3 of BATTLESTAR GALACTICA. I'm so happy Kira finally chopped off her awful hair extensions.  And what was the point of seeing Jamie Bamber in a fat suit.  Seems like a lot of trouble to go through just to show that the character has gone "soft".  Anyway, this is probably the first sci-fi program that has me in tears every second episode.  I just have to hear the first notes of the theme music and I feel waves a sadness and melancholy.. :'(

I agree that BSG is a great series, Gil.  Terrific characters and writing for grownups.  I don't pay close attention to all the details of the story, so I find myself in the dark sometimes about what's what between the cylons and humans and all the history, but it's still a great ride.  8)
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Offline Kd5000

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #101 on: March 04, 2009, 03:41:49 pm »
Does anyone remember TRON?  ;D   I remember the movie being heavily promoted at video rooms and being disappointed with the film. 

Well thirty years latter (release date 2011), they are making TRON 2.0.  If it's a sequal, it's a long time coming. I don't even remember the first one all that well. Jeff Bridges who was in the first TRON, will also be in this movie.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1104001/

Offline oilgun

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #102 on: March 04, 2009, 04:29:20 pm »
Does anyone remember TRON?  ;D   I remember the movie being heavily promoted at video rooms and being disappointed with the film. 

Well thirty years latter (release date 2011), they are making TRON 2.0.  If it's a sequal, it's a long time coming. I don't even remember the first one all that well. Jeff Bridges who was in the first TRON, will also be in this movie.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1104001/

I heard about that.  I saw TRON back in the day and I was disappointed as well but I don't remember much about it.  Not enough to be excited about the remake (or whatever it is)  ;)  Hopefully, it will be a case similar to BATTLESTAR GALACTICA where the "remake" (re-imagining?) turned out to be far superior to the original.

Offline oilgun

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #103 on: March 11, 2009, 02:10:02 pm »
My BSG update:  I finished off Season 3 (OMG!) and watched the RAZOR, the TV movie before Season 4.0 which I'll start watching tonight.  Rasor was not what I expected but it was very interesting.  It went back in time and focused on what happened to the Pegasus before it came in contact with Galactica.  It was a bit of a disappointment after the delicious cliffhanger (OMG!) that ended Season 3.  (Does EVERYONE end up being a Cylon?!) :laugh:


« Last Edit: March 17, 2009, 03:25:59 pm by oilgun »

Offline delalluvia

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #104 on: March 17, 2009, 07:03:53 pm »
I just finished watching Season 4.0 of BsG, it ends when....  According to one of the extras on the DVD, the series could have ended there if the writer's strike had gone on longer (or something).  That would have been quite a cynical way to end things, lol!

Is anyone planning to watch the real Series Finale this Friday?


Ouch!  Can you say spoiler!?!??  :-\
« Last Edit: March 18, 2009, 08:14:39 am by delalluvia »

Offline oilgun

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #105 on: March 17, 2009, 07:18:33 pm »
Ouch!  Can you say spoiler!?!??  :-\


Well, it was from last year! I didn't think I still had to watch for spoilers.  Anyway, I'll remove it.

Offline delalluvia

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #106 on: March 17, 2009, 07:33:44 pm »


Well, it was from last year! I didn't think I still had to watch for spoilers.  Anyway, I'll remove it.

Not for me,   :)  but for anyone else who is thinking about seeing it, or perhaps people overseas to whom the series is running behind.  Not sure how that works anymore.

Offline Meryl

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #107 on: March 17, 2009, 09:07:21 pm »
There was a behind the scenes special about BSG coming to an end last night.  Very good.

SciFi announced that Friday will be an all day marathon of BSG's four seasons, ending with the 2-hour finale.  8)  8)  8)
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Offline oilgun

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #108 on: March 18, 2009, 08:06:50 am »
Not for me,   :)  but for anyone else who is thinking about seeing it, or perhaps people overseas to whom the series is running behind.  Not sure how that works anymore.
I completely understand, but you might want to remove the post in which you quoted the spoiler.  :-\

Offline delalluvia

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #109 on: March 18, 2009, 08:15:06 am »
I completely understand, but you might want to remove the post in which you quoted the spoiler.  :-\

Done.

Offline oilgun

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #110 on: March 18, 2009, 11:06:52 am »
There was a behind the scenes special about BSG coming to an end last night.  Very good.

SciFi announced that Friday will be an all day marathon of BSG's four seasons, ending with the 2-hour finale.  8)  8)  8)

Maybe a marathon of seasons 4.0 and 4.5?  Unless they just show a selection from the 4 seasons, otherwise they would have to show the 'bunny versions'.

Here's an interesting item from http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=30217&Cr=television&Cr1=

Quote
UN and Battlestar Galactica host discussion of human rights and armed conflict

Kiyo Akasaka
17 March 2009 – The United Nations is co-hosting a discussion with the stars and creators of the television show Battlestar Galactica today, exploring themes which are important to both – human rights, terrorism, children and armed conflict, and reconciliation between civilians and faiths.
“This event will show how skilful storytelling can elevate the profile of critical humanitarian issues,” said Kiyo Akasaka, UN Under-Secretary-General for Public Information. “Not only does it present an opportunity for creative discussion, but, more importantly, it offers a chance to deliver a message about the many harsh realities that still exist worldwide.”

