Space:1999 article from Starlog #2

From issue #2 of Starlog, from November 1976 when that awesome mag was in its infancy, comes this article on "Space:1999," looking back on the problems of the first season, and what was planned for the second. Bringing on Fred Frieburger as producer may have at first seemed like a great choice to punch up the action and drama, having the third season of "Star Trek" on his resume; but they should have noted that he was more responsible than anyone else for that show's drastic decline in intelligence during the third year.

First, a great cover painting...

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From the same issue, a short writeup on Space actor Nick Tate, as he talks at a convention about the changes coming in the new season.

And, here is the back cover of the issue, advertising the soundtrack for the series.

It's still hard for me to believe that we have passed the year that the show was set in, by 13 years now. Back in the mid-70's it seemed so futuristic and far off! And we still have no moonbase.

As a bonus, here is an article from the prior issue of Starlog, #1, that also talks about the upcoming changes from an earier perspective.

1978 Ralph McQuarrie Article

From issue #17 of Starlog, published October 1978, comes this article on artist/designer Ralph McQuarrie. McQuarrie passed away recently, so I am posting this article in remembrance of this extraordinary talent.

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Bonus: from the same issue, this back cover ad for the Don Post Star Wars masks. Did you own one of these?

Bonus: From the same issue is this look back at Edgar Rice Burroughs, whose writing influenced so much of modern science fiction, especially on film. Since the first filmed version of his Mars stories, "John Carter," is still in theaters as of this post, I thought it might be interesting to read this. I saw the film in Imax 3D, and it was awesome! Of course, being Disney, we didn't get to see as many naked people as in the Frazetta paintings, but it was still good.

Planet Of The Apes Revisited

Another entry on the apes, this time from Starlog issue #105, published April 1986. The cover blurb read "Untold Tales of Planet Of The Apes: The sequels you didn't see - and why!" It is indeed interesting to read about some of the ideas presented for the next movie, and one wonders if some of them might have turned out better than the one that was filmed.

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Since the movie was successful enough to warrent another sequel, the producers found that they had painted themselves into a corner with the destruction of the world. Having the trio of chimps go back in time to then-present day Earth was a great idea, but it would have been better if they had anticipated another film while writing the second, and set up the third one all through it. It would have been great seeing the efforts of Milo, Cornelius and Zira as they try to retrieve and repair the original ship, and the tension of their escape as the world is about to end. Just my way of thinking, and it would have made people even more excited for the next movie when the start of it was teased after the ape planet was blown up; and made the ending less depressing.

Anne Francis "Starlog" Interview

Jan 3rd update: Anne Francis Passes

I am saddened to hear, and post on this earlier entry, that Miss Francis is no longer with us. (Click here to read the article.) She passed away on Sunday, Jan 2nd due to complications of pancreatic cancer at a retirement home in Santa Barbara. She was 80.

The good captain of the C57-D, co-star Leslie Nielson left this world just weeks ahead of her. Both will be missed, and remembered for their wonderful parts in Forbidden Planet. Little did I know when posting this article that it would be the last tribute I made to her while she was alive. Anne, you lightly tread on barefoot toes into the hearts of many a young sci-fi fan.

-Frederick

Altaira, as portrayed by the lovely and enchanting Anne Francis, was one of three sci-fi sirens that captured my heart as a pre-teen; the other two were Yvette Mimieaux as Weena in George Pal's "The Time Machine," and the other was Vina, from Star Trek's "The Menagerie" played by Susan Oliver. This time we look at an article about, and interview with, the lovely Anne Francis from Starlog issue #186, published Janurary 1993.

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The above ad for "individuals wanted for secret time travel experiment" was placed by me just yesterday. I have found no takers from that year as of yet.

For more images of the impish Altaira, visit the Forbidden Planet pages over on the "tags" section of the sidebar.

1982 Behind-The-Scenes Article on Return of the Jedi

Back when filming was still going on of "Return of the Jedi," this one-page article with some behind-the-scenes shots was published in the August 1982 edition of Starlog.

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Below, a February 20th, 1994 Sunday strip of Calvin and Hobbes, in a particularly amusing sci-fi themed entry.

