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sepdetOn second play through of Of Gods and Men (link is to Youtube playlist which breaks it into 10-minute chunks -- worth watching in hi-def if you've got broadband), I am still loving it.
It's a 90-minute fan-made video sequel to Charlie X, the second episode of TOS.
Here's the trailer for the original episode, a good synopsis (Nichelle singing, yay.)
Of Gods and Men was written and produced by avid Trekkies (yes, word choice is deliberate) of many years, including a lot of the actors who... just love Trek: Nichelle Nichols. Walter Koenig. Tim Russ. (Tuvok... Voyager never worked for me, but he always seemed to outshine everybody and feel like a throwback to classic Trek. His Vulcan mannerisms are perfect). A slew of other actors from the various series and films jumping aboard to play in the sandbox just for the heck of it. I'm not sure they got paid.
Being a onetime rabid Nichelle Nichols fan with a fondness for Walter Koenig as well, it's nice to see them finally getting to play the leads instead of being stuck in the shadows of other actors who aren't any better (and in several cases, not as good).
Don't expect commercial production values here; it's a labor of love put together by obsessed volunteers. Nonetheless, it beats out a lot of the drek put out by Paramount while hacking up the golden goose. Just keep in mind it's fanfic... a phenomenal fanfic, put together by Trekkies in the business, so they can do a better job.
Other actors/characters dropping in to play: Harry Kim,Seven of Nine Leeta the Dabo-girl as an Orion slave, Neelix (not as Neelix; he's the poor bozo at the beginning), Cirroc Lofton/Jake Sisko (Uhura's son), Stonn (of all people, Spock's rival for his betrothed in "Amok Time"), T'pring (?), and Grace Lee Whitney reprising Janice Rand, and *twitch* Gary 7. Also the captain from the Generations movie with Kirk and Picard, Harriman, who has a delightfully ironic line about how it really didn't matter who was in the captain's chair during that incident.
A subtle detail: the Orion slave, a throwback to old Trek T&A, is sitting in Uhura's old chair in the sinister alternate universe. Uhura's name, of course, means "freedom."
I was put off by the title Of Gods and Men, but on second play-through, I've picked up something. I don't think it's unconscious sexism (Trek's Achilles' heel) but... another subtle comment. Note Uhura's role in the story. (Spoiler: There's a final showdown, but in the end, the most crucial pivot isn't the gods and men fighting... it's Uhura's voice, words.) I don't think they could criticize Trek's remaining flaws deliberately, but considering a lot of the content in the story, a lot of it a blatant soapbox for Nichelle Nichols' own views on passive resistance, sexism, racism and majority rule -- I can't imagine the film title is gross carelessness. There is too damn much meta-irony in this production for that. (Spoiler: I don't think Charlie's heartfelt apology to "Janice" -- as opposed to all those he harassed, hurt and killed in the original story -- is only because he had a crush on her, though one could dismiss it that way.)
My appreciation for this film is probably colored by the slight giddiness of prednisone, but anyway... watch it. It's worth seeing. Now I just have to figure out how to save it to CD... I think I've figured out a way.
Later.
It's a 90-minute fan-made video sequel to Charlie X, the second episode of TOS.
Here's the trailer for the original episode, a good synopsis (Nichelle singing, yay.)
Of Gods and Men was written and produced by avid Trekkies (yes, word choice is deliberate) of many years, including a lot of the actors who... just love Trek: Nichelle Nichols. Walter Koenig. Tim Russ. (Tuvok... Voyager never worked for me, but he always seemed to outshine everybody and feel like a throwback to classic Trek. His Vulcan mannerisms are perfect). A slew of other actors from the various series and films jumping aboard to play in the sandbox just for the heck of it. I'm not sure they got paid.
Being a onetime rabid Nichelle Nichols fan with a fondness for Walter Koenig as well, it's nice to see them finally getting to play the leads instead of being stuck in the shadows of other actors who aren't any better (and in several cases, not as good).
Don't expect commercial production values here; it's a labor of love put together by obsessed volunteers. Nonetheless, it beats out a lot of the drek put out by Paramount while hacking up the golden goose. Just keep in mind it's fanfic... a phenomenal fanfic, put together by Trekkies in the business, so they can do a better job.
Other actors/characters dropping in to play: Harry Kim,
A subtle detail: the Orion slave, a throwback to old Trek T&A, is sitting in Uhura's old chair in the sinister alternate universe. Uhura's name, of course, means "freedom."
I was put off by the title Of Gods and Men, but on second play-through, I've picked up something. I don't think it's unconscious sexism (Trek's Achilles' heel) but... another subtle comment. Note Uhura's role in the story. (Spoiler: There's a final showdown, but in the end, the most crucial pivot isn't the gods and men fighting... it's Uhura's voice, words.) I don't think they could criticize Trek's remaining flaws deliberately, but considering a lot of the content in the story, a lot of it a blatant soapbox for Nichelle Nichols' own views on passive resistance, sexism, racism and majority rule -- I can't imagine the film title is gross carelessness. There is too damn much meta-irony in this production for that. (Spoiler: I don't think Charlie's heartfelt apology to "Janice" -- as opposed to all those he harassed, hurt and killed in the original story -- is only because he had a crush on her, though one could dismiss it that way.)
My appreciation for this film is probably colored by the slight giddiness of prednisone, but anyway... watch it. It's worth seeing. Now I just have to figure out how to save it to CD... I think I've figured out a way.
Later.