The panel will be moderated by Academy Award-winning actress and producer Whoopi Goldberg, and will include Oscar-nominated actress Mary McDonnel, Emmy Award-winning and Oscar-nominated actor Edward James Olmos, and Battlestar Galactica creators and executive producers Ronald D. Moore and David Eick.

On the UN side, panelists will include Radhika Coomaraswamy, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict; Craig Mokhiber of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights; Robert Orr, Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Planning; and Famatta Rose Osode, from the Permanent Mission of Liberia to the UN.

The discussion is a launch project for the UN Department of Public Information’s Creative Community Outreach Initiative, which is aimed at partnering with the international film and television industries to raise awareness of global issues.


Offline Aloysius J. Gleek

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #111 on: March 19, 2009, 01:39:26 pm »



OMG.



http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/19/garden/19trek.html?hp=&pagewanted=all

Getting Their Kirk On

“I know it’s not real,” added Mr. Boyd, 43, “but the minute I sit in it, the hairs stand up on the back of my neck.”

Serious Trekkies are expressing a passion for “Star Trek” by building replicas
of Capt. James T. Kirk’s original chair and making them a focal point in the home.



BRIDGE CLUB Scott Veazie in his replica chair.


By THOMAS VINCIGUERRA
Published: March 18, 2009

THERE is nothing particularly unusual about the living room of the two-story town house that Scott Veazie shares with his wife in Washougal, Wash., except for one piece of furniture in a corner: a full-size replica of the captain’s chair from the bridge of the U.S.S. Enterprise, as seen in the original “Star Trek”  television series.


Mr. Veazie, 27, was not yet born when that show first went on the air in the 1960s; even his parents were only teenagers. During his childhood, there were “Star Trek”  spinoffs on TV with more sophisticated special effects than the original, and a more contemporary sensibility, and there were also movies featuring the old show’s actors aboard updated versions of the Enterprise. But Mr. Veazie, who watched endless reruns of the original series with his mother in the 1980s, was never drawn to those later incarnations.

“The original show was the first one I saw,” he said. “It was so idealistic. A lot of us kids wanted to be Captain Kirk — and part of that was the chair.”

Mr. Veazie, a manager at Underwriters Laboratories, built the chair himself last year, and has been gratified to find, since installing it in the living room in May, that “when someone comes in, it’s the first thing they comment on.”

Serious Trekkies have long fashioned copies of their favorite costumes and props, and, back in the ’70s and ’80s, a few even put together homemade knockoffs of the captain’s chair, using reference materials like the “Starfleet Technical Manual” and “U.S.S. Enterprise Bridge Blueprints.”

But lately fans like Mr. Veazie have been building or buying more sophisticated versions of the command module from which James T. Kirk, played by William Shatner, ordered “Ahead, warp factor six.” Moreover, they are making them the centerpiece of their homes, thus conquering what is for them a final frontier of domestic décor.

At a moment when yet another movie is about to present yet another revamped Enterprise (this one claiming to be the original vessel of the young Kirk, Spock and McCoy), these traditionalists are holding their ground.

Drawing on a wide variety of new sources, including construction-oriented Web sites, Web-based entrepreneurs who supply kits of parts, and a Maryland company that just started selling ready-made chairs for $2,700 a piece, they are making a definitive statement to the world, or at least to their friends and families.

“The closet command-chair Trekkies have come out of the closet,” said Keith Marshall, 45, an unemployed phlebotomist, emergency medical technician, corrections officer and firefighter whose uncompleted chair, currently sitting in his brother’s garage, is slated for his own living room in Bonney Lake, Wash. “For a lot of people in the last few years,” Mr. Marshall added, “the pieces have come together.”

The current wave of interest seems to have started after the original chair was auctioned for $305,000 in 2002 and subsequently displayed at the Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame in Seattle, where “Star Trek”  loyalists could view it up close. (Not coincidentally, perhaps, the chair’s devotees tend to be clustered in the Northwest.)

The spread of digital video also helped the cause, allowing hobbyists to freeze-frame shots of the chair and scrutinize it from every angle. On message boards like Dewback Wing A.S.A.P.: A Site About Props,  they swap and compare screen grabs, measurements, schematics and spare parts.

Aficionados offer different reasons for the chair’s allure, some straightforward, some verging on the mystical.

“Everyone wants to sit in it,” said Bruce Boyd, an unemployed auto parts manager in Roseburg, Ore., who completed his chair — which he also keeps in the living room — in November. “There’s some sort of charisma there. It’s hard to explain.”

“I know it’s not real,” added Mr. Boyd, 43, “but the minute I sit in it, the hairs stand up on the back of my neck.”


HOME ENTERPRISE Boldly going where few husbands have gone before, Bruce Boyd, with his daughter,
Brittany, put his Captain Kirk chair in the living room.



Clark Bradshaw, a computer animator and graphic designer in Nicholasville, Ky., cited the chair’s unmistakable design. “It definitely is the only one of its kind,” he said. “All of the other chairs in all of the shows resembled each other — they weren’t distinctive.”

Mr. Bradshaw, 36, began building his chair in college, 15 years ago. But when he saw the exacting specifications on the A.S.A.P. forum, he said, “I just ripped it apart and started over.” In his home office, it awaits painting and final assembly.


