Science Fiction Non-Fiction: Robert C. Cooper (Stargate Universe)

"Initially, it was important to create that scenario of the jeopardy of trying to survive in this situation. In the past, I think we've made things too easy on our characters, and I don't want to lose it entirely. I see it as a western - Gene Roddenberry initially described Star Trek as a western in space, and when I think back on pioneers crossing America, with nothing but the stuff they've got with them and having to make do, that incredible spirit is something that was important to have in Universe."

 

-Robert C. Cooper, SciFiNow #36, p.17-

Cooper makes a fine analogy here and he gets that spirit of discovering for new frontiers just right.

And Cooper is correct to say that the characters of Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis were treated with kid gloves often times. Narrow escapes, good humor, guns a blazing - those teams had it pretty good.

The comic book styled trappings of those series adventures dictated that the characters had it pretty good. Things were clearly a little more light-hearted. The writers couldn't put the characters in more significant situations as Cooper would in Stargate Universe because the rules of the game previously were definitively very different from the rules of the game Cooper established tonally for SGU.

Thus SGU, in many respects, is a more cerebral, thoughtful, more serious approach to their science fiction franchise and one that I am completely on board with when it comes to the future of the Destiny and those aboard her. SGU is a mesmerizing journey.

Science Fiction Non-Fiction: SciFiNow's Aaron Asadi (Science Fiction)

"Strict and stagnant mythologies shouldn't be at the heart of an industry driven by imagination. We fans are passionate about our fictions with an almost religious zeal - we are guardians of ideas and their history. There is, though, a danger of protecting an idea too much. Without development, without occasionally allowing creators to change and adapt the characters and universes we have been so swept up with, the very things we seek to protect become lifeless, never really evolving or being given the chance to improve. As much as we, as a community, should show our concern about the handling of our heroes, we also have to be sure to encourage their creators to be creative. Sci-fi and fantasy without invention is a cold thing indeed; new ideas, not dogmatic adherence to lore, should be the oxygen to our icons."

 

-Editor Aaron Asadi, SciFiNow #41, p.1, editorial-

This editorial statement from SciFiNow is certainly a reasonable consideration for reflection and should be kept in the back of our minds when we get just a little too possessive of a thing.

I'm just as guilty of slipping from time to time.

This is why we should have embraced the changes of the Stargate franchise with its third, almost otherworldly iteration, Stargate Universe.







This is why Prometheus was much better than expectations would have suggested and why the world surrounding Alien was indeed evolving for Ridley Scott. Prometheus was a film entirely in the spirit of this mind set.

This is why Star Trek: Deep Space Nine broke with established formula and expectations and remains something of a bastard child within the franchise, albeit a handsome and bold and beloved one by many while still scorned and banished by others. I'm watching too much Game Of Thrones. Awesome!




The new Battlestar Galactica too was arguably a series based on the original ideas of Glen A. Larson that took such a philosophy to new boundaries.  The same can be said of handling one's own property like George Lucas' own Star Wars.  These are dynamic things and for creative people it makes sense.

I enjoyed Asadi's editorial and the spirit with which it was written.

I've posted some covers from SciFiNow which spotlight series that have defied conventions and generally surprised, captured a moment or became something much bigger. These are some I've enjoyed and will continue to enjoy.

Science Fiction Non-Fiction: George Lucas Vs. Congress

In 1988, George Lucas sat before Congress to protect the original composition of films.  At the time, some black and white films were being considered for colorization.  This led to the preservation of historical film and the establishment of the National Film Registry.

My name is George Lucas. I am a writer, director, and producer of motion pictures and Chairman of the Board of Lucasfilm Ltd., a multi-faceted entertainment corporation.

I am not here today as a writer-director, or as a producer, or as the chairman of a corporation. I’ve come as a citizen of what I believe to be a great society that is in need of a moral anchor to help define and protect its intellectual and cultural heritage. It is not being protected.

The destruction of our film heritage, which is the focus of concern today, is only the tip of the iceberg. American law does not protect our painters, sculptors, recording artists, authors, or filmmakers from having their lifework distorted, and their reputation ruined. If something is not done now to clearly state the moral rights of artists, current and future technologies will alter, mutilate, and destroy for future generations the subtle human truths and highest human feeling that talented individuals within our society have created.

