Star Trek (2009)

The film has only been out a few days, so I’ll try my best to let you know what I thought, without spoiling the surprises.  I might write more when I can do so without fear of spoiling things for others.

The First Impressions:
Star Trek (2009) is an extremely enjoyable reboot of the franchise, with a fresh approach and a fresh cast the franchise owners can build upon for the foreseeable future. The writers have figured out a way to create an origins story well grounded in the canon, while simultaneously giving themselves absolutely clear territory into which they can move forward. That which was, is relatively safe from meddling. That which will be, is a tabla rasa. Quite a neat trick when you think about it, which is when the trouble starts… thinking about it.

The Genre:
So, how and where does Star Trek 2009 fit into the realm of cinematic science fiction? This episode occupies a region I find interesting because it moves Star Trek further from its ostensible grounding in scientific plausibility and further into the realm occupied by franchises like Star Wars, which gleefully make use of the tropes and symbols of science fiction, but leave the science behind as unwanted baggage. Of course, Star Trek has always been suffused with techno-babble and regularly careened into the patently ridiculous, but, you always felt that science was viewed as an asset instead of a hindrance to good storytelling.

Wait.  Is this truly a shift in positioning?  A search through IMDb seems to indicate that other than the first Star Trek film (where Issac Asimov filled the position) , science advisers or consultants haven’t been credited members of the crew, as opposed to the televised series where folks like André Bormanis, David Paige, and Dave Krieger are included in the credits for Star Trek: The Next Generation, Enterprise, Deep Space Nine and Voyager as scientific consultants.

I think I just contradicted myself.  So be it. “I contradict myself. I am large. I contain multitudes.”

It seems then, that there is a differentiation in the importance of scientific accuracy as a production element between the televised series and the films.  By the way, a quick web search reveals that as recently as early 2008 Carolyn Porco was acting in, and giving interviews in this role, but she is missing from the movie’s credits (at least on IMDb). An oversight? Perhaps. It’s one of the little things I’ll look for when I see the movie again.

Yes, I’ll see it again. Gladly.

The Wrap-Up:
So, where to now? Paramount has an unqualified hit on their hands which has breathed new life into a profitable piece of intellectual property. But, we might ask, what kind of life? Has Star Trek become even more unhinged from science fiction and moved ever more fully into the realm of magic clothed in technical jargon? Nyaaa.  The cinematic half of the franchise was there already.

What Abrams and co. have undeniably done is re-invigorated the relationships between the core characters.  The chemistry among and between them is new, lively, surprising and emotionally charged.

In the end, it is probably a mistake to expect a Star Trek film to be great science fiction, not to mention, a great film.  If that’s what you’re looking for, rent Blade Runner or Ghost in the Shell or A Clockwork Orange or 2001 or Primer or  Terminator or The Thing or Children of Men or The Andromeda Strain or, or, or…

I’ll try not to think about it. Pass the popcorn. Wow, the new Enterprise sure is cool looking.

Forrest J Ackerman, writer, editor and literary agent, born November 24 1916; died December 4 2008

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2008/dec/07/forrest-ackerman-science-fiction-obituary

The Battle Hymn of the Fanation:  the National Fanthem
by Petrov Pederson aka Con Pderson
originally published in THE OUTLANDER #2, May, 1949
(with thanks to Len & June Moffatt for finding this)

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Fan.
He is trampling out the places with Amazing on the stand.
His fantasy collection is the greatest in the land.
Forrest J goes marching on.

Forry, Forry hallelujah
Forry, Forry hallelujah
Forry, Forry hallelujah
Forrest J goes marching on.

Without a mind to guide them and without a guide to spare,
Dick Shaver takes the low road while Ray Palmer tears his hair,
They have felt the mighty vengeance of the Weaver in his lair.
Forrest J goes marching on.

CHORUS

While New Hampshire echoes wildly in the city of LA
With people owing money and without a dime to paym
Their Ackerman will reign until their hair is old and gray.
Forrest J goes marching on.

CHORUS

With Laney in the back seat and with Burbee cranking reams,
Our Ackerman is victim of a host of ghastly schemes,
Tho they think that they will conquer, he will chase them in their dreams.
Forrest J goes marching on.

CHORUS

In the famous Ackermansion, not a bit of room will show
For books and pics and magazines, both amateur and pro,
Not even for a mirror, just to watch his tendrils grow.
Forrest J goes marching on.

CHORUS

(later added by Ted Johnstone and Rick Sneary, in Zap #1)

We tremble in the presence of fandom’s number one
Lest he loose the fateful lightning of his terrible swift pun
His hoard of imitators will soon be on the run
Forrest J goes marching on

CHORUS

We’s the agent for a host of sci-fi writers near and far
His action can decide between a failure and a star
And woe betide his clients if he’s feeling under par
Forrest J goes marching on

CHORUS

In Hollywood he’s an expert on their alien planet scenes
He has seen them all a million times in all his fannish dreams
In his eyes you can see the distant future brightly gleam
Forrest J goes marching on

CHORUS

and back to Pederson’s original for the last verse

When Atomigeddon’s over and the sweeping up’s begun,
When Man deserts the planet and humanity is done,
In science fiction fandom he will still be Number One.
Forrest J goes marching on.