Not Clark Bradshaw. His wife threatened divorce if he tried the same thing.


For Mike Paugh, 42, a financial planner in Cranbrook, British Columbia, the appeal goes back to childhood. “I loved the show,” he said. “I had all the model kits and all that stuff, but when I moved I had to get rid of them. Now I’ve started to build again.” He spent about $1,000 on his chair, which he finished in October 2007 and put in his family’s rec room.

Mr. Paugh is one of many Trekkies who are not particularly impressed with what they have seen, in trailers and on the Internet, of the Enterprise from the new “Star Trek”  movie, directed by J. J. Abrams and coming out in May. “A lot of guys are saying, ‘They’re wrecking this show, they’re not doing it the way they used to do it,’ ” he said.


KEEP ON TREKKIN’ The new “Star Trek” movie, to be released in May,
has a young Kirk (Chris Pine), McCoy (Karl Urban) and Spock (Zachary Quinto) —
and a curvier command chair.



“The chair, in particular, looks like some weird office chair,” he added. “But then, that’s what the original was.”

Indeed, it is a commonly held view that Captain Kirk’s throne was built around the black Naugahyde cushioning and slim walnut arms of a model No. 2405 or No. 4449 armchair produced by Madison Furniture Industries of Canton, Miss., between 1962 and 1968. The late industrial designer Arthur Umanoff conceived the chair as part of an attempt to replicate the Danish modern look, popular then. Today, vintage examples of the Madison chairs can fetch up to $2,000 on eBay.

“They weren’t high-end furniture,” said B. J. West, a San Francisco-based computer game production designer and Madison collector who maintains a Web site devoted to the chairs. He has had many requests for information and advice from would-be builders of Kirk chairs, he said.

Louis Shornick, 90, the owner of the Madison company from 1950 to 1966, used to watch “Star Trek”  without thinking that his product was being immortalized on the small screen. Only later, when Mr. West sent him detailed pictures from the original series, did he see a connection.

“I said, That’s our chair,” Mr. Shornick recalled. “There is no doubt in my mind that that’s it.”

Not everyone is so sure. Herbert F. Solow, a former vice president of Desilu Studios who developed and sold “Star Trek”  to NBC, insists Kirk’s chair was made from scratch, as does John Jefferies, an uncredited “Star Trek”  set designer whose late brother, Walter, was the set designer for the show — and the designer of the captain’s chair itself. Mr. Jefferies remembers helping his brother construct the chair’s extended frame, swivel base and pedestal from plywood, and coating it with dove-gray paint from the Desilu stores.

It was a function of what we had to work with, and the ability of the people we had,” said Mr. Jefferies, 73. “And cost was a factor. Today, it would probably be made of fiberglass or carbon fiber material.”

He added, “If we knew we would be a part of history, we would have paid more attention to what we were doing.”

Walter Jefferies’s imitators are considerably more painstaking. They fixate on the contours of the seat, its angle of recline, the exact color and size of the controls, and myriad other details.

When Tod Sturgeon of Auburn, Wash., the manager of a private security firm, built his chair in 2006, he was consumed with the paint job.

“I got six or eight different grays, put them on a sheet of wood, compared them to what I saw on the small screen, and did sort of an average,” said Mr. Sturgeon, 40. “We Trekkies really do get down in the wheat sometimes.”


Tod Sturgeon is obsessed over details like paint color
and control buttons.



Mr. Veazie, of Washington, spent several hours a day for two weeks last spring sanding, spackling, and otherwise smoothing out the grain of his plywood frame. “The finishing took forever,” he said. “I could have spent another month on it. I was obsessed with fidelity.”

In the fictional “Star Trek” universe, the chair’s buttons and switches were used for deep-space communication, signaling alerts and other command functions. Some latter-day Captain Kirks have their own ideas.

“I want to put an intercom system in it that would control the intercom system in my house and operate some lights,” said Mr. Marshall, the phlebotomist. “For that couch potato thing.”

Mr. Paugh, the financial planner, is wiring his chair’s innards with 25-watt bulbs to light up its epoxy resin knobs. The bulbs’ ceramic sockets will be surrounded by foil to protect the encircling wood from the heat, exactly like its 1960s progenitor, according to a description in the catalog for the 2002 auction from the California auction house Profiles in History.

“I want to have it look just as gross inside as the real one, even though the people I’m going to show it to can’t see it,” Mr. Paugh said. “I know that doesn’t make me sound particularly sane.”

For those willing to be a little less hands-on, Diamond Select Toys & Collectibles, a company in Timonium, Md., that specializes in science fiction and comic-book novelties, has just begun selling a ready-to-use model for about $2,700. This version — which the company says it plans to limit to 1,701 pieces, in honor of the Enterprise’s Starfleet registration number — includes light and sound effects emanating from the control knobs, push buttons, rocker switches and a mock intercom on the chair’s boxy armrests.

So what, beyond pushing buttons, do these men — as all Kirk chair owners appear to be — do with the most conspicuous piece of furniture in the room?

Some watch TV in theirs, or simply loll, and some seem to find the chair an empowering place from which to deal with others. “When we have a little family powwow — I have four children — I sit in it to lay down the law,” said Mr. Boyd, the auto parts manager.