A copyright is held in trust by its owner until it ultimately reverts to public domain. American works of art belong to the American public; they are part of our cultural history.

People who alter or destroy works of art and our cultural heritage for profit or as an exercise of power are barbarians, and if the laws of the United States continue to condone this behavior, history will surely classify us as a barbaric society. The preservation of our cultural heritage may not seem to be as politically sensitive an issue as “when life begins” or “when it should be appropriately terminated,” but it is important because it goes to the heart of what sets mankind apart. Creative expression is at the core of our humanness. Art is a distinctly human endeavor. We must have respect for it if we are to have any respect for the human race.

These current defacements are just the beginning. Today, engineers with their computers can add color to black-and-white movies, change the soundtrack, speed up the pace, and add or subtract material to the philosophical tastes of the copyright holder. Tomorrow, more advanced technology will be able to replace actors with “fresher faces,” or alter dialogue and change the movement of the actor’s lips to match. It will soon be possible to create a new “original” negative with whatever changes or alterations the copyright holder of the moment desires. The copyright holders, so far, have not been completely diligent in preserving the original negatives of films they control. In order to reconstruct old negatives, many archivists have had to go to Eastern bloc countries where American films have been better preserved.

In the future it will become even easier for old negatives to become lost and be “replaced” by new altered negatives. This would be a great loss to our society. Our cultural history must not be allowed to be rewritten.

There is nothing to stop American films, records, books, and paintings from being sold to a foreign entity or egotistical gangsters and having them change our cultural heritage to suit their personal taste.

I accuse the companies and groups, who say that American law is sufficient, of misleading the Congress and the People for their own economic self-interest.

I accuse the corporations, who oppose the moral rights of the artist, of being dishonest and insensitive to American cultural heritage and of being interested only in their quarterly bottom line, and not in the long-term interest of the Nation.

The public’s interest is ultimately dominant over all other interests. And the proof of that is that even a copyright law only permits the creators and their estate a limited amount of time to enjoy the economic fruits of that work.

There are those who say American law is sufficient. That’s an outrage! It’s not sufficient! If it were sufficient, why would I be here? Why would John Houston have been so studiously ignored when he protested the colorization of “The Maltese Falcon?” Why are films cut up and butchered?

Attention should be paid to this question of our soul, and not simply to accounting procedures. Attention should be paid to the interest of those who are yet unborn, who should be able to see this generation as it saw itself, and the past generation as it saw itself.

I hope you have the courage to lead America in acknowledging the importance of American art to the human race, and accord the proper protection for the creators of that art–as it is accorded them in much of the rest of the world communities.



Lucas wanted to protect the rights of the filmmaker and though he has tinkered with his own films often since this fateful day on March 3, 1988, Lucas is still tinkering with his own films. It smacks of hypocrisy as if George Lucas fighting corporations was somehow arguing against himself. One can see the splitting of hairs here.

Will the real George Lucas please step forward? If only there was a George Lucas clone to protect him from himself.  It sounds like a great time travel tale. Now about those Star Wars negatives.

The credit to this information goes to Film: Blogging The Real World and Brandon Schaefer from August 2011. I just found it interesting and wanted to look into it a little further.  I thought you might enjoy the overall transcript as well.

The People Vs. George Lucas

If you're a frequent visitor here at Musings Of A Sci-Fi Fanatic you may have noticed there is very little coverage of Star Wars to speak of. In no way do I mean to speak blasphemy going forward nor discount the cultural impact of said franchise on science fiction adventure. It's certainly a bit sacrilegious to speak negatively of Star Wars I know.

Funny enough, it was a recent viewing of The People Vs. George Lucas (2010) on Netflix that essentially sparked this post. I'm not a Netflix fan, but the access is convenient from time to time especially when I don't desire to purchase the product. The documentary is exceptional and recommended for fans of Star Wars and the explosive fan phenomenon that would follow.

I'm essentially a huge fan of the original Star Wars trilogy (1977, 1980, 1983), and like most, the first and second films especially. For a time, I joined the Star Wars craze. I bought the original figures and even some of the new figures during the prequel releases.  And some still hang lovingly in their collectible boxes collecting dust. But to be honest, as the years have passed, I've lost enthusiasm for the Star Wars universe, while my enthusiasm for Star Trek and others has increased exponentially. There just seems to be more meat on the bones of television fare than those brief mythological escapes.  And beyond that, perhaps that universe simply isn't as satisfying as it once seemed as a kid.



