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Quick column today! I'm running a bit behind. First, some comments from previous columns . . .
Murray Leeder: I wouldn't be bothered by this guy if he at least got the facts straight! For instance, in his "review" of "When The Bow Breaks", he says (regarding the comments on why the Federation doesn't have a cloaking device) that that was because of a treaty with the Romulans, as was mentioned in "many episodes". First of all, it was mentioned in ONE episode of NextGen, and furthermore that episode was made the season after the guide was published!
Phil: Yeah, I know but--when I did a quick read through some of the guy's stuff--I came away with two impressions: One, that he was young and Two, that he really loves Star Trek. So . . . that's okay. If it give him some measure of happiness to "explain" why nits aren't nits, that's fine!
Murray Leeder: Apparently, the voice of the captain of the Bozeman (as heard in the subspace messages near the beginning) was in fact Kelsey Grammar! Also, www.imdb.com has these uncredited First Contact cast members listed: Mike Boss, extra in holodeck scene; Brannon Braga, extra in holodeck scene; Ronald D. Moore, extra in holodeck scene; Ray Uhler, dancer in Holodeck
Lisa Shock: In response to Mark Blankenship's questions about cameos, I believe that Mark Leonard died before production began on First Contact. He was very frail in the last few years, I saw him on QVC in 1992 (I think) and he was definitely retired. He enjoyed working on Trek, just wasn't up to doing it any more.
Mike Leinoff of Queensbury, NY: I noticed Mark Blankenship asking about cameo appearances in First Contact. He mentioned the possibilities of Mark Lenard, Michele Phillips, and Ethan Philips. I have one of my own: If I'm not mistaken, that was Armin Shimerman playing the principal on Buffy the Vampire Slayer last Monday.
Phil: I think we had a bunch of these submitted a few weeks ago! Trek actors who are seen elsewhere. (Just for the record, however, that topic is closed! I put Mike's in here but I won't upload any other! This subject deals with First Contact only. ;-)
Kristian Harper: Kelsey Grammer did the voice of the captain of the Bozeman in the battle sequence of FC. You hear him say one word "Acknowledged."
Phil: I know Murray mentioned this above but Kristian's reply had more detail!
On to the questions . . .
Murray Leeder: The Internet Movie Database has these films listed under "references" for First Contact:
Wizard of Oz, The (1939)
Citizen Kane (1941)
Moby Dick (1956)
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Green Slime, The (1969)
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
Alien (1979)
Blade Runner (1982)
Troll (1986)
Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988)
Tetsuo (1988)
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)
Some of these are obvious (the 2001 reference, for instance, is probably the AE35 label, as well as the fact that the music in that scene sounds suspiciously like the opening strains of "Also Sprach Zarathustra"), but some of them I just can't get. This may be because the Internet Movie Database just takes their info from anyone, and doesn't check it out (for instance, someone put David Duchovny's name on Men In Black II and it wound up in the tabloids!). But can anyone else figure out any more of them?
Phil: Obviously, Moby Dick is quoted in the movie. Anybody want to try the others? (I think this should be a direct reference or graphic that directly copied with a purpose. I'm not sure, "Well, this character sorta, maybe reminds me of so-and-so," is what we're looking for! ;-)
Jim Coyle: As much as I love them, I always get a chuckle when I watch those great ST exterior shots of the ships and "hear" the roaring of engines, the "sound" of weaponry discharging and exploding, the "tinkling" of the comet ice/dust in the DS9 intro, etc., because we all know that there's no sound in space. Along these lines, has anyone ever wondered why there are running lights on all these ships?! How close do two starships have to get before their running lights are visible to the naked eye? Bow to bow, maybe? Why wait to zoom in on a visual when you have long-range sensors? Remember the "launch" scene in ST:TMP: all those lights illuminating insignia and registry numbers? When these ships meet in space, most of the time they are kilometers apart or torquing by each other at warp speeds. I'd trade my running lights for a good set of sensors any day! So the question remains: why bother with running lights? BILC??
Phil: "Because It Looks Cool" would be my guess! Either that or the light are some kind of fiendishly clever method of redirection. May Starfleet know that an enemy will always shoot at the lights and has those sections of the ship reinforced!
Ronan Mitchell: In the DS9 ( Season 3, I think ) epidsode "Defiant", there's a hostile exchange between O'brien and Riker - something like "I have nothing to say to you, O'Brien, I think you know why." Well..I don't know why! Can anyone explain Riker's attitude?
Phil: Look at it from Tom Riker's viewpoint. He's impersonating Wil Riker--on the verge of absconding with the Defiant--when suddenly he's face to face with someone who knew Wil Riker very well. He only needs a little time to get away so to buy himself some time, he pretends that there was a falling out between Wil and O'Brien. This throws O'Brien off-balance long enough for Tom to fly away with his prize!
Corey Hines, Hamilton, ON: I just watched "Return of the Jedi" again after the Special Edition came out and I was wondering, what exactly killed Dath Vader other than the fact he took his mask off. I can think of three possible ways but they don't seem right. First, he had a hand cut off but I don't think that could have killed him since Luke had his cut off and his hand was real. That still doesn't explain why he was breathing irregularly but that's another issue. Second, when he picked up the Emperor and may have been electrocuted but Luke took way more punishment and he seemed fine aferwards. Third, the blast may have affected him but it didn't seem that powerful. What do you think?
Phil: I'm no expert on Star Wars but I believe that Vader's helmet included a respirator. If it did and Luke removed it under Vader's urgings, then Vader expired from lack of oxygen.
Brian Straight, Shawnee, Kansas: I have a couple of questions. First, I was at a friend's house the other day waiting for him to get ready and go out bowling with me. As I was waiting his little sister was watching the Disney movie "The Little Mermaid" and I notice in the opening credits Rene Aurburjenos (sp?) was listed as providing a voice in the movie. As soon as I got home I watched the movie listening carefull to the voices and I couldn't make his out. Do you happen to know who's vouice he supplied?
Second, I was reading an article in TV Guide's "Returning Shows Preview" and it mentioned somthing about a crew member dying in the battle with the Dominion. I'm assumed that the journalist wasn't being smart (and refering to the fact that the war will be a blood bath) and was implying DS9 is getting rid of a character too!! I also heard rumors about Colm Meany (Chief O'Brien) leaving the show! Do you know anything about this?
Phil: Rumors fly almost constantly in the Trek domain--along with every other domain of life. I've foudnthe best approach is to simply wait for the official press release. It's no nearly as titillating as having "secret knowledge" that no one else knows but I've found it to be a bit more practical! As for Rene Auberjonois, the Internet Movie Database reveals that he voiced "Louis". You may have been distracted by the fact that Rene Auberjonois "sits on his voice" to produce the gruff sounding Odo. The actor is actually a tenor!
Angel de Jesus: Is there a book that explains the time gap between Next Generation and Star Trek: Generations?
Phil: I'm not sure there is anything canonical and I don't keep up with the novel. Does anyone know if there are novels that supposedly take place in this gap?
Have a great weekend, everybody!
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Copyright 1997 by Phil Farrand. All rights reserved.