And most, of course, indulge their fantasies, imagining doing battle with Klingons and otherwise cruising the cosmos. “Sitting in it,” said Mr. Bradshaw, the graphic designer, “I find myself striking an action pose quite unconsciously.”

To his regret, he must strike those poses in his home office. “My wife is not big on it,” he said. “I’ve actually been threatened with divorce if it comes into the living room.”

Mr. Sturgeon’s wife is more understanding. Though her husband’s chair measures, like most of its counterparts, an obtrusive 40 inches wide, 44 inches tall, and 38 inches deep — with extra room needed to swivel — she permits it in the living room.

“Every once in a while I’ll play a ‘Star Trek’  video game in front of the chair and pretend I’m in command of the fleet,” Mr. Sturgeon said. “But by this time I’m so used to it that it’s just like any other chair. Maybe I feel like I’m in command of the house.”

“You sit in the chair,” Mike Paugh said, “and you’re watching an episode and pushing buttons and you find yourself saying, Fire photon torpedoes or whatever, and you’re making the sounds yourself because I don’t have the sound effects yet.”

“Personally,” said his wife, Barbara, “I think my husband is a nerd.”

For all the labor and money the chair builders expend, they generally don’t park themselves in the captain’s seat for too long.


Capt. James T. Kirk.


It’s not the most comfortable of chairs,” Mr. Veazie said. “The arms are too low and they’re too far apart. Now I know why William Shatner was always leaning forward in it.”

There is another possible explanation, suggested Eddie Paskey, who as Mr. Shatner’s stand-in on “Star Trek” spent much time in the chair during camera and lighting set-ups. “Early on, Bill sat down, leaned back, and it went over backwards,” he said.

No word, though, from Captain Kirk himself. “Mr. Shatner is not doing any ‘Star Trek’-related interviews right now,” his assistant, Christopher T. Carley, wrote in an e-mail message, “because of the new movie.”
"Tu doives entendre je t'aime."
(and you know who I am...)


Cowboy Curtis (Laurence Fishburne)
and Pee-wee in the 1990 episode
"Camping Out"

Offline oilgun

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #112 on: March 19, 2009, 01:53:07 pm »


OMG is right!  Even in the new Star Trek the women's uniforms are mini dresses?!

Offline Meryl

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #113 on: March 19, 2009, 06:01:00 pm »
Great article, thanks, John!  You've gotta love Trekkie nerds.  :-*

Set course for the next movie.  Engage!  :D
Ich bin ein Brokie...

Offline Aloysius J. Gleek

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #114 on: March 19, 2009, 08:06:39 pm »



Great article, thanks, John!  You've gotta love Trekkie nerds.  :-*

Set course for the next movie.  Engage!  :D






Isn't there a Klingon vessel just outside the window? Uh, I mean, at the portbow, on the, uh, viewscreen.
Opposite the bookcase.





LOVE the DVD player and the wires and ESPECIALLY love the flowered bracket-sconce thingies.
As offerings for Vaal, don't you know.





I bet his boots hurt.
"Tu doives entendre je t'aime."
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Offline Aloysius J. Gleek

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #115 on: March 19, 2009, 09:54:36 pm »



OMG is right!  Even in the new Star Trek the women's uniforms are mini dresses?!

Hmmm. Something wrong about that mini. Doesn't look right, somehow.




I was born in 1954, so this is my era.
I was a Flower Child Wannabe, I loved mini-skirts, and I loved  Nichelle Nichols.



http://greyfalcon.us/restored/Star%20Trek.htm

Star Trek: A Phenomenon and Social Statement on the 1960s
Copyright © 1995 J. William Snyder, Jr.
Permission granted to copy and use for private study and other non-commercial and academic purposes.


Lt. Uhura, played by Nichelle Nichols is the highest ranking female officer to serve aboard the USS Enterprise during the three years that the series ran on network television. Lt. Uhura serves as communications officer and as fourth in command of the Enterprise (Gerrold 141). To have a woman in such a prominent position on board a starship with her responsibility is truly amazing for a television show in the 1960's (Editor 37). She is almost never portrayed as a stereotypical woman incapable of accomplishing anything without male assistance. As a strong, fierce character, she can take care of herself quite well. In the episode "Mirror, Mirror", Uhura's task is to divert the attention of parallel-Sulu from his helmsman's post so Engineer Scott can divert power to the transporter room necessary to send her, Captain Kirk, Dr. McCoy, and Lt. Cmdr. Scott back to their own universe. Taking advantage of parallel-Sulu's desire for her, she moves in to "divert" his attention wish a seemingly sexual advance, only to violently slap him back once the indicator light on the helmsman's position warning of the power shift has gone out. She then defends herself quite nicely against the angry parallel-Sulu with a knife. Nichelle Nichols had much to do with portraying her character and fighting for her character's status. Ms. Nichols during an interview with David Gerrold mentioned that in the script for one episode, Lt. Uhura was to assume the helmsman's position because all the senior officers were on a planet, but the script was rewritten to exclude that action by the Lieutenant. Nichols "pitched a bitch" over being written out. "When you're out in space, in a dangerous situation. you're not going to have some female that goes, 'Ooooh, Captain, save me, save me!'" (81). Ms. Nichols was bound and determined to secure a prominant place for Lt. Uhura and the rest of the women aboard the Enterprise.
"Tu doives entendre je t'aime."
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Cowboy Curtis (Laurence Fishburne)
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Offline delalluvia

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #116 on: March 19, 2009, 10:25:37 pm »
I love me some Trekkers!!!   :-* :-*

Really pumped to see the move!!