In the documentary, directed by Alexandre O. Philippe several fans discuss their love/hate affair for Lucas and it is a fascinating look into fandom. I can completely relate to it. I empathize on a certain level too. The prequels, while still good, are missing substantial heart and depth of character for my tastes. They really felt quite hollow and never really resonated the least bit convincingly particularly when compared to Star Wars: A New Hope. Hayden Christensen was partially to blame as a poor casting choice. The politically heavy scripts were also leaden along with their emphasis on special effects.  And maybe it's me. I'm just not a kid anymore and perhaps I need a little more convincing at this point. But, I like to think, as a kid, I had pretty good taste.  As I see it, everything from the 1970s and 1960s was just perfect. Right.



One of the crucial components discussed for this documentary was the tinkering and altering of the original films by George Lucas infamously known as the Special Editions.  In effect, they were /are a bridge to his new approach to filmmaking that was presented in all its visual effects splendor for those prequel films. Again, they lacked all of the grit, heart and substantive realism of the world created in those original pictures. Those worlds were fantastically convincing. Every nook and cranny of Tatooine felt remarkable from the skeletons to the Sandcrawler droid sale to farming and dinner with Beru and Owen to the cantina of scoundrels.



The People, as it were, have some very valid points regarding Lucas and his endless tinkering. It's maddening to them. This documentary had a funny effect on me because the more I watched the more infuriating it became and the more angry I became. And I'm a casual fan of the series. I don't nearly go to the lengths many of these fans and fan film makers do, but I completely and utterly agree with them concerning the original, untainted original films as national treasures to be protected.  Lucas doesn't seem to see it quite the same way and yet he once sat before Congress to argue for the protection of classic black and white films. He pleaded that colorization of these films was tantamount to a bastardization of the original prints and their respective visions. It doesn't jive. So how does Lucas get away with changing his own films in fairly significant ways? Let's face it, there are changes that go far beyond the pale of the original character intentions of those original films. Let's look at just three examples of those changes.

First, the insertion of Jabba The Hut into Star Wars IV: A New Hope. Han Solo now steps on Jabba's tale and Jabba The Hutt, unlike his very real appearance in Return Of The Jedi, looks about as terrifying as a puppy dog. The scene is effectively ruined or at least it takes us out of the moment. People who had problems with it have every right to be horrified.

Second, in Star Wars V: The Empire Strikes Back, Luke Skywalker falls following the "I am you father" scene. The scene becomes positively hair-raising and not in a good way. To see our battered, brave hero fall and now literally scream like a girl is positively disturbing. And you and I know disturbances in the force are not good. What the hell was Lucas thinking?



Finally, back to Star Wars IV: A New Hope, the crème de la crème of modifications. Han Solo was a scoundrel we always rooted for. He shot Greedo cold. He knew it wasn't going to end well with Greedo and ended him before Greedo shot him.  Now, Han Solo shoots second! Wait. What!? In the Cantina on Tattoine, Greedo shoots first misfiring from two feet away. Han Solo fires back, fortunate to have survived a bad shot from a clearly second-rate, incapable and less-than-worthy bounty hunter, killing Greedo. How lucky. How ridiculous. What happened to that illegal-smuggling, nasty, no-good, but lovable scoundrel of an opportunist? Folks, Han Solo shot first. He always did. He always will. To see that change occur in Star Wars alters an impression of a major character that is absolutely incongruous with his true, established nature. What an abomination. It's a major modification and it's easy to see why the People have a gripe.



And while we're on the subject, look no further than Steven Spielberg's classic E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982), another film that underwent the knife. Rather than government agents in pursuit with guns, now we get government agents pursuing with ... flashlights. The guns are removed and flashlights implemented through editing. We handled the guns fine as children and we can handle the guns today. They were part of the manhunt and it made perfect sense. But at least Spielberg has also retained the original film in tact and made it available. Spielberg never buried it like it was an imperfect abomination.