1976 "Logan's Run" article

"Logan's Run" was one of the last of the big-budget science fiction films before Star Wars hit the scene and changed everything. Coming during that time when sci-fi films were not produced often, I was really captured by the world of "Logan's Run" (and Jessica's sideless dress), and collected the novelization, the score LP, and (best of all) a set of large-format lobbycards (which I'll feature in a future post). This time we're looking at an article on the film from issue #2 of Starlog (see cover here) published in November of 1976.

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I managed to see the movie twice when it was first released; once in the theater in Ft. Lauderdale, FL and a few months later in a drive-in in Macon, GA (we moved VERY often), where I taped the sound on my little Radio Shack tape deck. I probably still have the cassettes somewhere in a box. This was one of the first movies I went to see as a teen that show a little skin, which was a bonus at the time!

One thing I noticed was a Star Trek fan extra who snuck in the Vulcan salute at the end! Have you ever seen it? Watch at the end when the young people are reaching for the old man... right in the foreground, one of the raised hands briefly makes the Vulcan hand sign, and it made it in the movie! See my screen capture of the moment below...

My sneaky Trekker friend, whoever you are, I applaud you!
UPDATE: I have heard from the person owning the hand in the above scene! I received an email from Adam Wyse, who wrote this:

Fred,

Thought you might be interested to learn that I was the Vulcan Hand Salute kid in Logan's Run.  My mother was a talent agent in Dallas after we moved here from L.A. in 1970.  I had done many national commercials through an agent there and my mom decided to open an agency in the new film frontier of Dallas.  As a result, she always sent me on extra calls for films made in Dallas at the time like Logan's Run, Phantom of the Paradise, Semi-Tough and others.  I remember working weeks on end on LR culminating to the big finale of filming the destruction of "Dome City" filmed at the Ft. Worth Water Gardens.  We were directed to wait on the far side of a wall for the explosions and then came over to gather around the first old person we'd ever seen, played by the late Peter Ustinov.  I also remember a girl from our agency was selected to be the one to touch the old man's face.  Rumor has it this required a "special audition", but who really knows. Anyway, I was simply wanting to find a way to locate myself in the crowd and didn't do it long, I thought.  I feared it would get noticed and end up on the cutting room floor, but as you mentioned, made the final print.  I had forgotten about this until a friend of mine from back then called me and said the salute had made the Internet.  So, there it is and thanks for the applaud.

Adam

Isn't that cool? Thanks, Adam, for sharing your story! It is neat finding out all these years later who that was that made their mark for Star Trek fans in a sci-fi movie!

1979 article on "The Star Wars Holiday Special"

From issue #19 of Starlog Magazine, published in February of 1979, comes this cover article on one of the darkest chapters in Star Wars history... the legendarily-bad "Star Wars Holiday Special." (See an earlier post on it here from another of my blogs.) Many might want to forget it, but as Master Po said to Grasshopper, "We do not learn by forgetting."

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Bea Arthur is easily the scariest of any of the denizens in the cantina.

"Yes, son, we are your father Chewbacca's dirty little secret. Never forget that."

Whenever the pain of contemplating "The Phantom Menace" threatens to overwhelm you, recall this and you will be comforted.

1990 Starlog article on Kim Hunter (Zira)

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Today's item from the collection cabinets is an article from Starlog Issue #160, published November 1990. My absolute fascination and love affair with Kim Hunter's Zira began in 1973 when I finally saw the first movie, and it's never ended. My heart beats a little faster whenever she's onscreen, and my favorite scene was when she kissed Taylor... who was the viewer by proxy. Very few that I've come across share or even understand my appreciation for the beauty of Zira, but I melt when she wrinkles her muzzle and her eyes sparkle as she says, "You wouldn't hurt me, would you... Taylor?" The makeup design for Hunter was thinner and more flexible than anyone else's on the set, and they made an extra effort to make her attractive. In my mind, they succeeded!

Below, my all-time favorite photo of Zira, which I call the "Mona Zira." If the Ape civilization had it's Michaelangelo, surely she would have been his subject and model!

Below, a press kit publicity photo of the star-crossed, yet ill-fated, lovers.

And lastly, a scan of a color 8 x 10 photo from my scrapbook.

Finally, below is a pencil drawing I did of Zira about 1974 or thereabouts; I was about 15 at the time.

We'll see more of the First Lady of the Apes on this blog as time goes by, you can be sure of that!