Interview: Dorothy Fontana Talks Comics, New Novel, Canon Challenges, and More
D.C. Fontana gives us her thoughts on canon, M’Ress, Ira Steven Behr, and so much more.
TOS
Producer: Paramount Trying To Convince Shatner?
Since TrekMovie.com first announced Paramount (and MI3) veteran Stratton Leopold was going to be the unit production manager and one of the executive producers for the new Star Trek we have not heard anything from him. He did join the usual Abrams mafia (Orci, Kurtzman, Burk, and Lindelof) on stage at Comic-Con, but he didn’t say a word. Leopold is more of a behind the scenes kind of guy keeping the trains running on time, but he did give his local paper the (The Savannah Morning News) an interview where he dropped an interesting tidbit about Shatner: Leonard Nimoy will be back as Spock, said Leopold, and studio executives still hope to convince William Shatner to suit up as Captain Kirk one more time.
VegasCon 07 – Shatner Grills Nimoy On Star Trek Movie
As is the custom, when appearing at conventions together Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner each talk to the audience alone (one after the other) and then follow it up with a joint appearance. As Nimoy’s solo portion was winding down William Shatner came onto the stage and they had the following exchange Nimoy: How you been, Billy?Shatner: I’ve been pretty good – not as good as you, of course!Nimoy: Been working a lot?Shatner: (remorsefully) No, no — I’ve been waiting for the call…I’m hanging by the telephone waiting for the callNimoy: I’ll call youShatner: It’s not the same as J.J. …and it got funnier from there….
Vegas Con 07 – Nimoy uses TrekMovie.com comments to make a point [UPDATED]
[UPDATED] After being introduced as ‘the star of the new Star Trek movie,’ Leonard Nimoy hit the stage in Vegas, took off his jacket, and turned around to reveal his T-Shirt was emblazoned with “#1 Vulcan” on the back (sending the standing room only crowd of thousands into a frenzy). After things settled down he wryly said “I can’t imagine what you want to hear about today.” Spontaneously the crowd started chanting “movie! movie! movie!” Nimoy started off by saying “I’ve been on the Internet the last two days and what is amazing to me how people are spending their time on these blogs and website – TrekMovie.com – hundreds of people are on there expressing their opinions about what should be done with Star Trek next. People who have never directed a Star Trek episode, people who have never directed a film, people who have never directed traffic – are voicing their opinions about what to do with the next Star Trek movie. It is fascinating.” He then pulled our a sheet of paper and I knew what was coming next!
Nichelle Nichols To Appear In Heroes
Is the NBC hit Heroes becoming a proxy for Star Trek?. First there was the popular recurring role for George Takei (TOS: Sulu), then Dominic Keating (ENT: Malcolm Reed) was announced to recur in the 2nd Season and then series regular Zachary Quinto was announced as the new Mr. Spock for the new Star Trek movie. Earlier this week Heroes creator Tim Kring told E! News that he was looking "for another face that will have a very similar impact" to Takei when he came onto the show. Now TrekMovie.com can reveal the ‘face’ Kring was talking about is none other than Nichelle Nichols, the original Uhura. Last week TrekMovie.com was told by a source about the Nichols casting and today had a chance to ask the actress herself about it (at the Las Vegas Creation Star Trek Convention). Nichols confirmed that she will have a recurring role, but couldn’t give any more details – noting the show’s penchant for secrecy. According to our source Nichols will appear in 5-6 episodes of the second season of Heroes.
VegasCon07 – Justman Embraces Change
From the Las Vegas Creation Star Trek Convention (Thursday)Original Star Trek (and early TNG) supervising producer Robert Justman came to Vegas to show the crowd to show a rare documentary and take some questions from the crowd. Justman said that his work on Trek was the ‘emotional best’ ofhis long career in television, but the workload was ‘debilitating.’ The producer was asked if he thought Gene Roddenberry would have approved of the ‘more militaristic’ Deep Space Nine series (the first Trek series created after the creator of TOS and TNG passed away). Justman said that he didn’t know, but noted that “things change…rapidly at times.” Regarding change Justman said that he was “thrilled” about the new J.J. Abrams Star Trek movie. He declared the premise or returning to the early years of the TOS crew ‘enticing and exciting.’ He was also very happy to hear that Leonard Nimoy was returning to play Spock.
Billy Blackburn Talks Life on The Trek Set and Home Movies On New HD-DVDs
Billy Blackburn spent three years as a background player on Star Trek, playing Lt. Hadley (pictured right) along with a number of other characters. Blackburn appeared in 61 episodes of the series and while he was there he shot some 8mm and Super 8 home movies. Blackburn ended up with a little over an hour of behind the scenes footage which has kept in a box for forty years. Some clips were used in a BBC documentary a few years back and it was the YouTube version of those that got the Trek Remastered producers interested. It turns out that Ryan Adams who works on the Trek Remastered project is Billy Blackburn’s neighbor. After watching the clips on YouTube he went to over to Billy’s house and asked if they could take a look at the stash…and now they are on the new HD-DVDs. I had a chance to chat with Mr. Blackburn at Comic Con.