Now I like Karl Urban...but as a Southern boy McCoy?!?!

Offline Aloysius J. Gleek

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #117 on: March 20, 2009, 12:00:58 am »



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nichelle_Nichols

Nichelle Nichols
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia





Nichelle Nichols (born Grace Nichols; December 28, 1932) is an American actress, singer and voice artist.

(....)

Star Trek

It was in Star Trek  that Nichols gained popular recognition by being one of the first black women featured in a major television series not playing a servant; her prominent supporting role as a female black bridge officer was unprecedented. During the first year of the series, Nichols was tempted to leave the show, as she felt her role lacked significance; however, a conversation with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. changed her mind. Though specifics of the conversation vary, in generalities she has reported that Dr. King personally encouraged her to stay on the show, telling her that he was a big fan of the series and told her she "could not give up" since she was playing a vital role model for black children and young women across the country. It is also often reported that Dr. King added that "Once that door is opened by someone, no one else can close it again." Another of her famous fans is Barack Obama, who watched her on Star Trek while a young boy in Honolulu.

Former NASA astronaut Mae Jemison has cited Nichols's role of Lt. Uhura as her inspiration for wanting to become an astronaut and Whoopi Goldberg has also spoken of Nichols's influence. Goldberg herself eventually landed a recurring role in Star Trek: The Next Generation  as Guinan, while Jemison appeared in an episode of the series.

In her role as Lt. Uhura, Nichols famously kissed Canadian actor William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk in the 1968 Star Trek  episode "Plato's Stepchildren". This is often referred to as the first interracial kiss on US television, however that milestone actually took place when Sammy Davis, Jr. and Nancy Sinatra kissed briefly on the variety program Movin' With Nancy in December 1967. It wasn't even the first interracial kiss on Star Trek,  as Shatner had kissed an alien played by Vietnamese-French actress France Nuyen in the episode "Elaan of Troyius," which was screened earlier that season.

Nevertheless, the scene provoked protest and was seen as groundbreaking, even though the kiss was portrayed as having been forced by alien mind control. Despite a smattering of protest, the majority of the feedback of the incident was positive. In her 1994 autobiography, Beyond Uhura, Star Trek and Other Memories  page 197, Nichols cites a letter from one white Southerner who wrote: "I am totally opposed to the mixing of the races. However, any time a red-blooded American boy like Captain Kirk gets a beautiful dame in his arms that looks like Uhura, he ain't gonna fight it." During the Comedy Central roast of Shatner on August 20, 2006, she referred to the incident and said, "Let's make TV history again ... and you can kiss my black ass!"

Despite the cancellation of the series in 1969, Star Trek  lived on in other ways, and continued to play a part in Nichols's life. She again provided the voice of Uhura in Star Trek: The Animated Series,  in one episode of which, "The Lorelei Signal", Uhura assumes command of the Enterprise. Nichols noted in her autobiography her frustration over this never occurring in the original series. Also, Nichols has costarred in six Star Trek  films, her last being Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.
"Tu doives entendre je t'aime."
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Cowboy Curtis (Laurence Fishburne)
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Offline delalluvia

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #118 on: March 20, 2009, 12:29:36 am »
It wasn't even the first interracial kiss on Star Trek,  as Shatner had kissed an alien played by Vietnamese-French actress France Nuyen in the episode "Elaan of Troyius," which was screened earlier that season.

I remember seeing France Nuyen in that episode when I was a little kid watching Star Trek in reruns.  I liked how ethnic she looked, her spirit, how exotically beautiful she was, down to the great hairpiece - which was ahead of its time.



I remember Whoopi Goldberg commenting on Lt. Uhura.  She says she remembers thinking, "At least one of us made it."  :)

I love Star Trek.

Offline Aloysius J. Gleek

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #119 on: March 20, 2009, 12:45:11 am »



I guess was feeling a little green that morning...

(Isn't the internet a wonderful, wonderful thing??)


Elaan of Troyius   (5:19)
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtoHl8in7Hk&feature=related[/youtube]




Elaan of Troyius
Directed by John Meredyth Lucas.
Perf. William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, Nichelle Nichols, James Doohan, George Takei, and Walter Koenig.
Star Trek. Season 3, episode 2.
NBC. 20 December 1968.
DVD. Paramount, 2008.
"Tu doives entendre je t'aime."
(and you know who I am...)


Cowboy Curtis (Laurence Fishburne)
and Pee-wee in the 1990 episode
"Camping Out"

Offline Aloysius J. Gleek

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #120 on: March 20, 2009, 01:05:29 am »
Wha-hoo! It's here!  8)



Uhura Slaps Sulu
Nichelle Nichols, George Takei
   (0:51)
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7c5C6t6lFfg&feature=related[/youtube]

"Tu doives entendre je t'aime."
(and you know who I am...)