CHORUS

Finish Line Not Crossed

So, I didn’t cross the Script Frenzy finish line. I didn’t make it to 100 pages. In fact, I’m only about 1/2 done (51) pages.

I didn’t work as diligently as I could have. I did, however keep the story from morphing too much and stuck to my treatment.

It will definitely need a re-write. The beginning is somewhat devoid of my personal style, which pushed it’s way to the fore as the month progressed, so the beginning and middle are different in flavor.

I also learned more about the characters as time progressed.  Now, this is a natural

occurrence, even desirable, as long as the added character depth doesn’t make the script

too much longer.

I will finish this. I can’t work on it this weekend though. I have work work to do.

Rules for being a miserable non-writer

1. Take miserable care of your body, your relationships, your finances and everything in your life. Avoid anything that would make you happy — artists have to suffer.
2. Understand that you can only possibly write with your mind is relaxed and untroubled by other concerns. So if there’s anything else at all you ‘should’ be doing, do it instead. For greatest efficiency, just thrash and worry about what you should be doing instead of actually doing anything — that way you can endlessly reuse the exact same things!
3. You know it’s impossible to make a living writing, so have a day job you hate that leaves you mentally, physically and emotionally exhausted. After work, you’ll be in no shape to write, so have some ice cream and watch TV. You deserve it.
4. Invent endless constraints regarding under what circumstances you could get writing done. You need your own office. A special desk. A special pen. Absolute quiet. A certain computer. Spend more time complaining about the lack of these circumstances than actually writing.
5. You’ll be able to get plenty of writing done when you’re independently wealthy and have lots of free time. Just wait till then.
6. There are thousands of writing books. Better read them all before you start. One of them has got to have the secret. (Be sure to skip all the exercises.)
7. Let’s face it, you don’t know enough to be a writer. You’ve never even read [insert famous literary work here]. Better get to it, or no one will take you seriously.
8. Surround yourself with people who are jealous of your time, disrespect your writing and undermine you at every turn. If possible, marry one and have kids.
9. If you actually fail at all of the above, and actually sit down to write, make sure each word, each sentence is perfect before you move on — compare it to your favorite writers’ published works (you don’t think people with talent have to rewrite, do you?) and attack it with all the viciousness of your cruelest and bitterest teachers.
10. Give up as soon as it seems hard or you feel uninspired. After all, if it were real art, it would flow smoothly and be easy.
11. Whatever you do, don’t finish anything. Just keep starting new fragments. (Any ideas prior to your latest suck anyway.) Or endlessly torture your existing manuscripts until you drain them of any vitality they might once have had.
12. If you do finish something, immediately share it with someone who can be counted on to tear it apart, tell you you’re wasting your time, and imply you’re an idiot for ever imagining you could write. Believe this person — s/he wouldn’t say it if it weren’t true.
13. Be sure you never actually submit your work for publication. Take the decision out of the editors’ hands: reject it for them.
14. If a story gets rejected, don’t send it anywhere else — obviously it was no good. In all likelihood, you aren’t either: be sure not to pass up the opportunity to consider giving it all up.
15. If, in an extreme case of failing at the above, you’ve actually published something, know that it was just a fluke. Never ever believe in yourself.

Thanks, Zed.

Crazed

So, I’ve lost my mind again, but this time something might actually come of it.

I’ve gone ahead and signed up for Script Frenzy, which is to stage screen plays what NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) is to novels.

You can keep track of my madness here.

June will be very busy with preparations for NEARFest, Readercon and Big Brothers.

The Golden Compass

http://goldencompassmovie.com/goldenCompass_blog.swf?id=64536

Have any of you read the Golden Compass? The movie looks beautiful, somewhat reminiscent of the game Myst.

If this film is as good as it looks, I’d say that we truly are in the midst of a golden age of high quality fantasy film.

Sigh…

I still have yet to edit the video I shot at Readercon, Worldcon and the Echolyn concert.

For Readercon and Worldcon, I’m sure I have enough footage from each to make a couple of five minute pieces for each. And I still need to pick opening and closing credits music. Maybe some Hawkwind? Kitaro? Tangerine Dream?

I still have to register Fantastic Dimensions.

The Echolyn footage is another matter. The video is great, but the audio from the board is far to bass heavy to be of any use. I should ask Paul if I can use the audio he recorded instead. Since it was a simultaneous recording, everything should sync up just fine.

Recalling Total Recall

I am continuing my project of reading screenplays from films I’ve really enjoyed, not just to re-experience the film from a different perspective, but also to examine exactly why I enjoyed them so much in the first place.

I’ve just finished reading Shusett and O’Bannon’s (and  Goldman’s and Povill’s) screenplay for “Total Recall”. Like “Blade Runner”, the screenplay is excellent. It is taut, compelling, emently readable, without a spare syllable on the page. Every word moves the twisted plot along. Even after reading it, I’m still not sure where reality cleaves from real memory and implanted memory. I was somewhat afraid that the screenplay would reveal where these faultlines lay. I’m glad they remain obscured.

