Posted by Michael Pinto on Mar 29, 2010 in Star Trek
You can spend so much time and cash on cosplay, but at the $10 each these Starfleet badges are the best way to pass yourself as an Enterprise crew member on a low budget! Each badge includes a pin back so you can wear them — and then just make sure that you have a colored t-shirt handy and black jeans for the full effect. Shown above is the command division badge replica, and below are the badges for the science division, engineering division and medical division: Read more…
Posted by Michael Pinto on Mar 12, 2010 in Fandom, Star Trek
This hilarious fan video is titled Captain Kirk Deals with a Strange Alien Culture. I have to admit that while Kirk’s solution broke the Prime Directive it still shows that he’s the best commander in the whole of Starfleet! By the way the internet meme in the video is Russian singer Eduard Anatolyevich Khil (Эдуа́рд Анато́льевич Хи́ль) giving a performance back in 1976. Read more…
Upon seeing the above poster blown up to billboard size in NYC my fanboy reaction went something like this: Lieutenant Saavik what are you doing? You’re a Star Fleet officer AND you should be setting an example for the crew! Logic demands that you put down those high calorie items and not romp around in a reality weight loss show!!! Mind you that my reason for this is because twenty eight years later this is how I still see Kirstie Alley in my mind: Read more…
Posted by Michael Pinto on Mar 5, 2010 in Star Trek, Tech
At first your reaction to myouterspace.com which is a social networking site for sci fi fans might be that it was lifted from the pages of The Onion, but alas this is no parody. And what breaks my heart is that because J.J. Abrams didn’t give William Shatner a well deserved cameo in the last film is that now he’s been forced to get involved in second rate projects like this one. Read more…
Posted by Michael Pinto on Feb 27, 2010 in Star Trek
I came across this amazing video from back in the day showing quite a bit of behind-the-scenes work that went into Star Trek: The Motion Picture back in 1978. The film would be released in 1979 to mixed reviews, but while it wasn’t Star Wars you have to admire the amount of work that went into this film. You also get a glimpse into how making a special effects film was different then: Read more…
Posted by Michael Pinto on Feb 24, 2010 in Fandom, Star Trek
This amazing silent 8mm film sheds light on an amazing lost moment in Star Trek fandom: It shows a cast reunion at Chicago convention in late August of 1975. I realize today that doesn’t sound like a big deal but you have to step into the shoes of fans of that era to appreciate this special film. This was an age when the only way to watch an episode of Star Trek might have been if you owned a 16mm film print of an episode. There wasn’t much science fiction on television so desperate fanboys and fangurls wanted Star Trek to come back on the air as much as Beatles fans dreamed of another album. So the ability for fans to see their heros reunite on stage must have been true magic — and it’s because of those fans that not only did the cast return to make several films, but that the series still lives on today. Read more…
Posted by Michael Pinto on Feb 17, 2010 in Fandom, Star Trek
In attempt to get publicity for the online Star Trek game Namco Bandai (see you knew there was going to be an anime connection) attempted to organize the biggest gathering of Star Trek fans attired in proper Federation gear. This took place on London on Valentine’s Day, and while the quality of cosplay shown could be slightly dodgy at points the scale of this event impressed me! Although there’s no word on if they succeeded: Read more…
I usually avoid the holiday focused booths at the Toy Fair, but Rubie’s had these adorable Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock Halloween which captured my heart. The manufacturer also has a full line of Watchmen costumes for adults who like to cosplay. Read more…
So much of the toy fair is really aimed at kids, and while there are fanboy friendly booths here and there Diamond is always a pleasure to visit with the variety of cool goodies that they have. Shown above is a Qee Bear Spock — and below you can see a wide range of toys from Alice in Wonderland to Mickey Mouse: Read more…
The charm and the problem with the original Star Trek series was that there was never a mess that Captain james T. Kirk couldn’t get out of — and Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan turned this aspect of the series into a stellar plot device. But looking at this promo video of Star Trek Online: Borg Faction made me realize that what makes the Borg a brilliant plot device is that not only do they outclass Federation technology, but on top of that they’re pure evil. Read more…
Posted by Michael Pinto on Feb 10, 2010 in Star Trek
Back in the day you’d only think about doing a sequel if a film was a cut above everything else — however these days if you’re a studio who is investing huge sums of money to get it right you plan to shoot several films at a time. Lucas did this with Star Wars in 1999, and the Matrix and Lord the Rings used the same formula. So you’d think if you were an executive at Paramount and you had J.J. Abrams signed up you wouldn’t be producing a one shot? Well that bet would be incorrect — and the next Trek film won’t be due out until 2012 at this rate. Read more…
Posted by Michael Pinto on Feb 8, 2010 in Star Trek, Tech
I was tempted to write the headline for this story as Captain Picard giving his views on today’s tech scene but that wouldn’t be fair: What’s interesting is that Stewart finds Twitter limiting to express himself (well he is a Shakespearian actor after all!) yet he seems to almost be doing a commercial for Apple. It’s funny to hear that he avoids videogames for fear of not being able to quit. Stewart will be appearing on PBS in both Macbeth and Hamlet in April, and this interview was from Frontline.