Cowboy Curtis (Laurence Fishburne)
and Pee-wee in the 1990 episode
"Camping Out"

Offline delalluvia

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #121 on: March 20, 2009, 08:11:46 pm »
Wha-hoo! It's here!  8)



Uhura Slaps Sulu
Nichelle Nichols, George Takei
   (0:51)
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7c5C6t6lFfg&feature=related[/youtube]



As a little kid, I remember this being a pretty hot scene.  The interracial aspect of it never crossed my mind.  They made one of those great vicious couples.

Offline Aloysius J. Gleek

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #122 on: March 20, 2009, 10:52:46 pm »


As a little kid, I remember this being a pretty hot scene.  The interracial aspect of it never crossed my mind.  They made one of those great vicious couples.


And with George really  being gai, Gai, GAI, well--the mind boggles!   8)
"Tu doives entendre je t'aime."
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Cowboy Curtis (Laurence Fishburne)
and Pee-wee in the 1990 episode
"Camping Out"

Offline delalluvia

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #123 on: March 21, 2009, 01:03:07 am »
And with George really  being gai, Gai, GAI, well--the mind boggles!

 :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

That never crossed my mind either.  ;D

Offline Meryl

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #124 on: March 21, 2009, 01:23:49 am »
It wasn't even the first interracial kiss on Star Trek,  as Shatner had kissed an alien played by Vietnamese-French actress France Nuyen in the episode "Elaan of Troyius," which was screened earlier that season.

I remember seeing France Nuyen in that episode when I was a little kid watching Star Trek in reruns.  I liked how ethnic she looked, her spirit, how exotically beautiful she was, down to the great hairpiece - which was ahead of its time.



I remember Whoopi Goldberg commenting on Lt. Uhura.  She says she remembers thinking, "At least one of us made it."  :)

I love Star Trek.

France Nuyen as the Dolman of (Something) was certainly one of the hottest of Kirk's women.  A memorable scene!

Star Trek will never be topped for tacky, lovable, over-the-top greatness.  :-*
Ich bin ein Brokie...

Offline delalluvia

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #125 on: March 21, 2009, 01:38:43 am »
She was the Dolman of Elas.

I was trying to think of the name of the babe Kirk had in the episode "Mirror Mirror" and I just now got it - Barbara Luna.  She was hot too.  Ethnic as well.

Not a great shot, but it has sexy bearded Spock!







Looks like Barbara Luna was the Eva Longoria of the 60's.  The resemblance is startling.

I liked her too. There was a funny Trek story about how a bunch of teenybopper girls thought the idea of a Captain's woman was a good one.  So they wrote in and wrote in, signing petitions asking for Kirk to have a 'Captain's woman'.  Finally the producer wrote back to the ringleader of these young teenagers and said, "A Captain's woman is not really a very nice lady, why don't you ask your mothers..."

And he never heard back from them again.  :laugh:

Hm, thinking about it, ya gotta hand it to Shatner.  In an era still very racially prejudiced, he was pretty game to make out with all these ethnic leading ladies.


Offline Kd5000

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #126 on: March 26, 2009, 04:18:56 pm »
The Captain Kirk kissing Lt. Uhura must have been a big deal in it's day.

An older female friend of mine tells me "That's all we talked about at school (junior high) the next day. And we never talked about tv. It was such a Get Out (!) moment"  ;)    She can still do a pretty good imitation of the "moment of shock." 

Has Star Trek ever done a passionate same sex kiss yet?  The new movie is coming out. I wouldn't bet on a same sex kiss in it! >:( 
The new Captain Kirk looks pretty cute if a bit young to be a starship captain.

Offline Aloysius J. Gleek

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #127 on: March 26, 2009, 04:54:50 pm »


The new Captain Kirk looks pretty cute if a bit young to be a starship captain.


If they get any younger...

They'll be 'Star Trek Babies'!

 ::)
"Tu doives entendre je t'aime."
(and you know who I am...)


Cowboy Curtis (Laurence Fishburne)
and Pee-wee in the 1990 episode
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Offline oilgun

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #128 on: March 27, 2009, 05:30:59 pm »
[Chris Pine needs to be spanked!   ;) ]


The pilot of BsG's spin-off is being released on DVD in April!.  It looks like it's going to be a really good Family Drama with Eric Stoltz and Esai Morales!
watch the trailer: http://www.capricadvd.com/


Caprica DVD (Anamorphic Widescreen)
An astonishing breakthrough is taking shape on the planet Caprica. The rapidly evolving spheres of human and mechanical engineering have collided, along with the fates of two families. Joined by tragedy in an explosive instant of terror, two rival clans led by powerful patriarchs, Joseph Adama (Esai Morales, Jericho) and Daniel Greystone (Eric Stoltz, The Butterfly Effect) duel in an era of questionable ethics, corporate machinations and unbridled personal ambition as the final war for humanity looms.

The latest phenomenon from the executive producers of Battlestar Galactica (Ronald D. Moore and David Eick), set in a time over 50 years earlier, Caprica is entirely its own world - provocative, thrilling and startling relevant to our own.

Starring: Eric Stoltz, Esai Morales, Sina Najafi, Polly Walker, Alessandra Toreson, Avan Jogia
Directed by: Jeffrey Reiner

Offline delalluvia

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #129 on: March 28, 2009, 02:59:46 pm »
The Captain Kirk kissing Lt. Uhura must have been a big deal in it's day.

