It was a failed television series 40 years ago, but it has become something between an industry and a cult. The original “Star Trek” show lasted for four seasons but only became a hit after it was canceled and went into syndication. The first convention for fans was in 1972. Many movies and series later, it is a part of our culture and this week’s new “origins” movie is featured on the covers of Newsweek and Entertainment Weekly.
It’s a good time to watch two affectionate tributes to “Star Trek.” Trekkies and its sequel, Trekkies 2 are documentaries about the passionate fans, from the woman who was excused from jury duty because she insisted on wearing her “Star Trek” uniform to the woman who has thousands of photos of Brent Spiner to the young man who has very firm ideas about the epaulets on his uniform to the dentist whose office and staff attire are based on the show. And many, many Klingons.
And Galaxy Quest is a hilarious tribute and spoof starring Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, and Alan Rickman as actors who once appeared on a “Star Trek”-like series and now spend their days living off their former fame and their loyal fans. They discover that those fans include some aliens who believe the shows they saw were historical documents and who have created a real-life spaceship that replicates the one on the show. It is one of the funniest movies of the last ten years.
“Never Give up, Never Surrender”
Star Trek lives on and on. And I am glad. “Trekkies” was fun, and there are other takes on the whole cult-ure. Even CSI a couple of weeks ago took a riff on the Trek culture – and I think it was one of the better episodes of the season.
In parody and in actuality, Star Trek sets a standard that challenges even Star Wars. Is it not remarkable that two of our stongest mythologies invoke stellar exploration, travel and adventure? Yet we continue to chip away at our nascent astronomical program? It is not much different than Europe 500 years ago or China 600 years ago – when the explorers returned with great tales of imagination and wonder. We need to let that wonder fuel our innovations and inspire our vision.
I cannot wait to see this movie on IMAX!
“Never Give up, Never Surrender”
Star Trek lives on and on. And I am glad. “Trekkies” was fun, and there are other takes on the whole cult-ure. Even CSI a couple of weeks ago took a riff on the Trek culture – and I think it was one of the better episodes of the season.
In parody and in actuality, Star Trek sets a standard that challenges even Star Wars. Is it not remarkable that two of our stongest mythologies invoke stellar exploration, travel and adventure? Yet we continue to chip away at our nascent astronomical program? It is not much different than Europe 500 years ago or China 600 years ago – when the explorers returned with great tales of imagination and wonder. We need to let that wonder fuel our innovations and inspire our vision.
I cannot wait to see this movie on IMAX!