Lucas is both a capitalist and a committed liberal. Sadly those politics continue to be foisted upon us by a Hollywood that acts like an endless slush fund. It continues to alter our perception of what we should see or how we should see things. In general, there is a constant movement to change history too. Don't think for a minute those efforts aren't well-funded either. Let's erase the twin towers because we don't want to remind people of what happened. Have our sensibilities become so fragile and delicate America can't handle Han Solo shooting first or E.T. pursued by men with weapons? The barometer on our perceptions of what is acceptable and what isn't goes beyond good sense, unless of course the use of an argument, despite hypocrisy, can line the wallets of studios and its stars who profess one political argument yet sell another. Quite frankly it's maddening.

The original films will forever hold a special place for me, but I don't often seek them out. When I do catch them I stop and I love seeing them, but for whatever reason I have moved on significantly from the wonder and imagination of those original Lucas films. Of course, I have them memorized.



I suppose it has to do with change and some sort of personal growth. It's not that I don't appreciate films filled with imagination. I loved Pacific Rim (2013) as you know and it's not a film that's going to change the world. But it does take a bit to impress me today.

Take the ever expanding promise of the Disney-owned universe and the potential for a J.J. Abrams Star Wars film and/or a Star Wars television series. I'm rather indifferent or apathetic about the whole thing.  I'm literally on the side lines with little to no interest. I'm okay with it. I'm happy for those that are really excited but I've just moved on. I mean, I see headlines constantly updating us on these stories on science fiction sites and the enthusiasm fans have for it and I'm generally completely disinterested. I probably shouldn't be, but I'm just not bothered.

Additionally, the comic book movie has taken a similar detour for me.  I have even less interest in superhero movies today. Once upon a time I couldn't wait for a new superhero film, but the loud, crashing thud of The Avengers (2012) has lessened my enthusiasm for them even further. I see the excitement for Spider-Man 2 I'm just not sold on anything that special about it. They keep priming us for The Avengers 2. Yet, it's passable entertainment at best. So even the superhero universe has lost a luster. Guardians Of The Galaxy (2014) is a sci-fi-styled exception. I'm interested in it for originality.





I know you're thinking, 'Oh you poor sod, you've lost the eyes of a child.'  And that's not it at all. I definitely felt that child-like summer enthusiasm for Pacific Rim and I know it will happen again. I'm open to it. But the journey of ideas in science fiction brought to life in pictures like Pacific Rim or Prometheus (2012) are few and far between for me at this point.  Those films thrilled and terrified and touched me in a cerebral or emotional way and at this point it take something to impress me.  Television, whether the classics like Star Trek: The Next Generation or a new series like Game Of Thrones, has an even greater impact on the experience for me based on sheer scope, breadth and depth of material.

But listen, tastes change and times change and thus we are dynamic in this way in our love for pop culture.  I have little doubt my tastes will remain static. Change is a constant with them. And, ultimately, to each his own. Perhaps I've fallen to the dark side.

Ironically, this fan-based documentary film was so much more fascinating to me than the possibility of more Star Wars itself. It made me realize that I had written or expounded or reflected very little on the Star Wars mythology here on this site. What was also notable to me was that my relationship with all things George Lucas has all but evaporated. It has long been replaced by so many others and yet many of those series were certainly influenced by Star Wars.



The People Vs. George Lucas is thorough in its examination of Lucas as indie filmmaker turned capitalist. It examines in fascinating details fan reaction to the dreadful creation of Jar Jar Binks, the deflating reaction to Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999) and most importantly the conundrum that is the love/hate relationship to the almost schizophrenic, divisive or dichotomous creative approach that is George Lucas.

But, let's be clear, the love part of that love/hate relationship for Star Wars and George Lucas runs deep and far outweighs the latter.  I am forever grateful to Lucas and Star Wars for largely reinforcing this inspired love of science fiction that began with Star Trek, Lost In Space, Thunderbirds and Space:1999. Star Wars took it all to another level. In this, this writer, will forever respect the accomplishments of George Lucas even if Star Wars is quite the antithesis to most of my more thoughtful science fiction tastes today. And who knows, maybe one day I will return to the Star Wars universe here, but for now that interest is in a galaxy, far, far away.



