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Thanks for the head's up, Sigerson! Ed Gross was one of those who have been most supportive of my book over the years, as a matter of fact. Whichever book arrives first, I'm definitely looking forward to reading Ed and Mark's. (I've already read mine.)
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I'm glad I could still order now since I finally have enough funds to do so. Whenever it is available I will look forward to it!
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Silly me -- I forgot that Mark, too, is a RETURN TO TOMORROW booster. He's written a lovely back cover quote, which I'm too modest to repeat here, but for which I'm most appreciative.
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indeed!
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I recently re-watched the movie, and it has aged remarkably well. It's a true science-fiction film for thoughtful people. The canvas is utterly huge, the cast is in fine form, the effects almost all hold up, the Enterprise never looked better, and if that weren't enough--I mean, come on--there's Jerry Effin' Goldsmith absolutely killing it the whole time.
Give me this over a "Star War" any day of the week.
Dan
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Posted: |
Dec 9, 2014 - 8:01 AM
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By: |
Ado
(Member)
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I recently re-watched the movie, and it has aged remarkably well. It's a true science-fiction film for thoughtful people. The canvas is truly huge, the cast is in fine form, the effects almost all hold up, the Enterprise never looked better, and, if that weren't enough--I mean, come on--there's Jerry Effin' Goldsmith absolutely killing it the whole time.
Give me this over a Star War any day of the week.
Dan
I entirely agree Dan, although for years I made this argument and Star Wars nerd troops looked at me like I was crazy.
Star Wars had lead in cool factor I guess, for some reason. Maybe it was all about those troopers with those darn plastic helmets! And whoever thought that soldiers that wear plastic skirts is cool? What purpose do those darn non functional helmets and skirts serve? I mean I asked my kid and he has no idea.
TMP is a far more encompassing and escapist entertainment to me, I was always enchanted with the completeness of the world it created in the future, in space, in that ship, in that cloud. The verisimilitude of that entire movie is remarkable, a massive achievement in1979 and now. The massiveness of that movie really saved the entire franchise, despite the critical barbs at it. Without it there would not have been any following series or movies.
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One of the reasons TMP holds up so well is because nobody makes movies like that anymore.
Star Wars also holds up well, but you can compare it to a more modern example. People at least try to make movies like Star Wars. There’s a whole generation of filmmakers that wants to make the next Star Wars.
Star Wars in retrospect seems slower than it did in 1977. Star Trek: The Motion Picture couldn’t possibly seem slower but compared to its more hyperkinetic successors it certainly seems more thoughtful and grown up.
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One of the reasons TMP holds up so well is because nobody makes movies like that anymore.
Star Wars also holds up well, but you can compare it to a more modern example. People at least try to make movies like Star Wars. There’s a whole generation of filmmakers that wants to make the next Star Wars.
Star Wars in retrospect seems slower than it did in 1977. Star Trek: The Motion Picture couldn’t possibly seem slower but compared to its more hyperkinetic successors it certainly seems more thoughtful and grown up.
This is a great point, and I agree entirely. Star Wars put much more of an emphasis on the thrill button, but the 1977 button is no longer very thrilling. Wise, perhaps like Kubrick a decade before (for a not-too-dissimilar movie), seemed to understand that the emphasis needed to be on a more-timeless artistry. Say whatever else you will about the two movies, but, visually, The Motion Picture looks light years more contemporary/relevant today.
Dan
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Thanks, guys!
Believe it or not, it does the heart of an author good to know that the subject of a book to which he devoted a few years of his life is a film that is even more appreciated now than when he was writing about it.
***
Ado, if you're interested, here's the purpose served by those STAR WARS plastic helmets and uniforms:
They were used to drain any possible suggestion of humanity out of the Empire troopers. When you can't see a face, and when what you can see resembles a robot, you can merrily slaughter them in massive numbers without having any qualms or reservations to intrude upon your fun.
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No derailment at all! I'm very good spirited to report that the first hundred pre-ordered copies have all been signed, by the undersigned, on the anniversary day of the film's original release. Keep watching the skies...
Sincerely yours,
Preston
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I always forget that it came out on 12/7. I usually have other things on my mind. (Aside from Pearl Harbor it's my brother's birthday. Day of infamy, indeed.)
THIRTY FIVE YEARS! That's crazy!
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Posted: |
Dec 9, 2014 - 11:11 AM
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By: |
Ado
(Member)
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Thanks, guys!
Believe it or not, it does the heart of an author good to know that the subject of a book to which he devoted a few years of his life is a film that is even more appreciated now than when he was writing about it.
***
Ado, if you're interested, here's the purpose served by those STAR WARS plastic helmets and uniforms:
They were used to drain any possible suggestion of humanity out of the Empire troopers. When you can't see a face, and when what you can see resembles a robot, you can merrily slaughter them in massive numbers without having any qualms or reservations to intrude upon your fun.
PNJ,
Thanks, alright I guess that makes sense, except for the man-skirt part.
Glad our adoration of TMP makes you happy, it is a really terrific picture to write a book about.
I have a peculiar slant on knowing too much about movies, I find myself resenting it when directors start explaining about how everything was done in a movie, especially when they explain effects. Explaining effects, especially digital ones, is extremely boring. And explaining any effects usually just drains the charm out of the picture. When they are practical effects - perhaps less so, you might appreciate the hard and tangible work that went into it. But this weekend I saw a trailer for Paddington, and the producer started talking about Framestore and the digital effects to make the movie - what an awful thing to do (especially to your child audience) before anyone has seen your movie. It is so totally charmless to tell your child audience that this charming bear was made in a computer. DULL
Anyway, all that said, while I would no doubt enjoy your book I am also afraid of finding out way more than I want to know and me somehow losing that 10 year old boy that sat drooling in front of the screen staring at TMP's vision of space with Jerry's lilting mysterious strings setting my dreams on fire.
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