Shatner On ‘Collision Course’ – His Vision Of Kirk and Spock’s Early Years + Preview
William Shatner (along with Judith and Garfield Reeves Stevens) has a new book coming out this fall called "Star Trek: The Academy–Collision Course". In a new video Shatner talks about how the book has a disclaimer making sure fans know it is ‘his vision.’.
Interview With Leonard Nimoy – Part 2
In the second part of the TrekMovie.com exclusive interview with Leonard Nimoy, the actor talks about his thoughts on the new Spock (Zachary Quinto), William Shatner not being in the film (as of now) and J.J. Abrams abilities as a director…and ‘technobabble.’ full interview below
Review “This Side Of Paradise” Remastered & The First TOS-R ‘Season’
PARADISE LOST: LOVING THE ALIEN After watching last weekend’s ‘remastered’ version of “This Side of Paradise,” it’s not hard to imagine how Philip Kaufman got the idea to cast Leonard Nimoy in his 1979 remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, one of the most underrated genre films of the 70’s (re-issued in a the new Invasion of the Body Snatchers DVD (Collector’s Edition) next month and definitely worth buying, BTW). Re-imagined as a paranoid sci-fi film noir, Kaufman’s film is sheer genius (which doesn’t taken anything away from the original which is also a superlative film) which managed to showcase Leonard Nimoy in a role that we seemingly had not seen him in before in which he goes from an emotional psychoanalyst to a cold, logical pod person in a heinous corduroy suit transformed by alien spores. It was while watching “This Side of Paradise” again that I realized what a debt of gratitude this wonderful episode owes to Jack Finney’s classic “Body Snatchers” tale, but not in a goofy, body switching piece of sci-fi theatrics like The Next Generation’s “Power Play” in which Data, Troi and O’Brien go all Kryptonian on the crew of the Enterprise D, but rather using the body snatching motif to illuminate character nuance.
Interview With Leonard Nimoy – Part 1
In a TrekMovie.com exclusive, Leonard Nimoy talks for the first time about returning as Spock in the J.J. Abrams new Star Trek film. In this first of two parts the original Spock talks about the script and new team, why he didn’t appear in Generations and why he decided to come out of retirement for this film. click more for the full interview
This Side of Paradise Screenshots and Video
TOS-R Goes Widescreen In Japan
As previously reported TOS-R made its debut in Japan (starting July 21st). This is first place to show the remastered Original Series outside the USA and it appears that the Japanese are also the first to see TOS-R in 16×9 widescreen. Here are some comparison images live action shot USA v Japan
Review: Star Trek: Klingons — Blood Will Tell #4
Blood Will Tell #4 is the latest in IDW’s series of famous Trek stories told from the Klingon point of view. In this case: "Day of the Dove." K’ahlynn accompanies her grandfather, Kahnrah, to the Museum of Military Triumph and Conquest. They meet Morglar, an old comrade of Kahnrah’s, and former security officer aboard the Voh’Tahk, commanded by Kang. Morglar recollects the events of Day of the Dove.
Breathe In The “This Side Of Paradise” Preview
Your browser does not support inline frames or is currently configured not to display inline frames. The Remastered "This Side Of Paradise" airs this weekend…preview courtesy of STARTREK.COM
CBS Testing Remastering TNG in HD
I had a moment to have a chat with some of the CBS team behind the TOS Remastered project at Comic Con about what’s next (after TOS). David Grant tells TrekMovie.com that they have "had discussions" to bring Star Trek The Next Generation onto high definition. They have also created an HD test for one episode. One concern is the visual effects which were were done in video and therefore more difficult to translate to HD. The team are seeing if the effects can be ‘upresed’ or if they need to be entirely redone (as they did with TOS). Ryan Adams says "that is part of the tests that we are trying to massage and figure out." No decisions made yet on if, when or how, but TrekMovie.com will keep an eye on this exciting potential project.
Details on TOS-R HD-DVDs [updated]
CBS has released details for the upcoming 1st season of Star Trek: The Original Series digitally remastered for HD-DVD: Disks: 10 (box)Format: HD-DVD Combo (double sided w/ HD-DVD on one and standard DVD on other)Sug. price: $217.99 [oh my]Release Date: November 20, 2007HD Features (include) a "Starfleet Access” interface picture-in-picture video commentaries, comparisons of re-mastered vs. original effects, encyclopedic information (science, life forms, technology), episode trivia and more on seven episodes. in-depth tour of the starship Enterprise documentary on making of remastered Trek behind the scenes footage (also on regular DVD side) [related story] more details below…
Review “The Squire Of Gothos” Remastered
“What does God need with a starship?”–James Kirk, “Star Trek V: The Final Frontier” I know, it’s off the map to mention “Star Trek V” in a review of a TOS-R episode, but in watching “The Squire of Gothos,” I couldn’t help but replay the moment from the 1989 movie through my head where James Kirk faces down a God-like being with some healthy skepticism. Captain Kirk does not suffer deities kindly, especially those who abuse their power. Be it an Ancient Greek god or a super-computer, there is a recurring theme that comes up throughout The Original Series and it is best summed up by Mr. Spock in this very episode: “I object to intellect without discipline. I object to power without constructive purpose.” Fellow Trek fans, this is the sort of stuff that elevates Star Trek above your average science-fiction fare. “The Squire of Gothos” is vintage Trek.