Minor footnote: A neighbor's son was a little under the weather. I brought him one of those Star Wars figures I seem to have much less regard for today in the hopes of lifting his spirit. It did. He lit up. He just sat there looking at the figure. He and his Dad showed me their massive Star Wars collection and the boy even likes Jar Jar Binks. You can't help but forgive that affection from the eyes of a child.

You see, this is where my affection for that series lived. It was indeed in the heart of that little kid. I loved Star Wars to no end once upon a time. Here I was standing before a boy, thirty-seven years Star Wars was launched on an unsuspecting world.  It was clear, like Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek, that Star Wars was alive and well in the hearts of young people today and it wasn't going away. Regardless of all the money behind it and the game of show business aside, it's nice to forget about all that and remember why something like this continues to be special. Just seeing the joy in that boy's face. Star Wars is certainly alive and well.

Star Trek: TNG S1 Ep19: Coming Of Age

Coming Of Age: The transition from childhood to adulthood for a young person.

 

"I failed Captain. I failed you and I failed the Enterprise."

-Wesley-

"Ridiculous, did you do your best?"

-Picard-

"The only person you're truly competing against Wesley is yourself. You have to measure your successes and your failures within."

-Picard-

"Only fools have no fear."

-Worf-

 

I was actually shooting for the colors on Wesley's shirt here.

Alternative rock band Foster The People is perhaps one of my favorite new artists to arrive on the music scene in the past few years alongside Of Monsters and Men. Perhaps it's their ability to create a future sound while sounding entirely retro. That's no small trick. I'm fairly enthusiastic about their sophomore effort, Supermodel (2014). The lead single is a light, breezy, catchy, accessible and deceptively sneaky little grower called Coming Of Age. It doesn't grab you by the throat like Pumped Up Kicks (2010), but it grows with you like Star Trek: The Next Generation does in good time.



The Coming Of Age concept is always a favorite for young and old. The Wonder Years (1988-1993). Stand By Me (1986; also with Wil Wheaton). Freaks And Geeks (1999-2000). The Man In The Moon (1991). You remember them all and you love to re-experience it all over.



This crucial rite of passage to maturation and the understanding of the changes that go along with it have forever fascinated the human race.  Even as adults we enjoy film and television that takes that risk in attempting to make sense of this special period in a person's life and we embrace it all over with elated abandon.  We never grow tired or old of experiencing all of that newness again. Seeing and experiencing things, even aboard a starship, through a young person's eyes like Wesley Crusher is somehow always cherished no matter how old we grow.

With his whole life ahead of him young man Wesley Crusher takes on the challenge of gaining acceptance into Starfleet Academy in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Season One, Episode 19, Coming Of Age as he hopes to become part of Starfleet Academy.





Franchise mainstay Mike Vejar has stood behind the camera on some memorable episodes of all four franchise arms of Star Trek as well as Babylon 5 (1993-1998). He has a terrific visual eye for a shot, but can he help inject life into Season One's run of flagging scripts?

The Crusher story is just one component of the Coming Of Age installment along with Picard and crew under scrutiny by Starfleet officers in the form of an investigation that will have a ripple effect and ramifications later in the series. Picard has no knowledge of the meaning behind the investigation, but must cooperate with Starfleet with the review headed up by old friend and colleague Admiral Gregory Quinn.



Upon recently viewing both Season Two and Season Three of ST:TNG, Season One's deficiencies are notable. First, the scripts and dialogue are lacking in areas like logic and flow.  The dialogue is sometimes less than convincing in quality and leaves a strong cast with weak material. Second, there is still a subtle difference in chemistry between cast members here versus Season Two and beyond. The rhythms are off, no doubt partly due to the sometimes poor dialogue they are forced inhabit combined with what direction the creators wanted to take these characters.



I shouldn't be too hard on Season One and I do appreciate certain aspects of this debut season as the team, actors and writers alike, iron out the wrinkles.  To make a fair comparison, as the writer here at Musings Of A Sci-Fi Fanatic, sometimes looking back at some of my earlier entries can put a wince in my face and some wrinkles on my forehead. And I don't need any more of those. I'd like to think, like Star Trek: The Next Generation, there has been plenty of growth and improvement in my own approach here. Getting it right out of the box is a rare achievement, and just so we understand I'm not casting stones (more like water balloons), because I had plenty of growth ahead of me and still do.