Just in case you don’t know, the movie is based on the late Phillip K. Dick’s short story, We Can Remember it for You, Wholesale, which I’ve never read. I intent to rectify that situation in the next week or so.

These scripts make for facinating reading. I’ve always been a reader who forms detailed pictures while I read, so reading scripts works perfectly for me.

Why do Dick’s stories lend themselves to good film making? Is it because of Dick’s constant examination of identity? Or his interest in the intersection and interaction between memory, dreams and reality? Or his paranoid fantasies about all powerful government agencies and corporations pushing individuals to commit the extrordinary? Or is it something else? These themes are compelling in their own right, but why do they make for good movies? I’m not the only one who’s noticed, Wired has also. My pet theory: Since Hollywood’s bread and butter is the sale of illusion and the marketing of the unreal, writers, good writers, self-aware writers are drawn to Dick’s work, where nothing is real, where no-one is who they seem, and where surfaces are seductive lies.

X Marks the Spot

I received an email today from Andy (a co-worker) that the trailer for X-Men III has been released.

http://www.x3movie.com/announcement-teaser/index.html

It should be interesting. Beast (my favorite X-Man), Angel, Colossus, The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, and, of course, Phoenix.

I haven’t searched seriously, but has X-Men been recognised as a major force in spreading pro-transhumanist, pro-posthumanist ideas?

Screenplays

Wow, almost two months since my last entry.

Lately I’ve been reading screenplays. Screenplays for films I’ve enjoyed,

So Far:

• Tha Andromeda Strain – Nelson Gidding
• Rushmore – Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson
• X-Men – David Hayter
• The Matrix – Larry & Andy Wachowski
• The Fifth Element – Luc Besson
• Gattaca – Andrew Niccol
• Chinatown – Robert Towne

Still to come:

• Blood Simple, Raising Arizona, Miller’s Crossing and Barton Fink – Ethan & Joel Coen
• The Empire Strikes Back – Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan
• The Truman Show – Andrew Niccol
• X-Men 2 – David Hayter, Michael Dougherty, Dan Harris
• Total Recall – Ronald Shusett and Dan O’Bannon – Rewritten by Shusett and Steve Pressfield
• Blade Runner – Hampton Fancher and David Webb Peoples
• Alien – Walter Hill and David Glier

Why? First of all, I really enjoy reading them. Second of all, I want to re-acquaint myself with the form.

So, next I dive into The Truman Show.

Kill Bill Volume 2

Warning, this is filled with spoilers. Don’t read any further if you haven’t seen the film and you don’t some of the surprises given away.

My first question after seeing this film is this, “Is Quentin Tarantino capable of making a film that isn’t aggressively self reflexive and steeped in film history?”

Anyway, it is as though Mr. Tarantino has been gorging himself of pop culture for the past 40 years or so, until he was filled to bursting and then, like Mr. Creosote has to vomit it all out for all the world to wonder at.

Wonder at, because it is all so very artfully, carefully, masterfully arranged.

The Kung-Fu masters, the Ennio Morricone-like music, the Kurosawa like tableaus, the ’70’s pop culture references. Westerns, mariachi music, revenge, blood and motherhood.

It is the perfect new-millennium American movie.

For the moment, that is.

Until “Man on Fire” comes out.

So, how many d20 of damage does a diesel do?

Somehow I fell out of the habit of regularly watching Conan O’Brien. Perhaps it was the need to get up early and go to work. In any case, I missed Vin Diesel coming out of the closet. As a gamer.

A pencil & paper & dice & figurine & imagination gamer. D&D, Warhammer, Gurps, who knows.

Action hero, movie producer, sex symbol, and now the sexiest war gamer on earth.

Suddenly he has a little more respect in my eyes.

Let’s hope that the sequel to Pitch Black doesn’t dim it.

Sundance (and Slamdance) Delayed

Overnight
Raspberry Reich
Citizen King
Stand By – Slamdance
Madness & Genius – Slamdance
Love Ballad of Scarab Hack – Slamdance
Nightingale in a Music Box – Slamdance
The September Tapes
The Woodsman
Brother To Brother
Lbs.
Saved!
Harry and Max
One Point O
Stander
MVP
Metallica: Some Kind of Monster
November
Below the Belt
Bright Young Things

Hydraulic Powered Androids

I have a theory about Kill Bill.

I don’t believe that the actors we see being de-limbed, de-capitated, bifurcated, quartered, etc., etc… are portraying human beings.

I believe that they are portraying androids, powered by extremly high pressure hydraulic fluid.

That’s the only explanation I can come up with for the fountain-like visuals throughout.

Ummmm, Film Goodness

The Brattle Theater, the revival/art theater to which Ron and I belong, is hosting the Boston Fantastic Film Festival. I know where I’m going to be next weekend. Along , of course, with my friends in the Boston chapter of the Gaylactic Network.