An older female friend of mine tells me "That's all we talked about at school (junior high) the next day. And we never talked about tv. It was such a Get Out (!) moment"  ;)    She can still do a pretty good imitation of the "moment of shock." 

Has Star Trek ever done a passionate same sex kiss yet?  The new movie is coming out. I wouldn't bet on a same sex kiss in it! >:( 

WoHOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!  That would be sooooooooooo hot!!!  I daresay after the movie comes out, if they don't show a same sex couple in the movie, there will be a thousand slash fan fics launched that will.

Quote
The new Captain Kirk looks pretty cute if a bit young to be a starship captain.

Very cute, way too young.  He could be captain of a frigate or something.   >:(  I understand Hollywood trying to get a 'new generation' into the Star Trek tent, but cow-towing to the current youth culture is wrong.  What next?  Zac Efron and Miley Cyrus as the next U.S. presidential family?

Was anyone else disappointed with BSG:(  Was anyone a real person?

Offline Kelda

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #130 on: April 02, 2009, 05:04:00 am »
Angel star Hallett dies aged 33

 :'(

Andy Hallett, a singer who gained fame portraying a green-skinned demon on the cult US TV series Angel, has died of congestive heart disease aged 33.

Hallett was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles after having problems breathing and died there on Sunday, his agent said.

It follows a five-year battle with the heart condition.

The star appeared on more than 70 episodes of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer spinoff between 2000 and 2004.

Born and raised in Osterville, Massachusetts, Hallett moved to LA when he was 23 and worked as a messenger at a talent agency.

He went on to become an assistant to the wife of Buffy the Vampire Slayer creator Joss Whedon - who had Hallett audition for the part of Lorne on Angel after seeing him perform karaoke.

Hallett proved himself a fan favourite on the show as the show tune loving, red-horned demon who could read a person's aura when they sang, revealing their problems and futures.

The series, which starred Bones actor David Boreanaz as the brooding vampire Angel, ran for five seasons before it was cancelled in 2004.

Hallett was diagnosed with his heart condition at the end of the show and had been in and out of hospitals for the past five years.

He decided to concentrate on his own music, stepping away from acting, agent Pat Brady said.

Hallett, an only child, is survived by his father Dave Hallett and mother Lori Hallett.

A private funeral service will be held for family and close friends in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, this weekend.


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Offline Aloysius J. Gleek

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #131 on: April 08, 2009, 12:01:46 am »


http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/16/set-faces-to-stunned-star-trek-writer-sues-over-episode/






March 16, 2009, 10:57 am
Set Faces to Stunned:
‘Star Trek’ Writer Sues Over Episode



By Dave Itzkoff


Updated | 11:32 a.m. A vintage “Star Trek” episode about the perils of time travel has created unpleasant present-day repercussions for the CBS Paramount studio, which produced the original television series. Harlan Ellison, the author and screenwriter of the “Star Trek” episode “The City on the Edge of Forever,” has filed suit against CBS Paramount, saying that the studio has not paid him merchandising and publishing revenue it earned from the episode, Variety reported. The episode, which was first broadcast in 1967, follows Captain Kirk as he travels back to the Great Depression and falls in love with a social worker played by Joan Collins. In his suit, Mr. Ellison said he had not been paid for merchandise based on the episode, including a series of books and a talking Christmas tree ornament. Under the terms of a master contract with the Writers Guild of America, Mr. Ellison is entitled to 25 percent of revenues from derived from the licensing of publication rights. Mr. Ellison is also suing the Writers Guild, for $1 plus court costs, for not acting on his behalf.

Watch an original preview for the “Star Trek” episode “City on the Edge of Forever”:


[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uU3B_5hVsns&eurl=[/youtube]
"Tu doives entendre je t'aime."
(and you know who I am...)


Cowboy Curtis (Laurence Fishburne)
and Pee-wee in the 1990 episode
"Camping Out"

Offline Meryl

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #132 on: April 14, 2009, 12:06:52 pm »
All week I've been seeing promos for this week's episode of C.S.I.   It's all about Star Trek!  It looks fabulous, and I've put in on my must-see list:

It's called "A Space Oddity"

http://www.cbs.com/primetime/csi/video/video.php?cid=544177912&pid=Os_thxys70RbzumL4gpNK2dW1q6A2oVN&category=recent&play=true

Thursday at 9:00 EDT on CBS.  :D
Ich bin ein Brokie...

Offline oilgun

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #133 on: May 02, 2009, 02:44:22 pm »



Has anyone watched this TV series' pilot movie yet?  I really enjoyed it and look forward to the rest of the series.  Although it's very different than BsG, being more reality-based, it still has the same atmospheric tone and is an affecting human drama.  The main characters have depth and promise to be very compelling and the acting is top-notch.  I was pleasantly surprised to see Polly Walker of ROME fame, I didn't know she was involved. It also features the very first Cylon, built by the Eric Stoltz character.  The themes the show addresses are, like BSG, very relevant to today's world and they are handled intelligently and very creatively.  Highly recommended.