I have to give the nod to Star Trek: The Original Series, Stargate Universe and Firefly for achieving geek nirvana from the start. Others like Babylon 5, Star Trek: The Next Generation and Stargate SG-1 certainly needed a little fine-tuning. Your humble blogger is part of that latter group. But, we're in good company.




Fittingly, Coming Of Age, moves the series that much closer to its groove. Patrick Stewart moves much closer to the qualities of his role that would become exemplary and a pleasure to watch in the coming seasons. He is in fine form here offering his seasoned and steady wisdom without coming off stuffy. He and the rest of the cast are much more in command of their roles, and while still a little bumpy, are indeed moving in and out of one another's sphere of influence within the show with a more natural, even effortless flow.




Coming Of Age also does a fine job of balancing two tales and a touch of mythology in the history of Picard, Dr. Beverly Crusher, Wesley Crusher and Wesley's deceased father placing a focus on the difficulty of choices and hard decisions in the world of Starfleet.  As a result, Wesley is enlightened and grows as a result like all of the best stories that discover a truth in the maturation process. Coming of age for Wesley is also coming to terms with certain realities regarding those he loves and respects.



The story also foreshadows events to come in the form of ST:TNG, S1, Ep25, Conspiracy. In fact, the investigation plot of this episode feels a bit awkward and slightly unreasonable and without merit - a "charade" as Picard calls it. Still, the discomfort of that piece of the show, which would normally leave me uneasy with the script, based on much of the qualitative Season One evidence to date, can be logically explained to a degree when linked to the upcoming Conspiracy story. Coming Of Age, taken on its own, doesn't quite measure up concerning the investigative portion of the story. It just doesn't sit quite right, but given forthcoming events definitely makes a good deal more sense.



Admiral Gregory Quinn's "I see conspiracies everywhere" is a little easier to swallow in keeping with old friend Picard, but seeing episodes down the road does have a way of putting some of these earlier ST:TNG entries into context.



Wesley faces adversity, especially after his successes at the opening of the episode whereby Wesley is accepted to take the Starfleet exam while another friend is not. Adversity is another way in which we grow. Picard, too, suffers his own adversity. How both young and old respond to those challenges, and the rewards they provide any of us, is how we all handles with transitions in our lives. Either we have the character to deal with them and grow are we do not learn.



Coming Of Age offers a nice presentation of those lessons even if not the most sound or enthralling of ST:TNG entries. Like the process itself, Coming Of Age demonstrates the series growing pains, but also highlights a series moving from weakness to strength.

One of the show's great strengths, for me, is the wisdom often imparted through the calming voice of Picard as a man of reason. It is indeed a quality bestowed on this Captain that is truly one of the great highlights of the show and one that really shines with each new entry as we go. Unlike the earlier, preachier installments, Picard discovers his humanity and demonstrates the beauty of our flaws and how we learn from them. Coming Of Age is a terrific example of the new Picard.




One scene in the final minutes between a disappointed Wesley and a sagely Picard recognizes Picard's own failings offering Wesley comfort. Wesley, in a way, is comforted in the knowledge that Picard too failed entrance into Starfleet Academy his first time. This gives Wesley perspective and understanding and, in turn, provides him with a source of strength and inspiration.  It is a beautiful moment essentially lifting Wesley up, like all young people need, and reinforcing in them of their ability to overcome failures and grow and improve through belief from within. Picard is also a splendid role model in this entry providing father-like guidance to young people that are not his own children.  And that is how it should be.

After viewing Season Two, and seeing a more mature Number One sporting facial hair, another form of growth with the coming of age of the series, I thought perhaps the series pivoted with the growth of that beard, but viewing this entry again one begins to realize that's not so and Season One continues to show maturing signs of life even without Commander William Riker's beard.




"Then shall we continue with our mission?" asks Picard of Wesley. "Yes sir," speaks a bold Wesley Crusher confident in his future despite setbacks.

It would appear there is some hope to mine the allegorical beauty that is ST:TNG's trek into new frontiers as the series itself is coming of age too.



Coming Of Age: C+.
Writer: Sandy Fries.
Director: Mike Vejar.