Posted by Michael Pinto on Feb 8, 2010 in Star Trek
This is the prologue to the original opening of Star Trek as it was shown in Japan. The funny thing about this version is that the Japanese voice actor for Spock seems to be slightly more emotional in tone than Nimoy (although I could be reading into this). And in case you were wondering what McCoy sounds like here is another clip: Read more…
We come in peace — shoot to kill! It’s not powerful enough to kill Klingons but this modified Playmates brand Star Trek Phaser (from 1994) is strong enough to pop balloons: Read more…
Posted by Michael Pinto on Jan 20, 2010 in Star Trek
90 years ago today in the town of Toccoa, Georgia the wife of a local Baptist minister gave birth to Jackson DeForest Kelley. Foreshadowing his science fiction and television future DeForest was named after pioneering electronics engineer Lee De Forest who played a major role pioneering both radio and sound-on-film. Read more…
Who is the least popular character from Star Trek: The Next Generation? Well I’ll give you a hint — her exclusive action figure has been marked down from $14.99 (which is pretty cheap for a collector’s item to start with) to a shockingly low $3.00! Yes you heard me right: Commander Deanna Troi is worth less than what you might spend on a cup of Starbucks! But I come not to praise the half-Betazoid, but instead to bury her (or rather the writers who created her character in the first place). Read more…
This trailer for the Star Trek Online MMO gives you a pretty good flavor of the universe that Cryptic Studios has been working on. The game is set to launch in early February and is set 30 years after the events in the film Star Trek Nemesis which was the last film with the Next Generation cast from back in 2002. Read more…
Posted by Michael Pinto on Dec 30, 2009 in Star Trek
The folks at Yokosuka Dry Docks have created a radio controlled version of the Enterprise that can go underwater. The funny thing is seeing this reminded a great deal of the old series Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea which much to my surprise is now available on Hulu!Read more…
Posted by Michael Pinto on Dec 26, 2009 in Star Trek
Having grown up with the REAL Star Trek (well at least the re-runs in the 70s) I always viewed Star Trek: The Next Generation as a bit of a dodgy scam designed as a fundraising scheme for Paramount. Although like some sad junkie I found myself watching pretty much every damn episode! And being in the tech scene I’ve discovered like attracts like, and much to my horror a mention of the Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra! episode always seems to rear its ugly head. Read more…
Posted by Michael Pinto on Dec 15, 2009 in Cinema, Star Trek
There were some films on Quentin’s list that I loved like Star Trek, but his admiration for Observe and Report leaves me puzzled. I’ll be honest: I didn’t film the film but the trailer unsold me rather quickly. I love the fact that Tarantino mentioned the Thai film Chocolate which was directed by Prachya Pinkaew. Here’s the trailer which looks amazing: Read more…
Posted by Michael Pinto on Dec 10, 2009 in Star Trek
The Star Trek film this year owed so much to what Nicholas Meyer did with Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. TrekMovie.com snagged this nice interview with Meyer but I admit that it’s a bit painful for me to watch. Frankly Meyer saved the franchise and his only reward was to be pushed aside — yet out of all of the Trek films and countless hours of television his is the only work that stands the test of time. Read more…
There’s nothing quite like the original! This Star Trek USS Enterprise Limited Edition Replica caught my eye with every detail perfectly in place. This 1:350 scale model is made up of 1,250 pieces and is just a bit over 32 inches long. The design was based on the dimensions and geometry taken from a surviving studio miniature and uses internal metal supports to make sure your warp engines won’t warp. However taking command of a starship has a high price, and in this case that price is $2,000.
Posted by Michael Pinto on Nov 6, 2009 in Star Trek
This video breaks my heart because it gives me a taste at what might have been: This was the year that Star Trek was rebooted — however the one thing missing was that one little cameo with Shatner. Nimoy won’t do another film so we’ll never see the two of them together on the screen. So it’s painful for me to see one of my childhood heroes unveil his wax replica at Madame Taussaud’s Hollywood; it’s the role that has defined his entire life and he deserves to be closer to Star Trek than hanging out with a lifeless full sized action figure. Read more…
The charm and the problem with the original Star Trek series was that there was never a mess that Captain james T. Kirk couldn’t get out of — and Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan turned this aspect of the series into a stellar plot device. But looking at this promo video of Star Trek Online: Borg Faction made me realize that what makes the Borg a brilliant plot device is that not only do they outclass Federation technology, but on top of that they’re pure evil. 