Offline Kd5000

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #134 on: May 02, 2009, 05:36:46 pm »
 “Star Trek” episode “The City on the Edge of Forever”

My favorite episode of the entire franchise. And I've read that the episode had many rewrites, though I can't remember for sure what the changes were, though they were for the better with an ending that became even more heart breaking.

The new STAR TREK movie deals with time travel, a repeating cycle, with the crew having vague recollections that they've been thru this before.  It sounds similar to a Star Trek episode (Captain Janeway) made 10 years ago or perhaps I'm reminded of Donnie Darko.

Speaking of time travel, I see The Time Traveler's Wife (it was a very popular book a few years back) is scheduled for release latter this summer.  They promise it won't be a "chic flick."  ;)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0452694/

Offline oilgun

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #135 on: May 02, 2009, 07:22:18 pm »
The Time Traveller's Wife reminded me that The Astronaut's Wife was on TV last night.  For some strange reason I hated it the first time I saw it back when it was released.  I think it was the fact that Johnny Depp plays such a creepy character and I projected my dislike of the character on to the film itself, which is something I'm usually careful not to do.  Anyway, I have to radically change my assessment. 

I really enjoyed it this time around.  Johnny is indeed very unlikeable as the astronaut who returns to earth "not quite himself" and Charlize Theron is excellent as his hapless wife, Rosemary Jillian, who may have been empregnated by an alien.  The stylish film is beautifully atmospheric and with its mainly interior scenes gives the viewer a real sense of claustrophobia.  I love the shot of the two security monitors showing the interior of the elevators.  Johnny Depp is in one and Charlize in the other, yet they can feel each other's presence.  It's horribly creepy in a subtle quiet way.

Offline oilgun

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #136 on: May 04, 2009, 05:45:17 pm »
CAPRICA will have a gay character apparently.  But we have to wait until 2010 to find out who it is?

http://www.afterelton.com/blog/michaeljensen/IMHO-caprica-pilot

Offline Meryl

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #137 on: May 04, 2009, 05:55:58 pm »
I'm sorry I missed the pilot of "Caprica," but hopefully I'll see it one of these days.  Thanks for the report, Gil.  8)
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Offline oilgun

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #138 on: May 11, 2009, 06:16:51 pm »
The DOLLHOUSE finale last week really kicked ass, it made up for the  piss-poor episode from the week before.  Lots of stuff was revealed, including a main character that turned out to be a Doll, and the dialogue was especially sharp witty.  I think ithe show has a great premise but still hasn't uite found its groove yet.  I understand that the ratings dropped consistently during the season so I doubt that it will return next year, which would be too bad.

Offline CellarDweller

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #139 on: May 11, 2009, 06:58:25 pm »
Was never much into Sci-Fi, but I would assume my favorite TV show fell under "fantasy".

Charmed is an American television series that originally aired from October 7, 1998 until May 21, 2006, when its network, The WB, ceased operation.  The series was created in 1998 by writer Constance M. Burge and was produced by Aaron Spelling and his Spelling Television company, with the show runner being writer-director Brad Kern.

Charmed initially starred Shannen Dougherty, Alyssa Milano, and Holly Marie Combs as sisters.





When their grandmother dies, the Halliwell sisters Prudence (Shannen), Piper (Holly) and Phoebe (Alyssa) move into her home.  Phoebe goes into the attic, and discovers a trunk with a large book called "The Book Of Shadows" inside.  She opens it, and discovers that they are from a long line of witches.  It's their destiny to become "the Charmed ones", and protect humanity from demons and evil.

Each sister had a specific power.  Eldest Prudence could move objects with her mind.  Middle sister Piper could temporarily freeze time, and youngest sister Phoebe could see the future.

After two successful seasons, tensions rose between Dougherty and Milano.  Apparently, in the middle of the third season, Doughtery said to producers "either she goes, or I go!" thinking that they would write Milano out of the script.  Instead, writers killed off Dougherty's "Prudence" character.

The problem with this was the show was based on the "power of three", meaning the bond of the three sisters.

Enter Rose McGowan.





Season four started with Prudence's funeral.  However, Piper and Phoebe discover that they have a half sister that they didn't know existed.  When they meet youngest half sister Paige, her powers become active, and she takes over for Prudence, moving objects with her mind.

The show lasted for another 5 seasons, and remained a ratings grabber for the WB network.
« Last Edit: January 18, 2010, 11:55:38 am by CellarDweller »


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Offline Lynne

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Re: All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy
« Reply #140 on: January 18, 2010, 02:08:52 am »
Chuckie - CHARMED is high on my list of things to check out soon.  But I have to start from the beginning...the mid-episodes have left me confused and unhappy.

I just wanted to report, dysfunctional as it may be, that in the past week I've finished the first two seasons of TORCHWOOD.  I think it's pretty clear that Season 2 was better than Season 1, overall, but Season 2 left me wanting more and actually grieving.

Although James Marsters appeared as villian/friend in Season 2 - and I love him from Buffy/Angel - he caused me a lot of disconcertion in his TORCHWOOD episodes.  It seems he may be redeemable, but I'm not yet convinced.

So...I guess I'll wait and see what happens next, not much choice, is there?  :)


Other related programming I've been watching that I like are

Jericho
Jeremiah
Leverage


For only two seasons, JERICHO is pretty damn great.
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