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The Fanzines of Trek -- in situ

Here's something fun from the latest Yandro:

"David Chute, Auburn, Maine

I get a little irked at the obsession some fans have with STAR TREK.
Sure it's good; I watch it when I can, but best dramatic Hugo? You
gotta be kidding! Did any of you see Fahrenheit 451 or that Chrysler
Theatre story about the land race in the overpopulated future? (from a
Sheckley story I think)? [The People Trap, and it was ABC Stage '67]
I really worry about fandom when things like that happen.
One of the nice things about STAR TREK is the fact that
I can do something else, like read, write, draw, while I'm thatching and
not miss a thing. Try doing that to F.451. Is anyone besides me push
ing that film?

I agree with Milt Stevens, Kirk is not a believable captain, and
Shatner is a pretty poor actor. Since I myself am planning a career
as an actor, it bugs me to see no talent pretty boys like that get so
much praise. You want to see a good actor at work see Olivier's Othel
lo
or The Crucible; as it was recently shown on tv, with George C.
Scott, the best American actor, without doubt. You seem to be making
the connection, "If he's in a science-fiction play, he's good." Silly
of course. Stephen Boyd is lousy too, so's Raquel Welch, while Julie
Christie and Oscar Werner are superb."

[the latter two were in F-451, and the former in Fantastic Voyage]

David Chute is a total jerk. He reads the newspaper during Star Trek and just assumes it was no good. :rolleyes:
 
David Chute is a total jerk. He reads the newspaper during Star Trek and just assumes it was no good. :rolleyes:

Hey man, I'm not disagreeing. Just reporting the news. :)

(I think Shatner does a fine job for the most part, and Trek does require attention. It is science fiction, after all...)
 
It was probably Kris’ review that prompted me to watch it again, after ~50 years. I kinda wished I hadn’t. In the intervening years, I had the opportunity to spend an afternoon in a friend’s living room, as a small group of fans were entertained by Ray Bradbury telling mad tales of his life. It’s one of the highlights of my 20s. He was like the cool uncle you desperately wish you’d had.

So the heavy-handed anti-TV sentiment of the movie was disappointing. I think I actually yelled at my TV at one point “We get it, Ray, TV BAD!!”

It felt like they were hammering home that message with a Roddenberryan lack of subtlety. Which I want to believe was unfair to Bradbury. I haven’t re-read the book since I was a teenager. Was Ray concerned with TV when he wrote the book?
 
It was probably Kris’ review that prompted me to watch it again, after ~50 years. I kinda wished I hadn’t. In the intervening years, I had the opportunity to spend an afternoon in a friend’s living room, as a small group of fans were entertained by Ray Bradbury telling mad tales of his life. It’s one of the highlights of my 20s. He was like the cool uncle you desperately wish you’d had.

So the heavy-handed anti-TV sentiment of the movie was disappointing. I think I actually yelled at my TV at one point “We get it, Ray, TV BAD!!”

It felt like they were hammering home that message with a Roddenberryan lack of subtlety. Which I want to believe was unfair to Bradbury. I haven’t re-read the book since I was a teenager. Was Ray concerned with TV when he wrote the book?

I don't know, but I'm always one of the few who think Bradbury isn't all that great -- overly mawkish, and never hard SF.

His original short story version of The Fireman, from the late 40s, was probably the best. The novel was implausible and heavy-handed.
 
I see that Denny was nudge nudge wink wink in the comments on that as well:

Denny Lien
SEPTEMBER 17, 2021 AT 11:02 AM
I think it’s very much possible that censorship of books will be pushed under the guise of “minorities must never be offended.” I wouldn’t be surprised if, in the not-so-distant future, we might even see withdrawal of availability for those reasons of books by an author as benign as (oh, let’s just go for an extremely unlikely example, since this is just blue-skying about the future, right?) — say — Dr. Seuss?​

I don't know, but I'm always one of the few who think Bradbury isn't all that great -- overly mawkish, and never hard SF.
Why would Bradbury do hard SF? That wasn't ever his thing.
 
I see that Denny was nudge nudge wink wink in the comments on that as well:

Denny Lien
SEPTEMBER 17, 2021 AT 11:02 AM
I think it’s very much possible that censorship of books will be pushed under the guise of “minorities must never be offended.” I wouldn’t be surprised if, in the not-so-distant future, we might even see withdrawal of availability for those reasons of books by an author as benign as (oh, let’s just go for an extremely unlikely example, since this is just blue-skying about the future, right?) — say — Dr. Seuss?​


Why would Bradbury do hard SF? That wasn't ever his thing.

But Neopeius likes harder science ficiton more than softer science fiction, so no matter how good Bradbury was at softer science fiction, Neopeius won't like Bradbury as much as Bradbury's greatest fans do.
 
But Neopeius likes harder science ficiton more than softer science fiction, so no matter how good Bradbury was at softer science fiction, Neopeius won't like Bradbury as much as Bradbury's greatest fans do.
Neopius can answer that for themselves.
 
You're a very agile man, Mister Neopeius. Just how many of you are there?

Third person is becoming the default generic pronoun. It's a little clumsy, but it's better than anything else that's been come up with. :)

He/him is fine, as is Gideon. Never "Marcus" unless it's preceded by "Mr." (or we're evoking the past when reference to someone by last name was common -- I think that went out by the 80s.)
 
From the latest (August 1967) issue of Analog, editor John Campbell says of Trek:

"Star Trek" is the only real science fiction for adults TV has ever presented. The nearest next show is "Time Tunnel," about one third as good!"

This sentiment makes sense given that Analog/Astounding was a prime inspiration for Trek.

(this is for those who say Trek was NEVER SCIENCE FICTION IT'S ALWAYS BEEN SCIENCE FANTASY JUST LIKE STAR WARS!!!111)

:)
 
Here's a bit of Zelig action (or for younger folks, Forrest Gump action).

We have completed our first Trekzine! The Tricorder is written as if it is summer '67, and we only have the first season of Trek to go on. It includes a great short story, a crossword puzzle, a cocktail recipe, a filk, an Ask Captain Kirk section, and a Welcome to the Enterprise guide.

I assembled it in traditional 'zine style, though we used photocopiers rather than mimeos (such were coming into use at that time).

If anyone wants a physical copy, let me know. It just costs postage and materials ($1 for domestic; $1.50 for overseas):

tricorder2.jpg
 
The first Trekzine, Vulcanalia, is probably out, but I'll give it the benefit of the doubt and wait another week. Yandro won't be here till the end of the month.

Um... might you have meant SPOCKANALIA? Devra Langston's zine, generally recognized as the first Trek fanzine?
 
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