Star Trek and TrekMovie.com @ Comic Con 2007
Everyone knows that this week’s comic con in San Diego is going to be a big moment for Star Trek. The two biggest news events will be on Thursday the 26th.[all time PST] Thu 12:30 – 1:30 TOS-R on HD-DVD: All about new Remastered Trek on HD DVD. Thu 1:30 – 3:30 Paramount Presentation: Covers multiple Paramount films including Star Trek and 1-18-08. JJ Abrams to attend with other producers…Trek expected to be last TrekMovie.com will report from both as soon as possible…so keep checking back. Later on Thursday I will also be a panelist on a Geek Monthly.com Star Trek Panel. Plus there are other Trek related panels & events (details on all Trek events below)
Red Shirt Compiliation(s)
The KvP script contest is now over (final script here). Wil Wheaton and KvP team have put together one their last vlogs…a great compilation of Red Shirt deaths.
The Squire of Gothos Screenshots and Video
Shatner On Tabloid Stories: Not Upset – Not Lobbying For Part
If you just cannot get enough of Shat talking about not being in the movie…here is more from Shatnervision. Shatner says he has ‘known for a while’ that he will not be in the new Star Trek, and that he called director J.J. Abrams after the recent rumors hit the tabloids to tell him he wasn’t upset. The original Captain Kirk did admit to being ‘disappointed.’
Nimoy Coy About Part In New ‘Star Trek’ – Shatner Says He Is Not In It [UPDATED]
William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy appeared today at a Creation’s New Jersey Star Trek convention. TrekMovie.com received a con report from Ky-Malairn who reports that Nimoy was pestered for details regarding his participation in the new film, but would only repeat As of this time I don’t have a deal to be in the new Star Trek movie.
D.C. Fontana On TAS Canon (and Sybok)
Dorothy Fontana (aka D.C. Fontana) was with Star Trek since the beginning as both a writer and Story Editor for Star Trek: The Original Series. She had the same job for The Animated Series and went on to write episodes for both TNG and DS9 (and even for the recent Trek game and New Voyages fan series). Fontana is interviewed in the new ‘Focus on Trek’ from IDW Comics. The interview covers a number of subjects, but her comments on the often debated issues of canon were noteworthy. Regarding TAS and canon Fontana says that Gene Roddenberry never took TAS seriously. She also does not seem happy with the makers of Star Trek V who gave Spock a half brother (details below)
TOS-R Producer Explains Remastered Production Process
CBS Digital Executive Producer Toni Pace has a new article at DigitalMediaNet where she gives some behind the scenes insights into the Star Trek Remastered project. She says that so far been over 1,800 shots to do and that the project "cannot be done without advanced technology that can track and manage the information on each shot.": To that end she has created a special database to track each shot. Pace goes into detail on how this database is used. For those interested in this kind of thing check it out Digital Media Net, but bear in mind it is written for post production professionals.
Remastered “The Squire Of Gothos” Airs This Weekend
The Enterprise meets another superbeing…but this one is a real snappy dresser. Preview | Episode Info | Show times
Kissing Goodbye To Shatner As Kirk?
In the last week we have learned that William Shatner is probably not going to be in the next Star Trek movie and a week from now we may very well know who the next Kirk will be. Regardless sometime soon Kirk will be embodied by a new actor and Shatner will be a bit like Sean Connery to the Bond franchise (beloved, but not the ‘current’ star). So for our Friday Night Movie it feels appropriate to give our favorite captain one last big kiss.
You Are Cordially Invited To Watch The Preview For “The Squire of Gothos”
Preview for this weekend’s remastered episode "Squire of Gothos" is finally up at STARTREK.com. Your browser does not support inline frames or is currently configured not to display inline frames. There is a also a new "Squire of Gothos" desktop (not a new digital shot) Preview courtesy of STARTREK.COM
Takei & Wheaton On Presidential Qualities of Kirk and Picard
Kirk v Picard script writing contest video bloggers George Takei and Wil Wheaton reflect on the presidential qualities Trek’s most famous captains. [Hollywood Media Elite Alert: the actors also opine on the current President]
Shatner & Lindelof Nominated For Emmys
The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announced the nominees for the 59th annual Emmy Awards and there are a few Trek connections. William Shatner (TOS: Kirk) was again nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Dramatic Series (for Boston Legal). This is Shatner’s fourth year in a row being nominated (he now has a total of five nominations and two wins: 2004 & 2005). Shatner will be going up against Masi Oka who plays the Star Trek fan Hiro Nakamura on Heroes (Oku’s father is played by George Takei) as well as Lost’s Terry O’Quinn who had a guest spot on TNG. Heroes picked up a total of eight nominations(including Best Dramatic Series), but no nomations for Zachary Quinto (potential new Spock), George Takei (TOS: Sulu) or Greg Grunberg (J.J.Abrams best friend and almost certain Star Trek 2008 cameo). Although he is not nominated for it, the "The Comedy Central Roast of William Shatner" was nominated for Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Special.